What's On in Newcastle

The Fabulous Rascals - Live @ Billy's — Kick your Saturday off the right way at Billy Bootleggers, where The Fabulous Rascals bring their live energy to one of Newcastle's most beloved dives from 3:00pm. Entry is just £0–£2, which makes this one of the great bargains of the weekend — cold drink in hand, live music washing over you before the day has really even started. If you have never stumbled into a Billy's afternoon session, consider this your very good reason to finally do it.

The Music of Motown - The Candlelight Concert — There is something genuinely spine-tingling about hearing the Motown songbook performed live in a room lit entirely by candlelight, and the O2 City Hall Newcastle provides exactly the grand, atmospheric backdrop that this music deserves. Starting at 6:30pm, this is the kind of evening that feels like a proper occasion — the sort you dress up for and talk about for weeks afterwards. Check the website for ticket prices and availability, because shows like this have a habit of selling out.

When Rivers Meet — The husband-and-wife duo When Rivers Meet have been turning heads across the UK with their remarkable fusion of blues, rock, and folk, and catching them at the intimate Cluny 2 from 7:00pm feels like a real privilege. This is the kind of venue where you can feel every note, where the connection between artist and audience is immediate and electric. Check the website for tickets — an evening this soulful deserves a seat rather than a scramble at the door.

The Teresa Watson Band - Live @ Billy's — Back at Billy Bootleggers for the early evening slot, The Teresa Watson Band take the stage from 6:00pm for what promises to be a richly voiced, full-throated live set at a price (£0–£2) that should frankly be criminal. Teresa Watson is the kind of performer who commands a room, and the cosy chaos of Billy's is the perfect frame for it. Come for one song and watch yourself stay for the whole set.

Casa de Ariba black party — Frate Newcastle opens its doors at 8:00pm for Casa de Ariba's black party — a sleek, style-conscious night out that asks you to dress the part and then rewards you handsomely for doing so. At £15 this sits comfortably in the range of a good night done properly, and the atmosphere Frate creates for events like this is reliably excellent. Whether you are warming up for the long hours ahead or making this your main event, it is an evening with real intention behind it.

BLITZ - Techno/Hardgroove/Trance/Hard Dance - FREE RAVE — When the clock strikes 11:00pm, World Headquarters becomes the place to be for anyone who wants their Saturday to end in a cloud of techno and hard dance — and the fact that entry is £0–£5 makes it almost rude not to go. BLITZ is the kind of rave that takes no prisoners: expect Hardgroove, Trance, and Hard Dance delivered with the full commitment that WHQ has built its legendary reputation on. Come ready to move, because this one does not do things by halves.