Glastonbury in a Sunderland shirt - the dream for proud Wearside band Docksuns

Five-piece Docksuns are so passionate about their home city that they named the band after being ‘sons of the dock’, because most of them grew up around Roker, and their self-penned music is often inspired by Wearside.

The band was formed a couple of years ago, but adding a fifth member in January has helped to propel them forward, with two home town sold-out gigs already under their belt this year and a performance at this weekend’s Airshow and and EP launch in the pipeline.

Made up of Neil Douthwaite, 29, on lead guitar; James Baxter, 26, on lead vocals; Stephen Keogh, 25, on guitar; Adam Dawkins, 26 on bass and Glenn Laws, 27, on drums, the band have dozens of songs already written, but say it’s been great to finally get people’s reaction to them with the release of debut single Lost Without You, which features the subway in Bridge Street in the city centre on the artwork.

Now they feel like the band is complete, they have strong ambitions to reach the top of their game, while also flying the flag for Sunderland.

Frontman James, an electrical engineer from Monkwearmouth, said: “We are so proud to be from Sunderland, it’s who we are. We want to go all the way with the band and one day play Glastonbury in a Sunderland top.”

The band’s manager, who’s known as The Denim Prince, said: “One of the hardest things is this business is getting noticed but they are really succeeding at that. They’re getting offered gigs left, right and centre.”

The band, who hone their sound at The Bunker rehearsal rooms twice a week, have recently played two sold-out shows at The Pickle and Independent performing original music and will play their first headline show at their EP launch at Independent on September 14.

Neil, from Roker, who’s a student, said: “Because three of us write in the band it means our music is constantly changing and stays fresh. A couple of the songs me and James wrote together 6/7 years, so to now have people singing them back to us at gigs us an amazing feeling.

“Our local pubs have us on the jukebox and Spark FM are playing our single and we’re getting an amazing reaction. We’re all friends first and foremost and then band members, but I think the fact we’ve known each other for years shows in our music.”

*You can catch Docksuns at the launch of Sunderland International Airshow at Cliffe Park, Seaburn, from 4.30pm. Entry is free.

*Tickets for Docksuns at Independent, Holmeside, on September 14 are available from the band.

*Lost Without You is available on Spotify here, as well as other digital stores.