Welcome to the Liverpool Acoustic news and reviews blog. Here you'll find news about acoustic events in and around Liverpool, and reviews of gigs and CDs. If you've got something to add use the 'Contact us' page on the main site.
The first Liverpool Folk and Roots Festival comes to an end tonight, and it's going out on a high.
Saturday 28th November - Festival Closing Concert 7.00pm @ St Bride's Church
Drawing the festival to a close back at the venue where it all began, tonight's event sees an evening showcasing the very best unsigned and independently labelled young folk artists from across the North-West.
Featuring the sublime... Denis Jones, The Random Family, Liz Green, and Wiglas.
The next Liverpool Acoustic Live gig is taking place tonight - Friday 27th November 2009 - at the View Two Gallery on Mathew Street. The doors open at 8.00pm and the music starts at 8.30pm.
Entrance is only £4 on the door, or £3 in advance from contact[at]liverpoolacoustic.co.uk
Stuart Todd will be joined by his new band The Freebies and they'll be performing songs from his recently launched new album, A Question of Time.
Matt Swift is playing as part of his Comeback Tour of Liverpool (!), Nordic songstress and event host Kaya will be entertaining us with her own brand of music, as will local lad Paul McDowell.
I know we've already mentioned this in the list of Liverpool Folk and Roots Festival gigs, but we think it's worth a second mention.
Thursday 26th November - The Twilight Garden Party 7.30pm @ The Palm House, Sefton Park
Organised by Almanac Folkmyspace.com/almanacfolk the Twilight Garden Party is a night of song, story telling, spoken word and live illustration in the beautiful surroundings of Sefton Park Palm House. Following a series of explosive gigs across the city featuring folk's brightest new stars, Almanac's electric mix of musicians and artists has gained a justly deserved cult following. Expect trad folk, alt folk, songs old and new, and some very exciting collaborations in this musical and visual feast. Artists include Andy Hickie (“This troubadour will do North Wales proud”, BBC Radio 1), Lizzie Nunnery (Performer of the year, Fatea Folk Awards 08), singer/harpist Nula Mathers, cross genre multi instrumentalists Temple Fire, combining their Scandinavian, Celtic and Eastern folk influences; plus the folk pop majesty of Atlantic Massey.
The Almanac Folk events have been winning some well-known fans. Local musician and rising star John Smith had this to say about it:-
"Whilst there is a strong bond between brother and sister musicians in Liverpool, we don't necessarily make enough effort to collaborate and perform together - as it was, I found myself on stage with half a dozen others, flying by the seat of my pants. In a scene saturated with drab indie bands, the value of such an innovative folk night in Liverpool cannot be over-emphasized. It brings our community of singers and instrumentalists that bit closer, and reminds us of the true value of our craft. I can't recommend it enough.”
Monday 23rd November sees the official launch party for Stuart Todd's new album - A Question of Time
It's taking place at Studio 2 at Parr Street, and starts at 7.00pm
Stuart will be playing a selection of songs, including a fair number from A Question of Time.
Stuart Todd will be joined by his new band The Freebies - producer Andy Fernihough on bass, Jason Jones on electric guitar, and Mark Brocklesby on drums. There will also be a guest appearance from Neil Campbell.
Support on the night is provided by Alister Said's TAP UK, and by Rae Clark, both of whom have impressed the audiences at previous Liverpool Acoustic Live gigs.
Entrance is £5 on the door, which includes a copy of the CD. There’s also a £2 guest list for anyone who just wants to go along and see the gig. You can contact Stuart via email, MySpace, facebook or twitter to be added to the list.
The very first Liverpool Folk and Roots Festival is now only a day away, and we're starting to get rather excited here at Liverpool Acoustic HQ. This is the first time an event like this has taken place in Liverpool in recent years and it's well worth supporting to help ensure it becomes an annual fixture in the city's musical calendar.
Lasting for eight days from Saturday to Saturday, the festival features a variety of events throughout the city, each one tapping into a different part of Liverpool's rich heritage of folk and roots music. And we've got the full run-down below.
Saturday 21st November - Festival Opening Concert with The Unthanks 7.00pm @ St Bride's Church - SOLD OUT
Joining the The Unthanks will be hosts The Random Family, plus Jonny Kearney, and Lucy Farrell.
If you were hoping to go to this then we're sorry to have to tell you it's a sell-out and there are no tickets left. Better luck next year!
Sunday 22nd November - Folk Day at The Bluecoat 12.00pm to 6.00pm @ The Bluecoat, School Lane
Liverpool Folk and Roots Festival in association with The Bluecoat presents a day of free live music and workshops led by performers from the Liverpool Sea Shanty concert (see the next entry).
Come along and enjoy a lazy Sunday afternoon featuring music from The Rough Island Band, Sparkwood & 21, Stan Ambrose, Hannah Peel, S.J Downes, Charnock and Russell and more…
Or get involved with a workshop - topics include ‘Traditional Sea Shanties’, ‘Writing Contemporary Shanties’, and ‘Sea Shanty Arrangement and Performance’.
Workshops commencing at 1pm, 2.30pm and 4pm – contact The Bluecoat to book a place. 0151 7025324
Monday 23rd November - Stuart Todd album launch party 7.00pm @ Studio 2 at Parr Street
OK, so we cheated a bit. There's no festival event on tonight, but if you're a completist and want to make it eight consecutive evenings in a row then why not pop along to Studio 2 at Parr Street for a night of top class music from local artists?
The event is being organised by Stuart Todd who will be performing songs from his new album with The Freebies. Joining him will be guest Neil Campbell, plus Alister Said's TAP UK, and Rae Clark.
Entrance is £5 on the door, which includes a copy of the CD.
Tuesday 24th November - Roy Bailey 7.00pm @ The Casa, Hope Street
‘Which Side Are You On?’ – Words and Music of Protest in association with Liverpool Working Class Music Festival
Roy Bailey, Alun Parry, plus special guest speakers
For 50+ years, Roy Bailey has been one of the UK Folk & Acoustic scene’s most loved and admired performers. From his early days performing skiffle in student union bars, to his love of traditional songs and the stories they tell, onto developing a unique repertoire of songs of dissent and hope. Roy has also pursued a distinguished academic career. He has lectured in Universities and Colleges in Britain, Germany, Belgium, the USA, Canada and Australia.
The evening will also include special guest speakers discussing the role of music in Liverpool’s past industrial disputes.
This event is free of charge but due to the anticipated high demand, tickets should be ordered and collected in advance from the venue to guarantee admission.
The Casa - 0151 706 0678
Wednesday 25th November - Martin Simpson 7.30pm @ The Bluecoat
Martin Simpson, with The Rough Island Band
Martin Simpson’s guitar playing is unsurpassed; he is one of the finest finger pickers and slide pickers of our time and was recently named one of the top artists of the decade by Acoustic Guitar Magazine. Winner of 5 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards - 2 of them in 2008 for Best Original Song and Best Album - he is a superb interpreter of traditional music and song from both sides of the Atlantic.
He has worked with the likes of Jackson Browne, David Lindley, June Tabor, Martin Carthy, Martin Taylor and Eric Bibb and is a popular and much loved solo performer. Both spell-binding, and highly entertaining, he is a master of his craft.
Saturday 28th November - Festival Closing Concert 7.00pm @ St Bride's Church
Drawing the festival to a close it returns to where it all began with an evening showcasing the very best unsigned and independently labelled young folk artists from across the North-West.
Featuring the sublime... Denis Jones, The Random Family, Liz Green, and Wiglas.
The Folk Upstairs Club is taking over the Friday Night Acoustic slot at The Zanzibar for one night only (well, at least until the next time they do it!)
It's this coming Friday 20th November, 7.30pm to late.
It's a special night with the official launch of Maxi Dunn's album Welcome to Soonville.
Also appearing on the night will be The Big I Am, Carrie Hayden, & special guest, plus poetry from The Bard of New Brighton - Steve Regan, and Ian Nenna.
£4 entry on the door includes access to Sick! Indie Night downstairs where you'll find Polly Mackey & The Pleasure Principle, The Mono LPs, Run Toto Run, Town Bike, and Sensorites.
Wow! All of this for just £4 can't be bad, can it?
Liverpool Acoustic Spotlight #20 Preview of Liverpool Acoustic Live 27/11/09
1. Stuart Todd - My Love Can't Be Disguised
2. Matt Swift - Real
3. Kaya - High On Coffee
4. Paul McDowell - Sunshine Song
Download the show for free (right-click to download)
Or listen online below
(not available for email subscribers)
The next Liverpool Acoustic Live gig is taking place on Friday 27th November 2009 at the View Two Gallery on Mathew Street. The doors open at 8.00pm and the music starts at 8.30pm.
Entrance is £4 on the door, or £3 in advance from contact[at]liverpoolacoustic.co.uk
Stuart Todd will be joined by his new band The Freebies and they'll be performing songs from his album. Matt Swift is playing as part of his Comeback Tour of Liverpool (!), Nordic songstress and event host Kaya will be entertaining us with her own brand of music, as will local lad Paul McDowell.
Stuart Todd released his debut EP Playing The Field in 2004. Since then he's continued to make a name for himself as an accomplished singer-songwriter, an excellent musician, and an organiser and host of acoustic music events. In 2007 he released the brilliant self-titled CD Campbell Todd which was made with his long-time friend and musical collaborator Neil Campbell.
Stuart will be celebrating the release of his debut full-length album with a launch party at Studio 2 at Parr Street on Monday 23rd November. He's joined on the night by The Freebies, who are producer and friend Andy Fernihough on bass, Jason Jones on electric guitar, and Mark Brocklesby on drums. There will also be a guest appearance from Neil Campbell. Support is provided by Alister Said's TAP UK, and by Rae Clark. The gig starts at 7.00pm, and it's £5 entry which includes a copy of the CD.
Matt Swift originates from the small mining town of Skelmersdale, where his formative years were spent listening to some of the greatest singer songwriters of their generation, including James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, David Bowie and Jeff Buckley to name a few. Matt recalls at the age of 15 recieving his first guitar, an old battered Fender Acoustic bought by his dad in the 70s. "He passed it down to me and taught me, and showed me a few chords. The rest, as they say, 'is history.'
During his teens, Matt's individual musical awareness began to develop, and he started listening to bands such as The Cure, The Smiths, Smashing Pumpkins, AFI, The Cult, and The Kinks and it was at this point that he formed the band 'Carmen' who as Matt will be the first to admit "weren't much good!" From a very early age it was clear that Matt possessed a flair for song writing and in particular a strong focus on his own identity, morality and "place in the world," which comes across strongly in his music. Matt's lyrics are at times both introspective and retrospective with the self-deprocating "Man I Am Not" a particular crowd pleaser with catchy hooks and a haunting melody line that tears through even the hardest of hearts.
It is impossible to place Matt's music into one particular genre other than Acoustic, but there are obvious infusions of classic folk traditions and modern indie rock. Matt often describes his songwriting as "a platform to express my thoughts, and feelings about love, loss, and the state of the world." Most of the songs you will hear Matt play stem from a time in his life where he was very much searching for identity, and "a place to fit in."
The track "Real" was written the day after Matt's auntie died in tragic circumstances. The song will be available on Matt's new EP "Rising Tides" which will be avaliable early next year.
Kaya Herstad is originally from the north of Norway, and has made Liverpool her home since 1999. Since then she has become a well-know name on the local scene and was chosen as BBC Liverpool ‘Artist of the Month’ for July 2008 and as ‘Spotlight Artist’ for Liverpool Acoustic in August 2008. You can listen to that spotlight show here.
As a member of the Sense of Sound choir Kaya has performed at the Royal Variety Show, with Ringo Starr at the Capital of Culture 2008 opening, and as a finalist in the BBC's Last Choir Standing. Since the BBC show the choir has completed a UK tour with singer and judge Russell Watson.
With her own music, Kaya has played alongside Brett Anderson (Suede), Cherry Ghost, Noah and the Whale, The Wombats, Sandi Thom, Polly Mackey and pretty much the whole Liverpool scene. She has played gigs and festivals all over England, Scotland and Wales in addition to further ashore in France, Poland and even Bosnia; not to mention her native Norway where tracks from her debut album Balloon in a Cactus Field have had prime time plays on both radio and TV.
'Balloon in a Cactus Field' was released on Ultimate Fake Records on the 24th November 2008 and is Kaya's debut album. It's also available on iTunes and in Liverpool's HMV store, and has been described as “a collection of beautifully crafted songs with a surprising bite”.
Kaya is a well known event host on the local acoustic music scene, and her innovative Under the Influence gigs have recently celebrated its first anniversary. Her newest venture is the Eclectic Collection, another event with a different format from the normal showcase or open mic nights found elsewhere.
In short, Kaya is a dynamic performer both with and without the band and a prolific songwriter with most of her second album already written.
Paul McDowell was born in Liverpool and spent much of his childhood exploring the sandy shores of the North West and Wales. After a short stint in full-on big city office life, he ditched the suit and tie and hit the high road with his guitar, voice and imagination.
Five years later, he has gigged around the UK and Europe, played with countless artists, and he even organised a music festival in Liverpool a couple of years ago.
He is recorded his second EP with producer Gordon Raphael (the Strokes, Regina Spektor, Skin), a more stripped down affair than his first E.P. reflecting his true solo style. One guitar, one voice
The first E.P. 'I am trying to be happy for you' was released in 2007 by MI MA MO Recordsand was recorded and produced by Steve Powell (John Power, Arctic Monkeys [live], the Coral [live]). It was met with critical praise from the BBC, newspapers, national and international radio stations, and fanzines.
Currently recording his first full length solo album, he also plays in a side project called Ortolans.
Liverpool Acoustic Spotlight #20 - November 2009
If you get the chance, please support your local artists by emailing them, joining their mailing lists, leaving them comments, going to their gigs, and buying their music direct from them where possible.
Ba Doo Day is the assured debut album from Canadian songstress Ashley Théberge. Currently based in Liverpool, the artist delivers a set of songs that can be described as melodic folk indie pop. French European influences dominate with the accordion used effectively on several cuts. This adds to the quirky and playful nature of the album. Several of the tracks shine, in particular Tie Up Your Shoes, which recalls the sound of Lily Allen but without the angst. I also detected the influence of Regina Spektor in some of her work.
The gorgeous production and tasteful playing help to elevate the songs and the performances from Théberge are confident throughout. Cherry Orchard is the highlight of the album and features a distinct menacing accordion; whilst Paper Doll makes clever use of her vocals. Songs such as Change The Weather and Lover Stay offer the listener a change of mood and indicates that there’s more to the artist than mere cheerful sentiment.
However not all the tracks hit the mark; Catch And Release being the weakest of the bunch. That blip aside, this is an enjoyable listen. The anthemic title track being a satisfying close to an album, which will surely leave a smile on your face but take note; there is more to Ashley Théberge than the happy songstress who graces the front cover.
Liverpool's finest acoustic guitar duo Thomas-Joseph & Murphy are playing tonight - Tuesday 10th November - at the Pacific Road Arts Centre as part of the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain.
T-J & Murphy have been winning fans everywhere they play with their delicate finger-picking, top-class songwriting, and sublime harmonies.
T-J & Murphy are joined by Robert Brown from Suffolk. Robert plays 'anything with strings, except the violin', has supported Lulu on tour, and received a rave review from Classic Rock Magazine earlier in the year.
Lots on this weekend, including the following musical treats!
Friday 6th November - Tones of Home 8.00pm @ Studio 2 at Parr Street
Tones of Home is an evening of Folk and Alternative music taking place once a month in the wonderful atmosphere of Studio2 Parr Street. The night is still in its infancy but is going from strength to strength and they have had some stunning performances so far from Alyssa Bonagura, Jessica Stavely-Taylor, Fables, Brendan Fahey, Lee Broderick, Blind Dog Moon, Dave O'Grady, Ronan Boyle, My Albatros, Homestead and James Munro...to name but a few....
They are fortunate to be hosting an event during the Liverpool Music Week Festival. Friday 6th November will see appearances from Joe Kenny, Anna Lena and the Orchids, Zoe Nicol, Sihka & Arthur Shelton Jones. A fantastic night of folk, Bluegrass & Soulful songwriting.
As always Tones of Home is a free night of music at one of Liverpool's finest and fastest growing live music venues.
Friday 6th November - Liverpool Acoustic Blues Lounge 8.00pm @ The View Two Gallery, Mathew Street
Liverpool Acoustic Blues Lounge takes place on the first Friday of the month. Tonight sees Blue C host special guest Bill Hackney at one of the best acoustic venues in the city.
Tickets £5 on the door - All enquiries to Raphael on 0151 709 5484 myspace.com/bluecblues
Saturday 7th November - The Company Store first birthday bash 8.00pm @ The Zanzibar, Seel Street
Joining The Sixteen Tonnes for The Company Store's first birthday bash will be Blue Demon, Barbieshop, and The See See
Sunday 8th November - Blues on the Rock 1.00pm to 4.00pm @ Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton
Monthly second-Sunday-of-the-month afternoon blues gig hosted by Liverpool blues duo Blue C, who will be opening and closing the event. In between will be Barramacca, a great guitar/harmonica blues duo. As always there will be CDs to be won, a blues disco and Talkin' Blues, where the guest will be quizzed about their own slice of blues history by Raphael Callaghan. There is a cafe and bottle bar.
Richard Digance is an evergreen performer who appeals to all ages, making him still one of Britain's top comedy and music attractions.
He is a rare performer in that he's respected by comedians for his original material and by musicians for being one of Britain's top acoustic guitarists. He has appeared to an audience of 8 in The Falklands, half a million at Knebworth and done thousands of shows in between as well as finding 9 letter words on Countdown.
He gained a BAFTA Nomination for TV Entertainer Of The Year in the late 1980s and in 2003 received the Gold Award from The British Academy of Composers and Songwriters for his services to live music.
He has worked with a multitude of world-class artists; Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Roy Orbison, The Beach Boys, Elton John, Steeleye Span, David Essex, Jim Davidson, Supertramp, Elkie Brooks and Tom Jones. His TV specials for ITV ran for a record 11 years and on these shows he played guitar with Brian May, Status Quo, The Moody Blues, Buffy St Marie, Juan Martin, Marc Cohn who wrote Walking in Memphis and Chris de Burgh.
The silky-voiced Ogo Nzeakor is launching his brand new CD tonight - Thursday 5th November - at Rococo, Modo's basement lounge. So if you've already had enough of fireworks over the past two weeks then why not go along and enjoy a great night of music instead.
Supporting Ogo will be Ragz and Ben Blance, two fantastic performers in their own right.
November sees not two, but three festivals - two old and one new.
Liverpool Music Week is the UK's largest indoor winter music festival. Despite the name, the festival runs for two weeks from 29th October to 16th November at a large number of Liverpool venues. With over 390 acts playing at 80 events there's bound to be something for everyone, and as usual, there are plenty of acoustic treats amongst the indie, rock and pop. All the acoustic gigs are in the Liverpool Acoustic diary and full details of the festival can be found at liverpoolmusicweek.com
The International Guitar Festival of Great Britain takes place across Wirral from 3rd to 28th November. There's plenty of variety and choice for guitar lovers everywhere, and enough acoustic events to keep us all happy. Full details can be found at bestguitarfest.com Highlights of the Guitar Festival include Thomas-Joseph & Murphy (10th), Ralph McTell, John Williams, four chances to catch Ghost Stories A Night Opera performed at Birkenhead Priory (18th & 19th), Martyn Joseph, Peter Price, and Nick Harper.
The Liverpool Folk and Roots Festival is brought to you by the guys behind the successful Family Folk-up nights. It's running from 21st to 28th November at various venues throughout the city, and the events that have been confirmed so far are in the Liverpool Acoustic diary. Artists due to appear include The Unthanks, and Martin Simpson. There will be a news item later in the month with the full line-up of events and artists.
There are also three artists launching albums this month. Ogo (5th), Maxi Dunne (20th), and Stuart Todd (23rd). They're all in the diary, and get a mention in the diary selection box below.
LIVERPOOL ACOUSTIC LIVE
The last Liverpool Acoustic Live was a great success. The appreciative audience enjoyed sets from Zoe Nicol performing with her full band for the first time, and Daniela Bove who came up from London especially to play, and was amazing. Daneila was joined by Gareth Warren on guitar and Nicole Collarbone on cello. A huge thank you to Rosie Jones who stepped in at the last minute and did a great solo set for us when Tony Cosgrove from The Complete Unknown came down with laryngitis. Thanks also to Stuart Todd and Tony Kehoe who helped fill in with a couple of songs each to cover for Mark Wilson who is going to be out of action for a number of months. We wish both Tony Cosgrove and Mark Wilson all the best, and hope to re-book them some time next year.
Liverpool Acoustic Live this month is taking place on Friday 27th November at the View Two Gallery on Mathew Street. The doors open at 8.00pm and the music starts at 8.30pm. Tickets are £4 on the door, or £3 in advance from contact[at]liverpoolacoustic.co.uk
This month we've got sets from Stuart Todd, Kaya, Paul McDowell, and Matt Swift.
Full details are in the poster on the main website at liverpoolacoustic.co.uk and all four performers will be featuring on this month's Liverpool Acoustic Spotlight audio show.
DIARY NEWS
So here are this month's movers and shakers. Take it away, Fluff.
You say goodbye...
Goodbye to Acoustic Slice... again! The weekly event that's had more comebacks than Bobby Ewing has finally closed its doors for good. Thanks to everyone who has been involved over the years, especially Alun and Shaz. They've made a massive contribution to the local music scene, and have helped many acoustic musicians by giving them an outlet for their music.
Jean Finney tells us that Folk at the Norton on Wednesday nights has finished due to dwindling numbers. That's a real shame, though we wish Jean all the best in her future ventures.
And I say hello...
Acoustic Slice has been replaced by the inventively named 'Acoustic Live Lounge @ 3345' and is being overseen by local musician Barry Briercliffe. Each night will have two booked acts and plent of open mic. It starts each week at 8.30pm and is free. myspace.com/acousticlivelounge
River View Open Mic is an open floor poetry and acoustic music event taking place in Wirral on the first Monday of every month (sounds familiar!). It starts at 8.00pm at the River View pub in Woodside, with hot pot and crusty bread available until 9pm. Full details on the Wirral Alliance of Poets website at wap.writers-forum.co.uk/RVOM.htm
There is a new open mic night on the first Tuesday of every month at Leaf Tea Shop and Bar. It starts at 8pm and is hosted by Johnny Sands. Subtitiled 'Out of the bedroom' this really is your chance to transfer your musical talent from bedroom to bar - just don't forget your instrument!
The Thursday open mic session at Pogue Mahones at the top of Seel Street is now being run by Mark Whitby. It's 9.30pm every week and is totally free.
As always, if there's anything we've missed from the diary then drop us a line and we'll add it.
NOVEMBER DIARY SELECTION BOX
Here's a selection of some of the acoustic events taking place in November. Click on the event in the diary for full details and links. If you'd like your event to get a special mention in a future newsletter then let us know.
Monday 2nd - Come Strut Your Stuff @ The Egg Cafe. Open floor poetry and acoustic music takes place once a month in Liverpool's best vegetarian bistro. The event starts at 8pm but if you want to perform you'll need to be there before 7.20pm to get your name on the list. comestrutyourstuff.co.uk
Thursday 5th - Ogo's album launch party at Rococo (Modo's basement lounge). 8pm start and £5 entry. With support from Ragz and Ben Blance.
Friday 6th - Liverpool Acoustic Blues Lounge @ The View Two Gallery. Blue C hosts special guest Bill Hackney at one of the best acoustic venues in the city. 8pm doors, and £5 in. myspace.com/bluecblues
Saturday 7th - The Company Store @ The Zanzibar celebrates its first birthday with a bit of a bash. 8pm at The Zanzibar sees Sixteen Tonnes, Blue Demon, Barbieshop, and The See See. Tickets £6 from Probe, The Zanzibar, and ticketline.co.uk
Tuesday 10th - T-J & Murphy perform as part of the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain at the Pacific Road Arts Centre. Also on the bill is Robert Brown. myspace.com/thomasjosephandmurphy
Saturday 14th - Tomas J Speight and Sean Francis Butler are playing at the newly re-located Korova Bar (in the old Roadkill building on Hope Street) as part of Liverpool Music Week. 8pm doors, £5 in. www.liverpoolmusicweek.com/
Friday 20th - Maxi Dunn CD release party is part of The Folk Upstairs Club organised by Sick. 7.30pm and £4 entry gets you in to downstairs as well. Also performing are The Big I Am, Carrie Hayden, and special guests.
Saturday 21st - Family Folk-up presents the first event in the week long Liverpool Folk and Roots Festival. Joining the Random Family at St Bride's will be The Unthanks, Jonny Kearney, and Lucy Farrell. £10 in, 7pm doors, 8pm music, 11pm finish. Bring your own drink.
Sunday 22nd - Liverpool Folk Day @ The Bluecoat. From 12pm to 6pm - An afternoon of live acoustic music and events featuring some of Liverpool's finest unsigned folk acts. Plus special guest speakers, workshops and demonstrations celebrating the history, significance and abiding of presence of folk music in Liverpool.
Monday 23rd - Stuart Todd's album launch party@ Studio 2 at Parr Street. 7pm start, £5 in (includes a copy of the CD), and support from The Freebies, Neil Campbell, Tap UK, and Rae Clark. myspace.com/stuarttodd
Thursday 26th - Almanac Folk present Twilight Garden Party @ Sefton Park Palm House - part of the Liverpool Folk and Roots Festival. Following the success of their run of shows at Mello Mello, Almanac Folk present a night of song, storytelling, spoken word, live illustration and some very exciting collaborations. All in the atmospheric surroundings of the beautiful Sefton Park Palm House. 7.30pm, tickets on sale soon.
Friday 27th - Liverpool Acoustic Live @ The View Two Gallery, Mathew Street. This is the last one of the year because we're taking a break in December. To see out the year with a bang we've got music from Paul McDowell, Matt Swift, and Kaya. Stuart Todd will be performing with his band, and will be playing songs from his new album.
Saturday 28th - The Violent Playground with Fabian Rothschilde @ Tabac. A one-off acoustic/experimental show in the intimate surroundings of Cafe Tabac. Over the last two years the band have played with many names including, The Coral, Iggy Pop, Echo and the Bunnymen, Reverend and the Makers, Supergrass, The Hives, Kate Nash. 7.30pm start, and free entry.
AND FINALLY...
It's great to see Gemma and Gill, the two new members of the Liverpool Acoustic Team, reviewing gigs and albums for the News and Reviews page. Stuart Todd, the co-organiser and co-host of Liverpool Acoustic Live, has also agreed to review some albums and live events for us. If you would like to contribute, either on a regular basis or just as a one-off, then drop us a line and let us know.
If you've got any comments or suggestions you can leave a message in our Guestbook, or drop us a line using the Contact Us form or by emailing contact[at]liverpoolacoustic.co.uk
