The Common Room

Waggonways: a celebration of north east paths and early railways
2025-11-17 19:00 - 20:30 (Europe/London) | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Come and celebrate our north east waggonways at The Common Room. Find out about the hidden secrets of Coxlodge waggonway. Waggonways, once described as the ‘Newcastle’s Roads’ were the early railways transporting coal, other materials and sometimes people. Some waggonways have disappeared but some can still be seen and are used today by people (and animals) of all ages, walking or wheeling to work and school; for leisure, shopping, wellbeing; and access to nature.
Come, be entertained and share our passion for waggonways.
Event programme:
A brief history lecture about the north east and Coxlodge waggonways by Les Turnbull, renowned north east historian.
Waggonway poetry reading by Lucy Grimshaw, Assistant Professor at Northumbria University.
Songs including a specially commissioned Coxlodge waggonway song by award winning folk duo Will Finn and Rosie Calvert.
Opportunities to ask questions and share your own waggonway experiences.
Funded by the ESRC Festival of Social Science and partnership with The Common Room. This event is the result of a research project ‘Heritage and Urban Green Spaces’ (HUGS) which explored Coxlodge waggonway. Research funded by the Urban Futures Research Group at Northumbria University.

Kean Kavanagh
2025-11-28 19:00 - 22:30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
…The Country Star.
Kean Kavanagh’s musical journey has taken him from Houston, Texas, to the Irish midlands, swapping a promising law career for life as one of Ireland’s most exciting indie voices. After co-founding Dublin’s influential hip-hop label Soft Boy Records with Kojaque, Kavanagh made his mark as both DJ and vocalist, helping shape a scene that blends camaraderie with raw honesty.
He first turned heads as a solo artist during the COVID-19 lockdown with his mixtape Dog Person — a soulful mix of electronic grooves and indie rock storytelling. Appearances alongside Everything Is Recorded and support slots for acts like Vampire Weekend confirmed his rising status, as did his shapeshifting EP Wrestling Music and the heartfelt folk rendition The Portlaoise Queen.
In 2025, Kavanagh came fully into his own with The County Star, a rich, thoughtful album weaving Irish folk and Americana into vivid stories of small-town youth and restless dreamers. Don’t miss the chance to catch one of Ireland’s most unique new voices live at The Common Room.
A 456 Live Event

Search for Santa 2025 (Sold Out - Waitlist Available)
2025-11-29 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
“Search for Santa” is back and NE1 have a brand new trail this year – we are so excited to be part of it!
Every year NE1 welcomes families to participate in this tremendously popular sell-out event. Children collect their maps, pencils and Santa hats before going on their adventure. Following the map, families complete the clues, filling out the answers which give them a chance of winning a series of fantastic prizes with local businesses.
With stops on the way, children are able to get creative at craft checkpoints before continuing the trail to its end at The Common Room where there is a merry, festive atmosphere and lots to do including face-painting, storytelling, creative sections and a hot chocolate station with whipped cream and marshmallows, as well as the chance to meet the main man himself, Santa Claus! Before leaving, each child is given a free goodie bag full of Christmas treats.
Search for Santa is completely free to attend, but places are currently sold out. However, follow the ticket link and you will have the option to join the waitlist for any further tickets that become available from cancelled bookings.

Christmas: Bottle Painting
2025-12-03 18:00 - 20:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Create and take home a unique Christmas decoration or gift lit up with fairly lights.
Festive drinks & snacks will be available in 5|Quarter Café Bar, 6-8pm
Tickets: £15pp

Marconi Union (matinée show)
2025-12-07 15:00 - 17:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Marconi Union gained worldwide attention with Weightless (2011), a composition developed in consultation with the British Academy of Sound Therapy. The track was dubbed “the world’s most relaxing song” after studies suggested it reduced anxiety and physiological stress, earning recognition from TIME magazine as an “Invention of the Year.”
Despite its popularity, Marconi Union have consistently pushed beyond Weightless, releasing acclaimed albums including Different Colours (2012), Ghost Stations (2016), Dead Air (2019) and Signals (2021).
In 2023, Talbot left the group, returning Marconi Union to a duo. Crossley and Meadows re-emerged in 2025 with The Fear of Never Landing, a 55-minute continuous work divided into movements. With this album, they carried forward their pursuit of expanding their sound, embracing complexity while preserving the signature stillness at its core.

Talk: Colliers of the Utd Assoc. of Durham & Northumberland 1825
2025-12-08 18:00 - 19:30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This is the story of the first legal miners’ union forged in the great Northern Coalfield upon the repeal of the Combination Acts 1825.
The story of the first legal miners’ union. Forged in the great Northern Coalfield upon the repeal of the Combination Acts 1825. We explore the nature of pit work, the unequal stages of coalfield development which operated at the same time . The question of pre-teen labour, of female employment, methods of work and technical and scientific impacts. Seasonal employment, the Yearly Bond’ The illegal forerunner in the shape of the heroic Brotherhood of Colliers of Tyne and Wear. The rise and fall of this great human endeavour, the pioneer of two centuries of the mineworkers unions. We display the remarkable replica of a Miners Union Banner of the period and the immortalised hero’s and heroines whose faces appear on it.
David J Douglass served 42 years in the coalfields of Durham and Doncaster in rock headings and developments, on coalface caunches, in conventional, advancing and retreat operations. He served 25 years as a branch official of the NUM both as Delegate and Secretary at Hatfield Main Colliery, Doncaster [ the 2nd last mine in the country, closing in 2014]. An Executive Member and Vice Chair of South Yorkshire NUM Panel. Author of several histories of the miners and their unions, culture, dialects, technical operations and plans. He is a graduate of Ruskin College Oxford, Strathclyde University Glasgow, and Keele University. He is a member of NEIMME, as also serves on the Institute’s Council.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A
NEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership/
For information on IOM3 membership see: https://www.iom3.org/

Whisky Tasting - Taster Takeover!
2025-12-12 19:00 - 21:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
You’ve heard from the professionals, now it’s time to hear from the real people in the industry.
YOU!
For our final tasting of the year four of our exulted regulars have been given a budget of £100 each. With the purpose of purchasing one bottle and presenting it to us, at the Common Room, on Friday 12.12.2025.
That’s right, our own Malcolm Campbell, Steve Laidlaw, Phil Saint and John Hill have been scouring spirits retailers in the hope that they can tantalise you with whiskies of their own choice. And if that wasn’t enough I’ll be bolstering the line up with two drams of my own choice!
Who will bring the best whisky? Who’s presentation skills will impress the most? Who will be the first in the pub?
There’s only one way to find out!
We’ll see you there!

IDER
2025-12-15 19:30 - 23:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
456 Live Present…IDER, the singer-songwriter duo from London. Megan Markwick and Lily Somerville create music that combines features of various musical genres, and it has been described as “cross-genre”.
Formed in 2016 after performing as Lily & Meg for two years, IDER released their debut EP Gut Me Like an Animal in 2017, followed by the first full-length album Emotional Education in 2019.
Their most recent album, Late To The World was released 21st February, 2025
Markwick and Somerville have cited Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Nina Simone, Jeff Buckley, Etta James, Gillian Welch, Beyoncé and Dido as influences.
This is a special stripped back, acoustic live set.

Gloria Love: Christmas Extravaganza
2025-12-19 19:00 - 23:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Welcome to Gloria Love’s Christmas Party at The Common Room! Join Gloria Love and the Side By SIde Arts band for a night of festive frivolities, music and dancing. Get ready for a festive evening filled with joy and laughter on December 19, 2025 at 7:30 PM .
Join us for a night of celebration as we spread holiday cheer together. Don’t miss out on the fun!
A festive celebration like no other! Tickets will sell out quickly.
Held in the Wood Hall.
Bar open from 6:30pm – event doors 7:00pm, show starts at 7:30pm.

Mog's Christmas + family activities
2025-12-20 11:00 - 13:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
On sale now – our festive family screening is back! Enjoy a festive adventure starring our favourite forgetful family cat. Come early to enjoy some crafting time in our Wood Hall beforehand. Includes a delicious treat for every child. Hot and cold drinks and festive snacks available from our 5|Quarter Café Bar.
Doors:11:00
Film: 11:30
Tickets
£10 (admits one child + adult)
£5 for additional tickets

Candlelight: Christmas Movie Soundtracks
2025-12-20 19:00 - 20:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
⭐ Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Newcastle upon Tyne. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Christmas Movie Soundtracks at The Common Room – Wood Hall under the gentle glow of candlelight.
General Info
📍 Venue: The Common Room – Wood Hall
📅 Dates and times: select your dates/times directly in the ticket selector
⏳ Duration: 60 minutes. Doors open 45 minutes before the show and close 5 minutes prior to the start. Late arrivals will not be permitted
👤 Age requirement: 8 years old or older. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult
♿ Accessibility: this venue is wheelchair accessible
❓ View the FAQs for this event here
🪑 Seating is assigned on a first come first served basis in each zone
🕯️ If you would like to book a private concert or buy regular tickets for a large group (+30 people), click here
🎻 Check out all the Candlelight concerts in Newcastle upon Tyne
🎁 To treat your friends and family to a Candlelight gift card, click here
Programme
White Christmas from Holiday Inn
Christmas Time Is Here from A Charlie Brown Christmas
Skating from A Charlie Brown Christmas
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) from Alvin and the Chipmunks
The Nightmare Before Christmas Medley
Believe from The Polar Express
You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch from How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Where Are You Christmas? from Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Jingle Bell Rock from Jingle All the Way
Silver Bells from The Lemon Drop Kid
Winter Wonderland from While You Were Sleeping
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! from While You Were Sleeping
I Believe In You and Me from The Preacher’s Wife
Carol of the Bells from Home Alone
All I Want for Christmas Is You from Love Actually
Performers
String Quartet – String Infusion Quartet

NEIMME Lecture: Network Rail – Managing Mining Risks
2026-01-15 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
ind out how Network Rail assesses and manages risks to its infrastructure using innovative techniques to quantify changing risk over time.
The Lecture will look at the historic interface between the railway and mining and then set out how Network Rail assesses and manages mines and minerals risks to its infrastructure. It will include reference to some specific case examples and the use of innovative techniques to quantify the changing risk over time.
Neal Ruston is the Principal Mining Engineer at Network Rail, he is a Chartered Minerals Surveyor and is inked in the Institution to Minerals and Waste Management, Construction, Planning and Development and Geomatics. Neal is also a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. He has spent the last 47 years working the production mining and more recently in the identification, assessment and management of mining legacy issues. Neal is part of the Network Rail Technical Authority which sets out Policy and Standards to be met by the wider business and supports it with professional advise in respect of mines and minerals matters.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A
Welcome to our NEIMME Lecture. NEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership
For information on IOM3 membership see: https://www.iom3.org/

[SOLD OUT] Grant-Lee Phillips
2026-01-17 19:30 - 23:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Grant-Lee Phillips is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He led the group Grant Lee Buffalo in the 1990s, afterwards launching a solo career. He features as the town troubadour in Gilmore Girls.
“In the Hour of Dust” was released Sept. 5th, 2025 and was described by Americana UK as “a personal, reflective record, which comes across strongly in the lyrics. The performances are strong, reflecting the quality of the musicians employed”.
EVENT NOW SOLD OUT

IMechE: Technical presentation on the benefits of failure investigations
2026-01-22 18:30 - 21:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This talk will discuss what we can learn from analysing weld failures to help us avoid them in the future and prevent problems with operational plant.
What will you learn?
Failure investigation is only a small, but essential part of the root cause analysis process. This presentation highlights the difference between failure investigation and root cause analysis, considers the methodology of a failure investigation, and using examples, covers some of the pitfalls related to interpreting the data arising from failure investigations. Some of the challenges associated with failures which occur frequently, or occurred due to repairs being carried out without investigation of the failure are also considered.
Our industry expert:
Joanna Nicholas, Consultant Welding Engineer at TWI Ltd
Meet the speaker:
Joanna joined TWI Ltd in 1999, and has been involved in research, materials selection, and failure investigations, mainly with ferritic steels, alongside welding consultancy. She has also been involved in various aspects of computer modelling of weld phenomena and welding software supporting standardisation of weld procedures and welder qualifications.
Joanna has a broad knowledge of ferritic steels with particular emphasis on hydrogen cracking and hydrogen diffusion, HAZ hardness, mooring chains, fasteners, in-service welding and 9% Ni steels. She has carried out numerous investigations in these areas including failure investigation as well as production qualification and research.
Benefits from attending the event:
Information transfer from experts
Discussion, questions and answers on the specific topics
A broader understanding of the extent of standards in the industry
Attendance of this event qualifies for CPD

NEIMME Lecture: Managing Technical Safety
2026-01-29 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Protecting People, Environment and Reputations.
This lecture will examine some key Technical Safety incidents from the last 100 years history and outline what we learnt.
This is a joint lecture with the North East Branch of the Institution of Engineering and Technology
By effectively managing Technical Safety, we aim to minimise the risk of our engineering assets causing ‘harm’ (to people, the environment or commercially) across their lifecycle. This lecture will examine some key Technical Safety incidents from the last 100 years of our engineering history and outline what we learnt (or not!) from these often-tragic events. It will also explore the regulatory frameworks in which we operate (e.g. HSE). Finally, the lecture will present a robust engineering strategy targeted at delivering positive Technical Safety outcomes which also facilitates the reliability, availability and maintainability of pertinent assets across their lifecycle.
Richard Burnard is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). Richard has worked in both the public and private sectors across his 40-year career in a variety of industries including Utilities, Nuclear, Chemical, Oil and Gas, Pharmaceutical, Renewables, Manufacturing and Electronics. Richard spent the mid-section of his career as an HM Specialist Engineering Inspector with the United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive (HSE) working as part of their major hazards team. In his spare time Richard volunteers with the IET as a Professional Registration Advisor (PRA) and as a Northumbria Region IET Committee Member. He also works with local colleges and schools to promote careers in engineering and science.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A
WNEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership/
For information on IOM3 membership see: https://www.iom3.org/

NEIMME Lecture - Chasing Time : From Sand to Silicon Carbide
2026-02-12 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Silicon Carbide (SiC) has a range of novel properties that allow electronic devices to be used at higher voltages, temperatures, and switching frequencies.
Whilst time is generally considered to be the fourth dimension, measuring the passage of time is very much a human endeavour. From early attempts based on the flow of sand, through the Longitude Prize and then to modern national time standards, the need to accurately ‘know the time’ supports almost every aspect of human activity, from transportation to the energy grid and from space exploration to pizza delivery. The talk will consider the technology advancements in the measurement of time, as well as the need in these uncertain times for high accuracy timing systems and how these are realised using quantum mechanics. Finally, consideration of the need for time in off world applications and the challenges therein will be presented.
Alton Horsfall is a leading expert in the development of electronic and electrical systems for deployment in extreme environments. He holds a BSc and PhD in Physics from Durham University, experience working for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in the Future Concepts team has also worked at Newcastle University, where was promoted to the post of Reader in Semiconductor Technology. He was awarded a Senior Research Fellowship from the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2017. He is currently a professor at Durham University. His work has been supported through collaborations with a range of companies, including Rolls Royce, Raytheon, BAE Systems and MBDA, as well as a range of SMEs. He founded Nascent Semiconductor to provide a commercialisation route to his twenty year portfolio of semiconductor know-how and technology.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A
NEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership
For information on IOM3 membership see: https://www.iom3.org/

[SOLD OUT] Amelia Coburn
2026-02-14 19:00 - 23:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
With a voice as enchanting as her stories, Amelia Coburn is fast becoming one of the UK’s most captivating new artists. Like her heroes Serge Gainsbourg, Scott Walker and Joni Mitchell, Amelia has a gift for making the unusual sound timeless — weaving gothic literature, film noir, and vivid nocturnal characters into songs that linger long after the final note.
Her Bill Ryder-Jones-produced debut album has earned praise from legends like Paul Weller and Paul Heaton, won her national radio play on BBC Radios 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Music and beyond, and found her tipped as “one to watch in 2025” by Louder Than War, Seetickets and Drowned In Sound.
Fresh from spellbinding sets at SXSW in Texas, Amelia’s star continues to rise with acclaimed shows alongside The Levellers, Hamish Hawk, Stornoway and Katherine Priddy — plus a standout feature on Paul Weller’s latest album Find El Dorado.
Both disarming and beguiling, Amelia’s honest, witty, and unmistakably North-Eastern charm makes every performance feel like a secret shared between old friends.
Step into her strange, shadowy world “between the moon and the milkman” — and discover why Amelia Coburn is one of the UK’s most talked-about new voices.
f54 Event.
TICKETS ON SALE WEDNESDAY 9TH HULY 2025 at 10AM

Half Term Films & Crafts: The Scarecrow’s Wedding & Tiddler + Ducks!
2026-02-18 10:00 - 15:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Join us this half term for a fun, family-friendly day featuring screenings of The Scarecrow’s Wedding and Tiddler + crafts AND ducks!
This is a relaxed and welcoming day designed for families.
We’ll be screening two much-loved children’s films, The Scarecrow’s Wedding and Tiddler, alongside hands-on craft activities that children and adults can enjoy together before the screenings.
Film Screening Tickets
£4 (admits one child)
Under 1s & Adults Free
The event also coincides with our monthly General Admission Day, so visitors are welcome to explore this historic building throughout the day (FREE)
From 10am to 3pm, keep an eye out for our mini plastic ducks, hidden around the building. Find a duck and receive 10% off your first order at the 5|Quarter Café Bar — a perfect excuse for a mid-day treat.
Whether you’re coming for the films, the crafts, or simply to explore, it’s a great way to spend a half-term day together.
The 5|Quarter cafe will be open and ready to serve your favourite hot & cold drinks and snacks.

Serious Music for Silly Folk
2026-02-21 19:00 - 22:30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Horse Loom/SA Malley, the Jasmine Padgett Family Band, Adam Soper, and Tobias Sarra will be performing a selection of serious silly music
The four acts will perform both serious silly music, and silly serious music, in sets featuring music composed and improvised by the artists alongside some traditional folksongs (varying depending on the artists).
Come and enjoy the serious-silliness in the gorgeous space of the Wood Hall at the Common Room, Newcastle, it’s going to be a total treat for both ears and eyes.
£10 in advance (+booking fee)
£15 solidarity (+booking fee)
£15 OTD

Pete Shoulder - The Sunday Sesh
2026-02-22 17:00 - 19:30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Soak up the atmosphere in this beautiful historic building as Pete, along with his band, perform brand new songs as well as tracks from Winterville, The Union, Silverthorne and One More Satellite.
The Common Room is a historic, beautiful and atmospheric venue, conveniently located just outside of Central Station. The show starts at 5pm prompt, so you’ll even have time to sample the local Newcastle nightlife before and after the show!
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to witness Pete up close and personal with a full live band.
– Under 18 with parent or legal guardian
– Doors (Bar) from 4:15pm
– Refunds up to 14 days before the event
– Show starts from 5pm

TVAM plus Marina Zispin
2026-02-28 19:00 - 22:30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Somewhere within a lifetime of repeats, reruns and reboots, TVAM lives, crafting work which touch on our memories but toy with our fears. A world in which broadcast becomes performance. Hypnotic tracks which straddle an impressive spectrum of influence; with Boards of Canada’s irresistible nostalgia, Suicide’s deconstructed rock’n’roll and MBV’s infinite noise all becoming touching points in Joseph Oxley’s musical output.
Since his debut album, Psychic Data, first burst onto the scene (direct from a small bedroom studio in Wigan, UK), TVAM has defined the sound and spectacle of nostalgia’s grip on our lives; from the sloganeering of Porsche Majeure, to the electioneering of Semantics.
TVAM’s debut Psychic Data spawned an ‘Album Of The Day’ and two daytime playlists at BBC 6Music whilst signature tune ‘Porsche Majeure’ was KEXP Track Of The Day and featured in HBO’s smash-hit ‘Succession’. Follow-up High Art Lite was released on Geoff Barrow’s Invada Records and received daytime playlist for ‘Double Lucifer’ on BBC 6Music and “Album of the Week’ at Louder Than War.
TVAM website: tvamindustries.com
Fans of Beak>, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Hypernormalisation and Boards Of Canada should be interested in this one!
A Wandering Oak presentation.
Image credit: Debbie Ellis

Marshall Gilmour Webbs
2026-03-08 19:00 - 23:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Marshall Gilmour Webbs are a group formed of Louise Marshall (celebrated vocalist from the Jools Holland band) Romany Gilmour (of number one single ‘Between Two Points’) and Hattie & Charley Webb (known for their work with Leonard Cohen and Tom Petty).
They developed a close bond on David Gilmour’s 2024 Luck and Strange tour. Performing a series of shows in July they took Piano Smithfield by storm, selling out and releasing extra dates.
Subsequently they have worked with RGB sessions to release both cover and original music online.
With swelling vocals, ethereal harmonies and eclectic instrumentation, they have performed the music of The Roches, Dolly Parton, Billy Joel, Minnie Riperton and more, along with their own original songs written collaboratively from Louise’s living room.
“A new vocal group steps into the spotlight with harmony, soul, and heart.” Wine Travel & Song
“A fresh sound and strong female presence in contemporary music.”
RouteNote
£15 – unreserved seating.

NEIMME Lecture: Project Groundwater Northumbria [Free Ticket]
2026-03-12 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Project Groundwater Northumbria (PGN) has sparked questions about mining legacy, ownership and how we share responsibility.
PGN has been more than a technical exercise. It has sparked questions about mining legacy, ownership and how we share responsibility. This talk will tell the story of PGN through the lens of partnership working, highlighting lessons learned and how they can shape future decision-making.
Rhiannon Marchi-Smith is a hydrogeologist with expertise in mining, mine water management, and groundwater flooding. Her career spans both public sector and consultancy in the UK and internationally, with hands-on experience delivering complex mine water projects from concept through to delivery. She founded RMS Groundwater Strategies to help organisations understand and manage groundwater risks, improve cross-sector collaboration, and embed geoscience into decision-making. In her role as Lead Hydrogeologist for PGN, she supports Gateshead Council on groundwater flooding and mining legacy, translating technical insight into practical strategies for communities and decision makers.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A
NEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership
For information on IOM3 membership see: https://www.iom3.org/

Distilled Consultant Whisky Quiz Night
2026-03-13 19:00 - 21:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
In person whisky tasting event.
An evening of tasting, and (hopefully) WINNING whisky! Join our own Lee “Connas” Connor for a seven dram tasting and accompanying Whisky Quiz. Test your whisky knowledge, and be in with a chance of winning a whole host of spot prizes. Lucky individuals will get the opportunity to delve into my special bag of 20+ minis, containing (among other things) Tomatin 18, Lakes Whisky Maker Reserve No6, SMWS 71.60, Tobermorey Hebridean Series 25yr, Glenfarclas 21yr 95 proof Whisky Exchange Exclusive…. and many many more….
With the grand winner taking home a bottle of Glen Scotia Campbeltown Festival bottling from 2025, donated by the excellent Gary Mills!
Drams for tasting will be….
Daftmill 15 Bottled 2022
Arbikie Highland Rye 2015

Purple WiFi - Open to Secure...
2026-03-17 15:00 - 17:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
…WiFi Risk & Compliance.
Get your FREE TICKET and join us for all you need to know about providing WiFi safely and securely!
Whether you run a single café or a national enterprise, providing WiFi comes with legal and security responsibilities.
Join us in person for an engaging event all about transforming your WiFi from open to secure! We’ll dive into the latest risks and compliance challenges, sharing tips and tricks to keep your network safe. And follow this up with a free drink in the bar.
It’s the perfect opportunity to learn, network, and get hands-on advice. Don’t miss out on making your WiFi safer and smarter!

Steve Knightley: Sanctuary - songs from sacred spaces
2026-03-21 19:00 - 22:30
Steve Knightley, the multi-award-winning singer and principal songwriter of the acclaimed acoustic roots duo Show of Hands, is renowned for his powerful, historically accurate, and socially conscious songs that capture the essence of English life and history. Praised as the “gravel-voiced spokesman of the rural poor,” he has crafted enduring anthems like the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award-winning “Arrogance, Ignorance and Greed” and the widely celebrated “Country Life” and “Cousin Jack.”
A formidable solo performer, Knightley delivers evenings of captivating storytelling and musical mastery. Expect a set list woven with crowd favourites, deep cuts from his extensive catalogue, and material from his solo album The Winter Yards. This is a unique opportunity to experience one of the UK’s most respected and enduring folk musicians live.
Special guest performance by Daniel Salvatore – hand-pan soundscapes and meditative ambience.

NEIMME Lecture: Future Fusion Power [Free Ticket]
2026-03-26 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Come and find out more about the latest development in engineering and materials supporting future fusion power technologies.
Ryan Ramsey is a seasoned leader in the business world and military, Ryan translates leadership experience and knowledge from corporate sectors such as energy, electricity transmission, renewables and nuclear translating strategy into tactical employment. Among a variety of leadership roles, he has led as Head of Electricity Construction (VP) for National Grid, leading a team of 250 National Grid employees and 4000 contractors delivering 148 major infrastructure projects around the UK. He also led as an Offshore Installation Manager on Shell’s flagship oil and gas ‘rig’ in the North Sea – Shearwater, achieving cultural change and leading profitably during the slump in oil prices.
His bedrock has been a career in the Royal Navy Submarine Service. His leadership and teamwork have been tested during an operationally focused career operating as far afield as under the Arctic Ice Cap to the Indian Ocean. He has also worked for the Royal Netherlands Navy, US Navy and Counter Terrorism forces. His notable military assignments were Captain of the nuclear-powered submarine HMS Turbulent and Commander of the world-renowned Submarine Command Course ‘Perisher’. He was responsible for teaching submarine captains to deal with the challenges of leadership, risk-taking and decision-making in the 21st Century. He has two Masters degrees and is part of the Windsor Leadership Programme Alumni. He is a published author.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A

APOCALYPTICON UK 2026
2026-03-28 09:00 - 2026-03-29 18:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
APOCALYPTICON UK returns in 2026! March 28/29th. Hosted by Animosity.
It’s a huge 40K Apocalypse weekend, in which we invite players to bring out the big guns (or lots of little ones 🤷‍♂️) for some narrative wargaming insanity!
Saturday 28th: Arrival 8am-9am. Play starts 9am. Ends 9pm.
Sunday 29th: Arrival 8am-9am. Play starts 9am. Ends 6pm.
To find out more, or sign up, head over to our Facebook Page or email apocalypticonbooking@gmail.com
