ALL Tomorrow’s Parties, Minehead. The hippest music festival these shores have got to offer. And everywhere you turn there’s Scousers.
There’s Litherland rock trio Voo skulking by the arcade machines, alt-poppers Puzzle lingering by the pool tables and far in the distance an assortment of various Liverpool cats are taking in the chainsaw buzz of Shellac. Then we bump into a jolly crowd from ‘town’ simply here for the laugh.
This was the scene last weekend. A five-hour journey to take in the world’s hottest sounds of now.
Today, all these musicians and music lovers are back on Merseyside to take in Liverpool Sound City – a four-day celebration of the hottest sounds of tomorrow.
It’s all here. Your ears just haven’t heard yet.
When I first heard about Liverpool Sound City almost two years ago, I was filled with a sense of relief – at last we can get it on, abandon worn stereotypes and showcase the happenings our City has to offer.
When, 12 months ago the inaugural Sound City was over, I was filled with a sense of fulfillment – we got it on, ripped up the stereotypes and truly revealed the inner mechanics, explosive creativity and blossoming potential the City has.
And now, as we approach the second coming of Liverpool Sound City, there’s the feeling we can once again grow in stature as a genuine showcase for art, film, music, debate and beyond.
Over the next four days for many people Sound City will represent the bigger bands breaking through into the Premier League. But my advice, like those Scousers that ventured to Minehead, is to take a chance and dig a little deeper.
Take in the Trial at the old Victorian Law Courts and see the music industry taken to task, unearth photographic gems at Kevin Cummins‘ exhibition at the Hard Days Night but most of all check out the wee musicians hidden away in venues you’ve barely heard of.
When Liverpool Sound City was named as my event of 2008 it wasn’t simply for what it had to offer that year, it was for the genuine prospect of what was still to come.
Liverpool Sound City 2009 is just the start of all tomorrow’s parties.
