Reverend and the Makers headlining Liverpool Calling
As sad news emerges from camp Liverpool Calling, Getintothis’ Jake Marley has the full statement from festival organisers and looks ahead to the festival’s future.
One of many grassroots events forming Liverpool’s beating music heart each summer, Liverpool Calling has grown steadily since its birth in 2013. However sad news has filtered through today that organisers have been forced to cancel this year’s installment due to various reasons, at the forefront of which was financial restrictions.
Liverpool Calling was all set to play host to its most star-studded line-up to date come July 9, with organisers managing to pull Spector, Coasts, Findlay and YAK to top this year’s bill, following last year’s success story which led to the festival bagging two nominations at 2015’s UK Festival Awards, in both Best Grassroots and Best Metropolitan festival categories, the latter of which was ultimately won by fellow Liverpool festival Sound City.
Read: Liverpool Sound City, LIMF and Creamfields win big at UK Festival Awards 2015
Initial indications were that the festival team had got over the early obstacle of picturesque Liverpool venue The Bombed Out Church being refurbished and unable for use, with the coup of one of the cities growing music spaces Camp and Furnace advertised. However financial restrictions have ultimately dealt the killer blow, making the question on everyone’s lips, are there too many Liverpool festivals?
Maybe that’s for another time and can certainly be argued all year long, however the cold, hard facts are, Liverpool festivals are struggling amongst each other’s growing competition.
Festival co-founder Andrew Gilbert said the cancellation was ‘a very tough decision’ for Liverpool Calling’s team and that this ‘isn’t the end, it is a new beginning’ – you can read Liverpool Calling’s statement below.
“Due to reasons beyond our control, we have reluctantly decided to cancel this year’s Liverpool Calling…”We explored many options to save the event, looked at rescheduling, downsizing and other solutions but have [ultimately]been unable to find a way to keep the event alive…We aim to be back, stronger than ever in 2017.”
Co-founder Andrew later added: “I could point the finger at numerous reasons as to why it didn’t quite work for us this year, [however]I’d like to thank all who have been supportive in our decision, and of course thank everyone who has supported Liverpool Calling since its birth in 2013. We aim to be back [hopefully in the Bombed Out Church]better than ever next year.”
Festival organisers assure us those who purchased advance tickets will receive a full refund via Seetickets and are looking into announcing some shows ‘in place’ of the festival as a consolation to fans including a free gig featuring Peansess and Psycho Comedy at Maguires Pizza Bar on June 23 in association with Bido Lito!
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