Ukes4Fun!
1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 1pm – 3pm
The Cumberland Arms, Byker,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE6 1LD
Free!
Ukes4Fun – Free “join in” ukulele sessions!
The “musical back bone” for both sessions is provided by “Misspent Uke”
VENUE:
Downstairs
The Cumberland Arms
James Place Street
Byker
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE6 1LD
0191 265 1725
1st and 3rd TUESDAYS, 1pm – 3pm
- 1st Tuesday
- 3rd Tuesday
- 2nd, 4th & 5th Tuesdays – NO SESSION
- SUMMER + XMAS/NEW YEAR BREAKS – PLEASE CHECK CALENDAR
Sessions are for joining in and are not “group teaching” for complete beginners. However, members do offer informal support to anyone wishing to improve.
- Please remember to bring at least 10 song sheets for songs that you are going to lead if they are not already in our Dropbox
- If you want to give even more of a “heads up” you can include links to video or audio recordings of songs in your email. This helps to get everyone up to speed by familiarising themselves with songs (and maybe even practicing them) between sessions. (Now there’s an idea for how to keep everyone off the streets and staying out of trouble!)
Calendar:
- If the Calendar gets stuck on “loading”: this problem is to do with cookies in your browser. The easiest workaround is to hit the “Printer” icon on the calendar and then navigate through the “Print Preview” pop-up to see dates.
- Open any event in the calendar to see further details for that session
- Use the tabs at the top of the calendar to change the view from “Agenda” to “Month” or “Week”
- Select the “Look for more” link under the last date to see if there are any more dates recorded
- To print the calendar – select the printer icon on calendar
- There is also a link in the blog side-bar menu to this page
- If you have a Google Account, you can add individual events to your own Google Calendar from this big version of the Calendar (but not from the little one below)
Tips about leading songs:
- If you have not been before and have a song to play, please don’t be startled when other people do their best to try and sing and play along with you. We normally take turns to lead songs rather than people having “solo spots”.
- Do not feel shy about handing out song-sheets and inviting people to join you in singing the chorus. There are so many different versions of popular songs and we might be more used to playing a version in a different key, so do mention what key you are playing in. Tempo and rhythm might also be unfamiliar or unexpected, so playing a verse or chorus as an “intro” will help everyone to get in step with you.
- Please remember to tell the rest of us what song you are about to play and allow a little time for members to locate song sheets. Otherwise you can expect loud calls of, “What song is it?” and scrambling for song-sheets during the first verse as realisation kicks in! The whole point of the session is for everyone to join in
FAQ
There is a list of FAQ’s here – Ukes4Fun Sessions FAQ
Song Books
We are building up a bank of Song Books – these use the real chord names (not “George chords” if you know what that means). It is a very eclectic mix, reflecting the different musical hinterlands of members that so enthrall and inspire us! There are more songs in the Dropbox than in the Songbooks and updated (corrected) versions are in the Dropbox.
The song books have been made using the computer program “Songsheet Generator”. If you want make song sheets to bring to session and have not already come across it, I can recommend Songsheet Generator – it is much easier than using a Word Processor if you want to show chord names above the words and generate chord grids. There are also some useful online tools for making songsheets.
The Cumberland Arms
The atmosphere is relaxed, there is good real ale and (sometimes) real food on sale (check availability!), the pub is child and dog-friendly (the children play ukes and the dogs howl in tune!), we certainly have fun and we welcome anyone who wants to either drop in or attend regularly.
If you are thinking of having a meal or snack at The Cumberland Arms, check the Cumberland Arms website or contact them to find out about availability and menu: http://www.thecumberlandarms.co.uk/
ACCESS
Level access with no steps from James Place Street.
Access from the path down from Stephen Street is steep and there is a flight of steps.
We normally meet downstairs. On the rare occasion that we meet in the Upstairs Venue this can accessed by stairs inside the pub or via the ramp at the side of the pub leading to the Fire Exit.
Public Transport
The nearest Metro is Byker.
There are numerous buses stopping on Shields Road.
Parking at The Cumberland Arms
Free parking on James Place Street and the sloping, rough hard-standing next to the Cumberland.
Free parking behind The Cumberland Arms on Stephen St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 1JX
There is also ample free parking across the main road in the public car park by the Kentucky Fried Chicken, off Shields Road, and even more behind Morrison’s Supermarket. Please check current parking time restrictions.
Maps and Directions on Google Maps
Communication and Contact
There is a private email list group for members. Members distribute new songs for sessions using this list – as well as or instead of bringing copies to sessions.
You are also welcome to subscribe to this public blog at ukesFun.org.uk.
Contact email for Ukes4Fun! (which flits through the ether to me) is on the picture below (not included as text to avoid spam-bots!)
Lizzie
Last updated: 5 April 2025
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