Sound City Liverpool 2015 - Saturday Review

Sound City Liverpool 2015 - Saturday Review 

A warm and sunny Saturday greeted us for the 2nd day of Sound City Liverpool. First up on the viewing agenda was Sun God Replica on the Kraken Stage. The band strike you, straight away, as a band very much influenced by the late 60s/early 70s and their music tends to solidify that assumption. Very heavy riffs with the emphasis on the music rather than bogging people down with too many lyrics. Guitar solos aplenty here. A great set that left your ears ringing.

Speaking of ears ringing, next up on the list for us was God Damn. This is a band we have featured here on MusicMafia a number of times and it was great to be able to see them in action at last. Very reminiscent of Royal Blood with two band members playing the music of 4/5 members, lead singer Thom and drummer Ash make you stop whatever you are doing and look on in awe at the huge solid tunes and the full on, in your face sound. In fact the sound was so intense that next to us, the plastic water container was shaking and moving due to the heavy bass. The set, unfortunately, was way too short and they could have easily entertained for an hour more.

Dutch Uncles on the Atlantic stage had drawn a good sized crowd for their set. The new wave group led by Duncan Wallis, entertained the audience with possibly the maddest dancing I have witnessed. This along with their catchy, toe tapping songs made for a very eccentric set. At times they reminded me of Talking Heads, both lyrically and musically, which isn't at all a bad thing. 

The Membranes  on the Baltic stage, led by the ever youthful, John Robb, provided a fierce and frantic set which consisted of a lot of their new material from the dark energy/dark matter album, engaged the audience from the outset. Forever the front man John Robb manages to make you feel as if you are part of the band. Encouraging and enticing the crowd to sing, stamp and holler as much as possible. 

We decided to move along to the North stage for a bit calm down after that to see the Israeli trio Garden City Movement and it was just what we needed. Standing in the sun watching on with a cool beer in your hand, is a much recommended recipe and bring into that the warm yet upbeat dance-floor tracks being played then you couldn't ask for a better interlude before the main headliner. Judging the reaction of the audience, they felt the same.

The Flaming Lips probably don't need much introduction. The band seem to bring a huge smile to anyone who mentions them and this was certainly evident to the thousands that had come to play witness to the giant spectacle. 

Lead singer, Wayne Coyne, emerged on stage with a giant inflatable turtle attached to his back and dressed in a green lycra suit, he looked more like a human-amphibian hybrid than the leader of a 30 year old strong band.

The Flaming Lips manages to make everything look so easy. Moving from one crowd rousing track to another, they never let the energy drop and never let the energy levels of the audience drop. They take them on a mystical space journey and they are only to happy to follow. 

Using visuals to full effect, including a giant "FUCK YEAH LIVERPOOL" inflatable thrown into the crowd, they leave nothing to chance. Light shows, ticker tape and giant alien creatures are all part of the ride. Even a giant Santa Claus made an appearance on stage much to the delight of the many. 

The highlight as always is Wayne Coyne getting inside his giant inflatable ball to surf across the people and sing whilst being held aloft by many numerous and willing hands. A site that you can never get tired of seeing.

An amazing and enigmatic set. One the likes of Sound City has never seen bodes well for the future. As previously mentioned in Friday's review, there are a lot of things which need rectifying in relation to the site and transport, but for the first time on a new site and with the line up they have managed to pull together, the future bodes well both for Sound City and Liverpool as a festival city on the whole. 

Sound City Liverpool 2015 Announces Full Line-Up

Sound City 2015 Liverpool Announces Full Line-Up

UK’s biggest city festival reveals line-up additions including The Membranes, Gengahr, The Mispers and Lonelady

Sound City is proud to announce its biggest bill to date with the additions of legendary post-punk rockers The Membranes, lauded experimental outfit Gengahr, nu-folk upstarts The Mispers and Mancunian alt- chanteuse Lonelady.

Also joining the line-up are pop punks Spring King, Brooklyn based singer-songwriter Tei Shi, hard rockers God Damn, rising Liverpool trio Hooton Tennis Club and many more.

The festival has also announced four brand new stages: The North Stage, The Cavern Stage, The Kraken Stage and The Record Store with hundreds of upcoming signed and unsigned acts across the four.

New this year is Tim Peaks Diner, on hand to serve up gourmet coffee and fresh liveness with exclusive appearances from Taffy and Hot Vestry and DJ sets from Dave Haslam amongst other very special guests.

More than ever before Sound City will be a celebration of the wider arts including film, photography, crafts and performance art including Liverpool Soul City, ‘EDIT’ film screenings and The Spark! Drummers.

Commented Sound City CEO Dave Pichilingi: “This year’s line-up is the widest it has ever been. We have had band and artists applications into the thousands from over 25 different worldwide countries. It demonstrates how in just eight short years Sound City has become the ‘must play’ event for the best new music from around the globe.

“But Sound City is not just about the live bill. This year is going to be a true spectacle, a carnival of music and art across a wide spectrum, a living, breathing thrilling theme park of an event set in our stunning new industrial dockland playground. This year will eclipse everything that came before and cement Sound City as one of the most unique festivals in the world.”

Sound City is delighted to be working with Edge Hill University as Industry Connection Partner for the 2015 Festival and Conference. This will be the third time that Edge Hill, the UK University of the Year, will partner with Sound City. Edge Hill are stepping up their involvement to become the official partner of the Marketplace at the Sound City Conference, as well as hosting a showcase of its not-for-profit record label acts at the festival. Award winning dance company EdgeFWD will be premiering a new dance piece for the site, and students will be taking part in real life work based activities at both the festival and conference.

Sound City 2015 is taking place at the historic and dramatic docklands of Liverpool. Together with The Peel Group it will be bringing new sounds and life to the iconic centre of Liverpool’s trading heritage – Liverpool Waters. The festival will be filling warehouses, raising thunderous stages alongside the banks of the River Mersey and kick-starting an electrifying party in one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes the city has to offer.

Edwyn Collins joins Wayne Coyne as keynote speaker at Liverpool Sound City 2015

Edwyn Collins joins Wayne Coyne as keynote speaker at Liverpool Sound City 2015

Sound City is adding to an unparalleled line-up of inspirational music figures for this year’s conference with a key theme of The Unsung Hero, focusing on the mavericks and mayhem makers who have helped shape the face of rock and roll.

Joining experimental rock pioneer Wayne Coyne as keynote speaker is Orange Juice legend and accomplished solo artist Edwyn Collins. 

Edwyn will be in conversation with his love and ally, Grace Maxwell.  He will explore his long and influential career including how his life and music changed following a cerebral haemorrhage in 2005. The conference will also feature an exclusive live performance and a screening of his acclaimed new film “The Possibilities are Endless”; the title being a reference to one of only four phrases he was able to speak during his neurological rehabilitation. 

Edwyn said: "I'm delighted to be in Liverpool for Sound City, I've always felt an affinity for the place. Back in the Orange Juice days we were regulars in the city playing at places like Eric's. I've always had great support from Liverpool and I always look forward to coming back." 

Sound City is also revisiting its popular In Conversation programme hosted by DJ and presenter Dave Haslam. 

As well as performing at the festival this year The Vaccines’ Justin Young and Freddie Cowan will also appear In Conversation at this year’s conference. The Vaccines’ growth has been hugely successful; from uploading a home studio recorded demo of If You Wanna to Youtube in 2009 to releasing their debut album What Did You Expect From The Vaccines in 2012 which went straight to platinum, their rise is as impressive as their energetic pop-rock live sound. 

The Vaccines came third in BBC’s the Sound of 2011 along with multiple nominations across different awards and won Best New Band, Emerging Talent and New Music Award. They also have an extremely dedicated fan base that has led them to appearing at over 40 festivals each summer since their debut album. A real conference highlight for any songwriter, musician, artist, social media promoter or events manager - The Vaccines boys are not to be missed!

Jane Weaver - Liverpudlian singer, guitarist, songwriter and record label executive - will also feature In Conversation. Jane’s career has been rich and varied from time with groups Kill Laura and Misty Dixon and her solo career that began in 2001. 

Jane self-produced her most recent album The Silver Globe released in 2014, with contributions from Cyptron, David Holmes and Badly Drawn Boy. A vocal sample from the track Silver Chord was used on Another Arms from Coldplay’s Ghost Stories. 

For 20 years Jane has dedicated herself to her independent micro-industry, producing conceptual pop LPs through her label in Manchester. As a creative and inventive musical figure, Jane has plenty of expertise to share at the 2015 conference with any solo artists, musicians, producers, songwriters, promoters and label executives.  

Returning for the third year is Sound City’s vast programme of How? Sessions.  As ever they will explore an array of practical issues and hot topics spanning the music, digital and creative industries.

They’re a great opportunity for delegates to learn from industry professionals from many different backgrounds to discuss a huge range on burning issues frankly and openly, and to answer questions in depth.

Amongst the many music biz luminaries taking part in this year’s How? Sessions is Everything Everything. Interviewed by Gabby Sanderson the band will talk about their career to date covering songwriting style, their fearless crossing of genres, how they survive in the music industry, and how they’ve received both critical acclaim and adoration from fans. Delegates will also have the chance to ask the band questions in the Q&A forum after their talk.

Sound City are delighted to announce Edge Hill University as Industry Connection Partner for the 2015 Festival and Conference. This will be the third time that Edge Hill, the UK University of the Year, will partner with Sound City. This year Edge Hill are stepping up their involvement to become the official sponsor of the Marketplace at the Sound City Conference, as well as hosting a showcase of its not-for-profit record label acts. Award winning dance company EdgeFWD will be premiering a new dance piece for the site, and students will be taking part in real life work based activities at both the Festival and Conference. 

  

Taking place in the magnificent Rum Warehouse at The Titanic Hotel, Stanley Dock from 21- 22 May, the now legendary international music conference will debate, discuss and highlight key issues with the contemporary music business on – brought to you by some of the leading figures in the global industry.

Other speakers already announced for Sound City conference include:

Wayne Coyne (The Flaming Lips) • Julian Cope  

Viv Albertine (The Slits) • Danny Fields • James Barton (Cream)

Mark E Smith (The Fall)  

Along side the conference, Sound City has announced an incredible line-up of live acts for the festival with more acts still to be revealed: 

The Vaccines • The Flaming Lips • Belle and Sebastian

Roni Size Reprazent • The Thurston Moore Band • Gaz Coombes

The Cribs • Peace • Swans

Fat White Family • Everything Everything • George the Poet

F*cked Up • Evian Christ • Unknown Mortal Orchestra

The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger • Dum Dum Girls • Cymbals Eat Guitars

Spector • Iceage • Stormzy

Stealing Sheep • Dutch Uncles • Slaves • All We Are

Bill Ryder-Jones • The Bohicas • Neon Waltz

Honeyblood • Real Lies • Blossoms • Aquilo

Jane Weaver • Dave McCabe and The Ramifications • The Tea Street Band

Loyle Carner • Serpent Power • The Sundowners 

Moon King • Clarence Clarity • Formation • The Griswolds • Astronomyy

Bad Breeding • Single Mothers • Bad Meds 

YAK • KOF • Gulf • R Seiliog • Moats

Barberos • The Vryll Society • Strange Collective

Sekuoia • Okkyung Lee • M.O.

Thabo and The Real Deal • Prose

Liverpool Sound City Conference takes place on the 21 and 22 May ‘15 

Liverpool Sound City’s music festival takes place 22-24 May

To buy wristbands visit http://www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk/

Sound City Liverpool Announces The Cribs in Second Wave of Acts

Sound City Liverpool Announces The Cribs in Second Wave of Acts

UK’s biggest city festival reveals line-up additions including Peace, Everything Everything, Fat White Family and Swans

With the announcement of its second wave of artists Sound City has revealed its biggest bill to date with the promise of much more still to come.

The country’s largest city-based festival is proud to add The Cribs, Peace, Swans, Everything Everything, Fat White Family, George the Poet and many more world class acts to the bill for this year’s festival.

Commented Sound City CEO Dave Pichilingi: “It’s a really big year for Sound City - with the move to our incredible new industrial home at Bramley Moore Dock we promised to create a bill that smashed expectations. We believe we have more than delivered on this promise.

“We have brought in some of the biggest names in the business this year from The Flaming Lips, Belle and Sebastian to The Vaccines and some of the acts we’re announcing today including The Cribs and Peace. We’ve also selected the very best of the scene’s emerging talent. You would literally pay three times the price of our tickets to see half the bill we have put together and we haven’t finished yet – we’ve still got a surprise or two up our sleeve. Our new model and approach will redefine the approach to metropolitan festivals and make us the brand to be imitated.”

Other acts announced in the second wave include Spector, Iceage, Stormzy, Bill Ryder-Jones, The Bohicas, Honeyblood, Aquilo, The Sundowners and Liverpool’s own Tea Street Band.

Following rave reviews for their new single Distant Past and eager media anticipation for their third studio album Get to Heaven released this June, Everything Everything are looking forward to supporting The Vaccines on the Friday night.

Jeremy Pritchard, Everything Everything bassist said: “Liverpool has such a sense and conspicuous love of live music so we always feel at home there, we always have a good time and a great party.

“In the early days of Everything Everything we always seemed to end up roaring drunk, sleeping on someone's floor on Smithdown Road... It will be particularly cool to play at the new location on the docks, that kind of post- industrial landscape is always inspiring.”

Breathing life into a semi-derelict dockside is no mean feat so Sound City is working alongside STAX Creations, a team of visionaries responsible for designing some of the most incredible and recognisable festival landscapes in the UK, to help transform the Bramley-Moore Docks into an amazing post apocalyptic environment right on the banks of the iconic River Mersey.

Sound City is this year proud to be working alongside Liverpool John Moores University as the official Cultural Educational Partner. They are partnering on a number of initiatives including students from the LJMU Spatial Design Programme working with STAX Creations to deliver a unique festival site. This is a hugely innovative strategic partnership and forms part of Sound City’s commitment to offering students real life working experience within the festival and conference offer.

The bill so far includes:

The Vaccines • The Flaming Lips • Belle and Sebastian

Roni Size Reprazent • The Thurston Moore Band • Gaz Coombes The Cribs • Peace • Swans

Fat White Family • Everything Everything • George the Poet F*cked Up • Evian Christ • Unknown Mortal Orchestra

The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger • Dum Dum Girls • Cymbals Eat Guitars Spector • Iceage • Stormzy

Stealing Sheep • Dutch Uncles • Slaves • All We Are

Bill Ryder-Jones • The Bohicas • Neon Waltz

Honeyblood • Real Lies • Blossoms • Aquilo

Jane Weaver • Dave McCabe andThe Ramifications • The Tea Street Band

Loyle Carner • Serpent Power • The Sundowners

Moon King • Clarence Clarity • Formation • The Griswolds • Astronomyy Bad Breeding • Single Mothers • Bad Meds

YAK • KOF • Gulf • R Seiliog • Moats

Barberos • The Vryll Society • Strange Collective

Sekuoia • Okkyung Lee • M.O.

Thabo & The Real Deal • Prose

Sound City will be announcing still more live acts and the additional conference keynote speakers in the coming weeks.

Sound City music festival runs between 22-24 May. Sound City conference runs takes place on 21 & 22 May. Wristbands are available to buy now at:

http://www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk/

The Flaming Lips to headline at Liverpool Sound City 2015

The Flaming Lips to headline at Liverpool Sound City 2015

Following the announcement of a major move to a new dockland location and the unveiling of Belle and Sebastian as its first headliner, Sound City is proud to reveal legendary experimental rock band The Flaming Lips. 

Performing in the city for the first time in 15 years, The Flaming Lips appearance at Sound City on Saturday 23 May could almost be likened to a homecoming show given the huge influence Liverpool’s musical heritage – most notably The Beatles – has on the band. 

Said lead singer Wayne Coyne: “We are lucky to have a "place" associated with our identity. We hail from Oklahoma City and even though I've lived there my whole life, and the band has always been from there, we are probably more influenced by the city of Liverpool because of the Beatles and our curiosity about their life”

Commented Sound City CEO Dave Pichilingi: “We’ve moved to an incredible new location and we are delivering on our promise to showcase the biggest and best bands in the world. We are delighted to have The Flaming Lips for 2015, a band we have wanted on the bill since our first year and a band with a massive connection with the city. We couldn’t have booked a better act to play at the beginning of our next chapter, it’s going to be an amazing spectacle right on the banks of the Mersey. Unmissable.” 

Sound City will be announcing more acts and a final headliner in the coming weeks. 

Sound City music festival runs between 22-24 May. Sound City conference takes place on 21 and 22 May. 

Wristbands are available to buy now from:

http://www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk/

Sound City Liverpool Announces Seismic Shift and Belle and Sebastian

Sound City Liverpool Announces Seismic Shift and Belle and Sebastian

Liverpool Sound City is celebrating the launch of it’s 8th festival with two momentous announcements: a move from its original home in and around the venues of Wolstenholme Square to the iconic Bramley Moore Dock and secondly unveiling of one of the UK’s best loved cult bands as it’s first headliner: Belle and Sebastian.

Said Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian “We’re looking forward to headlining Liverpool Sound City on 24th May. This is the last date of our tour and we can’t wait to play at the Liverpool Docklands, It’s such an iconic location…”

Sound City CEO Dave Pichilingi explains the move: “Our goal year on year is to evolve, grow, challenge, inspire, surprise and delight.  

The decision to move to Bramley Moore Dock is based on that ethos and vision. The site is quite literally incredible, at once a blank canvas but at the same time a powerfully evocative backdrop of the real Liverpool, it’s industrial heritage and a once in a lifetime opportunity to breath new life into the sleeping heart of this city.

“The move is not just prompted by our desire for the new but also as a response to the feedback we have had from our audience. Ultimately we have outgrown our old home. It will be sad to leave working with the people and venues we have worked with over the past few years but we don’t want a situation where people have to queue to watch acts or worse still not get to see them at all. Sound City is based on egalitarianism, just as this city is, and we chose the new site to ensure everyone who comes gets the chance to see and engage with everything.”

The move will see the redevelopment of the dramatic and historic Bramley Moore Dock, built in 1848. Sound City 2015 will utilise the existing industrial architecture and warehousing on the docks as unique venues whilst blending in a series of bespoke pop-ups, big tops and tents and for the first time an outdoor main stage giving an unparalleled view of the main artists with Liverpool’s world famous skyline in the background.

Pichilingi added: “The possibilities with Bramley Moore Dock are literally mind blowing. The ways in which we can harness the existing structures and how we use the lighting to pick out amazing industrial buildings are endless.

“Then there is the water, not just the dock but the Mersey itself. We have some big ideas, very big ideas, about how we’ll use the river and waterways, all to be revealed. Rest assured though it’s going to make Sound City one of the most unique and awe-inspiring festival sites in the UK if not the world.”

The site change also opens Sound City up to bigger artists, the first being the legendary Belle and Sebastian who will play on the historic Liverpool waterfront backed by a full orchestra.

With more high-profile headliners to announce in the coming months Liverpool Sound City has not lost sight of its ethos of showcasing emerging artists. The festival has previously provided a springboard for the careers of many now revered acts from Jake Bugg to Bastille to Royal Blood and is committed to finding and developing artists and bands from across the region and the globe.

In one final announcement Sound City 2015 is changing to the later date of 22-24 May. Early bird tickets are now on sale but the site change does not mean a hike in prices.

Head of Marketing and Sales, Alex Simmonds said: “Sound City 2015 is going to be bigger and better in everyway. An awesome new site and lots more budget going into acts and audience experience. Our ticket prices are remaining exactly the same as last year though. We might well be achieving the next level in the Sound City journey but we are most definitely not selling out!”

To buy wristbands or to apply to play at Liverpool Sound City 2015 visit http://www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk/

Liverpool Sound City Opens for 2015 Band Applications

Liverpool Sound City Opens for 2015 Band Applications

UK’s Biggest City Centre Music Festival invites emerging talent to follow in the footsteps of Jake Bugg, Royal Blood, Ed Sheeran and Bastille This year Liverpool Sound City smashed attendance records and played host to some of the most influential names in the music industry including John Cale and Thurston Moore and gave a platform to some of the biggest breakthrough artists of the year from Jungle to Royal Blood. 

Sound City 2015 (21-24 May) is set to be bigger, bolder and brighter with the promise of some very big headline names, globally renowned speakers and some massive surprises to boot. 

With a major focus on nurturing and showcasing new talent, Sound City each year invites emerging bands and artists to take to the stage following an open application process which over the years has ignited the careers of acts such as Jake Bugg, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Grimes, Ed Sheeran, Bastille, Dan Croll, Eliza and the Bear and 100’s more. 

In 2014 more than 350 new acts took to the stage during the festival. In preparation for 2015 applications are now live in association with Gigmit.com, the event and booking platform for live music professionals designed help artists find better gig opportunities and promoters to find the perfect artist for their event.

Alex Simmonds, Marketing and Ticketing Manager, said: “Emerging talent has always been a massive priority to us and we’ve helped launch the careers of some of the biggest names on the UK scene. The north west has always been a hotbed of talent – lets face it the region has and continues to produce some of the most successful acts in the business – so as a northern festival we are perfectly placed to tap into that incredibly rich vein.” 

Applications are not however limited to the UK and are invited invited from all over the world and from all music genres. 

Applications for 2015 will close on 16 February 2015.

Any band or performer who would like to be part of Liverpool Sound City 2015 should visit www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk and click on the Liverpool Sound City 2015 Band Applications button for full details on how to apply.