A POPULAR indie rock band are heading to the North East’s biggest music festival, after a decade-long break from touring.
The Zutons will perform their greatest hits when they take to the stage at Hardwick Live Festival, at Hardwick Hall Hotel, at Sedgefield, County Durham, on Saturday 17 August.
And the festival will be the only opportunity for fans to see the band in the region this summer.
The Zutons rose to fame in 2004 following the release of their debut album Who Killed The Zutons, which sold more than 600,000 copies in the UK alone and earned the group a Mercury Prize nomination.
Their next album, Tired of Hanging Around, produced the hit song Valerie – which was later covered by Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse – before they released their third and final album, You Can Do Anything in 2008.
After eight years apart, the band reformed for a one-off fundraising show in 2016 and in late 2018 announced that they would perform at a limited number of dates around the UK this year to coincide with the 15th anniversary of their debut album.
“The Zutons have produced some fantastic songs during their career and we are delighted to welcome the band to the Hardwick Live Festival in August,” said John Adamson, who owns Hardwick Hall Hotel.
“The group are excellent performers and this is a rare opportunity to see them live after a long break in touring that fans won’t want to miss.
“The Zutons join a brilliant line-up set to entertain music fans across the weekend and it’s shaping up to be yet another amazing year.”
On Saturday, festival-goers can enjoy performances from headline act Manic Street Preachers, Stiff Little Fingers, Sister Sledge featuring Kathy Sledge and The Sherlocks.
Then on Sunday headliners James will entertain the crowd, along with Lisa Stansfield, Ziggy Marley, Billy Bragg and the Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club.
This year the festival will feature a dance arena, with world famous club brand Glitterbox taking over on Saturday with sets from top stars including Joey Negro and Horse Meat Disco, followed by North East brand Retro the next day, welcoming DJs such as Jeremy Healy and Brandon Block to the decks,
And topping the local DJ line-up over the weekend are Denney, Mark Jenkyns and Elliot Adamson – who have performed at venues around the world.
Tickets for this year’s Hardwick Live Festival are currently on sale at £55 for one day or £99 for both days. Concessions are available for children and 13-17-year-olds.
Camping and glamping options are also available for those who want to immerse themselves in the festival experience.
For more information or to book tickets, visit www.hardwicklive.co.uk.