Teacher-turned –rapper Luke Chambers is living proof of how one of Hull’s fastest-growing music festivals can present local performers with the chance of a lifetime.

Luke, who performs and presents under the name Nineties Boy, was handed his first hosting opportunity at last year’s Hull Trinity Festival.

As this year’s event approaches, he knows he can take to the stage with greater confidence as he introduces such big names as Toploader and Toy and also performs his own material.

Luke also knows he has plenty to look forward to as he re-works one of the anthems from last year’s festival having secured permission from Britpop legends Dodgy.

He said: “I started writing something around Dodgy’s hit single Good Enough. I spoke to Mathew Priest from the band and he said they would be happy for me to use it so I’m recording something for release.

“I can’t believe I’ve got the rights to use one of the most famous Britpop songs of the 90s, but it shows the sort of opportunities that can be created by Trinity Festival.”

Luke, who lives in Hull, was a full-time teacher until about a year ago when he decided to concentrate on a music career which includes writing and performing his own material, gathering content for the Frayed magazine and conducting interviews for podcasts from The Sesh.

Rather than being confronted with classrooms full of critics, he received a positive response from students who found it easy to connect with his extra-curricular activities.

He said: “As a teacher my personal life has to be private but I always tell the students to follow their dreams so I had to do that myself. The relationship with the students is a big part of why I love teaching.

“My music was good, I was never embarrassed or ashamed and they thought that was cool. It was not a secret rap career, I incorporated it into assemblies! We would do poetry in lessons and I would try and work rap into it. Giving up full time teaching was a tough decision but I can always go back to it.”

Luke’s Trinity Festival debut last year led to him being booked by the organisers, HullBID, to co-host this year’s Hull Fashion Week alongside BBC Radio Humberside presenter Lizzie Rose. Another BBC connection, attracting the attention of Alan Raw for BBC Introducing, encouraged him to pursue a musical career.

Luke said: “Trinity last year was a really big event for me, working with a crowd of that size was a great opportunity.”

After Fashion Week, Luke hosted on the main stage at Humber Street Sesh and the Bridge Stage at Freedom Festival, building his knowledge of local bands along the way and identifying Bud Sugar as an example to others.

He said: “Not so long ago I was completely ignorant of the Hull music scene and there was no festival programme to provide a platform for local bands.

“But the quality of the music is there and it is clear that people are taking it seriously and working hard to create products and brand and image, something more than just the music.

“Bud Sugar are an example of a band who have become really professional over the last couple of years and because there is such a scene in Hull it becomes a business rather than just a hobby.”

Kathryn Shillito, HullBID City Centre Manager, said: “Trinity Festival is only in its fourth year and has already developed very successfully – this year in addition to the main stage the event will see 28 pubs, clubs and café bars host live music throughout our city centre.

“But as Luke says we can also see the success of Trinity Festival in other ways. We are able to bring in some big-name bands, their presence gives local bands a great opportunity to show a hometown crowd what they can do with a first-class stage and tech support.”

Trinity Festival will take place from Friday September 26 until Sunday September 28. Holy Trinity Church will be the venue for a fund-raising gig on the Friday night starting at 7pm and featuring The Hotspur Press, Jody McKenna, Emily Moulton, Emma Fee and Making Dens.

The main stage in Trinity Square will burst into action from 1pm on the Saturday with local bands Life, Black Delta Movement, Mother, Tom Skelly and the Salty Beards, Affairs, Copenhagen, Felony, Breeze and Young Jack performing before headliners Toy.

Toploader will headline on the Sunday, supported by The Talks, Pearls Cab Ride, La Bete Blooms, Hillbilly Troupe, Bud Sugar, Fire (TUF), Dead Hormones, Coaves and The Shed Club.

The live entertainment will continue in the pubs, bars and café bars after the main stage closes at 9pm.

For full details visit www.trinityfestival.co.uk

Nineties Boy: www.ninetiesboy.co.uk

Pictured: Luke performing at Hull Fashion Week 2013