Issue 113 / April-May 2021

PREVIEWS
“The band
is going to
become a human
instrument”
PERFORMANCE
STEALING SHEEP: SONG MACHINE
LightNight – 21/05
After a one-year hiatus, LightNight returns with a diverse range of events and installations
spread across the city – one of which will involve an open source performance by Stealing Sheep.
After the trudge of lockdown, it’s fitting that the
first festival to be held this year is LightNight.
While a celebrated staple of Liverpool’s
cultural calendar, this year’s festivities arrive
as a shining light at the end of a tunnel, a re-introduction
of in real life culture to our soon-to-be bustling city
centre.
Hosted on the 21st May, the one-night arts festival
will shine a spotlight across the city, with over 100
organisations collaborating to create an inspiring trail of
events with talks, workshops, performance and music –
all of which are following this year’s theme of ‘Play’.
STEALING SHEEP are among those producing an
installation for this year’s festival. The synth-pop trio
need little introduction having been a core pillar of the
local scene for over a decade now.
The group are marking their return to LightNight with
new project Song Machine, an interactive performance
that invites the audience to write words into a website
that will be sung in real time by Stealing Sheep. To learn
more about the proposed installation, Lily Blakeney-
Edwards caught up with Stealing Sheep’s Lucy and Emily
to gain more insight into this year’s events, their own
project and the emotional impact of the festival’s return.
This year’s LightNight is going to be particularly special
for a lot of people. How are you feeling about this
year’s event?
Lucy: A little bit nervous about it, but very excited.
Emily: We’ve not done a performance in a long time. Our
last one was in Manhattan? So, it’s been a whole year. It’s
quite daunting in that respect. It will be nice to entertain
people in real life, rather than virtually.
L: The thought of being in the middle of a crowd, trying
to see over people, it just feels so distant! It’ll be nice to
get back to that.
You’re planning to debut your project Song Machine at
the festival. Can you tell us what it entails?
E: The band is going to become a human instrument!
L: The idea is that the public will use social media to send
in song lyrics, and then we’ll go live and be an instrument!
E: We’re still working on logistics, like how it will look,
but it’s very exciting. We want it to involve the whole
community, so get everyone together to make it a mass
collaboration with Liverpool. We just want as many
people as possible to get involved.
The theme for this year’s festivities is ‘Play’. How does
your piece integrate into that topic?
L: The interactive element of it, with people joining in
and helping us make music really fits into the theme. I’m
hoping the lyrics sent in will be light and playful.
E: I was thinking that the whole idea of a song is quite
playful. Everyone joining in, and making music – it’s just
fun, isn’t it? Everyone’s desperate to play, see people
and interact, so I think it will really bring people together.
Even though we’re at the centre of it, if everyone gets
involved it will feel like a community voice.
How do you want this year’s events to impact audiences,
both within your own piece and further afield?
L: I want people to share a bit of time together.
E: Yeah, no matter how it shapes out, I want people to
come together. I want a celebration and a sense of relief.
A bit of reconnection to the community.
E: And for everyone to go home with a pint!
Stealing Sheep have made regular appearances at
LightNight over the years, in some form or another.
What are some of your highlights from recent years?
E: I did this thing at the Tate inspired by Tony Conrad
in 2019. I was in a group of musicians who did a drone
piece. It was mad, because we played a one-note piece
for an hour without stopping. It felt like such a special
event, that had such a massive impact. George Moore
was doing it as well, playing this really unusual long,
longbow instrument.
L: Oh, I loved that. It was so powerful. We also did a light
up drum performance a few years back, which was great.
And we’ve done some marching band work as well, been
involved in parades and that.
E: Every year there’s so much brilliant stuff on though. I
try and run around and see as much as I can.
L: I always wish I could see it all, but you have to pick
your favourites! But just seeing a few bits is amazing.
How does Liverpool’s culture and community influence
LightNight festival?
E: Liverpool’s a small city, so it really bubbles up with the
amount going on. There are so many pockets of scenery
everywhere, so there’s so much to get stuck into. It links
everyone, all the amazing spaces. It makes it seem like
one big celebration.
L: And all of the destinations are so epic. Like the Cathedral
or the Invisible Wind Factory… Even the small spaces are
decked out completely. So many amazing venues.
E: Yes! We love intimate spaces, because you can really
connect to the audience. The Kazimier, The Bluecoat…
The Stockroom is fantastic as well, one of our favourites.
Finally, how would you sum up the event in three
words?
E: Exciting!
L: Interesting!
E: Buzzing!
L: And bright!
E: That’s definitely more than three! We’re just so excited
to come together as part of LightNight, the three of us. !
Interview: Lily Blakeney-Edwards / @Lilyhbee
LightNight takes place in person and online on 21st May.
The venue for Song Machine will be announced ahead of
the event.
lightnightliverpool.co.uk
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