Fantastic February!

We have always enjoyed Newcastle's great visual arts scene, from the Baltic to the Biscuit Factory, and I have already seen some interesting shows at Northern Stage and Live Theatre. Now, led by my partner I admit, I have had my first two Tyneside gig-going experiences. The NME Awards touring show at the O2 Academy offered a top value line-up with four strong bands. Maybe not surprisingly White Lies stole the show, being tighter yet still more exciting than the excellent Glasvegas.

On a smaller scale, I can now see why The Cluny has such a good reputation - a great pub as well as an ideal space to see up and coming bands. The Coast, to be honest, were a bit disappointing. Maybe the sound balance wasn't quite working but their more melodic sometimes Shins-like Canadian indie rock didn't always work live. Better on myspace than in real life, but they're probably on an upwards curve.

Chris Helme's solo act at ARC went down very well, though equally impressive was support from the lead singer of Teesside's own emerging band, Billy the Kid, whose tunes and voice set him out as a star in the making.

It has been rewarding to present some nationally significant acts at ARC over the past few weeks, and better still to see the audience reaction - no fewer than three curtain calls for Jasmin Vardimon's contemporary dance company as they performed a special retrospective of some of her best work from the past decade.

As part of ARC's commitment to live literature, we hosted Found in Translation, a show based on three excellent young London poets efforts to gain acceptance into the mystical 'Oulipo' society of literary intellectuals. Their show, featuring poems constructed with only one vowel, told of their efforts, which were ultimately unsuccessful as their poetic peers refused them entrance for using the letter 'y'! It was refreshing to attend a poetry reading that was so humorous, and that left you wanting more.

A fantastic February indeed, let's hope March is equally marvellous.