Liverpool

Venues

Venues are the backbone of Liverpool’s music scene with every genre you could possibly imagine being performed here on a regular basis. Independent spaces like The Jacaranda, Quarry and Kazimier Stockroom are the city’s most popular live music hubs to see emerging bands and are regularly performed at by LIPA students and graduates. The city’s punk scene regularly descends on local dive Outpost, jazz lovers are frequently found at Fredericks, and classical music connoisseurs at The Tung Auditorium.

Many of the warehouses that were once a vital cog in Liverpool’s industrial past have been transformed into electronic music venues, including 24 Kitchen Street, District and Invisible Wind Factory, which play host to some of Liverpool’s best club nights and DJ events. For the biggest shows, venues like the O2 Academy and the M&S Bank Arena host global touring artists, and every summer Anfield Stadium brings in international superstars with Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa among the recent performers.

Festivals

Liverpool hosts an exciting array of summer music festivals. In May there is Sound City, a multi-venue event celebrating the best emerging artists from around the world, Outer Waves, a new event bringing experimental music to alternative spaces, Baltic Weekender, an electronic music street party in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle district and further afield in nearby Warrington, Neighbourhood Weekender, one of the UK’s biggest indie rock festivals. In June, Sefton Park hosts Africa Oyé, the biggest African music and culture festival in the country, and the Pier Head dock holds one of Liverpool’s most scenic music events, On The Waterfront Festival, headlined last year by LIPA graduates The Wombats. In August, electronic music fans head to the Cheshire countryside for the four-day dance festival Creamfields, and anyone hoping to catch the next big breakthrough artist can take the short train ride to Birkenhead for Future Now Festival.

Music History

Liverpool is steeped in music history and was named as England’s first UNESCO City of Music in 2015 in recognition of its heritage. It is – of course – the birthplace of The Beatles; one of the most successful acts of all time and a band who took the world by storm in the 1960s, with Lennon and McCartney remaining the most successful songwriting partnership of all time. However, the city’s music history goes far beyond the fab four, with Liverpool holding the world record for the most number one singles from a single city, and being home to countless successful artists over the years including The Real Thing, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Farm, Mel C, The Zutons, Camelphat and Luvcat to name but a few. The British Music Experience, The Beatles Story and the Liverpool Museum – as well as a trip to Matthew Street and historic clubs The Cavern and Erics - are a great way to take in the city’s musical heritage.

Music industry

Liverpool is home to many major music companies, including record labels Modern Sky and 3beat, music distribution company Ditto, and Sentric, one of the biggest independent music publishing companies in the world which was founded by LIPA students in 2006. Sound City + is a music industry conference adjacent to the Sound City music festival, which attracts industry professionals from around the world. Smaller independent music businesses thrive here too, including the North-West music magazine Boot Music, and Ripe Records, a new independent label with a roster that includes some of Liverpool’s best new artists. The city recently received £7m of Government money for Music Futures, a new venture designed to drive music industry growth and establish Liverpool as the UK’s hub for innovation in music.

Manchester- Liverpool’s neighbouring music city

Manchester, which is less than an hour away on the train, also has a rich musical offering. The Smiths, Happy Mondays, Oasis and The 1975 all started their careers there, with the city’s heyday being in the late 80s-to-early-90s with the Hacienda-Madchester era. Manchester is home to a thriving live scene, with small independent music venues like YES, Night & Day Café and Band on the Wall, bigger stages including the AO Arena, Victoria Warehouse and Co-Op Live, and festivals Parklife, Manchester Psych Fest and Manchester Jazz Festival.

Independent restaurants and cafes

Just five a minute walk from LIPA is Bold Street, home to many of the city’s newest and most exciting independent restaurants and cafes. Mediterranean small plates, Lebanese street food, American styled pizza slice, Turkish open fired barbeque, home-style Indian food and traditional Scouse are all available here.

Street food

Cains Brewery Village in the Baltic Triangle is the base for Baltic Market, Liverpool’s first street food market as well as BOXPARK and its first pop-up dining hub outside of London. Both are open Wednesday to Sunday and feature an array of regular and visiting traders. The communal shared dining area makes it a great place to eat out with a group of friends, who may have very different tastes!  

Big brand favourites

As you’d expect for one of the UK’s biggest cities, all the much loved big-brand favourites have outlets in Liverpool. If it’s Wagamama, Pizza Express or a cheeky Nandos you’re after, head to the city’s main shopping area, Liverpool One or The Albert Docks.

Veggie and vegan

Liverpool’s a great place for vegans and vegetarians. Vegetarian Indian restaurant Sanskruti on Bixteth Street has been praised by The Guardian and The Times, closer to LIPA Down the Hatch has all your veggie junk food requirements covered, while The Vibe’s plant-based menu promises nourishment for mind, body and soul. Just off Bold Street is Liverpool’s oldest veggie eatery The Egg, while a 15 minute walk into Toxteth will bring you to community arts and health initiative Squash and its veggie café. Liverpool also has its own vegan grocery store, Purple Carrot on Smithdown Road.