boundaries 2025

“…Boundaries is most effective and affecting when it pushes hardest, as it captures something of Sunderland’s character, its Northern humour, coastal weirdness and industrial clang… It’s big, bold – and it doesn’t feel out of place…” The Wire Magazine

“ It was so exciting to be thrown onto such a wild and glorious bill, a right old stew of new artists rubbing shoulders with some real legends of the underground scene. Right from the off Boundaries had that elusive sense of 'MAGIC' in the air! “ Richard DAWSON

BOUNDARIES 2025!! I am so excited by the full programme, the plan for the 5th birthday was to always invite back old friends, some new faves and of course welcome you all again to create that truly special warm welcoming atmosphere that only Boundaries seems to create. This years line up features some top tier masters of their crafts and i can’t wait to see them all rip it up in Sunderland this November..

Real talk for a moment, this years event will be funded by my own personal savings and door ticket sales.

We were unsuccessful with THREE applications for arts funding that would of supported one of most ambitious art and music events in Sunderland for sometime.

It was a blow and upsetting..

BUT THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

Its all frankly terrifying and overly exciting at the same time….maybe more terrifying if im honest HA!

Door tickets dont pay for the fest though, arts funding does, arts funding helps hugely with production costs, artists fees, artists travel, advertising, stage managers, sound engineers, all staff, websites, hotels, locations, taxis, flight luggage, and more and more, you get the picture right!

So for the first time we have 4 ticketing options.

We still want everyone who wants to attend to be able to attend, so we still have the original £15 for 2 day pass, but then we have 3 solidarity options: £25 / 35 / 45.

Choosing a solidarity ticket helps us pay artists fairly, cover costs, and keep Boundaries accessible for everyone. Every bit of extra support truly makes a difference. There will also be day passes available at £10 / 15 / 20 these will be available in a couple of weeks time when announcing day tickets.

2 DAY PASSES are available below and at the ticket header -

https://musiccity.uk/spektrix/ChooseSeats?EventInstanceId=2601AQNNVGDSDNTBVTJRRMQNTDRTBBNTQ

FRIDAY DAY TICKETS BELOW..

https://musiccity.uk/spektrix/ChooseSeats?EventInstanceId=4801ANHPDLLRCQPPBDBQTRQJMPNKSLKPJ

SATURDAY DAY TICKETS BELOW..

https://musiccity.uk/spektrix/ChooseSeats?EventInstanceId=5001ABHHSRBTQRMRKVQTDCNNRTMMJHMGD

So lets do this..Here is the incredible full programme for BOUNDARIES 2025!

We have the prodigious, Australian drummer Will Guthrie and his ENSEMBLE NIST NAH. An 8 piece percussive ensemble that channels many rhythmic influences while heavily flowing through Gamelan styles. It will be quite something in The Minster on Saturday night.

FELICIA ATKINSON a stunning French, critically acclaimed pianist and producer who creates simply beautiful compositions on the piano, using voice and field recordings to manipulate her environment.

AJA IRELAND is a tour de force, an absolute powerhouse of hyper dance fun loud electronica, there will be many shapes made on the dancefloor when Aja tears the roof off headlining Friday night at Poprecs!

HYPERDAWN are an incredible duo creating what writers have described as ‘ broken pop’, its like this ambient slushy slow burner R n B with tape loops, noise and heart melting vocals.

RHODRI DAVIES is simply a Boundaries fave and its 5 years in the making to get him on the Boundaries stage, witnessing Rhodri perform is quite something, taking traditional instruments such as his custom made Harp and with a blistering modern abstract approach..do not miss this.

SLY AND THE FAMILY DRONE are a juggernaught of raw fun noise free form chaos rock, their shows start with about 5 members then there are 500 by the end of their gigs everyone in the audience has an instrument or object swinging and smashing it in unison, creating this pure elation, pure joy, pure fun.

CONSTANCE/NYOUKIS travel to Sunderland from their cozy world in Brighton via West Lothian in Scotland, this legendary duo of Dylan Nyoukis and partner Karen Constance are total masters of their World, a world where absolutely anything can go and it will, these improv junks, voice creaks, tape gloop sampling gunks will smitten you with a sound from the insides,

AILBHE NIC OIREACHTAIGH a solo viola player who creates a deep and sometimes distorted immersive universe using only her loyal Viola, these intimate performances are incredibly inspiring and this kind of set is very rare in this neck of the woods!

ALEX MACKAY a solo musician, artist and producer who makes music that is process focused.. the electronic and acoustic sounds, projected into and mediated by physical spaces and materials, captured and recaptured; pieces are constructed through iterative cycles, compositional structures of time and harmonic space expanding and contracting in tandem with physical processes…lets do this my people!!

THE UNIT AMA are simply one of the more electrifying live bands to come from these shores in many a decade. A power trio if there ever was one indeed, sharp cutting avant guitars supported by deep anchored bass, while its all summoned and strapped in by one the best drummers around OH YES…

DAWN TERRY plays slow, melancholic, optimistic music for sad people. Based in Newcastle, she is a veteran drone artist, producing work that is heavy, dreamlike, open and hypnotic.

In her recent music Dawn has turned towards acoustic resonances provided by accordion, hurdy-gurdy, and voice. Both cleaner and denser than ever before, Dawn is now producing large scale minimalist landscapes characterised by an austere openness, barely punctured by hypnotic drumming or slowly intoned vocals and stories of survival and vengeance.

TIM SHAW SOUNDWALK Sound recordist and researcher Tim Shaw will lead a unique Soundwalk, inviting you to experience Sunderland in an entirely new way. Using an array of specialist and custom-built microphones, he will capture the city’s hidden sonic textures in real time. As you walk with wireless headphones, you’ll not only hear the world around you but also discover the secret sounds that lurk beneath the River Wear, revealed through Tim’s hydrophones. All of these layers will be live mixed and processed, creating an extraordinary sonic collage that reimagines the soundscape of the city.

Collaboration is central to Tims approach & he has engaged in interdisciplinary partnerships with medieval musicologists, medical scientists, anthropologists, geologists, architects and astrophysicists. He has been lucky enough to make artistic work with Chris Watson, Phill Niblock, and Dirty Electronics (among many others).

Spaces are very limited due to the number of wireless headphones. We will announce a call out for people interested MIDDLE OF OCTOBER so stay tuned! The Soundwalk is approx 2 hours long, starting 10.30am Saturday morning.

What a truly remarkable incredible programme of artists! All exclusively performing in Sunderland this November. There is no other programme or any other event like this in the UK this Winter!!

I can’t thank you all enough for the kind words and support over the past 4 magnificent years, it doesn’t go unnoticed and thank you all so so much.

As mentioned earlier this years event is funded by my own personal savings so any help sharing the fest, sharing posters, spreading the word is greatly greatly appreciated.

Boundaries Festival embodies the belief that art and creative expression should be accessible to everyone. By maintaining low entry prices, we hope to create an inclusive environment where people with similar interests can come together in a friendly, affordable, and inspiring space. 

Please share and spread the word to whoever you feel maybe interested in this year's Boundaries. 

We genuinely appreciate all the support getting the word out. 

There'll be more updates near to the festival.. 

Thank you so much, take it easy outhere… 

Team B x