Newcastle’s live scene is brewing and ever-growing with the recent addition of brand new live music venue Tapyard Studios! With familiar faces running the space we simply had to ask them some questions and enquire about the upcoming events that will soon be filling up the space with people and music!
Who are you and what is Tapyard Studios?
Firstly, music is absolutely at the heart of the operation. Sam grew up playing in bands and studied music performance at Leeds college of music and then developed a love for production. He spent the next 8 years or so working as a studio and live sound engineer. Alongside his work as an engineer he ran bars over in Leeds and worked through the ranks from bartender to general manager. He always loved the idea of opening his own place.
I (Gabby) am currently the drummer in band Venus Grrrls, and I’ve always loved performance. Like Sam, I also studied performance at Leeds College of Music. So, in a nutshell, Tapyard Studios is the culmination of all those experiences.
What are your plans for Tapyard Studios?
First and foremost, we’re a music venue and event space. We want to create an atmosphere where performers feel inspired to give their best, and audiences have an unforgettable experience. Aside from hosting shows, we’re a relaxed coffee setting through the day that transforms into a lively beer and food hall atmosphere by night.
Our philosophy is to do everything to the highest possible standard. So, while we’re working on being among the best venues in the country, our studios will be built to an elite standard, we invested in the best espresso machine on the market and had the team trained to barista standard. We’re also pouring the amazing beers through our taps, partnering with the likes of Full Circle Brew Co, Northern Monk and North Brewing Co. And on top of that, you can now get Acropolis, the kings of Greek street food, right here in our venue.
This blend of a killer venue, huge food & beer hall, lush coffee house and premium rehearsal rooms are all part of the long term vision. We’re gearing up to create a one stop shop where people just won’t want to leave!
What inspired you to open up Tapyard Studios and where do you find inspiration for new business ideas?
We worked in a similar style business in Leeds. It was a key cultural hub for the city and despite the business going from strength to strength, it was forced to close simply due to a breakdown of communication between business owner and landlord. It was a tough one to swallow, but ultimately led to the formation of Tapyard Studios. Every cloud and all that…
What is currently your favourite part about running the business?
I love meeting all the new people that walk in, and recognising the regulars. I love that they are just as excited as we are to see the space develop.
What are you most looking forward to regarding plans for Tapyard?
I’m really looking forward to getting the rehearsal rooms in. While we’ll never stop reinvesting and improving the space, they’re the last tick on the list for us to have it running like we always envisioned.
Any events you’ve got coming up you would like us to know about?
The next exciting event we have is our Official Venue Launch on the 31st March, a free event where we have bands / DJs / food from Slackjaws Gourmet Burgers and Scream For Pizza. This event aims to put us on the map as a new and exciting music venue in Newcastle.
Another one we are really looking forward to is the Amy Winehouse band on the 21st of June. It’s the first gig booking that we had confirmed and it’s Amy’s original band, which is really cool.
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