A LIVE music event being held in County Durham for the first time this weekend features an eclectic line-up of nine bands.
Organisers are confident the varied genres of music, food and drink on offer at the Stanhope Weekender will be a big hit with festival goers.
But they say the inaugural event, at Stanhope Showground on Unthank Park, Weardale, this Saturday, September 25, is just the foundation on which to build a bigger event next year.
A spokesperson said: “This September sees the first-ever Stanhope Weekender, a live music event in the heart of Stanhope, Weardale.
“The event has a great line-up of live music accompanied by fantastic food and drink.
“We plan on expanding the festival into a multiple-day event in 2022, showcasing a wide range of artists, food, camping and more, building on its foundation year.”
The festival features music from various genres, including ska, punk, mod, dance and soul, and the 1950’s R&B combo The Revolutionaires headlining.
The Revolutionaires have established themselves across the UK and Europe on the rock circuits and were originally influenced by the 1940s and 1950s R&B, particularly Big Joe Turner, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry.
They have since adopted a harder and more aggressive approach synonymous with modern blues artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jools Holland and Mike Henderson to create their own high energy sound.
The band have toured extensively both home and abroad, performing at festivals with artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Sting, Tom Jones, Jimmie Vaughan, The Mavericks and Dave Edmunds.
Frontman Ed Stephenson said: “We are thrilled to be invited to play at The Stanhope Weekender Music Festival.
“We have a great following from the Weardale area and are already hearing excellent things about having a festival back in Stanhope. We can’t wait to play for everyone.”
The line-up also includes live music from Beyond Madness, Fake Charles Funk DJ, Keith Martin Radio Soul DJ, Godzz of War, Michael Rice, Monkey Punch, Celtic Man and Jessie Dale.
Day tickets are £10 and camping tickets are £22.50 online at https://stanhopeweekender.co.uk/ or on the day at the venue.
Gates at Stanhope Showground, Unthank Park, Stanhope, Bishop Auckland, DL13 2PQ, will open at 1pm with live music until 11pm.
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