Middlesbrough is a town in the North East which has a reputation of typifying the phrase ‘left behind communities’. It ranks in the premier league as an area of relative deprivation, featuring highly on the government agenda to level up the economy. Despite this, Middlesbrough has been home to a vibrant music scene for decades, producing artists like Whitesnake, Chris Rea and James Arthur who are an absolute staple of the national touring circuit.

However, in the last few months ...