6 of the best music venues in the North East
The North East is a hotbed for music venues of all styles, genres and sizes. Join us as we run down 6 of the best – and take in some sights along the way.
The North East is one of the UK's best destinations for a trip. Whether you're looking for history, culture, food and drink or just a potter about, it's well worth a visit. But did you know that it's also fantastic for live music?
Yes, the North East has a scene like no other. And it's no surprise when you consider its rich musical history.
Liverpool may have its four lads who shook the world – but Newcastle had its own record-breakers in the form of Dire Straits, the first band to sell a million copies of an album on CD.
But it goes way further back than that. The
Rough Guide to world music even asserts that "nowhere is the English living tradition more in evidence than the borderlands of Northumbria, the one part of England to rival the counties of the west of Ireland for a rich unbroken tradition".
This tradition encompasses border ballads, the Northumbrian version of bagpipes and plenty of fiddle. Its influences include neighbouring Scotland and the songs of Irish immigrants who travelled eastwards.
Today, there's the range of venues you'd expect from a big city – everything from musicals and touring acts to DIY and grassroots venues.
In this article, we take you on a virtual tour of some of the North East's best music venues – with a few stop-offs at sites of cultural interest along the way.
1. The Low Lights Tavern, North Shields
If you're looking for acoustic music in a cosy traditional pub atmosphere, check out the Low Lights in North Shields.
It's situated on the fish quay, just down from the Metro station, and boasts "the best pies in the northeast".
The Low Lights is an essential stop on any tour of the North East's musical heritage – it was here, after all, that Sam Fender used to work. The owners are justifiably proud and have turned his Brit Award into a working beer pump.
2. The Cluny, Newcastle
The Cluny is a 300-capacity venue, pub and cafe in Ouseburn – an area that
Time Out has dubbed "one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world right now".
Ouseburn used to be an industrial valley, something that its red brick chimneys and arches attest to. But despite its Victorian trappings, Ouseburn is slap bang in the 21st century.
The area is a must-see for lovers of art and culture. It's a creative quarter chock-full of studios, galleries and arts firms – and home to the Cluny.
The Cluny is based in an old flax-spinning mill – a building essential to an industry that was once an integral part of everyday life in the North East. It's one of the units that make up 36 Lime Street, rubbing shoulders with artists, offices and recording studios.
The Cluny is known for breaking new bands, touring well-known smaller groups and giving locals a shot.
If you fancy something a little more outré, why not wander up the hill to Cobalt Studios, a DIY art and music venue with a taste for the avant-garde?
3. The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay
In Whitley Bay, three old Victorian ticket offices that sit on the new Metro lines have been converted into beautiful little pubs – and they all host live music on the regular.
The Ticket Office in Whitley Bay Station is the perfect spot for unwinding with a book and a drink in an old armchair before enjoying local artists.
So if you're looking for songs and laughter in a gorgeous glass-roofed Victorian station, the Ticket Office is just the place for you.
4. Alfie and Fins, Tynemouth
Alfie and Finns is a little gin bar in the corner of Tynemouth's old church – and a regular host for some of the local acts creating the biggest buzz.
We're not exaggerating when we say that it's the North East's Greenwich Village – a room full of all ages with guitars tucked into every space. Could you be there when Tyneside's next legend takes to the stage?
The North East is famous for its warm welcomes and you can expect an audience cheering every performer on, loudly clapping anyone new, young or nervous as well as singing along with the regulars.
5. The Glasshouse, Gateshead
Just over the Tyne Bridge, The Glasshouse is an international musical centre on the Gateshead bank of Quayside.
It's a huge space that hosts acts from a plethora of genres. Previous performers have ranged from Blondie to Grace Jones, from Nancy Sinatra to Herbie Hancock. It's also served as one of the hosts of the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival.
And it's home to one of Britain's best chamber orchestras, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, which performs Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms and more.
As well as being a centre of musical excellence, The Glasshouse is well-placed to explore some more of Newcastle's attractions. It's within rambling distance of the Discovery Museum, the Cathedral and Laing Art Gallery, to name but three.
6. The Head of Steam, Newcastle
Just across from Newcastle Central Station is the Head of Steam. Upstairs you'll find whistle-wetting local craft ales and real ales; downstairs is a basement venue that hosts contemporary anti-folk, alternative rock, punk and more. That's right – this is a bar for rockers.
It also has a gaming zone where you can enjoy foosball, pool and other classic bar pursuits.
Ready to rock out?
We've just scratched the surface of what the North East has to offer. It's a place you should visit whether you want to see a blockbuster or a traditional pipe player – and everything in between.
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