Day 7: Newcastle upon Tyne
Welcome
Yesterday we performed in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Tristan, Berend, and I began our morning by acting on a recommendation that had come flying into the Breakfast and Travel Updates inbox the previous day. After a brief walk from our hotel that took us across Liverpool’s vibrant city centre we ended up at a bright and colourful establishment by the name of Lovelocks Coffee Shop, where the staff greeted us with gusto upon our entry into the premises. For my breakfast I ordered the pancakes which contained blueberries and slices of banana, a side of maple syrup, and a generous pile of pecans on top.
I used to think that the United Kingdom was a nation devoid of the great architectural wonders we know as Sky Needles. That was until yesterday when I saw Radio City Tower, the 138m reinforced concrete marvel that resides in the heart of Liverpool, providing a home to 96.7 Radio City | The Biggest Hits The Biggest Throwbacks, as well as transmission facilities for Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB). When the tower was completed in 1969 it housed a luxury 5-star revolving restaurant, and then later on a "Buck Rogers" space-themed restaurant, but when this closed in 1983 the tower’s observation decks remained empty and derelict until 1999 when they were refurbished. Today you can ride an elevator up to the rooftop in only 30 seconds and enjoy panoramic views of the city, a fitting feature for a tower described by Historic England as “embodying the technological bravura and spirit of the space age”.
The drive to Newcastle was a little over three hours and took us back through the undulating terrain of the midlands, farms and copses covering most of region’s shallow hills and the stone construction of old villages providing a pleasing contrast to the landscape’s natural features. We arrived in Newcastle to find that our venue was housed in the former home of Robert Stephenson and Company, a name which probably holds great significance for those with an interest in boilers and steam locomotives. Stephenson’s Locomotive Works was where Robert Stephenson built Rocket, a design that in the early 19th century proved to the directors of the nearly-completed Liverpool and Manchester Railway that locomotives could outperform stationary steam engines in the task of hauling trains. This new design was a great success and won Stephenson’s Company the contract to produce locomotives for the railway, a victory that was only slightly marred when during the opening ceremony for the L&MR, the world’s first intercity railway, the Rocket struck and killed William Huskisson, the Member of Parliament for Liverpool.
Rocket.
This long bring building, a relic from the industrial age, now houses a large music venue, and considering how loud and boomy it sounded with amplified music playing through the PA I shudder to think how noisy it must have been when constructing and testing steam boilers in there. Gabe did a fine job in this difficult environment, though, and we made it through the soundcheck with the knowledge that it would be a bit easier with a few hundred bodies to dampen the sound reflections.
Just down the back of our venue is the River Tyne, one of England’s great rivers, and home to some of England’s great bridges, as we had seen from the vista on our arrival into the city. We were able to wander down and closely inspect one of these structures, gaining a rare viewpoint from right next to the abutment, where we could see along the bottom of the span. The Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge is not as glamorous as the similarly named crossing at Dartford, but what it lacks in functional beauty it makes up for with a stunning Cobalt-Blue paintjob and an intimidating through-truss design that can confidently support the light rail of the Tyne and Wear Metro crossing its 164.7m main span more than a hundred times per day.
One of the questions that came from the back of the van as we were driving through Newcastle was “is there a Newcastle castle?”. After having a walk around the city after soundcheck I can now confidently state that there is a Newcastle castle, because I found it just down the road from the venue. At least the Keep from the castle still stands, and it dates back to the 12th century it was built by Henry II. At least he ordered it built, I imagine. It fell into disrepair over subsequent centuries because the city walls were so effective that the castle was unnecessary – probably not the worst problem to have. Portions of these city walls still stand and we passed a few different sections while we were walking about.
The Castle, Newcastle, one of the most haunted castles in England.
This was our final headline show of our 2023 UK Tour. Sadly it was also the last time we got to see Lande Hekt play, but happily they delivered their most powerful performance, probably helped by the adrenaline coursing through their veins after having their van break down and making it just in time for their set.
It was a Wednesday night and the crowd had a bit of bite, with plenty of screaming and yelling out of requests. We had a fine time up on stage playing in this historic room, and although it might not have sounded as crisp as the chuff of the Rocket locomotive’s stack piercing the morning air during the 1829 Rainhill Trials, it was a fine atmosphere and some great music was played.
We celebrated afterwards with Lande and her bandmates, enjoying a glass of sparkling drink and appreciating the good company we have been lucky enough to have for these several weeks of shows. Finally they had to leave in their van with its band-aided alternator belt, and we said our goodbyes and hopped into our MAN for the short trip to the local Holiday Inn Express.
Here is a new segment called Art Corner. The purpose of this segment is to share art, usually pieces that I find at hotels, but it could be from anywhere, for art striketh when thou least expect. Art is neither good nor bad, it can only help us to feel, so please take care before judging these works. Try and let your emotions guide you to a place of impression and reflection.
Gallery: Holiday Inn Express, Twin Room.
Artist: Unknown