Twisterella Festival

Spread across a cluster of venues in Middlesbrough town centre, this single-day event runs on the model of a walking festival: one wristband, several rooms, and a schedule that rewards moving between them. The focus sits firmly on new and emerging indie and rock acts, with regional bands from Teesside and the wider North East sharing bills with touring names climbing their way up. Because the venues range from the students' union to smaller bars and back rooms, sets feel close and unfussy, and the crowd tends to be there for discovery rather than a single headliner. Timings are staggered so committed listeners can catch fragments of many acts across an afternoon and evening. It tends to suit people who like planning a route through a lineup and finding bands before they get big.