Be positive: Sunderland's Music City status could be massive for the North East

Following March’s Crown Works Studios announcement, June 21 could initiate another big project for Sunderland and the rest of the region.

As with the studios, it would be helpful if the public, media, politicians, businesses and indeed anyone and everyone were to support it.

We refer to Sunderland's bid to become a globally recognised Music City.

Space precludes a composite account of potential benefits of official Music City status. Let's just say that other cities around the world, of various levels of size and fame, have truly filled their boots because of it.

It would mean a higher profile for Sunderland, more visitors, jobs, utilising venues, tapping into potential and, let's be honest, profit.

Wearside has considerable musical heritage; not just Dave Stewart, Bryan Ferry and Stadium of Light mega-gigs.

In terms of venues, Sunderland does not have a large indoor arena (that went a bit quiet, didn't it?). However, it otherwise has at least one suitable venue for every size and type of concert; from pubs and clubs to the stadium and everything in between.

These include the marvellous Empire Theatre, the Bunker, Arts Centre Washington, some beautiful and currently underused park bandstands and the Fire Station Auditorium, which holds up to 800 and has the best acoustics your lugs ever knew.

June 21 is World Music Day; a not coincidental date upon which to launch the bid

Be assured though that, despite there being no reason whatsoever to not be positive and get behind the bid, neither is there legal impediment to fatuous sneering about it either.

Sunderland's whinging community is a recurring theme of this column, for which I make no apology. But we genuinely have the impression that whinging, as distinct from grounded and constructed criticism, is receding.

The die-hards will still find “reasons” why Music City status will be terrible, never happen, etc. Yet they will rely on the same social media drivel they used to denigrate the film studios. Wrongly.

This is an exciting development and could provide us journos with the chance to mention hitting the right note, key changes in Sunderland, choruses of approval, blah-blah.

I actually think that would be the best bit.