Interview: Anthony Thompson (Notion Live Events)

A Stone’s Throw returns to North Shields on Saturday 23rd May for its fourth edition. The event is a full‑day, multi‑venue celebration of new music that spills across one of the North East’s most exciting coastal towns. The festival threads together independent venues, community spaces and intimate stages, showcasing a sharp mix of emerging and established artists from around the UK and beyond.

This year’s lineup is co‑headlined by dark‑pop sensation Luvcat and Manchester indie‑electronic juggernauts Working Men’s Club, and also features London guitar outfit Ain’t, East Midlands indie‑pop risers Cherryholt, Irish newcomers Croíthe, Belfast heavy‑hitters Chalk, Welsh firebrands (and special guests) Panic Shack, thrilling songwriter Gia Ford, alt‑newcomer Imogen and the Knife, and North Shields’ own Hector Gannet, alongside a strong run of emerging regional talent.

The team responsible for promoting the A Stone’s Throw is Notion Live Events. We caught up with their promoter and director Anthony Thompson to find out more…

What first sparked the idea for A Stone’s Throw Festival?
A simple walk along the coastline during COVID sparked the idea. I’d been locked down with my girlfriend for months and when were finally let out, we went for a big walk.

This is when the idea came about and inspired the bus concept! To help save their knees, I knew I’d need something to transport attendees from venue to venue!

Looking back, what have been some of your standout or happiest moments from the festival so far?
Seeing the room go absolutely bonkers for Psychedelic Porn Crumpets last year was a real moment! That and also delivering the 2024 event. It was a real challenge to get the event off the ground and knowing we could deliver it a second time was really rewarding!

When you’re booking artists, what catches your attention?
As a booker I must have an open mind when it comes to genres and styles. That said, I’m looking for artists who are not only great at what they’re doing musically, but I want to see vibe across all of their activites.

Their imagery, live performances, tone of voice, and attitude all need to stand out, showing real artistry and professionalism.

What are the biggest challenges in keeping a festival like this running year after year?
Competing for the bigger acts on the line up and securing funding. Multiple events are happening across Europe the same weekend, all competing for exciting artists.

We must show consistency and continue building the event so that it stands out and becomes one artists want to play.
Then, they’re excited to see the offer land! Funding always helps too, and that can be a bit of a pain!

What has the festival taught you since you first launched it?
It’s expensive and from a marketing perspective, multi-band line ups can be difficult to communicate. It’s about selling the experience and the community aspect. That can be a challenge!

Tell us about this year’s edition — what should people be excited about, and are there any changes from last year?
The event now only takes place in North Shields whereas in the past, it took place across Tynemouth & North Shields. We feel this serves the attendees and the artists much better! You can land at venues much quicker!

Somebody else, not us, labelled our line-up as ‘brave for the north’. I get what they mean, acts such as LUVCAT playing North Shields is incredible! This is an artist who could go on to be one of the country’s biggest alt-pop exports! We’re proud to be doing something different and can’t wait to see the reception on the day!

How does North Shields shape the atmosphere and identity of the day?
Absolutely! It’s a conscious decision to deliver the event in North Shields, not Newcastle. We love Newcastle and its venues, but North Shields feels like a real day out! You can grab an ice-cream or a bag of chips between venues!
Fingers crossed the sun shines!

What do you hope people take away from the festival?
I hope people discover some new music which truly impacts their lives. That and I hope they enjoy discovering this amazing small town which is full to the brim with vibe, creativity, and a passionate community.

Tickets for A Stone’s Throw are available here.