JANUARY
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2011 The X-Factor winner Reece Mastin had thousands of teens in hysterics when he performed at Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
Formerly known as The Beautiful Girls, Mat McHugh launched his new act The Seperatista Soundsystem at Lizotte’s Newcastle.
FEBRUARY
US singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle – son of Steve – appeared at Lizotte’s Newcastle in February, delivering a somewhat shambolic, yet captivating, performance of alt-country.
The re-formed and revitalised Sunnyboys (Alone With You, Happy Man) performed a long-awaited show together at a very muddy A Day On the Green at Bimbadgen Winery supporting Elvis Costello and The Imposters alongside Jo Jo Zep & the Falcons, Tex Perkins & the Dark Horses and Stephen Cummings.
An ageless 72-year-old Cliff Richard shimmied his way through a greatest hits set at Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
Aussie electro favourites The Presets emerged with a new album after an extended break which they brought to life on stage at Newcastle Panthers.
Two years after sharing the stage with James Taylor at Hope Estate, music legend Carole King returned on her own show at Hope Estate.
Arguably one of the most famous names in the world, David Hasselhoff brought his variety show – a mix of song, comedy and spoken word – An Evening with The Hoff to Lizotte’s Newcastle where a capacity crowd turned out to see a show which was equally bizarre and cheesy.
Glenn Frey of The Eagles fame played an 18-song set at Civic Theatre Newcastle which was topped and tailed by songs made famous by The Eagles (and partially penned by Frey).
MARCH
Guns N’ Roses created plenty of hype with news of an outdoor concert scheduled at Hunter Stadium for March 13 which was later shifted to Newcastle Entertainment Centre due to a ‘‘scheduling conflict’’ at the venue.
Perth rockers Birds of Tokyo proved it was their year when they performed at Newcastle Panthers, later to return in December armed with an arsenal of hits including the lighter-worthy anthem Lanterns.
Nostalgia acts kept on coming with Gerry and the Pacemakers (Ferry Cross the Mersey, You’ll Never Walk Alone) back in the region while notoriously unpredictable US chanteuse Cat Power returned to Newcastle with a new all-female band and a new album, Sun.
Neil Young and Crazy Horse divided audiences at A Day On the Green with their set which heavily focused on the band’s latest album rather than older material. Arguments aside, it was without a doubt the heaviest show to ever rock Bimbadgen Winery.
Nineties hitmakers Smash Mouth satisfied nostalgic fans at Cambridge Hotel with songs including Can’t Get Enough of You Baby, All Star and Walkin’ On the Sun.
Country fans indulged in a weekend of live music at CMC Rocks The Hunter with Rascal Flatts, Amber Lawrence, Adam Brand and Newcastle’s Morgan Evans at Hope Estate.
After switching from back-to-back shows at Hope Estate for the more intimate Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Paul Simon performed a joyous show which Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant followed up the following night with re-workings of his band’s classics performed with The Sensational Space Shifters.
Pop music legends The Jacksons included Civic Theatre Newcastle as a last-minute addition to their Australian tour. Tito, Jermaine, Jackie and Marlon Jackson played all the hits and turned the theatre into one giant dance party.
Pete Murray stripped things back at the Cambridge Hotel performing in acoustic mode.
APRIL
Ex-Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor announced and then cancelled an Australian tour, which included a show at Lizotte’s Newcastle, due to illness. Shortly after he joined the Stones back on tour for their 50th anniversary shows in the US and the UK. He will make it to Oz in 2014 though when he joins the rock legends in Australia next March as a special guest on their national tour. Taylor – who was due to perform at Bluesfest – was among several big names who slipped into Newcastle for the Byron Bay festival’s Bluesfest sideshows including Irish singer-songwriter Luka Bloom, Jon Anderson of pioneering prog-rock band Yes in solo mode, blues masters Tony Joe White and Chris Smither, Seth Lakeman, Wanda Jackson, Ruthie Foster, Dropkick Murphys, Newton Faulkner and Jake Shimabukuro.
Comedian Ross Noble returned to perform at Newcastle Entertainment Centre while Aussie rockers Grinspoon – who this month announced their were taking an indefinite break – played at Newcastle Panthers.
Canadian rocker Bryan Adams had hits on the tap when he performed at Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
Meanwhile, festivalgoers had a choice of the intimate Gum Ball arts and music festival held on a privately owned bushland property in Lower Belford or the ever-growing Groovin’ the Moo festival at Maitland Showground which pulled another impressive line-up in 2013 with The Temper Trap, The Kooks, The Bronx, Tame Impala, Flume, Example and They Might Be Giants.
MAY
Legendary Australian group The Seekers brought their timeless back catalogue to Newcastle Entertainment Centre as part of their Golden Jubilee Tour, playing one of their final shows together before the tour was brought to a halt after frontwoman Judith Durham suffered brain hemorrhage. They proved the show must go on when they completed the missed tour dates in November.
Stars of the Scary Movie film franchise – brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans – brought their stand-up comedy show to the Civic Theatre Newcastle as part of a 13-date tour of Australia.
Vintage rockers Daryl Braithwaite, Joe Camilleri, James Reyne and Ross Wilson served up a classic night of tunes at the ironically sponsored Apia [life insurance company] Time of Your Life Tour at the Civic Theatre Newcastle.
Punk hero Jello Biafra – ex-frontman of US hardcore punk rock act Dead Kennedys – brought his new band, The Guantanamo School of Medicine, to the Cambridge Hotel with support from Hard-Ons.
Psychobilly pioneers The Reverend Horton Heat played hard and fast at the Cambridge Hotel.
Innovative guitarist Kaki King had her audience entranced at Lizotte’s Newcastle on May.
Meanwhile, two acts from the Hunter picked up nominations in the country music category of the APRA Awards in May with Charlestown songstress Catherine Britt scoring a nod for her song Charlestown Road while duo McAlister Kemp – featuring Hunter-based Troy Kemp – picked a nomination for country work of the year for their hit Country Proud.
Aussie favourites Something For Kate returned after a long hiatus to play their old stomping ground at Newcastle Uni’s Bar on the Hill. Frontman Paul Dempsey would return later in the year for two sold-out solo shows at Lizotte’s Newcastle in October.
All-conquering Sydney blues-rock band The Rubens performed at the Bar on the Hill in May following some big shows opening for Bruce Springsteen.
JUNE
Named winner of the best live act at this month’s ARIA Awards, Australian Idol alumni Guy Sebastian proved why when he played a sold-out show at Civic Theatre Newcastle – the man is one hell of an entertainer.
After big brother Rufus supported Paul Simon in Newcastle earlier in the year, Martha Wainwright returned to Lizotte’s Newcastle for two dates, winning over audiences with her theatrical stage presence.
Newcastle singer-songwriter Amy Vee launched her long-awaited debut solo album Fits and Starts at Lizotte’s Newcastle in June after funding the record by raising $10,000 through a crowd-funding campaign.
Ash Grunwald teamed with Scott and Andy from The Living End for a show at the Cambridge Hotel in June.
Kate Miller-Heidke performed songs from her new album Nightflight at Newcastle City Hall in June.
JULY
At 77, the man dubbed the ‘‘King of Romance’’, Engelbert Humperdinck, performed at Civic Theatre Newcastle in July.
Aussie pop group The Chantoozies brought the ’80s back at Lizotte’s Newcastle.
The world’s best Beatles tribute band The Bootleg Beatles returned for a second year running to relive the Fab Four’s tunes at Wests Leagues Club.
Ben Ottewell of British indie rock band Gomez hit the tour solo for a run of dates, including a show at Lizotte’s Newcastle in July.
Prolific singer-songwriter Todd Rundgren played a career-spanning set – including the classics Can We Still Be Friends and I Saw The Light – at Lizotte’s Newcastle on his second jaunt to Australia following a run of dates as a member of Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band.
Newcastle band Benjalu – who have scored a spot on the bill at the Sydney leg of the 2014 Big Day Out – launched their latest EP, The Battle, at the Cambridge Hotel in July. They returned in December to launch the follow-up EP, Boondoggle.
Sarah Blasko performed songs from her latest album I, Awake at Newcastle City Hall in July before returning in November for A day On the Green.
AUGUST
A celebration of one of Australia’s greatest rock bands, You Am I, drew a big crowd at Newcastle Panthers in August to hear the band’s seminal albums – Hi-Fi Way and Hourly, Daily – played in full.
A 28-time Golden Guitar winner, Lee Kernaghan satisfied country fans with a show at Wests Leagues Club on the back of his latest album, Beautiful Noise.
Singer-songwriter Clare Bowditch was one of the first to grace the stage at new live music venue The Small Ballroom which opened in Islington this year. Josh Pyke also played at the venue in August as did star of the hit film The Commitments, Andrew Strong.
Kurri Kurri rising star Melody Pool played to a packed house at Lizotte’s Newcastle performing songs from her debut album, The Hurting Scene.
Paul Kelly lived up to his legend status when he played his newest album, Spring and Fall, in full alongside Dumb Things and From Little Things Big Things Grow.
SEPTEMBER
Australian ’60s hit-maker Russell Morris (The Real Thing) brought his career-reviving blues album Sharkmouth to the region for a run of shows at Toronto Workers Club, Hexham Bowling Club, Soldiers Point Bowling Club and Wests Leagues Club.
US comedian – and honorary Aussie – Arj Barker brought his latest show Go Time to Civic Theatre Newcastle.
OCTOBER
Latino megastar Ricky Martin shook his bon-bon at Newcastle Entertainment Centre in October, kicking off a national tour in the region after spending a few days in Newcastle to rehearse for the concert.
Fat As Butter looks set to stay with the festival returning for another year and drawing strong numbers who turned out to see the likes of Boy & Bear, Gym Class Heroes, Bliss N Eso, Matt Corby, British India, Cosmo Jarvis and Owl Eyes perform at the beachside location at Camp Shortland on Newcastle Foreshore.
British indie rock band The Cribs performed to a small but appreciative crowd at The Small Ballroom to mark their 10th anniversary.
Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance performed an intimate show at Lizotte’s Newcastle with a bucket of beer in one hand and a guitar in the other.
A re-formed Bodyjar played at the Cambridge Hotel on Halloween.
NOVEMBER
The voice of Powderfinger, Bernard Fanning, kicked off A Day on the Green’s next round of outdoor concert events at Bimbadgen Estate on November 2 with The Cruel Sea supporting alongside Sarah Blasko and Bob Evans.
After finding success on the UK version of The X-Factor, British pop star Olly Murs performed at Civic Theatre Newcastle as part of an Australian tour.
Country music royalty Charley Pride, 75, performed at Civic Theatre Newcastle.
Before picking up the ARIA Award for best female artist earlier this month, pop singer Jessica Mauboy capped off another successful year by embarking on her biggest tour yet, including a show at Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
For the second A Day On the Green event of the latest summer season, songwriting legend Leonard Cohen returned following his critically acclaimed tour in 2009, once again treating audiences to a truly remarkable performance.
Breaking records left right and centre with ticket sales soaring through the roof, Empire by Spiegelworld – the show described as ‘‘Cirque du Soleil as channelled through The Rocky Horror Picture Show’’ had audiences in stitches and jaws on the floor when it kicked off a season in the spiegeltent at Wheeler Place in November.
After launching her project The Hillbilly Killers – alongside Tim Rogers and Bill Chambers – earlier in the year, Catherine Britt launched her retrospective release, So Far, with a show at the Cambridge Hotel.
Tickets didn’t last long when they went on sale for City and Colour’s all-ages show at Civic Theatre Newcastle.
Living Next Door to Alice hitmakers Smokie performed at Civic Theatre Newcastle.
She didn’t actually come to the region but megastar Beyonce caused a stir when her entourage has spent two days filming a video clip in the Stockton sand dunes in November while the star was in the country performing the Australian leg of her The Mrs Carter Show World Tour. Suddenly everyone was on Beyonce watch.
Aussie band The Drones delivered another intense set at the Cambridge Hotel on the back of their latest album I See Seaweed.
Novocastrian garage punk duo The Gooch Palms finished a national tour in their home town playing songs from their 10-track debut album Novo’s at White’s Records.
Reality TV came to the stage when The X Factor Live Tour hit Newcastle Entertainment Centre with winning contestant Dami Im performing alongside Taylor Henderson, Jai Waetford, Third D3gree, Jiordan and Barry Southgate.
DECEMBER
Dale Watson and His Lonestars brought the twang to the Gallipoli Club in December.
Dashboard Confessional frontman Chris Carrabba treated fans to an intimate show with his side project Twin Forks at the Cambridge Hotel.
Alicia Keys and John Legend united for a double dose of quality soul music and R&B under the stars at Hope Estate winery in Pokolbin.
The Screaming Jets performed three hometown shows at Cambridge Hotel earlier this month on the eve of their 25th year anniversary.
Newcastle’s Seabellies celebrated the release of their second album, Fever Belle, with a national tour, including a hometown show at the Cambridge Hotel.
THE SHOWS THAT NEVER HAPPENED
* Ex-Boyzone star Ronan Keating left fans disappointed when he cancelled his show at Newcastle Entertainment Centre in March.
* Country superstar – and father of twerkin’ pop singer Miley – Billy Ray Cyrus (Achy Breaky Heart) pulled out of the CMC Rocks the Hunter festival. It was good news for local boys McAlister Kemp who scored an opening on the bill in Cyrus’ absence.
* Extreme, famed for the hit More Than Words, scrapped an Australian tour scheduled for April which included a show at Newcastle Panthers.
* Wolfmother frontman Andrew Stockdale announced Wolfmother was no more, releasing an album under his own moniker which he planned the support with a national tour including a show at the Bar On the Hill in June. All dates were cancelled just days before it began, the album did nothing and shortly after, Stockdale announced Wolfmother was indeed back on.
* Jimmy Barnes’ concert ‘‘Under the Big Top’’ at Camp Shortland on Newcastle Foreshore didn’t go ahead in August. He will be back to rock the sold-out A Day On the Green at Bimbadgen Winery in March though.
* Fleetwood Mac was due to perform at Hope Estate in November – returning after sell-out performances two years go – but was forced to cancel the entire Oz tour following news that member John McVie is undergoing treatment for cancer.
