What’s On in the North East 2026 & 2027: Live Music, Concerts & Events
Posted on Tuesday 4th August 2026 at 13:00
Written by
Will Rabjohns
What’s On in the North East 2026 & 2027: Live Music, Concerts & Events
Updated August 2026. Looking for the best concerts, gigs and live events happening across the North East in 2026 and 2027? From major arena tours and city-centre venues to festivals and one-off performances, this guide highlights the biggest shows coming to the region and where to see them.
Whether you’re planning a night out in Newcastle, heading to an arena show in Sunderland or discovering live music in Gateshead and Stockton-on-Tees, you’ll find plenty to add to your calendar. Browse upcoming events and book tickets for some of the North East’s biggest live experiences.
In this guide, you’ll find:
- Major concerts and tours coming to the North East
- Standout shows and limited-date runs worth booking early
- Regional highlights from Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead and Stockton-on-Tees
- A practical FAQ to help plan your live events calendar
Standout gigs & tours across the North East
WE ARE SCIENTISTS
20 YEARS: PLAYING WITH LOVE & SQUALOR IN FULL
When: Tuesday 6th October 2026 (Boiler Shop, Newcastle upon Tyne)
Indie-rock favourites We Are Scientists celebrate 20 years by playing debut album With Love & Squalor in full at Boiler Shop.
DEAF HAVANA
FOOLS & WORTHLESS LIARS + THE DANGEROUS SUMMER
When: Saturday 31st October 2026 (Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle upon Tyne)
Deaf Havana return to Newcastle to celebrate landmark record Fools & Worthless Liars, joined by The Dangerous Summer.
ARIEL POSEN
When: Friday 12th February 2027 (Pilgrim, Newcastle upon Tyne)
Canadian guitar hero Ariel Posen brings new album Bannatyne and his soulful, roots-tinged playing to Newcastle’s Pilgrim, joined by Wendlo.
GURRIERS
NOBODY’S COMING TO SAVE YOU TOUR + TRAMHAUS
When: Thursday 15th October 2026 (Newcastle University)
Dublin post-punk force Gurriers storm Newcastle behind acclaimed second album Nobody’s Coming To Save You, with support from Tramhaus.
MATILDA MANN
UK KISMET TOUR 2026 + SOPHIE MAY
When: Saturday 10th October 2026 (Newcastle University SU)
London singer-songwriter Matilda Mann brings the warm, breezy folk-pop of new album Kismet to Newcastle, with support from Sophie May.
TIGERCUB
When: Friday 23rd October 2026 (The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne)
Brighton trio Tigercub bring their heavy, hook-laden alt-rock and colossal riffs to The Grove for a standout Newcastle night.
LIME GARDEN
When: Monday 12th October 2026 (The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne)
UK indie four-piece Lime Garden bring their sharp pop hooks and off-kilter charm to The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne, this autumn, as part of their Maybe Not Tonight Tour.
SAXON
GODS OF THUNDER - CASTLES + EAGLES PRODUCTION
When: Saturday 20th February 2027 (O2 City Hall Newcastle)
Metal legends Saxon unleash their Gods of Thunder tour on Newcastle, reviving their mighty Eagle and the Castles & Eagles production.
VÆB
When: Saturday 26th September 2026 (Newcastle University SU)
Iceland’s viral Eurovision duo VÆB bring their high-energy pop and irrepressible charm to Newcastle University SU on the VÆBOUT tour.
CANCER BATS
When: Monday 26th October 2026 (Anarchy Brew Co, Newcastle upon Tyne)
Canadian hardcore punks Cancer Bats bring ferocious riffs and relentless energy to Anarchy Brew Co on their Marshall Made of Loud tour.
SOUTH ARCADE
WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD TOUR + MOUTH CULTURE
When: Saturday 13th February 2027 (NX, Newcastle upon Tyne)
Oxford four-piece South Arcade bring their nu-metal-charged bangers to NX on the Welcome to the Real World tour, plus Mouth Culture.
TOBY LEE
When: Saturday 1st May 2027 (The Glasshouse International Centre for Music - Sage Two, Gateshead)
Blues-rock guitar prodigy Toby Lee brings his dazzling playing and soulful showmanship to The Glasshouse, Gateshead.
DONNY OSMOND
When: Thursday 21st January 2027 (Utilita Arena, Newcastle upon Tyne)
Entertainment legend Donny Osmond brings his Las Vegas showmanship and decades of hits to Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on the Viva UK tour.
MIKE JOYCE & STEPHEN STREET
THE QUEEN IS DEAD 40TH ANNIVERSARY
When: Thursday 1st October 2026 (ARC, Stockton-on-Tees)
Smiths drummer Mike Joyce and producer Stephen Street mark 40 years of The Queen Is Dead with a full live celebration at ARC.
FIND MIKE JOYCE & STEPHEN STREET TICKETS
More gigs, festivals & events across the North East
From outdoor festivals and one-off spectaculars to comedy tours and grassroots gigs, the North East calendar is packed with reasons to get out and see something live.
SIMON BRODKIN: UNLEASHED
When: Sunday 18th October 2026 (Middlesbrough Town Hall)
GLADIATORS LIVE TOUR
When: Sunday 22nd November 2026 (Utilita Arena, Newcastle upon Tyne) — matinee and evening show
LONDON SYMPHONIC ROCK ORCHESTRA
PERFORMING THE GREATEST HITS OF AC/DC, IRON MAIDEN, LED ZEPPELIN & MORE
When: Sunday 29th November 2026 (The Glasshouse International Centre for Music - Sage One, Gateshead)
GIPSY KINGS BY ANDRÉ REYES
When: Saturday 7th November 2026 (The Glasshouse International Centre for Music - Sage One, Gateshead)
AN EVENING WITH EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER
When: Sunday 7th February 2027 (The Glasshouse International Centre for Music - Sage One, Gateshead)
STOP MAKING SENSE LIVE
A LIVE RECREATION OF THE GREATEST CONCERT MOVIE OF ALL TIME
When: Friday 11th December 2026 (Digital, Newcastle upon Tyne)
THE DUBLINERS ENCORE
When: Thursday 11th November 2027 (Tyne Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne)
PADDY STEER & OKO OKO DJ SET
When: Saturday 15th August 2026 (Langley Tracks, Hexham)
FIND PADDY STEER & OKO OKO DJ SET TICKETS
See more events in the North East
Live shows, festivals, tours & events
- The Five Hundred — Sunday 6th September 2026 (The Cluny, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- The Molotovs — Friday 11th September 2026 (Digital, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Altered Images — Wednesday 16th September 2026 (The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Man/Woman/Chainsaw — Thursday 24th September 2026 (The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- The Wonder Stuff + Inspiral Carpets — Thursday 1st October 2026 (O2 City Hall Newcastle)
- LIFE — Thursday 1st October 2026 (The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Don Broco — Sunday 4th October 2026 (O2 City Hall Newcastle)
- Courtney Barnett — Wednesday 14th October 2026 (The Glasshouse International Centre for Music - Sage One, Gateshead)
- The Dualers — Saturday 17th October 2026 (NX, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Toploader — Friday 23rd October 2026 (Independent, Sunderland)
- Adult DVD — Saturday 24th October 2026 (The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Gia Ford — Monday 26th October 2026 (Three Tanners Bank, Tynemouth)
- Yard Act — Tuesday 10th November 2026 (NX, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Liz Lawrence — Monday 16th November 2026 (The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- These Wicked Rivers — Thursday 19th November 2026 (The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Michael McGovern — Thursday 19th November 2026 (Three Tanners Bank, Tynemouth)
- Young Knives — Saturday 21st November 2026 (The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Jamie Duffy — Sunday 22nd November 2026 (The Glasshouse International Centre for Music - Sage Two, Gateshead)
- The Temperance Movement — Monday 23rd November 2026 (Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- The Commoners — Wednesday 25th November 2026 (Anarchy Brew Co, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Cheekface — Thursday 26th November 2026 (The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Tony Hadley — Friday 27th November 2026 (The Glasshouse International Centre for Music - Sage One, Gateshead)
- Goldie Lookin Chain — Saturday 28th November 2026 (The Middlesbrough Empire)
- Beyond the Barricade — Thursday 14th January 2027 (Darlington Hippodrome)
- Dead Poet Society — Friday 29th January 2027 (Digital, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Rick Wakeman — Friday 26th February 2027 (The Glasshouse International Centre for Music - Sage One, Gateshead)
- The Fratellis — Saturday 27th February 2027 (NX, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Steve ’n’ Seagulls — Monday 1st March 2027 (Anarchy Brew Co, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Kim Wilde — Sunday 14th March 2027 (The Glasshouse International Centre for Music - Sage One, Gateshead)
- Henge — Thursday 25th March 2027 (The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne)
- Discovery Festival presents 80’s Calling — Saturday 7th August 2027 (Darlington Arena)
Regional highlights — Where to go in the North East
Newcastle upon Tyne
A powerhouse of the North East’s music scene, Newcastle upon Tyne hosts major concerts at Utilita Arena, O2 City Hall and NX, alongside a thriving grassroots circuit across Boiler Shop, The Cluny and Zerox.
Sunderland
With a proud musical heritage and a growing live scene, Sunderland pairs major shows at The Fire Station with local and touring gigs at Independent, alongside seasonal outdoor events across the city.
Gateshead
Home to some of the region’s most iconic venues, Gateshead offers world-class performances at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, plus grassroots gigs at The Central and The Black Bull, on the banks of the Tyne.
Stockton-on-Tees
Known for its strong ties to the UK music scene, Stockton-on-Tees hosts intimate gigs and major performances at Georgian Theatre and Stockton Globe throughout the year.
Venue spotlight: The Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne
Set inside a huge former industrial building where Byker meets the Ouseburn Valley, The Grove is a 350-capacity music venue, bar and cultural hub all in one — already home to the likes of AJ Tracey, KNEECAP and Dry Cleaning.
Our venue guide covers everything you need to plan your visit, from upcoming gigs to getting there.
Explore The Grove venue guide
Browse events by town or city:
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE | SUNDERLAND | GATESHEAD | DARLINGTON | MIDDLESBROUGH | STOCKTON-ON-TEES | TYNEMOUTH
Need to know — North East events
When do tickets usually go on sale?
Most tickets go on sale shortly after an announcement, often on Friday mornings. Popular concerts, comedy shows and festivals across the North East can sell out quickly, so it’s worth setting reminders and booking early.
What’s the biggest concert venue in the North East?
Utilita Arena, Newcastle, is one of the largest indoor concert venues in the region and hosts many of the world’s biggest touring artists. Other major venues include Newcastle’s O2 City Hall and NX Newcastle, Gateshead’s The Glasshouse International Centre for Music and Sunderland’s The Fire Station.
Which North East venues are best for live music?
The region has a thriving live music scene, from major venues such as Utilita Arena Newcastle, O2 City Hall and The Glasshouse International Centre for Music (Gateshead), to respected grassroots venues including The Cluny, The Grove and Zerox (Newcastle), Independent (Sunderland) and The Georgian Theatre (Stockton-on-Tees).
What festivals take place in the North East?
The region hosts festival-style events year-round, including New Horizons Festival and Discovery Festival, alongside a variety of independent and grassroots events across the calendar.
Ready to explore more live events across the North East?
Find all upcoming gigs, tours and festivals across Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, Sunderland and beyond.