One of the first music festivals on the calendar, Stockton Calling continues to deliver a true celebration of new and original music from the north east and beyond. Spread across nine venues in the town, the event is 100% focussed on bands and solo artists ranging from indie, pop, jazz and rock with a strong contingent of regional talent.

We kicked our festival off at The Vault with some melodic indie from The North who had hints of Idelwild’s style and piqued with an upbeat number about insomnia.

Keen to explore a variety of genres we then caught Stockton’s own Marina Josephina over the road at Arc who gave a truly joyful set of simple but soulful lounge music including a touching tribute to her best friend Emily and a tune about kindness because as the world seemingly burns, why the hell not!?

Arc 2 was the backdrop for Nature Kids, a highlight of the day, this quirky group oozed a humility, sense of fun and delivered a unique blend of Americana and folk with a dash of Kurt Vile about them - although his violators don’t have a song about spitting off a bridge as far as I’m aware.

We managed to catch a couple of tunes from Merseysider’s Wull before a genuinely goosebump inducing set from jazz collective SwanNek on the BBC Introducing stage spearheaded by a front woman with one of the most remarkable, soulful voices I’ve heard in over 30 years of gigging.  Their set included a guest a slot for a Jamaican vocalist to get things going before progressing through a gorgeous song called Flinch and instrumental crescendo I Remember William which fused drum and base with beautiful keyboard work.

Adult DVD at the Social Room had a hard act to follow but they delivered a brilliant performance which was anthemic at times and looked to carve out its own synth-pop niche.  The room was genuinely jumping and no more so than during the brilliant Bill Murray finale.

The last act we caught were seasoned three-piece touring dynamos Bromheads Jacket.  Their charismatic frontman gave some of the front row stints on his lead guitar and a number called The Grind, highlighting the plight of those who are skint despite working hard was always going to resonate with the Teesside masses.

Simon Lunt