Tony Barrett previews this weekends Mathew Street Festival.
by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo
IT may be more than 40 years since Mathew Street first reverberated to the distinctive sound of Merseybeat but this weekend it will once again become the heartbeat of the music world.
The Mathew Street Festival is now the largest free annual music event in Europe and with four days of live performance featuring move than 75 bands this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Anyone in any doubt about what it means to those musicians fortunate enough to appear at the festival just needs to note the words of some of this year’s star attractions.
The Lightning Seeds are to headline the festival on Sunday, their first performance since 2000. Lead singer Ian Broudie says he cannot wait for the gig at the Pier Head.
“To play on the shores of the Mersey in front of a home crowd of thousands is special,” he says.
“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.
“Mathew Street is where I got my musical education, borrowing records off the owner of Eric’s club, then helping bands unload their gear to eventually DJ-ing there, and then joining Big In Japan.
“For our final gig of the tour to be at this festival means I’ll be coming full circle.”
Pete Wylie will be appearing this evening, performing his anthemic hit Heart As Big As Liverpool on the Pier Head stage and, like Ian Broudie, he is genuinely excited by the prospect.
“It is a tremendous honour,” he says “a real career high and a lifelong dream come true.”
