After their explosion onto the national folk roots scene over the past few years, duo Ninebarrow will be performing at the Christ The King Parish Centre in Childwall as part of their first extensive national tour in two years.
In a few short years, the Dorset-based duo have carved themselves a distinctive niche on the folk roots scene for their outstanding harmonies, delicate instrumentation and engaging songs.
In 2017, they were nominated at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in the ’Horizon’ category for ‘Best Emerging Artist’. One of the highest accolades in their genre, it was made even more exceptional because it was only a few months prior to this that Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere relinquished their jobs as a teacher and GP in favour of a full-time music career – an act of faith that has clearly paid dividends.
Since then, the duo have continued their upwards trajectory, graduating to more senior award categories, most recently picking up ‘Best Duo’ in the 2019 Folking.com awards.
Named after Nine Barrow Down in Dorset’s Purbeck hills, the duo have released four critically acclaimed albums with their most recent, ‘A Pocket Full of Acorns’, which they released to a raft of four and five star reviews in the folk and mainstream media in March 2021. Within just a few days of release, the album had already reached No. 1 on Amazon’s Folk Best Sellers Chart.
Originating from the Mogadishu disco scene, Dur-Dur Band disbanded in the early 90s, as the country plunged into a civil war.
They were unable to continue playing in their city and scattered abroad, now, Dur-Dur are a time capsule, transporting audiences to the 1980s and the legendary Hotel Juba with their unique brand of Somalian disco-funk.
Though their music never travelled far beyond Somalia in their original run, Dur-Dur’s party-stirring spirit has found a new audience on the back of recent reissues from Analog Africa and Awesome Tapes from Africa, championed heavily by world music maestro Gilles Peterson.
The latest incarnation of this celebrated outfit have breathed new life into the legend of Dur-Dur Band and remain as captivating and unmissable as ever before.
In association with Liverpool Arab Arts Festival and Africa Oye
Dorothy Bird is a singer-songwriter based between Liverpool and Berlin.
With ringing endorsements from BBC Introducing, Tom Robinson’s Fresh On The Net and BBC6music Mixtape, Mersey Radio and a plethora of tastemaking magazines both in England and her native Germany, Dorothy Bird’s music has been described as “It is certainly also both epic and cinematic. Gorgeous too.” – Neil March, Trust The Doc.
On the night Dorothy, performing on piano & synths, will be joined on stage by Jon Lawton on guitar and Ryan Mallows on drums.
Support comes from the excellent Congolese and British rapper/songwriter Blue Saint.
The event is held Downstairs at the Everyman featuring talent from across the North West and supported by Mellowtone’s resident DJ Jonnie O’Hare.
dorothybird.bandcamp.com/track/kaleidoscope
YouTube
To celebrate 40 years of reggae classic, ‘Bam Bam’, Positive Vibration are bringing Queen of the Dancehall, Sister Nancy to Liverpool.
The event is held at District, Saturday 28 May, 8pm.
Joined by the mighty Legal Shot on the decks, this promises to be an unforgettable night.
The incomparable Dub Pistols will be returning to Liverpool on Saturday 26 March 2022 for their rescheduled show.
One of the most exciting and high energy live bands on the circuit, Dub Pistols blend reggae, ska, dub, punk, breaks and drum ‘n’ bass.
Support on the night comes from Birmingham’s finest, KIOKO, as well as Dub Defender DJs.
Following the success of Zion Train Dub Club #1, Positive Vibration are doing it all again.
Head along and join Zion Train, Positive Vibration and some very special guests, as they nice up the place with some heavyweight bass.
Powered by Abassi Hi Power sound system.
District | 10pm – 3am | £7 advance
For one man and a guitar, Martyn Joseph creates a performance with a huge far-reaching sound that is energetic, compelling and passionate.
Gifted with the rare ability to speak to the soul with his expressive and poignant lyrics, Martyn’s career spans 30 years, 33 albums, over a half a million record sales and thousands of live performances.
Compared to Bruce Springsteen, John Mayer, Bruce Cockburn and Dave Matthews, he has created his own style and reputation as a mesmerizing live performer and stands in his own right. Driven by passion, social awareness and love for his trade, he’s a jaw dropping guitar player who has developed a unique percussive style, teamed up with a powerful show stopping voice.
Concerned with making music that is relevant and vital to his audience, he engages with challenging narratives tackling the complexity of the human condition, underpinned with a promise of hope. He is hailed as a raconteur weaving tales on topical concerns, as well as stories on the fragility of love, with a magical ability to reach out to his listeners through his passion and humour.
‘Really what I do is to try and write songs that might step up and make some sense of a moment in time. A good song makes you feel like you’re not alone in the world.’
Martyn Joseph
Martyn released his latest studio album 1960 in Autumn 2021 – a record full of songs of both insightful observations of our times, along with poignant more personal reflections.
Alan O’Hare, aka Only Child, makes emotional music. Since forming in 2012, his band have released three acclaimed albums, many EPs and a live album recorded with a string quartet.
The group have headlined the Music Room twice before and also Liverpool’s The Zanzibar Club, 81 Renshaw, The Magnet and Thornton Hough Village Club on Wirral. Only Child have also supported the likes of Blue Rose Code, My Darling Clementine, Pete Wylie, Ian Prowse & Amsterdam, Steve Pilgrim, Gemma Hayes and Mick Flannery.
2022 sees Only Child celebrate their tenth anniversary with a brand new album, Straight Lines.
Support from Alan Parry.
‘Only Child take their cue from the likes of Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Mike Scott & The Waterboys and Christy Moore.’
Liverpool Acoustic
‘The message is as beautiful as the musical execution.’
Americana UK
Liverpool Acoustic presents three songwriters who share a rare musical synergy and come together for the first time to showcase their magical songs and stories. Elfin Bow, Little Sparrow and Daria Kulesh, all three skilled songwriters and captivating performers, will take to the stage in the style of a song-writers circle.
Described by Shindig Magazine as, ‘lyrically astute and melodically inventive,’ Elfin Bow’s pastoral pysch-folk music is deeply rooted in the life and nature that surrounds her. Her stories and songs, played on piano, guitar, mandolin and banjo, weave a tapestry that combine mysterious characters, myths and legends, with the heartache and adventure of real life.
As captivating to watch as she is to listen to, Manchester singer-songwriter, Little Sparrow’s beautifully emotive use of expression mirrors the sincerity of her delivery. Her delicately crafted songs draw on influences as diverse as Kate Bush, All About Eve and PJ Harvey, woven into the colourful tapestry of her music, often with a mysterious fairytale-like quality.
Daria Kulesh has been described by Danny Farragher (Folk All) as ‘the voice of fairy tales, being able to create the enthrallment of the faerie realm and equally bring terror as the evil queen whose very words could chill your blood and capture your soul’. A folk award nominee, her Russian and Ingush roots are reflected in her music, intertwined with multicultural influences she has experienced on her turbulent and exciting journey through life.
Be part of the first public audience to enter The Tung Auditorium with this showcase of choral activity at the University of Liverpool.
The concert will feature All Voices, the Staff Choir, and the Chamber Choir performing Vivaldi’s Gloria. The University’s Choral Director Louise Ellinson will also create opportunities for you to test out the venue’s acoustics using your own vocal chords.
