Spring 2025: 15 Big Music Moments in Newcastle
Spring into the new season with some amazing gigs in the Toon
Pop icons like Kylie Minogue, local talents like Smoove & Turell and Finnish metalheads Lordi – those are just a few of the amazing music acts playing in Newcastle this spring.
Read on for our seasonal round-up of the best gigs happening in the city centre throughout March, April and May and get those tickets booked!
March
The spring music seasons kicks off with a gig from Irish singer-songwriter Darren Kiely who’s bringing his folk-infused pop to Newcastle University Student’s Union on the North Eastern leg of his Never Been Here Before Tour. (1st March 2025)
Next up it’s the North East’s very own indie rockers The Futureheads who’re stopping by the Boiler Shop for the final show in their Singles album tour. The album is a collection of their most iconic tracks so expect to hear bops like Hounds of Love and Skip to the End. (2nd March 2025)
Rock fans of a certain vintage are in for a treat this spring because not one, but two iconic acts from the early 2000s are coming to the Toon. Recently split rock act You Me At Six are heading out on the road for one last hurrah with a farewell tour that’s stopping by NX for two nights in March and bound to be brimming with their best-loved songs. (4th March 2025 & 20th March 2025)
And over at O2 City Hall, glam rockers The Darkness will be gracing the stage to showcase tracks from their brand-new album Dreams On Toast which the quartet promises is full of “solid gold rock bangers”. (21st March 2025)
If soul/funk/hip-hop fusion is more your kind of jam, then don’t miss out on Hot 8 Brass Band. Hailing from New Orleans, the Grammy-winning outfit are set to fill Wylam Brewery with their soulful sound when they bring their Big Tuba Tour to the Toon in mid-March. (16th March 2025)
April
Utilita Arena attracts some of the biggest acts around an in April they’re set to welcome Sean Paul with the Bring It tour – his biggest UK tour to date. Better yet, he’s bringing R&B legend and special guest Ashanti along for the ride! (12th April 2025)
The Arena is also hosting PlayStation: The Concert later month – a must-do for gaming fans that mixes breathtaking visuals with amazing musicians playing some of the most popular video game music from the likes of The Last of Us, God of War and Horizon. (24th April 2025)
The soul theme continues at Wylam Brewery in April when they welcome back the amazing Voices of Virtue of Gospel Choir on Easter Sunday. If you’re a fan of Motown, soul and gospel and have yet to see this talented local choir then now’s your chance! (20th April 2025)
Meanwhile, over at Pilgrim (which recently rebranded from Hoochie Coochie) another local act – Smoove & Turrell – are taking to the stage this April for a special homecoming show featuring acoustic versions of their biggest and best-loved songs. (6th April 2025)
If it’s heavy metal and mayhem you’re after, look no further than Lordi. The monsters of Finnish metal (and unlikely Eurovision Song Content winners) are bringing their brand-new live show to NX in early April and it’s one metalheads won’t want to miss. (3rd April 2025)
May
Canadian rocker Bryan Adams might be in his mid-60s but he certainly isn’t showing any signs of stopping! Hot on the heels of his So Happy It Hurts tour, he’s embarking on yet another tour to promote his new album Roll With the Punches. Catch him at Utilita Arena in early May! (8th May 2025)
Another legend is stopping by Utilita Arena in May too – none other than pint-sized princess of pop Kylie Minogue who’s touring with her sixteenth studio album Tension. Expect new tracks and hits from throughout her 30+ year career. (17th May 2025)
The late, great Shane McGowan may be gone but his legacy lives on with his band The Pogues who are heading to O2 City Hall on their first headline tour in 13 years to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their iconic album Rum Sodomy & the Lash – so expect classics like Dirty Old Town and A Pair of Brown Eyes. (8th May 2025)
Surf-rock legends Pixies are also stopping by O2 City Hall in May on tour with their tenth album The Night the Zombies Came. Ranging from “country-tinged ballads” to “furious punk numbers”, it’s sure to be classic Pixies at their best. (23rd May 2025)
And finally, a spellbinding evening is on the cards with The Magical Music of Harry Potter: Live in Concert at Tyne Theatre & Opera House. With a talented orchestra playing the best-loved music from the popular film franchise (plus a special “Weasley” guest from the movies!), it’s a must do for Harry Potter fans. (22nd May 2025)
With such an eclectic range of acts coming to Newcastle, music fans of all persuasions are in for a treat this spring – only question left is, who are you going to see?
Main image: Kylie Minogue, Photo courtesy ASM Global
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