Liverpool Soundcity: 'We're No Poor SXSW Imitation'

Safe and sound - the SoundCity team are back home from our soiree in New York and SxSW.  The Courteeners absolutely smashed it at the Mercury Lounge. We were so happy to be part of their first ever US show and a sold out one at that! Even NBC TV came along to celebrate and those of you who are veteran Googlers should be able to find the exclusive footage on the net. Feeling very chuffed with ourselves we set off to SxSW..... swopping wooly jumpers for dodgy shorts we set about looking for some hot new bands to bring to Liverpool SoundCity in May.

There was no shortage on offer. Our faves of the week included the amazing We Have Band (reminded us of early Cab Voltaire with mashed up electro and the added sex appeal of the femme fatale), Local Natives (amazing harmonies layered into beautiful tunes- from Clearwater LA, with haircuts that bizarre they were never gonna be from Liverpool or Manchester) and Black Lips (already confirmed for SoundCity and they are gonna rock your socks to the core)......

Of course our very own SoundCity party was as I predicted in this column, absolutely rammed.  The sweat ran from the ceiling from 10 minutes of doors opening, the air conditioning packed in and the beer ran very quickly.  No-one dared leave for fear of never being allowed to return. The guest list was fought over as though it held the last two places on the Ark. In the end we flung all the windows open so those locked on the outside could at least get a feel for the joy that was being consumed on the inside. Big thanks to The Lost Brothers, Hot Melts, Wave Machines and The Whip who worked everyone in the venue to a slobbering frenzy......we came, we saw, we eat fish and chips.

Tired but ready for the next chapter we returned to Liverpool to get ready for SoundCity 2009. Already we have over 200 bands booked and by the time the dust settles we shall have at least 200 more. We will bring to Liverpool the newest and finest new acts. We believe no other UK festival will come anywhere near our line up of bands, artists and speakers from over 20 different countries. You know seeing SxSW was and is amazing but SoundCity is no poor imitation- anything the yanks can do we can do better!

SoundCity runs from May 20th to 23rd in over 30 venues in Liverpool City centre. Next week I will tell you all about some of the treats we have on offer.

Til next time- Adios

David J. Pichilingi