Legends of Sunderland's underground house scene to unite at 'secret' city location
A gig set to be the city’s biggest underground collaboration lands this month.
Haze and Ward 10, two names synonymous with Sunderland’s underground house scene, are coming together for the first time to present a three-room party at an undisclosed venue as part of this autumn’s Stages Festival.
Between them, Ward 10 and Haze have helped shape Sunderland’s underground house scene since the early 2000s, bringing some of the world’s biggest names to the city — including Patrick Topping, Marshall Jefferson, Andrew Weatherall, Jamie Jones, Ben Hemsley and Hannah Laing.
They’ll collaborate for a huge celebration of the scene on Saturday, September 27 from 11.30pm - 3am
They’re joined in Room 3 on the night by Newcastle imprint Kinetic.
The venue - which has been confirmed as being in Sunderland city centre - will be announced to advance ticket buyers by email before the event starts.
Tickets for the secret house party are on sale now at www.independentsunderland.com
Stages Festival is a week-long festival of electronic music, digital art and cutting-edge technology is heading to Sunderland.
Keel Square will be transformed with a 360degree stage, similar to that used by Ed Sheeran when he played the stadium, for Stages festival.
As well as performances from names like Billy Gillies, Basshunter, N-Trance and Ulrabeat, the festival will feature talks and experiences to showcase Sunderland as the world’s newest Music City.
Also announced so far is Love INC, Klubfiller, Ian Van Dahl, MDDLTN, Jay Stone and local talent including Nath Brown, with more acts to be announced.
Taking place from Saturday 26 September to Saturday 1 November 2025, the festival will feature a 360° stage and immersive visuals on the 20-metre semi-transparent screen at the Expo Sunderland Pavilion – one of the most advanced digital installations in the UK.
Beyond Keel Square, venues across Sunderland city centre will also come alive with a diverse programme of gigs, exhibitions and events - spanning everything from underground electronic sets to experimental audiovisual performances.
Full event details and ticket information can also be found on the official Stages website. Additional announcements are expected in the coming weeks.
This project has received funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and North East Combined Authority.