Whose party is it anyway? : music-making, urban development and neoliberalism in Newcastle upon Tyne, 1995-2010

Abstract

This thesis assesses some of the socio-spatial impacts of city branding and culture-led regeneration in Newcastle-upon-Tyne,1 in North East England, on local music scenes during the period 1995—2010. It critiques in particular the ways in which the process of neoliberalisation in Newcastle has shaped local urban development and culture. While focused on the local, the study seeks also to highlight how the reproduction of urban music scenes is intertwined with much broader economic and political currents. It adopts a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on aspects of popular music studies, urban and cultural geographies, and cultural theory. A range of methodologies is employed and extensive use is made of the internet as both archive and research tool. It is above all grounded in lived experience, the author having been a local resident and active musician since 2003. The first two chapters provide the context in which Newcastle became known as the ‘Party City’, an image created as part of a city (re)branding campaign designed to promote ‘NewcastleGateshead’ as a cultural destination. Analysis focuses on the strategies by which this was achieved, and the ideology and motivation behind the campaign. Three case studies are then presented that examine the impacts on local music scenes of the closures of three well-known venues, each of which was an important space for various scenes. Analysis positions Newcastle’s music scenes in relation to shifts in capitalist accumulation. In conclusion, an assessment of the post-Party City period validates points made throughout the thesis, with some suggestions as to strategies that Newcastle might develop to allow music-making to be incorporated more constructively into its vision for a vibrant contemporary city.