Liverpool Music Week’s flagship home and popular live gigging venue, Mojo, cuts its live music programme.
Liverpool bar Mojo is ceasing its live music programme with immediate effect.
All gigs at the popular rock and roll bar have been pulled for the foreseeable future as the franchise, which has sister bars in Manchester and Leeds, seek to move in a different direction.
The bar, which is located on Back Berry Street, has been the hub for Liverpool Music Week for the last two years – with the unique selling point of hosting internationally recognised bands and hot new UK musicians completely free of charge.
What with hosting regular club nights and special entertainment showcases, alongside Liverpool Music Week‘s fortnightly programme of gigs, the ramifications for Merseyside’s live music programme – given the closure of The Masque Theatre and the Contemporary Urban Centre – could be catastrophic.
Murmurs spread across Liverpool over the weekend when EVOL promoter Steve ‘Revo’ Miller tweeted, ‘Just heard Mojo are cancelling their live music program.‘
And amid a frenzy of online chatter, they were confirmed when Mojo‘s in-house promoter Tom Johnson, who runs the hugely popular Lazy Genius club nights, said: ‘As you may have heard Mojo Liverpool has taken the decision to stop all live music. It came as a complete shock to us, and it is with regret that we won’t be able to put shows on there from now on.‘
In the immediate future, Scottish band Discopolis, with Liverpool support from Foneniks and Pixels, have already switched their gig from Mojo to The Shipping Forecast for February 6 but uncertainty still remains over a number of other gigs.
Of those listed, Rough Trade‘s big new American signings and hot tip for 2012, Howler on January 29 are still listed at Mojo and tickets can still be bought while avant-rockers High Places on February 14 and statesiders The Men on February 20 are all down to play Mojo, but whether this is the case remains very much in doubt.
Tickets are unavailable for Ghostpoet‘s Mojo date on Sunday February 19.
Uncertainty for Liverpool gig goers was rife, with Twitter user Sean Atkinson echoing the thoughts of many, when he said: ‘I had a notification saying that the Howler event page was cancelled yesterday. Does that mean all gigs scheduled for Mojo are cancelled?‘
New Liverpool band, Man Get Out are scheduled to launch their debut single, Berlin via Keep Out Records, with BBC DJ and Mercury Prize judge Janice Long on January 28, but again, the night is in the balance.
Bands and Liverpool gig goers alike were quick to add their shock at the announcement.
Members of Liverpool band Being Jo Francis said: ‘Sad to hear our favorite venue is stopping live music. Had some of our best gigs at Mojo Liverpool.‘
We, The Under Signed drummer Phil Dolan, said ‘Mojo isn’t putting on live music anymore. Another venue in Liverpool gone! Unbelievable…‘
While Tom Johnson added: ‘Can’t explain how sad we are that Mojo Liverpool will no longer be the spiritual home for Lazy Genius.
‘We’ve had some amazing nights and great gigs there, too many to mention… just want to say a massive thank you to Scott Simpson, Owen Neary and the rest of the MOJO staff, Lynton Middendorp, Mario Aguilar and Terry for being such great sound techs during our time there and of course all the brilliant bands to have played our nights!‘
Getintothis is interested to hear your thoughts on the announcement and indeed the current worrying situation of Liverpool’s music venues.
Tom Johnson on Lazy Genius and Mojo.
