North-East music, and particularly its rock scene, is positively thriving as we head into 2017 with a number of acts looking at making a big noise, writes Peter Mann

WITH Twister claiming the Best EP/Album for Designed State of Mind, and Best Band awards at the recent North-East Ubeat Music Awards; Craig Roddam and his band blasting their way through Christmas Live at the Arena and Black Nevada providing immense support for Dani Filth and Devilment at Think Tank, you’d think the close to 2016 would be hard to top.

Actually, it’s already being set up to do just that as Twister have recently announced they’ll be headlining the O2 Academy in mid-May for a Refined/Combined State of Mind double release. An opportunity arriving off the back of a hugely successful Academy Two slot were they were more than ably supported by Roddam, Catalyse and Singapore Safehouse.

Black Nevada followed up the release of their excellent EP, Fragments, with that Think Tank performance and go into the New Year talking of a possible new music video release and an early year tour taking in Leeds, Nottingham and parts of Scotland.

Roddam recently played in front of 30,000 people at the Metro Radio Fireworks, in Saltwell Park. His new single, to be released early next year, places emphasis on "Where do we go from here?".

“I already have a few things I want to get done next year and I’ll be in the studio soon enough. I’ll look at releasing a single first so I can build some momentum, some hype, towards either an EP or album. There’s also the possibility of a tour along with some big support spots at places like the Academy. The band also deserves credit and I can’t believe how good they sound when playing my music, they deserve the big stages,” says Roddam.

Mickey McCrystal and Kyle Hughes have already made the jump to arena stages. The pair, along with Edward Bell, played a recent mini tour with former Guns n’ Roses guitarist, Bumblefoot. Beginning at Trillians, in Newcastle, they also took in the Diamond Live Lounge, in Doncaster, and a date in Featherstone, leading to the duo being offered a trip to LA next month, ahead of Hughes announcing something special himself.

McCrystal has been guitarist with local rock band Tygers of Pan Tang since Belgium, in June 2013. The band released Only the Brave earlier this year before a Newcastle Cluny launch, of their self-titled album, in late October. Releasing the album through Mighty Music, in Denmark, McCrystal says “I had in my mind what the fans wanted to hear and that’s how we approached it. Now we’re gearing up to record another video next month which won’t necessarily be old school Tygers, but more a fun song. The record label is keen on releasing more if all goes to plan, which will be a combination of that old school, recognisable but new.”

An exciting addition to the scene in the past few years has been Teesside’s Lisa Kilcar, who parted ways with a rock covers band to produce an array of her own rock. Pushing boundaries of the blues, rock and ballads, Kilcar has already penned enough material to release an album in the New Year, alongside her new band.

She says: “Things will happen quite quickly as most of the album is done. After leaving the covers band, I picked up a guitar and wrote a whole new batch of songs. I’ve always wanted to sing as well and, although people were surprised I took this path it’s always been one I wanted to take. I’m hoping to release a varied range of material next year across several genres, while doing some solo work at the same time.”

With The Firelight Opera, Death to Indie and Serinette also attracting attention, there’s a trio of acts to watch in Tyneside's all-girl rockers, Scream of Sirens; Sunderland’s indie stars, Social Room, and Durham’s unknown entity, Off Peak.

Firelight Opera are making a transition from covers to original material while penning an album. Bandsman Lee Hardy says: “We’ve been down to Liverpool already and began putting material down for a new album and is something we’ll go back to in February. There’ll be an official video and single release in March with an album launch come the summer.”

Mark Rayner and Death to Indie are in a similar position album-wise, both heading to the studio late spring.

“We’ve had a great response this year, support-wise, so we’re keeping the early part of the year free in order to refresh social (media) and website presence,” says Rayner. “Then we’ll build towards an album later in the year with a live video performance as a teaser, maybe two to build momentum.”

Social Room, the six-piece fronted by vocalist Adam Jefferson, successfully released their latest single, Be Forever Mine, at Independent, in Sunderland; Scream of Sirens followed up an EP with the launch of Get Some, which landed them a slot with Wipe Out Publishing.

Off Peak are brothers Jamie and Robbie Pick, with friends Kier Hutchinson and Jackson Raw, from Esh Winning, who have been providing indie music for the past three years. The band followed up the release of debut single Stay the Same, with an EP and mini tour last year.

“We’ll be releasing a second EP this month with a launch gig at Durham University,” says Jamie. “Afterwards we’d like to release an album, but an EP would be great because we’re enjoying it, which is why we do it, and all off our own backs.”

Much of the music mentioned will be played out on international radio station EGH Radio Rocks, with Anne and Stephen Lambert, who add new shows on Monday nights from 9pm. They themselves are looking at a big year ahead and can followed on Twitter through @EGHRocks while the online radio show can be found on http://mixlr.com/egh-radio/