Irish punk legends Stiff Little Fingers are to join the line-up of this summer's Kubix Festival in Sunderland, it has been announced.
The enduring favourites - who have been touring for more than 40 years, having formed in 1977 at the height of the Northern Ireland Troubles - will take to the main stage at the festival in July where they will join the likes of The Levellers; New Model Army and Sunderland's own post-punksters The Futureheads.
The festival will make a return to Herrington Country Park, on the outskirts of the city, for the third year from July 10-11 and Stiff Little Fingers are the last band to be revealed for the second day's independent music showcase - following a Saturday of pop starring the likes of Vengaboys and, in a festival return, East 17.
Best known for the likes of Alternative Ulster, Suspect Device, Wasted Life and Nobody’s Hero, the band are regularly on the road.
Last year they supported metal giants Metallica in Ireland while in 2020 their regular two-tours-a-year schedule will take them as far afield as Japan, Australia and New Zealand and Japan.
But playing Kubix Festival will mark something of a home from home for frontman Jake Burns who previously spent many years in the North East while the band's guitarist Ian McCallum - who joined Burns and fellow original bandmates, bassist Ali McMordie and drummer Steve Grantley, in 1996 - is from County Durham.
The two-day family-friendly festival will play out within sight of the Penshaw Monument. Here's a guide to what's happening and when:
Friday, July 10
This day will be devoted to 80s and 90s pop and confirmed acts to far are:
Vengaboys
N-Trance
East 17
Ultra Nate
Blow Monkeys
D:ream
Smoove & Turrell
Urban Cookie Collective
Culture Beat
Livin' Joy
Vandebilt
A set also will be played by top house DJ Allister Whitehead (Ministry of Sound and Gatecrasher) and more DJs have yet to be announced.
Saturday, July 11
This is the day for alternative and indie acts and here is the complete line-up:
Main Stage
The Wedding Present and Wilko Johnson will open at the main stage.
Headliners
The Levellers
SLF
New Model Army
Ash
Cast
The Selecter
Marquee Stage
This will be bigger than previous years and will feature home-grown favourites who are set to pull in the crowds.
The Futureheads
Gang of Four
Dreadzone
The Farm
Holy Moly & The Crackers
Death of Guitar Pop
Duncan Reid & The Big Heads
Crashed Out
A limited number of early bird tickets, costing £22 (plus booking fee), are available for each day of the festival. Weekend tickets are available too. See here.
Camping tickets for the whole weekend will be available this year too for the first time.
Organisers are also planning to double the number of bars. On-site parking will remain free while those planning to leave their cars at home can take advantage of cheap shuttle buses running from Newcastle, Gateshead, Durham Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Darlington and even Leeds (Saturday only).
For more about the festival see here.
