At the weekend Northern Kin Festival returned this time at its new location of Thornley Hall Farm in County Durham. And with a mini heatwave hitting the region, it was the perfect timing for an outdoor music festival. Thousands of music fans descended on the beautiful festival site, many of whom were camping in the adjacent fields.

With the sun high in the sky it was time to break out the factor fifty, grab a cold beverage, pop up your deck chair and revel in the eclectic line-up of music on offer across the site’s three stages. Thankfully, Mother Nature must have gotten the memo this weekend. There was not a rain cloud in sight.

Friday

Deck chairs lined the fields, and the sun was high in the sky as Nine Below Zero took to the main stage. The group’s brand of harmonica-driven blues got the early arrivals to the site moving on Friday afternoon. Subsequently, Rosalie Cunningham enchanted the big top stage. Performing with a five-piece band the artist’s spellbinding voice and beguiling progressive rock was a Friday highlight.

Ska outfit Death of Guitar Pop, The Dutty Moonshine Band, and Alabama Three are bands that know how to work a festival crowd. Their infectious energy and diverse musical pallets got the County Durham crowd dancing from the off.

Perhaps one of the standout performances on Friday was The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. The iconic artist’s set featured video projections and costume changes galore. His timeless psychedelic sound was like a portal to the sixties and the audience loved every minute of it. A combustible performance from the "God of Hell Fire".

Even main stage headliners Starsailor commented that they were in awe of Arthur Brown. The indie outfit provided the perfect soundtrack to a summer evening with songs like Fever, Lullaby, and the unmistakable Good Souls all featuring. Meanwhile, former MMA fighter Kris Barras’ set certainly packed a punch whilst closing out the big top stage. Songs like Savages, Who Needs Enemies and Dead Horses punctuated the heaviest set of the day.

Saturday

Saturday saw another glorious day in County Durham.  Los Angeles-based Americana quartet Heathen Apostles kicked off the proceedings at lunchtime as people filled onto the site from the neighbouring campsite. Whilst Brit rockers Marissa and the Moths blew off the cobwebs for anyone who had maybe partied a bit too hard on Friday night.

The Love of Shane McGowan performed their first-ever show at Northern Kin and did a great job in the process. The group delivered a poetic homage to the late Pogue’s frontman showcasing traditional Irish music including many classics from McGowan's repertoire.

Hailing from Bradford, rock guitarist Chantel McGregor’s blistering playing lit up the stage during songs such as Lose Control, the ethereal Eternal Dream, and the hard-rocking Killing Time.

The North East’s own Hayley McKay made the first of two appearances in the region this week performing an impressive set on the acoustic stage at Northern Kin. Hayley will also perform on the main stage at Hardwick Festival on Sunday afternoon.

A laser-fuelled show from space rockers Hawkwind concluded Saturday evening whilst The Waterboys performed under Durham’s night sky.

Sunday

The heatwave continued on Sunday. With temperatures in the mid-20s, there were more than a few in the crowd looking a tad red from the previous day’s festivities. It was time for some aftersun and a cool drink as the crowd assumed their positions in front of the main stage for the final day of the event.

It’s always difficult being the first band on a Sunday. Especially after two days of partying. But Morganway were the ideal Sunday pick-me-up. The uplifting six-piece UK country rockers had to set off at 5 am to make it to Durham in time for their noon spot and the early risers on site certainly appreciated their efforts.

Urban Voodoo Machine arrived at the stage dressed in black and red matching attire. Singer Paul-Ronny Angels whisky-soaked voice along with the band’s characteristic blues groove accompanied Sunday brunch. Having performed at the event previously the band has established themselves as Northern kin favourites.

British blues/rock guitar prodigy Toby Lee took the Durham audience to the crossroads with his fiery fretwork early afternoon before returning to the stage for a guest spot with headliner Jools Holland. The artist was one of many blues-orientated performers on Sunday's bill along with Liverpool's Xander and the Peace Pirates and an astonishing set from Welsh soulful blues outfit Cardinal Black.

Elsewhere around the festival site Mike Peters of the Alarm performed a solo set in the big top, before Then Jericho's Mark Shaw surprised the crowd with a cover of Song 2 by Blur. The latter was perhaps not on most people's Sunday bingo cards.

The rather special dub reggae sounds of Dreadzone was a big feature of Sunday at Northern Kin. Songs like Rise Up, Iron Shirt and Little Britain got the huge crowd inside of the big top moving to their danceable rhythms.

As the sun began to set over another year at Northern Kin, the calibre of music on display on the final day of the event was second to none. The Bay City Rollers, Skippinish, The Wedding Present, Big Country and Billy Bragg carried the musical proceedings towards the finish line.

An eagerly anticipated set from Jools Holland was always going to be the cherry on top of the three-day festival bill. Accompanied by his gigantic ensemble along with special guests including The Selector’s Pauline Black the musical maestro put on a show. It was reminiscent in places of his Late Night with Jools Holland programme on BBC, it was almost as if the Northern Kin crowd were given their very own Hootenanny. Jools Holland was the perfect way to conclude three magical days at Northern Kin.

Northern Kin will return between the 1st to 3rd August, 2025 and is not to be missed.