Dolder lead Liift’s Mercury Prize Fringe showcase
Dolder headline Liift Showcase at Head of Steam on 16 October, joined by Sarah Johnsone and Georgina Gale for Mercury Prize Fringe.
Liift Showcase heads to Head of Steam, Newcastle on Friday 16 October 2026, with Dolder joined by Sarah Johnsone and Georgina Gale for a Mercury Prize Fringe night focused on emerging talent.
Liift Live has built the event around a compact three-act bill, with identical twins Dani and Zara leading the night as Dolder. Generator describes the pair’s sound as harmony-led indie-pop shaped by deeply personal songwriting, while their debut EP The Motive has helped establish the duo as one of the North East names gathering momentum.
Liift Showcase puts Dolder at the centre of Mercury week
The Head of Steam date gives Dolder a local headline slot in the middle of a city-wide programme that is deliberately putting Northern artists and grassroots venues in front of a wider audience. Sarah Johnsone and Georgina Gale complete the bill, giving the showcase room to introduce more than one emerging voice rather than treating the evening as a single-act stop.
That approach fits the wider Mercury Prize Fringe idea particularly well. Across the week, established venues and local promoters are being encouraged to show what they already do year-round, while the national attention around the Mercury Prize gives those artists and spaces a bigger platform. For Liift, that means an intimate Newcastle show where the focus stays on new music and developing performers.
Generator says every Mercury Prize Fringe gig is Pay As You Feel, with contributions going directly back to participating venues. Tickets are still required, so anyone planning to catch Dolder, Sarah Johnsone and Georgina Gale should book in advance rather than relying on entry on the night.
Liift Showcase
Date: Friday 16 October 2026
Venue: Head of Steam, Newcastle
Line-up: Dolder, Sarah Johnsone and Georgina Gale
Tickets: Pay As You Feel; booking required
Read the official Liift Showcase listing and browse the full Mercury Prize Fringe programme.
Event details can change. Check the official event and ticket pages before travelling.
