LIMF 2015 - Part 2
Photographs by Patrick Trollope.

THE Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF) took place over 27 August to 31 August 2015. For those who remember the popular Mathew Street Music Festival, which was the biggest free music festival in Europe, this streamlined and more cost effective event still does not quite capture the same global appeal. It is early days and this is an inherently different festival which it is still evolving. This year's event on Sefton Park was also backed up by a few, small satellite events within the City's theatres, like the event we covered in the previous edition, at The Epstein Theatre, with the legendary song writer and producer Lamont Dozier. These small events are a fantastic idea, but combined with the event in the Park, as of yet, quite a few businesses are asking where the benefit for local businesses is? Liverpool City Council in many ways did do the correct thing in ending the era, by pulling Mathew Street Festival, but the new event has already been scaled down to just 2 main stages, from 3 last year and, annoyingly, the problems that affected Mathew Street are again starting to take root in the latest chapter music events within the City. Sadly, we can't whitewash the fact that some kids and adults appear to be hell bent on misrepresenting the City and causing trouble. But they are a very small minority, who showed at times, throughout the festival their ugly heads, but this should not steal all the limelight, nor should the other small problems behind the scenes. This event clearly does pull in the crowds still, even with bad weather, be that more from the North West of England now, and its fantastic news for the City. It is was estimated that well over 150,000 people attended the shows over the 3 days hearing Labyrinth, Laura Mvula, Katy B, Becky Hill, Alisha Dixon, Naughty Boy and Artful Dodger, The Real Thing and many more.... Plus countless amazing less known acts who performed on the Band Stand and on the Edge Hill Academy Stage. For us the best headliner was the legendary local Liverpool Indie Rock group, who first came to prominence in the mid 1990's, Space. Space performed some of the group's most well known hit singles that included:- 'Female of the Species', 'Neighbourhood', 'Avenging Angels' and 'The Ballad of Tom Jones' among others. They performed as the last act on its Liverpool Stage. For many who were able to get on to the packed out field, they fully eclipsed the very last band of the event, Echo and The Bunny Men, who performed to a very raucous and often hyper active audience, on the main stage, along with the support of the Liverpool Philharmonic. Sadly, the last act did not quite go to plan, due to artistic disagreements ending with a fantastic show of fireworks being set off after the music had finished! One of the most interesting bands we discovered was the last one to play at LIMF weekend, on the band stand, The Midnight Ramble. That band was extremely tight and is one to keep an eye out for in future… But it was not just music on offer, with a Skate Boarding Display taking place throughout the 3 days, on the main field and dance acts, with the likes of the Edge Hill Performing Arts Students on the Academy Stage area, this also had many good surprises. We also have to give a big thank you to the main sponsors, Red Square, who did a fantastic job keeping the media entertained and sheltered, along with offering a very unusual bar service to the events' VIP's. Credit also has to be given to St John Ambulance and to the Security groups, who all performed amazingly well. As this event moves forward, it now needs to work out how to recapture the all important international audience, along with delivering more for local businesses. It is a huge task ahead, but if the problems can be fixed quickly, the event has a lot of promise. To find out more about LIMF please visit the events website Also we have lots of photos on this week's edition, that you can see via clicking on here and even more to go in next week's as well, so please keep looking as you might be on 1 of the photos! If you attended any of the LIMF events, please let us know what you thought of them via emailing us at:- news24@southportreporter.com.

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B.O.A. 70th Anniversary DVD

THE video footage we have taken at the 70th BOA events this year in Liverpool has now been fully edited is available to buy, on a DVD, from our Online Shop, on Mersey Reporter very soon.  For each DVD sold, £3.00 will go to the Liverpool's Lord Mayor's Charity Appeal. (Registered Charity No. 229539)  At this stage we can only do UK postage options, but if you are outside the UK, you can still order copies, but only via emailing our newsroom at:- news24@merseyreporter.com with your FULL address and we will get back to you with a postage cost and a payment link, should you wish to continue.

Rock The Lakes 2015 - Part 2

THIS is our 2nd part of our photographic coverage of Rock The Lakes... Click on here to find out more.

Southport Cosplay Community Event

DON'T forget to see next weeks edition for photos and our report about our Southport Cosplay Community Event, at the Fox and Goose, in Southport, and for information about what's next!  A big thanks to the bands Red Eyed Jedi and the So Green Band for delivering an amazing night of music, plus those who came in costume did so in style... We can't wait to show you some of the pictures!