Liverpool Music Scene
Find out about the musicians and bands shaping Liverpool’s music scene through features, interviews and reviews
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In Conversation: Captain Crocodile
Blending shoegaze textures, slowcore melancholy and a healthy dose of post-punk grit, Captain Crocodile are carving out a sound that’s as immersive as it is emotionally raw. The Liverpool-based duo — Jack Norrie and Raye Osterloh — wrap their music in a haze of mellow nostalgia and shadowy visuals, crafting songs that explore themes of isolation, self-destruction and the strange beauty in monotony. Ahead of their headline slot at the Penny Lane Weekender Opening Party,…
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Mike Ryan Releases Stunning New Album ‘The Space Where You Should Be’
In The Space Where You Should Be, Mike Ryan crafts a world that feels both intimately familiar and delicately untouchable — a soft echo of memories half-remembered but fully felt. Across ten tracks, Ryan invites listeners into a new world shaped by vulnerability, spacious arrangements, and an effortless sense of quiet resilience. Mike Ryan is a Wirral-based singer-songwriter who has gained recognition for his music in Liverpool. He is known for blending Indie-folk and alt-pop…
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Trans Docker Destroys The Beatles
In 2023 the band Pleasure Island and friends held the inaugural Penny Lane Weekender, a three day multi venue music festival at the iconic location. Now in it’s third year, we talk to Sean from Pleasure Island, who has continued with the festival as the programmer, with the responsibility for scouting and selecting the bands that take part each year. We catch up with him to find out what goes into organising a music festival…
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Eugene McGuinness Releases New Track – ‘Seascape’
Eugene McGuinness had accepted his career in music was over. The end of his deal with Domino records, followed by a difficult self-released album, fatherhood, and just life generally, saw his personal dreams and ambitions slowly slip out onto the horizon. A period of great change, McGuinness had embraced his new work and family life – happy to leave the ugliness of the music biz behind him – but the absence of making music, and the…
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Motel Sundown Perfect the Art of Quiet Impact on ‘Echoes’
Liverpool-based trio Motel Sundown return with their first release of 2025, and it’s as stirring and spellbinding as ever. Echoes is a lush, slow-burning track that glides along light guitar lines and builds gradually into a stunning blend of three-part harmonies — a hallmark of the band’s signature sound. With the addition of Joe Harvey-Whyte (The Hanging Stars) on pedal steel, Echoes leans further into the band’s Americana and Laurel Canyon influences, bringing a warm,…
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Keyside Deliver a Pep Talk Anthem with ‘If You Don’t Try’
Keyside have maintained their position as one of Merseyside’s best emerging talents with their latest single If You Don’t Try, an anthemic, optimistic single which is impossible not to enjoy. From the first chord, to the closing note, every second of the tune is full of sentiment and hope. This marks a change from Keyside’s previous work such as Runaway and Michael (What’s Your Call?), with the band’s lyricist Dan Parker previously explaining to CLASH…
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Zara Smile’s ‘Fight Back’ Is an Anthem of Vulnerability and Strength
Liverpool’s emerging alt-folk talent Zara Smile has dropped their new single Fight Back today – a powerful track that connects listeners deeply with raw, inner emotion. The artist is also one of four musicians to be chosen for Come Play With Me Records’ Next Up North: the first artist development scheme dedicated to supporting northern artists of underrepresented genders and sexualities. Smile’s smooth and expressive vocals pair perfectly with the authentic lyricism within Fight Back.…
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The Double Nines Nail The Breakup Anthem With ‘Cold Courtesy’
The Double Nines return with what may be their most emotionally charged track to date. Cold Courtesy captures that bittersweet moment we all dread—bumping into an ex when all that remains is polite smiles and unspoken memories. But in true The Double Nines fashion, the heartbreak comes wrapped in jangly guitars, glistening synths, and a chorus built for summer road trips. Frontman Anthony Barrios turns a painful personal breakup into something relatable, cinematic, and even…
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Euan Blackman Finds Strength in Vulnerability On ‘forgive’
Rising indie-pop talent Euan Blackman returns with forgive — a heartfelt anthem of self-compassion that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. Originally written as a private mantra to weather life’s emotional storms, the track now arrives as a vulnerable yet uplifting message to listeners: it’s okay to let go, and it’s okay to be kind to yourself. Softly cinematic and rich with Euan’s signature nostalgic warmth, forgive builds from gentle introspection into something quietly…
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In Conversation: Lisa Don Francesco (Penny Lane Weekender Festival Manager)
The Penny Lane Weekender proves that big things can grow from small beginnings – especially when driven by a love for live music. From humble beginnings as a single gig above a pub, the Penny Lane Weekender has grown into a buzzing three-day celebration of established and emerging talent. With a 2025 lineup featuring everything from Japanese psych-rock to local post-punk favourites, we caught up with Festival Manager Lisa Don Francesco to talk about its…
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Cassia To Headline BOOT FEST 2025 And More Acts Announced For Birkenhead Indie All-Dayer
Indie trio Cassia will headline BOOT FEST 2025, the open-air all-day music festival returning to Future Yard’s Garden, in Birkenhead on Saturday 19 July. Curated by BOOT — MUSIC Magazine, the much-loved North West music platform, the event runs from 1pm to 10:30pm and promises a stacked bill of rising indie artists from across the region. Tickets are on sale now for just £18. Topping the bill, Cassia arrive fresh off the release of their…
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The Liverpool Songbook: A City’s Soundtrack Brought to Life At Liverpool Philharmonic
From timeless Merseybeat anthems to enchanting synth-pop classics, The Liverpool Songbook emerged as more than just a concert; it was a fervent celebration of the city’s pulsating musical spirit, artfully presented within the resplendent architecture of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Under the skilled direction of conductor Richard Balcombe, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra enveloped the audience in lush orchestral textures and intricate arrangements that breathed new life into Liverpool’s most cherished songs. Each familiar…
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In Conversation – Keyside
Looking to get obsessed with the hottest band around, look no further than local four-piece Keyside. From jamming post-Pandemic to playing BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, I’d advise you to keep an eye on Keyside. The future is looking nothing but bright for the Merseyside-based band. Ahead of their busy summer and headline tour at the end of the year, we caught up with them to ask about their journey so far, their inspirations, and…
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Natalie McCool Returns With Euphoric Summer Anthem ‘I Fantasise’
Liverpool-based alt-pop artist Natalie McCool is back with a bang. Her brand new single I Fantasise, out now via Fortress Sounds, marks the start of a vibrant new era for the singer-songwriter and producer. Following her critically acclaimed 2021 album Memory Girl, featuring standout tracks like Devils, Take Me To Your Leader, and the fan-inspired title track, Natalie returns with a bright, nostalgic banger just in time for summer. Taking cues from legendary summer anthems…
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INDIKA IS BACK: Milap’s Festival of Indian Arts & Culture returns to Liverpool this October
INDIKA, Milap’s festival of Indian Arts, returns to Liverpool this October with a fresh, expanded lineup of events. The 15 day celebration of Indian music, dance and culture, will take place across the entire Liverpool City Region, bringing the best of Indian arts to an even wider audience. Chiming with Milap’s 40 year anniversary, this October, the INDIKA festival will feature a programme of Indian music and dance, ranging from cutting-edge contemporary to deeply rooted…
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Penny Lane Weekender returns for 2025
This August, the Penny Lane Weekender returns for its third year, continuing Penny Lane’s global musical legacy with a 3-day festival spotlighting local and independent artists and bands. Taking over venues on and around Liverpool’s iconic Penny Lane, the festival celebrates the city’s vibrant grassroots music scene. Created in 2023 by Liverpool Post-Punk band Pleasure Island, the grassroots community festival was conceived to showcase Liverpool-based acts from the local community. Initially billed as a one-off event in…
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Credits: Liverpool’s New Contenders Tap Into a Classic Sound with a Modern Spark
You’ve probably been here before—there’s a buzz, whispers of the next big thing, a surge of social media hype—and then the inevitable crash of disappointment when it turns out to be all surface and no soul. New Merseyside combo Credits could easily have fallen into that trap. Instead, they’ve emerged with substance, style, and a generous helping of Scouse swagger. Their debut headline show at Liverpool’s ARC, tucked away in the effortlessly cool Baltic Triangle,…
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Colombian Music Collective Systema Solar Come To Future Yard This June
One of Colombia’s most celebrated music collectives are heading to the Wirral this month. Systema Solar, known for turning stages into explosive carnival-like celebrations, will land in Birkenhead for a rare UK performance at Future Yard, armed with their highly anticipated new album Futuro Primitivo. Systema Solar is not your average band, they’re an artistic force. Formed in 2006 during an art biennial in Medellín, the collective was born from a collision of music, visual art,…
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Liverpool Arab Arts Festival Presents Akram Abdulfattah This July
Akram Abdulfattah is a Palestinian-American violinist who combines jazz with middle eastern and Indian music. Akram’s music is influenced by Hindu, Turkish, and Persian styles, reflecting the rich legacy and culture of oriental sounds in a modernized fashion. In 2023, his multinational group visited the UK for the first time, performing a debut London show, and appearing at Knockengorroch and Cambridge Folk festivals. Akram’s talent has received international recognition as he’s won prestigious awards and engaged in various international and cross-culture projects.…
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‘Stuck In The Mud’ Is Dylan Robert’s Anthem to Unbreakable Friendship
Liverpool’s indie-pop breakout Dylan Robert continues his run of emotionally-charged singles with Stuck In The Mud – a glowing, guitar-laced ode to loyalty that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. From the opening moments, there’s a quiet sincerity that pulls you in. The track shimmers with cinematic guitar textures, courtesy of Isaac Grover, whose delayed chords ripple like late summer light on water. Underneath it all, Jamie Alsamarraie’s percussion adds a heartbeat – steady,…
