Industry news & advice blog

Just because the Geordies are spending their Summer boasting all about how great music is up North, doesn’t mean the Mackems can’t do a pretty damn good job bragging about it themselves. While Evolution generally takes the limelight, spending one night celebrating our rising stars and those already at the height of their powers, those in Wearside are putting on 3 whole weekends of live, free musical showcases. The Sunderland Live Fringe Festival will give everyone the chance to experience free live performances between the 27th May and 17th June, with a variety of events taking place throughout the City to ensure there is a little bit of something for everyone across the red-land and from beyond.

First up is Squares & Corners, a programme of street entertainment taking place across the city from Park Lane, High Street West and The Bridges Shopping Centre. From the Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday there will be a busker on every corner as you walk from the bridge to city centre. There will even be a whole host of entertainers at St. Peter’s Campus on Saturday 28th and Monday 30th May, for the lucky folk heading to the Stadium Of Light concerts.

The first festival type-event, Party In The Park, takes place on Sunday 29th May at Mowbray Park. It will be the perfect day to bring down a rug and a picnic for an afternoon of sausage rolls, canoodling and live music from some of the region's finest indie folk acts and singer songwriters, including Chased by Wolves, Sharks Took The Rest,, Cattle & Cane, Matt Stalker & Fables, Morris Ford and Rebecca Young. Sunderland University's radio station, Spark FM will also be popping down to entertain in-between acts.

The Festival reaches a climax on Saturday 4th June with Sounds Of Park Lane. This was a really successful event last year with Little Comets and Viva City headlining. This year promises the same, with a quality line-up once again confirmed including the likes of catchy indie-pop band Mausi, bluesy rockers Gallery Circus and the well fancied Bronze Medal, as well as guest DJ slots from Manifesto and local venue residents. It should be another corker of a gig to close the festival in style.

Wow! We are definitely spoilt for choice this summer!

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