Fusion Fest Review - Sunday
Report by Penelope Livesey. Photos by Sean Taylor.

WITH a sunny (albeit slightly chilly) morning, on 1 September 2019, at the 2nd day of this year's Fusion Festival held at Sefton Park looked set to be a hit. A large area of the park had been cordoned off to allow space for a fairground, plenty of fast food stalls, bars and, of course, the main stage.

The 1st act, New Rules, were less well known than the other artists, but showed genuine excitement to be there and put on an enjoyable show that was well received. This could well be a band to watch out for with some new music and tours in the pipeline. Next up was HRVY who came on stage to a chorus of screams; it seems he's very popular with the younger crowd which is unsurprising given he began his career on CBBC. With the help of some talented backing dancers he performed some of his more popular songs, such as:- 'Hasta Luego', with participation from the audience.

RAK-SU were the third in the line up. This 4 man vocal group have enjoyed some success with recent single releases, however are yet to release their debut album. Their performance on stage displayed their talents in dancing, singing, and beat boxing and showed them to be deserving winners of the X-Factor title back in 2017. Following RAK-SU was Mabel.  As you'd expect from a Brit award nominee her performance was enjoyable and well done, although perhaps a little over polished and too heavy on the bass.

Big name Clean Bandit took to the stage next and did not disappoint, even including a cover of Destiny's Child's:- 'Stronger' in their set, which held massive appeal to this audience. Both the vocals and multitude of live instruments were on point.

Anne-Marie was next up and absolutely stole the show. Despite her battles with anxiety, her confidence and personality on stage shone through. The message of finding perfection in imperfection felt heartfelt rather than pandering, and a star studded video including the likes of Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendes backing her up went down incredibly well with the audience. She gave the feeling of an intimate gig, rather than the large outdoor festival it was.

The headline act, Little Mix, were the main draw for many audience members. They took the stage just as night fell, with multiple backing dancers and pyrotechnics which made their 1st song:- 'Salute' very eye catching. Unfortunately, following Anne Marie's bucketful of personality, this performance felt a little flat.

Overall, Fusion Festival stands as an example of the incredible music scene Liverpool has to offer.  For more information about Fusion and 2020, visit:- TheFusionFestival.Co.UK,

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