News: The Gathering Sounds – First Wave Announcement

The Gathering Sounds returns to Stockton on Saturday 26th September, and the first wave for 2026 already reads like the festival’s boldest statement yet. Leading the charge are Birmingham indie heavyweights overpass, Belfast’s fast‑rising guitar outfit Basht, and Manchester shoegaze force TTSSFU, setting the tone for another multi‑venue takeover across KU, ARC, The Georgian Theatre, The Link, The Social Room and The Green Room.

overpass arrive with serious momentum, pairing widescreen indie ambition with huge, emotionally charged choruses. Basht bring swaggering riffs and explosive live energy, while TTSSFU’s hazy, fuzz‑soaked sound adds a darker, dream‑leaning edge to the bill. They’re joined by dance‑punk disruptors Good Health Good Wealth, hook‑driven Manchester outfit M60, and electro‑charged post‑punk duo Shelf Lives.

The North East is well represented too. Newcastle songwriter Charlie Floyd continues his ascent with sharp, melodic indie; Sunderland art‑pop five‑piece Swindled bring theatrical chaos and rising national attention; and Stockton’s Daisy Brown showcases her soulful blend of indie‑folk, pop and R&B.

Elsewhere, the first wave also features Cutscene, George Bailey, I See Orange, James Witham, Marketplace, Marrick, The Dream Machine and The Kellows, with many more still to be announced.

Now firmly established as one of the UK’s key tastemaker festivals, The Gathering Sounds continues to bring the country’s most exciting new artists to Teesside long before they break nationally. Spokesperson Jordan Kean said: “We couldn’t be more proud of this lineup, it might just be our best one to date”… I think these events are really necessary for an area like Teesside. We’re often missed off the big tours these days so being able to bring all the best new acts to people’s doorsteps is a massive boost for music fans round here.”