Arena of Light

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chriswallace85 said:
The Arctic Monkeys were still relatively unknown at the time - the album wasn't even out IIRC.

Since then we've had the stadium concerts. We've had AC/DC and the Stones lined up.

A proper state of the art arena like Leeds or Glasgow over a dilapidated awld hockey pitch would get the nod, and people would attend.
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Stadium bands and arena bands are miles apart. You get one or two stadium bands per year whereas an arena would require at least a couple per week which would want top dollar to even consider Sunderland and the lack of infrastructure - travel from Durham etc just wouldn't work.
You can get to Newcastle from Durham in about 15 minutes by train, it takes an hour or so by bus and they go off about 9pm.
Grumpy Old Man said:
But it's there already, and is known to promoters. The stadium attracts acts in competition with SJP, and it's down to who wants it more, or has the time to do it. Newcastle and Sunderland are simply too close geographically to support two arenas.
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Spot-on. Its why the likes of Bradford, Derby and Portsmouth don't have them.
chriswallace85 said:
The Arctic Monkeys were still relatively unknown at the time - the album wasn't even out IIRC.

Since then we've had the stadium concerts. We've had AC/DC and the Stones lined up.

A proper state of the art arena like Leeds or Glasgow over a dilapidated awld hockey pitch would get the nod, and people would attend.

And some promoters/acts won't touch it. 'Cos it's crap.

I'm talking about a purpose built music venue to fill the gap between Leeds and Glasgow, not to compete with Newcastle. Newcastle is already roundly ignored.
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We don't have the transport infrastructure to sell-out medium sized gigs several times per week. It simply wouldn't happen.
 
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Father Jack Hackett said:
Stadium bands and arena bands are miles apart. You get one or two stadium bands per year whereas an arena would require at least a couple per week which would want top dollar to even consider Sunderland and the lack of infrastructure - travel from Durham etc just wouldn't work.
You can get to Newcastle from Durham in about 15 minutes by train, it takes an hour or so by bus and they go off about 9pm.


Spot-on. Its why the likes of Bradford, Derby and Portsmouth don't have them.


We don't have the transport infrastructure to sell-out medium sized gigs several times per week. It simply wouldn't happen.
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I'll concede that that is crap like. Not everyone travelling from Durham to Newcastle does so by train though. Not everyone would even be coming from Durham. But you put the focal point in and you put the infrastructure in around it to support it. We're not as cut off as you're making out. And if you want to go to something, you go. I live in Houghton and have travelled countless times to Newcastle for a gig. But where d'ya think it would be easier for me to get to? I'll give ya a clue, it's not on Tyneside.

This small time oh but we're little old Sunderland, neeone'll come attitude is exactly what holds the place back. So insular it's unreal. So we half arse a little low capacity theatre room, next door to a fuckin' theatre. Let's see how many acts we get in there.
 
This seems to be the latest ice rink idea, I really don't see the need, although I'm not a gig goer. People need to stop thinking we need to compete with Newcastle, we just need to find our niche, which I think we're getting towards with the Roker and Seaburn developments. Improve transport links between the city centre and the Seafront, I think our Riverside between the Uni and the bridge is underutilised. Turn sheepfolds in to a mixture of leisure, sports complex (maybe a top golf like variety overlooking the River) and housing, include a bridge between sheepfolds and Vaux, and flood the city centre with housing to get the footfall.

One thing I'd like to see is the Uni really push towards getting more students to live in the city centre. My course was mostly international students and they all lived and spent their parents money in Newcastle.
 
More students in Newcastle, that's the structural factor which will make it very difficult for Sunderland to steal its lunch on medium-sized gigs.

It's like Wolverhampton v Birmigham - the former steals a few but not many. But even then has a much bigger catchment area out west and Birmingham is bigger generally, with many more students.

Either way, nobody in their right mind would be looking at this market at the moment.
 
Comeback_Kenwyne said:
More students in Newcastle, that's the structural factor which will make it very difficult for Sunderland to steal its lunch on medium-sized gigs.

It's like Wolverhampton v Birmigham - the former steals a few but not many. But even then has a much bigger catchment area out west and Birmingham is bigger generally, with many more students.

Either way, nobody in their right mind would be looking at this market at the moment.
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The only "steal" there is that the NIA has taken pretty much everything from the NEC. Which was always going to happen because the NIA is central, and the NEC is half way to Coventry, next to the airport.
 
chriswallace85 said:
I'll concede that that is crap like. Not everyone travelling from Durham to Newcastle does so by train though. Not everyone would even be coming from Durham. But you put the focal point in and you put the infrastructure in around it to support it. We're not as cut off as you're making out. And if you want to go to something, you go. I live in Houghton and have travelled countless times to Newcastle for a gig. But where d'ya think it would be easier for me to get to? I'll give ya a clue, it's not on Tyneside.

This small time oh but we're little old Sunderland, neeone'll come attitude is exactly what holds the place back. So insular it's unreal. So we half arse a little low capacity theatre room, next door to a fuckin' theatre. Let's see how many acts we get in there.
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Its not small time at all, a shitload of very good people have tried and are still trying to make the city work like that. Just because there's not an arena losing money doesn't change that.
 
chriswallace85 said:
Sorry but I think that's a complete load of bollocks. The calibre of acts we've brought to the Stadium just goes to show that.

The Metro Arena is bad, because the venue itself is bad.
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Sorry, it's way too late for that. The construction of the Gateshead Quays arena starts next month next to the Sage. We've missed our chance with that one.

I thought the same with 'The Point', though, tbh. When it had the cinema layout still, I thought that would have made a cracking Academy style venue. We should have done that before the Newcastle one.

Oh, also the reason the SoL gets the stadium gigs is because sid james park cannot deal with big production shows.
 
gatesheadsteve3 said:
Sorry, it's way too late for that. The construction of the Gateshead Quays arena starts next month next to the Sage. We've missed our chance with that one.

I thought the same with 'The Point', though, tbh. When it had the cinema layout still, I thought that would have made a cracking Academy style venue. We should have done that before the Newcastle one.

Oh, also the reason the SoL gets the stadium gigs is because sid james park cannot deal with big production shows.
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I kna it is. I've already said that.
 
Father Jack Hackett said:
It wouldn't have worked, seriously, I know what I'm talking about (for once).
When booking agents are routing tours, if they include Newcastle (established on the circuit for years) then they aren't allowed to book another so close.
If its a choice between the two and the money offered is the same, they would choose Newcastle due to its trannsport links etc.

I used to promote for the Manor Quay when live music was in the midst if a boom period in the city. It was even a slog to sell out Arctic Monkeys and the Subways who were all over the press at the time.
When they played Newcastle - a sell-out in no time.
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What he said!
With the exception of SOL, Sunderland struggles to sell 1,000 tickets for any gig, irrespective if they are current or not
 
houghton cut head said:
What he said!
With the exception of SOL, Sunderland struggles to sell 1,000 tickets for any gig, irrespective if they are current or not
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What gigs have we had on like?

Some crap guitar band from, guess where, Sunderland?

Some one-'hit'-wonder from the '90s with shit haircuts and rain macs?

One fraction of M-People?

That's why they don't sell.
Father Jack Hackett said:
Exactly mate


By putting on good events and acts
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I must have missed those.
 
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chriswallace85 said:
What gigs have we had on like?

Some crap guitar band from, guess where, Sunderland?

Some one-'hit'-wonder from the '90s with shit haircuts and rain macs?

One fraction of M-People?

That's why they don't sell.
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Are you having a laugh mate? It costs a shit load more to attract a band to Sunderland than Newcastle for a start (I know). They want a bigger guarantee in advance as opposed to relying on a 80/20 split.
An example, I struggled to sell out Catfish and the Bottlemen in a 100-odd venue. A few months later, they're selling out 02's, including Newcastle.
 
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