Dozens of acts were left disappointed when news broke in the ECHO that Europe’s biggest free music festival had been axed. But in true festival spirit venues across the city rushed to the rescue to keep this year’s Mathew Street festival afloat.
In true festival spirit the venues have been keen to collaborate to save the festival atmosphere and give visitors and the people of Merseyside a weekend to remember.
Barfly and Zanzibar have teamed up for the Mathew Street Fringe Festival, which will showcase some of the finest up and coming unsigned acts over a two-day period.
“The bands and acts on show over the festival weekend are a showcase of the best that Liverpool has to offer in musical talent, mixing those who were initially booked to play Mathew Street festival with those we felt deserved a place in one of the most culturally significant festivals in Europe,” says Barfly’s Assistant Promoter Damian McGarrigle.
They have a host of acts taking to their stages, including Susan Hedges & the Other Kind, Harrison Drive, Ragz, Voo, The Hot Melts, 28 Costumes, Rude Ruby, Cedar Falls and Crimson Rise.
“We’re opening our doors for free to allow people to come and watch the very best in local talent that would have been showcased on the stages of Mathew Street this year.”
Zanzibar has a host of local musical talent, including The Trestles, We See Foxes, The Neil Campbell Collective, The Vale, The Laze, The Idol Minds, Freemaker, The Lapis, Great Northwestern Hoboes and The Maybes?.
“We’ve got a lot of the bands who play here week in week out,” says Zanzibar’s owner Tony Butler. “It’s a good mixture of young bands and the more established acts, all with bags of talent.”
Zanzibar and Barfly’s Mathew Street Festival Fringe takes place on Sunday August 26 and Monday August 27. Entry is free. For full listings see the special Mathew street pull-out in Friday’s Liverpool ECHO.