STOCKTON CALLING: “We live by the river (Tees)”

Stockton Calling: “we Live By The River (tees)”

I am the resurrection and the life. (The Gospel of St. John 11:25 AD 90)

I am the resurrection and I am the Light. (The Gospel of St. John Squire and St. Ian Brown AD 1989)

Separated by 1900 years but both monumental pieces of work. Why do we quote them both here? Well, on Easter Saturday, the 23rd of April you can celebrate some great music in 4 great venues in Stockton. You can also prepare yourself for the coming of our Lord the following day. A great week-end should be had by all. Great music, chocolate eggs, 2 bank holidays and the most Holy day in the Christian calender. What more could you want?

STOCKTON CALLING is a festival within 4 festivals. You buy your ticket (but do it fast cos they’re selling like hot crossbuns) and you get a wrist band that allows you to navigate your way around Stocktons City Centre to catch as many great bands as you can. See the list below and plot your course. Tickets are £12 in advance or £14 on the day. (If there are any left!!!) It starts at 2pm and finishes at midnight.

4 venues showcase a stream of local and touring talent, featuring The View, Washington Irving, The Chapman Family, Cattle & Cane and Frankie & the Heartstrings at venues The Georgian Theatre, ARC, Ku Bar and the Sun Inn.

Bands on at The Georgian Theatre;

10.30pm: Frankie & The Heartstrings – These Sunderland boys have pop flowing through their veins, you just have to listen to one of their perky playful tunes to hear it. “Saviours of guitar pop jangle” NME	9.30pm: Be Quiet. Shout Loud! – Disco. Electro. Punk. Feather Boas. This sextet from Middlesbrough are quite possibly the most exhilarating live experience around.	8.30pm: Lets Buy Happiness – Leading music web gurus Drowned in Sound said the band is “One of the most thrilling new bands I’ve seen in years“. Comparisons to The Sundays and The Sugar Cubes fit nicely.
7.30pm: Sister Rose – Energetic indie/rock of the highest order and colossal tunes The Verve would be proud of.	6.30pm: Giant Steps– This blue-eyed indie trio from Reading are a band out of their time, channeling soul-inflected sounds from the Jam to Stevie Wonder.	5.30pm: The Gares – Teesside’s resident delta blues and Captain Beefheart obsessed four-piece will blow your mind, in the best way possible.
4.30pm: The Kallinger Bros – After ripping up the KU Bar stage (not to mention smashing up a guitar) last year, we just had to have these boys back for more mayhem.	3.30pm: Young Hegelians – Like your post-punk music a little off kilter al la Talking Heads and Gang of Four? Well this trio will certainly float your boat.	2.30pm: The Watchers – Fresh from supporting The Charlatans on tour they deliver full blown psychedelic-space-hymns, melodic mid-paced stompers and acoustic-rock-shanties.

Bands on at the ARC;

10.00pm: The View – Dundee’s finest shot to fame back in 2007 with huge indie anthems Wasted Little DJs and Same Jeans. Their first album went to No 1 as well as being nominated for a Mercury Award; they’re now touring with new release Bread and Circuses.	8.45pm: Sound of Guns – The View’s official tour support just happens to be Sounds of Guns, who literally blew us away at last year’s SC, a live experience of epic proportions.	7.45pm: Jimmy & The Sounds – Bustling indie pop anthems from Stockton’s very own fab-four. Songs Heart For Rent and Sounds are firm favourites with crowds far and wide.
6.45pm: Soviet Disco – We like our rock dark and full of angst so these boys never fail to impress with their massive riffs and fist thrashing drumbeats.	5.45pm: Our Secret Sins – This seven-man strong line up packs one hell of a ‘intense string laced, venomous, synth cult pop’ punch.	4.45pm: TBC – The View’s official tour support is top secret at the moment, we’re excited about this and you should be too!
3.45pm: The Purnells – Playing delicious rock that Maximo Park would swoon over. Check out those rifts on top song ‘Penelope’.	2.45pm: BBC Introducing presents Antlez – Formerly known as The Reverse, this alt pop quartet from Hartlepool are definitely all killer and no filler.

Bands on at the KU Bar;

9.45pm: Little Comets – Described as a ‘cheekier, chirpier, British Vampire Weekend’ the band have received critical acclaim left right and centre for the debut album. “They’ll get you singing along and digging out your dancing shoes.” BBC	8.15pm: The Chapman Family – With a bruising energy and a gigantic sound, they’ve already transcended comparisons to Interpol and Joy Division to become behemoths of the post-punk anthem in their own right.	7.15pm: Polarsets – Newcastle isn’t always a place you’d associate with a top dollar ‘Ibiza Indie’ band but with these boys making waves across the country it soon will be.
6.15pm: The Violet May – For lovers of riotous guitars and testosterone-pumped vocals everywhere, music so cool it swaggers.	5.15pm: Fly With Vampires – After knocking it out of the park last year we welcome the Scouse four piece back for more fun and frolics.	4.15pm: The Port Authority – Influenced by the likes of The Smiths and The Walkmen, this threesome combine crafty rifts with killer hooks.
3.15pm: The Green – A brand new band you may well not have seen out and about yet, but they’ve got a whole new bag of tricks for your splendor.	2.15pm: BBC Introducing presents Randy and the Handstand Band – Local lads with a knack for an Arctic Monkeys-esque foot-stomper and a name so funky you can dance to it.

Bands on at The Sun Inn;

10.00pm: Washington Irving – A Feel good indie/folk ensemble taking influences from Belle and Sebastian, Arcade Fire and Bright Eyes. Their live shows are full of such raw energy they never fail to win new fans.	9.00pm: Cattle & Cane – Creating a heart-achingly delicious soundscape with such ease Cattle & Cane experienced huge success in 2010. With their first single due out this Spring there’s no stopping them.	8.00pm: Mitchell Museum – This 4-piece psychedelic pop act from Glasgow has got critics literally weeping with joy over their debut album; you’d be a bonehead to miss them. “Unmissable new band” NME
7.00pm: Chased By Wolves – A Newcastle five piece who blend blues, country and alt-folk into a gorgeous melting pot, evoking artists as varied as Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac and Ryan Adams.	6.00pm: Withered Hand – Edinburgh based Withered Hand wrap words of woozy wisdom round raw guitars with the effortless sway of an Andrew Bird.	5.00pm: O’Messy Life – Laid-back-surfer-grunge-folk that will transport you to golden Californian beaches by way of Sunderland Interchange.
4.00pm: The Winter Hill Transmission – Vocal-led folk and dreamy synth-anthems that will carry you off with the warmth of a nostalgic summer evening.	3.00pm: Rikki & The Porters – For relative newcomers these Middlesbrough lads have swagger and sway abound in their timeless ‘After The Gold Rush’ style guitar jangling and powerful vocals.	2.00pm: BBC Introducing presents The Daydream Club – Doing exactly as it says on the tin this duo create dream like soundscapes, luscious melodies and imagery.

This promises to be one of the best days of the year. We here at The Northern Line will be trying to catch as many of the bands as possible. We suggest you do the same.

LINKS:

TEES MUSIC ALLIANCE http://www.teesmusicalliance.org.uk/whatsOnTickets

GEORGIAN THEATRE http://www.teesmusicalliance.org.uk/georgian_theatre

THE ARC http://www.arconline.co.uk/

THE KU BAR http://www.myspace.com/gokubar

THE SUN INN http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-sun-inn-music-page/139291076108966

THE KIDS ARE SOLID GOLD http://www.myspace.com/thekidsaresolidgold

By peter on April 10, 2011