Features

On Stage: Mathew St Festival, Pier Head.

Mathew St Festival 2006

The Mathew Street Music Festival is now the largest free annual music event in Europe and its stages boast rock and pop talent from the established to the emerging, from young Liverpool bands to global legends.

Ian Broudie.

This year, pop superstars The Lightning Seeds, led by Ian Broudie, will headline on Sunday, August 27th 2006. The special one-hour greatest hits gig will be their first in Liverpool since the millennium and will be played at the world famous Pier Head in front of an estimated 20,000 people.

Broudie, famous for hits such as 'Lucky You' and 'Three Lions', expects an emotional homecoming gig: ''To play on the shores of the Mersey in front of a home crowd of thousands is special. I'm really excited. We'll be playing a selection of our biggest hits with some covers and hopefully the sun will shine to make it an unforgettable day.''

As well as The Lightning Seeds, the Liverpool Culture Company have focused on showcasing home-grown talent to celebrate the 2006 Capital of Culture themed year - Liverpool Performs.

Mathew Street Festival Listings:

Friday 25 August, 7.30pm - Liverpool Pier Head Stage

The Phil's new principal conductor, 30 year-old Russian, Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will open the festival with a free open-air concert and spectacular firework finale, on the Pier Head.

Crowds in Water St.

Orchestral arrangements of Beatles songs also feature and top names from the Liverpool music scene join the Phil as special guests; Garry Christian of The Christians to sing his poignant ballad 'Father', Pete Wylie of The Mighty Wah! performs his epic 'Heart As Big As Liverpool' and Jennifer John and Thomas Lang duet on 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.

From Saturday to Monday there will be a dedicated new band stage at the Pier Head which will feature 31 new or unsigned Liverpool bands - an incredible array of talent on the rise! A total of 76 bands, with some from as far as Norway and Argentina, will play live for free over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Saturday 26 August 2006 - Stage 1: Pier Head North

10:30 - 11:15 Sounds Of The Sixties
11:30 - 12:15 Hamsters
12:30 - 13:15 Gerry & The Pacemakers
13:30 - 14:30 The Proclaimers
14:45 - 15:30 Dr & The Medics
15:45 - 17:15 Johnny Silver
17:30 - 18:15 Hermans Hermits
18:30 - 19:15 Merseycats

Stage 2: Pier Head South

11:00 - 12:00 Streetwaves
12:15 - 12:45 Rambo & Leroy
13:00 - 13:30 The Most Terrifying Thing
13:45 - 14:30 Lyons & Tigers
14:45 - 15:30 Kuki
15:45 - 16:15 The Drella's
16:30 - 17:15 Zombina & the Skeletones
17:30 - 18:00 Fridge Mountain Fires
18:15 - 18:45 The Maybes
19:00 - 19:30 Missin Beats

Sunday 27 August 2006 - Stage 1: Pier Head North

The new bands stage (c) Claire Trenholm

11:00 - 11:45 Gubbrockana
12:00 - 13:00 Connie Lush & Blues Shouter
13:15 - 14:15 Lightning Seeds
14:30 - 15:30 Wonder Stuff
15:45 - 16:45 Shack
17:00 - 17:45 Tabby
18:00 - 19:00 Dios Salve a la Reina

Stage 2: Pier Head South

11:00 - 12:00 Streetwaves
12:15 - 12:45 Sirenz
13:00 - 13:30 Santa Carla
13:45 - 14:15 Freemaker
14:30 - 15:15 River Niger Orchestra Presents
15:30 - 16:00 John Smith Band
16:15 - 16:45 The Mags
17:00 - 17:30 Blue Demon
17:45 - 18:15 Tramp Attack
18:30 - 19:00 The Laze

Monday 28 August 2006 - Stage 1: Pier Head North

11:00 - 11:45 Beached Boys
12:00 - 12:45 Guns 2 Roses
13:00 - 13:45 Fake Plastic Radiohead
14:00 - 14:45 Elevation
15:00 - 15:45 Coldplace
16:00 - 17:00 Robbing Williams
17:15 - 18:00 Police Force
18:15 - 19:15 Dios Salve a la Reina (Queen Tribute)

Stage 2: Pier Head South

11:00 - 11:30 Susan Hedges & the Other Kind
11:45 - 12:15 The Silhouettes
12:30 - 13:00 The Neon Hearts
13:15 - 13:45 Cuckolds
14:00 - 14:30 28 Costumes
14:45 - 15:30 The Hot Melts
15:45 - 16:30 Amsterdam
16:45 - 17:15 Rebecca
17:30 - 18:15 The Aeroplanes
18:30 - 19:00 Alterkicks

Stage 3: The Strand

11:00 - 11:45 Bryan Adams Experience
12:00 - 13:00 Definitely Mightbe
13:15 - 14:15 Vogue
14:30 - 15:15 Rocks Off
15:30 - 16:15 Kappa Guitar Hero
16:30 - 17:15 Instant Karma
17:30 - 18:15 Abelwell Foundation(Bob Marley Tribute)
18:30 - 19:30 Perfectly Frank

Stage 4: Dale Street

11:00 - 11:45 Nearly Dan
12:00 - 12:45 Banned On The Run
13:00 - 14:00 Hotter Than Hell
14:15 - 15:15 Squeezed
15:30 - 16:30 Overtures
16:45 - 17:30 Tearaways
17:45 - 18:45 Urythmix

Stage 5: Derby Square

11:00 - 11:45 Blue Meanies
12:00 - 12:45 All You Need Is Love
13:00 - 13:45 Beatles Norway
14:00 - 14:45 Clube Big Beatles
15:00 - 15:45 The Prellies
16:00 - 16:45 Ringer
17:00 - 17:45 Mersey Beatles
18:00 - 18:45 Los Beat 3