Hartlepool’s most creative weekend is gearing up to go out with a bang, and music lovers should clear their diaries for a captivating night at St. Hilda’s Church. The Wintertide Closing Concert isn’t just the last note of a packed festival weekend; it’s an awe-inspiring night that brings together headline performers, the region’s brightest talent, and a historic setting that’s left past audiences stunned.

Ask anyone who’s been to Wintertide Festival's Closing Concert inside St. Hilda’s: there’s something about the soaring stone arches, enormous windows, and centuries-old atmosphere that transforms this concert into an experience. It’s the kind of venue that barely needs staging; there’s no need for smoke and mirrors in this spectacular space.

This year, Wintertide Festival delivers its most ambitious musical lineup yet.

Field Music

Headlining the evening are Field Music, a jewel in the North East’s musical crown. Formed by brothers Peter and David Brewis, this Sunderland indie-rock band have been Mercury Prize nominees and are known for their clever, genre-blending sound and thoughtful lyrics. Field Music’s back catalogue spans nearly twenty years, and 2025 is a special year for them as they mark the 20th anniversary of their self-titled debut with an album reissue, along with unreleased recordings from the band’s formative years, brand new liner notes from former NME writer James Snodgrass, and archive material from the North East music milieu which gave birth to Field Music, The Futureheads, Maximo Park and more.

The Memory Club

Support comes from The Memory Club, an indie-folk collective from Manchester. 

The band is fronted by Luke Hart and Rose Marsden, a wonderful wee duo who met at university, with fellow Monkey Hanger Gabriel Blake (Banjo), Alana Howes (fiddle) and Chris Rundell (cello), who take influence from Big Thief, Adrianne Lenker, The Staves, Cameron Winter and The Ocelots. 

Hartlepool served as the first stop on The Memory Club’s debut summer UK tour last year. Since then the band have played shows alongside The Ocelots, SG Goodman and performed at this years Victorious Festival (on a lineup with Kings Of Leon, Travis and Queens of the Stone Age). 

The band are buzzing to be performing at this year’s Wintertide Festival - their resident Poolie saying:

Mercedes

Opening the evening are Mercedes, who fly the flag for grassroots music in Hartlepool. This female-fronted indie rock band is pure hometown pride. Locals will know Mercedes for their commanding vocals, catchy choruses, and commitment to the Hartlepool music scene—making them the perfect pick to set the tone and welcome audiences home before the national headliners take the stage.

The Sound of the North East

This night is more than a grand finale of the weekend; it serves as a marker for the Festival's legacy, gearing up for a new generation of music programme producers for the next edition. The Festival’s new Youth Producers Programme, in partnership with Youth Music, is a series designed to give people aged 16 to 25 their first steps into a career in music through free training, paid work experience and time with industry experts, culminating in the chance to shape the sounds of the next Wintertide Festival in 2027.

Throughout the weekend, Hartlepool’s Headland will be buzzing with live music in pubs, street performances, and workshops, ahead of the Closing Concert.

What's Happening at Wintertide Festival 2025?

This year’s Wintertide Festival begins on Friday 21^st November with a vast and vibrant community parade, a glowing constellation of light, music, and movement, inspired by ancient myths, celestial journeys, and dreams of the stars. This bleeds into our wider art trail, a collection of illuminated work from across the region, scattered across the Headland. Make a wish among the stars with Periplum’s ‘Spiral Galaxy’ fire installation, and awe at our centrepiece, a stunning, sparkling nova by Studio Vertigo. All of this will be surrounded by exhibitions, performances and creative workshops for all, flooding Hartlepool with bright lights and life in the depth of winter. We look forward to welcoming thousands of people from across the North East and beyond to the Headland this month, ensuring that creativity in Hartlepool continues to shine brightly.