Your Hatters Hostel

LIVERPOOL

One of the world’s biggest clubs, so it’s no surprise that tickets are hard to come by. Anfield’s capacity of 46,000 doesn’t quite put it alongside the likes of Old Trafford, so there is a waiting list for tickets to Premier League games, but tickets can often be picked up for Cup matches, whether in the Europa League or in the domestic competitions. Outside of match days, there are always stadium tours and trips to the museum that we can organise for you from the hostel. On these tours, you will be taken around the historic home of the Reds, as well shown the well-stocked trophy cabinet, home to 19 league championships and a real-life Champions League trophy – the reward for winning 5 European Cups.

Prices are £14 for adults, £8 for students.

More information.

EVERTON

Sure, their trophy cabinet doesn’t quite have the sparkle of their fierce rivals across the park, but Everton’s still-impressive history makes a trip to Goodison Park well worth the effort. Tickets are slightly easier to come by than Liverpool for Premier League matches, and reductions are often made to prices for domestic competitions. If your trip to Liverpool doesn’t happen to coincide with a home fixture, there still is the option of a stadium tour where you can visit the dressing room Cahill, Arteta et al call home.

Prices are reasonable, too, with prices for tours starting at £8.50 for adults and just £5 for under 16s.

More information.

Ahoy there, music lovers. We have a little treat for you in Liverpool this coming Saturday in the guise of Above the Beaten Track Festival, taking place at the Bluecoat on School Lane. The festival is a showcase of the creative grass roots scene of Liverpool, featuring live music and DJs, performance art, poetry and audio-visual spectaculars.

Some of Liverpool’s hardest working promoters have been booking the acts for the all-day festival, including Lazy Genius, Liverpool Acoustic, Bagism and Culturepool. There is also an outdoor BBQ and food and drink served upstairs in the restaurants. The Facebook event is just a click away.

Line up as follows:

OUTDOOR STAGE

DJs: Richie Vegas, Jonnie O’Hare, Bugsy, Monkey, Ian Knowlson

14.00 – 17.00 – Culturepool’s 4th Birthday Party
14.00 – Claire Mooney
14.30 – Tom George
15.00 – Patrick Dineen
15.30 – Paula Simms & Andy Frizell
16.00 – Dan Wilson (The Cubical)
16.30 – John “The Man with the Silver Spoons” McGuirk
17.00 – 22.00 – Mellowtone & Beaten Tracks presents
17.00 – Andy Steele
17.25 – Dave Owen
17.50 – Eva Petersen
18.15 – Jeff Jepson
18.40 – Ragz
19.10 – Misery Guts
19.35 – 15 Storeys
20.10 – Emily & the Faves
20.40 – The Wicked Whispers
21.15 – Atlantic Massey



GALLERY STAGE

Liverpool Acoustic

14.00 – Matt Swift (Feat guest vocalist Barry Briercliffe)
14.25 – Avant Gardner
14.50 – Paul Donnelly (Strawhouses)
15.15 – Stuart Todd
15.40 – Joe Keelan
16.00 – 17.00 – Lazy Genius Hour 16.00 – We Walk In Straight Lines
16.30 – The Grande
17.00 – 18.00 – BAGISM – hosted by Tom George (see partners’ info below for more details)
followed by a performance by Loved Ones feat. Nik Glover


Liverpool Acoustic & Guests 18.00 – Rob Clarke
18.20 – Laura James
18.40 – Jez Wing
19.05 – Tony Kehoe
19.30 – The 10p Mixes
19.55 – Stuart Anthony
20.20 – Carrie Hayden
20.40 – SJ Downes
21.00 – TJ & Murphy
21.25 – Daniela Bove and The Belongings (Feat. Nicole Collarbone)


BEATEN TRACKS BAR AREA

An installation, a journey, an exploration into the history of black music, curated by the Beaten Tracks DJs. Featuring documentaries, film footage and visuals created by DJs and artists, plus selected photographs from Terry Cryer ‘the dean of UK jazz and blues photographers’ (MOJO magazine), accompanied by a sonic journey from the Delta to Detroit, starting with blues and jazz and moving through reggae, dub, soul and funk and more…

Jonnie O’Hare: 14.00 – 15.00 • In Dangerous Rhythm: 15.00 – 16.30 • Mike Stout: 16.30 – 18.00 • Lord Borthbury: 18.00 – 19.00 • Toxeth Rebel Alliance 19.30 – 20.00 • K Marley 20.00 – 21.00


HUB / FOYER

DJs: Clutterfunk, Paul Maguire & Eat Your Greens and a host of other DJs
14.00 – 22.00 Draw the Line

Oh dear, has a year really passed since the last Matthew Street Festival? Time to look in the mirror on this inevitable slide towards mid-life crises, expanding waist-lines and balding… and that’s just the cover bands…

Yes, the 18th Matthew Street Festival promises to be bigger and better than ever. Taking it’s place alongside Liverpool SoundCity and Liverpool Music Week as Liverpool’s premier band showcases, the Matthew Street Festival will also roll out the world’s best cover bands beside Liverpool’s hottest up and coming original musical talent. The focus of the 2010 fest will be the decade of the 70s, so you are under strict instruction to pull on those platform shoes and don those afro wigs for the August bank holiday weekend… though you wouldn’t catch Hatters Liverpool indulging in such exhibitionist acts; no, no.

There is a Live-Aid stage, announced to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Bobby G’s one-man crusade to rid Africa of starvation and this will feature – of all things – a Status Quo cover band (Stayed as Quo – ho ho, what fun), a U2 cover band (Elevation…hmf) and EVEN a Boomtown Rats cover band (The Rats) – quite what they will play other than “I Don’t Like Mondays” 10 times is a cause for intrigue in itself. There is also the 70s stage featuring more artists who paid no mind to Mama Cass , namely: “Too Rex”, “Roxy Magic” and, “The”… wait for it…”Rawmones” – yikes, I think that one actually touched on Hatters Liverpool’s young, raw nerves.

But it’s not all adequate reimaginings of old favourites, or graveduggery, if you like – The Matthew Street Fringe is setting out to champion all things fresh and new in the shadow of the main festival. Cool hangouts like Studio 2, The Shipping Forecast and LEAF are delivering Liverpool’s bright, pale young things on that same weekend. Keep an eye out for CLAUDE @ Studio 2 on Friday 27th August, which has We Walk In Straight Lines and The Moguls headlining. Seel Street will also be a hive of activity and overrun by camera crews taking part in the Fringe 48-hour film challenge, with a £250 prize on offer for the winning crew. See http://www.mathewstreetfestival.org for more details.

So, there you have it. This is Hatters Liverpool signing off with an obligatory: please book your stay at Hatters Liverpool early if you seek to avoid a dose of that pesky disappointment that this young man knows all too much about.

Until next time.

Liverpool’s first ever gay pride event launched last night at Sakura in Liverpool city centre. The event, which will take place on the 7th and 8th August promises to be a vibrant, colourful celebration of gay pride. Liverpool will be hoping to follow in Manchester and London’s footsteps as hosts of existing succesful pride events.

Liverpool Pride Weekend is completely free and has received the full support of the City Council, who are hoping to turn Liverpool’s gay quarter into the “rainbow quarter” for the duration of the event. In this spirit, there will be three circus themed stages featuring cabaret, acoustic and headliner performances from ex-Coronation Street actor turned pop-star, Adam Rickitt, club diva Rozalla and Liverpool’s Sense of Sound Choir.

Tommy McIlravey, chairman of Liverpool Pride 2010, said: “It’s fantastic that from those initial meetings, Liverpool Pride has grown into something special.

“It’s great to see the wider Liverpool community getting excited and becoming involved in what promises to be a wonderful event.

“For too long Liverpool’s LGBT community have travelled to Manchester or London to take part in Pride festivals and the economic impact of this should not be underestimated.”

So don’t hesitate to book to make sure that you don’t miss out on any of the action here at Hatters Hostel Liverpool.