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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261211T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261211T213000
DTSTAMP:20260910T100045Z
CREATED:20260910T100045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T100045Z
UID:9358-1797015600-1797024600@thecommonroom.org.uk
SUMMARY:Whisky Tasting: Springbank Takeover!
DESCRIPTION:In person Whisky Tasting Event \nThat’s right folks\, the one and only Andrew Wallace will be visiting Newcastle once more with seven exceptional whiskies from Springbank Distillery. \nOn the menu will be a welcome dram and a cornucopia of six whiskies encompassing the Hazelburn\, Longrow and Springbank makes. \n– Campbeltown Loch\n– Hazelburn 8yo – Oloroso Cask Matured – 48.2% 2025)\n– Springbank 21yo – 46% (2025)\n– Springbank 10yo Local Barley – 60% Bourbon & 40% Sherry – Cask Sample (2025)\n– Springbank 10yo Fino – Cask Sample (2025)\n– Springbank 5yo 100 PROOF – 57.1% (2025)\n– Longrow Peated – 46% (2025)
URL:https://thecommonroom.org.uk/event/whisky-tasting-springbank-takeover/
LOCATION:The Common Room\, Westgate Road\, Newcastle upon Tyne\, NE1 1SE\, United Kingdom
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://thecommonroom.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Whisky-December-2026.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261217T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261217T223000
DTSTAMP:20260805T090333Z
CREATED:20260805T090333Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260805T090333Z
UID:9116-1797535800-1797546600@thecommonroom.org.uk
SUMMARY:Janice Burns & Jon Doran
DESCRIPTION:Janice Burns & Jon Doran are an award-winning Anglo-Scottish duo who’s songs tell vivid stories about the nature of life and our place in the world. \nJanice & Jon’s ‘clever and uncluttered musical storytelling’ (Songlines) comes alive through tight vocal harmonies and sensitive interplay between mandolin\, bouzouki and guitar. Their arrangements have a spellbinding presence that transports songs from the pages of books and manuscripts into the imagination of the listener. \nFollowing the success of their self-titled EP in 2020\, Janice & Jon released their debut album\, No More the Green Hills\, in Autumn 2022. The album had overwhelmingly positive feedback\, finding its place in the Official UK Folk Albums Chart\, as well as gaining airplay on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio Scotland. With their relaxed and personable approach to performance\, Janice & Jon are renowned for the warmth of their connection with audiences. From opening Stage 2 at Cambridge Folk Festival\, to playing at the likes of Celtic Connections\, Ceòl Cholasa\, Edinburgh Tradfest\, Sidmouth Folk Festival and Cecil Sharp House\, the duo are highly sought after across the UK and beyond. \nThe duo’s winter gigs have become something of a tradition over the last few years\, and now they’re heading out for their final Christmas tour for the foreseeable\, singing songs from their festive album\, ‘Great Joy to the New’\, and more \n. People have always forged customs to survive the winter\, with rituals that bring people together and bring light to the dark nights. These rituals have often been born of necessity. Beautiful\, colourful\, musical traditions\, linked by the common cause of sustaining people spiritually\, mentally\, or financially through a harsh winter. Janice and Jon’s new album and live show explores these themes through a collection of traditional folk songs about Christmas\, winter\, and optimism for the new year. \n**** “Clever and uncluttered musical storytelling” – Songlines Magazine \n***** “Five stars for this duo that have made an album destined for repeated listening.” – Irish Music Magazine \n“They’re a revelation – crystal clear voices\, great musicianship and an obvious deep love of the tradition.” – Mike Harding \n“Really nicely done” – Mark Radcliffe\, BBC Radio 2 Folk Show \n“They play lovely strings\, they have gorgeous harmony arrangements. Really well crafted\, intimate\, beautifully understated.” – Karine Polwart
URL:https://thecommonroom.org.uk/event/janice-burns-jon-doran/
LOCATION:The Common Room\, Westgate Road\, Newcastle upon Tyne\, NE1 1SE\, United Kingdom
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thecommonroom.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Janice-Jon-Selects-43-SMALL.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20270130T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20270130T160000
DTSTAMP:20260827T160327Z
CREATED:20260827T160327Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T160327Z
UID:9322-1801303200-1801324800@thecommonroom.org.uk
SUMMARY:Faber Academy: Writing Day with Chris Power
DESCRIPTION:What makes a good short story? Many writers are drawn to the form\, but find it tricky: where do you start\, how many words should it be\, what should you leave in or take out\, what form should this take. And the biggest question of all\, is this a short story or is it a longer piece of fiction? \nIn this one-day course with acclaimed short-story author Chris Power\, you’ll learn about the art of the short story and its form – discussing work from writers such as Kevin Barry\, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah\, Carmen Maria Machado and George Saunders – before beginning to flesh out one of your own. \nIn the company of up to nineteen other writers\, this short story masterclass is a supportive and lively environment to get under the skin of one of the most exciting and ambitious forms of storytelling. \nThis workshop is for writers of all backgrounds and skill levels\, who are looking to explore and experiment with the form of the short story. You might be a novelist who wants to expand their writing toolbox – writing short stories is an excellent way to sharpen your editing skills! – or a poet\, non-fiction writer or memoirist taking their first steps into fiction. \nSchedule\nThis course takes place over a full Saturday\, at The Common Room in Newcastle city centre. \n10.00–11.30\nStarting at the\nbeginning\nIn our first session we’ll look at some openings of short stories to better understand the immediacy with which they plunge us into a world. We’ll discuss the way in which the short story form means there’s no time to waste. Then we’ll try creating some stories of our own. \n11.30–13.00\nWhat is\nyour story?\nWe’ve touched on the how\, but what about the what? We’ll look at a selection of short stories\, that take subjects ranging from the mundane to the outlandish\, and how they turn each of them into something extraordinary. Then we’ll discuss what aspects of our own lives – or purely imaginary events – we might want to transform into fiction\, and why the short story might be the appropriate choice. \n13:00–16.00\nStructure and\nediting\nIn the afternoon\, we’ll turn our attention to structure and editing. \nWhen you break down most successful short stories\, they turn out to be very carefully structured. We’ll look at the classic dramatic form of three-act structure and create a (short) short story based on its principles. \nNo piece of writing comes out right first time. We’ll look at some principles of editing that will help you in all your future projects. And at the end of the day we’ll have some time for any questions you might want to ask about Chris other aspects of the writing process.
URL:https://thecommonroom.org.uk/event/faber-academy-writing-day-with-chris-power/
LOCATION:The Common Room\, Westgate Road\, Newcastle upon Tyne\, NE1 1SE\, United Kingdom
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thecommonroom.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Wring-Day-Chris-Power-.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20270205T200000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20270205T220000
DTSTAMP:20260805T094124Z
CREATED:20260805T093859Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260805T094124Z
UID:9288-1801857600-1801864800@thecommonroom.org.uk
SUMMARY:Will Mars: Life's A Joke
DESCRIPTION:After years spent knocking on closed industry doors\, Will shared his story online — and audiences decided to kick them open instead. \nMillions watched. Hundreds of thousands followed. One question kept appearing: \n“Why isn’t this guy famous?” \nSo Will is finally doing what nobody expected: his debut tour. \nExpect a relentless barrage of razor-sharp one-liners\, hilarious true stories\, and a comedy show about never quite fitting in — a working-class lad who became middle class\, a northerner in the south\, and a comedian who built his own route when the usual doors stayed shut. \nThe industry didn’t create this tour. The audience did. \n— \n18 years + only
URL:https://thecommonroom.org.uk/event/will-mars-lifes-a-joke/
LOCATION:The Common Room\, Westgate Road\, Newcastle upon Tyne\, NE1 1SE\, United Kingdom
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://thecommonroom.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Will-Mars-Event-Image.png
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