Everything You Need to Know About… Generator Live 2023
Our must-know guide to one of the North East's most exciting music festivals
This September, Newcastle’s magnificent Boiler Shop plays host to the latest Generator Live Festival, an all-day event championing the region’s music scene.
Generator Live is a must for music fans from all over the North East – here’s our handy guide to everything you need to know to make the most of it.
What is Generator Live?
Generator Live is a one-day festival that gathers together some of the most exciting bands and performers from the North East for an event that celebrates and champions what a vibrant, varied scene we have going here on Tyneside and in the wider area.
The festival grew out of previous incarnations at Evolution Emerging and Tipping Point and over the years has given much-need support to artists like Sam Fender, who played a very early show back in 2014.
It's the culmination of a series of events including a trio of Fringe dates in Newcastle, Sunderland and Stockton, and a conference the day before the festival where hundreds of music industry players will be hosting workshops, masterclasses and seminars aimed at local artists, promoters and venues.
Who organises Generator Live?
It’s all the work of Generator, a talent development agency founded in Byker in 1991. The organisation works all year round offering training, workshops, conferences and more, all aimed at nurturing and developing the North East’s fantastic music scene.
Artists who’ve benefited from Generator’s support over the years include the aforementioned Sam Fender but also Du Blonde (Beth Jeans Houghton), Lanterns On The Lake and Nadine Shah. The festival and its related events are the annual jewel in the agency’s crown, a chance to show the region and the world what a brilliant range of talent the North East has to offer.
When is it happening?
The main festival takes place on September 16th, running from midday to 11pm. After that, there’s an electronics-based after-party featuring more acts and DJs from 10pm till late.
Where is it happening?
The all-dayer is at the Boiler Shop in the Stephenson Quarter, and the after-party is taking place at the legendary World HQ club in Carliol Square.
Which acts are playing?
Put simply, the line-up for the festival is amazing and packed full of regional talent. There’s Teesside noise-rap outfit Benefits, who’ve been making a huge splash with their defiant, issues-driven material and Little Comets who are relative veterans with a reputation for great hooks and a great show.
Hannabiell & Midnight Blue -a band familiar to anyone with an ear to the Newcastle ground who play a gorgeous blend of Afro-Caribbean rhythms, Latin percussion and a whole lot of funk - are playing too as is experimental folk innovator Me Lost Me, one of the most exciting artists in the region.
The nationally acclaimed Jayne Dent will take to the stage to with a set of her unusual and captivating blend of folk and electronica and other acts include Ernie, Venus Grrls, Dylan Cartlidge, Lizzie Esau, Avalanche Party, Sisi and Merczz. There'll also be sets from DJs Azula Bandit and Alannah Lamb.
Lamb will also be DJing at the after-party which will feature sets from Gracie T, Abby Harris, Rosie and Melba.
As Generator’s Head Of Creative Development Helen Wilkinshaw explained, it’s a particularly strong line-up this year.
“We are really excited to share this year’s line-up of incredible North East artists, who represent such a wide range of genres and influences, from across the region," she says.
"Generator Live Festival is our annual opportunity to shout about some of the North East talent we're working with through our multiple ongoing talent development programmes," adds Helen. "We also discover new talent through artist submissions and curated stages and platform artists who we feel are at a tipping point in their career trajectory."
How much are tickets?
Tickets for the event – which includes both the Boiler Shop and World HQ gigs – are £15 and available here. Registered NHS users of Tickets For Good can go along for free.
There’s no better way of taking the temperature of the current North East music scene than getting a ticket to Generator Live. You’ll get to see a host of exciting acts for just £15 – that’s just a quid an act! – and take part in an event that helps announce to the nation and the world that the North Easy really is on a musical roll at the moment.
