Newcastle City Hall, designed by the architect firm Nicholas & Dixon-Spain and opened on November 7, 1928, is a renowned entertainment venue in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, originally built alongside the City Baths. It is famous for hosting legendary rock, pop, and classical acts.
Early start to the 2026 season as part of the Happy Mondays UK & Ireland tour celebrating 35 years of Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches!
10 o clock start as we have a soundcheck in Newcastle at 4. This gives us plenty of time to head to our lunchtime destination, ‘The Three Horseshoes’ in the village of Running Waters near Durham…
Weather looks promising…
Time to decipher the DVD machine…
Our choices today…
We laughed at the film and eventually arrived in Running Waters…
Running Waters is a beautiful and serene location in Durham that is perfect for nature lovers. The area is surrounded by lush greenery and is home to a variety of wildlife. The sound of the running water adds to the peaceful atmosphere, making it a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
Everyone off the bus please…
And into the pub…
The Three Horseshoes is a long-standing country pub and popular food destination located 15 minutes east of Durham. Known as a characterful, family-friendly venue, it serves classic pub meals, offers seven en-suite accommodation rooms, and acts as a cozy base for exploring local landmarks like Durham Cathedral.
First pint of the tour…
The Consett Ale Works, established in 2005, is a four-barrel brewery located at the rear of the Grey Horse (Consett’s oldest pub). The name, beers and branding commemorate the former steelworks in the town, which closed in 1980. White Hot is a sweet fruity beer with citrus hops lasting well into the finish.
Grubs up…
HOMEMADE STEAK & KIDNEY PUDDING £15.85 Our homemade traditional steam suet pudding, served with choice of potatoes & vegetables.TRADITIONAL FISH & CHIPS…£15-75 Beer battered haddock, served with chips & choice of peas.SEABREAM…£18.95 Atop spring onion mash & drizzled with a caper lemon butter sauce.
The food was excellent and we were a big hit with the Chef…
Time to head off to Newcastle…
We passed the ‘Angel of the North’…
The Angel of the North is an iconic 20-meter (66-ft) tall steel sculpture in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England, designed by Antony Gormley and completed in February 1998.
And we were just about able to see the Tyne Bridge in the distance…
The Tyne Bridge is a through arch bridge over the River Tyne in North East England, linking Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead. The bridge was designed by the engineering firm Mott, Hay and Anderson, who later designed the Forth Road Bridge, and was built by Dorman Long and Co. of Middlesbrough.
Eventually we arrived at the venue and headed for the dressing room…
Sound check soon…
All done, we checked out our new merch stall…
Before checking out a nearby boozer…
Experience the vibrant atmosphere of the Crows Nest, a historic pub in the very heart of Newcastle upon Tyne. Perched opposite St Thomas’ Church and surrounded by all manner of urban amenities including shops, transport links and cultural hotspots, this lively pub makes the perfect pitstop during your day out in one of the UK’s most iconic cities.
And a quick pint…
Morland Old Golden Hen This light golden beer delivers both flavour and refreshment, brewed using the finest pale malts, and the rare Galaxy hop to give a light golden colour, subtle tropical fruit notes and a deliciously smooth finish.
Backstage we tried out a couple of cans we’d brought from home…
Seven Bro7hers Throw Away IPA is a 5% ABV sustainable ale brewed in collaboration with Kellogg’s using rejected cornflakes. It’s a light, refreshing malty session beer. It is considered a unique, eco-conscious, and easy-drinking option.
It was now time to go on stage…
Look at these great photos taken by Jamie Huntley…
What a great reception and what a brilliant crowd!
Next on…the Mondays😀
They were brilliant👏👏👏
Next stop Leeds…
Saturday 14th March 2026 – Leeds O2 Academy
O2 Academy Leeds inhabits one of the city’s most historic venues. The Grade II listed building opened as the Coliseum in 1885 as a concert hall and then a theatre, hosting everything from variety shows to political meetings and religious gatherings and even a circus. After a long stint as a successful cinema and then a bingo hall and social club, the building became the legendary Town and Country Club in 1992.
We stayed overnight in Newcastle and woke up to sunshine…
Not ones to ‘skip’ breakfast, we decided to get some exercise first…
A brisk walk taking in the River Tyne air is just what we needed…
Harry Clasper was a professional rower and boat builder from Tyneside in England. He was an innovative boat designer who pioneered the development of the racing shell and the use of outriggers. He is said to have invented spoon-shaped oars.
Oarsome…
Blog on the Tyne?
We best get back to the hotel…
Carl had worked up quite an appetite…
Leaving at 11.15, we decided to head to a pub in the Richmond area of Yorkshire on the way to Leeds…
Too early for lunch but the pub sounded so good we headed off there anyway…
In no time we arrived…
The Shoulder of Mutton is a traditional family owned 400 year old village pub, set in the picturesque village of Middleton Tyas located in the heart of the village, on the outskirts of the Market Town of Richmond.
A number of us tried the house beer…
A light coloured, exceptionally well balanced smooth ale with a light fragrant hop finish.
While others chose the Black Sheep…
Pours a foamy frothy almost 2 finger head with moderate retention, a bit of lacing, mostly clear honey blonde to slight copper colour.
Some interesting photos on the wall…
Time for a sharp exit…
Destination Wetherby…
We thought we’d have lunch in a pub we visited a couple of years ago – ‘The Mews’…
Tucked away down Bank Street, Wetherby, The Mews serves a good selection of regional and local ales and has a reputation for good quality food. Along with the six handpumps on the bar is a good range of keg and bottled beers plus an extensive selection of gins. Wood-floored with a variety of seating, to the side of the pub is a paved outdoor drinking area with plenty of tables and chairs.
Second pint of the day…
Our Bread & Butter beer is the ultimate fresh, easy-drinking, dry-hopped ale that balances British malts with US hops for a modern take on a classic. With mild and refreshing citrus notes, a crisp pine finish, and a rounded bitterness. This 3.9% ABV brew proves that the simplest of things are often best. Bread & Butter is a vegan-friendly staple for craft beer lovers.
Everyone loves the Pies…
Moo…
British beef steak & craft ale, mash potato, minted mushy peas & gravy Available vegan / gluten free upon request
Fantastic food and drink but now it was time to head off to the venue…
Go Alex!!
After soundcheck we headed over to Whitelock’s Ale House…
We hadn’t got much time so I quickly ordered the Kirkstall Brewery bitter…
Amber malt taking centre stage in this bitter, East Kent Golding adding a touch of forest fruits alongside a thirst-quenching bitterness.
Time to ‘sup up’…Carl had arranged to meet Leeds based music photographer Simon Walker…
Easy Going. Easy Drinking. Easy Decision. Northern Monk SUP. 3.4% golden beer, for the Gold Times.
The pub was great and we should’ve ordered another drink but we had a tight schedule…
Back at the venue we opened a couple more of the cans we’d brought along…
Throw Away is a hoppy IPA, brewed using upcycled Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. Throw Away benefits from residual sweetness as a by-product of the cereals in the mash. Hopped with Chinook, Amarillo, Loral and Talus Cryo to create a truly modern IPA.
Time to go on… (Photographs by Simon Walker)
Again the crowd were fantastic!!!
Backstage brought an unexpected highlight when our former Housemartins tour manager and now one of Europe’s leading promoters, Simon Moran turned up to see us. He reminisced about our Leeds shows from back in the day and came over to soak up the atmosphere once again.
Next stop Nottingham.
Sunday 15th March 2026 – Nottingham Rock City
From their founding in 1980 to the present day, Rock City has been at the forefront of Nottingham’s music scene! Bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the magic of live music and entertainment.
We drove home from Leeds last night so met up at the start of the M62 this morning to avoid Liverpool city centre as the roads were closed for the Liverpool half marathon…
We’d planned a pub stop off on the way but anywhere that looked decent was fully booked for Mother’s Day so we decided to find somewhere in Nottingham…
Just passed Radcliffe-on-soar power station…
Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station in Nottinghamshire, the UK’s last coal-fired power station, closed on September 30, 2024, after 57 years of operation, marking the end of coal power in the UK. The site is transitioning into a zero-carbon technology, energy, and advanced manufacturing hub, with demolition scheduled from 2026 to 2031.
Soon enough we were in Nottingham and arrived at our lunchtime venue The Canalhouse…
The Canalhouse is an iconic Nottingham pub, housed in a Grade II listed former canal museum. It’s famous for having a canal that extends inside the building, complete with resident narrow boats and a foot bridge.
Great choice of beers…
Delicate and refreshing Extra Pale Ale. Easy drinking with subtle notes of tropical fruit, citrus and pine on the nose, a beautifully soft mouthfeel and a satisfying crisp finish. 3.4% ABV
Great setting for the pub above the Nottingham & Beeston canal…
Time for some food…
Most of us went for the roast dinner…
SUNDAY ROAST £9.95 All Sunday roasts are served with seasonal vegetables, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, grauy and a Yorkshire pudding – a veggie option is always available.
Next up was another from Castle Rock…
Refreshing, multi-award-winning beer with delicate citrus character. Brewed with gently kilned malt and an aromatic blend of American hops. A beer with exceptional poise. 3.8% ABV
The pub was really good but we had to get back to the venue for the soundcheck…
Lovely to see Helen Barnes of ‘Loving 80’s Music’ and her boys…
Following a poor performance ⚽️ we endeavoured to find the oldest pub in England…
It’s a fabulous pub…
A light coloured beer that is exceptionally well-balanced smooth ale with a light fragrant hop finish. Completely citrusy and zesty.
We sat in the snug…
Time to head back to the venue…
Seven Bos7hers easy IPA. An easy drinking American-style IPA. A pale and lightly kilned caramel malt base is met with the classic combo of Chinook, Centennial, Columbus and Simcoe hops. Providing a perfect balance of fruit, resin and slight pine notes.
And then on to the stage…
Groovy Train at the show…
The crowd were brilliant!
Back stage we met up with former Everton manager and local to Nottingham, Sean Dyche…
We had a great time in Nottingham but it was soon time to head home as we’d come to the end of our first weekend of gigs.
sipadvisor 