Music
Vasily Petrenko, Chief Conductor, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
VisitLiverpool.com Music
VisitLiverpool.com Music Think Liverpool, think the Beatles. The city is officially the World Capital of Pop, and the Fab Four are, of course, its most famous offspring.
Non-negotiable is a trip to The Beatles Story at Albert Dock, a brilliant tour through the Beatles’ lives, with fascinating memorabilia and insights from friends and family. You should also pop into the Cavern Club on Mathew Street, the most famous club in the world, for a lunchtime beer or some live music in the evening, or visit Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road in Allerton, the childhood homes of John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney, that are now both National Trust properties.
The city also has a throbbing live music scene as well as numerous musical festivals worth checking out. It is of course the home of the legendary Nation, the ultimate nightclub for party people, while the spanking new Waterfront Echo Arena is the venue for big-name international acts such as Beyoncé, Elton John and Oasis and also plays host to the Liverpool Summer Pops Festival from July to August. Creamfields The Picket is a great local venue and has broken such acts as the The La’s, Shack, Space and The Coral.
Classical fans must take in a performance by the world renowned Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, led by the charismatic Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko. You could always combine the classical with the popular by having a sneaky pint at The Philharmonic pub over the road beforehand, a famous haunt of the Fab Four.
Other music institutions include Parr Street Studios, where everyone from Coldplay to Oasis, Grace Jones, Take That and even the Spice Girls has recorded, and LIPA, the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, based in Paul McCartney’s old school right by Liverpool Cathedral, where you can experience performances by all the up and coming new musicians. © Casbah Coffee Club Liverpool Music Week is a must see event, which will be featuring big acts like Kasabian and Calvin Harris this year. Sound City is another fab festival of bands, DJs and artists happening over four days in May in the Cavern Club and the Hard Days Night Hotel. Or catch the annual Mathew Street Festival, centred around the famous street that is home to the Cavern Club. It takes place each year over the August bank holiday weekend and is one of Europe’s biggest free music events with rock and pop bands performing on live stages around the city centre.
VisitLiverpool.com And there’s more! During autumn, many venues around the city will be playing host to the Lennon Tribute Season to honour what would have been Events John Lennon’s 70th birthday. Southport also stages a number of great music events, such as the Southport Creamfields International Jazz Festival at the end of May, while August 28–August 29 Africa Oyé brings a taste of African music to Liverpool Daresbury, Cheshire in June – a two-day free festival of African music and T: 0151 707 1309 culture in Sefton Park. www.creamfields.com The UK’s number one dance festival But Liverpool really has every kind of music running with possibly the best line up and through its veins. It also plays host to the party atmosphere. The festival International Guitar Festival of Great Britain on the runs over two days with both day Wirral Peninsula each year, with classical music, jazz, ticket and camping options. rock, blues, country and flamenco guitar music being demonstrated at various venues in November. Music
Mathew Street Music Festival August 29–August 30 Various Liverpool city centre locations T: 0151 233 2008 www.mathewstreetfestival.com The annual celebration of one of Liverpool’s cultural cornerstones – music. Enjoy free live music across the city centre from large outside stages to intimate acoustic gigs.
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Mahler Edition Philharmonic Hall Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BP T: 0151 709 3789 www.liverpoolphil.com During the late 1950s and early 60s, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic was the first orchestra in the UK to perform all Gustav Mahler’s symphonies. 2010 is the anniversary of the composer’s 150th birthday, so to celebrate this seminal figure in music history, Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will begin their Mahler Edition, a two year journey through Mahler’s complete orchestral works as well as recitals and works by Schumann, Beethoven, Schubert and Bach performed in their Mahler editions. Pick up a copy of VisitLiverpool’s quarterly events guide. Beyoncé, Echo Arena
The city also has a throbbing live music scene as well as numerous musical festivals worth checking out. It is of course the home of the legendary Nation… while the spanking new Waterfront Echo Arena is the venue for big-name international acts.
VisitLiverpool.com Strawberry Field Woolton, Liverpool
VisitLiverpool.com Music
VisitLiverpool.com The Hard Days Night Hotel, The Beatles Beatles Shop Venues Number One Mathew Street, Liverpool, L2 6RR Beatles Magical Mystery Tour T: 0151 909 1964 Cream Tour departs from Gower Street www.traveltoliverpool.com T: 0151 707 1309 Bus Stop, Albert Dock, Liverpool www.cream.co.uk Situated at the top of Liverpool’s T: 0151 236 9091 or 0151 233 2459 world famous Mathew Street. Legendary dance music institution www.cavernclub.org Here you will find an amazing from Liverpool. Cream organise Cavern City Tours invite you to range of official Beatles related the annual Creamfields festival, experience the sights and sounds products. Make a reservation in addition to many UK and of Beatles Liverpool on the Magical for a FabCabs Beatles Heritage international tours and residencies. Mystery Tour, with entertaining taxi tour or The Magical Mystery commentary and music. coach tour.
Casbah Coffee Club The Beatles Fab Four Taxi Tours 8 Haymans Green, West Derby, T: 0151 601 2111 Liverpool, L12 7JG www.thebeatlesfabfourtaxitour.co.uk T: 0151 280 3519 Create your personalised www.casbahcoffeeclub.com Beatles tour in a comfortable A must for all Beatles’ fans, the black taxi. See all the famous Casbah is the place where it all sites including Penny Lane began. Original Beatles venue and Strawberry Field. Echo Arena Liverpool that remains unchanged Monarchs Quay, Liverpool, L3 4FP complete with rooms painted T: 0844 800 0400 (Box Office) by the Fab Four. The Beatles Shop www.echoarena.com 31 Mathew Street, The Echo Arena stands at the Liverpool, L2 6RE heart of the development of Kings Cavern Pub T: 0151 236 8066 Waterfront, an iconic cultural legacy 5 Mathew Street, www.thebeatleshop.co.uk of Liverpool’s year as European Liverpool, L2 6RE The Beatles Shop first opened its Capital of Culture in 2008. T: 0151 236 4041 doors on Mathew Street in 1984. www.cavernclub.org Upon descending the steps in to The Cavern Pub features a wall of the shop, you are greeted with fame showing the names of all the the most amazing array of Beatles Garlands artists who have played at the gifts and souvenirs. 8–10 Eberle Street, Cavern Club since 1957 plus Liverpool, L2 2AG Cavern memorabilia on display T: 0151 231 1105 inside the pub. www.garlandsnightclub.com Extrovert nightclub in the heart of Liverpool’s gay quarter. FabCabs of Liverpool Beatles Heritage Tours Hard Days Night Hotel Shop, Number One Mathew Street, Heebie Jeebies Liverpool, L2 6RR 80 Seel Street, Liverpool, L1 4BH T: 0151 909 1964 T: 0151 708 7001 www.fabcabsofliverpool.com www.myspace.com/heebiesliverpool The Beatles Story Bespoke tours, up to three hours Set over three levels Heebie’s Britannia Vaults, Albert Dock, with 30 stops and photo offers five bars, a basement club, Liverpool, L3 4AD opportunities. The comfortable courtyard, stages both inside T: 0151 709 1963 vehicles hold up to five passengers. and out, a whopping sound www.beatlesstory.com Tours available 24/7. system and one of the friendliest Located within Liverpool’s historic crowds in Liverpool. Albert Dock, The Beatles Story is a unique visitor attraction that transports you on an enlightening and atmospheric journey into the life, times, culture and music of the Beatles.
VisitLiverpool.com Mendips & 20 Forthlin Road
Woolton & Allerton, Liverpool T: 0151 427 7231 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/beatles This joint tour is the only one to take you inside the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and the places where many of the earliest Beatles songs were composed and rehearsed. Music On-line booking service available.
VisitLiverpool.com Cavern Club
Cavern Club 10 Mathew Street, Liverpool, L2 6RE T: 0151 236 1965 www.cavernclub.org The Cavern Club is the world famous music venue where the Beatles played in the early 1960s and is now featured in the computer game The Beatles: Rock Band.
VisitLiverpool.com Liverpool Welsh Choral The Zanzibar Club T: 0151 652 6374 43 Seel Street, Liverpool, L1 4AZ www.lwcu.co.uk T: 0151 707 0633 www.thezanzibarclub.com Founded in 1900, the prestigious LWC has grown to become one of Intimate, atmospheric venue Britain’s leading choral societies. profiling both signed and up With 130 members this large choir and coming acts. Plays host offers a wide selection of musical to live music and a wide variety concerts, to suit all tastes, of club nights. in some of the most beautiful venues in Liverpool City Region. Festivals O2 Academy 11–13 Hotham Street, Music Liverpool, L3 5UF Liverpool Sound City T: 0844 477 2000 (Booking Line) May 19–May 22 www.o2academyliverpool.co.uk www.liverpoolsoundcity.com Large live venue offering a diverse Southport International programme of artists, acts and Jazz Festival club nights. May 27–May 30 www.VisitSouthport.com
Studio 2 Africa Oyé 33–45 Parr Street, June 19–June 20 Liverpool, L1 4JN Sefton Park, Liverpool T: 0151 707 1050 www.africaoye.com www.parrstreet.co.uk/studio2 Southport Summer Classics The studio where Coldplay, Barry July 30–July 31 Manilow, Take That, the Spice www.visitsouthport.com Girls, Echo & The Bunnymen and Diana Ross recorded. Now Liverpool Summer Pops Festival converted to become the latest July 1–August 31 hot spot – breakfast bar in the www.summerpops.com morning, events venue by day and live music bar at night. Beatles Day July 10 www.beatlesday.tv Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BP St.Helens Live Music Festival T: 0151 709 3789 July 31 www.liverpoolphil.com www.VisitStHelens.com Philharmonic Hall is one of International Beatle the UK’s premier arts and Week Festival entertainment venues and August 25–August 31 home of the Royal Liverpool www.cavernclub.org Philharmonic Orchestra, whose Chief Conductor is the Liverpool Music Week charismatic young Russian, November Vasily Petrenko. www.liverpoolmusicweek.co.uk
International Guitar Festival The Picket of Great Britain 61 Jordan Street, Liverpool, L1 OBW November 1–November 30 T: 0151 708 6789 www.bestguitarfest.com www.savethepicket.com Now in its new venue in the Baltic area of Liverpool, The Picket has a long history of supporting emerging local talent including The La’s, The Farm, Happy Mondays, Cast, Space and The Coral.
VisitLiverpool.com