8:12AM, Thu Sep 13, 2012

Blast From The Past For The Futureheads On Split Festival Schools Tour

By Phil Forster Location: Sunderland

Sunderland band The Futureheads won over a new generation of fans when they went back to school to promote the Split Festival.

The four piece, who recently supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the Stadium of Light, visited Richard Avenue Primary as part of a 12-date tour of schools in the city.

Brothers Barry and Dave Hyde are former pupils. Barry said: "It's very odd, less 70s. We learned how to sing in that hall when we were kids with hymns in assembly.

"It's marvellous to be able to come back and perform for the young ones."

Guitarist Ross Millard said: “We have introduced teen tickets for the festival and we're offering student discounts.

"Sunderland College are sponsoring our Tunstall Hill Tent and we are the main event of Sunderland Uni Fresher’s Week. So it seemed to make sense to do this.”

Other venues on the Sunderland schools tour include Castle View, Thornhill, Venerable Bede, Sandhill, Sunderland College, Mill Hill, St Aidan's and St Anthony's.

The Split lineup features Sex Pistols front man, Johnny Rotten, headlining with his current band, PiL, on Saturday September 22. The Futureheads will close the festival on the Sunday September 23, preceded by St Etienne.

For more information on the 2012 Split Festival and the many other acts performing click here.