The line-up has been announced for the 2024 edition of the North East Calling punk all-dayer in Newcastle.
The popular event will be taking place at Northumbria Students Union in Newcastle on Saturday, 19 October – three weeks later than usual – but it’s an absolute cracker!
Returning to headline the mini-festival for the first time since 2021 are the Hersham Boys themselves, Sham 69.
Jimmy Pursey and his band always put on a show, and ’70s punk classics like If The Kids Are United, Hurry Up Harry and Borstal Breakout never grow old.
Also returning near the top of the bill are UK Subs, who have been pounding the punk circuit continuously since 1976, including many appearances at NEC.
Frontman Charlie Harper will be 80 by the time this year’s comes around, and though his band have given up touring, they’ll still make festival appearances such as this one for as long as he’s able to do it.
Third on the bill are Subhumans, whose frontman Dick Lucas is a relative youngster at 62, and they still kick up a storm with their furious anarcho-punk. Their latest album, 2019’s Crisis Point (reviewed here), was another classic to add to their strong back catalogue.
Moving further down the bill, and things start to get really interesting, with a first appearance by Random Hand, the West Yorkshire ska-punk-metal band whose self-titled album last year was one of their very finest.
Making a return visit for their second NEC appearance after an impressive debut in 2021 are The Bar Stool Preachers. The Brighton band are riding high on the crest of a wave after their third album Above The Static (reviewed here). They’re always a popular draw in town, and will be looking to impress.
County Durham streetpunks Gimp Fist are one of those bands who NEC doesn’t seem complete without, and after a year off they’re back to get the place bouncing to their anthemic oi!
The Defects, from Belfast, will also be playing NEC for the first time, as will fellow newcomers, Kent grime-punks Riskee And The Ridicule, whose energy will tear the place a new one in their mid-afternoon slot!
Watford Oi! trio Knock Off, who’ve just released a new album, are returning for a long-overdue encore after making their NEC debut back in 2018.
And another band from down south who will be given a warm northern welcome are Guitar Gangsters, who’ve played several Callings and always gone down a storm.
Opening proceedings for their first appearance since 2016 are County Durham hardcore crew In Evil Hour, who will get the day off to a rousing start
Early bird tickets for North East Calling 2024 are available now, priced £27.50 until 31 May (£32.50 thereafter). There’s a special £10 ticket offer for under-18s when bought with an adult ticket.
Tickets are available now from Reflex record shop in Newcastle, Hot Rats in Sunderland, and online from www.gigbox.co.uk HERE and www.seetickets.com HERE.
