Middlesbrough Music Live is no more…
long live INTRO!
Music Live has provided a whole load of fantastic memories for so many people over the last decade. Now we're back with a new name and a best ever line-up, and hopefully there will be plenty more great memories to come.
From the Kaiser Chiefs to Biffy Clyro, Florence and the Machine to Kasabian, the festival has built an enviable reputation for spotting the next wave of great live bands, and we're sure that 2011 will prove no exception. Some of the most exciting new bands in the world are playing right here on your doorstep. The best part of 100 acts across a dozen stages, right in the heart of Middlesbrough. But it's not just about new talent. This year we've upped the big name quotient, and our clutch of headline acts can boast over 50 hit singles between them. Plenty of familiar tunes to sing along to then!
We're also delighted to provide a platform for Teesside's finest original performers. This year almost 200 bands applied to appear at the festival and we are delighted to showcase 20 of the best on our two Homegrown Stages. And, brand new for this year, we're also pleased to welcome a clutch of great new poetry, theatre and street-dance at mima.
Of course, as you'll probably be aware, we're charging for the first time. This was a tough decision to make, but it was the only way to ensure a future for the event, and it seems like most people understand the situation. If you do the sums then it works out less than 20p a band, so hopefully you'll agree that the ticket price still represents decent value for money!
Enjoy the show.
Judith Croft, Middlesbrough Council Festival & Events Manager Graham Ramsay, Ten Feet Tall
Event Co-ordinators.
Welcome to the first ever Intro Festival.
Building on the success of Music Live over the last decade, Intro is already well on the way to making its mark as one of the stand-out highlights of the cultural calendar – not just in Middlesbrough but throughout the whole of the North-East and beyond. We've already had some great national coverage this year, with The Guardian and the Daily Telegraph both listing our festival as one of their top summer events. They've both picked up on Intro's reputation for bringing the best new acts from all over the world to the town – and it clearly shows that we can stand proudly shoulder to shoulder with some of the biggest summer events in the land.
It promises to be a fantastic day – a great way to show that we really are a City at Heart – and I hope everyone who comes along has a hugely enjoyable time.
Councillor Charles Rooney, Executive Member for Regeneration and Economic Development.