If the name Sam Fender rings a bell, you’re probably already aware of Newcastle’s strong musical heritage.
Newcastle is known for a lot of things - nightlife, football, Greggs - but beyond this lies a bustling and thriving music scene, much of which is driven by students.
From small weekly open-mic nights to professional concerts at the King’s Hall, there’s so much going on across a vast range of genres. Whether you’re looking to have a blast at a gig or even take to the stage yourself, Newcastle’s music scene is vibrant and welcoming to both musicians and music-lovers alike.
Here’s some of what’s on offer and how you can get involved:
Gig nights
KEITH! - Caitlin Steel (lead vocals and guitar), Isaac Wood (guitar) and Ely Young (drums), all Newcastle University students
Newcastle is home to a number of venues ranging in size and style, many of which are dedicated to supporting the local grassroots music scene.
One of my favourite gig nights to go to is Doxology at the Star and Shadow in Sandyford - Doxology is a series of regular gig nights supporting grassroots musicians, with Newcastle music students sharing bills with other local and touring acts. It’s always a fun night and there’s a diverse range of acts so there’s something for everyone - check out @doxologypresents on Instagram to see who’s playing and when!
Doxology is far from the only way to enjoy a night supporting student musicians though. It’s always worth checking the official Newcastle University Music Department and Music Society socials for upcoming events! Other venues like The Cluny in Ouseburn and The Grove in Byker also frequently host both global and local musicians, so check out what they’ve got coming up!
And don’t forget the Students' Union who have hosted massive global acts like The 1975 and Lewis Capaldi as well as local musicians and student performances!
Getting involved
It couldn’t be easier to get involved in the student music scene in Newcastle! If you haven’t already, joining a society is a great place to start - Newcastle has a well-established music society, as well as a Rock Society and even a Taylor Swift Society for you Swifties.
The University’s Music Society hosts a range of events where you can get involved, including frequent free-entry open mic nights, ensembles, build-a-band events and much more. There are plenty of ways for you to meet like-minded people and get involved in the thrill of Newcastle’s music scene!
Musical heritage
Music is ingrained in Newcastle’s culture. Over the years, a plethora of globally recognised and influential musicians have risen from Newcastle:
Sam Fender
Need I give an introduction?
Born and raised in North Shields to a musical family, Sam Fender was given his first guitar when he was eight. Influenced by the likes of Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, by the time he was a teenager he was already performing covers alongside his brother around Newcastle.
Despite facing personal and family difficulties in his teen years, Sam Fender persevered with his passion for music and began performing paid gigs in Newcastle from the age of 18. From there, he would begin to be noticed and started supporting other artists, as his career gradually took off, leading to the chart-topping, Mercury Prize-winning singer/songwriter he is today.
His music is often personal and reflects on growing up in the North East - no other artist could possibly have written Howdon Aldi Death Queue, and that’s what makes Sam Fender so synonymous with the North East’s music scene.
Sam Fender started off playing the same grassroots venues that students are playing today (and also frequented clubs like The Cut, which many students are still doing today!) - his journey is inspirational, and shows that everyone starts somewhere!
Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)
Before becoming the frontman of Dire Straits, one of the most influential and successful bands in British music history, Mark Knopfler (and his brother and bandmate David) grew up around his mother’s hometown of Blyth!
Growing up in the 1960s, Mark’s passion for music grew while he attended school in Blyth - he even had a weekend job at the Newcastle Chronicle, earning a whopping six shillings and sixpence!
It wasn’t until his 15th birthday though that he would be gifted his first electric guitar by his father, and the rest is history…
Through the 60s, Knopfler joined and formed several bands, drawing influence from musicians like Elvis and Chet Atkins and developing his own unique fingerstyle playing technique that would come to define the distinctive sound of Dire Straits and influence generations of guitarists to come.
Dire Straits would go on to become one of the biggest bands of the 80s, with countless hits like Sultans of Swing, Walk Of Life and Money For Nothing still being heard today. And Mark Knopfler never forgot about his roots - there are plenty of references to the North East in his music, especially his solo work - give Why Aye Man a listen!
KEITH! Band of Newcastle University students
Sting
Born in Wallsend, Sting is one of the most well-known and iconic musicians to come from the North East.
His interest in music being sparked by an old guitar left by a friend of his father at an early age, it wasn’t until his twenties that his music career began to take off.
After years of performing jazz at local venues around Newcastle whilst studying and teaching, Sting would form The Police in 1977, where he and his bandmates would enjoy instant success, releasing five chart-topping albums between 1977 and 1983.
Following The Police’s success, Sting would go on to have a lengthy and successful solo career. Spending almost decades performing in small local venues, Sting has become one of the most successful musicians from the North East, still performing and releasing music to this day - and it all started with Newcastle’s grassroots music scene!
Jimi Hendrix
That’s right - he might not be from the North East, but one of the biggest names in music history (and in my opinion, just one of the coolest people ever) has a unique connection to Newcastle!
Hendrix was managed by Heaton-born Chas Chandler, the former bassist of The Monkees - and as such, spent some time early on in his career living in a flat in Heaton! It was here (yes, here) that he formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience which shot Hendrix into global stardom.
It’s pretty cool to think that one of the undeniably most influential guitarists of all time was once living in Newcastle. There’s even a fish and chip shop in Tynemouth that claims to have served him!
Final thoughts
With such a rich musical legacy, Newcastle is a goldmine for music lovers - so get out there and enjoy what’s on offer! Who knows, you might even find or become the next Jimi Hendrix!
By Bill, a second-year Computer Science student and Student Content Creator