Hit The North: Newcastle’s new Rock ‘n’ Roll Festival

The best young indie rock talent ‘Hit’s The North’


A new chapter in Newcastle’s music scene begins on the 27th April as Hit The North takes over a series of venues across the city to showcase some of the best emerging indie rock talent. The Facebook event promises to transform Newcastle ‘into the musical epicentre of the North.’

So far the event will take place across 2 days, with the main event, Hit The North, taking place on Friday 28th April, across multiple venues including the O2 Academy, Think Tank?, Riverside, Jumpin’ Jacks, and the Boiler Shop.

Tickets are £32, giving you access to both Hit The North and Meet The North, which takes place on Thursday 27th April.

Thursday’s curtain-raiser, ‘Meet The North’, was recently announced with local lads Little Comets headlining the line up. The rest of the line up features a host of young talent, including Life, who toured with Slaves last year, garage rock outfit Avalanche Party, Leeds band Clay, and Scottish rockers The Van T’s.

Kent’s punk rockers Slaves headline the main event on the Friday, after a breakthrough year in 2016 cemented their place as one of the best live bands around, with their loud heavy sound creating a raucous atmosphere. The line up is bolstered by five-piece Nothing But Thieves, Australian-based trio DMA’s, and the alternative punk rockers VANT.

Hit The North really focuses on emerging talent however, with the line up including many bands who are yet to release their debut album. Black Honey, who previously toured with Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Magic Gang, just off tour with Circa Waves and Fickle Friends, about to tour with The Kooks, are the stand out talents, who all seem set for a breakthrough year.

The line up has lots of depth also, ensuring there is constant music, with Geordie outfit The Pale White, dark-pop band Yonaka, garage-rockers The Bay Rays and Londoner’s King Nun, all worth noting if there is a gap in your schedule.


Hit The North looks to be a fantastic celebration of music, and a must for any rock ‘n’ roll fan.

Tips: Black Honey, VANT, The Bay Rays, Yonaka.