18 Comments

• At 2010.02.23 00:35, alf stone said:
  

  First of all I only wanted to have picture of the City Hall so I could tell you that the Beatles played there three times. That completes the sum total of my knowledge of the Beatles connection with Newcastle. I wouldn’t care but I am not even a fan, my brain just absorbs trivia. As to who I have seen there, I’m afraid it is mostly Jazz and Blues artists most of which you have probably never heard. Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, George Shearing, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Ornette Coleman and even one pop band, Doctor Hook. I even appeared there once myself with our school choir when we had our annual school service on the stage of the City Hall. For some reason I was never invited back. It is the most incredible place. I remember when I saw Ella Fitzgerald we had the cheapest seats which were on the back of the stage so we were only feet away from the famous lady. Most of the time all we saw was her back but gracious lady that she was she occasionally turned to face us.

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  • At 2010.03.29 03:25, Colin May said:
    

    I have photos (& negatives ) taken at City Hall concerts circa 67/68 of Oscar Peterson, Modern Jazz Quartet, American Folk Blues Festival, and Manitas y Plata. Also the drummer who played for Louis Armstrong taken from the cheap seats behind the band and several shots of 6-10 men in the cheap seats. I need help dating the concerts. Also saw Ella, Baise and Duke Ellington at City Hall but never took photos. Any help greatly appreciated. thanks.

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  • At 2010.10.07 15:46, paul gibbons said:
    

    Actully The Beatles played at The City Hall 4 Times !
    March 23rd 1963
    June 8th 1963
    November 23rd 1963
    December 4th 1965

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• At 2010.02.23 00:53, CGP said:
  

  the charlatans and the mighty boosh.

  and my dad’s degree ceremony.

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• At 2010.02.23 01:08, Mosh said:
  

  Off the top of my head:

  School prize day
  Slayer
  Mindfunk
  Dangerous Toys
  The Almighty
  Faster Pussycat
  Iron Maiden
  Wolfsbane
  Pantera (twice)
  Megadeth
  Bootleg Beatles (twice)

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• At 2010.02.23 03:41, PJF said:
  

  I loved the City Hall for concerts. My first was Status Quo in 1973 (when they were good). Others I saw mainly in the 70s: Wishbone Ash (3x), Rory Gallagher (4x), Genesis (with and without Gabriel), Uriah Heep (4x), Rush (2x), Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath (with Van Halen as support), Ten Years After, Lindisfarne, Rainbow, Renaissance, PFM, Steve Hillage, Camel, Santana and others I have long since forgotten.
  I saw Geordie there too (they were giving tickets away) - anyone remember them? Their singer went on to have a pretty good career after that.
  Great memories

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• At 2010.02.23 14:30, mrs K said:
  

  Northern Sinfonia - many times and other famous orchestras
  Lindisfarne - many times and loads of other folk groups
  The Strawbs - only ever made one decent record - that’s why I remember them.
  Ever Ready Brass Band and other brass bands
  Most Fifties, Sixties and Seventies pop groups

  How come - well we went every week either early in the week when prices where low or Friday night - never on a Saturday, that was either Oxford, Old Ass, Silver Swing, or Dolce Vita, Cavendish Club, Greys Club et al.

  That’s why I know pubs in Newcastle we always met in a pub near whichever venue we were going to - my favourite meeting place, Monkey Bar.

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• At 2010.02.23 14:31, Katie H said:
  

  I also saw a few bands there in the 70’s. Most memorable being Jethro Tull, Thin Lizzy and Black Sabbath. Ah good times indeed!

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• At 2010.02.23 14:32, Susan said:
  

  The first band I ever saw was at the City Hall - early 80’s - “Teradrop Explodes” ………..now what happened to them :)

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• At 2010.02.23 15:42, Xiaoli Yang said:
  

  my graduation ceremony ..
  Tori Amos, wow, i am a huuuuuge fan of her..

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• At 2010.02.23 17:05, MikeM said:
  

  Not having grown up in this area, my only experience is taking flasks and sandwiches to the kids at about midnight while they were camping out for tickets. Not sure what they saw, but ELP comes to mind MikeM

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• At 2010.02.23 18:54, PJF said:
  

  Following up MikeM’s comment - I was never a big fan of ELP, but I do know that their version of Pictures at an Exhibition was recorded at the City Hall; as were a few tracks on Wishbone Ash Live Dates.

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• At 2010.02.23 22:47, alf stone said:
  

  I remember the group Geordie from their early days doing the workingmen’s clubs around Gateshead. They were good but I never expected Johnson to achieve the fame he did. Their most popular song at the time was a comedy one called Wor Geordie’s Lost his Liggy. A liggy being a marble.

  I also remember passing the City Hall on the day of an ELP concert and all I could see in the streets were their huge fleet of pantechnicons which ferried their gear around. How they managed to get all that gear on to the stage I will never know.

  Mrs. K, I would like to debate the relative merits of the pubs of Newcastle sometime. The Market Lane was good but what about the Back Turks, Telegraph, Chancellor’s Head and so many more but for the City hall the Portland was the ideal bar for a half time drink.

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• At 2010.02.24 01:32, PJF said:
  

  Alf, at one point they even had their names painted on top of those lorries! There is a hilarious youtube clip about ELP here that refers to this (fast forward to ~2 min mark) - I think its by Bill Bailey.
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-5mI3GSX3Q&feature=PlayList&p=4ABC1194A9E77490&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2

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• At 2010.02.24 13:49, Dave said:
  

  I’ve seen Jethro Tull three times - and I’m seeing them again this March! It’s always a great night and they are great musicians. They love Newcastle.

  I also saw Depeche Mode and Mike Oldfield - varied tastes or what?!

  Good bit of Beatles trivia Alf!

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• At 2010.02.24 16:43, Danny said:
  

  played there with newcastle schools wind band and saw pantera a couple of years later.

  (there was more stage diving for the wind band!)

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• At 2010.02.24 20:04, Beth said:
  

  Wow, that’s quite some variety! Glad you shared the Beatles trivia Alf :)

  Danny, that’s funny! :)

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• At 2010.10.07 15:50, paul gibbons said:
  

  Actualy ! The Beatles Played at The Newcastle City Hall 4 Times !
  March 23rd 1963
  June 8th 1963
  November 23rd 1963
  December 4th1965

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