This week’s Culture Radar guest is Marketing intern forThe Tung Auditorium,Ajani Healy.
Loved: I love the grass roots jazz scene in Liverpool, and recently Hope Street Jazz hosted Jazz Fest, six days of free live jazz music, at Fredericks on Hope Street. I checked out a couple nights, but my favourite was definitely Finite Experience. Their set was very dynamic and inviting, and there was a lot of good energy on display. I also checked out the Liverpool Biennial exhibit at FACT Liverpool which was an interesting experience.
Looking Forward To: I’m really looking forward to the upcoming Yoko Ono Lennon Lunchtime concerts at The Tung Auditorium. There’s a wide variety of acts, many of which I hadn’t heard about before, so I’m excited to discover some new music. The shows take place on Wednesdays at 1pm, and they’re free so I encourage everyone to attend if they can.
Trivia: I’ve only just joined the team at The Tung Auditorium, so I’m learning all of the fun facts little by little. My favourite so far is that the riser steps in the auditorium, when manufactured were laser etched on the back, one with a giant bourbon biscuit and the other with many small bourbon biscuits. It’s a bit hard to see if you don’t know to look for it.
It’s finally September, and jumpers and jackets are making their way out of the attic boxes and into our wardrobes once again. While the rest of the world starts to get into the autumnal spirit, if you’re still clinging to the last few rays of summer, then Liverpool’s music scene has got you covered. Whether you’re looking for jazz nights to savour those last few longer evenings, or you’re looking for some classical shows to cool off after the hot weather, we’ve put together 10 concerts in Liverpool and the city region that you need to check out this autumn.
1. The Music of Hans Zimmer vs John Williams – Liverpool Empire (21 September)
Hans Zimmer and John Williams’ film scores are renowned as some of the best in the world. Everyone remembers the first time they heard the intro to Harry Potter or the iconic Jurassic Park theme, and this autumn the Empire brings those scores to life on stage with Hans Zimmer vs John Williams!
Join the Manchester Concert Orchestra, conducted by Michael Bawtree, as they journey through space, Gotham City, the Caribbean, and everywhere in between! Goosebumps are a guarantee with this one…
2. Lunchtime Concert Series ft. Remée – The Tung Auditorium (24 September)
BlackFest have partnered with The Tung Auditorium as part of the Yoko Ono Lennon Lunchtime Concert Series to bring you a fantastic concert featuring alternative artist Remée. With a sound that is “offbeat with a sprinkle of electronic and heavy bass”, Remée is a local singer/songwriter who has been writing her own songs from a young age, inviting audiences into her lyrical storytelling and captivating visuals.
The Tung’s Lunchtime Concert Series has been a staple of the Tung’s programme for quite a while, opening the concert hall for everyone to enjoy their concerts free of charge every Wednesday afternoon. This special edition in collaboration with BlackFest is surely not one to miss.
3.Helicon – Future Yard (25 September)
If you fancy something a bit more on the psychedelic side, then Helicon at Future Yard have got you covered. Helicon blend neo-psych-rock with sitars, electronica, ambient soundscapes and irresistible grooves, taking audiences back to psych-rock’s heyday in the 60s. Quoted as being “a force to be reckoned with” and showing that “musical borders are there to be broken”, Helicon are a staple within the psychedelic rock scene and are certainly one to watch now and in the future.
4. Rhythms Night @ District – District (25 September)
Bringing together iconic music artists like Third Kulture, KingFast, Mina and Rafaela, join BlackFest for their Rhythms Night @ District, celebrating their 7th year! This eclectic mix of artists spans generations, genres and styles to bring you a night of culture, heritage and fantastic rhythms. You’ll be moved by Mina’s confessional songwriting, inspired by KingFast’s energy and geniality, rocked by Third Kulture’s punchy celebrations of diversity, and soothed by Rafaela’s fusion of soul, reggae and jazz. With so much talent on show, there’s something for everyone!
5. La Feria Festival: Antonio Monasterio Ensamble – Music Room (2 October)
LUMA returns to the Liverpool Philharmonic’s Music Room this October with the third installment of La Feria Festival, celebrating both LUMA’s 50th anniversary and the Music Room’s 10th anniversary. Hailing from the port of Valparaíso, Chile, the Antonio Monasterio Ensamble is renowned for its bold, genre-defying approach to world music and jazz. Audiences will be treated to an evening of immersive soundscapes that blend intricate rhythms, expressive timbres and global music traditions. It is sure to be a celebration of cultural diversity and the growing connection between Valparaíso and Liverpool.
6. Secret Jazz Club – The Sound of Autumn – Everyman Theatre (10 October)
Who doesn’t love a bit of jazz to welcome in the start of a new season? The Everyman bring us an intimate Secret Jazz Club evening of live jazz and warm ambience this October in their basement bar, a fantastic venue that fully immerses you in the music. You don’t have to be a jazz aficionado to savour this unique night out, everyone is welcome and the Everyman is sure to provide an event that will leave you tapping your feet and craving more.
Be warned – The Secret Jazz Club is password-protected, so make sure you book your place to get into this exclusive event!
7. Xander and The Peace Pirates – Future Yard (10 October)
Xander and The Peace Pirates are finally back at Future Yard for a long-awaited full band show on the 10th October. Keith Xander and his band are nothing short of extraordinary, blending blues-rock, jaw-dropping musicianship, and deeply authentic performances. From the Cavern Club and sharing stages with the likes of Bon Jovi, Xander will bring this blues extravaganza to Future Yard, sharing his journey of inspiration and passion and blowing your socks off with a performance that will stick with you for months.
8. Flute J.A. Jayant and Debasmita Bhattacharya – Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room (17 October)
As part of this year’s Indika Festival, this concert brings together four exceptional musicians in a unique combination of instruments – the Carnatic bamboo flute, Hindustani sarod, tabla, and mridangam. Celebrating the best of Indian classical music, the Music Room will play host to Flute J.A. Jayanth, Debasmita Bhattacharya, Kousic Sen and Bangalore Prakash as they engage in an immersive, rhythmically rich concert.
9. The Australian Pink Floyd – Liverpool Empire (26 October)
The Australian Pink Floyd have been touring the globe since 1988, and this year they bring their show to Liverpool at the Empire Theatre. They are the leading and biggest show in the tribute scene, described by The Times Newspaper as “The Gold Standard”, and have gained such renown that they were even invited to perform at David Gilmour’s 50th birthday celebration! Join the Australian Pink Floyd show as they celebrate their 30th anniversary with their new tour ‘All That Love’, featuring classics from Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here and many more.
10.Mobius Loop – Future Yard (9 November)
Credit: John Middleham
Mobius Loop bring their “Peaceful World Tour” to Future Yard this November, filling the space with their mesmerising festival vibrations to celebrate their brand new single. The trio, celebrated as “Preston’s most successful band”, create gloriously eccentric folk stories, fusing world music and conscious rap with eruptions of free-form dance charged with an intimately powerful and intense energetic live performance. If you want to dance the night away with some epic beats and vibrant voices, woven together in a call for a peaceful world then Future Yard is the place to be!
To discover even more live music across the Liverpool city region check out our What’s On Listings.
This week’s Culture Radar guest is Ashley Colley, Marketing Account Manager, ACC Liverpool.
Loved: Dua Lipa at Anfield, hands down. There was endless dancing, and such a vibrant atmosphere around the stadium. The best tunes, she just killed it. 10/10 pop star – I’m such a fan! I’m frantically typing this because I enjoyed it THAT MUCH.
Looking Forward To:Inhaler at M&S Bank Arena on 11 October. They’re a Rock band from Dublin, and Liverpool is like a second home to them having practiced here for many years. To see them now about to headline at M&S Bank Arena is unreal. Also looking forward to the supports on this show, and the reunion of The Bandits!! Not a lot of people know but they’re an iconic Liverpool band from early 00’s who helped launch bands such as The Coral and The Zutons. I think that’ll be a great gig at the Arena, cannot wait!
Trivia: I used to be in a punk / metal band and toured UK / Europe for about 4 years. Career highlight was playing Glastonbury Festival, personal highlight was playing Download Festival; I’m a total metal head (who cannot handle a mosh pit anymore). A more recent and un-interesting fact about me is that I’m also totally on board with the Country Craze (unashamedly) and I cannot stop listening to any & all Country Music. So, if anyone has any good recommendations, please send Spotify links my way!
This week’s Culture Radar guest is Engagement Manager forWonder Arts, Danny Woods.
Loved: Loved the immersive installation, ‘Put Your Feet in my Shows’ created by Michelle Wren & Kazem Ashourzadeh; very powerful and certainly eye-opening.
Looking Forward To: I’m looking forward to getting about and taking in as much of the Liverpool Biennial as possible before it ends on 14th September and I always look forward to the return of the River of Light, perfect way to spend an Autumn evening in Liverpool.
Trivia: I first became involved with Wonder Arts (previously Citadel Arts Centre) when I joined the Youth Theatre when I was 16 years old and later became a volunteer until becoming Marketing Officer in 2015. Now as the Engagement Manager, this year marks 24 years of being involved with the organisation and a whole decade as a member of staff.
The latest instalment of Buried Treasure by John Maguire of ArtsGroupie CIC takes us to Birkenhead’s Rathbone Studio, rooted in the legacy of Della Robbia Pottery. Here, artist Janet Holmes continues the tradition of creativity and individuality, currently celebrated in Diversity in Clay, her collaborative exhibition with Louise Waller for the Independents Biennial.
There is something grand about walking through Hamilton Square – it feels like being transported to Edinburgh. I can envision Victorian-suited gentlemen strolling with canes through the greenery at the centre, ready to take the morning commuter ferry, ambling around the boat and enjoying the fresh air as part of their morning constitution.
I emerge from the depths of the train station and catch a glimpse of the city of Liverpool, panoramic across the river in the shadows. If I can block out the memory stick buildings that dig into the ground, the view retains its charm.
Della Robbia was a highly distinctive pottery created in Price Street and at 28 Argyle Street, Birkenhead, between 1894 and 1906. It drew inspiration from the work of Luca della Robbia, a Florentine sculptor (1399–1482) known for perfecting a special pottery glaze. The pottery employed many people in Birkenhead, including local women who decorated the wares. There were no pattern books; artists and decorators were encouraged to explore their creativity and work completely freehand. Today, antique Della Robbia pottery is highly sought after, with examples displayed in Wirral at the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum.
Janet Holmes has been exhibiting on Wirral for over 40 years and opened the Rathbone Studio in Birkenhead in 2012. It now serves as a pottery studio and gallery, embracing the ethos of the Della Robbia Pottery, which aimed to bring individuality to each piece, allowing artists to express themselves with unique, original ceramic work. Janet has revived the Della Robbia spirit in Birkenhead through her work and by encouraging others to exhibit their talents.
Currently, an exhibition is on display as part of the Independents Biennial, which is a treasure trove of ceramic art. Diversity In Clay, a collaboration with renowned ceramicist Louise Waller, celebrates the malleable essence of clay. A rich collection of earthy works showcases the collaboration between artist and medium with the mantra, “The clay dictates.”
Janet Holmes and Her Artistic Journey
Janet’s obsession with clay dates back to her childhood. The first piece she ever made in school was a bust of a man’s head, leading her to realise she could create a strong image from nothing. Today, teaching allows her to foster this idea in others, and she loves to explore different clays and experiences, encountering new things that still humble her. Rather than planning, Janet lets the mood and atmosphere evolve through meditation with the clay. A clay sculpture created after her mother’s passing evoked mixed emotions, while her Covid tension piece has an agitated and restless look about it. This ceramic is my particular favourite.
Her influences include Matisse, Picasso, and Grayson Perry. Due to her tinnitus, classical music, especially Gershwin, becomes the only sound in the studio, which helps her to connect with the clay.
My favourite piece
Before I leave, I visit the toilet in the cellar; every available space is crammed with art as I make my way down the staircase. I am captivated by a mushroom cloud sculpture, inspired by the OMD song Enola Gay.
I encourage you to visit this rich vault of ceramic treasures, a very magical emporium of creativity.
The gallery holds a student exhibition from January to February each year, with exhibitions changing quarterly. Local artists can also showcase their work.
Diversity in Clay Louise Waller & Janet Holmes Runs until 13th September
The exhibition will then be open Tuesday to Saturday, 1.30pm-5pm.
This week’s Culture Radar guest is Helen Brown, Development Manager atLiverpool Lighthouse, an arts and community centre based in Anfield and the home of the National Gospel Music Centre.
Loved: We’re passionate about arts for social change at Liverpool Lighthouse and have loved hosting both Asylum Link and Collective Encounters recently with their impactful theatre for social change pieces, Afloat and Time to Change. We know from our own ‘When You Know’ arts for social change programme that work like this can change hearts, minds and save and transform lives.
Looking Forward To: As a Black-led organisation, Africa Oyé is a massive part of our cultural landscape and we’re really looking forward to celebrating its return in 2026.
Trivia: Liverpool Lighthouse was originally built as a Gaumont Cinema building and retains gorgeous art deco features, a 430 seat auditorium and one of the biggest stages in Liverpool. Before it was a cinema, the site housed an orphanage and training school for destitute girls, so our little patch of Anfield has been a home for both the most vulnerable in the community and for arts and culture across hundreds of years, a legacy we aim to continue!
This week’s Culture Radar guest is creative director of ArtsGroupie CIC, playwright, producer and socially engaged practitioner, John Maguire.
Loved:At the Unity – a powerful, potent, passionate, piece of necessary work, part of Liverpool Arab Arts Festival presented by Good Chance Theatre – A Grain of Sand. A narrative woven from the real experiences of children in Gaza collected in a small booklet, titled A Million Kites. And I loved seeing Lana Del Rey at Anfield as part of the Summer Gig offering.
Looking Forward To:Artsgroupie CIC is away in August for the Edinburgh Festival but then has two productions coming up at home – The Signalman at the Unity and Ghost Stories for Xmas, at the Hornby Library and Shakespeare North Playhouse in December.
The Unity’s Autumn/Winter programme is bumper packed too – loving the revival of this fantastic institution. I started my career there as a voluntary usher when I was 16.
Always love Liverpool Irish Festival. This year (16-26 October) the festival, considered the largest Irish arts and culture-led festival in the UK, brings the city of Liverpool and Ireland closer together through its diverse programming. My name is Maguire and an estimated 75% of people in Liverpool can trace their ancestry back to Ireland.
And delighted to have tickets to the stage version of Inside Number 9 at the Empire, direct from the sold-out West End run.
Trivia:I used to be a long-haul flight attendant for Monarch Airlines in my early twenties. I enjoyed visiting many places around the world. Once, I won a tango dancing competition in a nightclub in Havana, Cuba, but I cannot tango dance.
This week’s Culture Radar guest is George Maund, Programmes & Operations Administrator atMetal Liverpool. George also plays in the band Landscraper and works on the Box Office team at The Tung Auditorium.
Loved: In a summer where the lack of Africa Oyé has been decidedly felt, it was a delight to catch Caribbean diasporic rhythms in the form of coastal Colombian hiphop group Systema Solar live at Future Yard. Thanks go to Luma Creations for the booking. Prior to that, it was hats-off time to the Independents Biennial for all they achieved in re-launching themselves back into the world – by taking over Port Sunlight – with perfect opening party music to supplement, courtesy of Queensway and co. Welcome back and well done, all!
Looking Forward To: Awaiting the return of the hard-working, attentive team behind the Quarry venue to what they do best – this time at the former Magnet premises, 45 Hardman Street – has to be the most anticipated moment of the year for me. Right before that they’re hosting a gig at Metal on Sunday 3 August, one for any fan or frenemy of the snare drum.
Trivia: We’re super proud of our Cultural Welcome Guide, a printed plain English booklet that acts as an introduction to all Liverpool’s free museums, galleries, festivals and other venues. It’s also available in Arabic and Ukrainian online. The CWG was put together with and for new arrivals to the city, specifically refugees and asylum seekers. Metal’s site in Liverpool was witness to the first ever train journey almost 200 years ago, a moment that ushered in the modern era by ‘making the world smaller’ through industrial transport. Go figure!
This week our Culture Radar guests are Szymon Mamys (Director) and Becks Hylton (Production Manager)of Bring The Fire Project.
Loved:The dance show NOW created by Jasmin Vardimon at the Liverpool Playhouse Theatre was beautiful. A visually stunning performance, wonderfully choreographed melding movement and technology together to touch on important topics of our modern life.
Looking Forward To: There’re so many incredible events happening over the summer. Unity Theatre’s Scratch Nights always showcase interesting and incredible new pieces. We’re also looking forward to bringing you the next edition of the Liverpool Fire Arts Festival next year.
Trivia: Bring the Fire Project is based at Metal at Edge Hill Station – the oldest active passenger station in the world.
This week our Culture Radar guest is Uncover Liverpool voluntary features writer, Abbie Billington. Abbie is a Trustee for the Jacob Billington Trust and Project Manager for Up Front North West.
Loved: I’m a writer by trade, and I love all things theatre. I try to expose myself to new writing as often as possible, and most recently I had the pleasure of watching The Walrus Has A Right To Adventure at the Everyman Theatre which was absolutely phenomenal!
Looking Forward To: I’m really looking forward to the Arab Arts Festival and everything that has to offer, but I’m also excited for all of the new writing showcases happening this summer! From the Wirral Theatre Festival to Unity’s Scratch Night, it’s going to be a season of celebrating new art and new artists.
Trivia: As an artist myself, I’ve always wanted to create opportunities for artists in Liverpool. I’m so lucky to work for two arts organisations, both of which aim to cultivate artists and their talents. It’s such a fulfilling job!
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