Hello my dear friends. I want to wish you all a Happy New Year and a warm, welcoming, safe and super 2026.
Id like to say a huge thank you for all the kind interest and support around Boundaries Fest. It genuinely doesn't go unnoticed.
A massive amount of love to every performer, the incredible crew who are some of the best people around, the brilliant spaces that hosted us and of course YOU the wonderful and fantastic Boundaries audience.
It doesn't work without you all.
It’s been a challenging year...to say the least, BUT we did it.
Again it was another year of rewards, risk and inspiration.
Reconnecting with so many old friends and like every year, making plenty of new ones along the way.
Every year the feedback is.." its the best one yet!"
Thank you so, so much.
So...If I’m being completely honest and candid, I’m still unsure what happens next.
I would absolutely love to see a 6th edition happen ( SIXTH EDITION!?!! ).
But it just can’t be done in the same way as last years event.
Funding a full event entirely out of my own savings just isn’t sustainable anymore and the stress that comes with that is very, very real. Without the support of my family and close friends, Boundaries 2025 wouldn't have happened.
That said...this does not mean we stop!!
I’m actively exploring different funding routes, partnerships and various opportunities.
So yes... please stay tuned over the coming weeks for details and developments!
Once again, THANK YOU ALL for the love and belief in this idea of celebrating and supporting experimental music and art in my little hometown of Sunderland..
This all happens together, a collective push towards an exciting inspiring experience.
Lets hope we can see one another soon and do it all over again in November 2026!!!
Safe travels my friends, take it easy out there.
Graeme x
My heart is full of the good stuff.
I can't thank you all enough for being a part of such a fantastic few days of inspiration and incredible atmosphere. Its truly heartwarming.
Id like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone for turning up, to all the artists who absolutely exceeded themselves, to the audiences who came out and travelled from far and wide to the North East to dive into such a wild, wonderful programme. Massive, massive love to the staff and crew for keeping everything running so smoothly and effortless.
A massive thank you as well to all the locations for wanting to be part of this year’s fantastic edition. PopRecs, The City Hall and The Minster each brought their own atmosphere and emotion to the performances. Every space added something special and unforgettable.
A huge shoutout to the sound engineers and FOH legends Ant, Jorge and David, without whom none of these shows would’ve sounded half as good. These three kept everything tight, clean and unreal throughout. Thank you!
A special mention to our stage manager Isaac, who was there every step of the way, jumping in on anything and everything thrown at him.
I genuinely can’t thank you enough for your help over the two days my friend. You rule.
The feedback already has been incredible. Just like every year, I’m told “that’s the best one yet…”. So let’s keep the tradition going?
And honestly, thank you to everyone who brought such a incredible atmosphere, who supported the festival, shouted about it or just shared a moment with us across the weekend.
These event only works because of you and you most certainly made it a proper extraordinary standout year!!
Finally… these are just a few quick photos from a fantastic weekend, taken by friends of the fest, Marcel, Mike, Alison and more..
There’s plenty more pics and videos to come.
Again, thank you so much for supporting the fest and coming along on this wild ride. It doesn’t work without all of us together.
Thank you so so much.
See you next year!???!??
Graeme. X
#boundariesfest #experimentalmusic #sunderland
Hello dear friends...its about that time of year!
Join us this weekend for the 5th edition of Boundaries Festival, right here in the wonderful city of Sunderland.
This year has been a real challenge to fund (in fact no funding at all..), programme and produce, but I couldn’t be happier with what we’ve put together.
I want to personally thank every artist performing across the two days, thank you for understanding what Boundaries is, what it aims to be and for travelling from far and wide to perform exclusively in Sunderland.
This fifth edition shows there’s a genuine hunger and desire for events like this in cities such as ours...
We all want to unwind, unravel, feel inspired, meet like minded people and catch up with old friends while experiencing some incredible contemporary music and art!
It’s about having fun.
It’s about ending the year with good people and a good feeling.
And...This year’s event promises to be another truly special weekend of music and art. There isn’t another programme like this ANYWHERE in the UK this winter.
We’ve got Gamelan ensembles, French pianists, Lithuanian shoegaze vocals, Manchester beats, Welsh harps, Scottish industrial textures, wild hyper-techno dance sets, hypnotic Irish violas, London free-form noise rock, gorgeous North East drone accordion, stunning Scottish electronic visuals, fascinating soundwalks and so much more.
I want to thank all Boundaries staff, sound engineers, venues, production crews, and of course YOU for taking the time to support an event like this.
It only happens because all of us come together and make it happen.
Thank you so much for all the support and kind interest. It has helped more than you'll ever know.
So yes...
Let’s have some fun!
See you all very soon...
Big love,
Graeme x
When the Richard Dawson show at Pop Recs finishes, the night continues just around the corner at 31 Norfolk Street, where Boundaries Festival presents Yotuns and Feral Yon – experimental live sets built from abstract electronics, complex rhythms and immersive sound. No ticket required.
Yotuns: the keys/voice and drums/percussion duo of Sally Pilkington (Bulbils/Hen Ogledd) and Christian Alderson (Archipelago/The Unit Ama), Yotuns mix expansive, freewheeling improvisation with pared back, minimalist repetition. For fans of forgotten 80’s VHS soundtracks and music from drowned, abandoned churches.
Solo artist and sound artist FERAL YON explores abstract electronics, transforming field recordings and found sounds into rich timbres, textures while evolving forms that invite new ways of listening to the everyday around us. Drawing from a vast personal recording archive and a carefully chosen set of software tools, FERAL YON crafts work that feels curious, distinctive, adventurous and forward-thinking.
For fans of Jim O’Rourke, Beatrice Dillon, Klara Lewis, Tim Hecker, Ryoji Ikeda and Autechre.
Entry from 9pm. No tickets required, just turn up.
Felicia Atkinson
Live at Boundaries 2025.
Felicia Atkinson opened The Minster Saturday evening programme in stunning style.
An exquisite and beautiful show which had the audience captivated and quietly still right from the beginning.
A truly remarkable performance shaped with care and delicate depth.
Felicia is performing at a level few can reach.
Video by audience member Marcel and Sean. Thank you.
#feliciaatkinson #boundariesfest #experimentalmusic
Ensemble Nist Nah live at Boundaries 2025, as part of the remarkable Minster programme on Saturday evening.
What better way to end such a wonderful inspired weekend with an ensemble of supremely talented performers, creating pulsing rhythmic tones and turns from non stop dancing right into slow, beautiful melancholy reflection.
What an absolute treat.
Highly recommend their most recent release..SPILLA. Go grab it.
Ensemble Nist Nah performance featured the extraordinary talents of Will Guthrie,
Paula Escobar, Irina Leach, Sven Michel
Julien Ouvrard, Ellen Pelé, Marco Luparia.
Short video clips taken by Marcel and various audience members, thank you.
Hyperdawn live at Boundaries 2025.
A quick video taken from a simply stunning live performance at The Minster at Boundaries 2025.
Hyperdawn are an incredible duo, who are creating some of the most unique, exciting sounds today.
Please go support the group and buy their music.
Video by @subblicious
Boundaries Fest 2025.
Sly and the Family Drone
Konx-om-Pax
2 quick videos taken by members of the Boundaries audience, Isaac and Marcel.
Much more to come of every performer and performance.
Thank you for making Boundaries 2025 such a truly special memorable event.
#slyandthefamilydrone #konxompax #boundariesfest
Throwback to @fold.ldn@futur.shock show as I gear up for two shows this week 🖤
Friday 21 November
📍 Newcastle
⏱ @boundaries_fest
Saturday 22 November
📍 Derby
⏱ @theoramawards for ORAM/100
There are still tickets for the Ableton workshop left for Saturday in Derby too - click on the l!nk in my B !0 to book your place
Costume @studio_fclx
Photography @stylian____
This look was inspired by my hero @vampirechinese - thank you for your constant source of inspiration queen!
#AjaIreland #LiveSet #ExperimentalMusic #BoundariesFestival #OramAwards #Oram100 #ElectronicMusic #UndergroundSound #AbletonWorkshop
DAWN TERRY
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.
Having watched, listened and admired Dawn for many years across the North East scene, its about time Dawn graced the Boundaries stage. Dawn is the perfect opener to the Saturday programme and promises to be something quite special indeed.
Track:
Dawn Terry live at Cobalt Studios, Newcastle.
#dawnterry #experimentalmusic #boundariesfest #experimentalart #dronemusic #dronelife #sunderland
SLY AND THE FAMILY DRONE
Sly & The Family Drone are a chaotic onslaught of raw, free-form noise rock and joyous elation.
Live shows may begin with five members, but by the end of the show there are hundreds...as the entire room becomes part of the band. Audience members are handed drums, percussion or whatever’s within reach, joining in a collective surge of sound and motion.
A regular figure amongst the UK underground and always a prominent supporter of the DIY and independent crews.
Their most release, ' Moon Is Doom Backwards ' saw Sly explore more space and sonics within their sound.
While through striking personal performances, when they come together, Sly seemed to have stretched and pushed their limits of volume, space and rhythm, while carrying noise rock into a strange and beautiful free flowing new terrain.
The result is pure release.
Come and experience the mighty, Sly & The Family Drone on Saturday afternoon.
We cannot wait!
Photos by Dawid Laskowski and James Greenoff
#boundariesfest #slyandthefamilydrone #experimentalmusic #funtimes
