This August bank holiday weekend sees the return of the Mathew Street Festival, and with it comes its kid brother the Mathew Street Fringe.
Whereas the main outdoor festival is known for its vast array of cover bands, the Fringe showcases the current music scene. Now, that’s not to say that today’s original bands don’t get a look in on the main programme, with Williamson Square hosting the Original Bands stage on Sunday, compered by BBC Radio Merseyside’s Dave Monks [The Pool] and featuring the likes of The Bo Weevils, Ragz, and The Sixteen Tonnes.
There are also a number of indoor venues offering great original music too, particularly O’Neills at the bottom of Wood Street where John O’Connell and guests have three gigs over three days.
But Keiser Thiefs and Stayed As Quo aside, it’s the Fringe where you’ll find some fantastic music featuring the cream of the music scene from Liverpool and beyond, with plenty of acoustic treats in the mix. Unlike the main festival, the Fringe isn’t programmed centrally and it’s left to the Liverpool venues which support music all year round to plan their own lineups.
The venues taking part are:-
- 3345 Parr Street
- Aloha, Colquitt Street
- Bad Format Social Club, Trueman Street
- The Bluecoat
- Bumper, Hardman Street
- The Grapes, Roscoe Street
- Heebie Jeebies, Seel Street
- The Krazyhouse, Wood Street
- Leaf Tea Shop & Bar, Parliament Street
- Mello Mello, Slater Street
- O2 Academy, Hotham Street
- The Picket, Jordan Street
- St Luke’s bombed out church, Leece Street
- Studio 2, Parr Street
- What’s Cooking, Albert Dock
- The Zanzibar, Seel Street
For a full list of all the events at these venues, visit mathewstreetfestival.org/whats_on/?festivalStrandId=2
Although there are too many events to list on the Liverpool Acoustic website (hence the link above) there are a few that jumped out at us, mainly because some of the people involved sent us some lovely emails asking us to give them a mention. So, in date order…
Saturday 28th August – Under the Influence VOL 21 – the Beatles one “Daytripper”
9.00pm @ Studio 2, Parr Street – Free
Hosted by Kaya featuring creative covers and originals from some of Liverpool’s finest, including Ste Hedley, Reid Anderrson, OCD, Kevin Critchley Outfit, and Stuart Anthony’s Long Lost Band.
Sunday 29th August – Dead Cities & Friends
7.30pm @ Mello Mello – Free
Dead Cities & Friends give you an evening of beautiful tunes. The trustworthy folksters invite some of their favourite Liverpool acts to join them in the fantastic Mello Mello surroundings: Dead Cities, The Big House (Candie Payne & Paul Molloy), Misery Guts, Jonny Sands, and Dave O Grady
Sunday 29th August – Acoustica
7.00pm @ 3345 Parr Street – Free
Featuring Shellsuit, Suzanne Jones, Chris Selman, and David Glyn Jones
Monday 30th August – Mathew Street Fringe @ The Bluecoat
1.00pm to 4.00pm – Free
Carrie Hayden, Mark Magill, and Sparkwood & 21
Monday 30th August – The Eclectic Collective
7.00pm @ Studio 2, Parr Street – Free
Jennifer John, Kaya & Captain Temper, Christina Malley, Perri Alleyne-Hughes & Neil Campbell, The Invisible Wires, and Michael Ryder