A music festival featuring some of the UK's most exciting acts gets under way in the North-East today.

The Orange Evolution festival opens with a performance by Sunderland band The Futureheads at The Sage Gateshead.

The show starts a series of 30 concerts over 12 days at six venues, which are expected to attract about 25,000 paying music fans.

Free outdoor shows at Spillers Wharf and Baltic Square, overlooking the River Tyne, are expected to attract 40,000 fans and feature big names like The Proclaimers, Graham Coxon, Hard Fi, The Go! Team and Hayseed Dixie.

Other highlights include an outside dance event in Baltic Square on Sunday, May 28.

The festival culminates with Freevolution, a free event on Newcastle and Gateshead quaysides with three stages on Bank Holiday Monday, May 29.

Festival director Jim Mawdsley said: "There is a real excitement and buzz about the festival and what we are doing is bringing the best musical acts we can to Tyneside.

"We are also showcasing new talent - we want people to see tomorrow's big bands today.

"We are creating an outdoor party in an urban location."

Now in its fifth year, Orange Evolution forms part of the Newcastle-Gateshead Initiative's programme of festivals and events for this year.

Stella Hall, creative director for Newcastle-Gateshead Initiative, said: "Newcastle-Gateshead has long held a reputation for producing important acts who have helped shape new musical genres and gone on to inspire generations of music lovers, and it remains today one of the most vibrant locations for music in the UK.

"With the best selection of venues in the country, the North-East has become a fantastic breeding ground for talent over recent years, so it's only right such a major music festival is staged here."

Commission from tickets sold for festival events will go to the charity WaterAid, which provides clean water for the world's poorest people in Asia and Africa.

The full indoor and outdoor programme can be found at www.orangeevolution.co.uk