Hurricane Bertha was supposed to smother Sunderland. Instead, all the Split Festival goers had to endure was a light smattering of rain. Nothing the northerners can't handle. Thankfully, the biblical forecast didn't keep people from attending. Day 2 of the fest provided non-stop rock n roll to a flurry of excited fans.

Here are the second day highlights:

Lilliput
Local folk rockers Lilliput eased the hungover audience into Day 2 with sweet serenades that mixed together the Americana songwriting of Neil Young with the melodic structures of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. Lovely dual vocals make for very inviting love songs.

Boy Jumps Ship
The next group to grace the main stage gave us something very different, new-school poppy punk rock. Fierce enough to appease the rock snobs, yet accessibly enough for the kiddies to enjoy. A wonderful combination of loud yet dancey. My inner 12 year old was creaming her jeans over the sexy lead singer. A good group to introduce to any angry teenage girl you've got in your life. You're allowed to like them as well.

Frankie and the Heartstrings
Another set of Sunderland favorites, this group of guys have given a lot to the local artistic community, as evidenced by the large crowd that had turned up to shake and shimmy. The sound is soulful, and boyish front-man Frankie is entertaining in each moment with his limber dance moves and Peter Pan persona.

The Cribs
After a half-decade defined by Mumford and Sons, nothing is more joyous than a full day of punk rock. This set enflamed my ear drums with a loud, vibrant wall of noise that blends first generation punk with the 00's artfulness of The Libertines and Art Brute. The audience was hanging onto Ryan Jarman's every scream, and it became difficult for us to snap photos as we couldn't stop banging our heads.

Maxïmo Park
The Day 2 headliners from Newcastle just put out a new album, and I personally cannot wait to finish this review to download it. The band showcased a wide range of material, from early hits like “Limassol” to new favorite tune “Leave This Island.” The showmanship and musical performance was so strong, that the soggy festival goers managed to keep dancing well into a late Sunday evening.

Overall, there's no way to say Split Festival 2014 wasn't a huge success. It's an event meant to enliven the northern industrial town and provide it's citizens with a local entertainment, but it's magnitude and wealth of undiscovered offerings make it an event worth traveling to. Looking forward to seeing how Split Festival continues to grow.