The Glasshouse Tour

The Glasshouse Tour runs throughout November and early December at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music on the Gateshead Quays. It's a guided look behind the scenes of the riverside venue, led by the people who know every corner, quirk and story of the place. The tour draws on more than 20 years of music-making to explain the building's design and the acoustics that make it unique, and it follows the routes famous musicians have taken, including the backstage spaces where artists warm up and wait for their cue.

There's more to it than just the music, too. The riverside site has a surprising history of its own, with tales of monasteries, fires and even witch trials on the banks of the Tyne. The tour lasts 90 minutes with no interval and forms part of the venue's 'Mix Tape' series; if you're bringing a group of 10 or more, you can arrange a private tour instead.

For a bit of context, the venue itself was formerly known as The Sage Gateshead. It houses two main stages of acoustic excellence, a 26-room music education centre, a music information resource centre, four bars, a brasserie and a cafe, and its own orchestra, Northern Sinfonia. The tour is one of the few chances to see how it all fits together from the inside.

It runs on Friday 6 November, Sunday 8 November, Thursday 19 November, Sunday 22 November, Saturday 5 December and Sunday 6 December, all at 10:00am. Tickets are £15 for adults, £10 for members, £8 for kids aged 5-14, and under 5s go free, provided they're accompanied by an adult.