First artists confirmed for Liverpool Music Awards

Chart-topping boyband Lawson, Liverpool indie popstars The Wombats will be appearing at the first Liverpool Music Awards ceremony next month.

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, Mark Simpson, the first person ever to win both the BBC's young composer and BBC Young Musician in the same year along with Ian Prowse, Cold Shoulder and the Sense of Sound Choir.

Presenters for the awards, which will be held on Saturday November 17 at The Dome Grand Central Hall, include members of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Liz McClarnon, Mike Di Scala and The Wombats.

Funds raised on the night will be in aid of Youth Music. All of the proceeds from a raffle held on the night will go to the charity which uses music to transform the lives of children and young people.

Youth Music recently funded the Roscoe Youth Music Project, which mentored a number of young bands on Merseyside over the past 12 months. One of the bands Ivy and The Chance have been selected to perform at the ceremony in a collaboration with the incredible Sense of Sound Choir.

A host of Merseyside-based companies have been brought on board to ensure the night is flawless including Mills Media Group, Say It With Flours, Amber Outside Catering, Fierce Management.

"I couldn't be happier with the lineup - especially with the fact that some of the artists are writing songs together especially for the night, or songs that will be debuted on the night. I really wanted to create a night that would be completely unique and it's definitely set to be that! It is such an honour to have Janice Long host the whole ceremony - she is such a legend, both locally and far beyond" says Awards organiser Ellie Phillips.

Collaborations on the night will come from artists including: Lawson, Ian Prowse, Jamie Broad, Charley Blue, Cold Shoulder, Craig Colton, Susan Hedges, Mark Simpson, Esco Williams, Sense of Sound Choir, Ivy and The Chance, Katie Taylor, Stereo Electric Mistress, Manukah and more to be announced. Presenters of awards will include: Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Liz McClarnon, Mike Di Scala and The Wombats.

Last week the judging panel met to deliberate and shortlist all 15 award categories. The panel includes; broadcaster Janice Long, BBC Radio Merseyside DJ Billy Butler and son Lee Butler from Radio City, founder of LIPA, Mark Featherstone-Witty, Jennifer John, artistic director of Sense of Sound, 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, Craig G Pennington, editor and publisher of music magazine Bido Lito!

The panel was chaired by Chris Bye, Music Manager for Arts Council England. "Arts Council England is proud to be involved in the Liverpool Music Awards. Organisations like the RLPO, Africa Oye and Sound City, not to mention the hundreds of musicians, clubs, pubs and promoters all demonstrate that Liverpool is host to one of the richest music scenes in the world. These awards look set to showcase some amazing talent and we would like to wish them all the very best of luck" says Chris.

The shortlisted nominees will be announced on October 10 at Eric’s on Mathew Street during an evening of live music hosted by BBC Radio Merseyside's Dave Monks.

The following day public voting will open online at www.liverpoolmusicawards.com

Tickets to the awards are available now through Ticketmaster

Line Up Announced for ‘Jade Wright new band’ stage @ Eric’s - Mathew Street Festival Weekend

** Sunday 26 August and  Monday 27 August **

 

“The year sees the launch of our new music festival at Eric’s. We’re proud to announce the new band stage, curated by Liverpool Echo music writer Jade Wright. We’ll be bringing some of the UK's best bands up for the weekend from places such as London, Devon and Brighton. Look out for These Reigning Days, 4th St Traffic and The Last Carnival, along with Liverpool's Cold Shoulder, Kids on Bridges and singer Stephen Langstaff.  Mathew Street is in for a real treat this year. And all for free!”

“We’ll also be running our Rubber Soul live music festival again on Mathew Street, with the best covers bands in the northwest, we’ve got solo performers at Mathew Street Live and we have Ian McNabb and The Merseybeasts both playing at the Water Street stage ” says Ethan Allen, music director at Eric’s.

Echo music writer Jade Wright says "It's a real pleasure to be working alongside Eric's to curate this stage for the Mathew Street Festival. The Mathew Street weekend is one of the city's biggest parties of the year, and it’s only fitting that original music should play a big part in that.”

"The best part of my job is discovering and championing new music. With this line-up we have put together a real mixture of bands from around the country, taking in a wide variety of styles. I'm particularly looking forward to seeing Liverpool band Cold Shoulder. Formed from the ashes of The Black Velvets and The Aeroplanes, they are always a great live band.”

"We’ve tried to keep the focus on the ‘new’ element - some of these bands have been together for a year or less so it’s all about potential. It's fantastic to put that on in a venue that has such a strong reputation for nurturing new talent. Bands from around the country cite Eric's as being pivotal to their success. Here's hoping that we can help build on that for a new generation.”

"So if you've had your fill of tribute bands, pop down to Eric's for a free showcase featuring some of the best up and coming new bands – and remember where you saw them first."

Bassist Andy Ashton from Liverpool band Cold Shoulder, says "We've had a really good time when we've played Eric's. The crowds and atmosphere were great and the in-house staff are brilliant. The Mathew St Festival is always a good laugh. We've all played it at some point with different bands but this year we're looking forward to playing it together. Hopefully the people in the crowd will love it too!" Cold Shoulder play the Jade Wright New Music Stage at Eric’s on Sunday 26 August at 7pm.

Liverpool singer Stephen Langstaff, plays the Jade Wright New Music Stage at Eric’s on Monday 27 August at 7pm.  His music has been compared to the late Jeff Buckley and Tori Amos. This will be an intimate gig for Stephen who has played at the Echo Arena, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, the main stage at Chester Rocks, as well as playing the summer festival circuit this year. “I’m really looking forward to playing Eric’s. The atmosphere really changes in the city centre during The Mathew St Festival and there is always a real buzz about the place” says Stephen.

The Devon-based three-piece, These Reigning Days, are led by former lead singer/songwriter of The Quails, Dan Steer. His new band have been honing their brand of synth layered indie-rock with top producer Yoad Nevo (Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, Girls Aloud, Goldfrapp) as they work towards the release of their debut album later in 2012. Dan says “We can’t wait to be back in Liverpool. A night out in Liverpool is just what we need.” These Reigning Days headline the Jade Wright New Music Stage at Eric’s on Sunday 26 August at 9pm

4th Street Traffic play the Jade Wright New Music Stage at Eric’s on Monday 27 August at 5pm. Coming from the heart of the South Wales valley they have supported Welsh rockers, the Stereophonics "If you like the sound of stadium rock then you might like us, we love crowd interaction so don't be shy come and see us at Eric’s” says singer Alastair “We always have a great time in Liverpool and it was a great pleasure to be asked to play there again. It’s a very friendly place and we always meet some great characters.”

The Last Carnival, play the Jade Wright New Music Stage on Monday 27 August at 8pm. The London based band are currently working on their first album “Imagine an old broken Jukebox that has magically been juiced back into life and sprinkled with 21st Century Carnie guitars and forgotten vintage song dust” says singer Russell James Williams on their sound.

“We can't wait to be back playing in one of our favourite cities. We played at Eric's and the Cavern club back in May. It’s an honour to play at such a great famous venue” adds Russell.


Running Order
Jade Wright New Music Stage
Eric's, Mathew St

Sunday 26 August

5pm. Alex Hulme
6pm. Robert Vincent (band)
7pm. Cold Shoulder
8pm. Kids On Bridges
9pm. These Reigning Days

Monday 27 August

5pm. 4th  Street Traffic
6pm. Robert Vincent (band)
7pm. Stephen Langstaff
8pm. The Last Carnival



Other stages

Rubber Soul stage, Mathew St


Sunday 26 August

3pm. Captains Of Industry
5pm. Marc Kenny Band
7pm. The Broadways
9pm. Rob Mather Band

Monday 27 August

3pm. Marc Kenny Band
5pm. Boomin
7pm. Beatle5

Mathew Street Live Stage


Sunday 26 and Monday 27 August


4pm. Cal McMorran
6pm. Al Macdonald
8pm. Pete Raven


Water Street Stage – Tribute to Eric’s

Sunday 26 August

1pm The Merseybeasts

2pm  Ian McNabb

New Eric's Liverpool season shows announced

Early demos became a word-of-mouth and internet viral success in 2010, gaining national (BBC Radio 1, BBC Wales, BBC 6music etc) and international radio play. The band were picked as a live highlight of the SXSW Festival by Nic Harcourt (KCRW, Music Editor LA Times) and Steve Lamacq (BBC Radio 2, BBC 6music). Their debut album 'Toy Horses' (2011) was recorded in Nashville and was produced by Ken Coomer (Wilco). The album also features members of Counting Crows, Wilco and Taylor Swift's band.

Stephen Fry proclaimed Toy Horses his "new favourite indie band" to his 2.7m followers on Twitter.  Adam and Tom are currently writing songs for forthcoming Jason Derulo, Drake and Sean Kingston albums

Saturday 24^th March  Cold Shoulder £5

Formed from the ashes of previous Liverpool bands The Black Velvets  & The Aeroplanes, Cold Shoulder have been busy crafting their sound since late 2010. A three piece who decided to write about what was important to them rather than conforming to the latest thing. Started to perform in late 2011 and have been putting in the graft of getting to grips with their live sound. Favourites of Dave Monks (BBC Radio Merseyside Introducing) and currently mixing their first EP, due for release mid 2012.

Saturday 14th April, Thespians £5

After performing their first gig at Mathew street festival; the band have themselves with quite the reputation, consisting of Paul (vocals and guitar) Jess (vocals and guitar, Phil (bass) and Danny (drums), their main priority is making Liverpool their home and to build quite the fan base army there as well. Despite just hitting the scene; news of this band spread like wildfire, their influences are just as widespread as their rep, including bands like Ramones and the Nerves.

Thursday 19th April, Greg Holden £7

When Greg Holden wrote “The Lost Boy” in late December 2011, a song inspired after reading “What Is The What?”, a true story of a Sudanese Refugee by American writer Dave Eggers, he had no idea that two weeks later his home recorded demo would be a #1 Single in Holland. Greg is currently preparing for his biggest European Tour to date, in Spring 2012. With shows already selling out, it is set to be one you shouldn’t miss.

Friday 20th April, Electro80s £7

Electro 80's The UK's Premier 1980's Electronica Tribute Band. Electro 80's (Also Known As: E80's) are a 1980's Electronica Tribute band from Merseyside. The band play live shows all over the country from Glasgow to London and are steadily building a large following of dedicated fans.

The three core members Red, Green & Blue are named after the primary colours commonly used in electronic visual displays (RGB). Blue is the lead vocalist / frontman, Green is the second vocalist / guitarist / keyboard player and Red is the main keyboard player / backing vocalist.

Saturday 21st April, Modern Faces £5

Modern Faces are a band from Dunfermline, Scotland who take their influences from the 60's and their attitude & swagger from the 90's! They consist of Monty - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar Gaz - Drums, Backing Vocals, Jamie - Bass Guitar, Mike - Lead Guitar and Shields - Keyboards, Organs,

Synths Inspired by the likes of The Stone Roses, Oasis & The Verve the band aim to throw some attitude back into British music and produce a few top-drawer albums along the way!

 

Friday 27th April Marcus Bonfanti  £8

2011 is witnessing some kind of natural, unforced blues revival and Marcus Bonfanti is front and centre of it. Both Bonfanti’s albums are full of the highs and lows we all know, referencing a cool range of influences from Tony Joe White to Led Zeppelin. But ultimately it’s his own style and ‘What Good Am I To You’ (Listed in Classic Rock Magazine’s top 50 albums of 2010 & Single "Give Me Your Cash" top 40 songs of 2010) is the sound of the North London blues.

Saturday 28th April Afraid of Mice £10

Drawing equal inspiration from the theatricality of progressive rock and the impassioned energy of punk, Afraid of Mice formed in Liverpool, England in 1979. Front man Philip Franz Jones had previously tenured in the Next, a group inspired by the sound and image of early Genesis and Jethro Tull; while Afraid of Mice -- known in early incarnations under such names as Beano, the Press and the Jones -- favoured a more raw, minimalist musical approach closer to punk, their stage style remained highly theatrical.

Wednesday 2nd May Karima Francis £6.50

Karima Francis is a young singer/songwriter from Blackpool. Originally a drummer also providing backing vocals for alternative/indie band Litterbug in her home town, she had only recently became a singer, and also plays the guitar.

Saturday 5th May  Black Belles £6

The Black Belles capture a modern twist to a sound heavily rooted in the soul and garage rock of the 60’s. Discovered by Jack White from The White Stripes and brought to Third Man Studios for their first recordings, “What Can I Do” and “Lies” are the band’s inaugural release and showcase their unique ability to pay homage to their roots while also pushing their music into new territories. There’s a lot of anticipation around this release and it definitely delivers. The Black Belles are Ruby Rogers (Bass), Shelby Lynne (Drums), Lil'Boo (Synthesizer), and Olivia Jean (Vocals, Guitar, Organ).

Saturday 26th May The Beat

Formed in the working class suburbs of industrial Birmingham in 1978 The Beat arose at a time of high unemployment and social upheaval. From the outset the band offered messages of hope and peace with an insight into socio-political topics would later alongside The Specials see them heralded as forerunners of the whole 2-Tone Ska movement.  

Wednesday 30th May Suzy Bogguss £17.50

Suzy Bogguss is an American country music singer. In the 1980s and 90s she released one platinum and three gold albums and charted six top ten singles, winning the Academy of Country Music's award for Top New Female Vocalist and the Country Music Association's Horizon Award. After taking a brief recording hiatus in the mid-1990s to start a family with her husband, songwriter Doug Crider, Bogguss returned to the country music industry

Thursday 7th June UK Subs £10

The U.K. Subs are an English punk rock band, among the earliest in the first wave of British punk. Formed in 1976, the mainstay of the band has been vocalist Charlie Harper, originally a singer in Britain's R&B scene. They were also one of the first street punk bands. The band played several John Peel sessions in 1977 and 1978 for BBC Radio 1, and then signed a recording contract with GEM Records. Under GEM, the U.K. Subs recorded an album in 1979 called Another Kind of Blues. The group also played a few opening gigs for The Police, as well as recording a set at The Roxy (a punk club), which was issued in 1980 as Live Kicks. Their biggest selling album came with 1980s Crash Course.

All shows

Friday 9^th March InMe £12

Thursday 15^th March Toy Horses £5

Friday 16^th March James Taylor Quartet £15

Saturday 24^th March  Cold Shoulder £5

Sunday 25^th March Richard Herring £15

Friday 30^th March Glen Matlock (The Sex Pistols) £15

Saturday 31^st March The Selecter £15

Saturday 7^th April Ben Montague £5

Saturday 14^th April The Thespians £5

Thursday 19^th April Greg Holden £7

Friday 20^th April Electro80s £7

Saturday 21^st April Modern Faces £5

Friday 27^th April Marcus Bonfanti £8

Saturday 28^th April  Afraid of Mice £10

Wednesday 2^nd May Karima Francis £6.50

Thursday 3^rd May Hue & Cry – Hot Wire Stripped £19.50

Saturday 5^th May Black Belles £6

Sunday 20^th May Jake Morley £5

Wednesday 30^th May Suzy Bogguss £17.50

Thursday 7^th June UK Subs £10

Erics 35th anniversary free show this saturday

SATURDAY 1 OCTOBER

Dave O'Grady

Bird

Cold Shoulder

54321

The Shoestrung

Doors 7.30pm

This Saturday night ERIC'S LIVE on Mathew Street, Liverpool is hosting a free night with local bands playing original music from Dave O'Grady, Bird, Cold Shoulder, 54321 and The Shoestrung from London.

They venue would like to encourage local bands and promoters to come down and introduce themselves and check out the new venue. It's 35 years ago to the day that this cellar was first used for live music. 

Dave O’Grady is a singer/songwriter originally from Ireland now based in the UK combine folk and blues and makes it his own. He first picked up the guitar aged twelve and did his first show at thirteen. Born and raised in Ireland Dave was fed a healthy diet of music from Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jeff Healy and Rory Gallagher to Christy Moore, Steve Earle and Tom Waits.

Since he stepped out of the shadows in 2007 he has performed live such legends of music as Bon Jovi, Seal, Ringo Star.

Bird are a five piece band, hailing from Liverpool. They combine haunting and poetic lyrics with melodic and eerie, sweeping guitar riffs. Bird put themselves under the genre of ‘atmospheric folk’ and atmospheric is definitely the word. Bird’s universe is magical and will leave you with hairs standing up on the back of your neck.

Cold Shoulder are a recent collaboration of three great musicians.  Drummer Nick Kilroe (Echo And The Bunnymen/ Black Velvets), Chris Kearney on vocals and guitar and bass player Andy Ashton. Chris Kearney, ex vocalist of Liverpool band The Aeroplanes has described their music as bitter sweet.  The now disbanded Aeroplanes hit a record on iTunes in 2008 with a massive 22,000 downloads for an unsigned band.

The Showstrung influences include the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Small Faces and Terry Reid, which is always a good start. And after a listen to the tunes on MySpace, you can see why - a mix of old school British R&B (Stones and Yardbirds for example) with a touch of new school indie.

54321 are a Wirral-based band comprising of cousins and brothers who play melodic pop-rock. Their debut album What We Did With Our Days is out now. 

http://www.ericslive.com/