Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith to headline new music festival being launched in Hartlepool this summer

Paul Smith. Picture credit: Ivan Jones..

Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith has been announced as the headline act for a new music festival coming to Hartlepool this summer.

Supported by Hartlepool Borough Council, Hartlepool Live is the town’s newest multi-venue music festival taking place on Saturday, June 15 from 1pm with stages across five venues, including Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre, The Studio, Hops and Cheese,Chilli Cake Kitchen & Bar and The Contemporary (13-14 Church Street).

Smith, who originally hails from Billingham, will be delighting music fans when he returns to top the bill at Hartlepool Live and play all of his crowd-pleasing indie anthems on the Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre stage.

Joining Smith on stage will be David Brewis from Field Music on guitar and backing vocals.

Paul Smith said: "I'm really pleased to be heading back to Hartlepool, where I spent a year at the art college and met some of my best friends.

“It's an honour to headline the first Hartlepool Live as I still live and work in the North East, and think it's important to have a vibrant local music scene.”

The festival line-up will include a mixture of home-grown talent with over 20 bands from Hartlepool alongside a few bigger names from the music scene.

Further details of the full festival line-up will be released daily from Monday, April 1, to Friday, April 5, on the Hartlepool Live official Facebook page.

Music fans are encouraged to book their tickets early to avoid disappointment.

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, March 29, when the first wave of 100 tickets will be released for the early bird price of £12.

Once those 100 tickets have sold, the next wave of tickets will be released at £15.

Tickets are available direct from www.destinationhartlepool.com, or the Town Hall Theatre Box Office, Raby Road on Friday, March 29 from 9am until noon.

Alternatively, tickets can be purchased from the box office on 01429 890000 (Tuesdays-Fridays 10am–4.30pm, Saturdays 10am–4pm).