BBC Introducing to shine a light on rising talent at Sunderland's Independent

BBC Introducing is bringing a night of emerging talent to Sunderland in partnership with Independent in Holmeside.

Curated by the BBC Introducing team in the North East, who broadcast across BBC Radio Newcastle and BBC Radio Teesside, the event will take place on Saturday, March 2 and will feature six handpicked artists from their coveted 'Ones to Watch' lists.

BBC Introducing has long been a driving force in the industry, championing emerging talent through regional radio play, national airplay opportunities, and festival stages including supporting iconic artists like Ed Sheeran and Catfish and the Bottlemen.

The program has been instrumental in launching the careers of numerous independent acts, making them a cornerstone in the music scene.

The carefully selected lineup for the Sunderland showcase includes the hometown heroes bigfatbig, who wowed audiences with a main stage performance at Waves festival last year, punk newcomers IRKED, Durham-based ivies, Newcastle rockers Jango Flash, the recently headline-touring Lizzie Esau, and the formidable funk powerhouses Moon Wax.

The evening will be hosted and compered by BBC Introducing presenter Shakk.

Ben Richardson, Independent's promoter, expressed his enthusiasm, saying: "We're thrilled to bring this event to Sunderland. Collaborating with industry peers to curate such events is always a joy, and working with Shakk and Jordan from BBC Introducing to craft this lineup of their top tips has been fantastic.

"We hope the people of Sunderland turn out to support this event and discover the incredible talent our region has to offer."

Tickets for BBC Introducing at Independent, priced £10, are available now at www.independentsunderland.com