Andrew Cushin Headlines the Launch of Newcastle's New Live Music Bar
Newcastle's newest music venue, Newgate Social, recently opened its doors within The Gate
Just a stone's throw from the old Mayfair Ballroom (which played host to music icons such as Led Zeppelin, Queen and Kylie Minogue), you’ll find Newgate Social in The Gate. This new 400-capacity venue is the new home for live music in the North East, and plans to support and both emerging and established talent from across the region and beyond.
There was a buzzy atmosphere on launch night when we arrived – queues formed at the bar and the first support act was gearing up to begin the evening of live music. Ticket holders had been promised a ‘secret set’ with the headliner set to be a surprise.
With pints in hand we headed a little closer to the stage to catch Annabel Pattinson’s set. She sang some acoustic originals (well worth a listen), as well as covers including Noah Kahan’s Stick Season, which went down a treat. More live music lovers arrived and filled the venue in time for Keiran Bowe and his band to introduce his music, and tracks from his recently-released debut EP, Hair Of The Dog. We were front row and admired their black and white outfits and electric guitars (one decorated with a Newcastle Brown Ale sticker, obviously).
There was just enough time for another drink as anticipation filled the in air whilst the crowd muttered about who could be the secret headliner, and the DJ played Oasis tracks to gear fans up to join relentless online queues for tickets the following morning (don’t even go there…!). We were told to make way for security before the no-longer-secret headliner, Andrew Cushin, practically bounced by the crowd and onto the stage.
Between popular tracks including Waiting For The Rain and It’s Coming Round Again, Andrew had good banter as always and addressed the fact he’s definitely not Sam Fender but he’s grateful for the support he had from this warm and very Northern crowd. His energy-filled set is a good omen for this new and exciting venue, and he even treated the audience to an encore (and a few selfies for lucky fans).
‘The show was great,’ Andrew says post-performance. ‘The biggest thing for me was that everybody in the crowd enjoyed it. With people buying tickets unsure who’s headlining the show I wanted both me and the band to play well. I think there were some good interactions, a lot of singing along with certain songs and by the time we got to Wor Flags at the end of the set everyone was bouncing.
‘Grassroots venues are the birthplace to great music. I made a comment whilst on stage about how without these smaller intimate style venues artists like myself and so many others would never have or have had any kind of success. Grassroots venues are where I cut my teeth, learnt my craft and built up a fan base. They’re integral to an artist's success and music as a whole. Newgate Social is in a great area being upstairs in The Gate. It’s perfect for people coming in or out the venue with it being in the city centre. It’s always great as a musician to see more live music venues opening and as a 400-capacity room I think it’s going to be a big success.’
Andrew adds that he and his band are working on a lot at the minute and reveals that he’ll be back touring the UK, Europe and North America again next year, hopefully with a new record.
'We are thrilled with the success of Newgate Social's launch,’ adds Newgate Social’s venue manager, Cheryl Flowers. ‘It was an incredible night featuring two outstanding support artists, Keiran Bowe and Annabel Pattinson, who set the stage beautifully for our headliner, Andrew Cushin. Andrew is a rising star with exciting plans ahead, and he made this event truly special. Newgate Social is more than just a venue; it’s a haven for music lovers right in the heart of the city. Our upcoming gigs promise an eclectic mix of genres, showcasing both grassroots talent and established artists. We can’t wait to see you there!’
