The Cribs

at the Laing Gallery, Newcastle.

Over the next few months, the Laing Gallery will be asking the question: What makes great art?

The debate was started late last year and will continue until May 2010. For instance, the current exhibition is by Luke Caulfield and looks at how art has links to popular culture; in this case, music.

Running alongside this will be a step-by-step look at the work of local artist John Martin. Regular visitors to the Laing will be familiar with Martin's The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and their dramatic depictions, but the gallery will also explore Martin's influence on other artists, and indeed, Hollywood. This will culminate in a major exhibition of Martin's work in 2011.

What makes great art? One aspect surely is how it generates, inspires and divides opinions. As ever, the Laing delivers on that point.

Newcastle band Detroit Social Club are embarking on a tour of the UK, to enhance their already growing reputation. Thankfully, as part of the tour, they are playing three shows in the North East.

The dates for your diary are:

Friday 29th January '10 - Independent, Sunderland

Friday 12th February '10 - Inside Out, Darlington

Saturday 13th February '10 - Middlesbrough Empire

Detroit Social Club are a band that are on their way up, so catch them while you can.

TNP favourites, The Vaudeville Class have announced a series of gigs to kick off the new year with a bang. The band are slowly getting a name for themselves, with more and more people getting themselves along for some cracking tunes and a few beers.

The forthcoming gigs are:

Friday 15th January - The Studio, Hartlepool

Friday 22nd January - Joseph's, Sunderland

Saturday 23rd January - Campus, Sunderland

Sunday 7th February - Journal Tyne Theatre, Newcastle

Monday 8th February - The Cluny, Newcastle

Thursday 11th February - The Close, Newcastle

Sunday 21st February - The Borough, Sunderland

Thursday 25th February - Head of Steam, Newcastle

Friday 5th March - The Robin Hood, Jarrow

The band have also scheduled gigs in London and York, but I'm unsure whether you can buy the 'UK Tour' t-shirts yet...