This Week in Newcastle: Music, Art & Athleticism

by Anja Vogel on March 9, 2012

Friday, 9 March

Surfest kicked off this week and runs until 18 March. Head up to Merewether Beach to check out world class surfing action from 800 national and international competitors. Surfest, now in its 27th year, is the largest festival of surfing in the southern hemisphere. More info.

Local favourites Zoe K & The Shadow Katz will kick off their East Coast tour tonight with a gig at one of their favourite live music venues - The Maitland Junction Hotel, affectionately known at The Junkyard. The band are ready & raring to go, so go along & celebrate with them! You can enjoy an early set from new local act Crazy Old Maurice before Zoe & the band bring their brand of rhythm & blues to the stage. A great opportunity to check out this venue if you haven’t already, and to support local live music! Stay up to date with all the tour action on Facebook.

Add a dash of colour to your Friday evening & head along to the opening night of Bordering On Spring, a new exhibition by Rebecca Pierce. Rebecca’s works show her passion for dramatic colour & have earned her an enviable reputation, along with awards & accolades in fashion, design and art locally & overseas. Head to Cooks Hill Galleries tonight from 6pm to see what all the fuss is about. More info.

If dirty blues is your thing, don’t miss the gig at The Great Northern tonight! The lineup is pretty damn awesome - locals Tommy 9 Fingers to kick things off, then The Delta Riggs & Brothers Grim will take to the stage. More info.

Sunday, 11 March

Autumn Art Bazaar 2012 is on at Lake Macquarie Art Gallery, between 9am-3pm. 100 local Hunter Arts Network artists have come together to create a wonderful range of handcrafted goods, including paintings, photography, mosaics, ceramics, jewellery and much more.

In the mood for a bit of vintage reggae, soul, r’n’b, rocksteady and ska? The Great Northern is hosting their traditional Sunday Best with Gentlemen DJ’s. If you haven’t checked it out before, it’s definitely worthwhile; put on your finest and rewind after your busy weekend to vinyl records from the 1960’s and 70’s. Entry is free, and doors are open 5pm-10pm. For more information.

Monday, 12 March

Major ASP 6-Star rated Surfest Events, Hunter Ports Womens Classic and Burton Toyota Pro, kick off  today! Head down to Merewether Beach to check out all the action. For more details see Newcastle’s Surfest 2012.

Tuesday, 13 March

Mick Harvey (The Bad Seeds) will be playing tonight at Lizottes Newcastle, as part of his ‘Sketches From the Book of the Dead’ tour. Having spent the majority of 2011 alongside PJ Harvey’s ‘Let England Shake’ tour, Mick Harvey is now dedicating his time to his solo work. Show ticket with an a-la-carte menu available is $29. See here for more details.

Wednesday, 14 March

In the mood to strain your brain? Break up the working week and head to The Beach Hotel for Trivia from 8pm and $10 schnittys between 6-9pm!

Also be sure to check out our Urban Insider Day-by-Day Guide to Newcastle: Wednesday.

Thursday, 15 March

Tonight at Lizottes, the Eddi Reader Quartet will be taking the stage, consisting of Boo Hewerdine, Alan Kelly and Ian Carr. A powerful figure in contemporary British music, Eddi Reader is back in Australia again to enthrall audiences everywhere. Main meal and show ticket available for $90. See here for more details.

Don’t miss Sybreed tonight at the Cambridge Hotel, four piece European industrial metal band on their first ever Australian tour! Consisting of members Ben (Vocals), Drop (guitars), Kevin (Drums) and Ales (Bass), you can expect vicious grooves, metallic blasts, technological shivers, icy melodies and a show of electronic violence. Doors are open 8pm-11pm and tickets are on sale for $15 here.

Friday, 16 March

The Sparke Helmore NBN Triathlon begins tonight and continues until the 18th March with a range of events taking place. Tonight is the opening event, Foreshore5 twilight 5km run. For more information about the whole weekend of events see here.

The Newcastle Regional Show is back again in 2012 and kicks off today, running for three days from the 16th-18th March! Get your fix of showbags, entertainment and cute farm animals for only $12, or throw unlimited rides in for only $50. You can get your tickets here.

In the mood for a quiet Friday night? The Depot on Beaumont have a Live Acoustic Music set every Friday and Saturday between 8.30-11.30pm. Enjoy a yummy meal or sneaky $10 cocktail whilst relaxing to the sweet vocals of Marissa Saroca. Find out more about Live Acoustic Music nights.

Saturday, 18 March

As part of the Sparke Helmore NBN Triathlon, both the Tri Junior Triathlon and Wharf to Waves Swim will take place today! The Tri Junior is for 7-13 year olds and is non competetive; every entrant will receive a race shirt and medal. More information or to register for the race. The 1200m open water swim race will take place at the Queens Wharf, and continue along the harbour foreshore to Horseshoe Beach. For more information or register for the race.

Sunday, 19 March

The third and final day of the Sparke Helmore NBN Triathlon will include the Olympic Distance Triathlon, Short Course Triathlon and Super Short Course Triathlon. For more information or to register see here.

Perhaps you would rather spend you Sunday indulging than sweating? Grab your friends or family and head down to Coco Monde on Darby street to cosy up  indoors out of the rain and delight your tastebuds. Coco Monde offer High Tea from Friday-Saturday between the hours of 12-4pm for a minimum of 4 people. For $25.90 per person, you can enjoy a selection of gourmet finger sandwiches, pastries, scones with jam and cream, gateaux, hand made chocolates, cupcakes, fresh fruit with Belgian chocolate dipping pots, plus both warm drinks and alcoholic beverages. For more information.