Manchester’s bright new hopes Arkayla are coming to Sunderland this September to show what they’re all about (and what they’re about is well worth getting excited about).

The conveyor belt of world-class guitar bands hailing from the north-west shows absolutely no signs of slowing down, and its latest breakout stars are heading straight for Wearside. They’re Manchester four-piece Arkayla and they’re toting soaring melodies and sharp, witty songwriting to boot. It has been a stratospheric rise for the band, who have quickly shifted from packing out legendary hometown basements like Jimmy’s to earning major, high-profile endorsements. BBC 6 Music’s Guy Garvey is already a vocal champion, hailing their sound as “absolute class”, while the industry at large has earmarked them as one of the most vital new guitar bands in the country. What makes Arkayla stand out in a crowded indie scene is their impeccable fusion of influences as they seamlessly blend the classic, jangling Northern guitar hooks of the 1980s and 90s with unexpected flashes of Brazilian rhythm, all anchored by gorgeous, tight vocal harmonies and front-man Calum Gilligan’s wry, observant lyricism. In short: this is indie rock that manages to feel both comfortingly familiar and entirely fresh. DP

Arkayla, Friday 24 September, Independent, Sunderland, 7pm, £15.40, independentsunderland.com