Win five pairs of tickets to Sunniside Live + Battle of the Bands winner announced

Each year the Sunderland-based music festival gives an emerging band the chance to share the bill with the established headliners, with Manchester alt/indie band Kosmonauts winning the title this year following a public vote.

However, Sunderland-based unsigned band The Voyd proved so popular in the contest that they too have been given a performance slot.

The emerging acts join the likes of Lightning Seeds, Reverend and the Makers, The Bluetones, Cast and Larkins on the Saturday line-up of the two-day festival. Now in its fourth year, the event returns to Sunderland city centre on July 6 and 7.

Helen Davies, who organises the festival with Sean Maddison, said: “Battle of the Bands was so close this year. The Voyd came in as a very close runner-up to our winners Kosmonauts. So we are delighted that both bands will be on the line-up on Saturday, July 7.”

Consisting of Rob Snarr, Kieran Wilkinson, Callum Hollingsworth and Dean Chadwick, Kosmonauts have already made an impact with their self-titled EP, with two of the songs making it on to their local BBC Introducing show, as well as ITV’s This Morning.

The band said: “This will be our debut, not only in Sunderland, but also playing at a festival. We’re so hyped for this and excited to play alongside the boys in Larkins and Reverend And The Makers. Thanks to everyone who took their time to vote.”

Runners-up The Voyd are an indie band consisting of Calvin Doyle on vocals and guitar, James Summers on guitar. Joshua Young on bass and Alistair Watson on drums.

And while the Saturday of the festival will be indie-dominated, Friday night will be more soul and dance-focused with performances from Soul II Soul, Lovely Laura, Artful Dodger and DJ Graeme Park.

•Tickets to Sunniside Live on July 6 and 7 are priced £50 for a weekend ticket or £27.50 for a Friday ticket and £34.50 for a Saturday ticket.

They are available to buy online from www.sunnisidelive.com or you can pick them up in person from Sunderland city centre restaurant and bars Looking Glass (Mon-Sat, 9am-4pm); Bar Justice (Thur -Fri 4pm-1am, Sat 12-1am) and Gin & Bear It Bar (Thurs-Sat, 4pm-2am)

•We’ve teamed up with Sunniside Live to give away five pairs of tickets for the Saturday of the festival. To be in with a chance of winning, answer this question: Which of the Saturday acts had a hit with Heavyweight Champion of the World?

A) Reverend and the Makers

B) Cast

C) Lightning Seeds.

Send your answer and contact details to Sunniside Saturday Competition, Katy Wheeler, Johnston Press North East, 2nd Floor, Alexander House, 1 Mandarin Road, Rainton Bridge Business Park, Houghton, Sunderland, DH4 5RA.

Alternatively, email your answer and contact details to [email protected]