Sunniside Ready to Hit the Right Note at City's Music Festival

Sunderland’s up and coming Sunniside quarter will be buzzing with music as gardens, bars and restaurants host a variety of acts as part of the city’s forthcoming Sunderland Live Festival.

To celebrate the arrival of Take That and Oasis to the city, Sunniside will be providing musical entertainment over the two week period of the Festival, starting from this weekend (SAT).

From festival brass and and DJs in Sunniside Gardens and Mowbray Park to local singers and musicals at top restaurants, there really will be something to suite all palates.

Talented North East singer-songwriter Jamie Squires will be performing at award-winning restaurant Amore every Tuesday evening. Jamie has supported the likes of Rick Wakeman, Alan Clark and Mark Knopfler from Dire Straits, Journey South and Brian Johnson from ACDC.

Pat McMahon and Bob Kent from the popular band Blue Diamonds will perform at Eauzone Restaurant on the evening of Sunday May 31 and June 14 while musical theatre lovers can catch Calamity Jane at the Theatre Restaurant every Saturday until June 13.

ThePlace café will be presenting music from the region’s emerging bands including The Flytes and The Generals on Sunday June 7 and Emerald Thieves on Sunday June 14. ThePlace is also the venue for the Sunderland Echo’s Sounds Xplosive competition which aims to find the best unsigned band in Sunderland and East Durham. Sponsored by Sunniside-based Greenhouse Music and Sunniside Partnership, the final of the competition will take place on Friday June 12 from 6.30pm.

There will be free music in Sunniside Gardens from 1pm to 6pm on Saturday June 6 and 13, including festival brass, bands and DJs. In Mowbray Park there will be a jazz theme on Sunday June 7 and Latin music on Sunday June 14, 2pm to 4pm.

Ben Hall, director of Sunniside Partnership, said: “It’s great to see so many of the businesses getting involved in what promises to be a fantastic festival in the city.

“Sunniside is lucky to have among its venues award-winning Gardens and a wealth of stylish, quality bars and restaurants for people to enjoy music in.

“There will be so much going on in the area that anyone who hasn’t got a ticket for the Stadium concerts certainly won’t be left disappointed.”

To see the full programme of events visit www.sunderlandevents.co.uk