Just look at the line-up of celebrities we got to see live on Wearside - from music icons like The Beatles and The Who to stage legend Marlene Dietrich.
Have a look and see for yourself thanks to these photos from the Sunderland Echo archives and Getty Images.
5. Helen Shapiro
Helen Shapiro was pictured at Seaburn in the early 1960s. She also stayed at the Grand Hotel. | se Photo: se
6. Pat Phoenix
Pat Phoenix on a visit to Sunderland in June 1962, when she opened March Tailors in Crowtree Road. | se Photo: Sunderland Echo
7. The Beatles
The Beatles line up for a photocall in Sunderland in 1963. They played at both the Empire and the Rink ballroom. | se Photo: Sunderland Echo
8. Margaret Lockwood
Mavis Taylor, from Hartlepool, meets actress Margaret Lockwood at the Sunderland Empire in November 1965. | se Photo: Sunderland Echo