It’s great that the BBC put out a programme called Sounds of Liverpool on the BBC this weekend. Of course Eurovision is a celebration of music from all over the world, with an obvious emphasis on the Ukraine this year. But it is also allowing us to showcase our homegrown musical brilliance, past and present, to an international audience.
The BBC programme served as a timely reminder as to why we are the world capital of pop and if you haven’t seen it you really need to do yourself a favour and watch it over on iPlayer. I was going to pick out highlights, but actually it’s 90 minutes of pure Mersey musical gorgeousness. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, OMD, The Real Thing, The La’s, KLF, Cast, The Coral, Zutons, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Christians, Atomic Kitten, Rebecca Ferguson and not forgetting Sonia. The Beatles are there as well – the fab four that changed the world – but each also appear in their own right as they all developed their own careers after the band split. Gerry and the Pacemakers and Cilla also pop up from that world changing Mersey beat era.
For me the programme just emphasised why Liverpool is special. We are a city where music matters and a place that produces more musical talent than a city the size of ours has any right to. Eurovision is giving us the perfect opportunity to show that we are still producing incredible musical talent year year in year out.
Just look at the opening night at the Eurovision Village. What a show that was. After last year’s winner’s Kaloush Orchestra storming set, Liverpool took centre stage with Stealing Sheep and Natalie McCool centre stage. I’m still staggered by how they managed to pull this amazing magical, psychedelic show together but I’m so glad they did. Natalie and Stealing Sheep are both generous collaborators and they brought on guest after guest (including Ukrainian artsits) to provide telling contributions as well. Jennifer John was magnificent, Fran from Red Club worked with the band on a sensitive rendition of the Bunnymen classic Killing Moon and Andy from OMD threw himself wholeheartedly into a brilliant Enola Gay.
Everyone who was lucky enough to be there will never forget it and nobody left despite the mid set downpour.
There’s lots more great local talent on show throughout the week. Check out the LIMF Academy slots at the Eurovision Village and Dave Monks’ BBB Introducing stage. Wednesday is a real highlight with a National Lottery/Music Venues Trust sponsored line up of Girls Don’t Sync, Michael Aldag, Miles Kane and Ian Broudie and the Lightning Seeds.
Personally I’m made up that Michael is playing, an amazing young talent that has been supported by our own LIMF Academy programme.
Wherever you are this week, from the Eurovision Village, the National Lottery supported gigs in grassroots venues, through to the TikTok busking pop ups in the city centre, you can enjoy Liverpool music at its best. Get out there and enjoy and let’s show the world why Liverpool is a music city, not just this week, but always.
Discover more Eurovision in Liverpool over on visitliverpool.com.
Kev McManus, Head of UNESCO City of Music, Culture Liverpool
