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First acts announced for free Middlesbrough festival

sam hope of the states

The first few acts performing at this year's Middlesbrough Music Live event have been announced.

Hope Of The States, Morning Runner and Ocean Colour Scene are set to appear at the free festival, which takes place on Sunday June 18th. Stages will be spread across the middle of Middlesbrough. I'm sure a better man could've made a tongue-twister outta that.

Past performers at the event include Keane and The Darkness. Neither will be playing this year. Thank fuck.

More information can be found at the event's official website thing, which is almost probably here. I hope.



  • thank god i live at the other end of the country

    where i live we have a great festival headlined by Hard Fi

    • this really

      does sound like something worth missing.

      Still - the only thing that my home town (Watford) offers for free is the mighty Rainbow Festival which consists of about 3 local bands.

      All of them being shit.

    • in your face

      we have a festival headlined by hard-fi as well :P

      • yup

        we have loads of free music.

        so sucks to you.

        orange evolution - futureheads, coxon, hardfi (none of which are really my cup of tea but better than a kick in the teeth!)

        and Middlesbrough Music Live gets a shedload of half decent bands usually (although this years line up is a bit lackluster so far)

        also confirmed are : The Oxfam Glamour Models, Bromheads Jacket, Dartz!

    • why

      are people boasting about having a festival headlined by Hard-fi like it's a good thing?

  • that is

    quite honestly the worst line-up i have seen for our excuse at getting pissed in the middle of middlesbrough for a very long time. i despair at ten feet tall sometimes. ah well, im glad im on holiday when this years event comes around now.

    • it's fecking free.....

      cant really complain

    • so how come

      we disappoint you so? sounds like we let you down on a weekly basis..

      Two things in terms of the festival.

      The council pay for the whole thing and they like at least ONE band with a handful of hits that people can sing along to. Hence OCS.

      Finally i'm interested to hear what you [and other people] would do differently? cos i'm really pleased with the way it's looking this year.

      There are 5 more stages still to announce BTW...

      • why does everyone on here hate OCS anyway?

        • Yeah

          I fucking love OCS. And Hope of the States for that matter! They're both fantastic live bands, and to be honest Morning Runner aren't bad either. For a free festival this looks to be an excellent line-up. Last year was The Proclaimers, The Cribs and Nine Black Alps. Methinks it has improved...

      • i just dont like any of those bands

        sorry for expressing an opinion.

        that is just the main stage then?? because the empire and town are usually the place to be in my experience.

        again, i will not be here, so just ignore me.

        • town hall*

        • i'm not scared of opinions

          i just wonder why you said you despair at us sometimes and what you would rather have seen at music live.

          not winding you up - really interested to know what you would rather have seen.

          Town Hall / Basement / Studio 64 / Town Centre / Acoustic / Comedy / and new bands stages still to come...

          still a couple of slots left too so let's have it?...

          • well...

            i've been saying for a while that i have a feeling that 65dos may play this year, any chance of that??

            maybe despair was a harsh word, i just cannot remember the last time i have wanted to go to middlesbrough and actually see a gig. i saw ephel duath in the crown on thursday and they were quite honestly the best band i have seen in here since 80's matchbox like what? 2 years ago??

            • graham ramsey

              is god.

              stubbsy is jesus.

              end of.

              • hey...

                ...steady on, you're making me giddy!

  • this is what my town has in terms of a free festival

  • Last year

    they had The Research, Das Wanderlust, Chicks on Speed, The Cribs, Shrug and plenty good local bands. So yes, this year is a bit of a let down, minus Hope of The States.

  • like what

    kind of thing?

    • I wouldn't mind:

      Tiger Force, 3hostwomexicansandatinofspanners, Whirlwind Heat, Ex Models, These Arms Are Snakes, Bearsuit, 65daysofstatic, That Fucking Tank, Yourcodenameis:milo, Neils Children, Emmy The Great, Gogol Bordello, Motormark, The Go! Team, Amusement Parks on Fire, Klaxons, Dead Meadow, The Slits.

  • they

    played a few years ago.

    same year as 80s matchbox i think

  • this is how to do

    a local music festival, only a month away!

    http://www.adropintheocean2005.com/

    • .

      aye, but thats £8!

      • yep

        i hate charity too.

        • i love

          how everything is taken to the extreme on the internet.

          • here is my pan

            it is dead. i think i killed it, but maybe it was just an accident.

            • more bands

              have now been announced

              www.middlesbroughmusiclive.co.uk

              • 65daysofstatic

                Yes they are indeed playing. And the line up isn't actually that bad. Though looking at last years its not quite as good.Saying that HoTS are better than the thrills....