Festivals 11 must-see bits of Twisterella 2025

Ahead of Middlesbrough’s award-winning day fest, co-founder Andy Carr gives us his top tips and unmissable acts.

Photos: Lindsay Melbourne
10th October 2025

Making sure there’s no time for any post-festival season blues to set in, Middlesbrough’s Twisterella - which takes place across multiple venues, including Teesside University Students’ Union and Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt - is back tomorrow (11th October) for its 11th year. It’s an award-winning fest that has a stellar track record of showcasing some of the UK’s best emerging names before they get big (including Prima Queen, Dream Wife, and Sam Fender!), and 2025’s edition is shaping up to be just as chocka.

So to get you in the mood before tomorrow’s big day, here’s 11 things you don’t want to miss this Saturday, according to Twisterella co-founder Andy Carr.

Swim School

Ahead of the eagerly anticipated release of their debut album later this month, Scottish indie-rock heroes Swim School kick things off on the main stage in Teesside University SU Hub in the ‘reverse headliner’ slot. Produced by Iain Berryman (Wolf Alice, beabadoobee), their debut album will undoubtedly be a contender for album of the year, so be sure to get down to Twisterella early and soak it up.

Loren Heat

After graduating from Teesside Uni with a first class degree last summer, Boro’s very own rising pop icon Loren Heat returns to their old stomping ground this weekend after magnetic sets at Kendal Calling, The Great Escape and BBC Introducing from the Glasshouse. Seductive, sharp, and unapologetically fearless, Heat’s queer-pop explores the raw chaos of navigating life in the North East.

Champ

Technically their first ever gig (we’re going to ignore those sold-out secret warm-ups, OK?), hotly tipped indie quartet Champ have burst onto the Teesside scene in 2025 with some of the best songs this region has produced since Chris Rea decided to drive home for Christmas. Equal parts The War On Drugs and The Gaslight Anthem, ‘ones to watch’ doesn’t begin to do Champ justice.

Y

The least Google-friendly band name, Y’s members have played in bands like Fat White Family, Pregoblin, and Meatraffle, so you know you’re in safe yet unpredictable hands. They’re part of the same South London scene that brought previous Twisterella headliners Opus Kink into the limelight, their genre-defying wonk-rock has quickly earned them a reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting live bands. Unmissable.

Alkaline Kitchen

It would be remiss to head to Twisterella on an empty stomach, so be sure to pop into Alkaline Kitchen on your way to picking up your wristband. This fully vegan health cafe serves some of the most innovative and colourful food you’re likely to encounter. The tacos are a must.

The Twisted Lip

The amount of pubs, venues and coffee shops that have closed in Middlesbrough since Twisterella launched in 2014 is pretty depressing, so it’s more important than ever to support the independent businesses that are still standing! The Twisted Lip will be playing host to a couple of secret pop-up sets on Saturday, so pay them a visit for a pint or two and you never know who might start singing at you…

Play Brew Co

After the festival finishes, if you’re still in need of some mucky beer, head to PLAY. The former brewery is now home to one of Boro’s coolest after-hours spaces, with old-school arcade machines, a pool table and some absolutely massive slices of pizza.

PISS

Vancouver’s PISS are a noisy, genre-bending four-piece punk act combining music, poetry, sound collage, performance art, and various mediums of visual art to address complex themes that blur the line between personal and political. Giving Twisterella alumni THAT FUCKING TANK a run for their money in the NSFW band-name stakes, PISS would’ve been the perfect Westgarth Social Club (RIP) band. Westgarth Forever. The spirit lives on.

before close

The first ever gig for this new North East supergroup (or should that be superduo?), esteemed songwriters Jodie Nicholson and Joe Ramsey join forces to create a listening experience that is uncomplicated, home-grown and deeply human. The perfect soundtrack to a pumpkin spice latte: if Autumn had a favourite band, it’d be before close.

Our Man In The Field

Although he might have left Teesside back in 1998, OMITF’s Alex Ellis is proud to say he’s from Teesside and this very much feels like a homecoming. After warming up for his Twisterella slot with breathtaking sets at Glastonbury and Deer Shed this summer, Alex is bringing his full band to Boro to headline the Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt stage with their unique brand of cowboy-hip-hop.

Adult DVD

What a way to finish your day! The lauded Leeds lads will be closing Twisterella 2025 with their distinctive brand of danceable post-punk. Their debut appearance at Twisterella a few years back was one-in-one-out and quickly became the thing of legend — so don’t miss their triumphant return this weekend.

Twisterella 2025 takes place tomorrow (11th October) across various venues in Middlesbrough. Find out more and get last minute tickets at twisterella.co.uk.

Tags: Features, Festivals, Twisterella

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