Newcastle

Going to university is scary, we all know that, but rest assured that Newcastle is one of the friendliest cities you will ever be in.  Not only that, but 'the toon' is full to the brim of things to do - from go-karting to clubbing and shopping - so it's no surprise that this northern city is a mecca for students looking for a new experience (in between all that studying of course).  So sit back, relax, and let Gigwise in the North give you your first lesson in Newcastle knowledge.

Pubs
The Hancock and The Crow's Nest are popular simply because they're close to both universities.  Both serve food and The Hancock is a 'Scream' bar with a loyalty card for students.  All of the bars on Osborne Road in Jesmond are full to the brim of students thanks to their nightly happy hours.  Time it right, and with a bit of luck you can make it down the street without paying full price for a single drink.  Back in town, the Quayside is the place for those with a bit more cash to splash.  Basement under the Charles Grey monument is legendary amongst students, and is the best place to get very drunk very quickly.  Cheap vodka-based drinks abound, and the place is rammed with students, particularly on a Wednesday.

Clubs
A night out in Newcastle is one you'll never forget, with a massive choice of venues for every night of the week.  Popular student haunt, Liquid is busiest on a Wednesday when it mostly plays dance and has a second room, Envy which pumps out the drum n bass.  Best indie night is a toss up between Bulletproof at the Carling Academy and Stone Love at Digital.  It basically boils down to whether you prefer to dance in a sweaty club with lots of rooms (Digital) or a gig venue with a huge dance floor (Bulletproof).  For those of you with a penchant for house music, Shindig and Wax:On at Digital are your best bet, while World Head Quarters hosts an eclectic choice of musical styles.  Spoilt for choice!

Venues
The best place for the best bands is the Carling Academy near Central Station: if you live in Newcastle you should undoubtedly end up there at some point.  City Hall puts on gigs that are probably more aimed at the older generation, while Metro Radio Arena handles the big hitters.  For smaller, less known bands, The Cluny is the hottest spot, and is rarely frequented by the locals.  Both student unions, at Northumbria and Newcastle Universities provide plenty of gigs as well, sometimes attracting quite big names, so get in there to see them before they move to bigger venues.



The bars in The Gate on a Saturday night are probably not a good shout for the students.  By 9pm the place is swarming with huge groups of geordie lads and lasses burning off steam from a hard week at work, and burning off steam at The Gate pretty much means spewing up against the outside wall or donning your shortest skirt and flirting with the local bobbies.  Biggmarket is a similar prospect.  Consider yourself warned.



Eldon Square is the best place for your high street fashion, and Northumberland Street is the proud home of the music shops: HMV, Virgin but also local favourite Steel Wheels.  There's a smattering of vintage boutiques like Retro to get your hands on more individual pieces, and if that isn't enough, the Metrocentre is a mere 10 minutes by bus from the city centre.

Newcastle and its environs has produced some of the hottest bands of the moment: Maximo Park, The Futureheads, The Motorettes, Kubichek! to name but a few.  But the city's musical history stretches further back with Sting, The Wildhearts and Duran Duran all connected to the city.

The iconic Tyne Bridge was opened in 1928 and cost £1.2 million to build and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge is the first rotating bridge in the world.

The locals, known as geordies, practically have their own language.  Here's a sample: "haway" means come on; "canny" means nice, and expect to get called "pet" by everyone, whether you know them or not.

Ant and Dec famously hail from the toon and own a bar called The Lodge in town.