Following the success of last year’s Stockton Weekender, this year’s event – which will be held over the weekend of 27^th and 28^th July 2013 looks set to be even better with a greater and stronger line up, featuring some of the best names in music and comedy. Some of them you will definitely be familiar with, some perhaps less so, but all are worthy of a mention as acts that you ought to make a beeline to see over the course of the weekend.

Headline acts for Saturday and Sunday

Primal Scream

Following on from the release of their brand new album ‘More Light’, which is available now for pre-order from the usual outlets, but is officially released on May 13^th, Primal Scream will be headlining on Saturday night on the Main Stage. Unbelievably, the band are now in their 31^st year, having formed in 1982 and ‘More Light’ is their 9^th studio album, though of course they’re best known for their groundbreaking record ‘Screamadelica’ and the hipjiggling single ‘Loaded’ which for many was the perfect mash up between indie/alternative rock and acid house. The Scream are a band that have never rested on their laurels and have constantly tried to evolve and change as time has gone by. Never afraid to cross genres and mix styles, their new album is a great experiment in real guitar pop revival that cleverly mashes up with sonic trippiness. They are a force to be reckoned with live and frontman Bobby Gillespie is always great to watch.

Dexys

Headlining on the Sunday are the 80 stalwarts Dexys (formerly Dexys Midnight Runners) who reformed again in 2012 after a turbulent few years of absence from the limelight. In their time away from the music scene, lead singer Kevin Rowland has led a somewhat turbulent existence, coupled with a rather chequered solo career that saw him dabble with acid house music in the 1990s, before succumbing to alcohol and substance addiction which was then followed by a subsequent painful drug withdrawal and a difficult period living as a vagrant. Thankfully all that is behind him now, he’s turned 50 and is happily back on track and producing the goods with a brand new line up of the band. No doubt songs from their critically acclaimed album of last year ‘One Day I’m Going To Soar’ will feature. The new album is a retrospective of the last three decades of the band’s work together. It promises to be an electric and probably unpredictable performance from one of pop music’s greatest assets.

The other ones to watch

Also on Saturday night, Spiritualized are going to be playing the main stage following on from The Scream. These guys are absolutely no strangers to playing festivals, in fact they’ve probably made more appearances than many other bands that have been going twice as long. Anyone who knows them will recognise their sweeping sweet symphonic sounds that are all embracing and perfect for this kind of event, theirs is music that brings a sense of togetherness. Last year’s highly rated album ‘Sweet Heart, Sweet Light’ was a brilliant return to form for them and also a massive success in the USA.

One of the quietly assured bands taking their turn on the Saturday Vela Stage will be Hartlepool’s PALACE. A band of great strength, they’ve been gigging away quietly on the local scene for some time now and bring to the table a great blend of indie rock that’s combined with delicately subtle vocals and perfectly jangly guitars. Last year’s ‘Apology In Demand’ EP was very well received and they’ve already been compared to bands like The Pixies, Weezer and Sunny Day Real Estate. If they don’t make it big in the next year or two there’s simply no justice.

On Sunday night over on the Vela stage, Newcastle’s brightest new stars Tusk will be playing. Their latest mini-album ‘Interrobang’ is out right now on Tiny Lights Recordings and their slightly off kilter mix of styles and quirky lyrics mixed with intricate guitars make for a new and refreshing addition to the festival’s line up. The four piece’s third release is a brilliant introduction to them for any new fans who are coming to their sound for the first time, but also show the fans who been with them since the beginning how they’ve evolved and matured.

For full details of the complete line up and more information on the acts featured here, you can check out Stockton Weekender Latest. There’s something in the line up for everyone and it’s well worth a visit if you can make the trip.

By Missi on May 23, 2013