Breaking Beyond Borders: How Live Showcases Are Powering the Northern Music Scene

In a world more digitally connected than ever, nothing compares to the power of performing live - especially when it’s on a stage outside of your hometown, in front of an audience who may have never heard of you before.

For emerging artists from the North, these moments can be the turning point in their career. That’s why Generator is proud to have supported 20 artists this year across national and international showcases - from Austin, Texas to Brighton. We've also recently announced our showcase at Kendal Calling in partnership with Soundwave Cumbria, Sonic Futures, BBC Introducing, which will spotlight a further 12 artists from the North East. These platforms don’t just offer visibility, they spark opportunity to allow artists to build fanbases in new regions, forge connections with managers, live agents, and creators, and experience real-time feedback that only a crowd can give.

The impact of live music is undeniable. According to Hometown Glory 2025, a report powered by UK Music, a record-breaking 23.5 million “music tourists” attended UK shows in 2024 - a 23% increase from the previous year. 21.9  million of these attendees were domestic, and 1.6 million came from overseas - a 62% rise from 2023. The sector contributed £10 billion to the UK economy (up from £8 billion in 2023). Proving what we already knew: live music is thriving, and Northern voices have a rightful place at the heart of it. With 72,000 jobs being supported by live music in 2024, up from 62,000, it’s a key sector experiencing a rapid increase.

This growth isn’t just economic, it’s deeply cultural - reflecting the energy and emotional pull of live performance. The opportunities of these showcases for Northern artists are playing a crucial role in their development.

Take rising South Shields-based indie-pop artist Cortney Dixon, whose captivating performance at SXSW in Austin, Texas led to her being scouted for the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury Festival. On her experience, she has shared: “Massive shout to Generator - it’s been a huge help this year for me and my music. I feel like Glastonbury probably would never have come about if it wasn’t for SXSW, which Generator made happen. So, thank you so much.”

Or Loren Heat, a queer-pop artist from Tees Valley, whose set at The Great Escape opened the door to a booking deal with Runway, a leading London-based independent music agency. The performance didn’t just showcase Loren’s artistry - it cemented their presence in the industry. On the importance of these showcases, they’ve said: “I think it’s important because especially down South, everything seems to be very oversaturated. There is a lot of stuff going on down South, especially like big radio stations. They only seem to see like, Brighton, London, Manchester, and Liverpool. There are brilliant people from some tiny, little underfunded towns in the North East, [...] that deserve a chance to shine.”

This sentiment is echoed by Joel O’Beirne, bassist and vocalist for Hartlepool-based band, Marketplace, who joined us at our showcase at The Great Escape: “I think it’s really lovely that the North is getting the love it deserves. You’ve got the funding bodies, like Generator, and Tees Music Alliance – just creating these really valuable and great music communities that are helping artists thrive in places where they probably wouldn’t have before. We probably wouldn’t have got this before. We wouldn’t have been able to expand our audience, had the chance to come here and meet other industry professionals, mingle, and have a good time. [...] It’s nice being from the North now and seeing it doing so well because there’s so much talent here.”

These moments are why Generator exists - to make sure talent from the North is not only seen and heard but taken seriously on every stage, in every city. In an era of algorithms and playlists, real-life connection still matters. For artists trying to make their mark, stepping onto a showcase stage outside of their region might just be the boldest move they make.