Last weekend saw the start of the year in which Liverpool will be the Capital of Culture. The beginning was marked by two events in the centre of the city.
The first, on Friday night was billed as the peoples opening and took place outdoors in front of St Georges Hall. The event was pretty average to be honest, and a bit disjointed, the highlight being the appearance of over 100 guitarists on top of the Hall, the nearby shopping centre and Lime Street station. It tried to emulate Brian may when he played God Save the Queen from the top of Buck Pal, for the Queens Jubilee.
The event was beamed live around the world, except to the UK of course, as Liverpool shot itself in the foot by failing to agree sufficient performing rights deals to allow that to happen. So all the UK saw were highlights on the news, and a review programme on Sunday evening. The sign of things to come perhaps?
Phil Redmond, of Grange Hill and Brookside fame had been running the organising committee, and he described the whole venture as similar to putting on a Scouse wedding, lots of fighting in the buildup but a great party on the night. Trouble is, this has become the byline for the whole event, and its a bit tiresome to hear every commentator or pundit using the expression. The wedding is over, get on with married life!!!.
The second event on Saturday was in the brand new Echo Arena in the Albert dock area of the City. We managed to blag tickets for the event.....good old e-bay......and the arena certainly matched the occasion. It holds about 10,000 people and it was packed.
The Liverpool Philharmonic provided the backdrop to the event, being presented vertically on a wall of scaffolding behind the set. Amongst the acts were Echo and the Bunnymen ( good choice for the arena!!), The Wombats, The Christians and the Lightening Seeds. They were good, but the orchestra stole the show, and I had the chance to sing Jerusalem, although nobody else seemed to join in.
There was also no rendition of 'Ferry Across the Mersey', or 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and where were the Zootons?
Headlining both nights was Ringo Starr, who cemented his reputation for being the Posh Spice of the Beatles. When he sang 'A Little Help from my Friends', you just hoped Joe Cocker would suddenly appear to help him out.
Still, all in all a good night out, finished off with a pint of bitter in the Baltic Fleet, and a scoff in Chinatown. The Arena does not sell bitter, the only down side I could find in the venue.
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