The Feeling to Headline New Music and Community Festival
BRIT award-nominated rock band The Feeling have been confirmed as the headlining act for Teesside’s newest music and community event, The Middlehaven Festival.
The band, best known for creating chart-topping hit ‘Fill My Little World’ and having three chart topping albums including ‘Join With Us’ which reached number one in the UK charts, will be topping the bill of a stellar line up consisting of over 20 acts across two stages.
Featuring a mix of some of the most exciting and emerging names in popular music alongside up and coming artists from the North East and beyond, the festival is aimed at attracting visitors of all ages and abilities from across the region.
Supporting artists include 18-year-old Chloe Howl, who is fresh off an appearance on Radio 1’s Live Lounge and has just returned from a host of European dates supporting pop sensation Ellie Goulding. Chloe was runner up to current number one artist Sam Smith in the 2014 Brit Awards Critic’s Choice.
Scottish synth-pop band, Prides, who are signed to Island Records and have just released their debut single “Out of the Blue”, will also be performing along with hotly anticipated young musician, multi-instrumentalist George Barnett.
The emerging talent also includes Hip Hop super group Big Beat Bronson - the trio have engineered a pioneering sound which has been likened to that of Chase & Status, while challenging the comic edge and epic sound of the Beastie Boys. Fellow Grime/Hip Hop artist 16-year-old Isaiah Dreads will also be playing having gained vast experience already from performing at Glastonbury, Wireless and the Isle of Wight Festivals. Also on the bill are BBC Introducing favourite’s Kosoti – a six-piece folk band from Newcastle.
Acoustic indie folk band The Lake Poets are also joining the line-up having just completed a UK tour, previously stunning audiences up and down the UK supporting artists such as Willy Mason, Ben Howard, Daughter, Lucy Rose and Jake Bugg. The Lake Poets have also played sold-out shows at prestigious venues such as Islington’s Union Chapel, Camden’s Roundhouse and The Sage Gateshead, as well as major festivals such as Glastonbury and T in the Park.
The open-air event has been developed through a partnership between care specialists Keiro - owners of newly opened neuro, stroke and spinal injury rehabilitation centre The Gateway, Middlesbrough College, Middlesbrough Football Club, and the North East’s largest social housing organisation the Thirteen Group, and is sponsored by rehabilitation specialist lawyers Irwin Mitchell and PD Ports.
The event will take place on the grass area near Middlesbrough College, looking out at Temenos, the Riverside Stadium and Middlehaven Dock.
Business relationships director for Keiro, Alistair McDonald, explained: “We have been working damned hard over the last few months to put together a really strong bill for the first ever Middlehaven Festival. We are proud to have such a strong mix of today's heavy weights and future stars. I really can’t wait.”
“In addition to the great line up we wanted to be able to provide an event which is inclusive for everyone, but most importantly one which is accessible to all music lovers regardless of their age or ability.
“We have been waiting to do an event like this in the area for quite some time and we have been extremely fortunate to have had lots of support from our partners the Thirteen Group, Middlesbrough College and Middlesbrough Football Club. Without this partnership, we would not have been able to secure The Feeling as headlining acts along with the rest of an amazing line-up, and the event would not be possible. It promises to be an amazing day and with local support, could put us on the map to be an annual event both for the region and in the festival calendar.”
Keiro currently holds a Silver accreditation by national charity Attitude is Everything for its annual Chase Park Festival in Gateshead, which has successfully run for the past four years and aims to come back next year attracting more funding.
Aimed at breaking down cultural barriers often faced with people with disabilities, Keiro is hoping to reach Gold level accreditation for its festivals later this year, the only other two festivals to hold this accreditation are Glastonbury and Liberty.
The festival, which is being supported by radio station TFM, will also include stalls, fairground rides, face painting, children’s entertainment and an array of delicious food and drink.
Alistair added: “We are proud to have attracted such a strong mix of chart topping acts as well as future stars and a host of extra entertainment and we expect tickets to sell out quickly now that the superb line-up has been unveiled.”
Zoe Lewis, Principal and Chief Executive of Middlesbrough College added: “Middlesbrough College is proud to be supporting this fantastic community event and music festival, it’s going to be a great day for the College, students and the wider community.”
The open-air event will be held at Dockside in Middlehaven on August 23, 2014 from 11.30am and acts will begin at 12pm. Tickets go on sale Thursday 5th June from www.middlehavenfestival.com and are £12 for the general public, £10 for under 18 year olds, £35 for family tickets (2 adults, 2 children) and two-for-one for those with disabilities and their carers.
For all event breaking news follow: www.facebook.com/middlehavenfestival
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Twitter: @Middlehavenfest
