We are continuing to build momentum behind our growing live music series Soundcheck with a huge headline show from one of the region’s most exciting emerging artists, George Bailey, this Thursday 14 May.
Hosted by Nicky Hargreaves of Promoting Local, Soundcheck has quickly established itself as a vital platform for grassroots talent across Tees Valley and the wider North East, creating a space where audiences can discover new artists in an intimate live setting while giving musicians the opportunity to perform on one of the region’s leading cultural stages.
Following strong early response to our first Soundcheck night and growing word of mouth across the regional music scene, we are now preparing for our biggest event to date as George Bailey launches his debut EP Dream alongside a standout regional line-up featuring Nice Guy, Alex Lyons and Jake Diaz.
Bailey returns to perform live in Stockton following a memorable appearance at this year’s Stockton Calling festival, where his powerful set drew strong praise and further cemented his growing reputation as one of the region’s standout emerging artists.
The series forms part of our wider commitment to championing original live music and nurturing the next wave of artists emerging from the North East, building on the energy and excitement currently surrounding the region’s grassroots scene.
George Bailey has spent more than a decade shaping a sound that fuses electric alt rock, soulful folk and emotionally driven songwriting. Backed by a band known for explosive live performances and raw emotional connection, Bailey’s shows move seamlessly between huge full-band moments and stripped back intimacy.
Speaking ahead of the show, George Bailey said: “This feels like a massive moment for us. The EP has been years in the making and these songs are incredibly personal, so getting the chance to launch Dream at ARC in front of a home crowd is really special. Soundcheck is already becoming something important for artists in the region because it genuinely gives emerging musicians a platform to be seen and heard.
“The North East has so much talent and there’s a real movement building around original music right now. We’re buzzing to be part of it.”
Joining George Bailey on the bill are Middlesbrough indie favourites Nice Guy, who continue to make waves locally with their alternative indie sound after performances at Stockton Calling and support slots with Avalanche Party.
Opening the evening will be Teesside singer songwriter Alex Lyons, whose heartfelt folk-pop songwriting and rich vocals have seen her support artists including Joe Hammill and Cattle & Cane, while guitarist Jake Diaz and his band bring soaring melodies and blues-soaked indie influences inspired by everyone from Jimi Hendrix to The Stone Roses.
Chantal Taylor, Marketing & Communications Manager at ARC, added: “Soundcheck was created to give emerging artists from the North East a genuine platform and to give audiences the chance to discover incredible live music right on their doorstep. The response to the series already has been fantastic and it’s exciting to see people really connecting with what we’re trying to build.”
“There’s something really special happening musically across Teesside and the wider North East at the moment. We have amazing artists, brilliant grassroots venues and audiences that genuinely care about live music. Soundcheck is about celebrating that and helping create opportunities for artists to grow. George Bailey is the perfect headline artist for this next event because his live show captures everything the series is about.”
Additional Soundcheck dates and future line-ups will be announced soon as we continue to expand the series across the year.
Every edition of Soundcheck features a carefully curated line-up showcasing artists making their mark across the region. Previous events have featured performances from Melanie Baker alongside artists connected to Copy Crawl 2026, helping establish Soundcheck as one of the North East’s newest and most exciting grassroots music initiatives.
The event takes place on Thursday 14 May from 7.30pm and is open to ages 14+, with under 16s accompanied by an adult, helping create accessible opportunities for younger audiences to experience grassroots live music in a safe and welcoming environment.