City gears up for annual grassroots music bash

Around 2,000 bands and artists have performed at the Humber Street Sesh since it was first held in 2012

About 18,000 music fans are due to attend Hull's biggest one-day festival on Saturday.

The Humber Street Sesh has been showcasing grassroots and local musicians since 2012.

More than 100 acts, mainly from East Yorkshire, will perform across 11 stages in the Marina and Fruit Market area.

Ticket-holders will be able to enjoy a silent disco, puppet-head parade, graffiti artists, street entertainers and a creative marquee.

The organisers have capped ticket numbers in recent years due to development in the area

The festival was developed from a weekly live music night held at a pub in west Hull. Since the inaugural event, it is estimated that more than 2,000 bands and artists have taken part.

Mark Page, the festival director, said the popularity of the event was down to the city's "rich music scene".

"When we first started we thought maybe 1,000 people would attend, so we were pleasantly surprised when 10,000 turned up," he said.

"The second year, we had 40,000, so we put a cap on it [the size of the crowd].

"Because of the development in the area, we've had to reduce numbers in recent years. It's also changed what we do, but it's always well supported."

The festival celebrates what is described by organisers as "rich scene" for independent musicians and artists

This year, the event will be headlined by the Hull band bdrmm, who have just returned from Italy as part of their European tour.

BBC Radio Humberside will be recording the highlights of the festival, which will be broadcast on BBC Music Introducing York and Humberside.

Presenter Jericho Keys said: "It's one of the biggest, most exciting events of its kind in the country. There really is something for everyone and hopefully it'll inspire the next generation of artists in the region."

The Sesh runs from 12:00 to 23:00 BST on Saturday and ticket details can be found on the festival website.

A series of road closures around Humber Street will be in place until Monday.

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