From: bob
Clubs
There are only two clubs that are regularly any good at the moment, the
rest are mostly cheesy ritzyathons ranging from pseudo designer wankyery
to seedy dives full of pissed haggard-faced hen parties from Hebburn.
World Headquarters is consistently good, usually funk, soul, r'n'b, hip
hop on a Friday and Saturday (no guests, just residents) and other
related nights during the week. Has the cleanest toilets of any club
ever apparently (according to Becky, though this may just be the ladies).
Foundation - Home of Shindig (house) on Saturdays and various other
nights on a monthly basis on Fridays, the only one of which that's worth
checking is Traveller (really varied selection of guests, Giles P,
Aphex, London Electricity, Jazzanova, Autechre etc have all played
there). Think this is on the weekend before your mate is going though,
so it'll probably be hard house or summat.
There might be something on at one of the Universities as well that
weekend, I'll have to check.
Bars
There are fucking shitloads of bars. However the only ones I drink in
with any regularity are:
The Head of Steam - my local, opposite Central Station. Good beers, good
music, decent grub, bands on downstairs every night, generally a all
round nice atmosphere with no charvers or shirt wearing townie fuckwits.
The really smiley unshaven stoned looking guy behind the bar is my
flatmate James. The tall skinny guy with a big nose propping up the
other side of the bar is me.
The cluney - the HoS's other pub, under Byker Bridge. Top venue, really
nice bar - same sort of idea as the other HoS but looks like a Manhattan
loft apartment. Two rooms, the bar and a 200 capacity venue next door
which has bands on most nights.
The Tanners (up the road from the Cluney) - dingy, loud music, full of
disreputable types who are Newcastle's underground electronic music
scene basically. Nice pub overall but I suppose it could be scary
sometimes if you don't know anybody.
The Forth - near Central Station. I go in here occasionally, beer's ok
usually a good atmosphere though there can be a liitle too much shirt
wearing action going on at weekends for my liking.
The Free Trade - right at the far end of the quayside, this is the
*best* pub in summer as it has an amazing view along the river. The Tyne
pub just down the hill is worth checking as well.
Popolo - ponce city, but the cocktails are really good.
And if he wants to laugh at loads of really pissed people, have a kebab
and get into a fight he could spend the night staggering around the Bigg
Market or down along the Quayside.
Loads more info here: www.theburglarsdog.co.uk Read the entry for
Heroes, it's quite funny.
Other stuff
definitely check out the Baltic Gallery and the new bridge. And if he
want's to eat out, I'd suggest Paradiso, Panni's (both town centre) or
the Big Mussel on the quayside.
