[BY LIAM KITCHEN] For one night only, on the 29th of May, chaos will descend on Sunniside. Fifteen independent artists of all sorts of mediums and persuasions concentrated in one area for the sophomore iteration of Sunniside Nights. After an incredibly popular debut last year, with a great turnout of local arts aficionados, Sunniside Nights…

Our blog writer, Liam, talks to Rick McMurray, of Indie-rock band Ash, ahead of the launch of his side-project Burned As Witches. They make their headline debut at Pop Recs on Tuesday 14th April.

[By Liam Kitchen] It’s difficult to put into words quite how big of a spectacle the all-action vaudeville of Tankus is. Six pieces of energetic rock n’ roll, with sprinklings of psychedelia, funk, and swinging New Orleans-style jazz. Tankus’ line-up includes your conventional rock setup of guitar, bass, and drums alongside a brass section; it’s…

[By Liam Kitchen] It’s thirty-nine years not out for Alan Brown, and his shapeshifting sort-of-solo project, The Great Leap Forward. What started as a rebound from his previous band, bIG*fLAME, The Great Leap Forward has since evolved into its own mythology; equal parts mouthpiece for Brown’s political musings – and a sounding board for some…

[By Liam Kitchen] Ask anyone who’s passionate about music in Sunderland about Baz Warne, and chances are you’ll see their face light up in admiration. It seems like everyone has a story to tell about Baz, or has seen him in action at some point in his storied career. Chronicling how he cut his teeth…