V for Volume: Creamfields at Liverpool

Pop, rock, clubbing, classical, opera, folk, jazz, it's happening in Livercool all year round. There are also the annual events. The Summer Pops in July is a month of concerts by star names such as Jools Holland and Tom Jones. There are various music festivals such as Africa Oye, held in June. Clubbers converge on Liverpool in August for Creamfields UK. But the biggest event is International Beatle Week and the Mathew Street Festival, also in August. Scroll below for more info.

ROCK and POP
Liverpool bands are frequently at the forefront of Britain's music scene. The latest emerging talent can be seen and heard at venues in the city which also play host to bands on tour.
BARFLY LIVERPOOL is based at The MASQUE Venue, 90 Seel Street, L1 4BH. In this building (0151 708 8708) there are three venues in one: Loft, Barfly Bar and Masque Theatre. www.barflyclub.com/listings/liverpool.html

Also in Seel Street is HEEBIE JEEBIES (0151 708 7001) www.heebie-jeebies.com and ZANZIBAR (0151 707 0633). In nearby Wood Street is KRAZYHOUSE (0151 708 5016) 16 Wood Street, L1 4AQ www.thekrazyhouse.com

Many touring bands play LIVERPOOL ACADEMY 1, formerly known as Mountford Hall which is situated on the Liverpool University campus, Mount Pleasant, L69 7BR. Also there are the smaller venues ACADEMY 2 and ACADEMY 3. www.liverpoolacademy.co.uk

There is also the CARLING ACADEMY, very close to Lime Street station, at 11-13 Hotham Street, L3 5UF. Information line: 0905 020 3999 Their website is www.liverpool-academy.co.uk There are other venues too, such as the Philharmonic. Endeavouring to cover all venues in Liverpool is www.gigwise.com Sadly, Liverpool does not have a really big indoor venue. The biggest is the Empire Theatre with 2,370 seats. However an indoor venue with 4,500 seats is set up temporarily each year for the Summer Pops.

LIVERPOOL SUMMER POPS
Annual star-studded waterfront festival held in July inside a specially-erected arena at the Kings Dock, next to the Albert Dock. Appearing on different nights in 2004 were Tom Jones, James Taylor, Jools Holland, Donny Osmond, Bryan Ferry, Bonnie Raitt, Busted and many more. www.summerpops.com

CLUBBING

Wave of Sound: Cream at Nation

Probably the most frequently used place is BARFLY's Masque Venue (0151 707 6171 in Seel Street because it is used by several promoters. Examples being the club nights Chibuku Shake, Circus, Glasswerk, Inner City Sumo and Resurrection. www.barflyclub.com/liverpool/listings .html

Other venues, occasional, weekly or monthly, include: HEEBIE JEEBIES (0151 708 7001) in Seel Street, KRAZYHOUSE (0151 708 5016) in Wood Street, CLUB 051 (0151 709 9586) in Mount Pleasant.

Flamboyant, gay-friendly clubs are GARLANDS (Eberle Street, L2 2AG (0151 707 8385, office hours; 0151 236 3307, club hours) www.garlandsonline.co.uk and SOCIETY (0151 708 5510) at 64 Duke Street, L1 5AA. www.societyuk.com

The trendsetter of the 1990s, CREAM, now only puts on occasional specials in Liverpool, at the Nation venue in Wolstenholme Square, off Slater Street, L1 4BX. See www.cream.co.uk

CREAMFIELDS UK
Around 40,000 people are expected for the seventh, annual, dance music festival to be held in Liverpool. Sounds will be pounding from seven arenas and two outdoor stages from 3pm on Saturday 28th August 2004 at the Old Liverpool Airfield, Speke, until 6am the next day. www.cream.co.uk/creamfields/ Please see Trains page of seeliverpool.com (Getting There section) for information on disruption to London-Liverpool services that weekend.
www.cream.co.uk/creamfields/

MATHEW STREET FESTIVAL
Europe's largest free city centre music festival, held over the August bank holiday weekend, but with the biggest day being the Monday (August 30, in 2004). It began as a big Beatles celebration with tribute bands playing on stages in the city centre. But now it has broadened out to encompass tribute bands to Elvis, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, The Jam, The Kinks, Abba, Madonna, Nirvana, Oasis, Queen, Led Zeppelin and many more. There are gigs galore too in the city's pubs, bars and clubs. Please note: the Mathew Street Festival is much better than London's over-rated Notting Hill Carnival held over the same weekend. www.mathewstreetfestival.com

INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL of GREAT BRITAIN
November 11 to 26, 2004. Performers include Midge Ure, Woody Mann, Catfish Keith, Glenn Tilbrook, Judy Tzuke, The Hamsters and Show of Hands. Held across the river in Birkenhead. Phone 0151 647 0752. www.bestguitarfest.com

CLASSICAL MUSIC
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLP0) gives around 50 concerts each year in the Philharmonic Hall. Music director of the RLPO is the American Gerard Schwarz, formerly conductor of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society is one of the world's oldest music societies. The Liverpool Philharmonic Society was formed in 1840 'to promote the science and practice of music'. 'The Phil' acquired the status 'Royal' in 1957. Some of the RLPO's concerts are preceded by a Classic Intro, a free 30-minute pre-concert talk. 'The Phil' also puts on lunchtime concerts. The Phil - which has its own restaurant, The Lower Place - stands in Hope Street, midway between the Anglican and Metropolitan Cathedrals. Phone 0151 709 3789. www.liverpoolphil.com

OPERA
The Italian composer Donizetti set an opera in Liverpool. Emilia di Liverpool was first performed in Naples in 1824 and later moved to Venice and Paris. Donizetti had not visited Liverpool but the city was often mentioned in letters home to Italy from emigrants passing through Liverpool on their way to America. Emilia di Liverpool was last performed in 2002 at the city's Royal Court Theatre by the Una Voce company. Better known classics are performed in Liverpool by major touring companies, mainly at the Empire.

December 2003: Welsh National Opera presents The Marriage of Figaro, Il Trovatore and Parsifal
March 2004: Scottish Opera performs Aida and The Magic Flute
May 2004: Performances of Tosca, Turandot and Carmen by the Chisinau National Opera Empire Theatre, phone 0870 606 3536. www.liverpoolempire.co.uk

BALLET and DANCE
Major touring companies visit Liverpool to offer the best in ballet at the Empire. English National Ballet performed The Nutcracker in November 2003 and return in March 2004 to present Swan Lake. In February 2004 Ellen Kent and Ballet International visit the Empire to present The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty. Then, opening on May 31, 2004, there is Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake. Empire Theatre, phone 0870 606 3536. www.liverpoolempire.co.uk There are also performances by contemporary dance companies at the Bluecoat Arts Centre. www.bluecoatartscentre.com

AFRICA OYE
Annual festival of African music. Performers in past years have included Rebecca Malope, Lagbaja, City Boys, Brother Resistance, Mabulu, Momo, River Niger Orchestra and Momo. Come Dance As You Listen To Africa is the slogan of Oye 2004 which runs from June 12 to June 21, but there are also concerts by performers from Africa before then. Box office 0151 709 4988; info line 0151 708 6305. www.africaoye.com

JAZZ
Of course there's a jazz scene in Liverpool, thanks to the likes of the Merseysippi Jazz Band who have been playing since 1949. They were the first band to play The Cavern when it opened in 1957 and at one point were the interval band for The Beatles. The eight-piece band still includes two founder members.
MONDAYS: Merseysippi Jazz Band, at Sam's Bar (0151 236 0194), on the corner of Tithebarn Street and Old Hall Street, city centre, 8.30pm.
TUESDAYS: Blue Magnolia Jass Orchestra at The Royal British Legion Club (0151 724 5753), Rose Lane, Mossley Hill, 8.30pm.
WEDNESDAYS: Wirrorleans Jazz band, at Sam's Bar (0151 236 0194), in Tithebarn Street, city centre, 8.30pm. Mathew Street Ragtime Jazz Band, at The Marlborough (0151 709 2418), Slater Street, city centre, 9.30pm. SUNDAYS: Mama's Jazz Babies at The Old Bakery, Rice Lane, Walton, 2.30pm until 5pm.

There are annual jazz festivals too. A Merseyside one has been held in recent years in January at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Liverpool. Southport's is held over four days in June www.southportjazz.com while the Wigan International Jazz Festival is held over 10 days in July. For regularly updated information, see www.btinternet.com/~jazzworld/events.htm

FOLK
There are weekly sessions at several venues (But please phone to check). MONDAYS: Triton Folk Club, Aigburth People's Hall, Aigburth Vale. Phone 0151 733 4159. TUESDAYS: Everyman Folk Club, Everyman Theatre Bistro, Hope Street, city centre. 0151 428 5615. SECOND TUESDAY of the month: Jacqui's Liverpool Club, Sefton Park Cricket Club. 01244 300576. WEDNESDAYS: Traditional Irish Session, Pogue Mahone, Seel Street, city centre. FRIDAYS and SUNDAYS: Walton Folk Club, County Ward Labour Club, Hale Road, Walton. 0151 474 0979. www.waltonmusicclub.supanet.com www.folknorthwest.co.uk

INTERNATIONAL BEATLE WEEK and MATHEW STREET FESTIVAL See Beatles page in Sightseeing section.

Great effort has been made to ensure every detail is correct. However no responsibility is accepted for any inaccuracies, or subsequent changes. Please phone to check.