Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald

Inside the final day of The Cambridge farewell show

Peking Duck play at the Cambridge Hotel's farewell concert | Newcastle Herald | June 24, 2023

THE Cambridge Hotel went out with a bang.

The Hunter's most iconic live music venue closed its doors on Sunday in preparation for its redevelopment into student accommodation, but not before delivering the biggest farewell party ever seen in Newcastle.

Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. A packed Wood Street for the sold out Saturday Farewell Festival. Saturday 24th June 2023. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. The crowd getting into the swing of the Peking Duk set. Saturday 24th June 2023. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. From left Linc Mithrandir and trinity Robertson both of Newcastle in matching pink tracksuits. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Tanjil Everett of Cooks Hill and Tim Sprinklebury of Tingira Heights. Saturday 24th June 2023. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Happy punters soaking up the outside stage vibe in Wood Street at the sold out Saturday Farewell Festival. Saturday 24th June 2023. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. An emotional Boo Seeka during his farewell set. Saturday 24th June 2023. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Smiling faces at the sold out Saturday Farewell Festival. Saturday 24th June 2023. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Fans up on shoulders for during the Boo Seeka set. Saturday 24th June 2023. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Jack River performing at the Saturday Farewell Festival. Saturday 24th June 2023. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Northeast Party House entertaining the sold-out crowd. Saturday 24th June 2023. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. From left Sarah Beveridge of Cessnock and Gabby Loveday of Edgeworth. Saturday 24th June 2023. Picture by Simone De Peak
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Jack River performing at the Saturday Farewell Festival. Saturday 24th June 2023. Picture by Simone De Peak / ACM / Newcastle Herald
Saturday at The Cambridge Farewell Festival. Picture by Simone De Peak

Across three nights from June 23 to 25 the Cambridge hosted a farewell street party, with two stages - one outside in Wood Street and the other inside the venue's main band room.

More than 10,000 punters attended the festival, including reporters from the Newcastle Herald. Didn't get tickets? Take a look inside the farewell festival.

Note: It may take a moment to load.

Night one was hip-hop themed, featuring No.1 ARIA artist Illy, 360, Drapht, Thundamentals, Seth Sentry and more.

Electronic duo Peking Duk headlined night two on Saturday, June 24, alongside The Rubens, Adam Newling, Jack River, Northeast Party House, and Newcastle acts Boo Seeka, Raave Tapes and Rum Jungle.

Rock commanded centre stage on the final night led by British India, The Smith Street Band, Dune Rats, Hope D, Polish Club, Press Club and The Gooch Palms, before alt-rock legends Grinspoon performed the Cambridge's final set.

Cambridge Hotel licensee Dru Russell expects the farewell festival will be a historic moment for Newcastle. Picture by Simone De Peak

Meanwhile, the owners of the Cambridge have already began construction on a new live music venue as part of the King Street Hotel's redevelopment.

The expanded King Street Hotel is expected to open this year and will feature a 600-capacity mezzanine room next door to the existing venue.

The third level of the existing King Street Hotel building is being reconfigured into a smaller live music space.

Cambridge Hotel. Lorelle Baker (niece), Joseph Baker (Proprietor) and Debbie Baker (daughter). Date 5th December 1988.

PAST SHOWS INCLUDE

  • 360
  • Against Me
  • Alberta Cross
  • Anberlin
  • Andy Bull
  • Archie Roach
  • As I lay Dying
  • Art vs Science
  • Asta
  • Augie March
  • Ball Park Music
  • Beautiful Girls
  • Ben Kweller
  • Birds of Tokyo
  • Black Keys
  • Benjalu
  • Bertie Blackman
  • Blink 182
  • Bliss n Eso
  • Bluejuice
  • Blue King Brown
  • Boo Seeka
  • Bootleg Rascal
  • Boy and Bear
  • British India
  • Busby Marou
  • Butterfly Effect
  • Childish Gambino
  • Clar Bowditch
  • Coheed and Cambria
  • Donavon Frankenreiter
  • Dune Rats
  • Evermore
  • Frenzal Rhomb
  • Gang of Youths
  • Gooch Palms
  • Grinspoon
  • Halestorm
  • Harts
  • Head PE
  • Helmet
  • Hermitude
  • Illy
  • In Hearts Wake
  • Iyaz
  • James Blundell
  • Jebadiah
  • Karnivool
  • Kate Miller Heidke
  • Kilter
  • Kim Churchill
  • Kingswood
  • Kisschassy
  • The Kite String Tangle
  • KLP
  • Lagwagon
  • Lisa Mitchell
  • Living End
  • Matt Corby
  • Midnight Juggernauts
  • Misfits
  • Nina Las Vegas
  • NOFX
  • Operator Please
  • Parkway Drive
  • Pete Murray
  • The Presets
  • Reese Mastin
  • Regurgitator
  • Rufus
  • Sarah Blasko
  • Seth Sentry
  • Shockone
  • Silverchair
  • Smashmouth
  • Something For Kate
  • Steve Smyth
  • Sticky Fingers
  • Stonefield
  • Stung Out
  • Tame Impala
  • Terror
  • The Beards
  • The Grates
  • The Herd
  • The Preatures
  • The Whitlams
  • Thundermentals
  • Unwritten Law
  • Urthboy
  • Violent Soho
  • Wolfmother
  • You Am I
From left, Hope D, Grinspoon, Illy and Peking Duk are part of a stacked line-up for the Cambridge Hotel's farewell festival.
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.