Threshold Festival 2015 - Review

Threshold Festival 2015 - Review

Threshold festival in Liverpool is now in its 5th year and only seems to increase in popularity and audience attendance. 

We started out on the Saturday with a riot rousing set from 67 at the Constellations stage who managed to mix blues,folk and protest music all in one giant ensemble. 

Over on the Baltic Social stage we had a more relaxed laid back outing in the form of Twisted Trees from Liverpool. A glorious 4 piece folk band that, even though some were still hungover from the night before, managed to produce a sublime and chilled set. 

One of the wonderful things about Threshold can be the things you spot moving between venues. The man stood in a plastic container of soil, rubbing it over himself, whilst dancing in a vest and shorts, is one such act that caught our eye. What was it about? Getting back to nature? You can always dance and dig? We aren't sure. But we love it.

Anyway, back to the rest of the day. In the evening we headed over to the Observatory for Mersey Wylie. Daughter of the legendary Pete Wylie and a wonderful vocalist in her own right, Mersey exudes enthusiasm. Along with her brand new band brought the venue up and dancing. With her mix of soul/jazz and blues, you cannot help but be caught up in the 

We stayed at Observatory for London rapper Akala. Akala is known for his no nonsense lyrics and with songs like "Malcolm Said it" and "Knowledge is power" you can see why. Akala, although, does like the audience to participate and the Liverpool crowd didn't fail to keep up their end of the musical bargain. Akala brings a lot of stage presence with him and this rubs off onto the crowd itself who had no problem jumping about and shouting out the lyrics to songs throughout the set. 

Sunday saw us head down to a windy and wet Threshold in the day. We visited Unit 51 to listen to some Merseyrail Sound Station podcasts and to enjoy some wonderful coffee. 

Liverpools' BayTV where on hand to introduce the acts and to do a little impromptu interviews with the acts.

Later on in the evening UNIT 51 were playing host to News From Neptune. A wonderfully, weird guitarist who played a mixture of transcendental and trippy en fused music much to the pleasure of the wide-eyed staring crowd.

Over at District though it was a different story altogether. Wirral based, Steve Thompson and the Incidents were brewing up a rock 'n' roll storm with their old school 90s influenced tracks. Wonderfully in your face and loud, I was quite bemused as to why they only had much a short set and would gladly have listened to more given half the chance.

Speaking about "in your face" music, you couldn't have got any more than that with The Visitors on the Constellations stage. With a voice so low that it could rattle the undead, lead singer Jack BC startles you with his growling and ferocious presence. This was dirty, dark and grungy and unlike a lot of acts we had witnessed over the weekend but it only goes to show the variety of music you can find here at Threshold.

Once again, Threshold is a breath of fresh air in a sea of stiff, over pretentious festivals that litter the yearly music rounds.

It's relaxed, laid back attitude is something we look forward to every year and is slowly carving a name for itself in the minds of music lovers. We for one,hope it lives long and prospers for many years to come.

'The Evolution of the Groove' - A Journey Through Dance Music at Threshold Festival

'The Evolution of the Groove' - A Journey Through Dance Music at Threshold Festival

Teaming up with Good Vibrations Magazine and the brand new Fire House Promotions, this year’s Threshold Festival has something special planned for the Baltic Triangle at the end of March... Spread over twelve hours throughout the weekend, THE EVOLUTION OF THE GROOVE will follow modern dance music from its earliest origins in the blues and jazz clubs of the US, to the rich and diverse sounds that have spread across almost every corner of the world today.

So join us at Threshold Festival later this month for a kaleidoscopic journey through dance music; from Blue Note to Chess, Stax to Salsoul, Trax to Tresor, Studio One to Def Jam, Metalheadz to Swamp81 - Fire House, Good Vibrations Magazine and a crop of Liverpool’s finest selectors will follow the sounds that have been fuelling dance floors for the best part of a century.

Threshold favourites the Mixnots will open proceedings with all things disco at the Observatory on Friday 27th March before Hustle’s Jimmy Allen and Get Down’s Or:la and Tom Davies take care of house and deep house respectively, with Discoteca Poca’s Mr. Paul closing things with his unrivalled collection of techno.

Taking to the Camp and Furnace’s Blade Factory, Madnice Marauders’ Ad-Nice will kick things off again on the Saturday with the best in hip hop before Buddha takes on Sneak Beats in a head to head breaks set and Matt EP slips things into darker territory with an unforgiving selection of bass music - with Sessions Faction and Sleepless Records shifting up the gear to finish on drum and bass.

The final instalment - providing a soundtrack to the Captstan’s Bazaar market at the Observatory on the Sunday - will see Speakeasy favourites the Chicken Brothers take care of jazz and blues before the Southport Weekender’s Gavin Kendrick moves through the ska and reggae sounds from down Jamaica way and Fire House’s Josh Ray searches the rest of the world for the perfect groove as the ever-present Beaten Tracks draw proceedings to a close with a heady selection of funk and soul.

Weekend Tickets are Available for Threshold V priced at just £20 - Get Yours Now via Skiddle

Threshold Festival set for fifth festival in Liverpool's Baltic District

Threshold Festival set for fifth fetival in Liverpool's Baltic District

Threshold Festival returns to Liverpool on 27 March for a three-day celebration of grassroots music, theatre, film, performance and visual arts.

With Threshold reaching it's first major milestone, Festival Producer, Chris Herstad Carney is preparing for the biggest one yet.

“We're delighted with how the festival programme has unfolded,” said Carney. “People loved last year's flowing feel and with the diverse range of arts forms on offer this year, we're confident of matching and even bettering that atmosphere come March."

Highlights from this year festival include 12 piece outfit, Nubiyan Twist who fuse groove driven music from around the world with soundsystem culture and jazz inspired improvisation.  Notable influences include the likes of Fela Kuti, King Tubby, J Dilla and Herbie Hancock.

There will also be a performance from electronic outfit, Clean Bandit's vocalist Eliza Shaddad  who has has supported Rudimental, SBTRKT and Alt-J.

Paddy Steer adds an experimental element to proceedings with his perfect blend of 60s inspired mutant pop, while MOBO Award winning Akala brings experimental R'n'B, reminiscent of Gil Scott-Heron. No longer in the shadows of his sister Ms Dynamite, Akala promises to bring a formidable live show to Liverpool.

In addition to a heady mix of music, the festival also presents a rich programme of theatre and performance arts

Chris Herstad Carney said: "We've always felt that the performance art at Threshold should include some of the more 'out there' and even controversial offerings of the event, with past performers such as David Hoyle (2011), the bar is set quite high and I think this year we're clearing it."

Award Winning Burlesque performer Mimi Amore will return to Threshold for the 3rd year, having had a succesful12 months being crowned ‘Legend in the Making’ at Hebden Bridge Burlesque Festival and ‘British Newcomer’ at The World Burlesque Games. Amore will perform a precarious new fire act and deliver workshops

Comedy improv company Impropriety will perform and deliver workshops. And there will be further comedy from  from The Legion of Doom, David Alnwick, Rob Bond and Alastair Clark.

Patrick Hughes presents 'A Lovely Word', one of Liverpool's most successful poetry and spoken word platforms while Rumour and Mighty Heart perform theatre.

The visual arts offering at this year's festival is strong with local artist Robert Flynn's ongoing 'Metamorphosis' series on show. Flynn's work explores modern anxieties around body image  through a series of surreal photographs. Meanwhile, RADAR COMMUNICATION adds to the festival's diverse outlook with abstract yet engaging digital collages.

Film fans will be enthralled by Brett Gregory's latest documentary ''Beyond The Beatles' which looks beyond the Fab Four to unearth Liverpool's music scene as its stands today.

Threshold Festival 2015 Early Bird Tickets and Applications Deadline

Threshold Festival 2015 Early Bird Tickets and Applications Deadline

Due to go off sale in January, it looks as though our £10 Early Bird Tickets will sell out before November is out!

We're letting Mailing List Members know before it's too late!

On the launch of our new look for 2015 last week, a rush of ticket sales surpassed any that we've had previously for our event, and next year's Threshold V will be our best yet.

When these tickets run out, the price will go up to the Advance Weekend Pass and after that it's full price only.

Get yours now....

Click Now To Get Your £10 Early Bird

The submissions window for artists is open until midnight on December 1st 2014 after which, no further applications will be accepted. 

Threshold V Submissions Form - Click Here

Threshold Festival is a home-made music and arts event held in Liverpool's Baltic Triangle focusing on emerging artists, new work/ first views, collaboration, DIY, avant garde and community based projects - encompassing music, theatre, film, performance and visual arts.

Threshold V the fifth annual Festival of Music and Arts takes place 27-29th March 2015 in the Baltic Triangle of Liverpool.

thresholdfestival.co.uk