Newcastle City Hall

Newcastle City Hall stands in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne beside the former city baths. The concert hall was designed by Nicholas & Dixon-Spain and opened in 1928. It has a tall portico with Doric columns and five square windows above. The building is Grade II listed and now operates under sponsorship as O2 City Hall Newcastle. Academy Music Group runs the venue on behalf of Theatre Royal Trust. The hall forms the east side of a larger complex that once included the Northumberland Baths. The hall has hosted orchestras, rock bands and comedy acts since it opened. Kathleen Ferrier sang there in 1953, Bob Dylan played in 1965 and The Rolling Stones appeared in 1966. The Who, The Animals and Emerson Lake & Palmer all performed on its stage in the late 1960s. David Bowie played during his Ziggy Stardust tour in 1973 and Motörhead recorded No Sleep ’til Hammersmith there in 1981. The Harrison and Harrison organ, installed in 1928, has 4,274 pipes and holds a Grade 1 Historic Organ Certificate. Visitors enter through the portico into a concert hall designed for sound. The organ rises behind the stage and is used for recitals as well as concerts. The interior keeps the 1920s character with its Doric columns and tall windows. Outside, the hall overlooks the city’s streets and the adjacent baths building. The venue remains a focal point for live music in the north-east.