Stockton Calling has announced the first headliners for its 2027 return, with Liverpool favourites Red Rum Club and fast-rising Leeds outfit Adult DVD set to lead the bill when the festival takes over Stockton town centre next Easter.
The multi-venue festival returns on Saturday 27 March 2027, bringing more than ten hours of live music across venues including ARC, The Georgian Theatre, KU Stockton, The Social Room, The Green Room and The Link.
Red Rum Club will headline ARC, while Adult DVD take the top spot at The Georgian Theatre, continuing Stockton Calling’s habit for putting established names alongside artists who look nailed on to become the next big thing.
Previous editions have welcomed the likes of Sam Fender and Blossoms, alongside Circa Waves, Self Esteem and Reytons, underlining the festival’s reputation for catching artists at different points in their journey.
For Red Rum Club, the ARC headline slot is another step forward for a band who have spent years building their reputation the old-fashioned way: great songs, regular touring and an epic live show.
The Liverpool six-piece’s unique sound combines huge choruses and cinematic guitars with the soaring brass that has become one of their trademarks.
The Georgian Theatre will host Adult DVD, representing the festival’s great tradition of catching a band just as they’re starting to break through.
The Leeds six-piece have quickly become one of the UK’s most talked-about alternative acts, mixing hooky indie guitars with synths, electronics and a distinctly dancefloor-ready ’90s acid-house pulse.
Their self-titled debut album arrived in September, following support from BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music, while their increasingly busy live schedule has already taken them to SXSW, Glastonbury, Green Man, End Of The Road, the USA and Japan.
Jimmy Beck of KU Promotions says the two bookings capture exactly what Stockton Calling is about.
“Red Rum Club have been friends of ours for a long time and we’ve watched them grow into a band capable of commanding some seriously big stages. Having them headline ARC feels like a perfect fit.”
And then there’s Adult DVD.
“They’re one of those bands everybody seems to be talking about right now,” Beck adds. “And this is only the start.”
That combination of proven live firepower and new voices is what makes Stockton Calling brilliant and with more headliners and loads more artists still to come, there’s plenty to discover.
Stockton Calling 2027 takes place on Saturday 27 March 2027 across Stockton town centre.
Tickets are on sale now: stocktoncalling.co.uk
