LIVERPOOL MUSIC WEEK <strong>2016</strong> CLOSING PARTY Invisible Wind Factory, North Shore Troubadour and Meraki It’s the last night of a run which has championed everything from pop to jazz to soundtrack pioneers and the end is very near. Forever looking forward to Liverpool’s future, Music Week have decided this year to look to the newest area of cultural innovation for the setting of the fabled LMW Closing Party, the north docklands. With such a choice of local talent on offer across the venues, we take up shelter first of all in Bido Lito!’s own Spiritual Bunker based at brand-new venue Meraki, with the brilliant SHIPBUILDERS opening proceedings. They’re better than ever tonight too, showing that they’ve managed to progress from the familiar indie format into something more interesting and much more diverse. Combining classic Scouse melody with some Spaghetti Western cinema stylings, they help us forget the weather outside with a show that makes us feel all warm inside. Not wanting to miss anything, we rush over to quaint venue North Shore Troubadour to catch a glimpse of the enigmatic and suave DANYE. Their slick hair matches their effortless playing as a complement to the minimalist psychedelic pop that they play. There’s no need to venture outside for our next act either, as the wonderful AZUSENA is just getting started in North Shore Troubadour’s main room. The Wirral-via-New York singer is perhaps one of the most exciting Merseyside artists around, so with live appearances few and far between, we think it best to catch her before she’s carted off to much larger stages. There’s something quite captivating about the whole thing: merely a guitar, a keyboard and one tremendous voice, they manage to hypnotise the audience with their beautifully sparse and barren torch songs. No gimmicks or strategy are needed, just well-written songs and the expanse for Azusena’s creamy voice to unfold. Back in Meraki, Norwegian trio I SEE RIVERS bring a glacial feel to the stark room, which manages to stay heaving all night. Delicious harmonies and winsome tones cut through to the bone, bringing an air of The Staves, or even Sea Of Bees, to the party. SANKOFA succeed in bringing some beauty out of Meraki’s dark and damp corners later on too, all bluesy incantations and sleazy garage style, and it’s one in-one out for BONNACONS OF DOOM’s groundshaking set in the venue an hour or so later. Some of the promising acts split between the various venues tonight would do well to take a closer look at this rise of one of the city’s greatest success stories. CLINIC are a beacon of everything that’s great about Liverpool: creatively pioneering, talented but most importantly, downright fucking strange. Despite the band having been around for almost two decades, not only have they managed to keep moving forward but, due to their iconic surgical suits, they’ve also failed to age. They get straight to business tonight with medical efficiency, providing the audience with quite the show, See Saw in particular sounding timeless and well-rounded in IWF’s cavernous main room. The Closing Party is an amazing feat, one that is a fitting end to Liverpool Music Week’s storming run, but it isn’t half a marathon. Tonight alone offers up enough amazing musicians from a variety of genres to power most festival bills. But even this isn’t enough for us gig-hungry rhythm slaves; we just can’t let final act of the night STRANGE COLLECTIVE slope off without tearing through their infectious party psych hit Super Touchy. When can we do it all over again? Head to bidolito.co.uk to see a full photo gallery from this year’s festival. liverpoolmusicweek.com Clinic DIY BREAKING OUT SHOWS When LET’S EAT GRANDMA take the stage Celia Archer acknowledging with humour that in Arts Club’s Loft, I can’t help but wonder they could cock it up big time “and none of how often the duo get mistaken for sisters. you lot would notice”. That, as well as recent Dressed in matching outfits and with the releases Silent Movie Susie and Cupid, plus same long wavy locks, Rosa Walton and debut single Sucker, stand up well alongside Jenny Hollingsworth look strikingly similar. a live favourite, a lingering interpretation of They seem like best friends and the beginning Madonna’s Beautiful Stranger. of their set doesn’t do anything to dispel Archer bigs up singer Juliette Jackson that notion. They clap out a ‘Patty Cake’-style throughout the show for trooping through rhythm over the drone of a synth before drifting this, the first night of the tour, with a cold. into Deep Six Textbook. “I’m going to do a dance for you now,” Jackson Many of the songs on Let’s Eat Grandma’s announces halfway through, and proceeds to debut album I, Gemini are built on the do a wobbly Walks Like An Egyptian shuffle. foundation of a keyboard or synth loop. From This is appropriate, because there is something there, they layer guitar, mandolin, xylophone, The Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs about Jackson, saxophone, recorders, and drums to create the girl next door way out of everyone’s reach. a haunting atmosphere. Their performance is eccentric and unconventional. They aren’t For DIY’s final Breaking Out gig of Liverpool virtuosos, but that’s not the point. Their Music Week <strong>2016</strong>, we’re looking for a grand primitive approach to a lot of these instruments hurrah of a send-off, so who better to kick is what defines their sound and that’s not a bad off proceedings than Arts Club’s arch rivals thing; think Meg White or Patrick Carney. QUEEN ZEE & THE SASSTONES? Their previous One thing they have mastered is the way sets here have resulted in time spent in A&E, they weave their vocals together. Often, and their return to the stage proves no less they overlap two distinct lyrics or echo one compromising. The set that follows proves another before coming together to emphasise anarchic as ever, with a face full of feedback, a certain line. The result is powerful. room-shattering drums and the acid tongue These young women are willing to venture of Queen Zee – in bra and skirt – providing an wherever the music takes them, and they play electric set. No piece of equipment is safe as what comes naturally and sing about what cymbals cascade and mics are slammed. Their they know. It’s psychedelic pop mixed with appearance may be brief, but it sets the bar folklore, fairytales and teen angst – and it’s high for tonight. uniquely their own. Volumes raised, it’s up to INDIGO MOON to take the challenge of following on from Queen The Breaking Out strand of Liverpool Music Zee. Their decadent rock is lavish and rich in Week works particularly well for the highquality local talent who get to open for the really steals the show. A storm of swirling hair tone but it’s lead singer Ashley Colley who bigger, touring acts, and one band who could and bellowing vocals, she holds the audience be in the latter category soon enough are in the palm of her hand as she relinquishes TRUDY & THE ROMANCE. The eager puppies control to her primeval instincts. bound onto the stage to kick of the third It’s with a pang of sadness that we notice night of the DIY series, and it would be the the room empty a little for headlining obvious thing to describe them as odd, but Brightonians ABBATOIR BLUES, whose rough they are exactly that and it’s no bad thing. ‘n’ ready rock has caught the ear this year. As Pulling in from 1950s doo-wop and rockabilly if to prove themselves to the people who have classics, with the ghost of Gene Vincent and stayed, the quartet unfurl a barrage of harsh, big wonderful smiles, they’re a curious joy. shoegazey guitars that prove perfect backing Tonight we get the now familiar Baby I’m for the guttural incoherent slurs of vocalist Blue and All My Love, as well as new song George Boorman. With audience interaction Doghouse. kept to a minimum and the set short and Headliners THE BIG MOON are a delight sharp, this is a treat for those of us lucky tonight. They play a new song, bass player enough to have witnessed it. The Big Moon
Merry Christmas from everyone at Buyers Club, and thank you for your support throughout <strong>2016</strong> Christmas and dinner bookings available, contact info@buyers-club.co.uk for more information. Venue bookings available now for Christmas and Spring <strong>2017</strong>, contact andrew@buyers-club.co.uk for more information.