With heartfelt, emotive lyrics and immediately catchy melodies Finn is already a veteran of Stockton Calling however thoroughly deserving of his headline slot as he builds his reputation year on year and should provide an uplifting and anthemic end to the day for those that way inclined.
(Steve Spithray)
Proudly Liverpudlian four-piece The Cheap Thrills have been honing their craft for a decade-and-a-half now, and have been inexorably working their way up festival bills and getting bigger the whole time. Widely regarded as the best indie band in Liverpool right now, they’ve got the awards and a Liverpool FC advert soundtrack to prove it. 2024 saw them release their acclaimed Mind Metro EP and they’ve been touring hard across the UK and Europe, constantly building up the fanbase for their anthemic but gritty kitchen-sink indie rock and their knack for big, singalong choruses that just won’t quit! 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for this lot. (Lee Fisher)
At just 20 years old, Freddie Halkon’s rise to fame has surprised even him, going from writing songs in his university bedroom to playing out sold out shows in a matter of months. Originally from Doncaster and currently studying at Leeds University, indie singer-songwriter Halkon responded to a social media post looking for support acts for the Reytons and soon found himself playing to a packed crowd at the Leadmill.
Stockton Calling is just the start of a whole host of major events Halkon has lined up. On the bill for festivals in 2025 including Kendal Calling and 2000 Trees, Halkon’s lyrical songwriting is already winning him fans across the country. (Kate Relton)
Kicking off the year with a headline gig in their hometown at the Deaf Institute, Manchester lads Cal Blakebrough (vocals/guitar), Finley Rubens (guitar), Theo Savage (bass) and Patrick Hanbury (drums) emerged out of lockdown with a band that’s taking the indie scene by storm.
Guitar-heavy with all the visceral energy of The La’s and the Reytons, Arkayla have attracted attention and radio play with their debut single Calling Time from everyone including Radio X to Guy Garvey on BBC 6Music.
Mixing angular and snarly vocal power with irresistible humour and the occasional dirty Brazilian rhythm, their set is guaranteed to get you dancing. (Kate Relton)
Brat pop siblings ZELA first burst onto the scene at the end of lockdown with tracks like High Wasted Genes and Chaos Queen quickly gathering up praise from the likes of Radio 1, Amazing Radio and BBC Introducing. Fleshed-out to a four-piece live, the band have already wowed at festivals such as Lindisfarne, Reading & Leeds and Boardmasters and also further afield at Montreux Jazz Festival and NXNE in Toronto with their increasingly inventive live shows. Known for their dark electronic pop music for after the club closes ZELA draw influences from the likes of Grimes and Charlie XCX while remaining resolutely independent and unapologetic in outlook. (Steve Spithray)
One of my favourite places along the east coast is St Mary’s Church at the top of the abbey steps at Whitby, and inspiration for a number of scenes in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, however the town’s unequivocal acceptance of all things goth and steampunk has always felt a little crass to me. Enter Sunbeam, who far from distancing themselves have embraced the town’s unique Northerness forging a Britpop celebration of the immeasurable pleasures of living by the sea. Most recent single Haze is built on a catchy guitar jangle and layered vocal melodies that owes more to Dodgy than Oasis. (Steve Spithray)
Hartlepool’s Marketplace have quietly gone about their business becoming one of the region’s best known and hardest working new acts. The versatile indie pop five-piece released their debut EP in October 2024 with tracks like Talking For Hours and Edroom already becoming live favourites along with previous fan favourites Fruit (which received support from Radio 1) and Charlie. Taking influences from 80s new wave as well as contemporaries Alvvays, Martha and Pale Waves, Marketplace blend spiky guitars with soaring girl/boy melodies exploring all the finer issues of coming of age in the 2020s. (Steve Spithray)
Patrick Gosling is a singer-songwriter and producer from South Shields writing and recording a unique blend of indie rock and Americana for fans of The Beatles, The War on Drugs, Wilco and Mac DeMarco. If any of this sounds familiar don’t be put off, because Patrick’s most recent single, November 2024’s By My Side, is a lush slice of melodic indie pop with a subtle celebratory theme, while a previous EP, Live From Box Room Studios, showcased the singer’s talent for a Gerry Cinnamon anti-folk singalong and a sneaky peek of what to expect on the big day. (Steve Spithray)
Strawberry Fires is the latest project of Teesside via London talent Andrew Green who some may remember from such local luminaries as Monday’s Company and The Last Stand. The four-piece indie rockers (taking their influence from Kings of Leon, The Killers and The Strokes) have already headlined the O2 Academy Islington and sold out Camden Assembly. Tracks like Oway and Lost Town may betray Andrew’s Teesside folk and indie roots however all of the band come from very different backgrounds allowing them to incorporate funk, math rock and jazz into their sound. (Steve Spithray)
Line-ups are subject to change.
Live music venue & late bar. For the musically minded, lovers not haters & the young believers.
Access information
One step to access venue. Wheelchair ramp available if required. Level flooring throughout once inside. Accessible toilets available.
