Mel C announced to appear at Liverpool Music Awards

Mel C to join Lawson, The Wombats, Liz McClarnon and Esco Williams at the first ever Liverpool Music Awards  - Saturday 17 November 2012

Melanie C has announced that she will appear at the inaugural Liverpool Music Awards. The Widnes-born singer will present one of the awards at the ceremony on Saturday November 17.

Melanie has just finished a 21-date arena tour of the UK and Ireland, performing as Mary Magdalene in Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar.

She says: “I loved being back in Liverpool and am really excited to be part of the first ever Liverpool Music Awards”.

Also confirmed to present an award is blues legend Connie Lush. The singer, who grew up on Scotland Road, is recognised as one of the finest blues singers that the UK has ever produced, winning international awards and touring the world. As BB King said “That Woman makes my heart sing.”

Connie says: “Any awards that are given, always encourage people to aim high, it feeds ambitions, I am so happy to be involved with our own Liverpool Music Awards.”

Liverpool indie popstars The Wombats will be presenting an award along with members of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Liz McClarnon, Mike Di Scala and BBC Radio Merseyside’s Dave Monks.

The red-carpet event, hosted by Radio 2 DJ Janice Long, will also see performances from X Factor finalist Craig Colton and MOBO Unsung award winner Esco Williams, the Sense of Sound Choir and Mark Simpson, the first person ever to win both the BBC's young composer and BBC Young Musician in the same year.

Also performing collaborations on the night are Katie Taylor, Ivy and The Chance, Manukah, Jamie Broad, Susan Hedges, Stereo Electric Mistress and Charley Blue.

Lawson, fronted by Liverpool singer Andy Brown, will be playing a set on the night, as well as presenting an award.

Andy says: “We're looking forward to performing at the first ever Liverpool Music Awards and it will be an honour to present an award on the evening as Liverpool music has had such a massive influence on me.”

The ceremony at The Dome Grand Central on Saturday, November 17 will see performances from more than 50 Liverpool musicians from a wide range of genres, performing in different collaborations.

Awards organiser Ellie Phillips says: “I’m absolutely ecstatic that the Liverpool Music Awards have the support of such huge music stars. They will really help bring national and even international attention to the awards, and in turn to the musical talent and music industries which we have in Liverpool.”

Set to become an annual event, the Liverpool Music Awards will honour the heroes of the music industry in our city: not only local musicians, but also those behind the scene, who facilitate and inspire others to create and perform on Merseyside. While the scope of the awards provides opportunity to celebrate musical achievements which have gone beyond the borders of our city, at their core the awards are for those who are currently active in Liverpool.

The judging panel includes; broadcaster Janice Long, BBC Radio Merseyside DJ Billy Butler and son Lee Butler from Radio City, founder of LIPA, Mark Featherstone-Witty, programme director for the MA in music industry studies at the University of Liverpool Dr Mike Jones, Simon Glinn, executive director of Liverpool Philharmonic Hall & Events, Liverpool Echo music writer Jade Wright, BBC Radio Merseyside's Dave Monks artistic director of Sense of Sound, Jennifer John.

Tickets are available to the public via the website www.liverpoolmusicawards.com

SENSE OF SOUND A CAPPELLA FESTIVAL HAILED A SUCCESS

Sense of Sound, organisers of the Voices Festival of a cappella singing, has hailed the event a great success.

Over the course of the weekend, the city of Liverpool was filled with the sound of a cappella singing in all its forms. From the uplifting and powerful sound of choral singing, to the music of Joni Mitchell the incredible talent of a world-renowned beat-boxer and even Mongolian Throat Singing, all capped off with a Big Sing at the Bluecoat which closed the festival.

Voices began with an innovative national conference into the effects of singing on health, at which the groundwork for an open forum sharing ideas and best practice in the field was laid, following presentations from key industry professionals including Phoene Cave (Nordoff Robins) and Trish Vella-Burrows (Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Music, Arts & Health).

The conference was followed by a weekend of performances, with standing room only available at both Friday evening’s tribute to Joni Mitchell, which featured Connie Lush and Saturday 

evening’s concert, performed by world renowned beat-boxer Shlomo. Over a dozen choirs performed to a busy bluecoat hub on Saturday afternoon and a huge crowd packed out the space to take part in Sunday evening’s Big Sing. 

Saphena Aziz, Director at Sense of Sound and Festival Organiser said “We had a fabulous time organising this year’s Voices Festival and I can’t believe how much of a success the weekend was. I’d like to thank all of those people who were involved, the choir and to those who came along to enjoy a performance or a workshop over the course of the weekend as your support means so much to us. Plans are already in the making for next year’s festival, which will be even bigger and better, taking place throughout the city.”

Voices Festival was presented by arts organisation, Sense of Sound and arts venue, the Black-E. Sense of Sound is one of the most unique and inspirational companies in the UK today. Led by four female directors; Jennifer John, Saphena Aziz, Juliet Russell – recently a voice coach for BBC One’s upcoming talent show ‘The Voice’ -  and Perri Alleyne-Hughes, the organisation aims to create and produce amazing ways to celebrate singing and the Voices Festival  was no exception.

The Voices Festival was produced by Sense of Sound and the Black-E, more information can be found at www.senseofsound.net.