Liverpool Sound City 2017 – 10th Anniversary Festival Preview

With each passing year since its inception in 2008, Liverpool Sound City has only grown in stature – and this time around looks to celebrate its 10th anniverasry with a move to Clarence Dock and the most star-studded line up yet.  As well as showcasing some of the best emerging talent locally and from across the country, the festival continues to prove itself capable of drawing more ‘heavyweight’ acts to its stage. The likes of The Flaming Lips, Belle and Sebastian, Alt-J, Paloma Faith, and Calvin Harris are just some of the names that have helped to build that reputation.  So without further ado lets take a look at some of the highlights of this year’s event.

The Human League – Thursday 25th May
Synth pop legends The Human League are considered to be one of the most innovative and influential pop acts ever to emerge from British soil.  Bona fide hits such as “Don’t You Want Me” and “Keep Feeling (Fascination)” promise to unite an adoring crowd in full voice, but it is undoubtedly “Together In Electric Dreams” which will best describe the atmosphere on what is sure to be an unforgettable opening night.  

John Cale & Guests Present The Velvet Underground & Nico – Friday 26th May
Following a 2016 concert in Paris, John Cale personally selected Liverpool for its rich musical heritage, making it the only city outside of fellow founder member Lou Reed’s home town of New York deemed worthy of hosting one of these once in a lifetime performances of the legendary group’s iconic debut played in its entirety.  Quite simply unmissable.

Ali Horn – Saturday 27th May
Having played the festival on a number of occasions already as a member of various other bands, this time Ali Horn has a chance to shine the spotlight on his solo project.  You are hereby invited on a journey of pure mind-expanding guitar pop and mesmerising vocals all heavily drenched in psychedelia, with melodies that will linger on inside your head for so long after you might not even realise he’s actually stopped playing.  

Queen Zee & The Sasstones – Saturday 27th May

Drawing a line in the sand between themselves and Liverpool’s endless obsession with lad rock bands, Queen Zee & The Sasstones offer up a destruction derby of punk, pop, psychedelia and rebellion all piled into one big glorious collision.  The musical establishment on Merseyside might want to knock on these noisy neighbours and ask them to tone it down a bit, but catch them at Sound City and you’ll see that won’t be happening anytime soon.

Peaches – Saturday 27th May
The boys wanna be her, the girls wanna be her – and if you want to see a performance like no other you’ll make sure you go and see her.  Fearlessly disregarding gender and sexual paradigms since the turn of the millennium and even further beyond, Peaches is at Sound City to tear it up, rip it up and kick it up, and at the very least she can help you dance the pain away – anything after that is up to you.

Metronomy – Saturday 27th May
Joseph Mount drives his vehicle of colourful and adventurous electronic pop to Clarence Dock for Saturday night’s headline slot, with a veritable melting pot of influences that include David Bowie, The Zombies and Sly and the Family Stone. Metronomy’s treasure chest of infectious and carefully synthesised gems is certain to bring the first day of the festival main to an incredible and memorable conclusion.

Cleo T – Sunday 28th May
Conjuring up a dramatic concoction of avant garde and swirling art pop, Cleo T succeeds in her ambition to make the world shine a little brighter, evoking more than a little Kate Bush with some breathy, theatrical and aesthetically pleasing vocal nuances.  There’s time enough to dream and dance, with raindrops of romance falling all around at this one.

Wild Fruit Art Collective – Sunday 28th May
Referring to themselves as a ‘ragtag gang of musicians distributing gloom’, Wild Fruit Art Collective do themselves something between an accurate description and a total disservice.  Their music is certainly brooding, but it’s also brimming with mystique and experimentation, and grieving guitars that occasionally resort to chaos to appease entrancing vocal chants.  You’ll get lost in it for a while if you come.

The Barberettes – Sunday 28th May
With a mix of both covers and original songs, this South Korean trio will effortlessly transport you back to the 50s and 60s, providing a delicious blend of harmonising girl groups and barbershop music.  Adding their own 21st century twist to the mix, to be spellbound by their sassy shapes, colourful couture and some seriously dazzling doo-wop.

The Kooks – Sunday 28th May
Having previously played the festival in both 2011 and 2014, Brighton’s indie darlings are back in town once again, and will be looking to close out Sound City 2017 in similarly triumphant fashion to those previous outings.  Expect them to have the crowd in the palms of their hands for the whole set, hanging on every last lyric, and dancing the 10th anniversary to a fitting conclusion.   

Sound City, 25th – 28th May, Clarence Dock, Liverpool  

Get your tickets for Sound City from See Tickets here.  

Sean Ferguson