For all you drum and bass fans....

Newcastle is preparing to host the region’s first dedicated Drum and Bass awards ceremony. Simon Turner and Mat Taylor came up with the idea while presenting their weekly live radio show NewcastleBeats on the community station NE1FM 102.5; Thursdays from 8-10pm. They have teamed up with the DJs behind the OneHourOneDj website ( www.onehouronedj.com) to create an event that is truly unique. People can vote for their favourite artists online and the results will be announced during a live outside broadcast at Nancy’s Bordello.

The event is free and will feature entertainment from some of the local scene’s DJ talent before and after the show. You can expect acceptance speeches worthy of the Oscars, homemade awards and some good laughs. (Popular rural drama “The Archers” of radio 4 has been nominated for best radio show alongside the likes of DJ Friction’s radio one broadcast.) Other categories include best local event, best new producer and the baffling but contentious “best pasty.” This event is open to everybody so if you’re a fan of drum and bass, baked goods and general silliness, get yourself down to Nancy’s Bordello on the 21st of February. (Doors open at 7PM with live broadcast starting from 8pm). You can cast your votes here www.onehouronedj.com/awards and listen to the live event and help support your local community radio by listening to NE1fm on 102.5FM and www.ne1fm.net/listen

The NewcastleBeatsShow is broadcast live every Thursday from 8pm-10pm.

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The 'Diamond Strip' - too big to fall? Or will the Quayside regain its former 'glory'?

Newcastle is a city known throughout the world for its exciting, varied
nightlife. The usually friendly nature of the locals is without doubt one
of the reasons why Newcastle has been put on the map with regards its
ability to play host to a great night out for visitors to the city. The locals 
are perhaps even more famous for being able to brave some of the
harshest weather conditions in England wearing little more than a 'belt for
a skirt' and a miniscule top (the latter even applies to the lads)!
Yes, Newcastle has a great selection of characters and they are sure to
make a positive impact on your night out in Newcastle in one way or
another.
The city is also blessed with a large, varied selection of pubs. bars and
clubs with the latter run by arguably some of the most industrious
club promoters in the country. Competition for your final destination
decision is rife which results in a good number of quality club nights on
offer every night of the week and the weaker events failing to hang
around on the scene for very long at all. 
Furthermore, I believe that the relatively small lay-out of the city plays
an important role in making it a favourite amongst many party-goers
from further afield. Indeed, the ease of walking from one happening
area to another acts as a huge advantage when comparing to larger
UK cities such as London and Manchester for example.

The 'Diamond Strip'

So I have outlined my opinion of why Newcastle remains a top choice
for party-goers and potential university students from further afield
and in conjunction why the locals themselves are blessed with living in
such an exciting city. Now I would like to discuss the specific areas of
popularity within the city in relation to where people generally choose
to go out. There is no doubt that the 'Diamond Strip' has remained a
dominant force in terms of Newcastle and indeed North-East night life for
a number of years now and seems to be going from strength to strength
with new establishments opening on a regular basis such as Jalou and
even more recently House Of Smith. For those of you unaware of what
the 'Diamond Strip' is, it refers to an area in Newcastle containing a
large number of bars and clubs focused primarily around Collingwood
Street found at the bottom of the iconic Grey Street. The emergence of new
or newly re-branded venues combined with a high number of well
established joints such as Perdu, Tup Tup Palace and Revolution suggest that
the 'Diamond Strip' is not going anywhere fast and is indeed a force
to be reckoned with when it comes to providing a high quality night
out. However, it must be noted that there have been areas of the city
that previously held the title for being the best part of the city for a drink and
a dance, most notably the Quayside. Nowadays the Quayside area of
Newcastle only plays host to a notable proportion of party population on
a Friday and Saturday. It particularly shines on a Saturday as a place to
end your night where you will find the Voodoo Project attracting thousands
of revelers (both students and locals) week in week out in the area's
only nightclub, Riverside. Other than this, the Quayside remains a shadow of
its former self in terms of its appeal to people looking for a good night
out. There has been a recent influx of students to the area during
midweek, mainly due to the popularity of the bar Victoria 22 and the
cheap trebles they serve that makes Newcastle so famous amongst the
UK student population and so infamous in the local (and even national) press.

The point of this blog was to discuss the current popular nightlife spots of
the city and consider the possibility of a shift in power once again towards
the Quayside as there are rumours of future investment in the area by
certain leisure companies. Or is it simply the fact that the 'Diamond Strip'
is now far more prominent than the Quayside ever was and therefore too big
to lose its grip on the people who frequent Newcastle for a night out?

The Quayside

I personally hope the Quayside does not regain its former status as the 'place to be'
every night of the week. As one of the most beautiful areas of the city,
with iconic landmarks such as the Tyne Bridge I feel that the area has become a much
nicer place since the popularity of the venues along Collingwood Street increased exponentially.
 
With a focus on attracting locals as well as tourists to the Quayside area for reasons other than
drinking alcohol, we have seen the construction of new Quayside landmarks such as
The Sage and the Millenium Bridge as well as the redevelopment of the old Baltic flour mill into a
world renowned  contemporary art museum - which has established
this area as a must-see destination for many tourists who travel to the UK.

For more photos of the Quayside and other areas of Newcastle please visit our Pinterest Boards.

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