The Gathering Sounds festival has revealed its complete line-up for the upcoming event in Stockton-on-Tees. More than 50 artists are set to perform across seven stages during the event next Saturday, September 26.
Main Acts and Venue Details
Teesside music returns to The Point at ARC, where overpass will headline. Sunderland musician Tom A. Smith takes the top spot at The Georgian Theatre. Basht. will lead the KU stage, while Shelf Lives heads up ARC2. TTSSFU tops The Social Room alongside Esmeralda Road.
The bill features established names alongside emerging talent. Bass-driven group Basht. and M60 are among the leading acts. FLETCHR FLETCHR, Pyncher, Bloodworm, M60 and Shelf Lives also appear on the roster.
Additional acts added to the final announcement include 24 Hours In Paris, Idle Hands, MOSS, PROJECTOR and The Youth Play. The festival spans indie, post-punk, shoegaze, grunge and electronic styles.
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North East and Newcomers
North East talent takes a prominent place on the bill. Charlie Floyd, Marketplace, Swindled, Daisy Brown and George Bailey are among the regional artists performing in Stockton.
Tom A. Smith returns to a festival he played during the early stages of his career. Other local acts include Pack of Animals, The Kowloons, Andrew Johnson & The Others, Central Arcade, Honeylight, Park View, Strop and Weathership.
Several new artists are bringing attention to the festival. London-based Little Grandad formed last year and were named an NME Radar act this summer. They have since played sold-out shows in the capital. Esmeralda Road formed in Belfast in 2023 before relocating to London and have supported Liam Gallagher.
Glasgow five-piece VLURE released their debut album Escalate this year, featuring Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie. Brighton trio PROJECTOR and London alternative band The Youth Play complete the diverse lineup.
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Organiser Comments
Jordan Kean, from The Gathering Sounds, explained the selection process. “We wanted to keep a few proper surprises back for the final announcement,” he said.
Kean highlighted the diversity of the lineup. “Esmeralda Road and Little Grandad are two of those bands where you can feel things moving really quickly around them, while VLURE are just an incredible live band and one we’ve wanted to bring to Stockton.”
He emphasized the festival’s focus on discovery. “What excites me most, though, is looking right through the poster. There are artists from the North East alongside bands from Glasgow, Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester, London and right across the UK and Ireland, and there are genuinely brilliant discoveries everywhere you look.”
Kean noted the festival’s history of showcasing unknown acts. “That’s always been the point of Gathering Sounds. Come because there are three or four bands you already love, spend the day moving between the venues and hopefully go home talking about somebody you’d never even heard of that morning.”
