Midwife Brings Heaven Metal to Cluny 2
Madeline Johnston brings Midwife’s sparse, emotionally charged Heaven Metal to Cluny 2, with support from Devin Shaffer.
Midwife Newcastle brings Madeline Johnston’s sparse and emotionally charged music to Cluny 2 on Thursday 5 November 2026. Devin Shaffer joins a bill where atmosphere, volume and vulnerability matter more than familiar rock structures.
Midwife began in 2014 while Madeline Johnston was living at Denver DIY space Rhinoceropolis. That community setting helped shape a project built through self-recording and experimentation. Johnston is both a self-taught multi-instrumentalist and a recording engineer.
Midwife Newcastle brings Heaven Metal into close quarters
Johnston calls the project’s emotionally heavy, grief-focused sound Heaven Metal. The phrase captures an important contrast. Beauty and devastation sit together, while catharsis arrives through patient repetition rather than an immediate release.
On stage, Midwife can feel deliberately exposed. Sparse arrangements leave space around Johnston’s voice and instruments, so even a small change carries weight. Meanwhile, the recorded work often builds far denser environments with layered sound and studio detail.
That difference makes the Cluny 2 date particularly interesting. The room is intimate enough to hold quiet tension, yet its sound system can give heavier passages real physical impact. Consequently, the music can move from near silence to a much wider sonic space without losing the audience.
Grief is a recurring subject, although Johnston approaches its different forms rather than repeating one story. Therefore, the performance may feel personal without becoming narrowly autobiographical. The songs leave room for listeners to bring their own experiences into the gaps.
Devin Shaffer supports, adding another distinct voice to the evening. Doors open at 7.30pm, and advance tickets cost £18.50 plus fees. The show is for ages 16 and over. Anyone under 18 must attend with an adult.
Midwife plays Cluny 2, Newcastle, on Thursday 5 November 2026. Tickets and current information are available through The Cluny’s official event page. Please check the venue and artist channels before travelling, as details can change.
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