Liverpool Sound City 2016 review: Catfish and the Bottlemen, Sankofa, Gallery Circus, Tom Low, Blue Saint and more

Sound City 2016

In the Tall Ship and Record Store, Getintothis’ Tom Konstantynowicz found some hidden gems but ultimately, more joy elsewhere.

First thing’s first, we were all comparing this years Sound City to last year’s much maligned debut at Bramley Moore Dock. The difficult ‘second album’ so it were, proved to be a vast improvement on the first. Much like Saturday’s headliners Catfish and the Bottlemen, who produced a storming set just a day after the release of their acclaimed new record, The Ride.

Beginning in the baking sunshine, and already significantly busier than at the same point last year, there was no escaping that fifty percent of the crowd were here because of Catfish, with t-shirts emblazoned with their album artwork every which way you turned.

The Tall Ship played host to a cocktail of music and, err, cocktails. Blue Saint and a mojito went down a treat and Tom Low, I Set the Sea on Fire and Gallery Circus all enjoyed decent turn outs.

Be sure to check out the rest of our Sound City 2016 coverage here.

Taking a walk around the site, particularly down the stretch parallel to the Baltic Stage, you could find break dancing, life drawing and a choice of cuisine arguably more eclectic than the music. Just don’t get the chilli sauce from the Indonesian stall, unless that is, you like the taste of your own tears in your egg fried rice.

Mail Chimp Record Store had crowds spilling out of the entrance all day. Dan Owen, who had been in Liverpool for the Communion New Faces tour just last year continued to justify that hype with a performance filled with gravelly tones and raw emotion. Special mention also to Slow Dancer, travelling all the way from Melbourne, whose set would have been much more pleasant had everyone shut the fuck up.

Eden Royals clashed with Catfish on the Atlantic Stage, resulting in a subdued set. The highlight of the entire day, and a reminder of what Sound City represents, was Youth Hostel‘s set on the Cavern Stage. With one single out and only one other live appearance under their belt, this band have the potential, and the tunes, to go places.

Pictures by Getintothis’ Brian Sayle, Martin Waters, Marty Saleh, Mark Holmes and Vicky Pea.