BBC Introducing Live at The Proms
Fresh. Unpredictable. Making serious waves.
Who’s on stage
From first plays to big stages – presenter Shakk welcomes an incredible line-up of artists who’ve all been part of the BBC Introducing journey. Including corto.alto, Maddie Ashman and ATFK.
What they’re playing
This is the BBC Introducing story in real time – artists at different stages of their careers.
All sharing one stage. All making big waves.
BBC Proms in the North East is delivered in partnership with North East Combined Authority and Tees Valley Combined Authority.
Need to know
Timings: 2 hours, no interval .
Age: under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.
Venue: The Glasshouse, Gateshead.
What you'll hear
Music from the artists of the BBC Introducing family.
Who's playing it
Shakk presenter
corto.alto
Maddie Ashman
ATFK
What's happening in the music?
It’s a blend of sounds and styles.
You’ll move between genres and moods. One set might feel soulful or stripped back, the next might hit harder, louder, or take a different turn. You’ll hear notes of jazz, electronic, hip hop and pop – all with a fresh new twist.
corto.alto
Not one to pin down.
corto.alto – the project of producer, multi-instrumentalist and composer Liam Shortall – blends jazz, electronic, hip hop and more into something that feels completely its own.
Nominated for the 2024 Mercury Prize and already playing sold-out shows and major festivals, this isn’t an artist at the start of the journey. This is someone right in the middle of it – pushing things forward fast.
Live, it’s full-on. Big Band energy, shifting rhythms, moments that build and break apart without warning.
Music that doesn’t sit still.
Maddie Ashman
Pop but not as you know it.
Maddie Ashman takes familiar sounds and bends them out of shape. Her music plays with tuning and structure in ways that feel slightly off-kilter – sometimes beautiful, sometimes unsettling, often both at once.
The result is something that pulls you in and keeps you guessing.
You might not always know where it’s going.
But that’s kind of the point.
ATFK
ATFK are Amy Thatcher and Francesca Knowles – a fearless duo turning accordion and drums into something you’ve probably never heard before.
Their music breaks free of expectations, taking traditional sounds and using them as a playground for bold new ideas. Groove-led percussion meets synths, keys, vocals and accordion that wheezes, soars, growls and glitters in equal measure.
The result is colourful, high-energy and brilliantly hard to pin down. One moment playful and precise, the next full-throttle and explosive. Melodies twist unexpectedly, rhythms build fast, and nothing stays still for long.
Known for electric live performances and a sound full of both raucous energy and quieter intensity, ATFK make music that keeps veering somewhere new just when you think you’ve got the measure of it.
Unpredictable in the best possible way.
Shakk
Middlesbrough-born Shakk is at the heart of the North East scene – both as a musician and as a BBC Introducing presenter.
Known for his genre-blending sound and high-energy performances, he’s been building a reputation since 2018 for bringing people together through music. On this stage, it’s all about championing others.
Expect big energy. And a proper welcome.
About BBC Introducing
BBC Introducing has been offering new and unsigned artists a way to gain radio play and build audiences since 2007. They’ve been instrumental to launching the careers of acts like Sam Fender, Florence + the Machine, Lewis Capaldi, Raye, Aitch, Olivia Dean, Myles Smith, Nia Archives and Tom Grennan.
It offers a route to regional and national airplay and occasionally BBC Introducing stages at festivals. The North East is home to the first region-wide partnership between BBC Introducing and multiple venues to showcase emerging and independent music.
