There’s more to the Liverpool than just being the home of The Beatles, but still it’s hard to go past the fact the world’s biggest band has forever defined this British metropolis.
In The City That Rocked The World, a recent documentary tracing the lineage of Liverpool’s music heartbeat over six decades, the creators do their best to prove that the city has much more to offer than just the Fab Four.
Labeled by the (very very definitive) Guinness Book Of Records as the ‘City Of Pop’ in 2001 based on the amount of number one records to have emerged from the city the title does have some substance.
And that’s not just because of The Beatles. Many are quick to forget that the 60s saw the birth of the Merseybeat style (rock fused with doo-wop, skiffle and R&B) of pop and not just the world’s biggest band, the scene also included Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Big Three and They Cryin’ Shames to name but a few.
The 70s and 80s saw Liverpool’s music scene unearth the likes of Echo & The Bunnymen, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Dead Or Alive however the most recent well known act to emerge from the city is undoubtedly The Wombats.
The trio have only released two albums since 2007 and yet through their frequent visits to Australia they’ve become one of our favourite British music exports.
You can revel further in Liverpool’s music history at The Beat Goes On, which began as an exhibition between 2008 and 2009 and now remains as an online resource over here.
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While the city has a famous past there’s still a thriving music scene to be discovered in Liverpool.
Besides from the must-visit Beatles Story we’ve listed nine further reasons why the city has a killer live music presence that’s worth visiting.
Beatles Fans Or Otherwise You Can’t Go Past The Beatles Story
Britannia Vaults | Albert Dock, Liverpool L3 4AD
Regardless of whether you consider yourself a music aficionado or just a casual radio listener this Beatles museum is one of the highlights of Liverpool. Opened in 1990 an estimated 300,000 visit this attraction a year with Lennon’s sister Julia narrating the audio guide. You’ll find unseen photographs, priceless artefacts and areas dedicated to each of the Fab Four’s solo careers here as well.
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Head To One Of Liverpool’s Best Music Rooms In East Village Arts Club
90 Seel Street
Considered by many as one of the best places in Liverpool to catch a live band this establishment has gone by a few names since it was built in the 1800s. Aside from hosting quality acts like Foals, Paul Weller and Fatboy Slim the venue also functions as an art space, bar and an American inspired restaurant. Club nights and comedy events are held here too.
Shop Up At The City’s Famous Probe Records
The Bluecoat, School Lane
Having recently just found a new home the old location was known to be frequented by the members of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Echo And The Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes. Established in 1971 Probe has become the city’s favourite record store son. Both rare and new release vinyls, CDs and street press magazines are all sold here.
Witness The Best New Music At Liverpool Sound City
Held over three days in May since 2008 this music festival and conference features the best up and comers in music alongside the wise words of established keynote speakers. Acts like Florence + The Machine, The Maccabees, The xx, Laura Marling and The Kooks have all played the event before while keynote speakers such as John Cale From The Velvet Underground and Thurston Moore both featured at Sound City in 2014.
Catch Local Bands At The City’s Most Unique Live Space In The Kazmier
4-5 Wolstenholme Square
What even is The Kazmier? We’re still not quite sure and that’s exactly the point. You come away feeling less like you’ve been in a venue than you have an art space that you never knew you wanted to visit. Featuring innovative themes with musicians, performers and creative types still acting as the main attraction it’s no wonder The Kazmier is forging a reputation as one of the UK’s most interesting live spaces.
Get Your Records At Liverpool’s Newest Independent Store, Dig Vinyl
80 Bold Street.
Still very much in its nascency, this record store stocks a quality selection of second-hand indie, soul, funk, punk, psych, folk, jazz and the like. It’s a neat little setup that is already about to be expanded with the owners doubling Soho’s basement space to meet the demand they’ve already encountered.
Experience LIMF, The City’s Free Music Festival
What’s even better than a quality music festival? A free music festival! There are fewer opportune times to experience a city’s music scene than this. Formerly held just in Mathew Street the festival now has five stages across the city centre with thousands of local music fans coming together to witness both home-grown talents and international treats.
Feel The Beat Of Liverpool’s Electronic Music Scene At HAUS
35-39 Greenland Street
Located in the historic industrial and now burgeoning creative area of the Baltic Triangle HAUS is reinvigorating this locale with a fresh selection of beats. Run by the good folks at Waxx, who have built a steady reputation for putting on great house, garage and techno club nights, they regularly turn this warehouse into the best place to experience a late night rave in Liverpool.
Psych Die-Hards Go No Further Than The Liverpool International Festival Of Psychedelia
Take it straight from the horses mouth this psych festival is serious business. It’s not just “an exercise in nostalgia or UFO Club regurgitation” as they say, it’s the UK’s largest celebration of psychedelic sub-culture. Located over two days at the Camp & Furnace – that’s a former industrial furnace – the festival also features visual arts and performance art.
Pizza & Punk? You Can’t Go Past Maguire’s Pizza Bar
77 Renshaw Street
Like a slice of pizza with your punk music? This combination sounds more niche than it ought to be. Magure’s is essentially just your average pizza bar with a room out the back reserved for DIY punk acts. It’s not huge or necessarily the best space, but much like the genre of acts that it attracts it doesn’t need to be complicated it just needs energy and this venue has plenty of it.
