CONQUER Rio will be headlining the first day of Warrington Music Festival.

The outdoor showcase for emerging bands will take place on Saturday, May 28, with a full day of free music at the Old Fish Market from noon to 11pm.

Conquer Rio formed when Birchwood High schoolmates Tom Jordan, Lewis Melia, Jake Bate and Dan Cobley began to talk about their shared love of the same rock bands at GCSE music class.

Since then they have performed at the Etihad’s Magic Weekend, the 2013 Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford and supported Scouting for Girls at the 2014 Warrington Music Festival.

Bassist Lewis, from Woolston, said: "It's a proud moment for us as Conquer Rio, especially with us all being Warrington guys.

"We've worked hard for the five or so years that we've been together and it's nice to get the nod for a slot like this."

Conquer Rio, who have recently been featured on Kerrang Radio, will be one of 22 up-and-coming bands and artists playing on the day. They will be showcasing tracks from their debut EP.

Saturday line-up

Conquer Rio 
The Roughneck Riot
Midnight Suns
Psyblings
Portalights
Priestley
Voodoo Blood
Love For Zero
The Jackobins
The Tamalas
Grand Illusion
Danxia
Harlee
Kindest Of Thieves
Edits
Joe Hatton
Kieran Gallimore
Scruff
Kye Jones
Ellie Dibben
Zha
Selfish Lovers

The five-piece will also be performing on the same stage as indie band Reverend and the Makers and 90s hitmakers Lightning Seeds who come to the town on Sunday, May 29.

On the Saturday, Conquer Rio will be joined by folk punk band and former Warrington Music Festival headliner Roughneck Riot.

The six-piece have been making their mark on the underground punk scene all over Europe for more than a decade.

Also performing are Warrington blues rock quartet Midnight Suns who formed in 2014 and released their self-titled EP this year.

Psyblings will be back in the town centre too after playing at the Viola Beach tribute celebration.

The psychedelic rock band were due to support Viola Beach before the tragic crash in Sweden on February 13.

Frontman Greg Dixon went to St Gregory's RC High School with Viola Beach drummer Jack Dakin.

And Dan Coleman and Jordan Lythgoe, from Psyblings, were also in a band with Viola Beach frontman Kris Leonard called Attic.

This year's festival will also feature emerging bands from the wider area such as Liverpool band The Jackobins.

Psyblings Despite only forming in 2014, they have played at Tramlines, Strawberry Fields, Party in the Pines and Liverpool Calling while their single, One More Chance, was playlisted on BBC Introducing Merseyside, BBC Radio 6 and Radio X.