From established greats to the future of Merseyside music, an array of Liverpool’s best and brightest bands pick out their personal peaks of the year, and give us their tips for what lies ahead.
Gigs, wonderful gigs. It is the season of reflection and celebration, and what better to reflect on than the plethora of fantastic live music there has been on Merseyside in 2018.
We’ve had everything from obscurities in back corners of the regions smallest haunts, to a Beatle at the Echo Arena just last week. Amongst all that is upside down in the world right now, and for all that the live music industry has taken knocks, one thing is for sure – Liverpool loves live music.
At District in November, one of the city’s true legends The Tea Street Band played two nights as part of a UK tour to celebrate their new album, Frequency. Here is a band that was once one thing, and is now another, but has retained fans and admirers throughout that time. Their return can be likened to that of Doves, it was so clear that there was such a longing to see them return. It was one of the gigs of the year, no doubt.
At the other end of their career, there is something stirring on Duke Street. Jo Mary have made it the home of their Seabass nights, calling on friends Wild Fruit Art Collective, Bill Nickson, Beija Flo and more to present fish themed nights of reveling in Sound Food and Drink.
They have Eggy Records, a collective that are arming themselves with some of the finest grassroots talents in the city. There’s a sense from the outside in that it is a close knit community, but this isn’t insular, instead their New Year’s Eve party will invite those yet to witness the fruits of their labour.
It will be just one of the new music celebrations over the Christmas period, and those celebrations will show no sign of stopping in the new year. Getintothis’ Deep Cuts will turn two in January.
If you’re the type of person for resolutions, and if cutting out life’s sins is your type of thing then so be it. But how about adding something to enrich your life, add a dash of live music. The bands that feature below have each ground out their successes, each step forward as important as the last, each new person through the door appreciated as much as the loyalist. The latter came and stayed, and for anyone bemused as to why people would spend their nights crammed into a back room listening, singing and dancing – it’s for the love of it.
So come and live it. Lewis Ridley
Shards
Shards
Top Albums of 2018:
AURORA – Infections of a Different Kind
Shame – Songs of Praise
The 1975 – A Brief Enquiry Into Online Relationships
Mourn – Sorpresa Familia
Top Gigs of 2018:
Madcool Festival – Portuglar
Tame Impala, Dua Lipa, Portugal. The Man.
Music Tip for 2019:
The Orielles
A.P.A.t.T.
a.P.A.T.t
Top Albums of 2018:
Louis Cole – Time
Unstoppable Sweeties Show – Bring Kath Her Breamcatcher
Palm – Rock Island
Top Gig of 2018:
Shatters Bassoon at Drop The Dumbulls (So good I threw a rug onto the dance floor)
Music Tip for 2019:
Fanial Dord
Sara Wolff
Sara Wolff
Top Album of 2018
Our Girl – Stranger Today
“A wonderful mix of noise and emotional lyricism.”
Top Gig of 2018
Khruangbin – Manchester Albert Hall
“Dream-funky hip-moving goodness. And what a light show!”
Music tip for 2019
Benjamin Clementine
“He is one of my favourite artists, he writes theatrical, story-telling songs and is such an inspiration to me.”
Beija Flo
Bill Nickson (photo credit: Warren Millar)
Bill Nickson
Top Albums of 2018:
Earl Sweatshirt – Some Rap Songs
Adrianne Lenker – abysskiss
Ty Segall and White Fence – Joy
Top Gig of 2018:
Ohmns at Craft Taproom
Music Tip for 2019:
“Keep your eyes on the Eggy.”
Monks
Monks
Top Albums of 2018:
Quelle Chris and Jean Grae – Everything’s Fine
Parcels – Parcels
Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino
Pond – The Weather
Top Gigs of 2018:
Jack White at Echo Arena
Jain at Mad Cool Festival
Sons of Kemet at Band On the Wall
Music Tip for 2019:
Never listen to an album on shuffle.
Getintothis guestlist selection Part Two: Liverpool industry figures on 2018
Witch Fever (Photo: Peter Goodbody)
Witch Fever
Top Albums of 2018:
IDLES – Joy As An Act Of Resistance
Courtney Barnett – Tell Me How You Really Feel
Lily Allen – No Shame
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – King of Cowards
Iceage – Beyondless
Noname – Room 25
Top Gig of 2018:
“Between all of us it’d have to be The Chats at Manchester Academy 2 – we supported them alongside Hotel Lux and it was so much fun! Everyone was so lovely, and it was a pleasure to play! It was also great to put our stamp on punk as women on such a big stage.”
Music Tip for 2019:
“Be robust, hard-working and unapologetic in what you’re doing. When it comes to your music the most important opinion in the world is your own. Don’t let the bastards get you down!”
SPQR at Deep Cuts
SPQR
Best album of 2018:
“I’ve said it a few times and I’ll say it again! THE best album of 2018 is Cocoa Sugar by Young Fathers. What a journey! The sweet cradling tenderness, the unbridled marching power in the rhythm of the songs and the lyrics! Oh Lordy it’s a good-ey! A great album full of engagement and excitement with a lot to say for itself and for things outside of itself I love it and I love Young Fathers.”
Top Gig of 2018:
“IDLES at O2 Ritz Manchester! Oh to have the crowd so firmly in the palm of your hand before you’ve even taken to the stage! Amazing. Great band promoting great messages to a great number of people! Their live energy is really quite something too. Something you should probably see whether you’re a fan or not!”
Music Tip for 2019:
“Chupa Cabra, obviously. Apart from loving them all so much individually that I want to put them all up inside me and keep them there, they have such a great band. Amazing stage presence, a lesson to loads of us out there! Really amazing songs that are so catchy and so sharp and clever. Each of them are their own little beast on stage and it’s a genuine joy to behold! Love you Chupa Cabra see you soon!”
Seatbelts
Seatbelts
Top Albums of 2018:
Bonny Doon – Longwave
Mount Eerie – Now Only
Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks – Sparkle Hard
Top Gig of 2018:
Micheal Head and The Elastic Band at Liverpool Grand Central
Music Tip for 2019:
Deerhunter – Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?
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