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Today is the big day that Tyneside rock fans have been dreaming of.
It marks the beginning of the first ever major rock festival to be staged in the North-East.
While the promoters pray for sunshine to bring in the crowds — and possibly people living near Gateshead Stadium invest in a pair of earplugs or prepare to spend the weekend away — local fans can count themselves lucky.
Fifteen bands will be performing over the two days of the Rock on the Tyne festiva1.
And summer time is normally such an entertainment black spot for rock fans, as the big local venues and the colleges dose clown for a seasonal break.
All of which makes it a little surprising that the festiva1 organizers are showing some concern the weather.
"I think if the sun shines over the weekend, then we should have no trouble packing the place," says promoter Barry McKay.
"We would probably be all right even without the good weather, but festivals are so much more enjoyable if the sun shines.
"There would be no danger of the festival being cancelled if it did rain. We are putting up a huge Hollywood Bowl type stage — which means that the electrics — and the performers will be all right.
"Also a fair number of the crowd will be under cover."
There is a feeling in the music business that the promoters may have blundered in staging the festival on the same weekend as the Reading Festival — Britain's only regular major rock festival.
"I don't think that is true," says Barry McKay.
"Reading does not worry us. I've looked at the bill they have and I don't think it compares with ours.
"We have put together a list of artists that we know will appeal to local people."
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