Photo: Ian Broudie (Lightning Seeds)

The Liverpool Summer Pops Festival has announced the line-up for their first ever ‘INDIE WEEKENDER’, which takes place on Sunday July 19, 2009 at the Liverpool 02 Academy.

Liverpool band THE LIGHTNING SEEDS, will celebrate their 20th anniversary this year, with a special hometown show at the Philharmonic, on Sunday 26th July. Tickets for both shows went on sale May 22nd.

The month long Summer Pops Festival takes place across venues in the City this July, at the Echo Arena, 02 Academy, The Bluecoat and The Philharmonic. More venues and shows to be announced.

“From small acorns we plan to turn the Indie Weekender into a major City wide festival over one weekend in July and be part of the great month long Festival that Summer Pops has become…. Green field festivals have their place but downtown in the best music city in the world… How good will that be?” said Chas Cole from organizers CMP Entrtainment.

Lightning Seeds front man, Ian Broudie, has taken something of a back seat over recent years, producing chart topping bands likes of The Coral, The Zutons and The Subways. The band are back with a new album, ‘Four Winds’.

“I’m really looking forward to playing a Liverpool show. I did one gig at the Albert Dock about four years ago, so I’m really excited about playing Liverpool again” said Ian Broudie.

Photo: Art Brut

The Indie Weekender will host some of the coolest bands around, headliners include ART BRUT, KING CREOSOTE and BENS BROTHER.

Art Brut are a regular chart fixture in France, iconic in Germany and lionised by the cream of alternative America. While in the UK, The NME has christened lead singer Eddie Argos “the new Jarvis Cocker.”

Fife singer-songwriter, Kenny Anderson aka King Creosote, has released over forty albums, his latest ‘Flick the Vs’ was released in April.

Bens Brother are London-born, Jamie Hartman. In 2007 his debut album ‘Beta Male Fairytales’ went Gold in the UK, with the respective singles earning top 10 airplay positions and a prestigious Ivor Novello nomination, only losing out to Amy Winehouse. His latest album ‘Battling Giants’, features special guest Joss Stone.

THE CORDELIER CLUB are sibling dance-pop duo Alice and Richard. Whilst nineteen year old, STEVE APPLETON is a singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Think Jack Johnson produced by Pendulum by way of Mike Skinner.

GLASSLIGHTS are a London-based four-piece making some seriously ambitious tunes, with almost-falsetto vocals and lush strings becoming their trademark. Steeped in classic British post-punk tradition are Wakefield’s finest LAST GANG.

Local representation comes in the form of Liverpool guitar band VOO, who opened for Crowded House at last years’ Liverpool Summer Pops, Wirral indie popstars, MY AMIGA and melodic blues tinged rock guitarist KUSH, featuring singer NICK ATKINSON.

THE CUBICAL sound that has been likened to “Howlin Wolf on Acid” leaving the listener “fearing divine retribution” and a live show that is a “real deal voodoo rock n roll medicine show” The Cubical are one of the most promising things that 2009 will have to offer.

More names will be added to the ‘Indie Weekender’ bill in coming weeks.

Ticket price Indie Weekender £15 and Lightning Seeds £27.50

Liverpool Summer Pops Festival Line Up 2009

(Dates and information subject to change.)

Echo Arena
July 3 THE AUSTRALIAN PINK FLOYD SHOW – The Wall
July 4 N-DUBZ – CHIPMUNK, YOUNG KOF, STEVIE HOANG, MZ BRATT
July 7 JAMES MORRISON, VAGABOND and MARTIN HARLEY BAND
July 10 BEATLES DAY – The Concert
July 11 McFLY
July 12 SHARLEEN SPITERI – The Voice Of Texas
July 13 PET SHOP BOYS
July 14 LEONARD COHEN
July 15 THE POGUES
July 16 SQUEEZE and THE PRETENDERS
July 17 NE-YO
July 21 SIMPLE MINDS – 30 Years Live
July 22 PUSSYCAT DOLLS
July 24 JOOLS HOLLAND
July 25 SIMPLY RED, 25th Anniversary Greatest Hits
July 27 GLORIA ESTEFAN
July 30 RHYDIAN and ONLY MEN ALOUD!
July 31 DEACON BLUE
August 1 THE AUSTRALIAN PINK FLOYD SHOW – The Wall

02 Academy
July 1 ATHLETE
July 2 JOHN MAYALL
July 3 ELLIOT MINOR and MISSION DISTRICT
July 3 THE LINES
July 4 THE EXTRAVERTS and PINK DOLPHINES and TRIGGER HIPPIES and CRAZED ETERNAL and HARLETTS
July 5 IDLEWILD and SLY DIGS
July 9 ALL AMERICAN REJECTS
July 10 CONNECTING FLIGHT and GENTLE MENSHEVIK and YOU ME US
July 10 BUZZCOCKS, THE DRELLA and FRAKTURES
July 12 THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE and RAGGEDY ARMY
July 13 THE SUMS and LYONS & TYGERS
July 15 THE GAME
July 16 BEYOND VIOLATE
July 17 ASWAD
July 18 THE CHRISTIANS
July 18 ALEXIS BLUE
July 19 INDIE WEEKENDER
July 23 EIGHTH DAY ARMY and TOWN BIKE
July 24 CHINA CRISIS and TALKABOUTS
July 25 PELE
July 25 THE BO WEEVILS and THE VERDICT and INSISTER
July 26 STRAWHOUSES and AEROPLANES
July 30 FREE PEACE and JACOBI
July 30 TAKING BACK SUNDAY
July 31 THE REAL PEOPLE
July 31 LITTLE FIELDS
August 1 CORNERSHOP

The Bluecoat
July 9 THE JOHN HEAD BAND and DANNY TONNES
July 11 SEAN FRANCIS BUTLER
July 16 JERSEY BUDD and EMILY AND THE FAVS
July 29 NIGEL CLARKE (DODGY) and RAIN (un-plugged) and JAMES REA
July 30 IAN MCNABB
July 31 MICHAEL HEAD and EVA PETERSEN

Philharmonic
July 25 THE LOTUS EATERS
July 29 THE LIGHTNING SEEDS

FOR TICKETS AND THE VIP POPS EXPERIENCE CALL 0844 847 1616
Echo Arena 0844 8000 400 / online at ACC Liverpool
Ticketmaster 0844 847 1616
Ticketline 0151 256 5555
Seetickets 0871 220 0260
Gigantic 0115 959 7908
02 Academy 084477 2000
Philharmonic 0151 709 3789

Or in person from the 08 Place or venue box offices

Summer Pops at Echo Arena Liverpool website

Lightning Seeds Official Website

On the 16th September, 2008 after forty years, original Beatles drummer Pete Best will follow his band mates John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison, into the realms of song writing. Pete has put pen to paper, writing, recording, and creating a biographical album, ‘Haymans Green’.

The Casbah Coffee Club and Lightyear Entertainment are proud to present ‘Haymans Green’, Pete Best’s first album of original material. The album is a musical documentary encapsulating Pete’s time with the greatest Rock n’ Roll band in the world, The Beatles.

More about ‘Haymans Green’:

The Pete Best Band

The eleven tracks written and recorded by The Pete Best Band for the ‘Haymans Green’ Album/CD are biographical, taking in different extracts of Pete Best’s life. They have been written with Pete in a fashion that not only depicts his life, but the trials and tribulations of life in general. The following song descriptions, however, are from Pete’s perspective.

1. Come With Me – My mother Mona Best opened Liverpool’s first beat club. It was to become the venue where not only The Beatles started, but, every group that came out of Liverpool. The Casbah was the catalyst for The Beatles and Merseybeat. Come With Me to the Casbah.

2. Step Outside – It was 1968. I had toured and recorded for years. I’d tried every avenue to get through the door as a young musician. It was time to step outside the situation, to look around, weigh my options, and walk away. I had a family to bring up. I stepped outside the music.

3. Start Again – The Beatles baptism of fire in Hamburg. Playing eight hours a night and then partying, recovering just in time to start again. It was gruellin, but made us a force to be reckoned with.

4. Grey River – Liverpool, my home town, the gateway to the world sits on the banks of the River Mersey. The song is about the river, the city, the people, it’s history. It’s about being proud to be from Liverpool.

5. Gone – It’s about my friends and colleagues that have passed. It’s upbeat, it’s not remorseful, it’s about remembering the good times I shared. They’re gone, but not forgotten.

6. Dream Me Home – It’s about my life on the road today, even though it’s hectic, and your time is consumed with the touring schedule, you still miss home. It’s in your dreams.

7. Everything I Want – It’s about my life, the measure of it. Even without reaching the dizzy heights of my fellow Beatles, I still have everything I want. A wonderful wife, beautiful children, good friends, health, happiness. Everything thats’ important to me.

8. Beat Street – The Beatles began to play Mathew Street. The other groups were copying The Shadows, who were very light weight. The Beatles were raw, Rock N Roll. Everything changed on Beat Street, now they were copying us.

9. Broken – On the verge of success and international stardom, I had the dreams I helped build with my band mates snatched away. I was left to crash and burn, broken. I chose to stand tall. When I’m Beat you won’t see me down, when I’m beat I’ll turn it around, or at least I’ll try. I think I did.

10. Red Light – Hamburg of the 1960s had the largest red light district in the world. We were young men in a rock band, a long way from home, and the girls had a very soft spot for us. We had no complaints.

11. Haymans Green – My family home, and one time Beatle headquarters. It sits on top of the Casbah Coffee Club. The house is steeped in memories for me. It has now become the holy grail, of The Beatles trail !!!.

All songs written by Pete Best, Roag Best, Phil Meli, and Paul Parry. Except tracks, 1, 7, and 8 written by Roag Best, Phil Melia, Paul Parry.

For more information, go to:

Pete Best Official Website

Out of the bedroom and onto the stage, Red Bull Bedroom Jam is proud to be creating the Liverpool Sound City’s only venue for 2008 that will be open to under 18’s. Expect to see some of the UK’s most talented young bands from both the Red Bull Bedroom Jam network and the Liverpool Sound City’s esteemed roster.

The venue will be Heebie Jeebies on Seel Street in Liverpool and will feature 7 bands Friday, 30th May 2008 from 3-9pm. The line up will include The Wombats, Dykeenies, Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds and many more.

The event if free to all those under 18’s. For those under 18 and unable to get Liverpool Sound City tickets Red Bull will be running a special guest list for access to the Red Bull Bedroom Jam venue.

Details on how to apply for the guest list are available on:

Red Bull Bedroom Jam

Red Bull Bedroom Jam (http://www.redbullbedroomjam.co.uk) allows young bands and musicians, who would otherwise struggle to get an outlet for their music due to venue age restrictions, to upload their videos and have the opportunity to have one of their gigs livestreamed across the Internet, helping them gather that all important fan base. Red Bull Bedroom Jam launched in September 2007 with a live gig online by Kerrang award nominees, youmeatsix. This has been followed by several performances from other young bands (Furthest Drive Home, Linchpin, The Press, Area 15, Saving Aimee, Lyrikal Squad, Lil Rascals and Maverik), from around the UK. In 2008 it is growing to host 3 series of 8 shows, and of course grow from the bedroom to the world.

Columbia Records / Music With A Twist is set to release ‘Gossip – Live In Liverpool,’ a deluxe live CD/DVD combination package from Gossip, America’s premier indie pop/soul/experimental trio, on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 in the US (UK – 31st March, 2008).

Recorded live in concert on July 9, 2007, ‘Gossip – Live In Liverpool’ brilliantly captures and focuses the stunning ferocity, energy and intensity at the heart of Gossip’s groundbreaking meld of sound and politics.

This incendiary concert showcase breaks out definitive performances of Gossip signature tunes including the band’s UK #1 Indie chart-topping smash, “Standing In The Way Of Control”; the UK Top 40 hit, “Listen Up”; and the #3 UK Indie track, “Jealous Girls” in addition to delightfully provocative covers of Wham!’s “Careless Whisper” and Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody?”

‘Gossip – Live In Liverpool’ includes a DVD of the concert, lensed by documentary filmmaker and music video director Lance Bangs (Sonic Youth, Green Day, R.E.M., Death Cab For Cutie, Kanye West, Pavement, Mike Watt and more).

Gossip will celebrate the release of ‘Gossip – Live In Liverpool’ with a mini-tour of select US cities including New York (Webster Hall, April 15, 2008), San Francisco (Bimbo’s, April 18) and Los Angeles (Henry Fonda Theatre, April 18).

The band has been selected as a featured artist in MTV’s “52/52″ campaign in conjunction with the release of ‘Gossip – Live In Liverpool.’ “52/52″ is a brand new way for the channel to give unprecedented exposure to unsigned artists, indie bands, and established acts on major labels in a completely new and innovative way. MTV handpicks one band/artist per week for the entire year and gives them the equivalent of roughly 11 hours of on-air commercial time per week on the channel. Performances, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage with Gossip will air throughout the group’s “52/52″ spots.

Gossip is: Beth Ditto (vocals), Brace Paine (guitar, bass) and Hannah Blilie (drums).

Formed in Searcy, Arkansas, in 1999, the radical feminism-infused punk rock trio relocated to Olympia, Washington that same year where the group released its eponymous debut EP, ‘The Gossip.’ Fronted by the brash and unapologetic Beth Ditto, Gossip is simultaneously iconic and iconoclastic, forging new visual and musical templates, uncompromising, even by rock & roll convention, and utterly refreshing, by anybody’s standards.

Gossip released their first full-length collection of songs, ‘That’s Not What I Heard,’ in January 2001 and its successor, the EP ‘Arkansas Heat,’ in 2002 after touring with the White Stripes and Sleater-Kinney. The group’s second full-length collection, ‘Movement,’ was released in May 2003.

Gossip reached a threshold of transcendence with its last studio album, 2006’s ‘Standing In The Way Of Control,’ which reached #22 on the UK album chart while the album’s title track became a UK smash in its own right after becoming the unofficial theme music for the popular British television teen drama, “Skins,” and eventually rocketing to #1 on the UK indie chart.

‘Standing In The Way Of Control’ charted on Billboard’s European Top 100 Albums with the single hitting the European Hot 100 Singles charts. The single has sold more than 150,000 copies in the UK.

The band appeared on the cover of the UK’s prestigious music bible NME no less than three times in 2007, with the June 2nd issue notoriously featuring Beth Ditto proudly flaunting her “birthday suit.” The NME declared Beth as its #1 choice for its “Coolest Of 2007″ list while, back in the States, Spin featured Beth in a six-page spread.

Now based in Portland, Oregon, Gossip has opened for Le Tigre, Mates of State and Scissor Sisters, among others. During the summer of 2007, Gossip was a part of the multi-artist True Colors Tour 2007, which traveled through 15 cities in the United States and Canada. Hosted by comedian Margaret Cho and headlined by Cyndi Lauper, the tour, sponsored by the Logo Channel, also included Debbie Harry, Erasure, Rufus Wainwright, The Dresden Dolls, The MisShapes, The Cliks and other special guests. Profits from the tour went to benefit the Human Rights Campaign.

On June 24, 2007, Gossip closed the Glastonbury Festival, with Beth Ditto paying tribute to legendary DJ John Peel during the group’s set.

More than 50,000 copies of Gossip’s independent releases have been sold in the United States to-date.

‘Gossip – Live In Liverpool’ CD tracklisting:

Eyes Open
Yr Mangled Heart
Swing Low
Are You That Somebody?
Fire / Sign
Coal To Diamonds
Jealous Girls
Keeping You Alive
Don’t Make Waves
Yesterday’s News
Standing In The Way Of Control
Listen Up
Careless Whisper

‘Gossip – Live In Liverpool’ DVD tracklisting

Eyes Open
Yr Mangled Heart
Fire / Sign
Careless Whisper
Coal To Diamonds
Jealous Girls
Swing Low
Are You That Somebody?
Keeping You Alive
Don’t Make Waves
Yesterday’s News
Standing In The Way Of Control
Listen Up

Gossip – Live in Liverpool on amazon.com

Gossip – Live in Liverpool on amazon.co.uk

Gossip on Myspace
Gossip Official Website

Teatro has released their self-titled debut album, and now they will be performing at one of their grandest shows yet. In front of Her Majesty The Queen, at the 79th Royal Variety Performance on December 3rd, 2007 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre.

The first single off of their album, ‘Teatro’ is “Music Of The Night” from Phantom of the Opera. After filming the video for the single, now the ‘making of the video’ is available here at Band Weblogs.

Watch Teatro – the making of the video “Music Of The Night”:

“Music Of The Night” full video link

Related: Curtain rises for Teatro – timeless classics from musical theatre

79th Royal Variety Performance to feature Teatro and more

Teatro Official Website

We are proud to announce that Teatro will be appearing on the 79th Royal Variety Performance in the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

The performance will be held in Liverpool at the Empire Theatre on December 3rd, 2007.

Teatro will be on the same bill as Bon Jovi, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, James Blunt, Joan Rivers, Enrique Iglesias, Katherine Jenkins, Al Murray, David Jordan, Russell Brand, Seal and many more.

The show will be hosted by Philip Schofield and Kate Thornton and will be screened on ITV1 on Sunday, 9th December, 2007.

For more information visit:

Royal Variety Performance Official Website

Teatro Official Website

After their recent stint at Glastonbury, the timing couldn’t be better for The Coral to be releasing their upcoming single. I watched their Glastonbury performance and from what I was able to see on TV, they were one of the best acts at the festival. The harmonies were a treat, their sound was tight and the songs had actual melodies. There have been a few bands coming out that I’m afraid have forgotten what a melody is.

“Who’s Gonna Find Me” is a great example of the melodic harmonies that The Coral produce. The single is so rustic sounding with a classic edge, that it could easily sit alongside songs like “Jezebel” by Herman’s Hermits and “She’s Not There” by the Zombies in an early 60’s soundtrack.

The Coral, who hail from Hoylake, Merseyside near Liverpool, England released their debut album ‘Shadows Fall’ in 2001. Since then they’ve had 8 top 40 singles and four top 5 albums (including mini album ‘Nightfreaks and Sons of Becker’). ‘Roots and Echos’ is sure to be another success for The Coral. A refreshing change from the norm for music lovers of all ages.

Listen to “Who’s Gonna Find Me” and watch videos by The Coral:

*Dates could be added or changed! Go to The Coral’s Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

June 28 2007 Stadpark Hamburg
July 2 2007 Zenith Paris
July 6 2007 T in the Park Balado, Scotland
July 9 2007 Columbiahalle Berlin
July 10 2007 Alter Schalchthof/Junge Garde Dresden
July 11 2007 Viena Arena Viena
July 28 2007 Lancashire Cricket Ground Manchester (Supporting Arctic Monkeys)
July 29 2007 Lancashire Cricket Ground Manchester (Supporting Arctic Monkeys)
August 18 2007 V Festival Chelmsford
August 19 2007 V Festival Staffordshire

The Coral band members are:

James Skelly – Lead vocals, guitars
Ian Skelly – Drums, vocals
Bill Ryder-Jones – lead guitar, bass, trumpet
Nick Power – Keyboards, vocals
Lee Southall – Rhythm guitar, vocals
Paul Duffy – Bass, vocals, sax
John Duffy – Percussion

The Coral Official Website
The Coral on Myspace

By: Jenny May – Band Weblogs

New single, “Listen Up!” was released on June 11th with remixes by MSTRKRFT, Touche, Trevor Jackson and Arthur Baker and is set to have the dance floors rocking once again with its rhythms and beats acting as a simplistic base for Beth Ditto’s soaring bluesy vocals.

Hit sensations Gossip are set to play an intimate show at Carling Academy Liverpool on July 9th 2007 following their festival dates around the UK and Europe and we’ve got our hands on 10 tickets to giveaway to Carling.com members – all tickets include a few free pints of ice cold Carling for you and your lucky mate so get clicking for your chance to spend the night with Gossip!

Check out Carling music competitions for more info.

Last year The Cribs took to the studio with Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos at the production helm to record their follow-up album (‘Men’s Needs, Woman’s Needs, Whatever’ out May 21, 2007), the first fruits of which will be their new single “Men’s Needs” (out May 14th) which sees the band take their choppy, angular guitar and hook-laden sounds to the next level.

Carling has got a huge stack of tickets piled up on our desk to give away for The Cribs’ shows at Carling Academy Liverpool (May 25th) and Bristol (June 5th).

Check out http://www.carling.com/members/ for more information.