Preview: Liverpool Sound City

As we head into the summer months we head rapidly into festival season, with Liverpool Sound City being one of the first! Celebrating 15 years, the line-up this year certainly lives up to high expectations.

The festival itself is on the 30^th April and 1^st May, the weekend, but the event actually kicks off with the Sound City+ conference on Friday (29^th April). This will feature panels from “SHE SAID.SO NORTH –  Breaking down the barriers to ‘MUSIC CLIMATE PACT – How the Global Music Industry is getting its House in Order’, industry professionals and this conference will upskill individuals who are looking to get into the music industry.  You can find more information here.

Sound City has previously been described as “the definite home of vibrant new music”, so if you want to be the person who introduces your mates to new or ‘up and coming’ bands, this festival is your perfect opportunity!

The Saturday boasts acts including Yard Act, Crawlers, Stone, The Reytons, Matilda Mann, Phoebe Green, Sterling Press, and the Royston Club, with The Lathums headlining their first festival.

Sunday’s line-up includes Mae Muller, Alfie Templeman, Kawala, Baby Queen, Cassia and Blondes, with Self Esteem headlining. The full lineup can be found here.

Stages and venues include the Arts Club Theatre, the Arts Club Loft, Zanzibar, Jimmy’s, Shipping Forecast, The Jacaranda, EBGBs and Kazimier Stockroom.

In my article on Misogyny in the Music Industry, I mentioned the Keychange Pledge – festivals pledging to have a 50:50 line-up gender split by 2022. Sound City successfully kicks this off. It is also (unfortunately) rare to see women, headliners – as Wordplay have noted and currently are campaigning on – but thankfully Sound City, again, has delivered.

Train tickets from Manchester Oxford Road to Liverpool Lime Street are usually less than £5, so very manageable with the student budget, especially as the student loan has just dropped. I can safely say spending your loan this weekend will be worth it!

Tickets for the festival could be purchased here – be quick, as Saturday has already sold out!