Newcastle’s Andrew Cushin Is Waiting For The Rain

by | Oct 1, 2023

The north-east’s next breaking star Andrew Cushin has dropped  his eagerly anticipated debut album Waiting For The Rain, along with its title track as his new single. The singer-songwriter has won the attention of a wealth of leading artists since his first self-released single in 2020, signing to Peter Doherty’s Strap Originals label, touring arenas in North America and Europe with Louis Tomlinson, and having Noel Gallagher produce and feature on one of his songs. He has also supported Paul Weller, Lottery Winners, Jake Bugg, Johnny Marr, Lathums and Blossoms.

Andrew Cushin

Andrew Cushin (Tom Hill)
Andrew Cushin (Tom Hill)

Throughout the first stage of his career, Cushin has become renowned as a songwriter able to vividly portray a world of emotions from heartbreak to hope, from tough childhood memories to making new starts. And as he began to introduce the songs which feature on his album, they grew in stature with his seasoned baritone boosted by bigger production which amplified his emotional themes, as the songs bristled with the intensity of his live performances. Those previous singles – You’ll Be Free, Dream For A Moment, 4.5%, It’s Coming Around Again, Wor Flag and Just Like You’d Want Me To – have expanded his following with every release.

The album’s title track and new single takes us back to the start of the 23-year-old’s story. He wrote the song at the age of 15 after witnessing a family argument, and released a sparse acoustic version back in 2020. This new version amplifies its power with a fiery full live band production.

Cushin says: “The title track, Waiting For The Rain, was the first song I’d ever written. It’s also the first song that got me a manager, a record deal and started me on this journey. It’s only fair that my debut album is named after that song, as it opened so many doors.”

Check out the Daniel Hepple-directed video for Waiting For The Rain below:

The album was produced by Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers) and recorded at sessions split between Rockfield Studios in Monmouth and The Libertines’ Albion Rooms in Margate. It includes another five new songs which capture an artist with the world at his feet, with fresh highlights including the swaggering, sinuous indie-rock opener Let Me Give It To You, the melancholy slow burner I Want You To Be There and the rousing epic finale of closing song The End.

Raised on a council estate in Heaton, Newcastle, Cushin’s early independent releases established his reputation before he signed to Strap Originals for his debut EP You Don’t Belong. Attracting comparisons to the likes of Sam Fender, Noel Gallagher, Jake Bugg and Jamie Webster, his live following has constantly grown too, especially in Newcastle where he has upscaled from The Cluny to NX on previous tours and now he’s set to play to 5,200 people over the course of two nights at the O2 City Hall. He will celebrate the release of the album with a record store tour that starts at hmv Newcastle. His full headline tour then starts in mid-October.

Record Store Tour:

SEPTEMBER
30th – hmv, Newcastle

OCTOBER
2nd – Wax and Beans Records, Bury
3rd – Banquet Records, Kingston
4th – Just Dropped In Records, Coventry
5th – The Vinyl Whistle Records, Leeds

UK & Ireland Headline Tour

OCTOBER
12th – Brickyard, Carlisle
13th – Voodoo, Belfast
14th – Academy 2, Dublin
16th – O2 Academy 2, Liverpool
17th – O2 Academy 2, Oxford
18th – Scala, London
19th – Thekla, Bristol
21st – O2 Institute 2, Birmingham
22nd – Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
24th – Patterns, Brighton
25th – Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes
26th – O2 Academy 2, Leicester
28th – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
29th – Wardrobe, Leeds
31st – O2 Academy 2, Sheffield

NOVEMBER
1st – St. Luke’s, Glasgow
2nd – Band On The Wall, Manchester
4th – O2 City Hall, Newcastle

DECEMBER
16th – O2 City Hall, Newcastle

Liam Gallagher Oozes More Power At Koko

Skunk Anansie @ Glastonbury Festival 2022 (Kalpesh Patel)

Skunk Anansie Unveil Powerful Visual For Deeply Personal New Single ‘Shame’

British rock legends Skunk Anansie have released a striking new video for their latest single Shame, a raw and emotional track that sees frontwoman Skin dive deep into her own past, confronting complex family dynamics and personal identity with unflinching honesty.

Sabrina Carpenter @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Jordan Curtis Hughes / Alfredo Flores)

An Explosive Sabrina Carpenter Show Keeps Drenched London Warm At BST Hyde Park 2025

“Hey London, how you doing? My name’s Sabrina — what’s your name?”. There is a daft cacophony of replies, that shows...
Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022 (Simon Reed)

Matt Cameron Departs Pearl Jam After 27 Years Amidst Wave Of Drummer Changes In Rock

After nearly three decades behind the kit, Matt Cameron has announced his departure from Pearl Jam. The legendary drummer, 62, shared the news via social media on 7th July, marking the end of a 27‑year tenure that began in 1998. His departure comes in the wake of the band’s Dark Matter World Tour, which concluded earlier this year.

Sydney Rose @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Sydney Rose Shines In Mid-Afternoon Magic On The Rainbow Stage At BST Hyde Park 2025

While headliner Noah Kahan was preparing to command the Great Oak Stage later in the evening, over on the Rainbow Stage a quieter but equally stirring performance was unfolding under the soft mid-afternoon sun. Georgia-born singer-songwriter Sydney Rose brought her headline tour to a moving finale, wrapping her journey in heartfelt lyrics and gently fierce vocals that captivated a festival crowd seeking intimacy amid the day’s growing energy.

Gigi Perez @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Gigi Perez Captivates London With Raw Emotion And Rising-Star Power At BST Hyde Park 2025

At just 25 years old, Gigi Perez has already carved out a reputation as one of indie-pop’s most compelling new voices — and her late afternoon set on the Great Oak Stage at BST Hyde Park proved exactly why. Supporting headliner Noah Kahan and following a string of breakout moments this year, the Hackensack, New Jersey native delivered a deeply affecting performance filled with vulnerability, power, and soaring vocals

Paris Paloma @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Paris Paloma Brings Barefoot Magic To The Rainbow Stage At BST Hyde Park 2025

In a festival rich with soaring choruses and star power, it was Paris Paloma’s barefoot grace and gothic romanticism that carved out one of the day’s most mesmerising sets. Taking to The Rainbow Stage on a golden midsummer afternoon, the Derbyshire singer-songwriter captivated her growing legion of fans with an intimate, emotionally charged performance that felt part séance, part storybook.

FINNEAS @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

FINNEAS Warms Up London With Heart And Humour Before Noah Kahan’s Headline Set At BST Hyde Park 2025

It’s not every day that a support slot feels like a moment of main event magic, but FINNEAS — the GRAMMY®-winning songwriter, producer, and solo artist — brought just that to the Great Oak Stage at BST Hyde Park on Friday. Performing ahead of headliner Noah Kahan and main support Gracie Abrams, the 27-year-old delivered a slick, emotionally charged set that balanced heartfelt sincerity with tongue-in-cheek charm.

Noah Kahan @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Northern Attitude In London: Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams & Friends Light Up BST Hyde Park 2025

It was, as the name requires, the perfect summer's day for British Summer Time Hyde Park on Friday. The sun was...

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing