Thursday is another Get Involved day at The End Bar, with acts such as The French Quarter. It’s also the day that Tygers of Pan Tang finally come to Trillans. Get to The Sage on Friday, as Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals is playing with his producer, Boom Bip.

From the school of ‘old crooners’, Peter Grant is at The Tyne Theatre. Otherwise, and I hope you’re ready for this, its Elliot Minor at Northumbria University.Apparently, it’s ‘a strange hybrid of emo, pop-punk and indie…like nothing you’ve heard before’. Call the contradiction police!

Saturday 8th has the legendary Skinnyman at The Cluny and covers band, Ask Ruby at Martha’s Vineyard (Hebburn). To round off the week, Ida Maria is at The Carling Academy with Mercury Rev. Local talent 27 Club will be playing at The Tyne.

w/c 10th November
Joe Bonamassa has been plying the guitar since the age of four, he’s grown up now and no doubt improved his rock and blues sound which he’ll play tonight (Monday) at The Sage. Tuesday brings another almighty talent to The Sage with 1960s legends, The Temptations. The Carling Academy has a slightly more youthful edge with Team Water Polo who cite Deaftones, The Beatles and Wu-Tang as their influences.

Local seven piece, indie band The Eye Jab will be playing in The End Bar on Wednesday. If you want to hear the negative aspects if higher education summed up in a hip-hop style, Kanye West is at Metro Radio Arena on Thursday 13th. If that doesn’t do justice to your Thursday feeling, take a chance on The Tyne with Hiccup Riot. By far the highlight of Friday night has to be influential jazz pianist, Herbie Hancock at The Sage.

Alternatively, The Black Keys are playing at The Carling Academy. Sexy ageing rocker Paul Weller will be raising middle aged blood pressures at Metro Radio Arena on Saturday. The Whip, Manchester electro-pop group will be playing at The Other Rooms. They’ve been recommended by NME so they’re pretty likely to sound like most things you’ve heard already.

Remember The Christians? Well they sang ‘When will there be a Harvest for the World?’, and they’re obviously still waiting for an answer as they’ll be at TheTyne Theatre on Saturday 15th. Finally, the week will end with geeky, Leeds based band The Grammatics at The End Bar and alt-rock, Texan outfit White Denim at The Cluny.

w/c 17th November
Heartfelt, housewives favourite from the late 80s Extreme will be blasting out hits such as ‘More Than Words’ at City Hall, whilst the band who seem to provide a fantastic soundtrack to a teen movie montage, Less Than Jake will be at Northumbria Student’s Union. John Otway and the Big Band will be playing at The Cluny on Tuesday, whilst Fever host an Open Mic Night.

Wednesday, why not see Peculiar Disco Moves and Radio Dynamics as well as many more at The HoS, courtesy of Too Far North. Irish soul band The Commitments, who gave us the unforgettable music for Alan Parker’s BAFTA winning film are playing at The Carling on Thursday 20th. Giant Sand and James Apollo will be playing at The Cluny, if alt-rock is more to your liking.

On Friday, limber up for Cybernetics at The End Bar, which promises a load of the finest trance, dub and techno. On the rockier side of things, Gladstone will be at Egypt Cottage. On Saturday at The Other Rooms, we’ll have Little Boots, who is everything that is good about pop apparently. Matt Schofield, one of those from the new generation of British blues musicians will be playing at The Cluny. The Zutons will be playing at The Carling Academy on Sunday, whilst Buen Chico will be at The HoS as part of Fakeindielabel.

w/c 24th November
NME gave Future of the Left an eyebrow raising 8/10, which means they must be rubbish! Just kidding, of course! They’re playing at The Cluny with our favourite local band Moleck. On Tuesday, New Found Glory are at The Carling Academy whilst Queen Mab Trio are at The Cluny.

Unique and charming, so they are; The Shortwave Set will be Wednesday’s Cluny treat. Meanwhile, Little Comets are at The Bridge Hotel. Ralph McTell is best known for his poignant narratives and the tune, ‘Streets of London’, and he’ll be at The Sage on Thursday 27th, whereas The Cornshed Sisters will be at The Tyne.

For some rock and pop covers this Friday, head to The Star Inn for Knee Jerk Reaction. Also on Friday, Brutus Gold, the pretendy 70s disco MC will be doing lord knows what with the Love Train at The Carling Academy. Saturday; cute Swedish pop-tarts who mix Northern Soul into their floaty, happy-go-lucky charm are Those Dancing Days and will be at The Other Rooms.

Imelda May, Irish soul chanteuse will be at The Cluny, spreading her intelligent, bluesy, folky pop. Finally, to end the week and the month check out dancy, electro-pop quartet Flamboyant Bella at The Carling Academy, or talented local boys, The Pilots at The HoS.

Well, we think it is, but that’s because we love the best band to hail from Las Vegas to teeny tiny bits. Actually, they’re about the only band to hail from Las Vegas, aside from Panic At The Disco. But that’s not the point. Shut up.

Yessum, it’s The Killers and they’ve just announced details of a intermongus UK arena tour, which swings by the Newcastle Metro Radio Arena on Saturday 7th Match 2009.

It’ll be in support of the band’s new album Day And Age, their third studio album. Both of their previous albums, Hot Fuss and Sam’s Town were number one albums in the UK.

If you want a piece of the action, tickets for the tour go on sale on this Friday at 9am from the usual suspects.

Wednesday, why not venture to The Head of Steam for a selection of bands such as Particular Disco Moves and others, as part of Too Far North. Thursdays are mental usually, but it’s just the epic chart-pop-group White Lies at The Cluny or GetVegas at Trillians that we’re mentioning this time.

There’s a Radgefest at The End bar with Glaswegian band Danananakroyd, alternatively go to The Cluny for aggressive punk band that have been at it since ’76, Penetration. To round off the week, Gateshead Federation Brewery have The Bavarian Stompers and others as part of their OktoBEERFest on Saturday, and John Cooper Clarke is at The Carling Academy.

Sunday has Amy McDonald at The Carling Academy and for a low key vibe The Cumberland is featuring Rachel Goodman.

w/c 6th October
Monday is the beginning of the SAMA festival which will occur at various venues in the northeast so keep an eye out for that. Otherwise, Steve Winwood is at The Sage. On Tuesday Roots Manuva and support will be performing at The Sage too, whilst Eliza Gilkyson is at The Cluny.

What a treat The City Hall has for you on Wednesday, with the deeply religious Billy Ocean. Spiritualized are at The Carling Academy on Thursday 9th and British Sea Power will be at Newcastle University Union. Get back to The Carling Academy on Friday to see The Streets, or head to The Cluny for a peek at some lovely neo burlesque dancing ladies and fitting music.

Saturday has one of the highlights of the SAMA festival at Northumbria Student’s Union with Nitin Sawhney Sound System featuring Radio 1 DJ Bobby Friction. Sunday’s entertainment is well worth a look with Polar Bear at The Cluny.

w/c 13th October
The Sage has the rhinestone cowboy Glen Campbell as well as USA legend Tom Russell on Monday. Tuesday’s treat is in the form of Australian pop singer Gabriella Cilmi at The Carling, or Level 42 at The City Hall.

Hot Club de Paris are on at The Other Rooms on Wednesday, whilst rock and blues are going on at The Cluny with Carvin Jones. Thursday sees the beginning of the 22nd Tyneside Irish Festival at The Irish Centre and Zoe Conway is today’s act.

Catfish Keith is at The Cluny though if the Irish celebrations aren’t your thing. Friday at The Cluny is Ralfe Band and support. Saturday at The Carling Academy is the eagerly awaited Boss Sounds Reggae Festival with many great acts on show. This continues on Sunday as the Boss Sounds celebrations continue, as well as The Week That Was at The Cluny.

w/c 20th October
Elbow are at The Sage (sold out though, unsurprisingly) whilst Blood Red Shoes are on at The Carling Academy. A fantastic night of dancing and music is on at The Sage on Tuesday with leading tango group Tango Siempre. Alternatively head to Newcastle University Student’s Union for camp, euro-pop from Denmark’s finest, Alphabeat.

On Wednesday you could either go to The Sage for Lucy Kaplansky, or you could head to town for Goodman and Richard Sutton at The Head of Steam. Thursday 23rd; Dead String Brothers and Archie Brown at The Cluny, and alas more Cluny on Friday with the brilliant local boys from Moleck and the wonderfully named band The Seal Club Clubbing Club. Though perhaps Megadeath UK is more your thing, in which case go to Trillians.

On Saturday, Terrovision are playing at The Carling Academy and there’s an odd mixture of Paul Heaton and Cerys Matthews at Newcastle’s Student Union.

w/c 27th Oct
To end this wonderful month of music in Newcastle, we have Last Shadow Puppets at City Hall on Monday and The Sadies and The Lost Brothers at The Cluny on Tuesday. On Wednesday, let’s get back to The Cluny for New Zealand reggae/dub/ funk sounds with The Black Seeds.

Thursday 30th has a very special event in store for Newcastle Arts Centre for the album launch of the not-too-fussy Keith Jack from BBC’s Any Dream Will Do show. That’s not everyone’s taste though, so you may prefer apocalyptic rock in the form of Viva Machine at The Carling Academy.

Friday being Halloween and all, there’s a special fancy dress party at The Cluny with such musical delights as Booger Red and The Astral Janes. The Flaming Stars and Blackflower will be playing at The Cluny on this particular Saturday as we come into November.

To round of the week completely, head to The Carling Academy for the Eastpack Antidote Tour 2008, which will feature a number of bands such as Flogging Molly and Street Dogs.

Photo by J0nny T on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

A third album and a long stint in The Priory also means a new haircut for frontman Tom Chaplin, which finally puts those Hobbit references to bed, as well as a UK Arena tour.

The band from Battle arrive at the Newcastle Metro Radio Arena on Tuesday 27th January in support of Perfect Symmetry, which is released on 13th October.

Speaking exclusively* to newcastlecentric.com, Tom Chaplin said: “These kind of shows are what make us tick - the opportunity to play our new songs adds a whole new dimension.”

Tickets for Keane go on sale this Friday from 9am from the Metro Radio Arena and other outlets.

* very unlikely to be true

Monday 22nd - Anyone remember the 1977 song On and On? It was quite the hit in its time, and anyone with an interest in hearing it now should visit The Sage for Stephen Bishop (or Bish to his mates- Eric Clapton, Babs Streisand etc), who will be supported by John O’Connell of Liverpool act, Groundpig.

The Carling Academy however are featuring hunky, Californian five piece Iglu & Hartly in the early stages of their colossal European tour.

Tuesday 23rd - The Other Rooms is proudly presenting The Rascals. They may have a rubbish name, but their nostalgic (a polite word for something that’s been done before) indie-rock sound is second to none, people. Second to none. The Cluny are continuing their quirky booking schedule with singer song writer Pete Molinari with the wonderful Richard Dawson as support.

Wednesday 24th - Approximately Infinite Universe this time, is not a Yoko creation, it’s an experimental evening of music from Finnish label, FONAL and it’s at The Sage. Its air guitarist’s wet dream at The Cluny with (the real) Allan Holdsworth. Genuine Dad rock and pure instrumental technique at its best.

Thursday 25th - Away from the city centre this evening, Egypt Cottage has the kids from Utah, USA The Alligators. A bit of local talent at The Side Café with UK acoustic act Paul Handyside with Gateshead based lady The Girl with the Replaceable Head.

Friday 26th - Drum and Bass is still going strong if Turbulence is anything to go by. Shy FX, Danny Byrd, Ed Rush and DJ Phobia are at Digital for some proper shape moving and the rest. If a more radio friendly House music set up is your scene, then prepare to be transported back into the mid 90s at Attic Bar where Judge Jules will be showing off his upper arms and musical talents.

Saturday 27th - The Black Swan have a night of Latin music in the form of Arriba!, a charity fundraiser in aid of After Adoption that will feature mouthwatering food and drinks, a spectacular show performed by all-round salsa entertainers The Latin Connection, salsa masterclasses,  a prize draw, charity auction, and much more. 

Meanwhile the Sage is beckoning again with the promise of British folk music at its best, with internationally renowned talent Kathryn Tickell, while The Cluny has the intriguing and eccentric one man band Bob Log III, complete with his inexplicable motorcycle helmet and lo-fi bluesy sound.

Sunday 28th - The hot name in musical circles these days is Timbaland and if you’re interested in what all the hype is about, go and see OneRepublic at The Carling Academy. Or not, if you value your time. Perhaps go to The Tyne instead for some jazz with eclectic punk rock inspired jazz group The Lounge Lizards.

But if it sounds like something you’re into, have a little look at this selection of Newcastle gigs and see what personality you’re going to adopt this week…

Tuesday 16th - For a taste of Wisconsin neo-soul, visit The Sage where Bon Iver, headed by Justin Vernon will be crooning away.

The Cluny however, has a bluesy-guitar treat in the form of Stephen Dale Petit. He’s played with all the greats; BB King, Eric Clapton, you name it. He’s also survived a couple of decades of rock and roll self-destruction, and he’s still going strong, just like Ronnie Wood.

Wednesday 17th - 4 Poofs and a Piano. The clue’s in the name people and they’re being whisked away from the strong-hold, prime-time grip of Jonathan Ross for a fabulous show at The Tyne Theatre. California sun shines in the form of indie-poplets Little Ones, supported by Minotaurs at The Cluny.

Thursday 18th - An amazing and might we say, different form of aural entertainment at Caedmon Hall in Gateshead tonight, when Baka Beyond bring the sound of the Baka tubes of Cameroon to the north with their Celtic-Afro fusion.

The Cluny may try and entice you however with the temptation of Californian bluegrass band Hungry Hill and support Mother’s Ruin. Now September is here again, there’ll be more obstacles to trip over again on the pitch black dance floor of WHQ who offer late night dancing with an array of DJs for The Killing Suite.

Friday 19th - If a stroll on the not so much wild as glam side is your cup of bourbon then check out Y+T at The Carling Academy. Thirty years on and they’re still doing it. Er… yippee!

Saturday 20th - The Bridge Hotel is a fine place for booze-up and as The Briganties, Stonedrifters and Chevrolites are playing, then there’ll be music to drink to also. The Head of Steam does its amazing transformation from lonely-man’s ale pit by day, to rowdy music shack by night, especially with Black Flower and Uncle Monty on show.

Sunday 21st - Spear of Destiny have been going at it since the 80s, and now they’re here for another spell of their dark and high powered rock at The Carling Academy. If you thought that skiffle and roots is a made up genre, we suggest you take a look down The Tyne for The Alley Cats and a wonderful introduction into the world of rockabilly.

Photo by J0nny T on Flickr. Some rights reserved.