Main content

Made of Newcastle

As the Mercury Music Prize lands in Newcastle, Emily Pilbeam finds out why the city's music scene is thriving with Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs and a visit to The Cluny.

Newcastle and the North East is having a moment. Sam Fender is the voice of a generation but dig a little deeper and you find a rich and diverse music scene nurtured by some great grassroots venues. Emily Pilbeam meets Adam and Sam from Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs to hear about the artists from the city like Richard Dawson and Ned Cluny who inspired them. Shak from BBC Introducing explains that it's the city's diversity that feeds the new music coming through from Geordie Jazz in the form of the Mercury nominated Knats to Northumbrian folk, noise rock from Irked, indie from Katie Mac and rock from Heidi Curtis.

At the legendary venue The Cluny she meets Ross. The Cluny has played host to Sam Fender and Ed Sheeran on their way up as well as acts like Du Blonde, White Denim and Arctic Monkeys. It also has an annual rubber duck race!

Plus, music from iconic Newcastle acts such as Roxy Music, Maximo Park, The Police, Nadine Shah, Sam Fender and Lanterns on the Lake.

Produced in Birmingham by True Thought Productions for BBC Radio 6 Music Indie Forever.

1 month left to listen

2 hours

On radio

Tomorrow 23:00
BBC Radio 6 Music

More episodes

Previous

Made of Glasgow

Next

27/10/2026

See all episodes from City Soundtracks

Music Played

  • Roxy Music

    More Than This

    • Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music - Street Life.
    • Eg.

  • Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs

    GNT

    • Rocket Recordings.

  • Nadine Shah

    Fool

    • R&S RECORDS.

  • Sam Fender

    Hypersonic Missiles

    • Polydor.

  • Maxïmo Park

    Apply Some Pressure

    • Warp.

  • The Police

    Roxanne

    • A&M.

  • Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs

    Stitches

    • Rocket Recordings.

  • Richard Dawson

    Two Halves

    • Domino Recording Co Ltd..

  • Ceitidh Mac

    Bass Goes Round

    • Independent.

  • Irked

    The Hardest Man In Billingham

    • Independent.

  • Nev Clay

    So Little Happened For So Long

    • Pink Triangle.

  • Heidi Curtis

    Summon

  • Dubstar

    Not So Manic Now

    • The Best Of.
    • Parlophone.
    • 6.

  • The Pale White

    That Dress

    • Awal.

  • Hurrah!

    Sweet Sanity

  • Sam Fender

    Seventeen Going Under

    • Seventeen Going Under.
    • Polydor.
    • 1.

  • Lanterns on the Lake

    Through The Cellar Door

    • Bella Union.

  • Du Blonde

    Radio Jesus

    • Daemon T.V..

  • White Denim

    Keys

    • Downtown Music / Co-operative.

  • Pit Pony

    Dutch Courage

    • Pit Pony.

  • The Wildhearts

    I Wanna Go Where The People Go

    • WArner.

  • Little Comets

    One Night In October

    • Dirty Hit Records.

  • Knats

    Never Gonna Be A Boxer

    • Gearbox Records, under exclusive licence to Fontana.

  • Eternal Rin

    Alone

    • Independent.

  • Trunky Juno

    Daddy's Gone For Cigarettes

    • Silent Kid Records.

  • Maxïmo Park

    Hips And Lips

    • V2.

Broadcasts

  • Yesterday 20:00
    BBC Radio 6 Indie Forever
  • Tomorrow 23:00
    BBC Radio 6 Music
  • Thu 5 Nov 2026 20:00
    BBC Radio 6 Indie Forever