What do you know about Newcastle, besides the fact that Newcastle Brown Ale, the world’s best brown ale named after Newcastle, comes from there? If your answer is, “what are you talking about?” or, “I know absolutely nothing about Newcastle,” then you were just like us roughly six months ago. But for the better part of 2013, the crack team here at VICE Canada has been planning a trip to the Geordie capital thanks to our friends at Newcastle Brown Ale. So give yourself a pat on the back, sponsor!

Anyway, the result of this friendly partnership is a five-part series designed to show you all the dry wit, brown food, Brown Ale, crazy partiers, football fanaticism, live bands that don’t suck, and club DJs that don’t suck—because Newcastle truly is one of the most fun places we’ve ever been to. It’s a beautiful old city that’s full of fun, often very weird people, who welcomed us with open arms and only the occasional cocked first.

So check out episode 1, wherein our clumsily charming host Adam Jackson drops in straight from Toronto to meet Gavin Webster, a man whose face likely appears beside Northern Englander in the dictionary. Gavin, a comedian, toured Adam around to help him get his bearings in Newcastle—then shoved him on stage to perform at a comedy night marketed as humour about Northern England. Clearly, Adam was completely prepared to perform.

It was quite the day, and we hope you enjoy watching it.