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Liverpool Sound City kicked off yesterday in fine style with headliners Noah and the Whale, Bastille, and Reverend and the Makers making their mark on this year’s festival.
The music festival is using Liverpool’s iconic Anglican Cathedral as a venue for the first time and Wirral band By The Sea kicked off the proceedings, using the stunning acoustics on the building to maximum effect.
Playing a short set to the half-capacity Cathedral, the band delivered an enjoyable performance of whispered vocals and melodic tracks which were very easy on the ear.
The soft-rockers were the first of eight bands to play the venue, which comes complete with pop-up bar.
For another chance to catch By The Sea at the festival, visit The East Village Arts Club Theatre tonight from 9:30pm.
LIPA graduate Alex Hulme is a new Liverpool talent to watch. We caught him playing a set at the offbeat alcohol-free bar The Brink.
The singer-songwriter who has already crooned for Sir Paul McCartney took to the stage barefoot and treated the crowd to an energetic acoustic set.
Unplugging his guitar mid-set, the pop-folk singer left the stage, climbed up on a bench and successfully got the crowd singing along to the catchy melody of All That I Have.
Thrashing about on stage playing Netwon Faulkner-esque acoustic numbers, the singer captivated the crowd.
Ever-humble Alex thanked everybody for turning up and the solo set, a mix of melodic and feisty tunes, left the crowd wanting more.
Last year’s headliners Sheffield sock outfit Reverend and the Makers played the Wolstenholme Square pop-up venue.
They got the crowd jumping with favorites like Sex With the Ex from debut 2007 album The State of Things.
They won Merseyside points when they dedicated Heavyweight Champion of the World to Hillsborough campaigner Anne Williams, and Jon shouted “justice for the 96”, as he received cheers from the crowd.
Indie folk outfit Noah and the Whale headlined Liverpool Cathedral on the opening night of the festival.
Tom Hobden, on fiddle and keys, won the Liverpool crowd over when he sided with Liverpool over Manchester: “We’ve only ever played one other cathedral, and that was in Manchester.
“It was a ropey area, needless to say yours tops it.”
Noah and the Whale played a brilliant set with every song well-received by the crowd, whose enthusiasm reached fever pitch for favourite tracks, 5 Years Time, (air ukulele time) and L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
Bastille made their Sound City debut and headlined pop-up venue The Garage.
Early in the set came debut single Overjoyed and they struck a chord with 90s indie kids with their Snap/Corona mash-up Rhythm is a Dancer/Rhythm of the Night.
Pictures by Joanna Hufton/Mercury Press