One of the North East’s biggest celebrations of emerging music has added another major wave of artists to its 2026 lineup, with Tom A. Smith set to headline the iconic Georgian Theatre as The Gathering Sounds returns to Stockton-on-Tees this September.
The Sunderland singer-songwriter leads a standout second announcement featuring some of the UK’s most exciting new acts, including Glasgow post-punk favourites Humour, Leeds alternative outfit Bloodworm, Manchester indie duo Fletchr Fletchr, Manchester garage-rockers Pyncher, Pack of Animals, The Kowloons, Andrew Johnson & The Others, Central Arcade, Honeylight, Park View, Strop and Weathership.
They join an already impressive first wave featuring overpass, Basht., TTSSFU, Good Health Good Wealth, M60, Shelf Lives, Charlie Floyd, Swindled and Daisy Brown, as The Gathering Sounds prepares to once again transform Stockton town centre into one of the UK’s most exciting destinations for discovering new music.
Taking place on Saturday 26 September, the festival will once again take over venues including KU, ARC, The Georgian Theatre, The Link, The Social Room, The Green and NAME, with stages curated alongside respected national promoters including This Feeling.
Since launching in 2018, The Gathering Sounds has established itself as one of the country’s leading grassroots music festivals, building a reputation for booking artists just before they make the leap to much bigger stages.
Previous editions have featured early appearances from bands including The K’s, Lottery Winners, Sports Team, Sophie and the Giants and The Royston Club.
Few young artists have enjoyed a rise quite like Tom A. Smith. Still only in his early twenties, the Sunderland musician has already shared stages with Elton John, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Courteeners and Miles Kane, while becoming a regular favourite of BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music and Radio X.
Fresh from releasing his acclaimed new EP Put On A Record Tommy through Fiction Records, Smith arrives at The Gathering Sounds in the middle of another landmark year that has included BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, the Isle of Wight Festival and a packed run of UK dates.
One of the most anticipated additions is Humour, the Glasgow outfit whose intense blend of spoken-word lyricism, jagged guitars and explosive live performances has made them one of Scotland’s most talked-about alternative bands.
Leeds newcomers Bloodworm continue to build a growing reputation through emotionally charged alternative rock and uncompromising live shows.
FLETCHR FLETCHR have quickly become one of Britain’s most exciting young guitar bands. Now a four-piece, they blend soaring indie melodies with anthemic choruses and emotionally honest songwriting, earning support from Universal Music and building a growing reputation through relentless touring and standout festival appearances.
With their debut EP We All Feel The Same introducing a band full of ambition and heart, they’re another act heading to Stockton with serious momentum behind them.
Manchester’s Pyncher arrive with a reputation for electrifying, genre-blurring live shows that mix garage rock, post-punk and alternative rock. Fiercely independent and impossible to pin to one sound, they’re quickly becoming one of the most exciting new names on the UK’s grassroots circuit.
Liverpool’s Pyncher arrive with a reputation for chaotic garage-rock performances packed with razor-sharp riffs and punk energy, while Pack of Animals, The Kowloons, Andrew Johnson & The Others, Central Arcade, Honeylight, Park View, Strop and Weathership underline exactly what The Gathering Sounds has become known for – introducing audiences to artists before the rest of the country catches up.
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