A VAST array of quality bands and musicians are playing a host of gigs in the North-East this weekend.

The second BBC 6 Music Festival gets underway on Tyneside tomorrow (Friday, February 20) with chart-topping artists and DJs.

The line-up includes Bryan Ferry, The Charlatans, Gaz Coombes, Neneh Cherry, Sleater-Kinney, Mogwai, The War on Drugs, Interpol, The Fall, Hot Chip, Royal Blood, Kate Tempest, British Sea Power, Jon Hopkins, Maximo Park, Young Fathers, Jungle, Jamie T and Gruff Rhys.

Peter Salmon, director of BBC England, said: “This is the biggest event in the 6 Music social calendar.

“Last year, it was inaugurated in Manchester and this year we have gone for something even bigger and better with more artists and more venues by day and by night.

“We have been trying to crank up our northern story in the last few years and this is the icing on that cake.”

The music extravaganza will take place across six stages over three nights from Friday to Sunday with tomorrow’s sessions at the 02 Academy in Newcastle and The Sage Gateshead hosting on Saturday and Sunday.

As well as the main stages, there will be a 6 Music Festival by Day ticketed separately to the night-time events at venues in The Ouseburn and Stephenson Quarter areas of the city, on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm.

Radio legend Mark Radcliffe, who is hosting a folk stage at The Cumberland Arms in Newcastle, on Saturday, said: “I can’t think of anywhere better than Newcastle and Gateshead to hold this really. The atmosphere is always buzzy, the people chummy and it has always been a hotbed of maverick creativity.”

Sunderland-born 6 Music presenter Lauren Laverne announced the festival in a special live broadcast from Newcastle University’s Student Union last month.

She said: “The region has done amazingly well to get some of the huge gigs at the Stadium of Light but I’m hoping the festival will put places like Ouseburn on the map. It’s my old stomping ground and an area I’m still so passionate about.

“I’m still trying to get my head round the line-up, it’s absolutely amazing.

“I’ve worked a lot of festivals but with this one particularly I want to take the time to be in the moment and appreciate what an amazing privilege it is to be doing what I’m doing.”

Many events have sold out, but tickets priced £35 are still available for The Sage Gateshead event on Sunday and some day time events. To find out more visit www.bbc.co.uk/6music on 0844-412-2954.