IVW is a seven day celebration of what essentially is the life blood of music as a continuing, evolving cultural art form: the small venue. Here in Liverpool we are blessed with a variety of venues which help maintain Liverpool as an influential musical hotspot. Below is a quick round up of what to expect from two of the Liverpool venues involved. EBGB’s Monday 29th January Promoter – Vinyl Junkie Red Rum Club: Fran Doran…
There’s a groundbreaking weekly event coming to Camp and Furnace which you’ve never seen or heard anything like it before! Running every Friday from 7pm until late, Friday Night Furnace which launches on February 9th has live music and performance at its heart, giving event-goers a BIG night out, kicking off the weekend in style. Weekly residents, The Furnace House Band will act as musical hosts to the event, playing a mix of modern tracks, and giving them…
Sound City is making its hugely anticipated return to the city’s centre, kick-starting the UK’s 2018 festival season into life on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th May. The festival is very much going back to its roots for its 11th year in a vibrant celebration of music and arts from around the world and much closer to home. Sound City will embrace the spirit of the underground and seek out the next generation of talent…
Not many new singer-songwriters can say they’ve received international airplay, but for Esme Bridie, her angelic vocals and folky music has already been warming hearts across the UK and beyond. Hailing from Merseyside and studying at Leeds College of Music, the young singer’s debut album, Today It Rains, is set for release in February through independent Liverpool music label, Klee Music. The singer’s freshness that comes with her youth offers a spark of vitality to…
The Jockey Club Live has revealed two incredible performers who will be coming to the North West this summer, in their first announcements for the 2018 summer season. The BRIT Award winner, cultural commentator, critically acclaimed director and actor, and musical maverick Ben Drew aka Plan B will headlining Haydock Park Racecourse on Saturday 21st July, with Liverpudlian Legends The Lightning Seeds opening the season on Friday 18th May with a special hometown show at Aintree Racecourse. Plan B’s…
Full of Wonder EP is the latest musical offering from Dan Astles, and is intriguing in both production and compositional senses. This amounts to a challenging and enriching artistic experience, and points to Astles growing musical maturity. We met in a convivial Liverpool hostelry, and as Dan was a few minutes late, he got the round in. Over a couple of pints, we talked of musical themes, recording and production, and the influence of one…
Since plummeting onto the Liverpool music scene with their caffeine-fuelled debut ‘Coffee’, Salt the Snail have been busily working away behind-the-scenes. Amidst a number of live slots last year, the band have focused their attention towards the studio, prepping for more riotous belters to be fired out. Newest single, ‘Spanish Announce Table’, follows on from where ‘Coffee’ left off, propelling the chaos tenfold. Once again, the video is a perfect pairing to the band’s earsplitting…
Bean There Coffee Shop contributed to the ever growing standard of Liverpool’s independent food and drink scene in May of this year and with this December being their first Christmas, they have produced a delightful and inventive new menu to help you celebrate all things merry and bright. Despite being the season of goodwill, Christmas is also a time for a little over-indulgence, and at Bean There you can do exactly that with their carefully…
Frankly, this is a collection of compositions which highlight the rich promise of the producer, which I am assuming is Dan Astles. Production wise, it is about evocative risk taking to convey the intensity of the songs. But, isn’t this what the art of musical production is about? That magical ingredient, the nuanced insight that elevates the composition to the listener? Astles, to these ears – its always subjective until you yourself are in a…
One of Europe’s leading metropolitan festivals of music and arts, Sound City, is making its much anticipated return to the city centre across the first spring bank holiday Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th May. Taking place across the Baltic Triangle and Cains Brewery in Liverpool, the festival is very much returning to its roots for its 11th year, focused on discovering an abundance of emerging new talent for everyone to savour whilst experiencing many iconic…
Sometimes all you want is dessert. It doesn’t matter how tempting the starters and main courses look, you’re there for the dessert and the dessert alone. Luckily there’s a new, growing trend for so called ‘dessert cafes’ where pudding is the only option. There’s been a couple pop up across Liverpool and now Heavenly Desserts is opening its doors on Strand Street just in time for December because after all, calories don’t count at Christmas…
This Christmas, independent Liverpool restaurant and bar group, Graffiti Spirits Group, has announced it will be launching Miracle on Seel Street, taking place from Thursday-Sunday in 83, from mid-November to January. 83 is a secretive venue tucked above both Salt Dog Slims and 81LTD, in the heart of Liverpool’s bustling drinking and dining district. Miracle on Seel Street will see the hidden bar completely transformed into a festive den of treats and delicacies, with an array of Christmas cocktails and delicious food offerings on offer,…
KingFast, a singer/song writer who was born in Jamaica and raised in Northern Ireland has been crowned the winner of Merseyrail’s Sound Station competition. Kingfast went head to head with nine other aspiring artists in a battle of the bands style showdown on the concourse level of Central Station, last Saturday (11th November). Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and brought up in Belfast, where his name stems from, the singer now lives in Merseyside where he…
This was the home coming gig for Thom Morecroft and Chris Tavener’s The Long Way Home tour which closes finally on Sunday 26th Manchester at The Castle in Manchester. What has to be my favourite Liverpool venue at the moment, 81 Renshaw Street, was rammed to witness this triumphant home gig. Ably supported by Elle Rose Smith, Thom Morecroft finally took to the stage and took what was already a great night to another level…
Laces Out! is returning to Liverpool this winter, taking place at the Camp and Furnace on Saturday 11th November. A celebration of sneaker culture, lifestyle and fashion featuring a panel of special guests, traders, DJ’s, competitions, and an exclusive preview of Neal Heard’s “The Art of the Football Shirt” exhibition. The one-day festival brings together independent sneaker collectors from across the globe and will feature thousands of rare, vintage and deadstock trainers for collectors to…
Sound City has announced its 2018 festival will be located across the Baltic Triangle and the Cain’s Brewery area. Taking place across the first spring bank holiday Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th May, Sound City will be taking over the iconic warehouses, intimate spaces, outdoor stages and pop-up places which form the renascent Baltic Triangle and Cain’s Brewery areas of the city. It is here which is the catalyst for much of Liverpool’s creative and…
It isn’t just the delicious Italian style food that makes The Quarter so appealing, the authentic décor and overall ambience – whether you’re visiting for an early morning breakfast, or, like us, a romantic dinner for two – make it an enjoyable place to eat, drink and socialise. It really is a little deli style haven somewhat hiding away just off Liverpool’s prestigious and much loved Hope Street. It’s one of the very few places…
Find out what Tiger Rock Hawker is offering those in search of authentic Thai food…. During the mid 1990’s, when Oasis and Blur were battling head to head for Brit Pop honours, and Tony Blair was confidently perceived as a great political hope, The G and myself were frequent visitors to the Siam Garden on Smithdown Road. Here, we always enjoyed great food and hospitality to match, and it proved to be a worthwhile introduction…
Farmageddon (Now until 31st October) Farmageddon is a Merseyside Halloween staple, with even more scares than ever before. For its eleventh year there’s more happening than ever with 5 unique scare zones to enjoy or not enjoy as the case may be. More info and tickets here Ottersghoul (Otterspool Adventure Centre) 28th – 31st October Ottersghoul will put participants nerves to the test as they embark on a journey around the adventure park undertaking on…
Smithdown Road Festival is back for a fourth year, and it’s bigger and better than ever before. Taking place as always over the May Day Bank Holiday Weekend 5th – 7th May 2018, expect a jam packed schedule of incredible live music, comedy, theatre, cinema and loads for the kids to do too. Taking place on Wavertree Park, as well as several venues along Smithdown Road itself (including The Handymans, Craft Taproom, Evil Eye and Naked Lunch)…