Hit the North Festival organisers have today announced the return of the North East's largest inner-city festival and will welcome Sydney Indie stars DMA’S as part of its most ambitious line-up to date.
The 2020 event, which will be in its fourth year, will take place across multiple high profile venues in Newcastle City on 3rd May and will also welcome rising stars Fickle Friends, Brighton guitar band The Magic Gang, pop-soul star Rhys Lewis, Ryan McMullan and West Yorkshire indie quartet Working Men's Club to the bill.
As with previous editions, which has seen the likes of Jake Bugg, Tom Grennan, Peace, The Horrors and Ratboy perform, next year’s Hit The North lineup is brimming with talented bands and artists on the cusp of greatness.
DMA’S hail from Australia and take a healthy dose of inspiration from 90s Britpop, meaning that in recent years they have become an adopted indie staple in the UK. The Sydney three-piece quickly gained popularity thanks to their debut single ‘Delete’ back in 2014 and their following has grown continuously since.
In addition to two successful albums, ‘Hills End’ and ‘For Now’ DMA’S are well known for their cover of ‘Believe’ by Cher which they recorded for Triple J’s 'Like A Version'.
In 2020, the band are set to release their third album on 24th April which features the sensational lead single ‘Silver’.
DMA’S have a strong track record of selling out Newcastle shows, including their last outing at Newcastle’s O2 Academy so fans are strongly advised to snap up their Hit The North tickets, with organisers confirming an expected festival sell-out.
Speaking about today's announcement, Festival Organiser, Steve Davis, said: “It feels great to be back! In a region where continuous cuts are being made to cultural projects, Hit The North is a vital platform for connecting promising artists with new music fans.
“It also showcases Newcastle’s richness as a musical city in terms of its venues and homegrown artists.
“Hit The North will return in 2020 and we hope that the festival will continue to boost the profile of Newcastle and the wider North East region as a vibrant hub for new music.”
Fickle Friends from Brighton are made for Hit the North Festival. Their playful brand of synth-laden pop captures the imagination of anyone who encounters them live. Fickle Friends’ UK autumn 2018 tour completely sold out at all venues including London’s Shepherds Bush. This October they released ‘Amateurs’ their first single taken off their upcoming second album.
The Magic Gang are another notable festival-friendly Brighton band on the lineup. Their eponymous debut album released back in March 2018 was met with praise from the public and British music press. Before playing Hit The North, The Magic Gang are set to support Blossoms on their March 2020 tour alongside The Lathums, who will also play the festival.
The next instalment of Hit The North will continue its tradition of introducing exciting new acts. This time around, newcomers include singer-songwriters Rhys Lewis, Ryan McMullan and Lauran Hibberd in addition to bands such as Marsicans.
The festival will also maintain its commitment to championing local acts including FEVA, Martha Hill, Picnic, Fever Days and Motel Carnation.
With more artists and festival venues set to be revealed in the coming weeks, Hit the North Festival is poised for its most ambitious and diverse line-up to date.
Published on 23 November 2019 by Ben Robinson
