It’s been an unforgettable few days in Liverpool, with more than 100,000 music lovers descending on Sefton Park, Liverpool’s Head of UNESCO City of Music, Kevin McManus reflects on the last three days and how important events like this are for Liverpool.
Wow, well that was a massive Big Weekend wasn’t it? In true Liverpool style we took an event that actually has ‘Big’ in its title and decided that wasn’t quite big enough for us and decided to supersize it. Greg James on Radio 1 got it spot on when he called the weekend ‘Scouse – chella’.
The focus was obviously Sefton Park, but it felt like the whole city was buzzing with excitement. Even my train journeys felt special with everyone hanging out with mates and looking forward to a long day out in the sun (and maybe a bit of drizzle) while enjoying some of the best music around. We had busking stations set up at Central Station and St Michaels just to get everyone in the party mood. Through this we were able to showcase some of our amazing local talent like Rheana Forrester, Astles and Michael Aldag performing in these slots.
As you walked up to the park, Lark Lane was absolutely booming as people met up with friends to fuel themselves ahead of their day in the park. Some people decided that it would maybe a good thing to break up their journey by enjoying the sights and sounds of Lark Lane with a beer or a coffee in one of the many bars and cafes. There was definitely a sense of occasion with everyone enjoying the fact that this huge event was taking place on their doorstep.
Obviously the main reason everyone was there was the music and the line up didn’t let us down. There was something for even the most snobby music fans across the multiple stages. None of the headliners were my cup of tea but they definitely hit the spot with the majority of the crowd, and even Tom Grennan played a blinder in getting Dave and Abbie from The Zutons on stage to join him on a powerful version of their classic hit Valerie. The BBC then pulled a very big ginger rabbit out of the hat with the 11th hour announcement that Ed Sheeran was playing the New Music Stage on the Saturday. That’s quite a coup for us to have one of the world’s biggest stars playing a lunchtime spot in Sefton Park.
There was so much on, it was impossible to see everything you wanted but highlights for me included Barry Can’t Swim, Inhaler and The Sugababes. (Incidentally after hearing our Culture Liverpool colleague Rhiannon sing and dance throughout the whole of The Sugababes set I would say she has a very good chance of being their next member when, you know, they inevitably change line ups again due to artistic/personality differences).
Thankfully the BBC recognised that we have huge amounts of talent in the city and featured the all conquering Girls Don’t Sync and The Wombats amongst the big names, although for me the real excitement was on the Introducing Stage where local artists stole the show. Young local musician Miles Temp was the first act of the weekend and was selected by the BBC after performing at an open mic session. Miles got the weekend off to a great start and the real highlights of the weekend for me where sets by Tonia, Koj, Keyside and the magnificent Superlate who had the whole area bouncing.
Hosting events like Radio 1 Big Weekend is brilliant for the city. As well as the massive economic benefits events like this bring to the city they also have huge promotional benefits. In the buildup to the event the city was constantly mentioned across all BBC platforms and over the weekend itself there was saturation coverage on TV/radio and BBC Sounds. Audiences across the UK will have seen Sefton Park in all its beautiful glory and gorgeous shots of the city at night. In numerous interviews, Radio 1 presenters and artists commented on how special Liverpool is. That is the sort of city promotion that money simply cant buy.
We all know Liverpool is a special place and music is a big part of this. We celebrate it constantly and the UNESCO City of Music designation is recognition of this. National and international coverage of events like the Big Weekend give the rest of world an insight into what sets Liverpool apart. Music matters more here. You are of course welcome to visit – just bring your dancing shoes.
