This coming weekend sees something different on the Liverpool music scene, and it could only ever take place at The New Picket!
The Liverpool Working Class Music Festival is a series of three concerts featuring some of the UK’s best socially aware and radical musicians. Some, all, or none of the musicians may or may not be performing acoustic music during their sets, but that doesn’t really matter given the quality of those on the bill.
The festival is the brainchild of local folk hero Alun Parry and Liverpool Acoustic asked him why he was putting on something so different from what we’ve seen so far this year. “The purpose of the festival is to ensure that Liverpool’s working people are represented culturally in Liverpool’s European City of Culture year.”
Tickets are available online, by phone, or in person and can be bought for individual concerts. Alternatively you can save some money and buy a weekend ticket for all three concerts for only £25. Full details of how to buy your tickets can be found at the website
www.workingclassmusic.org.uk
Friday 19th September 2008
Start: 7pm Prompt
£10
A singer for the oppressed, wherever on this planet they may be. And out of that solidarity, Gaughan burns. There is fire. There is anger. There is cauterising scorn
A prolific songwriter for over 40 years, Leon is an icon for radical songwriters everywhere. Best know for his oft-covered classic The World Turned Upside Down, Leon was branded by the Daily Telegraph as “possibly the world’s most accomplished mischief maker.”
Brighton & Hove Albion fanatic and punk poet/songsmith Attila The Stockbroker brandishes his trusty mandolin as a weapon against all that needs to be changed.
A cross between Woody Guthrie and The Jam, Parry is Liverpool’s most respected radical musician, tackling each subject with a rare mix of insight and humour.
Incisive Liverpool rap artist with much to say. His outstanding The N Word is challenging and hard hitting. A young outspoken writer and performer who demands attention.
Saturday 20th September 2008
Start: 8pm Prompt
£12
Fresh from their appearance at The Glastonbury Festival, these stamp-yer-feet folk rockers promise to have The Picket bouncing.
A cross between Woody Guthrie and The Jam, Parry is Liverpool’s most respected radical musician, tackling each subject with a rare mix of insight and humour.
Top Merseyside footstompers with a Pogues-like sense of riotousness.
Superb North West songwriter and agitfolk campaigner. His songs are impassioned and community centred. Appeals to folk rockers and chill out merchants alike.
A superb stage performer with wonderful presence. A force the music world clearly needs.
Sunday 21st September 2008
Start: 7pm Prompt
£10
Billy Bragg regards him as powerful as The Clash, and Tony Benn calls him the greatest socialist singer of his generation. Currently touring with Tony Benn with their Writing On The Wall show which won them the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Live Act.
A legendary figure on the political folk scene, Robb is the creator of some of the Left’s most potent songs.
Terrific songwriter with wonderful accented vocals, often seen playing support to Chumbawamba.
Hard hitting and critically acclaimed, Chanje has worked alongside some of the most influential modern poets such as Benjamin Zephaniah and Linton Kwesi Johnson.
The world’s coolest Dr Who fan. Represents the coming generation of political folkies, with hard hitting lyrics, a fair share of wit, and energetic angry delivery.
It’s worth mentioning that the event couldn’t have happened without the support of the sponsors in the trade union movement.
North West TUC
Unite
Unison Liverpool
CWU
Another Media
FBU