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FLIP AND TURN OVER FOR YOUR FREE LIVERPOOL ONE MAGAZINE» Issue 13 - December 08

THE LIFE AND STYLE OF THE CITY DECEMBER 2008

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ALL YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS! WE’VE GOT IT ALL WRAPPED UP

www.liverpool.com

LIVERPOOL’S TOP 50 ALBUMS YOUR VOTES ARE IN WIN A VENTURE PORTRAIT AND KINGS OF LEON TICKETS HOMECOMING: THE ZUTONS AND ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN

THE BEST: SHOPPING ART MUSIC EVENTS EATING NIGHTLIFE

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Contents

EDITOR’S LETTER Do I agree with our 'Fifty Greatest Albums' poll results? Not really. Does that matter? Not at all. Like all fascinating polls, this is as much about creating debate as it is about earning a quality assurance mark. And you have spoken. At least, those of you who favour spaced out noodlings and wilfully obscure Scousetastic side-projects have. Our city's black music, and most of its musical women, are woefully under-represented. But we print, without grace or favour, the results here. If you didn't vote, you've only yourself to blame. Let's know what you think. Christmas is here. Sort of. And whether you're celebrating with a string of nights out, or having your mates over to play your favourite Shack records, we've got the best of the season covered within. And, with our additional guide to the best thing that's happened to the shape of the city for generations - Liverpool One, this is one holiday season when the ghosts of Christmas past won't haunt us all too much. Having said that, I still miss Littlewood’s Christmas dinner special.

DECEMBER.08 STARTERS

49: Food

04: The Masterplan

50: Producers

Seeing out a great 2008

08: Agenda And so this is Christmas

We drop anchor at Port Sunlight

The German bakery gets festive

51: The Best Cocktails and where to drink them

76: Travel Italy’s saucy city - Bologna

80: Hyperlocal Joe Shooman discovers Allerton

82: Liverpool Top Ten We talk to Tyrone's mum, Margi Clarke

Have a great Christmas.

FEATURES 19: 50 Best LiverpoolAlbums The Top 50, as voted by you

David Lloyd, Editor ■

09: Introducing Alex Dunford, the cinematic orchestra

COVER CREDITS: Emma: Dress, Pop Boutique; Boots, Hat and poncho, Resurrection. Mark: Trousers, Shirt, Jacket, Scarf and Badges, Resurrection; Tank Top, Trainers, Cap, Pop Boutique. Christmas decorations and log cabin courtesy of The Christmas Decorators, 0870 890 3633 www.thechristmasdecorators.com Creative team courtesy of Pulse Models, 0151 707 2535 www.pulseagency.co.uk Photography: Matt Ford Styling: Sara Li-Chou Han Hair and Make Up: Kelly Irvine Models: Emma Holding and Mark Wilkinson Assistants: Stacey Koks and Megan Hindley

10: Briefing Instant Christmas fixes

14: The Big Ticket Andy McCluskey’s up for a Ding Dong

16: Speed Date Eighties fest ahoy. Toyah and Martin Fry

REGULARS

David Lloyd david.lloyd@liverpool.com

24: Shop Talk

FEATURES EDITOR

Patricia Caliskan

LISTINGS EDITORS

Alan O'Hare Katie Smith

26: Buy It

DESIGN

Colin Harrison Tracy Smith Charlie Hearnshaw Matt Barnes

EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHY

Arty gifts from Tate Gallery

Your essential gifts this season

THE ESSENTIAL LIST 53: Music Festive fun with 6ix Toys, a Zuton and a Bunnyman

59: Film Christmas classics and where to catch them

60: Comedy Get up, stand up

63: Events Dress up for the choir, dress down for Santa Dash

Matt Ford (Cover) Alex Petricca (Fashion) Steve Collinson (Fashion) Eleanor Suggett Mark Ireland-Jones John Johnson

67: Theatre All the Crimbo Panto lingo. And Cilla

68: Art Tastes of Africa this winter

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Mark Dickinson EXECUTIVE EDITOR Ken Rogers SENIOR EDITOR Steve Hanrahan SENIOR ART EDITOR Rick Cooke SENIOR PRODUCTION EDITOR Paul Dove MARKETING Cath Reeves 0151 285 8428 COMMERCIAL FEATURES EDITOR Sally Jones ADVERTISEMENT DIRECTOR Debbie McGraw ADVERTISING MANAGER Jackie McMahon 0151 330 5077 ACCOUNT MANAGER Rachel Heller 0151 472 2296 PHOTOGRAPHY Trinity Mirror DISTRIBUTION Lyndsey Grosscurth 0151 330 4957 PRINTED BY Pensord, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood NP12 2YA PUBLISHED BY Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales, PO Box 48, Old Hall Street, Liverpool. L69 3EB Telephone 0151 227 2000 Fax 0151 330 4942 EMAIL david.lloyd@liverpool.com COPYRIGHT Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales© Liverpool.com is printed monthly and distributed free

70: Nightlife Because Boxing Days are dancing days

29: Home and Entertaining Lighten your life. And your guests’

75: Literature Liverpool University Press. We love it

37: Beauty Saving your skin for New Year

41: Fashion Undercover story

46: Relationships Lonely This Christmas? You needn’t be

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The Masterplan My Month Claire McColgan, Executive Producer, Liverpool Culture Company 2008 is a year Claire McColgan will never forget, with the legacy of Liverpool’s Culture year paving the way for 2009. “It'll be all systems go at the start of December for Portrait of a Nation. This has been a massive project with youngsters from 16 cities coming to Liverpool to showcase what it means to be British. It marks the end of a journey really, because the core of this group is the cities we bid against to be Capital of Culture and we’ve developed a really strong working relationship with them. After Portrait, I’m speaking at a big event in Scotland about how we involved communities in the Capital of Culture and how other big events can learn from this. That’s been one of Liverpool’s big success stories and everyone wants to know how we did it. Another example of this is an exhibition

The Masterplan

01 In The Window: Jane Adam Jewellery, Bluecoat All that glitters may not be golden at the Bluecoat...

Your at-a-glance guide to December

Late at Tate Liverpool The Tate will be staying open until 9pm until the end of the month.

Steel City Tour, Echo Arena Sheffield’s finest on tour, with The Human League, Heaven 17 and ABC.

Ragz and Guests, Unity Theatre Liverpool.com favourite finishes her recent tour in her adopted hometown at the Unity

The Hive Collective Final Installment, Various Last chance to witness this cultural delight. What you waiting for?

BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year, Philharmonic The category finals to determine the best Choir take place at the Phil.

Organ Recital, Metropolitan Cathedral Celebrate Christmas Eve with a brilliant organ rendition at the met.

Christmas Day, Everywhere Eat. Drink. Sleep. Eat some more. And be merry. Happy Christmas from Liverpool.com!

02 The Emperor’s New Clothes, Unity A traditional story told in an untraditional way, exclusively at the Unity.

Kings of Leon, Echo Arena Hail to the Kings as their tour reaches a sold-out King’s Dock

BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Echo Arena Live at the Echo Arena, a chance to vote for your favourite sporting star

Christmas Market, Croxteth Hall The stalls will still be open during the run up to Christmas. Get festive!

Raymond Gubbay presents White Christmas, Philharmonic Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Coldplay, Echo Arena Chris Martin and company appear at the Echo Arena for one night only.

The Fifth Floor, Tate Liverpool International artists unveil works inspired by the people of Liverpool.

Boxing Day Time to club out Christmas. And we’ve got tickets to win in our Nightlife pages...

Vampires Rock Christmas, Echo Arena Toyah Wilcox makes this year’s Christmas a lot darker than usual…

Titanic, Lusitania and Forgotten Empress, Maritime Museum Ship stories to get you away from those turkey butties

Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, Citadel It’s the community panto of the year, go along and show your support.

we're putting on at the Anglican cathedral about the education programme, Generation 21, so the parents of all the kids who took part can go and see it over the holidays. Then no sooner than that event is up and running, I'm attending The Big Conversation which looks at all the work we’ve done with the health sector and how this can become a legacy for 2008. Talking of ﬁnales, we're getting ready for the transition weekend into 2009 and have been watching the weather daily as it’s on the waterfront! Linz and Vilnius open their Capital of Culture events on New Year’s Eve, so it will be good to see what they do - and I’ll take a moment to be really sad that the year is over. But I'm looking forward to the future and how we use all the lessons which we've learned to keep improving what we do as a city.”

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Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: Spirit of Christmas, Philharmonic Annual celebration with all the trimmings

DING»DONG, FACT Running until February with a whole host of artistic treats in store at FACT.

Big Art for Little Artists, Walker Art Gallery Take the kids along and show them how much fun art can be.

Elton John: Red Piano Tour, Echo Arena Get those big glasses out of the loft, Elton’s on the waterfront.

The Botanic Garden, Walker Art Gallery Your last chance to see the virtual Botanical photographic masterpiece.

The Ken Dodd Happiness Show, Philharmonic Ol’ tickle stick is back on stage for two nights only.

New Music Award 2008, FACT The Fragmented Orchestra show us the human brain via musical interpretation.

Terry Titter’s Yule Log, Unity Theatre A comedy Christmas special from Titter after wowing the Edinburgh Festival.

Cinderella, Liverpool Empire Theatre Jennifer Ellison and Cilla star in this production brimming with Scouse stars.

Journey to Bethlehem, All Hallows Church, Allerton A chance to see the Christmas story, told inside the stables.

19 The Zutons, Echo Arena Will you? Won’t you? Do you? Don’t you. Last night of their UK tour brings them home. (Abi Harding, p54).

New Year’s Eve Fireworks, Various Venues Liverpool says goodbye to a fabulous 2008 with a big bang.

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NOW OPEN

Discover the spirit of Italian food with our new menu Call today to make your Christmas party reservation

0151 707 8115 Liverpool ONE, 14 Paradise Street, Liverpool

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AGENDA

STUFF YOUR LIFE

MIRACLE ON RANLEIGH STREET

Christmases come, Christmases go, but, as the city changes on its axis year after year, there’s one winter staple that’s more certain than snow or Slade: the Lewis’s Christmas Grotto. And, as Lewis’s Angela Murray reveals, this year is going to be a special one – with a series of tableaux recreating the best of our cultural calendar. “This year, we’re celebrating what a fantastic 12 months we’ve all just enjoyed,” she says, as Lewis’s in-house joiners and animators bang and crash away in the background. “About eight years ago, we moved away from the traditional fairy tales towards a grotto that kept things local,” Murray says, “which is what Lewis’s has always been about, anyway.” So gone are the Fairytale Forests of old, and in are Superlambananas. Gone are Wicked Witches, and in are Wicked Ringos (we might have made that one up, but you get the idea). With grottoes fast disappearing from the High

Have a Crafty Christmas

Doughnuts and Menorahs

Now with added spending power, the Bluecoat’s courtyard is one of the city’s last remaining places to head if you’re after the original and the one-off this year. From the delicate silverware and gleaming glass of R Porter, to the tribal art and earthy percussions of Drum to the cute-as-a-button knitware of Purlesque and handmade gifts and soft furnishings of Landbaby. Claire Bates, Landbaby’s enthusiastic owner, explains: “We all specialise in the kind of stuff you just don’t find anywhere else,” she says. “And by focussing on pieces made by local designers, we’re helping to keep Liverpool a centre of creativity.” Now that’s a present we’d all appreciate...

Roseman’s has been serving Liverpool’s Jewish community -and, for that matter, the Childwall community - for the past twenty years. And, as Chanukah approaches (22-29 Dec) it’s all systems go. “Chanukah is one of the most joyous of all Jewish festivals,” manager Robert Kaye says, “Doughnuts, latkes (pancakes) and pastries - people eat as much of them as they can over the holiday. We don’t make anything different for this festival. The key is, just make more of everything!” Like many midwinter festivals, Chanukah has, at its heart, a celebration of light – recalling a time when a single jar of sacred oil burned for eight days in a temple destroyed by a Syrian king wanting to assimilate Jews into Greek culture. Today, the eight candles of the Menorah (there’s one on St George’s Plateau) symbolise that light. “We’re the only Jewish bakery in the city,” Kaye says “It’s a busy time for us, but we’re not complaining.” Roesman’s, 20 Childwall Abbey Road, Liverpool, Tel: 0151 722 3929

Open late Thursday til Christmas, Bluecoat Courtyard, School Lane

Street, it’s good to see the city’s venerable department store keeping the spirit alive. “What we have is the luxury of space,” Murray says, “whereas, in other stores, these days space comes at a very high premium. We also have a great amount of talent in house, and, of course, all the animated creatures we’ve amassed over the years means we can put on quite a show!” With profits from this year’s grotto going to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, this is one grotto that’ll please kids in more ways than one. Last year, Santa and Co raised £8,000 for the Rhys Jones appeal. “We want to feed kids’ imagination, but we also want to make a positive contribution to the city that lasts all year too,” Murray says. With Lewis’s Liverpool store being the first in the UK to introduce a grotto back in 1879 - yes, that long ago - we don’t think it would be Christmas without it. Lewis’s, Ranelagh Street, Liverpool. Tel: 0151 709 7000

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GET OUT MORE

INTRODUCING Alex Dunford

Three Christmas Shops Worth a Detour

Hollies Christmas Barn,

Gordale,

Dobbies Garden World,

A49, Little Budworth. Tel: 01829 760414

Chester High Road, Burton. Tel: (0151) 336 2116

Bentham’s Road, Southport. Tel: 01704 552 920.

Gourmet food and tasteful Christmas gifts galore in this seasonal addition to the excellent Hollies Farm Shop. Think Pears soaked in Calvados and chocolates from the Chocolate Alchemist. And an excellent range of locally produced hampers too. And, should you be really food-mile friendly, you can buy your entire Christmas meal here too.

What do garden centres do in Winter? They retreat indoors and go all fibre-optic on us. Gordale, though, has a great range of gifts all year: candles, decorations, garden paraphernalia and a seasonal calendar of events ensures this is one evergreen you’ll be happy to mooch around and Santa, of course, has promised to pop in.

Dobbies offers an old fashioned Christmas, along with unusual gift ideas you will appreciate. Homemade hampers and illuminated Christmas scenes can be found amid the Deli, Toy area, Restaurant and Aquatics department. A retreat from the usual suspects available on the High Street and a veritable winter wonderland.

Pocket money paradise

Jingle all the way You’ve dashed with Santa, now run with Rudolph. On Saturday, 6 December, Sefton Park will reverberate with the sound of hooves, as the Reindeer Fun Run (or walk) takes place – with proceeds going to local animal charities “It’s not a race,” says organiser Mel Kelbrick. “It’s just a chance to have a bit of fun and dress up as a reindeer!” And who amongst us hasn’t wanted an opportunity to do that? After the run, there’s a Cruelty Free Christmas Fayre at the Lark Lane Community Centre, featuring Christmas gifts from great local traders, such as Little Satsuma and samples to try out from Steven Hamill Hairdresser, Greenpeople, Booker Avenue (who uses the John Paul Mitchell range); Montagne jeunesse, Earth pure, Lush and more. No doubt there’ll be something to put on that shiny nose, too. Reindeer Run, 6 December, Sefton Park. £5, Tel: 0151 428 9204

Comforting to know, in these days of high-tech, highprice wish lists, that there’s an antidote and it’s stuffed full of toys from all our Christmases past. This year, their biggest seller is set to be just about as lotech as it gets: a lump of modeling clay. Lord Street’s Hawkin’s Bazaar sources the out-of-the-ordinary, the nostalgic and the stocking filler and this year’s Make Your Own Morph kit is sure to keep idle hands busy, long after the batteries have run out on your iPod Touch... “We started off as a toy shop at the Hawk Inn, in Suffolk,” says Hawkin’s Pat Slevin, “and now we specialise in things that you thought had gone forever... and things you never knew existed!” What’s the betting their giant remote control spider will be a big seller in the city this Christmas? Hawkin’s Bazaar, Lord Street. Tel: 0844 573 4000

“I love epic soundscapes,” says softly spoken Alex Dunford over coffee at Princes Dock. Dunford, a one man cinematic orchestra and producer-for-hire is a laptop-weilding technician with a difference. The difference? His beats may be cut, pasted, sent through the shredder and back again, but they’re real. A drummer by trade, Dunford can turn his hand to pretty much anything – the genesis of his atmospheric soundscapes may come from a piano, guitar or cello: but the common denominator is that they’re all real instruments, played by a human, in Liverpool. “Melody comes first,” Dunford tells us, “I’m quite traditional in that respect. The only difference is in the way I process the finished product.” Working with lo-fi folkie Jeff Jepson, Dunford’s aiming to release his first EP sometime soon. But there’s a problem: “I’ve got around 70 songs. And I need to whittle it down to seven.” “I try to get away from just button pushing - when I play live, it’s as live as possible, but still, a guy with a laptop just doesn’t get that many gigs in Liverpool as a guy with a guitar.” Dunford cites the city’s history as culprit number one: we do seem to have a songline that stretches back through a succession of boys with guitars. “To me, electronic music is the classical music of the 21st century and it’s a shame that too many promoters wrongly think it’s a risky gig to put on.” We agree. So will you when you hear Dunford’s widescreen, glitchy compositions and production work: the soundtracks to the best films you’ve never seen. www.myspace.com/alexdunford

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AGENDA LIVERPOOL: A USERS GUIDE Instant christmas fixes Christmas spirit. Young music lovers are also catered for, as Frosty The Snowman and My First Carol Concert will be making a welcome appearance - and bringing your own sleigh bells is actively encouraged. The seasonal events reach a climax on the 23 Dec, with Carols By Candlelight, surely the most sophisticated way to enjoy Christmas. Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street, Tel: 0151 709 3789

Our Christmas Tree It wouldn’t be Christmas without the Church Street tree lighting up our high street. To celebrate the arrival of the tree this year, there will be a range of festive treats for the whole family. With street performers and carol singers on Church Street, Lord Street and Williamson Square and over in the Met Quarter, a rather special addition to the shops in the form of live reindeer. The evening’s festivities will be sprinkled with a drift of snow, keeping things suitably festive. 27 November, Church Street, Liverpool

Christmas Markets

The Christmas Decorators A real seasonal success story. From a standing start four years ago, Wavertree’s The Christmas Decorators (above) have helped dress the great and the good, with their opulent swags, stunningly festooned trees and Narnia-inspired frosted trees - hey, if it’s good enough for Claridges Hotel and Colleen, then it’s good enough for us. In no time at all, they’ll whip your home into a real winter wonderland (like they did for our cover). And, unlike those LED reindeer’s you get in B&Q, this’ll make a classy Christmas statement which will be the envy of your neighbours. They’ll even store the decorations for you til next year. Wellington Road, Wavertree. Tel: 0870 890363

The start of December sees Christmas shopping fever start to reach scary proportions. But what better way to shop for your nearest and dearest, than in the seasonal surroundings of the Liverpool Christmas Market? Williamson Square will be taken over by the street market for three weeks from the beginning of December. Those traditional wooden chalets will contain a whole range of gift ideas such as handmade toys, decorations and jewellery. There will also be lots of food and drink on offer to keep you warm - including mulled wine and hot chocolate. A shot of brandy is optional, but we’d highly recommend it... Williamson Square and Tarleton Street, 5-21 Dec, 10am-6pm (8pm on Thursdays & 4pm Sundays)

Festivities At The Phil The Philharmonic Hall has a busy schedule in December with the emphasis on all things festive. The season kicks off as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra present Christmas Wishes From Alfie Boe. Festivities continue with a mixture of carols, songs and music guaranteed to channel everyone’s

Christmas Ice Rink We may not have the option of ice skating in Central Park, but this Christmas we will be getting our skates on at the iconic St George’s Hall. From 19 December until early next year, there will be a 12x12 metre ice rink on the plateau outside the Hall. To coincide with the construction of the ice rink, there will be a Santa Experience where youngsters will get the opportunity to meet Father Christmas in the specially prepared grotto. This unique winter experience is surely the best antidote to hoards of stressful shoppers and panic buyers. We say escape the retail parks and the queues and get in a festive mood in this magnificent setting. Tickets are £6, £5 concessions and £15 for the whole happy family. St George’s Hall, William Brown Street, Tel: 0151 225 6909

BRIEFING Volunteering at Christmas You gotta fight for your right What better time to think about helping others, than the season of goodwill to all men? Don’t just sit there, moaning about how over-commercialised it all is (please, what a cliche!), get off your backside and do something. Guess what? Volunteering doesn’t just give you extra seasonal Brownie points, but you can be sure those on the receiving end will really appreciate it too. We spoke to Jane Haskings at Age concern about what volunteering entails: “Nationally Age Concern has a huge team of 50,000 volunteers carrying out valuable volunteering within their local communities,” she explains. “The main roles are befriending the elderly and helping at lunch clubs which take place at day centres. There are also opportunities to help with IT classes, assist the elderly home from hospitals and there is work within our Age Concern shops. The roles are endless.” There are a number of Age Concerns throughout the region. For further information on volunteering email: mail@ageconcernliverpool.org.uk

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St Bride’s Church on Percy Street offer a hot meal service to homeless people in the area. The scheme, which takes place every Thursday at 8pm, serves hot food on the porch of the church with up to thirty homeless people in the area using the service. St Brides are always looking for people to help out be it donating food or volunteering at the church. Further information can be found by calling: 07974 493 248

The North Western Division of the Salvation Army are based in Wavertree and are always on the look out for extra help. With over 800 centres around the country, volunteers are always welcome, especially over the Christmas period. The Salvation Army opens its doors on Christmas Day and provides centres to those who may otherwise be alone. There are also a number of other roles which may be of interest to those wishing to get involved - from gift wrapping presents to driving mini buses. For more information contact: info@salvationarmy.org.uk For more information on volunteering check out timebank.org.uk for ideas on how to to give something back this Christmas.

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Advertising Feature

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AGENDA

L U N C H T I M E S U R V I VA L BECAUSE THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN GREGGS

Get your fix of faith The Christmas countdown had begun and with all the preparation and planning of gifts, meals and negotiating family politics, it’s easy to forget the real reason we’re celebrating. Not time off work, the active encouragement to start drinking in the daytime or the justification of eating chocolate for breakfast, but the fact that, as Boney M so beautifully remind us every year, Mary’s Boy Child, Jesus Christ, was born upon this day. But hey, you don’t have to take our word for it. We weren’t actually there. Still, find time amid the seasonal madness to feed your soul - whatever colour your faith takes. Or even if, until now, it’s been decidedly black and white... At the other end of Hope Street the Catholic Cathedral offers plenty of festive cheer. Throughout December there will be traditional carol services which will climax with an organ recital on Christmas Eve. Or for a spiritual architecture fix, check out the Le Corbusier exhibition in the crypt. Metropolitan Cathedral, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, 0151 709 9222

Carmelite Monastery The Cathedrals Throughout December Liverpool Cathedral hosts a series of carol services including the gorgeous, candle-lit Santa Lucia on the 13th. The Christmas tree will be lit during a special service on the 14th, ideal for those requiring a traditional festive fix. St James Street, Liverpool, 0151 709 6271

Over in Birkenhead the Carmelite Monastery is home to the Carmelite nuns who have devoted their lives to their faith, and remains a tranquil haven of calm. The nuns live in silence and solitude - rarely engaging with the outside world. But they do make lovely jam. The monastery is open to any of us who may wish to step inside and find some solace for an hour or so. Honeysgreen Lane, Oxton Village, Wirral

Duldzin Buddhist Centre The peaceful settings of the Buddhist Centre (above) close to Sefton Park couldn’t fail to relax even the most weary of Christmas casualties. The Centre has a full programme of spiritual activities - including positive thinking classes and empowerments. The Centre also has plans underway for Liverpool’s very own World peace Café. 25 Aigburth Drive, Liverpool, 0151 726 8900

Quaker Meeting House Quakers believe that their faith is a way of life rather than a set of religious beliefs. With this in mind, the Quaker Meeting House offers a tranquil oasis amidst the city centre bustle. A Quaker quiet break is on hand on Monday, Thursday and Saturday lunchtimes from 11.30am till 2pm. You’re invited to drop in for a peaceful hour or so. 22 School Lane, Liverpool, 0151 709 6957

SEE YOU THERE

OPENINGS

Trash or treasure We’re no strangers to recycling in this day and age. At Liverpool.com we regularly put our unwanted papers in the appropriate bins, take our cast offs to Oxfam and we’ve even been known to put the occasional unwanted gift up for sale on Ebay. We’re all for doing our bit, which is why a new event at The Walkabout Bar grabbed our attention. They’ve started a night based on the assumption that one person’s trash is another persons treasure, with the aim of finding a new home for our unwanted lovers - yes, all of them. So it may not have worked out between you and your ex? Don’t feel guilty about breaking their heart, this is your opportunity to palm them off with someone else - and it may be the start of something quite beautiful. They may even end up thanking you! The premise is quite simple: bring along your unwanted ex and introduce them to someone else’s unwanted ex and sit back and let the magic happen. You knew you’d kept their number for some reason... Trash or Treasure, every Friday at Walkabout Bar, Concert Square, 0151 708 0843

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See you there It wouldn’t be Christmas without the imminent Boxing Day sales. Just when you thought you could never face the shops again, you’re struck with a desire to grab a bargain. Who said ‘Credit Crunch?’ Not in this city, mate. This year, with Liverpool ONE’s brace of cool new shops, we’re told Boxing Day promises to be the city’s busiest ever. Many are opening early on the 26th. But, of course, the Daddy of them all, Next, likes to get a head start. It’s planning on opening at 4am! You have been warned.

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AGENDA THE BIG TICKET Touched by the power David Lloyd talks to OMD’s Andy McCluskey as he puts the finishing touches to The Energy Suite: a love letter to electricity, over five movements...

Richard Williams

It follows that Andy Mcluskey would be the man to write a suite inspired by power generators. If anyone could, he’s the one we’d have put our money on. From their kinetic cast-off single, Electricity, to the sombre soundscapes of Stanlow, OMD releases should have come with ‘Danger: High Voltage’ stickers. Electronica has rarely been as sparky as some of the Meols lads’ output. Now, though, the three-minute power surges have been stretched out somewhat, as The Energy Suite – their audio visual debut - is premiered at FACT’s DING»D0NG festival this month. Together with design Czar, Factory records visualist, Peter Saville, and digital image-maker, Hambi Haralambous, McCluskey has spent the past couple of years working on this, his contribution to the city’s Capital of Culture fest. “Saville and I have very similar sensibilities, we’ve worked together for 30 years, so we understand each other,” McCluskey says of the man who was responsible for much of OMD’s arresting artwork: most notably 1983’s experimental Dazzle Ships. “We both came from an art school background,” McClusksey says, at the controls of his Motor Museum studios off Lark Lane, “so it’s great to be working together on something that isn’t a three and a half minute pop song. And Hambi’s visuals for our Architecture & Morality tour were just stunning... so we knew he would create something beautiful.” Essentially, the suite is a homage to an arc of sites curving around Liverpool Bay: from North Wales to Lancashire, each generating power from different raw materials. The music - and the images - are both informed by the sites: from the breezy optimism of North Hoyle Bank’s offshore wind farm, to the menacing intensity of Fiddler’s Ferry, its steaming cauldrons belching bronze clouds into the Cheshire skies. The music? Well, it’s unmistakably the work of McCluskey: the man has a way with a melody (we even forgive him for Whole Again) but it’s more textured, subtle and organic. Deep, bone-crunching bass, exhilarating washes of strings and glitchy beats create a soundscape far more ambitious than your average A/V installation. And, as you’d expect, he’s insisted on installing a decent PA to play it out: as images flicker and shift onto a series of screens. With much of the Capital of Culture’s musical output harking back to times past, it’s particularly engaging to see a piece that’s defiantly staring at the future. “I’ve always been drawn to the industrial aesthetic. When we were coming home from a gig, it was the lights of Stanlow that made us realise we were home!” Is McCluskey nervous of how the piece will be received by the city’s art fraternity? “A little. Writing music for a gallery context presents a whole new range of challenges. You have no control of when the audience enters the piece, or when they’ll leave. But is it art? Well, I’m with Saville when he says ‘It all looks like art to me now.’” We’re talking to the man responsible for more Merseyside hit singles in the 80’s than anyone else and yet Liverpool.com senses that McCluskey is genuinely seeking acceptance – a sense that his work belongs within FACT’s shape-shifting galleries. Surely he’s comfortable, by now, of his place at the top table? “We were always outsiders. We were from Wirral. We were never part of the Eric’s crowd. And we looked to Europe for our musical inspiration, not America.” Not surprisingly, it was Manchester’s Factory records who first offered OMD a contract, releasing Electricity in 1979. But we fell in love with their particular brand of intelligent electronica pretty soon after. “We always said we were never sure if we were Abba or Joy Division,” McCluskey laughs. “We were somewhere in the middle, I guess. Art school kids who just had a knack of making a good pop tune. I packed it all in in 96, when people said that electronic music was dead. It’s funny how things come around again…”

DING»D0NG, 12 December-22 February, FACT, Wood Street Tel: (0151) 707 4405

LIVERPOOL.com

Liverpool.com echo ad:Layout 1

6/11/08

10:47

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.com

LIVERPOOL

presents AGENDA in association with Sentric

s... Line up include

ENVY AND THE OTHER SINS MAN FROM MICHAEL MARRIED TO THE SEA ALYSSA BONAGURA

FRIDAY 28TH NOVEMBER

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For more information and to claim your free ticket visit www.myspace.com/liverpooldotcom

016_017 SpeedDate

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Speed DATES

Two people, one city.

Martin Fry Fight or flight? Anything worth having has got to be worth fighting for. You have to fight for what you believe. Facebook or phone call? I think the art of letter writing is going to make a big comeback. Emails are pretty faceless. It feels good to meet face to face. That’s kind of a novelty these days, so I think there will be a backlash and people will start making more of an effort to change their priorities. John or Paul? All of 'em. Every single member of The Beatles, including Pete Best... and I'll give Frankie Goes To Hollywood a shout out too if we're talking Liverpool bands! Spend or save? I'm a complete Viv Nicholson (the lottery winner who blew her winnings) every time. Spend, spend, spend. Starsigns. Help or hindrance? Don't ask me about star signs. I don't know. I’m Pisces, so I'm very indecisive... Tattoos and piercings, or pure? I have no tattoos and no piercings, but I think labelling myself as 'pure' would probably be stretching it a bit.

CITY LINKS

Midnight oil or Morning Glory? I spent years being nocturnal. I found I got great ideas late at night and I enjoyed the solitude. These days, my lifestyle is completely different. I'm an early bird who really enjoys the early hours. North or South? North. I wrote a song called North once about about travelling back to the North. No matter how far you travel there’s always the North in your heart. High maintenance or keep it simple? I like to think I’m a cheap date kind of bloke, but I'm probably not. I would say that my wife is very high maintenance. She's very Jimmy Choo. Party hard or pipe and slippers? Party hard. At least I definitely will be this Christmas - the party will be taking place on stage with ABC singing Poison Arrow and The Look of Love live in Liverpool! Martin Fry of ABC will being joining The Steel City Tour along with fellow 80s chartbusters The Human League and Heaven 17 on 4 December at ECHO Arena, Liverpool. Tel: 0844 8000 400.

Liverpool online – your virtual tour guide, Stuart Ian Burns

E. Chambre Hardman’s Studio at 59 Rodney Street is one of the city’s hidden treasures, though its archive of photographs is world famous. This website focuses on Hardman’s biography, but there’s still room for some of his more iconic images, such as Property Merger, which symbolically superimposes views of Chapel Street.

The profile of the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has increased significantly lately with memorable concerts at the BBC Proms and sell out crowds in the concert hall that shares their name. That’s been helped in no small measure by their conductor Vasily Petrenko, whose new occasional blog, offers a taste of the work he does at the Phil.

www.mersey-gateway.org/chambrehardman

http://vasilypetrenko.blogspot.com/

Back up to date, whilst we wait for the Google vans with their weirdly shaped attachments to finish recording the city, Liverpool 360 offers an impression of the potential results. With panoramic projections of some of the city’s tourist spots, including some which Street View might ignore, such as Anthony Gormley’s Another Place. www.liverpool-360.co.uk/liverpoolpanoramas.htm

LIVERPOOL.com

Old Skool Liverpool is for anyone who recognises the names Si Edwards, Lee Butler, Pez Tellet, Dave Graham or Rusty & Philly and ever visited establishments such as the Quadrant Park, The Buzz or The Drome. Those are DJs and clubs, and here you’ll find the posters, the flyers and the mixes to ease your nostalgia. www.oldskooliverpool.co.uk

There are moves afoot to put The Park Palace one of Liverpool’s lost prosceniums - back to work for the local community in Toxteth, by the Zho visual theatre company... as their nicely designed website explains. Entertainer Arthur Lloyd is known to have performed there and his dedicated fan site offers a glimpse at the building’s past and present. www.theparkpalace.co.uk

www.culture.org.uk/Clearing.aspx?clearingId=90

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Speed Date

Will they find true happiness? Toyah Willcox Fight or flight? That depends on who the opposition are. If I’m dealing with hypocrites, then they're guaranteed a fight. If I’m dealing with maniacs then I take flight. Facebook or phone call? Neither. If I have business to take care of then I'll make a phone call, if it’s socialising, then it's face to face. I much prefer to actually enjoy other people's company, communication loses something without body language. John or Paul? Both. Both are and were absolutely exceptional. People always feel they have to pick a favourite. I don't understand why this world can't celebrate everyone instead of resenting one and idolising the other.

Toyah and Martin our Compatibility Calcul ator scores an encouraging

15%

We feel that a poison arr ow has been shot though any hopes of retro compat ibility here...

Spend or save? Save. This government stinks. The politics of the USA stink. One piece of advice I give everyone is to save as much as they can. Your money is really your only power in this corrupt world we live in... sorry to be pessimistic! Star signs. Help or hindrance? I believe they are totally accurate as long as you use them as a tool and not as some sort of therapy. Tattoos and piercings, or pure? People may be surprised by the fact that I'm pure. I think it's possible to

make visual statements and change your image to suit your experiences without that being irreversible. Midnight oil or morning glory? Definitely the A.M. hours. I've always been a creature of the night. I thrive on the solitude, the unbroken silence and it tends to be the time for coming up with brilliant ideas... at least for me. North or South? Here we go again. Why do people set out to demonise one and glorify another? Our entire world is miraculous, especially if you are looking at it from out of space. High maintenance or keep it simple? I like to keep things simple. I'm self supporting and independent to a fault, so I don't need grand gestures to make me happy. I prefer to take care of myself, quite straightforward. Party hard or pipe and slippers? I'm a night owl in terms of my creative energy, but I'm also a real homebody, so I'll say that I like to party hard - but while wearing my slippers. Toyah Willcox guest stars as The Devil Queen in Steve Steinman’s Vampires Rock at Echo Arena, Liverpool on 27 December. Tel: 0844 8000 400. For more information about Steve Steinman’s Vampires Rock visit www.vampiresrock.com

WIN A STUDIO SESSION AT VENTURE First prize is a £500 voucher, with two £250 prizes for second and third place and seven runners up vouchers worth £145.

Simply log on to www.liverpool.com/competitions for full details. Competition closing date December 22.

Christmas is the time of year when we start panicking, all creativity goes out the window. So this year, we’re giving you the chance to win something a touch more personal. A Venture Portrait is your chance to surprise your friends and family with something to put a smile on their face. A gift like no other, a Venture Portrait gift experience is utterly unique. Every Venture portrait session results in an eye-catching piece of art that not only tells an individual’s or a family’s very own story, but also gives something that will be treasured forever. In the run up to Christmas, Venture Liverpool is offering Liverpool.com readers the chance to win their very own creative session at its stateof-the-art studio on Hanover Street, where the personality of you and your loved ones can be captured in a personalised piece of photography.

The experience starts with an hour of fun in the studio, with customers guided through their session by an expert photographer who ensures that their Venture reflects their own unique story. It is through a unique mix of talented and highly-trained photographers, designers and interior experts that Venture produces the highest standards of portrait art. So when it comes to customising your home, Venture’s statement pieces are the ultimate accessory. Visit www.thisisventure.co.uk for more information.

LIVERPOOL.com

origin rejuvenation

7/11/08

16:03

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Advertising feature

LOOKING GOOD IN THE CITY

Rejuvenation Clinic offers a luxurious range of beauty treatments, from pampering to pick me up’s. ORIGIN REJUVENATION CLINIC and Spa offer a wide range of advanced treatments available and use a variety of products, sourced from all over the globe. Ranging from holistic therapies to microdermabrasion the clinic is guaranteed to have something to assist your health and beauty needs. In celebration of the launch of their new Clinic and spa on December 4th in the business district on Castle Street, the Origin Rejuvenation Clinic is clearly going from strength to strength. The Castle Street Clinic and Spa will be offering a large retail area , where you can shop for high end skin care and get advice. The launch of the new Clinic and Spa will be commemorated by a special event taking place all day in the clinic. Origin will be inviting customers to come in and see for themselves the range and quality of products on offer. Customers will be treated to a range of free treatments including face lifting treatments, brow lifts, body lifts, skin consultations and much more. Bookings are

now being taken for the free trial treatments which are an ideal treat and perfect opportunity to experience ﬁrst hand the beneﬁts of products an treatments which

Origin have developed over the last few years. The Origin Rejuvenation Clinic team will be joined by specialists from Dermalogica and Caci International amongst other beauty specialists on the day. They will be available to answer any questions you may have, and demonstrate their expertise and extensive knowledge.

The non surgical practitioners at the Clinic are also now able to offer the medical technique Mesotherapy. This is successfully used in treatments such as skin rejuvenation and the reduction of fat and cellulite. As little as ﬁve treatments are able to dramatically change the look of your body shape, and it is rare for this advanced treatment to be offered outside of Harley Street.The Clinic and Spa will also be one of the ﬁrst in Liverpool to offer Dermalogica skin bar facilities with face mapping and there are even Fake Bake spray tans available. It’s a one stop shop for looking good and feeling great. The Castle Street Clinic and Spa will be open from November 20th. It’s the perfect opportunity to treat yourself before the Christmas party season begins ! For further information on the range of products and services on offer log onto www.originrejuvenationclinic.co.uk 123 Allerton Road, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, 0151 724 5052 & 16 Castle Street, Liverpool.

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019 fiftybest

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The 50 Greatest Liverpool Albums?

Paul Du Noyer author of Liverpool: Wondrous Place In a logical world we would see a chart topped by ten Beatle albums. With Atomic Kitten at Number 11. But this is not a logical world – this is Liverpool. So what we get, instead, is something much more interesting. Mere commercial success is not very important here. What Liverpool seems to like are its local mavericks and its lost legends. It definitely prefers acts who have stayed in the city. Those who were lured to that faraway nest of vipers, that London, are often forgotten. Something to ponder, all you young Wombats and Rascals… The trouble with Scousers, people tell me, is that you think you’re God’s gift to music. To which I reply: Well, let’s look at the evidence, shall we? Here is a chart of fifty albums and there’s still not enough room for acts that lesser cities could only dream of producing. A few omissions that spring to mind: Pete Burns’ Dead Or Alive, Ian Broudie’s Lightning Seeds, Billy Fury, Cilla Black, The Christians, the aforesaid Atomic Kitten, China Crisis, George Melly, The Scaffold, Space, A Flock Of Seagulls, It’s Immaterial and Gerry & The Pacemakers (That’s right: no sign here of You’ll Never Walk Alone or Ferry Cross The Mersey). Partly that reflects an album bias, as some of the above were primarily singles acts.

Liverpool musicians have always loved rummaging through the past, so I’d recommend you head for the vinyl racks of Hairy Records, in Bold Street, to discover Adrian Henri’s Liverpool Scene, The Real Thing, The Searchers and Jimmy Campbell. More surprising than the overlooked oldies, though, are the missing modern acts. Where are The Wombats and The Rascals? And no Ladytron? Or Candie Payne? But, as for what is here, few could really complain. Your Beatle choices follow the music critics’ consensus, with Revolver riding high. Lennon’s stark solo album, Plastic Ono Band, is a much hipper option than the more predictable Imagine, which does not feature. Macca’s Band On The Run seems about right and George’s All Things Must Pass is definitely on the money. Elvis Costello’s brooding Blood And Chocolate does well – this is not a list of Easy Listening. Pete Wylie of Wah!, Michael Head (Pale Fountains, Shack and The Strands), Edgar Jones (The Stairs and The Joneses), Ian McNabb (solo and Icicle Works) and Ian Prowse (Pele and Amsterdam) all show our loyalty to locally-based talent. You see, Ringo? If only you’d come back to the Dingle, you could have been a contender. But you’re nowhere, man. Peace and Love.

LIVERPOOL.com

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49.

50.

Edgar ‘Jones’ Jones & The Jones' Soothing Music for Stray Cats (Viper, 2005)

The Farm Spartacus (Sire, 1991)

Elvis Costello My Aim Is True (Stiff, 1977)

46.

47.

The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour (Parlophone, 1967)

45.

George Harrison All Things Must Pass(Apple/EMI, 1970)

The Stairs Mexican R'n'B (Go! Discs, 1992)

43.

44.

The Wild Swans Bringing Home The Ashes (Sire/Reprise, 1988)

42.

The Beatles Help! (Parlophone, 1965)

Hot Club de Paris Drop It 'til It Pops (Moshi Moshi, 2006)

40.

41.

OMD Architecture & Morality (Virgin, 1981)

39.

WAH! Nah=Pooh! - The Art of Bluff (Eternal/WEA, 1981)

Wings Band on the Run (Apple/EMI, 1973)

37.

38.

The Icicle Works The Icicle Works (Beggars Banquet, 1984)

36.

Shack Here's Tom With The Weather (North Country, 2003)

=32.

35.

The Coral Roots & Echoes (Deltasonic, 2007)

John Lennon John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (Apple/EMI, 1970)

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The Beatles Let It Be (Parlophone, 1970)

=32.

The Zutons Tired of Hanging Around (Deltasonic, 2006)

31.

=32.

48.

The Beatles Please Please Me (Parlophone, 1963)

30.

The Icicle Works The Small Price of A Bicycle (Beggars Banquet, 1985)

Gomez Bring It On (Hut, 1998)

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Fifty greatest albums

The Numbers Game

Years 11 00s albums 12 90s albums 13 80s albums 6 70s albums 8 60s albums

29.

28.

Ian McNabb Head Like A Rock (This Way Up, 1994)

Randoms 92 different albums received votes 21 dĂŠbut albums 9 Beatles albums 5 Deltasonic albums

Half Man Half Biscuit Back in the DHSS (Probe Plus, 1985)

27.

The Facts

26.

Pele Fireworks (Polydor, 1991)

Pale Fountains Pacific Street (Virgin, 1984)

25.

We counted each voter's Top 5. 5 points were awarded for 1st Place votes, 4 points for 2nd Place votes, 3 points for 3rd Place votes and so on. Nearly 2000 separate votes were cast. Artists who received the most votes (not points) were: The Beatles, Echo & The Bunnymen, The La's, The Icicle Works/Ian McNabb, Elvis Costello and The Coral.

The Beatles The Coral A Hard Day's Night (Parlophone, 1964) Magic & Medicine (Deltasonic, 2003)

23.

Bubbling under: Half Man Half Biscuit - Trouble Over Bridgewater Ooberman - The Magic Treehouse Ladytron - Witching Hour Benny Profane - Trapdoor Swing Clinic - Winchester Cathedral

21.

=17.

The Stands All Years Leaving (Echo, 2004)

16.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood Welcome to the Pleasuredome (ZTT/Island, 1984)

13.

22.

The Zutons Who Killed The Zutons? (Deltasonic, 2004)

=17.

The Real People What's On The Outside (Columbia, 1996)

24.

=17.

Echo & The Bunnymen Crocodiles (Korova, 1980)

=14.

Echo & The Bunnymen Heaven Up Here (Korova, 1981)

12.

Pete Wylie & The Mighty WAH! Songs of Strength & Heartbreak (Castle/When!, 2000)

Cast All Change (Polydor, 1995)

=14.

Ian McNabb Merseybeast (This Way Up, 1996)

Amsterdam Arm In Arm (CIA/Universal, 2008)

11.

10 - 1 Shack HMS Fable (London, 1999)

Deaf School 2nd Honeymoon (Warner Bros, 1976)

Âť

Elvis Costello Blood & Chocolate (Demon, 1986)

LIVERPOOL.com

019 fiftybest

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10.

9. Teardrop Explodes Kilimanjaro (Fontana, 1980)

The Beatles The Beatles (White Album) (Parlophone, 1968)

Described as the British answer to Strange Days at the time, Kilimanjaro was the Teardrop Explodes début record. Originally to be called Everyone Wants To Shag The Teardrop Explodes - coproducer Bill Drummond’s idea...

Shack Waterpistol (Marina, 1995)

John Lennon described his chosen few of Sexy Sadie, Yer Blues, Julia, Revolution 1 and Glass Onion as “among his favourite songs.” The ‘White Album', also contains McCartney’s ‘Blackbird’. The best double album of all time?

“The new LP's gonna' have better stories on it and be very melodic,” declared Shack's Michael Head back in 1991. He was right. Pity we had to wait four more years to hear it though. Tapes went missing in a rental car and the band had split up before it arrived.

=5.

The Coral The Coral (Deltasonic, 2002)

John and Paul were used to taking most of the plaudits for The Beatles success by the end of the sixties. But they both knew the score when Abbey Road was released: “George's song Something is the best he's written yet,” declared Macca back in 1969.

=5.

The first, fresh-sounding guitar music in a very long time. “No one seemed to have that Edward Lear British thing going on. Not since The Beatles and Syd Barrett...” says James Skelly. “ A record that breathed new life into Liverpool's music scene.

Michael Head & The Strands The Magical World of the Strands (Megaphone, 1998)

2. The Beatles Revolver (Parlophone, 1966) Quite simply, a stunning artistic achievement. Songs like Eleanor Rigby, Taxman, Here, There & Everywhere, She Said, She Said and Tomorrow Never Knows will be around forever. And The Beatles knew it. “I'm Only Sleeping has got backwards guitars on it. That's me dreaming my life away,” mused John Lennon back in 1980. “Here, There & Everywhere has a couple of interesting structural points about it. Each verse takes a word. 'Here' discusses here; next verse, 'there' discusses there and then it pulls it all together in the last verse with 'everywhere',” said McCartney. Whatever. We just think it's boss.

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The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's... (Parlophone, 1967) Rolling Stone magazine's greatest album of all time. John Lennon said back in 1980: “Pepper is Paul after a trip to America and the whole West Coast thing.” We see his point. But you can't argue with A Day In The Life or She's Leaving Home.

A triumph for artistry over commercialism. Mick Head's chemically-enhanced, daydreaming excursion from Shack, lives on long in the memories of Scouse music fans. “I've always had a romanticised view of drugs,” says Head.

The Beatles Abbey Road (Parlophone, 1969)

Echo & The Bunnymen Ocean Rain (Korova, 1984) “It was our concept album,” says guitarist Will Sergeant. “And it was always our most complete feeling record,” he says of the album, recorded in Paris with a 35-piece orchestra and finished back at Amazon in Liverpool. Bunnymen's legacy? Sealed.

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Fifty greatest albums

The La’s - The La’s (Go! Discs, 1990)

Our Verdict

"The La’s are a surprising Number 1, given their leader Lee Mavers’ well-known contempt for this album. Then again, that’s all part of The La’s Legend, isn’t it?" - Paul Du Noyer "Oasis are here to finish what The La's started..." - Noel Gallagher "It took The La's to kick down the door for everyone else." - Michael Head

Liverpool.com loves The La's. But we're not convinced it's the greatest Liverpool album ever made. Which is the point, really... We asked for you to get involved - and you did. Thank you. But counting the votes was the easy bit compared to the debate they have stimulated. And that's just around our water cooler. What do you think? Did your favourites make the list? Too many or not enough Beatles records? And how much do you love our local heroes, who never quite made it to the very top? Take a bow the likes of Lee Mavers, Michael Head and Ian McNabb - Liverpool loves you because you've never let them down. Proof that great songwriting resonates and finds an audience, no matter what. Not many cities could provide you with a list of 50 Greatest Albums made by local artists. And no other city could overlook so many classics too. But the results are in and you can talk about them forever now. What made us smile? Read through them again: how many do you see in every other greatest album list too... The La's, Revolver, Ocean Rain, Sgt. Pepper's. And more. Liverpool: the capital of pop? And now you're gonna' believe us...

ALBUM DETAILS 1. Son of a Gun – 1:56, 2. I Can't Sleep – 2:37, 3. Timeless Melody – 3:01, 4. Liberty Ship – 2:30, 5. There She Goes – 2:42, 6. Doledrum – 2:50, 7. Feelin' – 1:44, 8. Way Out – 2:32, 9. I.O.U. – 2:08, 10. Freedom Song – 2:23,11. Failure – 2:54, 12. Looking Glass – 7:52 Produced by Steve Lillywhite Additional Production and Engineering by Mark Wallis except: 5. Produced by Bob Andrews, mixed by Steve Lillywhite. Engineered by Dave Charles 12. Engineered by Mark Wallis and Donal Hodgson

THERE SHE GOES AGAIN The album has been re-released three times -twice in the UK and once in Japan. The first UK reissue came in 2001, when five extra tracks appeared on the disc. Although all had been previously available as B sides. The record had already been re-released in Japan, back in 1998. However, eight different tracks to the UK reissue were included -and the 1988 single version of There She Goes was featured too. The latest reissue came this past year when Universal gave The La's their Deluxe treatment. Live radio sessions of six songs appeared on the original disc including I Am The Key and a cover of Buddy Holly's That'll Be The Day. A second disc was also included in the package. This bonus disc featured album tricks recorded with six separate producers - including John Leckie and Mike Hedges' recordings of There She Goes.

"I've got memories from The La's and memories from Cast. Some are painful... but some are wonderful. There are no hang-ups between Lee and I. When I’m home in Liverpool, we go and have a cup of tea and do a crossword... and then we'll go and have a jam. There’s not the bravado that we had when we were 22 or 19. I was always the youngest in The La's - I was the puppy running around. Of course it was very inspirational for me. The La's should, in one way, have set the world alight - but that's a fragment of time which has passed. I've still got deep respect for Lee - whenever he's ready to do anything, he knows he can rely on me to be a part of it. But Lee lives in his own timescale. In the meantime, I've got my own work to do - like playing The Zanzibar on 6 December with my band. It all just flows into the stream, like..."

- John Power

LIVERPOOL.com

024 ShopTalk:L.com Master pagev6

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Shop talk

ART ATTACKS Gallery gifts have never been so gorgeous, coos

WHEN you were a child, your favourite part of a gallery was the gift shop. Go on, admit it - it still is. The Tate shop at the Albert Dock means that you don’t have to gawp at highbrow books with surreal covers to make a sexy purchase. Instead you’ll find funky T-shirts by Rude, hip handbags by Orla Kiely and coveted jewellery by Tatty Devine. “We’ve come along way since the days when we were almost exclusively a book store,” says manager Julie Saunders. “Since our second refit in 2007, we’ve been able to increase our product range enormously and serve everyone from tourists and students, to those looking for special gifts that can’t be purchased elsewhere.” Since the success of the Klimt exhibition and the sale of merchandise specifically created for the Tate, the gallery has impressed fashionistas and retail junkies alike, with their range of designer exclusives. “We work closely with a lot of artists who create pieces specifically for us - including David Shrigley, Orla Kiely, Tatty Divine and Sara Fanelli.” And the prices aren’t ridiculous with products starting from just £1. Even the Kiely bags are cheaper than those found in most department stores. “The Tate artist timeline by Sara Fanelli has been particularly successful because of its £6.95 price tag,” says Julie. “Other popular products are our A4 and A3 felt bags. They just sell and sell because they’re modern, practical and cheap. I haven’t seen anything like them in other shops. And as such, everyone from students to professionals are snapping them up.” When it comes to setting retail trends, Tate is up there with Selfridges and Browns – albeit on a much smaller scale. 24

LIVERPOOL.com

“We work closely with a lot of artists who create pieces specifically for us”

“We were selling Superlambanana stuff before it became one of the city’s most popular symbols,” adds Julie, who worked previously at the Bluecoat. One of the store’s greatest coups in her view, however, was working with the much loved designer Ella Doran to create a collection of products that focused entirely on Liverpool. “She came here to take pictures,” explains Julie. “And what made it particularly special for us was the fact that we took her around and had some input in what was being produced. She was really great to work with and customers loved her sketchbooks, badges and mugs.” The other big success has, of course, been the Klimt merchandise. “The exhibition was a gift for us and was much bigger than expected,” reveals Julie. “Having a separate exhibition shop meant that the Klimt items sold really well. And people embraced the more expensive products like the jewellery, hand printed silk scarves and bespoke print service, where hand embellished editions were sold for £150. In short, we learnt a lot from the Klimt exhibition.” People are getting a little tired of the high-street orgy of mass consumerism and want to experience something different. “I guess what our gallery shop offers is a nice setting, an unrivalled selection of art books and unique collections by big name designers without the equally big price tags,” concludes Julie. And if you can’t be bothered leaving the comfort of home, there’s always the on-line route. ■ Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock, Liverpool, L3 4BB. Tel: (0151) 702 7400. www.tate.org.uk/shop

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FOOT CARE Give socks. Feel good about yourself. These Topman CRISIS socks donate EVERY PENNY of their £4 price tag to Crisis, who help the homeless at Christmas. Makes you feel all warm inside, hey? £4, Topman, Church Street

CHOCO CLOCK What could be better? An alarm clock that delivers a fresh chunk of chocolate on the hour, every hour? Time flies when you’re having fun. As they say. £20, Urban Outfitters, Paradise Street

LET’S GO SURFING Internet on the move suddenly looks a lot more enjoyable. The Pocket Surfer 2 comes with full Qwerty keyboard, 20 hours of free web surfing a month and quad-band GPRS (wireless internet, available in 90% of the country). Go forth and Google. £160, www.iwantoneofthose.com

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Plug this sleek torpedo into your computer screen and it’ll reward you with a lovely 200x magnified view of whatever it’s looking at. So, erm, be careful where you point it. Nothing looks flattering that big. Trust us. £49.90, Iwantoneofthose.com

Buy it! Because Christmas is coming

AIR APPARENT Molton Brown’s lush fragrances make a welcome even warmer. Their Air Constellation set is our favourite – containing MB classics such as heavenly gingerlily and rose granati. £59, Molton Brown, Met Quarter

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YOU GREAT LUMP For the Ebenezer within, why not buy your partner one of Crimbo's best loved clichés? This is an actual lump of coal. No more, no less! Just make sure you have something massive and expensive as a back up plan… £4.95 www.firebox.com

CAUGHT IN THE ACT Fully high def, this’ll get you on Harry Hill’s You’ve Been Framed. As long as you remember to pull some hideous stunt first. Holds up to 40gb and records up to 15 hours of pin sharp shooting. £559, Sony Centre, Paradise Street, Liverpool One

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SQUEAKY CLEAN Buff your guests to a sparkling shine with L’Occitane’s ‘Guest Soaps Collection’ The set includes 6 Verbena Shea Butter Extra-Gentle Soap and 6 Milk Shea Butter Extra-Gentle Soap. £15, L’Occitane, Key’s Court

SOMETHING FISHY Face facts. At some point over the Christmas festivities, you’re going to look like a fish. We all do. So The Lomo fisheye camera is the only thing you’ll need to capture that special moment. £40, Microzine, Bold Street

WATCH THIS SPACE It’s a watch called Melancholy, but don’t let that upset you. This is ticking all the right boxes, with its purple strap, vintage stylings and full 100 metre water resistance. £70, Fat Face, Peter’s Lane

STOP: HAMPER TIME Good skin’s not just the preserve of the girls you know. Liz Earle’s nofuss formulas and simple, effective solutions banish sluggish skin and keep your masculinity mercifully intact. From £25, John Lewis

RAISE YOUR GLASSES Wine cooler, wine warmer – whatever temperature you like it, the NScessity will whisk your red or white to the perfect drinking condition. Set the controls, choose your wine, let the cheese breathe and impress your guests with your warm Liebfraumilch. £59.99, John Lewis, Paradise St

SOUNDS LIKE THE FUTURE The only radio you’ll ever need. Pure Evoke Flow features DAB, FM, internet content and music streamed from your computer. The Pure Lounge website helps you create killer content and organize your favourite stations. £149, Currys Digital

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LIGHTEN UP

Standing, sitting or swinging, always look on the bright side of life...

TABLE

CEILING

STANDING

Korsby Table Lamp, £15.99. IKEA

Lidi Floor Lamp, £59. The Pier

Foscarini Coco Table Lamp. Utility, £273

Foscarini Supernova Pendant, £726. Utility

Pendant Birdcage Light, £49.99. The Contemporary Home

Jonathan Floor Lamp, £140. John Lewis

Sphere Table Lamp, £130. Debenhams

Oslo, £80. Next

Magenta Leaves Floor Lamp, £90. Judy Holme. www.judyholme.com

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS… 1.

Before you think about sleighing through the supermarket aisles or snapping on your trusty Marigolds, don't panic. Take a leaf out of Santa's book – and we don't mean hiding out in the North Pole. Sit down and plan. ❄ How many guests will be staying? Does this include children? Allocate room space for your guests and if you run out of beds or have children staying, invest in a guest bed. Ready Bed has a great looking range from £69.50£125, which inflate in mere minutes. Visit www.readybed.com

Christmas Presence Your turn to host Christmas this year? Too bad Ebenezer. Let Liverpool.com be your very own worker elf with our guide to 'Simply having a Wonderful Christmas Time' - at your place

❄ Clean each room, change bedding and free up space a couple of days before visitors arrive. Leaving the basics until the last minute will leave you stressed out and guests feeling unwelcome, which makes for a Christmas more, 'Go! Go! Go!' than 'Ho! Ho! Ho!' ❄ Place guest towels and a spare blanket in each room, along with decent lighting and storage. If you can't free up wardrobe or drawer space, pick up some door hooks and extra coathangers for a short stay, or for longer visits, buy a vacuum bag. These reusable, industry strength bags shrink items by 25 per cent for easy storage. Try VacuSac, £11.99, Lakeland. Guests will appreciate your efforts in making their stay as comfortable as possible. (1)

❄ Remember to show visitors where they can find practical items such as an ironing board, this will make them feel right at home.

WINTER WONDERLAND

Well, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. So, the house is ready for an OK! photo shoot, your guests are amply catered for and your groceries have been delivered. But before you pour yourself a glass of Christmas spirit, we need to make this year's Christmas guest-friendly and think ahead to the small matter of keeping everyone entertained between meals.

❄ Christmas is all about children, so if you've got little ones staying, remember to make your house child-friendly. Lock away GreatGrandma's china Nativity scene, and if possible, allocate a room or area for them to play so that grown-ups can relax and children are free to enjoy themselves. Safe Tealights, £4.99, Lakeland are battery-operated, making them an ideal alternative to the real thing. (3)

❄ We love real Christmas trees, but your guests don't want to wake up to the sound of the vacuum cleaner any more than you want to vacuum, so invest in a fake Christmas tree. Today's replicas are not the tattered renditions of your childhood, and work cheaper than the real thing. Plus, pine scented candles provide the fragrance without the upkeep. 6ft Pine Cone Tree, £30, Matalan. (2)

❄ If you're struggling on the entertainment front, you can always rely on the TV guide. Make a note of films or specials, or put aside some DVDs you think they will enjoy. Plus, interactive games are available for guests of all ages.

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❄ Make your bathroom guest-friendly by providing guest soaps, facial wipes and stocking up on items such as toothpaste and cotton wool supplies to make your guests feel welcome. Selection of guest soaps, from £3, L'Occitane.

❄ Pick up a Christmas CD, or download a few seasonal classics and make your own playlist. Music is a great way to greet your guests or keep the atmosphere festive in the dining room.

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EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY 5. 8. Mulled wine glasses, £19.99 for four, www.stylishlife.co.uk 9. Reindeer Dip Dish, £8, NEXT 10. Christmas cup and saucer, £8, The Pier.

Before you stock up on food and drink, ask your guests if they have any preferences. If your Brother-in-Law is allergic to sprouts, or your niece refuses to eat stuffing, it's best to find out now rather than at the dinner table. ❄ Next step is the kitchen. Christmas dinner is all about the trimmings, so don't forget to think about oven space. Will you need to pick up extra baking trays or a larger roasting tin? ❄ Write a list of everything which will be going into the oven and work out cooking times in advance. This list will help with your shopping and give you something to work to once you're cooking Christmas dinner. ❄ The dinner table is the centrepiece of Christmas Day celebrations. Do you have enough cutlery, glasses and tableware? ❄ The Magic Tablecloth, £14.99, contains a Spillguard which prevents stains soaking into fabric. (Available from Debenhams, Woolworths and www.JMLdirect.com). Add seasonal touches such as Festive candles from £3.99, IKEA, and Red Felt Pre-lit Table Runner, £18, NEXT, to introduce colour. While setting the table on Christmas Eve means that all you need to worry about is cooking and serving the food. (4 & 5)

❄ Peel vegetables and refrigerate in water over night to keep them fresh and make sure meat is defrosted and ready to place straight into the oven. ❄ Group together all essentials such as ingredients and seasoning by course, so everything is easily located and not forgotten. If possible, organise your fridge space in this way too. ❄ Christmas dinner is the most important meal of the year, so take the pressure off by opting out of cooking similar feasts throughout the stay. Welcome guests with soup and freshly baked rolls. For Boxing Day, pre-prepare and freeze a casserole or chilli. Serve a selection of hor's deurves from the local supermarket, present a cheeseboard (7) such as this offering from Marks & Spencer, £19.99, and invest in a chocolate fountain and sliced fruit for novelty. Mulled wine is really welcoming and ideal for getting everyone in the festive spirit after their arrival. Serve in these heat resistant glasses, £19.99, www.stylishlife.co.uk. (8)

10.

❄ Place decorative bowls of nuts, chocolates and mints around the house. This adds to your Christmas décor and offers a quick snack if guests are feeling peckish. Reindeer Dip Dish, £8, NEXT. (9) ❄ Don't forget about breakfast. Stock up on extra rations, and if guests are planning to head home before lunch, serve a hearty Continental or English breakfast before their journey. Christmas cup and saucer, £8, The Pier. (10)

❄ Get ready in advance by preparing as much as possible before guests arrive. They want to spend time with you and spending Christmas morning surrounded by potato peelings and the whir of the blender is no way to relax and enjoy your efforts. ❄ Catering for dinner guests is what on-line grocery shopping was made for and is offered by all major supermarkets. If you're confident about what you need, shop on-line and free up precious time. ❄ Christmas hampers offer a selection of luxury treats for guests. John Lewis has an impressive selection from £50-£175, including the French Wines Planter, £70. (6) ❄ Don't feel everything has to be home-made. Readymade items such as stuffing, gravy mix and side servings will taste as good as your own, possibly work out cheaper and save time. Taste in advance to be confident of quality.

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Home PROPERTY NEWS By Emma Thompson

EASTERN PROMISE The tide’s turning on Wirral’s stylish East Float development, says Emma Thompson STEEPED in history with the modern day fixtures we’ve all grown to love, this pioneering conversion of a corn warehouse is just a stone’s throw away from city life. Dating back to 1850, the East Float development sits in the heart of Wallasey docks and has been sympathetically transformed by Gregor Shore into 178 ‘loft style’ apartments. Still used up until 1999, East Float Mill was in operation almost throughout the 20th century, after Merseyside became one of the largest flourmilling centres in Europe in the late 19th century. The final phase is now released at the East Float development - and prices start from just £99,950 for a one bed - so taking a peek is well worth it, especially as other incentives are on the table: including either a 5% deposit paid, or alternatively a mortgage subsidy scheme is available on selected units to help you out in the current climate. There are also two and three bedroom properties available, priced at £119,950 and £164,950. For those who enjoy the high life, there are also two and three bedroom duplex penthouses with a roof terrace available, some with Liverpool skyline views, priced from £164,950. The apartments combine a fabulous mixture of old and new with high quality fittings throughout, as well as video security entry to all properties, allocated parking and a lift to all floors. Inside, the stylishly designed kitchens come complete with a fully integrated fridge/freezer,

washer/dryer, stainless steel hob, oven and laminate flooring giving a sleek finish. While the place where we all like to unwind, the bathroom, boasts simplistic white suites with chrome fittings and fully tiled walls. East Float is perfectly located if you enjoy city life while still wanting some space and ‘quiet time’ now and again. Being situated just across the Mersey, links to Liverpool aren’t too far away whether you take the ferry, train and car the high street stores, restaurants and clubs of the city are within easy reach. Wallasey isn’t without its highlights though with Birkenhead and Oxton nearby there’s plenty of sights, shops and places to grab a bite to eat on the peninsular. Plus residents will also have the use of the stunning landscaped private courtyard within the development, for when summer arrives! ■ The Gregor Shore, East Float marketing suite is open Mon, Wed and Friday from 11am to 5pm, Thurs 11am to 7pm and weekends from 10am to 4pm. Log on to www.eastfloat.com for more information.

GET BACK ON THE LADDER

It’s not all bad news. The Government is aiming to protect homeowners facing repossession and a recent survey has discovered first time buyers are returning to the property market. They have announced new rules setting out clear guidance on the steps lenders are expected to take to ensure repossession is a last resort. Lenders will now be expected to demonstrate they have tried alternatives to repossession when borrowers get in to trouble with their mortgage repayments, slightly easing the strain many homeowners are feeling. Chief secretary to the Treasury, Yvette Cooper said: “We need to make sure we help those who might be hardest hit in the tougher times ahead, ensuring repossession is the last resort, not the first. We also want to make sure that vulnerable homeowners are protected from exploitation and dodgy deals.” The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) say this is a welcome relief to many homeowners especially in the current climate and it’s now more crucial than ever to ensure the correct procedures are followed and repossession is last on the list. The NAEA have also released findings that first-time buyers are venturing back to the market, as they aim to make the most of the current market conditions, with house price figures for Liverpool showing a 3.2% drop from the previous month, making the average house price £116,889*. Knowsley house prices are down 2% from the previous month with house prices at £123,151, while Sefton saw a 1.9% decrease and the average house price at £149,902. Wirral was one of the region's exceptions with house prices increasing by 1.8% from the previous month and only down by 1.3% from this time last year, with the average house price coming in at £140,416. *All figures from the Land Registry House Price Index released in October. © Crown copyright 2008 Land Registry

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SIZE MATTERS SPATIALLY CHALLENGED IN THE BATHROOM DEPARTMENT? WHAT YOU NEED IS SOME BIG HELP AND YOU’LL LEARN TO COUNT YOUR SMALL BLESSINGS... BY PATRICIA CALISKAN The good news is that most British residents are slightly lacking in the bathroom area, with the standard washroom measuring up to a meagre 6ft X 5ft, which means fixtures and fittings can be easily sourced – along with some great space-saving ideas. Designing the layout is the first basic consideration and a crucial factor in utilising the available space, so it’s worth spending time in exploring all the options available. Corner or wall-hung washbasins and toilets, along with narrow-width baths, can transform the current layout, freeing up considerable amounts of valuable space. Small space doesn’t mean sacrificing big interior ideas. Wall hung suites, such as Symphony in Emerald (from £200, www.evitavonni.co.uk), conceal cisterns and plumbing, resulting in a hotel-standard finish. While the Rhine Corner Bathroom (from £656, MFI), is a good example of how to retain all standard bathroom facilities by merely ➜

Rhine Corner Bathroom from £656, MFI)

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Home

The Eliptic Range from £795, Roca

➜ working to the scale of the existing room. Showers are the ideal choice, but you can find a range of narrow-width bath designs if you’re more of a leisurely soaker, along with bath designs like the one pictured (left) which incorporates a built-in shower with folding doors to free up additional space. Fitted furniture tends to work best in smaller bathrooms, giving a stylish, streamlined result with the added advantage of extra storage – which is always appreciated. A ‘working’ room, such as a bathroom, can actually benefit from being smaller by forcing our attention towards functionality. The Polo range (from £279, Bathstore, Liverpool ONE) is one of many designs combining free-standing pieces with fitted results. Alternatively, merge under basin storage with shelf space, such as this striking design from The Eliptic Range (from £795, www.roca-uk.com) ideal for displaying towels or grooming essentials. A cool palette incorporating reflective materials such as gloss, glass and mirrored finishes generates light and gives a more spacious appearance; making a leisurely bath a more pleasant experience. If your bathroom lacks a window, up-lighters are recommended, drawing the eye upwards and creating an airy effect. If underfloor heating isn’t an option, the next generation of radiators are seriously sleek and can bring a strong aesthetic to your bathroom.

Aim high with your heating to create a spacious look. The Human Living collection (from £664, www.aestusradiators.com), including the Badge design (pictured), comes with added towel heating. Use the height and width of the room to full effect when choosing ﬂooring by bearing in mind that largesized tiles will make the ﬂoor space appear larger, and placing narrow tiles horizontally across the room will make walls appear wider and taller, again creating the illusion of space. This is an essential investment in your property, so before visiting showrooms, make an accurate drawing of the space; marking windows, doors, recesses and radiators. This will help to narrow your options, along with sticking to a realistic budget. Most of all, you want a bathroom which works, as well as being relaxing and enjoyable, so do compare prices, ask questions, and feel free to bore those around you with bathroom catalogues before scrutinising their restroom The Polo range from £279, Bathstore facilities!

Symphony in Emerald from £200, Evitavonni

The Human Living collection from £664, Aestus

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Beauty SKIN SAVERS Aesthetic Practitioner Tracey Bell runs a clinic on Hanover Street. Every month she answers your cosmetic questions. Drop her a line at beauty@liverpool.com Whether it’s spots, wrinkles, excess hair, acne scarring or pigmentation, a number of standard treatments and medical advances allow us to have skin that we’re proud to perfect and maintain. All you need is the knowledge!

FAT ATTACK

DISCO INFERNO

Should you go for the burn, or will your skin benefit from the softly softly appraoch this season? CHRISTMAS is just around the corner - but try telling that to our lack-lustre complexions. We might be preparing for the Party Season, but our skin is as dull and dry as a Party Conference. So, chatting with Nicola in Sthetix Cosmetic Surgery makes us feel better: she claims to have the perfect treatment to give our skin the Cinderella treatment. Promising to leave our face smooth and glowing, The Innovative Facial from the iS Clinical range of products includes the key ingredient of Glycolic Acid, which, we’re told, acts as an intense resurfacing masque. Doesn’t sound particularly tempting we admit: having our faces burnt for the festive season. In fact, it’s something we pride ourselves on avoiding around Bonfire Night - let alone Christmas time - but, Glycolic Acid, otherwise known as Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (AHA), is derived from Sugar Cane and not as harsh as you’d think. The fact that it’s not chemically produced and, more importantly, is outed as the secret ingredient behind quick fix celebrity facials in the US peaks our interest. Shallow, we know. Relaxing on the treatment table, the Cleansing Complex is applied, and finally, the headlining ingredient: It’s time to take the acid test.

The Glycolic will be applied for 3-5 minutes, presumably unless it gets too painful. Gulp moment over, and surprizingly, it’s really not too bad. A warm tingling sensation gives your skin quite an enjoyable, deep cleansing sensation which gradually builds into a mild sting - rather like a dose of sunburn. And after the lacklustre summer we had this year, we’re not complaining. The Innovative Facial is otherwise known as the Fire and Ice Facial - and that’s because of the next stage: the Rejuvenating masque. Bright blue and ice cold, it instantly soothes our tingling skin with extracts of Aloe Vera and Japanese Green Tea. Five minutes later, Pro-Heal Serum, which is used to treat Rosacea, Acne and Dermatitus is applied to calm any facial redness, followed by Hydra-Cool Serum to re-hydrate the skin. A slathering of sun protection factor later, we head onto Berry Street. Burn, baby, burn? Smooth and shiny as a Christmas bauble, we reckon we gained much more than we pained... Innovative Facial, £75 per treatment, or £300 for a series of ﬁve treatments with free treatment kit. Sthetix Cosmetic Surgery, 20 Knight Street, Liverpool. Tel: 0845 643 0205.

Now we’ve all heard of machines that can tighten, tone and instantly melt away extra inches - but do they work? Often it’s simply water that is lost and after 12 hours, a few glasses of water rehydratates us and the results are reversed. But now there’s a machine with a difference – the Reshape Liposound Machine. Fat. We all have it and we all need it to protect our essential organs, keep us warm, and of course, provide energy. But how many of us have stubborn areas that no matter how fit, thin or healthy we are, we just can’t shift. This is called subcutaneous fat which is a nightmare to lose unless we resort to surgery, but now many salons have a new targeted solution. Utilising Liposound, a non-invasive process using ultrasound technology to centrifuge (or mixup) fat and allow it to be released in order to burn, and as a result re-shape the body. How does it work? Using ultrasound, noradrenaline is released and acts on adiopocytes (or fat cells). This causes a natural lipolysis allowing free fatty acids (FFA) to be released which you must then burn through exercise. The result is selective targeting of specific fatty areas to produce an effective shaping, toning and reduction in stubborn fat deposits. Session after session, subcutaneous fat and visceral fat is de-stocked, reducing circumference and fat. The complete process in painless and involves the application of unique ultrasound pads to problem areas. Ten minute sessions are sufficient for each area, followed by 20 minutes of physical exercise within one hour of completion of the session. Key Points · Fat cells converted into burnable energy which can be lost via exercise.

· The ultrasound opens channels and releases noradrenaline · Noradrenaline acts on fat cells in targeted areas for selective shaping · Areas that can be treated include the abdomen, hips, thighs, knees and arms · Normally 2 sessions per week for 6-12 weeks, expect to pay between £50 and £80 per session Don’t forget - losing weight is best acheived by following a sensible diet, low in saturated fats, and exercising at a moderate pace for at least half an hour a day. If you have serious weight concerns you should always consult your GP first.

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SCENT FROM SANTA

LET’S MAKE UP... “I’m Dreaming of a Rouge Christmas, just like the one’s in Liverpool!” by LA-based Cosmetic Queen, Miss Jean B When I think about the season of the Yule, I think about two things and two things only. 1. What will Santa bring me this year? (As I have been a very good girl or so I like to believe...) And… 2. What razzle-tastic shade of lippy am I going to stuff into all pockets and purses? (One can never have too many of the same shade of lipstick this time of year when the switching and swapping of handbags regularly occurs!) Well, who knows what the plump-bearded one will bring this year. How’s about more of the shiny good stuff that I’m coveting in them there windows! But seriously. It’s Christmas and the woman of the world, and perhaps some of the men, are wondering what shades of red are making the beauty headlines. Ah, look no further as the beauty elf has all the answers. In Hollywood the red rouge is always de’rigeur but Christmas festivities allow the meekest of make-up maidens to dress up those lips. Here are this seasons red devils: Dior’s Replenishing lipcolour strikes the perfect balance of stayon power, coverage, and shine. Dior's ‘lip-perfecting’ complex offers incomparable moisturizing and recontouring benefits combined with longwearing, lip-pampering color that lasts, and amplifies light to make lips look fresh and bright. Nars sheer lipstick in Manhunt (poppy red) is enriched with vitamin E to increase wearability and keep color intact. The sheer finish creates natural, stained lips. Semi-matte produces velvety, fullbodied lips. Finally, Satin fashions creamylooking lips. Chanel never fails when it comes to vamping it up. Say bonjour to Rouge Allure Luminous in Exaltation. A sexy coral red (limited edition) or Levres Scintillantes Gloss in Red Shine. Both add a touch of the tres chic to any festive frivolities. And my favourite: The House of Love; Yves Saint Laurent, God rest his wonderful soul, has a hot new number. Number 41: Ultra Flame. A cross between a red hot rod and a metallic brown. Perfect for Studio 54 disco bunnies. Yves Saint Laurent FARD A LEVRES ROUGE PUR Pure Lipstick stays fresh for hours while ensuring hydration. The result is simply satiny lips. Sizzle-liscious! Remember: line lips, add colour, BLOT and re-apply for a long lasting, lushlipped look. All that remains for me to say, in a deep and bellowing Brian Blessed-like voice, is for you all to have a very Merry Christmas.

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Marc Jacobs Men 75ml, £38 A warm green-scent courtesy of Italian bergamont, ﬁg and masculine ﬂorals.

HedKandi Eivissa 50ml, £17.50 A club mix of uplifting citrus tones, aromatic bergamont and an underscore of fresh apple.

Boss Bottled for Men 50ml, £32 A blend of fruits, ﬂorals and spices creates a classic scent.

Dolce and Gabbana The One 50ml, £39.99 An oriental ﬂoral fragrance underscored by sweet ﬂorals and warm vanilla.

Vera Wang 50ml, £50 Lightly feminine with notes of mandarin, lotus and Iris.

Davidoff Adventure 50ml, £32 A woody composition with notes of South American pimento and Peruvian cedar wood.

TRIED & TESTED The Treatment: Blow To Go Cost: £20 Address: Voodou, Bold Street, Liverpool Telephone: 0844 445 7889

READY TO GO Katie Smith gets the perfect solution for hair in a hurry Liverpool hair saviours Voodou have come up with an ingenious quick fix for the party season. Their Blow To Go service does exactly what it says on the tin and delivers a sumptuous wash and blow dry leaving hair as good as new. The service is designed to take 40 minutes to an hour, making it ideal for a lunchtime fix or a treat after work. Gone are the days of hovering under the blow dryer in the work loos before that all important office party. Having been blessed / cursed with hair with a natural curl, the Blow To Go was the ideal way to tame my unruly locks whilst on route to an important meeting. (Well the pub if you must know). After an initial consultation with stylist Tammy O’Shaughnessy I knew my hair was in good hands. Tammy explained that besides the regular

wash and blow dry, Voodou also offer the self explanatory Curls To Go or Up To Go. The inspired service is rapidly becoming one of Voudoo’s ‘must haves’. Especially now. My hair was washed and treated to a conditioning treatment (a snip at an extra £5) which my split ends very much appreciated. Locks dried, they were given a quick smooth over with straighteners. Result? Shiny sleek hair like I could never have achieved at home. Blow To Go is the perfect way to prepare for those after-work engagements over the festive season, or a great pick me up when you’ve been spoiling everyone but yourself.

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A NATURAL BEAUTY

We’re thrilled at the introduction of the Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare range at John Lewis this month. Try it, and you will be too, says David Lloyd. He talks to the range’s co-founder, Liz Earle herself…

IT’S great news that you're opening a concession in Liverpool - what can we expect? Liz: I have always believed in the phenomenal power of plant extracts and botanicals to make a difference to your skin so the Liz Earle range uses the finest quality naturally active ingredients in gentle formulations which deliver outstanding results no matter what your age or skin type. My good friend and business partner, Kim Buckland and I set up the company in 1995. We wanted to create botanical skincare that was effective, as well as a pampering experience for the customer. Our new outlet will be a chance for our customers to have face to face contact with our advisors and learn more about their own skincare needs. You seem to specifically avoid using the term 'anti-aging' in your products. Why is this? We don’t use the term ‘antiaging’ because we believe that aging is natural part of life, not a disease requiring treatment! There are three simple measures that may be taken to keep our skin looking its best for as long as possible. Firstly, follow an effective skincare regime based on plant oils rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants, secondly, enrich your diet with vitamins, oils and antioxidants and thirdly always use a high factor sun protection cream all year long. All skin types, no matter what their age, will benefit from intensive moisturising to plump the upper levels of the skin. There are so many ‘miracle creams’ on the market at the moment, and although most moisturisers are able to replenish moisturise levels, ours are specifically enriched with premium-quality plant oils, such as the precious argan oil, to dramatically soften and smooth the skin. Your range is refreshing in that it seems very 'straightforward', with one 'toner', one 'cleanser' etc. Why? When Kim (my business partner) and I first developed our Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser neither of us thought the other would like it, as we have such opposite skin types. I have very dry eczema prone skin, and Kim has oily problem skin so when we both got great results we couldn’t

believe that one cleanser could work so effectively on such different skin types, it really was a light bulb moment! Keeping it simple was vital -there are so many choices in women’s lives today and as working mothers, (Kim and I have 7 children between us) we understand that women need things such as looking after your skin to be simple, with products that are effective and affordable so it becomes a part of your daily routine that you don’t ever have to worry about it. Your passion for natural oils is evident - why are these so important? Natural oils possess amazing therapeutic properties and are amongst the most versatile health and beauty healers. From plant oils in the diet, such as avocado and olive to strengthen the skin and fish oil supplements to improve mental agility and lift depression, to the divinely aromatic essential oils. These fragrant bath time mood-enhancers are my favourite way to ease away the stress of a busy day. Always look for pure essential oils (not synthetic fragrances) as these have the power to revive both the mind and body, as well as being gently purifying on the skin. It’s not just the fragrant essential oils that are so wonderful in skincare, the ‘fixed’ seed oils are also exceptionally good for the skin and I have a passion for plant oils as they are highly compatible with skin’s own natural oils. They bring some of the best skincare benefits as they are naturally rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients, which is why we use them in many of the products in the Naturally Active Skin range. Plant oils are superior to mineral oils as they are closer in structure to the natural oils within our skin. They also contain other beneficial nutrients, such as vitamin E, and help to reduce moisture loss. This in turn improves tone, firmness and skin elasticity. All plant and vegetable derived oils come from renewable and sustainable sources and support vital agriculture, often in developing countries. Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare, John Lewis, South John Street

THE MEN’S ROOM GIVING Q A RUN FOR HIS MONEY THIS CHRISTMAS We love a gadget, don’t we? And we love it when we think our £50 impulse purchase wasn’t a reckless investment but, honestly, was done for the good of our health. Well, at last, we’ve got all the excuses we need to splash out on some cutting edge hardware to keep our squidgy software in full working order. There’s a whole range of gizmos out there aimed at keeping us on our toes... The fitbit is our current favourite – for around £70, this tiny powerhouse lets you know how many calories you burn each day, how good the quality of your sleep is, how many steps you’ve walked – and it stores all the information on your PC, so that you can keep track of all those promises you made.

Check it out at www.fitbit.com). On the website, you’ll even get motivational messages to keep you (literally) moving forward with your health goals. Simple, but effective. Don’t want to carry another piece of kit along with you? Nokia has an application which works with most new phones – The Sports Tracker- download it for free and it tracks your movements throughout the day. Trust us, it’s quite sobering to see all those flat-lines when you’re as mooching around on Facebook. (www.nokia.com) Heart rate monitors are often so expensive they can set off alarms just by looking at the price tag. The Oregon Scientific, at just £25 is a real steal – and uses a

wireless

chest strap to precisely monitor the loneliness – and breathlessness - of the long distance runner. (www.menkind.co.uk) Prefer cycling? The Garmin Edge 305 GPS (£194) with heart rate or cadence sensors (to track your speed) will even tell you how high you’ve climbed on those Snowdonia mountain roads. It’ll also measure calories burned. The perfect touring companion? Yes. Does it make cycling more fun? No. But it will make your workouts work harder. (www.wiggle.co.uk)

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100% Safe Breast Screening Digital Infra-red Thermology Thermal Imaging (D.I.T.I.) can detect active breast abnormalities (8-10 years) before mammography What is thermal imaging? Digital infra-red thermal imaging CDITI is the only screening procedure suitable for smaller breasted women and men. D.I.T.I. is 100% safe for women who have already undergone breast surgery ie: lumpectomy or masectomy, and it is the most suitable screening for women who have implants.

Inflammatory Carcinoma

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Tel: 0151 931 5001 Find is at: msbd.com Email: info@homeopathy-liverpool.co.uk

Thermal Imaging Northwest The Homeopathic Clinic, 134 College Road, Liverpool, L23 3DP

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WHAT LIES BENEATH WITH LOVE, FROM ME TO YOU - SOMETIMES THE SMALLEST GIFT IS THE BEST GIFT OF ALL...

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T S H PREVIOUS PAGE Bustier: John Lewis - £35.00 Suspender Belt: John Lewis - £18.00 Knickers: Primark - £2.00 Hold Ups: Primark £2.50 Shoes: Dune - £95.00 Coat: Flannels D&G coat - £860

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ABOVE: Bra: Reger by Janet Reger at Debenhams - £22.50 Knickers: Reger by Janet Reger at Debenhams - £12.50

Bra: La Senza - £20.00 Knickers: La Senza - £14.00 Hold ups: Primark - £2.00 Shoes: Dune - £95.00 Necklace: Stylists own

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Fashion

Bra: Next - £14.00 Knickers: Next - £7.00 Spotty Tights: Topshop Shoes: Faith - £70.00 Pearls: Stylists own

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Underpants: American Apparel - £9.00

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Fitted boxers: Diesel, Met Quarter - £17.00

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Fashion

Vest: American Apparel - £12.00 Boxers: G Star at USC - £20.00

Fitted boxer: Marvel Comics at H&M - £7.99

PHOTOGRAPHY: Female: STEVE COLLINSON, Male: ALEX PETRICCA MODEL: LANIE WILSON [BOSS MODEL MANAGMENT], ALEX CANNON HAIR & MAKE UP: ANNA PRIADKA STYLING: JESSICA STEBBINGS [BOSS CREATIVES MANAGEMENT] PHOTOGRAPHIC ASSISSTANTS: PAUL DANN & MARIA LANIE SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE HARD DAYS NIGHT HOTEL, LIVERPOOL

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Relationships

Staring contest: never a good ice-breaker

LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS? If a tubby, white-haired guy with a ZZ Top beard and a bright red suit can find love in the North Pole, then you can in Liverpool. Patricia Caliskan enters the dating zone. Ever since Bridget Jones penned her diary and Manolo Blahnik became the only man to truly sweep Carrie off her feet, the Singleton phenomenon has brought the promise of romance back into our lives - which is all very well in fiction and fairy tales, but in the real world? At Christmas? Well, it's not all high heels and high fives, now is it? The only Mr Big we saw in the city centre was queuing outside Greggs with an elasticated waistband and, we suspect, some chaffing issues. Meanwhile, window dating on Gaydar, Mr Darcy wasn't quite the old fashioned gent we imagined. Not from that angle anyway. Love. Exciting and new. But, ever the heartfelt optimist, it's Party Season in Liverpool and you've got, well, maybe not the world, but definitely the lovelorn city at your feet. We caught up with a few lonely hearts looking for lurve, or just a conveniently placed sprig of mistletoe, in Liverpool this Christmas.

time of year to be available!" she laughs. "People get fed up, but they should treat themselves. There's lots to look forward to; the outfits and, of course, the shoes to match! "Meeting up with friends is lovely around the festive period, people are relaxed and in the Christmas spirit. The venues I like to mingle

THE INDEPENDENT WOMAN

THE HIGH FLYER

are afraid of being lonely, especially women, because I think they feel they should conform and settle down earlier. I'm quite happy to be by myself when I'm not working, but if friends are looking to meet someone, I remind them they're not going to meet them at home. Get out - but make sure it's to the right places if you're looking for something long-term. Put your gladrags on and smile. People can be too materialistic, but I think it's laughter which attracts people. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have lots of friends in the city centre and there's a real sense of community in the bars I go to. On Christmas Eve, I'll go out from work to Restaurant Bar & Grill (Brunswick St) and possibly Piccolino (Cook St) if some of us are in need of food by that point! There's a member's club called The Vaults underneath the restaurant that a lot of single lawyers go to, or we head off to Kingdom (Harrington St). I'll be spending Christmas Day getting fussed over by my family before flying somewhere like Tenerife on Boxing Day for lots of pampering, relaxation - and no single supplements to pay!"

The only Mr Big we saw in the city centre was queing outside Greggs with an elasticated waistband

Events Director, Samantha Green, 34, has been happily single for three years. "It's OK to be single at Christmas, in fact, I think it's the best 46

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in tend to attract professionals. Sir Thomas Street Hotel serves lovely cocktails and Living Room is a great venue for a meal. Later on, the Residents Lounge at London Carriageworks (Hope Street) is ideal for chilling out and chatting. Who needs to be in a relationship at Christmas? Go out and enjoy the celebrations, I say, you only have yourself to please!"

Paul Knowles, 34, Lawyer and owner of www.thetravelboutique.net is happily single, but plays matchmaker to friends. "Most people

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Relationships

RELATIONSHIPS THE SASSY STUDENT

Rebecca Runée, 20, has learned to appreciate her freedom. “I left for university with a boyfriend and promises of staying together. By Christmas, 80% of these promises had been shattered, along with those of other coupledup students. That was first year and since then I've realised this time of year is when the break up rates soar. So, if you're looking to hook up, there are plenty of single Freshers around, or wait until January when the new loans come in and people are going out more! "Singledom as a student is to be embraced and treasured; there's plenty of room for exploration and loads of bars to take advantage of. Bumper (Hardman St), La’go (Colquitt St) and Heebie Jeebies (Seel St) are among the best places to meet fellow student party-goers. But be wary of visiting Mathew Street and some of town's 70s and 80s themed bars - unless you prefer the company of the much older man!"

Our inbuilt ‘romance reactors’ can assess the likelihood of a potential mate in just a few minutes, so why waste an entire evening on someone who you wouldn't even want to add as a friend on Facebook? Invented in L.A. by a romantic Rabbi playing Cupid to Jewish singles, it became the US dating craze of the 90s. We British perished the thought of such mercenary matchmaking, muttering, 'only in America'. But with the advent of the Noughties, we admitted we needed help to find love in this cold climate. The Pan American Club (Britannia Pavilion) has a Speed Dating event taking place on December 4, aimed at 26-38 year-olds, with 15 to 20 'dates' guaranteed during your visit. (Visit www.slowdating.com to book your ticket (£20), or call 0871 224 2828). Snowed in? A computer-based courtship may not be everyone's idea of a happy ending, but on-line dating has replaced the Dating Agencies of old - and as most of us already have a loving and committed relationship with our laptops, it could be the first step to forging something similar without the need for WiFi. Of course, finding true love on the internet doesn't guarantee high-speed connectivity, but if you scroll across someone who downloads your heart strings, do your research before making human contact. That Angelina Jolie look-a-like may well be all avatar and the man of your dreams could turn out to be little more than a pipe dream consultant on meeting the man behind the messaging service. Take a look at www.liverpool-singles.co.uk, which is free, but slightly worryingly, anonymous. Hmm. Whether on-line or in person, we hope the season of glad tidings makes all your Christmas love wishes come true, but if Santa fails to bring you that perfume ad encounter, you can always rely on a happy ending back home. Sex in the City? Easy. True Romance? That's another story. ■

“I refuse to be ‘All By Myself’ like Bridget Jones in her PJs”

THE MAN ABOUT TOWN

David Brookes, Liverpool.com's Out Side columnist, is no stranger (in the night) to the single life, but he knows how to stand up for his love rights. "I refuse to be 'All By Myself' like Bridget Jones in her red flannel PJs," he says. "So, I dress to impress. Remember, dating is a competitive sport. When I'm looking good, the best place to find cute men is GBar (Eberle Street). I always see tall, dark, well-dressed men in there, but be careful - GBar is also home to Straights, so make sure he's a Moe before you move in for the kill!" “Now, here's a tip I learned from my friends. I call it Blue Steel. It sounds stupid but it works! Firstly, catch his eye and make sure he looks back before you make your move. After you've been checking each other out, make the first move, because if you don't someone else will. Believe me, I know. Don't ask your mate to go over, nothing looks more desperate - I know we are desperate, but we mustn't show it. Now you're talking to him, buy him a drink, dance, and maybe a kiss to seal the deal. Swap numbers and arrange to meet again, but then, Go! Go! Go! Move on, leave him wanting more. Don't play games and no stupid chat up lines, and you're well on your way to finding your Mr. Right." Of course, there's easier ways to manage your love life without Blue Steel or an NUS Card. Avoid the sight of love-struck couples and the bore at the bar by trying your luck at Speed Dating.

The A-Z of Relationships

B BLOGS is for...

There was a time when relationship meltdowns were a private affair. Not any more. As bit-part actress Tricia Walsh-Smith deliciously proved on her YouTube soapopera, there ain’t nothing like a woman scorned (especially one with Broadband). Allegedly threatened with eviction and divorce by her millionaire husband, Philip Smith, Walsh-Smith put in the performance of her life on these three-minute kitchen sink dramas revealing, amongst other tidbits, that the couple ‘never had sex’ and that he was ‘addicted to porn and Viagra’. Just one look at Walsh-Smith’s bulging eyes - like Ozzy Ozbourne’s at the moment the rest of Black Sabbath sacked him for being ‘too wild’ – and you can kind of see why.

But is this the best way to deal with the fall out of a relationship? Psychologist Keith Ablow commented: “We’re at a critical moment where people are turning to public broadcasts to express private thoughts. But I don’t think it’s connecting people necessarily. I think it’s disconnecting them from their own life stories.” It certainly disconnected Walsh-Smith from her beloved Park Avenue apartment. In July this year, a New York judge awarded Philip Smith a divorce from WalshSmith on the grounds of ‘cruel and inhuman’ treatment. Citing the blog as “a calculated and callous campaign to embarrass and humiliate her husband”, the judge told Walsh-Smith to leave the apartment within 30 days. “She has attempted to turn the life of her husband into a soap opera by directing, writing, acting in and producing a melodrama,” he said. The moral of this tale? Not all soap operas benefit from a dose of dirty laundry.

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Place an ad By phone Call FREE on 0800 063 9489 Advertiser message retrieval FREE once per week on 0800 063 9489•

QUEEN OF ARTS Slim F, 36, enjoys theatre, cinema, restaurants, writing, music & books. Seeks likeminded, reliable M for relationship. Liverpool. Box 456042 FIT THE BILL? Pretty, bubbly, loving, caring, blue-eyed blonde, 30, into keep fit & going out. Seeks M, 30-39, for great times, maybe more. Wirral. Box 883433 BIRD OF PARADISE Large lady, 26, seeks honest gentleman, 26-36, for friendship, maybe more. LR 996034 Box 996034 PRETTY WOMAN Separated, slim profess single mum, 32, fun-loving, pretty, size 10, seeks love again with genuine M, GSOH, for fun times & cosy nights in. Crewe. Box 820644 LR 820644 WALK THIS WAY Caring brunette, 23, 5’10’’, single mum, GSOH, likes film, walking & nights in/out. Seeks caring M, 26-37, for friendship, maybe more. Box 447815 PARTY ON Outgoing F, 21, likes partying & a good laugh. Seeks M, 25-30, similar interests. St. Helens. Box 167003 FUNNY HONEY Plump but pretty F, 25, GSOH, seeks tall, funny, cute M, 26- 35, for fun nights out. Box 665919 IT FIGURES Full-figured, tactile F, 31, 5’7’’, likes cinema, restaurants, socialising with friends & cosy nights in. Seeks tall M, 30-38, similar qualities, for relationship. Wirral. LR 289543 Box 289543 CORK BLIMEY! Working mum, 36, own home/car, into sport, pubs, film, restaurants, keep fit & nights in with a bottle of wine or two. Seeks n/s M, 35-42, GSOH, for possible relationship. St. Helens. Box 591094 THE WIT TO WOO? Curvy blonde F, 25, size 14, blue eyes, very witty, seeks witty, charming M, 27-35, for a better future together. Wirral. Box 770050 LOVELY BUBBLY Bubbly F, 38, 5’11’’, long blonde hair, likes pubs, cinema & cosy nights in. Seeks funloving M, 35-40, for fun & laughter, maybe LR 868508 more. Box 868508 DINING TO MEET YOU Outgoing, chatty single mum, 30, likes cinema & eating out. Seeks caring, honest, sincere M, 27-40, for fun & friendship+. Box 462658 KERRANG FAN Single mum, 33, 5’5’’, likes reading, heavy metal/rock music & home life. WLTM M, 35-40, GSOH, rock fan, for fun, friendship & gigs. Wirral. Box 730063 HAPPY MEDIUM Very attractive, brown-eyed, medium-built, divorced single mum, 36. Seeks caring M for walks, wining & dining, maybe more. Box 561680 BLONDE AMBITION? Blonde single mum, 33, 5’2’’, GSOH, many interests. Seeks honest, sincere M, 28-40, for friendship, possible relationship. Box 623241 SHE LOVES TO DANCE Energetic F, 20, single mum, fuller figure, loves going out, dancing & having fun. WLTM nice, caring M, 25-36, for fun, friendship & relationship. Prenton. Box 744092 WINE & DINE TIME Slim, nice-looking F, 37, size 6, many varied interests. Seeks good-looking M, 2540, 5’8’’+, to wine & dine her, for friendship, maybe more. Liverpool. Box 764305 HERE & SINCERE Sincere F, 29, seeks genuine M for lasting & loving relationship. Box 196667 WALK MY WAY Blue-eyed, slim, nice-looking F, 37, likes travel, cinema, walking & restaurants. Seeks good-looking M, 25-35, 5’8’’+, to wine & dine her. Liverpool. Box 886863

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Food

GOOD DAY SUNSHINE

Port Sunlight has a new restaurant and this is one soap opera worth singing about, says David Lloyd.

PORT SUNLIGHT is one of those places we really don't deserve. A model village that sits, cowed, behind the belching chimneys of Bromborough Pool. Nine hundred listed buildings, attracting coachloads of students from across the globe to witness its mould-breaking social architecture. And what do we do? Whizz past it on the by-pass to get to the Asda. Really, we've only ever seen Port Sunlight as a council estate that's got a bit of a chip on its shoulder. If we're honest. The village was the creation of a benevolent industrialist, Lord Leverhulme - who decreed that workers at his Sunlight Soap works should be housed in an appealing cluster of vernacular buildings: redbricked, lead windowed, half timbered and totally bonkers. In creating the village, Leverhulme employed the services of some 30 architects. That's seven more than were shipped in to design the whole of Liverpool One. The Lady Lever Art Gallery, a village pub, church, bowling green, civic hall and drama society - all were funded from the profits of Leverhulme's Sunlight Soap. Imagine if that happened today. It’d be like Peel Holdings offering everyone who works along the waterfront their own apartment in Princes Dock. Another enlightened fixture of Leverhulme's Utopian community was the grand Victoria Hospital, which continued treating the maladies of production line workers until 1948. After half a century of brambles and dereliction, Contessa Hotels (the local chain behind the fabulous Hillbark hotel in Frankby) took it upon themselves to breathe life back into the sick bays and give the village something it's never had: a boutique hotel to match all those lovely boutique houses. And what a job they've made of it. Leverhulme himself couldn't have been more generous. But we're not hear to stay in the fancypants bedrooms, with their opulent swags walnut doors as thick as toast, salvaged from a bank on London's Threadneedle Street. We're hear to sample the hotel's restaurant - the curiously named Paesano. Authentic Art Deco fixtures and fittings aside, the Leverhulme offers a relatively straightforward dining experience. Its menu is brief

and to the point: grills offer steaks, lamb and burgers and house specials favour rustic and comfort over elegance and artistry. After the gilt of Hillbark, we were a little underwhelmed. But, as our mums tell us, we should never judge a bistro by the carte. Port Sunlight, for all its finery, isn’t known for its high catchment area of gastronomes and bon vivants. So it's understandable that there should be some sense of place here: if Paesano is going to last, it has to fit in to Leverhulme's way of doing things: feed the local workers well and, in time, the coachloads of visitors will follow. For all the menu's demure protestations, Paesnao is a kitchen on top of its game. Our pate and piccalilli starter was superb. Crunchy minibites of mustardy veg served with a wedge of coarse porky pate which showed that, if there was to be any fireworks here, it'd be on the plates, not on the paper. If only every restaurant would get their priorities so perfectly positioned. The fish cake too, was up there with the best. And our house red (hey, these are hard times) was as smooth and soft as Sunlight Soap. Service was efficient, relaxed and accurate: plates went where they should, wine was poured on time. Which, really, is all we ask. If the waiter knows as much about Spanish White as we do (ie, not much) that's fine, nobody died - we're not going to fall out over a misjudged Albarino. Mains were equally impressive. A daily special of Salmon with a tomato curry was meaty, the fillet steak was chunky, the lamb was pinky and the vegatables were perky. We'd have liked a cheese board, but have been promised one will arrive. And, if we really must be honest, we're none too keen on the glass tables. Much as Liverpool.com loves its dining companions, we're a little uneasy at the prospect of staring at their crotches throughout the evening. It was all a bit too much like spending the evening in a hot tub with friends. Which, we’ve been reliably informed, you can do upstairs. Port Sunlight: it really does have everything.

The house red was as smooth and soft as Sunlight Soap

Paesano, Leverhulme Hotel, Port Sunlight. Tel: (0151) 644 6655

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Producers

GERMAN BITE

It’s a heady combination of seasonal spices and, to Anne Benson, the German Bakery smells like teen Christmases THERE’s that special Christmas smell. You know the one. It’s a combination of pine needles, spices such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a tang of orange. It’s a wonderful smell and one that reminds me of my childhood Christmases as my mother, a German teacher, always baked biscuits using recipes she got from her time living in Switzerland and Germany. It is something the Germans do best – baking - everything from spicy gingerbread, to tasty fruit Stollen. And Christmas is something they do especially well, think of gingerbread houses and delicate biscuits hanging from the tree. I think it is something more people will have a chance to discover thanks to the German Bakery in Liverpool. Set up by German couple, Mike and Mary, the bakery is already beginning to make inroads into our tastebuds. Mike started by selling imported bread at German markets throughout the UK when he met Mary Antrack. An accountant by trade, she had become disillusioned with her career, decided to give it all up, seek pastures new and move from her native Dresden. A random chance brought her to Liverpool and then another one took her to a continental market where she met Mike and so the business was born. “It was just by chance, I wanted to move from Germany, I didn’t want to go to London and this was one of the bigger cities,” shrugs Mary. Mike, a master baker, decided to start making his own products rather than importing frozen bread as he realised there was a market for quality bread and cakes in the North West. Mike knew from when he was young that he wanted to be a baker, he loves creating breads, cakes and biscuits, while Mary deals with the business. The couple set up in business only two years ago in the spring of 2006 and now have a unit on the Speke Hall Estate.

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“We started just supplying small shops such as the Windmill and Matta’s in Liverpool,” said Mary and they now also sell at farmers’ markets. One of their most popular specialities is their sourdough bread. “It is not something that is available over here a lot,” explains Mary. “There are different sourdoughs and their different textures come from the amount of rye flour and sourdough starters you use. “In our bread we just use rye flour, water and yeast, which together gives the dough its sourness. Different bakeries use different yeasts. It is a living thing. It depends on things like temperature on how it develops. It is a mix of different bacteria. You have to look after the temperature and the time, the relationship of flavours depends on how much you put in and how long it stands,” said Mary. Creating a loaf of sourdough bread relies on the starter. From the first starter, each time a batch is made part of it is saved to create the next batch and so it continues to feed itself, I have even heard people boast of starters they have saved, which date back over 100 years. Mary explains that their sourdough bread is wheat free and is also good for the dietary system. “There is no fat in the bread,” she explains. “People who are not used to it don’t know the sourdough taste but I have many customers who have already tasted this kind of bread and enjoy it,” she said. But it is Christmas and then German baking really comes into its own and the German bakery will be cooking up a storm. “We do the German gingerbread. It is very different, a spice mixture with ginger and other spices and uses special raising agents. “Then we make some gingerbread houses though they take a long time to create. We make biscuits such as snowmen. We take basic recipes and we can add nuts and cover them with icing and chocolate. “We will also be doing special biscuits for Christmas with everything decorated by hand, which people like,” explained Mary. The German Bakery will be in Williamson Square for the whole of

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Food

COCKTAILS

We may be in the midst of the credit crunch, but there's nothing like an indulgent cocktail to channel your Christmas cheer...

ROOM 62 Castle St, Liverpool. (0151 702 7898) We love popping into the stylish surroundings of Room and propping up the plentiful bar. The bar tenders here really know their stuff and their knowledgeable without being know-it-alls. Ask them to recommend a cocktail to perfectly suit your needs and they’ll happily oblige. We really like their Roomberry cocktail, made from Strawberries, Chambord, and Pommery Champagne. Delicious ! MALMASION William Jessop Way, Princes Dock. (0151 229 5000) The velvety surroundings of the Plum Bar make the perfect backdrop for a session sampling the cocktail menu at Malmasion. The black and purple furnishings are on the right side of gothic (very on-trend this season), but it’s their drinks we’re really after. The Mal knows how to knock up a classic Manhattan and the combination of Whiskey and Vermouth is guaranteed to keep you warm on cold winter nights. BAR AND GRILL The Restaurant Bar & Grill, Halifax House, Brunswick Street, Liverpool. (0151 236 6703) The cocktail bar takes centre stage in the attractive eatery which is The Restaurant Bar and Grill. We’re big fans of the slick square bar and it’s well equipped with numerous ingredients to attend our cocktail needs. The glass wine racks which separate the diners from the bar are an unusual touch, but get our vote. ALMA DE CUBA St Peter's Church, Seel St, Liverpool. (0151 702 7394) It would be almost rude not indulge in a cocktail whilst visiting Alma De Cuba. The opulent settings of the former Polish church demand luxury in its many forms and where better to start than a cocktail? The only problem we had was knowing where to start on the menu. After very little persuasion we fell in love with the specially created 08 cocktail and it’s exclusive mix of Stolichnaya Vodka, Apricot Brandy, Fig Preserve, Pomegranate Juice, Fresh Lemon Juice, and Candied Anise. LA CUBANITA 2 Campbell Square, Liverpool. (0151 709 5335) It may be winter outside, but La Cubanita are determined to continue their mission to bring real Cuban spirit to warm up Liverpool. Unsurprisingly their Mojito’s are the best we’ve tasted in a very

long while and come highly recommended. You can enjoy live music whilst you drink your cocktail too... but joining in the salsa dancing is optional.

SIDE ORDERS Stuck looking for that present for the foodie that has everything? Why not create them their very own ‘personal’ cookbook. You can upload recipes, photos and stories at www.mydish.co.uk and turn them into your own cookbook. For loads of Christmas solutions check out the new Lakeland store at Liverpool One. They aren’t just a kitchenware store and have some really interesting food ideas on offer, especially at this time of year. www.lakeland.co.uk.

BABYCREAM Atlantic Pavilion, Albert Dock. (0151 709 7097) It’s easy to dismiss Babycream and it’s Albert Dock counterparts as strictly WAG territory. But there’s more to Babycream than you may think. The bar itself is impressive and the music policy is surprisingly eclectic. There are plenty of cocktails on offer, we particularly like the Cherry Mash Sour: a mouthwatering concoction of Jack Daniels, Cherry Brandy, lemon juice and sugar syrup served short over ice. JALONS BRIDEWELL Campbell Street, Liverpool. (0151 709 4195) The best way to enjoy Jalons is to secure a seat in one of the trademark cells in this former Victorian prison and enjoy their signature cocktail. The Bridewell is a moreish combination of fresh strawberries and basil combined with cassis, grand marnier and cranberry. The cocktail menu here may be small, but it’s certainly well formed. LONDON CARRIAGE WORKS 40 Hope Street, Liverpool. (0151 709 3000) The residents bar at the popular restaurant are awash with awards and plaudits, and we couldn’t agree more. Tucked away nicely to be

On a mission to put the T in Christmas, Brew, Liverpool’s first Tea Bar (Old Hall Street) have a range of gifts, from gizmos designed to pour the perfect cuppa, to strange wand-like devides to dispense just the right amount of loose-leaf goodness into your cup. From £18. www.brewteabarshop.co.uk The new Betwixt Brewery is planning to bring back its popular winter warm “Ice Breaker” which if fortified by spice and port and can be served hot or cold. They are also doing Christmas giftpacks and minicasks. The Brewery, 8 Pool Street, Birkenhead. www.betwixtbeer.co.uk

For a Christmas cake with a difference why not have one made completely of cheese. The Liverpool Cheese Company has created a cake, which includes fromages such as Swaledale blue and creamy Lancashire, and it will feed about six people. Or you can ask for larger ones to be specially created. www.liverpoolcheesecompany.co.uk. A Christmas fair is being held in Port Sunlight on Sunday, December, 7, this will feature local produces such as Betwixt beer and the Chocolate Cellar. It is on from 11am to 3pm at the Diamond. For more information visit www.portsunlightvillage.com.

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11 – 13 HOTHAM ST, LIVERPOOL L3 5UF WWW.LIVERPOOL-ACADEMY.CO.UK MON 01 DEC • £5ADV

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the essential list MUSIC ART FILMCOMEDY

THEATRE

LITERATURENIGHTLIFEEVENTS

MUSIC

Edited by Alan O’Hare www.liverpool.com/music

TOY BOYS

Hip-hop and horns? Get funky like a monkey with the impossibly exciting 6ix Toys. Alan O'Hare slips on his dancing shoes… AND now for something completely different. 6ix Toys are the funkiest thing to have come out of Liverpool for a long time. The seven-piece all met while at university in the city and have decided to stay put. Which is great news for us… “We've been here around three years now,” says bassist Jakob Foord. “We've stayed because we want to keep this band together. Our heart and soul has gone into this and we don't want to move to somewhere like London.” Drummer Adam Beaney agrees: “We love the music vibe in Liverpool. It's different to anywhere else – lots of new music and weird inﬂuences,” he says. He's right too. It's kind of become a Ringo-esque situation these days (you know what we mean: the 'he wasn't even a good drummer' nonsense),

▲ ▲

shuffle

where it's an accepted notion that the city's music scene is still full of Lee Mavers wannabes. But, delve a little deeper, and you'll find all sorts of weird and wonderful groups. 6ix Toys being one of the very best. Their sound? It's all over the pace and guaranteed to get you grooving and fill any dance floor. “We put so much energy into our live shows,” says Beaney. “That's what we're all about really. Fun times and people who want to dance all night… I love that our audiences are never looking at us, they just have fun and dance,” he laughs. The band are busy in more ways than one: the rhythm section don't stop, the horns will help you to forget about Mark Ronson and they've taken their funk-infested soup all over the place. 2008 saw the band play V and Isle

of Wight Festivals and you get the feeling that next summer's festivals will be the places where 6ix Toys will really break. “Yeah, we want to play festivals all over the place. This year at V we played in a tent, with a bar at the back, and went down really well. That's our vibe, really,” says Ford. “We've played at the Garden Festival in Croatia too and that was wicked. We just love playing live and we're in this together.” If you get the chance to see 6ix Toys soon, do it. Just don't forget your dancing shoes… ■ 6ix Toys début album is available now. See myspace.com/6ixtoys or firstwordrecords.com for more details. 6ix Toys, 11&18 December, Alma de Cuba, Seel Street.

SKIPPING THROUGH LIVERPOOL’S PLAYLIST... JOURNALIST CRAIG THOMPSON SHARES A WEE DRAM WITH WHISKEY HEADSHOT LIVERPOOL is famed for our thriving music scene. But now finds itself growing ever more disparate - awash with bands fighting over the scraps left to them by the city’s success stories. Groups threatening to take over the world from the comfort of their rehearsal rooms, without anyone stepping forward to light the way. One band are readying themselves for the challenge though: Whiskey Headshot. Armed with a collection of killer tunes that fuse the spirit and aesthetic of driving R&B, garage rock and psychedelia, all wrapped up with a contemporary twist and pop sensibility. Whiskey Headshot are more than tooled up for the task in hand - complete with a sparkling, avant-garde bow to finish.

The band are putting the finishing touches to a double A-side single, recorded in the famed Motor Museum, and due for release early next year. With the buzz around them already growing following the unveiling of new tunes on a recent BBC session with Radio Merseyside's Dave Monks, things are certainly looking good. A series of one-off gigs and events are in the pipeline for the next few months, with the group hoping to find themselves at the forefront of new music in Liverpool. But why stop there? Whiskey Headshot are on a mission to spread their word far and wide… www.myspace.com/whiskeyheadshot Whiskey Headshot, 6 December, The Canteen @ The Green Windmill, Manchester

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MUSIC

Page 4

For full listings visit: www.liverpool.com

TAKE A CHANCE ON…

Alyssa Bonagura Wed, Dec 10, 8pm Christ the King Centre, Score Lane Tel: (0151) 722 3110 Liverpool.com first heard Alyssa Bonagura singing at Pete Wylie’s Classic! run at The Zanzibar. We’ve kept an eye on her ever since – so much so that the Tennessee songwriter will be starring at our Agenda showcase on November 28. You can also hear her intimate portraits here too...

John Head Sat, Dec 13, 8pm The Zanzibar, Seel Street Tel: (0151) 707 0633 HMS Fable has always been our favourite Shack album. The reason? There are two: John Head’s Beautiful and Cornish Town. The Shack songwriter stepped out of his brother’s shadow in 2008 and this solo gig is surely unmissable.

Ben Ottewell Sun, Dec 14, 7pm Carling Academy 2, Hotham Street Tel: 0844 477 2000 The best singer in Gomez (to be fair, they’re all really good) plays a solo date. Expect new songs and interpretations on Gomez favourites. We just hope he gives us that blues-infested howl from Bring It On...

Lyons & Tigers Thu, Dec 18, 7.30pm Barfly Loft, Seel Street Tel: (0151) 707 6171 A special Christmas party with surely one of the most entertaining bands in town. The music? We wouldn’t know where to begin – but a riotous occasion is guaranteed. Rock, rap, ska... you name it, Lyons & Tigers will have you dancing all night long.

goFaster>> Sat, Dec 20, 7.30pm Barfly Loft, Seel Street Tel: (0151) 707 6171 It’s pop music Jim, but not as we know it. Maybe this is how it should be though? Whatever. Step into Christmas with Liverpool’s goFaster>> - they’re so poptasticly good, we can even forgive the daft name. Well, nearly...

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G N I M O C E HOM QUEEN

e Zutons: to be a big year for Th ing go s ay alw s wa 2008 gig at Anfield ird album, the Macca town the release of their th up’s biggest ever home and now the Scouse gro ho Arena this month. e Ec ... headlining show, at th xophonist Abi Harding ross the water with sa ac ks loo m co ol. po er Liv

ble,” Harding hat was incredi “T ? ca ac M ith w Anfield, . Typically, the for ten rding is unique Ha declares. i Ab rl d gi An ol . back to my flat Liverpo e will be male r our set, I ran en te sc af ic , us ut into the m “B s e y’ cit ne, Paul cam hool of darlings of this d while I was go s blown that sc an ha es g ed him... ut in iss in rd m m Ha I t d play guitars. Bu ngratulate us an co to . om er ro at g w dressin t of the thought right ou so long the ough: ayer – and for pl I was gutted.” x sa ns to bs’ this year th Zu The ably the most et one of the Fa ob m s pr is ha – e r album n Sh ou po g wea acca and e were recordin group’s secret Ringo while w an outside of M ici et said us m d e m or w se “W a ou ar Sc Magazine ly. I won’t he recognisable of whom later). and he was love e or LA (m in ys da e Ringo thes e says. d The Zutons od year. against him,” sh appearances an have had a go have s eo cover shoots, TV vid ic us fan? She must r m ar g St in o or te UK ng -b Ri er da A ev 23 t-n a bu d her saxto a close with always-quirkywho she is. An ar that comes s ye . a ow s th kn It’ on ne m yo is th The ensured ever the Echo Arena e of success to tour – closing at t that vital shad her ing a little be ed rn to tu it ’t style has brough m sn ad ha ill w ne Liverpool.com cord – and o. But said fortu e last Zutons re Zutons music to helmed with th rw pecting us de un veryone was ex on the head... ing says that “e be everywhere rd to Ha x it took its sa en k y in ev m th t I . an “I don’t w about fitting it pressure was on st e ju th s It’ so it. than er ay liv pl to de cause I anything other . records, just be they never give hing,” she says t et Bu m .” out so us ab d g ad on in ll ly to real t important th e horn? “I in where it will live. “The mos started with th ow t sh ge t e ea sh gr d a . di e says a bit Sound. But how a live band,” sh , but that was us is that we’re e flute in school er - we all love th it ge so to g, us used to play th s rin the the same finge hat’s what keep as “T w x sa – d t e my family in An in se ! too posh to labour the po though when I g Al tin e. liv an g w t of in ix ou ay pl With strange m g’s sax started there.” ol, that’ll be a know – Hardin ous crowd in Liverpo n play too, you ca ys but really nerv – bo d e th ou ve y, pr Da he rve and shape to ns. I’ll feel dead ne ur io lo be ot co ill e em w th it g in so , subtleties br ghlight. ght of the tour hi ni t a s las ay e th alw s g e gi It’ too. s and ar few s the biggest McCabe’s tune ns have had a it’ll be boss. It’ lights, The Zuto wracking... but gh hi of st ol, so we can‘t g ju po kin ng er ea hi Liv Sp amazing. Everyt er headlined in as ev w y ve e’ ur w nb to this year: “Glas those defining wait...” . It was one of of , Echo Arena, came together mber 19, 7pm k in the middle e Zutons, Dece rted feeling sic Th sta I t bu .. ck 0 ts. ba momen 0844 8000 40 sick and came Liverpool, Tel: n off stage, was gig, at 08 g the set. So I ra bi e th t ou s. And what ab on,” she laugh

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The essential list

REVIEWS

The Aeroplanes

ECHO’S ARENA

Echo & The Bunnymen are bring ing Ocean Rain home to celebrate the legendary group’s 30th anniversary. Alan O’Hare talks to Will Sergeant about their greatest album and its legacy...

You may have voted Ocean Ra in the third greatest Merse introduced us yside album of to all kinds of al l time – but the thousands different instruments, lik who attended e the slit drum the Albert Hall and New York and marimbas... so ’s Radio City M we always had usic Hall last month, for com our eyes open to new ideas.” plete perform ances of the record, would disagree. The songs for Ocean Rain wer Echo & The Bu e written in 1983, then ea nnymen fans lo rly in ‘84 the Bu ve their band. And that nnymen travelled to Pa ’s because – no ris to record th matter how hard Chris Mar em with a 35piece orchestra tin tries – Ian M . “We didn’t w cC ul lo ch and Will Sergeant’s ant to sound like everyone group are uniq else... I wante ue. That was proved at said d the violin bow to have a French gigs with fant astic accent,” laughs performances the guitarist. of the landmar “Adam Peters had played th k 1984 album The critics agre e cello on The . Back Of Love an ed too, as both d from then on shows got great reviews. , we were out to change thin And now it’s co gs. There was ming back to Liverpool... a laid back vibe to recording ov er there too – That famous sle we got on the red wine and eve may depict en joyed making four men in a boat – but he the album.” We can tell. It’ re’s a record w s a classic. And hich found a band far from the upcoming gig drifting. The Bu - celebrating th nnymen were at the height of e ba nd’s 30th an ni versary - at th their powers an e Echo Arena is d Ocean Rain has endured. To one of the most anticipat (nearly) quote ed gigs of the the promotional po year. “I like th new arena,” de sters from the e clares Sergeant time: it is one of the greatest . “We were alw albums ever m ays a bit crap ade. “It was a bit sc at the big places, but this ary to go back one sounds gr and listen to it again,” says eat. It’s a bit weird standing legendary guita so far apart th rist Sergeant. don’t listen to ough! We had “I two, thre anything after e hour sessions w e re le with the orches ase it, so I had to learn Lo all the parts ag ndon before th tra in e gig and they ain.” Did you like w sounded brilliant. It was hat you heard gr ea after all these t in New York years? “Strang too. Doing these shows is ely, I was really nervewracking pleased,” he laughs. “Our pl – but you’ve just gotta’ go an back then w for it...” as to not have the record soun We’ll see you d of its time w there. ith lots of new synths. We wer Echo & The Bu e listening to a nnymen with lot of Scott Walker. And Hu special guests Glasvegas, No gh Jones, the vember 27, Ec producer, had ho Arena, 7pm, Liverpool. Tel: 0844 8000 40 0

Broken Hearts & Maladies (LP) Robot Records With stand-out track Slipping Away being one of the best new songs Liverpool.com has heard all year, this is a much-anticipated album from the Liverpool rockers. Recorded in the famed Motor Museum with Mike Crossey (Arctic Monkeys), Broken Hearts & Maladies showcases The Aeroplanes’ strengths to the full: Chris Kearney’s determined vocals, the group’s wall of sound guitars and some of the best bass lines in the city. This could be The Aeroplanes moment.

6ix Toys 6ix Toys (LP) First Word Records With DJs Rob Da Bank and Craig Charles declaring their love for 6ix Toys, this début record seems to be a case of right place and right time. Following on from their hip-hopjazz-funk fusion cover of Prodigy’s Voodoo People, the album delivers. Throw in a wonderful vocal contribution from Connie Lush and Liverpool.com is hooked.

The Mono LPs Take Me I’m Free (EP) myspace.com/themonolps A band from Liverpool who declare their influences as “the 60s”. Not again. Then, What You Said About Me starts with its urgent guitars, great melody and cello blaring in the background and suddenly our ears prick up. The minor-key Sunlight may also be a way forward: simple tune and that cello – perhaps their secret weapon – doing the charismatic business that the singer hasn’t quite captured yet.

Mark Jones Superlambanana (Download) ultimatefake.co.uk Is music funny? Liverpool.com doesn’t think so. But one cute lyric aside (“where does your lamb end and your banana begin?”), local troubadour Mark Jones’ début single tries its best. It just doesn’t get going. A bog standard melody with some jangly guitars might work with profound lyrics. But this? It won’t be taking over the city...

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The essential list

MUSIC Kings Of Leon, 8 December, Echo Arena, Liverpool, Tel: 0844 8000 400 They were never really going to fail. Kings Of Leon have had everything going for them ever since the start. When they burst onto the scene with the Holy Roller Novocaine EP in 2003, England fell for the razor-sharp cheek boned four-piece from Tennessee immediately. And they’ve

Edited by Alan O’Hare www.liverpool.com/music

never looked back. The US rockers are now selling out arenas and new record Only By The Night stood side by side with Oasis’ latest on the album charts and took the top spot too. This gig sold out straight away – but Liverpool.com has bagged a couple of tickets for one lucky reader to win. You don’t have to thank us personally, but if you win and you

Amsterdam, 6 December, 7pm, Carling Academy, Liverpool, Tel: 0844 477 2000 When Merseytravel decided to name one of their trains after legendary DJ John Peel, his widow Sheila Ravenscroft decreed there was only one artist she could ask to play at the launch. “John wasn’t capable of playing Amsterdam’s Does This Train Stop On Merseyside? without crying. If he played it on the radio, he’d have to put something on straight afterwards because he wouldn’t be able to speak,” she says. It’s a tribute Amsterdam’s songwriter Ian Prowse doesn’t take lightly: “I was deeply honoured to play it for him –

! WIN

Vivian Girls are a band who could have com only formed in New York. Liverpool. say also and er furth will go one step they’re a band that could have only got gotten together in Brooklyn. They’ve when er emb that attitude you see. Rem was we all loved The Strokes, but there ’t didn you them of bit little that always

! N I W

need a plus one…

CALLING YOU HOME

Vivian Girls, 5 December, Korova, Fleet Street, Tel: (0151) 709 7097

LONG LIVE THE KINGS

RIOT GRRRLS

believe in? Vivian Girls are different. They mean it, man. The punk three piece – don’t panic, they’ve got good this songs too – are on their ﬁrst UK tour Club at stop a make winter and they wait. Evol at Korova this month. We can’t ded Shoegazing indie music hasn’t soun nd. this good in ages – especially in Engla a with band a like not And how can you e Cassi d calle r singe ic charismat Ramone? See you there.

N O ’ N I P E E K N O P KEE

Primal Scream, 11 December, 7pm, Carling Academy, Liverpool, Tel: 0844 477 2000

! N I W 56

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John Peel changed my life. He’s the one who broke this song to the world.” It is a great song. But great songs are what Amsterdam specialise in. And incendiary live shows. Perhaps the best live band on the circuit right now, the Liverpool group have enjoyed another great year. A duet with Elvis Costello for the Number One Project (including a show-stealing spot at the Echo Arena for the big gig), rave reviews for second album Arm In Arm and a career-best perormance at Glastonbury. To round 2008 off, the seven-piece will play their biggest Liverpool gig yet, at Carling Academy. And we reckon you’d be mad to miss it...

It’s almost too perfect really. “We can rock, we can have a riot and right now we’re playing better than ever,” says Primal Scream singer Bobby Gillespie. Liverpool.com has seen this movie before. But, despite diminishing returns on record, the ageing rockers can still pull in the cool set and are the ideal band then, to

headline NME’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Riot tour. Latest album Beautiful Future has been declared the group’s most accessiblesounding set of songs yet – despite not producing a single hit? – and Primal Scream remain a force to be reckoned with inside the music industry. We just wish they’d remember how to move us with their music. Or maybe we’re just bitter because we can’t ﬁt into our skinny jeans any more...

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THE GLASGOW PHOENIX CHOIR Marilyn J Smith ~ Conductor Cameron Murdoch ~ Accompanist & Assistant Conductor

presents a

FESTIVAL OF SONG Sponsored by The Co-operative Funeralcare

LIVERPOOL St Peter’s - Woolton Sat 22nd November 2008 7.30pm Tickets: Unreserved £7.50 from Marie Curie - Tel: 0151 801 1405 St Peter’s - Tel: 0151 428 6810 Co-operative Funeralcare - 0151 263 2791 on line at www.thebooth.co.uk

‘All Proceeds to Marie Curie Hospice’ CONTACT - The GPC at John Brown Events Tel: 0141 892 6113 or www.phoenixchoir.org ~ a Scottish Charity SC002904

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The essential list

FILM

Edited by Richard Bendall-Jones www.liverpool.com/film

CHRISTMAS REPEATS The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, 5 December; It's A Wonderful Life, 10 December, 7.30pm, Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street, Tel: (0151) 709 3789, www.liverpoolphil.com

Christmas already? Ugh... the indigestion. Low-grade television specials. The relatives. The list goes on. Whatever it is you don’t like about this time of the year, worry not: film is here to save you. Look at cinema listings and you’ll find the local picture houses are more than happy to put on a festive treat or two. But for those too busy to check Liverpool.com's film listings on-line – or busy wrapping presents, berating rubbish carol singers or quaffing egg nog; here's our pick of the festive period... We’re big fans of Films at the Phil. Nothing better than watching classic films in a classic environment (there’s also a boss organ thrown in for good measure!). December is especially exciting this year, as you can catch The Good, The Bad & The Ugly – a film that generally needs no introduction, but still... Sergio Leone’s 1966 masterpiece has a reputation almost bigger than the actual spectacle itself – and for good reason too. Watch Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef slugging and slinging it out over a whopping $200,000 of bounty. A lot of money back in them days, don't you know. Fully restored, this is a rare and tasty treat. Tastier than the annual stash of Turkish Delight anyway... If that doesn't light your candle, then surely you can't afford to miss the archetypal feel-good-and-bad-at-the-same-time flick, It’s a Wonderful Life. Frank Capra’s 1946 epic features James Stewart playing George Bailey - a man whose attempted suicide on Christmas Eve gains the attention of a guardian angel, Clarence Odbody, sent to help him in his hour of need. Dickensian in vibe, you could do far worse than to see this. Literally life-changing stuff we say...

XMAS VILLAGE It's A Wonderful Life, 23 December; White Christmas, 24 December, Woolton Picture House, Mason St, Liverpool, Tel: (0151) 428 1919, www.wooltonpicturehouse.co.uk

GET MODERN Essentials, 3 December, 6.30pm, FACT, Wood Street, Tel: (0151) 707 4450, www.fact.co.uk Film as we know it today didn’t just happen, you know. It wasn’t like Quentin Tarantino blinked and everything was right in the world. Like everything else, film has been tweaked and modified through the ages to get where it is today. One of the earliest and most important building blocks in the development of cinema can be found within Modernism - a movement from the early decades of the last century, which embraced the excitement of new machines and technology. Modernists grasped cinema with both hands, because it was fresh and speedy - just like themselves. And therefore Modernist cinema is really quite ace. This month at FACT, as part of their Essentials screenings, today's mods should get down to Secret Masterpieces Of Cinema: Modernity. It'll be right up your (Carnaby) street. You’ll be able to view snippets from a whole bunch of forward-thinking directors and artists from times gone by - and get a bit of insight into an incredibly influential, yet

relatively unknown, period of cinema history. Take László Moholy-Nagy as an example. He was an Hungarian painter and photographer, but also a professor at the Bauhaus, the uber-cool German design school. His uncompromising grasp of slick angles, sculptures and lighting effects go some way to defining the now-fabled art house cinema look. Also showing is the work of abstract American film-maker Mary Ellen Bute. She made a series of 14 short pieces in the 1930s and 40s, questioning the relationship between sight and sound. Don't miss Scottish artist and co-creator of Pop Art, Eduardo Paolozzi. Add to that the work of American designers Charles and Ray Eames and you’ve got a splendid variety of things to dip your feet into. Although the works on offer are geared towards the arty side of cinema, Essentials provides a perfect opportunity to find out about film-makers who usually don’t get a mention and it’s also a chance to understand where some of the modern greats have snaffled some of their ideas from too!

It’s A Wonderful Life: so good you can watch it twice. Well, if you want to – as it's also showing at the wonderful Woolton Picture House too. Completing their festive line-up is the 1954 jukebox musical, White Christmas. Directed by Michael Curtiz, with songs written by Irving Berlin, again, it’s a chance to catch a classic film. A classic which helped consolidate the stellar careers of Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. Woolton Picture House will provide that special Christmas vibe – so pick up tickets for it in advance, from their box office on Mason Street. It will leave you more time to start wrapping everyone's presents...

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The essential list

COMEDY

Edited by John Goddard www.liverpool.com/comedy

MISSING TOES AND WHINES

Ivan Brackenbury, Laughter Lounge, Liverpool Olympia, 26-27 December. Tel: 0151 263 6633

“I am The Ghost of Christmas Future.” No, I’m not. Not really. It’s just me, larking about. I am dressed as a ghost though. It’s actually October as I write this, so really it’s Halloween. Spooky that, aint it? Or… Is it? (Mwah-ha-ha-ha!) No. It isn’t spooky. It’s just post-modern. I’m a rubbish ghost, aren’t I? I’ll stick to the Christmas stuff instead… How about we do this in a festive, Dickensian style then? Ahh, Dickens. Now he was a proper journalist… Once upon a Christmas-time, as snow fell crisply on the hospital roof, little Percy Plip, heaved his bulbous head from the pillow, and sat bolt upright upon his cot. He peered into the darkness of the ward. “Who’s there?” he whispered. “Is that you St. Nicholas?” “Shh, Master Plip, you should be sleeping.” It was Sodwharfe, the mouse wrangler. “I’m too excited to sleep, Mr. Sodwharfe. What brings you here so late?” “There’s trouble afoot, Master Plip. Doctor Flapspanks says we have to get rid of the hospital radio DJ, Ivan Brackenbury.” “Who’s Doctor Flapspanks?”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re all made-up characters anyway. Except for Ivan Brackenbury.” “But I thought the comedian Tom Binns had made him up. Ivan Brackenbury’s just his character – the inept hospital DJ.” “That’s right, Master Plip. But Doctor says we have to get rid of him.” “But he’s hilarious! He’s not going to the workhouse this Christmas, is he?” “He’s going to the Liverpool Olympia – a new workhouse for gifted comics. It’s very nice, Master Plip.” Indeed, quality, Dickensian satire abounds with Ivan Brackenbury, the sublimely hapless Jonathan King-alike hospital DJ. Enter the world of 70’sstyle radio jingles and broken stings known as “Disease Hour”, where a patient with a Spiderman toy stuck in his backside receives a dedication of “(Search For The) Hero Inside Yourself” by M People. For another involved in a skiing accident, cue Wet Wet Wet with “I feel it in my ﬁngers / I feel it in my toes.” His (forced to be brought forward) Christmas show stormed Edinburgh this summer and earned Binns an IF nomination. With a BBC Radio series in the works, this is character comedy at its very, very best. Please give generously this Christmas.

Pick of the month Simon Day “What A Fool Believes” Warrington Parr Hall, 4 December The first ever non-character based stand-up from Fast Show legend and inexplicable star of those Powergen ads, Simon Day. Expect nothing short of quality from the creator of Dave Angel, eco-warrior and (my favourite) Tommy Cockles.

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Ken Dodd

Russell Howard

Philharmonic Hall, 29-30 December Another outing for the indestructible vaudevillian, “K. Diddy” continues to hawk his unearthly powers of endurance. The Happiness Tour is something of an eerie period-piece nowadays and one of those things that everyone has to experience before they die (which explains the make-up of most of the audience). Expect DVT and “This is the voice of the Mysterons” to boom across the stage.

Royal Court , 3 December Russell Howard’s grown on me these last 12 months. He was all a bit eager-toplease-puppy-dog and “predictably unpredictable.” But he’s in fine shape at minute, and tickets are selling… (Wait for it)…“quicker than his gags”. Now, put that one in yer press-cuttings and smoke it.

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The essential list

EVENTS

Edited by Carol Tinsley

RED ALERT Santa Dash, 7 December, Liverpool City Centre, Tel: 0151 709 1413 for route map. There can be no mistaking the time of year when the Santa Dash takes to the city centre streets. More than 1000 fun runners will be donning their Santa suits as they make for the starting line near James Street on this 5km route. A 1km Mini Dash is also planned for under-12s – and it’s all in support of CLIC Sargent (Century Radio) and the BBC Radio Merseyside Trust. For a route map, or to ﬁnd out more about taking part, log on to bbc.co.uk/liverpool

NUTS FOR WINTER Evening Event by Torchlight, 10 December, Formby Point Squirrel Reserve, Victoria Road, 5.30pm-7.30pm. Child tickets: from £3, booking essential. Tel: 01704 878 591 Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, your children could well resemble those famously cute Formby squirrels as they join excitedly in the torch lit Search for Santa among the woods and trees. You will need to book, but this event is great value at £3 - and will surely inject some old-fashioned magic back into the lives of the little ones.

SHEPHERDS’ DELIGHT Journey to Bethlehem Nativity Play, 13 December, All Hallows Church / Beechley Riding Stables, Allerton, Tel: 0151 724 6391. www.allhallowsallerton.org.uk With shades of Dibley (but without, we hope, quite such attention to detail over the birth of the baby Jesus), All Hallows Church in Allerton has cornered the market in authentic nativities. Moving from the Church to nearby Beechley Riding Stables, the Christmas story is enacted among the straw bales. Expect unscheduled baying, neighing and the odd farmyard scent to waft round in the crisp cold air – but most of all, expect the emotions to stir and tears of joy to ﬂow as Mary, Joseph and the Three Wise Men join with a host of angels to await the moonlit miracle.

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EVENTS

Page 2

Edited by Carol Tinsley

FAMILY FORTUNES The Holly and the Ivy, 16-20 December, Southport Arts Centre, Lord Street, Southport. Tickets: £16 (adult) £14 (concession), Tel: 01704 540 011 While Cilla, Les and Jennifer camp it up at the Empire - over in Southport, festive theatricals take on a much more edgy air. With the wonderfully craggy Philip Madoc taking the lead, The Holly and the Ivy is one of those slightly dark but absorbing human dramas that make perfect entertainment on a chilly winter’s night. It’s Norfolk, Christmas Eve 1947. In the village vicarage, the elderly reverend (Madoc) and his family gather for the festive holiday. Peace and goodwill radiate from the cheery host. But with the arrival of two aunts and an antagonistic daughter, the jolly veneer of a family gettogether is soon peeled away. Throughout the course of the evening events descend inexorably into a deep psychological abyss - as old secrets and long-held regrets work their way to the surface. The atmosphere will be thick with the kind of family strains we all recognise at the time of year – but with dramatic knobs on. This award-winning play from the Middle Ground Theatre Company, directed by Michael Lunney, has been thrilling audiences for 10 years and this year stars Tom Butcher (The Bill/Doctors), Zoie Kennedy (The Royal) and Corinne Wicks (Doctors) alongside Madoc - who gives a triumphant and profoundly moving characterisation of this harmless old man with a past.

MUSIC TO YOUR EARS

A PENNY FOR THEM?

Frosty the Snowman Returns!, 20 December, Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street, Liverpool. Tel: 0151 709 3789 (early booking recommended).

The Penny Readings, 7 December, St George’s Hall, Liverpool. Tickets: 1p. Tel: 0151 233 3008, www.thereader.co.uk

As the big day nears, Frosty the Snowman Returns! will capture the smallest hearts with a selection box of children’s songs and music led by local school choirs. With the help of song sheets, it’s audience participation all the way. Firm favourites include The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Happy Holidays, When Santa Got Stuck up the Chimney and a whole variety of Disney and TV/film classics. Bring your own sleigh bells, antlers, flashing angel wings and Santa suits. But no straight jackets, please – fidgeting, on this occasion, is allowed. Christmas Concert (LPYO), 9 December, 7.30pm. The Spirit of Christmas (RLPO), 16 December, 7.30pm. Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street, Tel: 0151 709 3789. Never publicised enough, we feel, LPYO Christmas Concert brings the spirit of Christmas to the Philharmonic in a big way. Featuring the Liverpool 64

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Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, a showcase of young Merseyside musicians who tonight join with the best local school choirs, the evening sets the seasonal celebrations off in style. Not just for proud parents – this is high quality stuff and as good as you will hear from any amateur group. Not that we wish to leave the professionals out in the cold. The Spirit of Christmas is the traditional musical offering from the RLPO. Presented by Daily Post Arts Editor Philip Keys, this is a feast of readings, traditional carols, seasonal songs and even more glorious music to get you in the festive mood.

When there’s so much cheap frivolity going on around us... well, here’s some more. But you can quit your tutting. There’ll be no downing of fruity vodka here. No. This is St George’s Hall. And the Penny Readings – at just 1p a ticket – are the cheapest and best entertainment for happy hedonists with a (slightly) more cultural heart. Inspired by the readings given by Charles Dickens in Liverpool in the 1840s, The Penny Readings are a pleasing mix of music, dance, laughter, tears and live readings generally designed to lift the soul. Reintroduced as an annual preChristmas event since 2003, the Readings, with their simple nostalgia, have proved hugely popular, and offer a unique night out for all ages.

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The essential list

LIGHT RELIEF ON THE BUSES Santa Special Weekend, 13,14,20,21 December, 12pm-4pm, North West Museum of Road Transport, Hall Street, St Helens. Tickets: £5, Tel: 01744 451681 If you’re idling away a December weekend in St Helens, watch out for the Santa Bus Ride – a vintage bus transporting children (and the big man in red) around the town on the Santa Special Weekend. The Santa Specials are organised by the NW Museum of Transport, which recently reopened to the public after an extensive refurbishment

programme. The rides last approximately 20 minutes, and the Santa weekend offers tea and coffee to parents, and juice and a mince pie to the children, along with their Museum entry for £5. Situated in the heart of St Helens, the NW Museum of Transport houses a unique collection of historic public road vehicles representing 10% of the national stock of preserved buses and coaches – just one reason why the town has become Santa’s preferred destination while the sleigh goes in for its ﬁnal service...

ON THE HORIZON

Labyrinth of Light, throughout December, St George’s Hall, Liverpool, Tel: (0151) 233 2009. When the Primark posse finally tramples you to the ground and your sanity is left alongside the spuds at Sainsbury’s Local, you might wonder whether it’s all worthwhile. But remember, there is a place of peace and tranquillity not far away... The Labyrinth of Light is an oasis of calm in the awe-inspiring surroundings of St George’s Hall. Step inside and you can feel your heart rate drop to a slow and steady plop, as 800 calming candles shimmer in the darkness while a heart-rending fugue plays out from the world-famous Willis organ. Walk around and drink it all in. And make the most of your time to reflect on the mad, mad world outside. Then when you feel fit to head back into the fray, it will be with a new-found energy and glee...

MISTLETOE AND WINE Christmas Market, Croxteth Hall and Country Park, 7&14 December. Tel: (0151) 233 2165

Winter Walk with a Warden, 27 December, 10am-12.30pm, Formby Point (NT), Victoria Road. Tel: 01704 878591 Like the eye of the storm... those few days between Christmas and New Year give us a moment to gather ourselves and feel normal, at least for a short while. The pressure’s off. The pressies have been opened, broken and replaced. Even the turkey has taken its ﬁnal bow in a tasty curried stew. So what is there to do now? We hate to be pushy, but don’t leave it till then to ponder. Act now before you lose the moment – and book yourself on the best winter walk you’ll ever know.

With dramatic views across the dunes and the wide sandy beaches in your midst, this guided walk along Sefton’s Coastal Path will give you a real sense of being away from it all, just minutes after leaving home. It’s the perfect antidote to drunken uncles, unwanted visitors and general holiday blues. Your legs will thank you for it. Your lungs will be ecstatic. And your brain will ease gently back into gear as you head out into the refreshing Formby air...

Remember all your Christmases past, when Croxteth Hall hosts its annual festive markets. The historic hall will be decked with boughs of holly and ﬁlled to the brim with the sights, sounds and scents of this special time of year. From spiced biscuits to Gluhwein, fairy lights and traditional toys, Christmas Markets have brought a taste of continental Europe to our homes, making their mark over the years as an essential shopping experience. Enjoy a family day out or search for that perfect gift for your best friends. The Croxteth Christmas Market is open every Sunday until the 14th – selling everything from decorations to ﬁne food and wine.

LIVERPOOL.com

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The essential list

CILLARELLA

THEATRE

Edited by Liz Lacey www.liverpool.com/theatre

Cinderella, Thursday 11 December – Sunday 4 January, Liverpool Empire, Lime Street. Tel: 0844 847 2525 Cinderella is everyone’s favourite pantomime. Every year the sumptuous Liverpool Empire theatre pulls off a triumph to wow the panto-lovers over the Christmas season. This year, as Liverpool draws towards the close of European Capital of Culture 2008, they have excelled themselves, as Cinderella arrives with a cast that features Jennifer Ellison as Cinders , Ted Robbins as Baron Hardup, Pete Price and Roy Brandon as Ugly Sisters and Les Dennis giving us his Buttons. The hunt for a Prince ended when local actor Stephen Fletcher (recently seen as Joey in Eric’s - the Musical) was chosen to fill the tights of Prince Charming. It will be the most lavish pantomime the city has ever seen. But the casting coup of this year’s extravaganza has to be the triumphant return of Cilla Black to her home town, as the Fairy Godmother. We had the pleasure of talking to her about her role and although the famous legs, that were recently displayed in fishnets during London Fashion Week will be under wraps in her fairy frock, it is, as she says: “A small, but showy, part”. Liverpool.com asked her how she felt about performing on stage in Liverpool again, after a considerable time as a TV star: “Well,” she said, “I am really, really looking forward to it... I ‘m still in love with Liverpool and I’ve still got family and friends here. I was first on at the Empire many years ago in a concert and I’ve never forgotten how it felt to be stepping out onto that huge stage” As a little girl growing up in Liverpool’s Scotland Road, Cilla didn’t get to the big pantomimes, tickets being outside the budget of her family. But she was always drawn to the theatre and to show business. We ask her how those famous Scouse pipes of hers are doing: “Oh I’ve been working with a brilliant voice coach,” she says. “I’ve not been singing in the bath - but I have been singing in the pool outside at my home . I asked my son if he could hear me in the house and he said ‘they can hear you all over Buckinghamshire, mim’.” She was last in pantomime at the Empire in 1986, when she was heckled by a cheeky child. When asking the audience how she should kill the villain, the kid yelled “Sing to him, Cilla”. As said child will now be at least thirty, I wondered if there might be a rematch “No-one would dare heckle the Fairy Godmother,“ she says. “And I’ve got my wand this time - I could turn him into something horrible...” Every ticket is expected to be fought over, so lose no time in booking for this glittering, high budget, high camp Cinderella - it promises to be unforgettable.

TACKY TITTERS

Terry Titter’s Yuletide Log, Unity Theatre, Liverpool. Tel: (0151) 709 4988 For lovers of the dingy and unsubtle end of light entertainment, the irrepressible Scouse protégé of the revered Count Arthur Strong is back. Terry Titter returns from their successful joint performance at the Edinburgh Festival to bring Yuletide cheer to the Unity Theatre once more, with a solo show. Last year’s Christmas outrage was enormously popular and Terry’s unique mixture of bawdiness, bizarre behaviour and fast-flowing gags will make this show an ideal antidote to good taste. As satisfactorily tacky as a Poundland Dancing Santa, no entendre will be left undoubled. Adults may wish to think of this as their escape from family values. Or a one-man low-budget pantomime, it’s up to you...

FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS Boeing Boeing, 11 December - 17 January, Liverpool Playhouse, Williamson Square. Tel: (0151) 708 3700

A streamlined new version of a 1960’s model, the shamelessly farcical Boeing Boeing touches down at the Playhouse on the 11th December. Bernard, a successful architect and overamorous idiot living in Paris, is optimistically convinced that he can permanently timetable a love life that makes JLA at half-term look sparsely populated. He has three glamorous airhostess fiancées in a holding pattern, with timetabling carried out by a reluctant housekeeper in the role of romantic air-traffic

controller. When old school friend Robert arrives to stay, Bernard can't resist showing off his smooth operation to his visitor. However, as we budget-airliner travellers know only too well, schedules can be subject to delay and cancellation. When the fiancées are also respectively American, Italian and German, geographical complications ensue, flights are delayed, timetables changed and a new, much faster Boeing aircraft is introduced; it is not long before Bernard is in the centre of a storm. A huge hit in the West End, Boeing Boeing was brought to the big screen with Tony Curtis and Jerry Lewis in 1965. Now, this cheeky comedy has its regional première in Liverpool, before flying off on tour around the UK.

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CILLARELLA

THEATRE

Edited by Liz Lacey www.liverpool.com/theatre

Cinderella, 11 December – 4 January, Liverpool Empire, Lime Street. Tel: 0844 847 2525 Cinderella is everyone’s favourite pantomime. Every year the sumptuous Liverpool Empire theatre pulls off a triumph to wow the panto-lovers over the Christmas season. This year, as Liverpool draws towards the close of European Capital of Culture 2008, they have excelled themselves, as Cinderella arrives with a cast that features Jennifer Ellison as Cinders , Ted Robbins as Baron Hardup, Pete Price and Roy Brandon as Ugly Sisters and Les Dennis giving us his Buttons. The hunt for a Prince ended when local actor Stephen Fletcher (recently seen as Joey in Eric’s - the Musical) was chosen to fill the tights of Prince Charming. It will be the most lavish pantomime the city has ever seen. But the casting coup of this year’s extravaganza has to be the triumphant return of Cilla Black to her home town, as the Fairy Godmother. We had the pleasure of talking to her about her role and although the famous legs, that were recently displayed in fishnets during London Fashion Week will be under wraps in her fairy frock, it is, as she says: “A small, but showy, part”. Liverpool.com asked her how she felt about performing on stage in Liverpool again, after a considerable time as a TV star: “Well,” she said, “I am really, really looking forward to it. I’m still in love with Liverpool and I’ve still got family and friends here. I was first on at the Empire many years ago in a concert and I’ve never forgotten how it felt to be stepping out onto that huge stage.” As a little girl growing up in Liverpool’s Scotland Road, Cilla didn’t get to the big pantomimes, tickets being outside the budget of her family, but she was always drawn to the theatre and to show business. We ask her how those famous Scouse pipes of hers are doing: “Oh I’ve been working with a brilliant voice coach,” she says. “I’ve not been singing in the bath - but I have been singing in the pool outside at my home. I’ve asked my son if he could hear me in the house and he said, ‘they can hear you all over Buckinghamshire, mim’.” She was last in pantomime at the Empire in 1986, when she was heckled by a cheeky child. When asking the audience how she should kill the villain, the kid yelled “Sing to him, Cilla”. As said child will now be at least thirty, I wondered if there might be a rematch “No-one would dare heckle the Fairy Godmother,“ she says. “And I’ve got my wand this time - I could turn him into something horrible...” Every ticket is expected to be fought over, so lose no time in booking for this glittering, high budget, high camp Cinderella - it promises to be unforgettable.

TACKY TITTERS

Terry Titter’s Yuletide Log, 11 - 20 December, Unity Theatre, Hope Place. Tel: 0151 709 4988 For lovers of the dingy and unsubtle end of light entertainment, the irrepressible Scouse protégé of the revered Count Arthur Strong is back. Terry Titter returns from their successful joint performance at the Edinburgh Festival to bring Yuletide cheer to the Unity Theatre once more, with a solo show. Last year’s Christmas outrage was enormously popular and Terry’s unique mixture of bawdiness, bizarre behaviour and fast-flowing gags will make this show an ideal antidote to good taste. As satisfactorily tacky as a Poundland Dancing Santa, no entendre will be left undoubled. Adults may wish to think of this as their escape from family values. Or a one-man low-budget pantomime, it’s up to you...

FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS Boeing Boeing, 11 December - 17 January, Liverpool Playhouse, Williamson Square. Tel: 0151 708 3700

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MOVING ON

ART

David Goldblatt: Intersections Intersected. December 2008 Open Eye, 28-32 Wood Street. Tel: O151 709 9460 Anyone interested in photography showing how South Africa has developed over the past 40 years should visit this exhibition by celebrated South African photographer David Goldblatt - his ﬁrst solo UK exhibition since 2003. Goldblatt's work explores the intersections between people, values and land in post-apartheid South Africa. Photographs from both periods are carefully combined. David Goldblatt has photographed South Africa since the early 1970s, observing the social, cultural and economic divides that characterise the country. His work is about the landscape, the legacy of the colonial era and the apartheid years of its recent past.

LAND OF THE RISING SUN European Eyes on Japan / Japan Today vol.10. Until 9 January, 2009. Novas CUC, Greenland St. Tel: 0151 708 3510 This interesting and important Euro-Japan collaboration comes to Liverpool for the ﬁrst time. Now in its 10th year, the European Eyes on Japan/Japan Today photography project brings photographers from the various countries of Europe to Japan to rediscover

in their work aspects of contemporary environment that we have take for granted and overlook. Earlier this year four photographers, including Liverpool-based John Davies, spent some time photographing landscapes and people in different parts of Japan. The resulting exhibition and book features the industrial area below Mt Fuji, the people of a small village in Ibaraki and a small island and bomb-affected area of Nagasaki.

LIVERPOOL ART TODAY Next Up: Liverpool Art Now. 12 December 2008 – 15 February 2009. The Bluecoat, School Lane. Tel: 0151 709 5297

One thing that’s been especially evident this year is that the city’s artistic community is incredibly vibrant and to celebrate this the Bluecoat shows off the depth of creative talent to be found locally in Next Up – Liverpool Art Now, a group exhibition showcasing artists currently living and working in Liverpool. Featuring painting, drawing, video, photography, sculpture, installation and animation, Next Up presents a diverse range

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of works by artists with established national and international careers, alongside emerging artists who are developing their professional practice. Significantly, Next Up does not propose to be an exhaustive survey of the local art scene, nor is it dictated by prize money or a curatorial theme. Rather the exhibition simply presents a timely selection of artists’ work that is engaging and accomplished. The very impressive list of over 30 artists includes Paul Bratt, Pete Clarke, Alan Dunn, Nina Edge, Leo Fitzmaurice, David Jacques, Brendan Lyons, Geoff Molyneux, The Singh Twins and Imogen Stidworthy.

Edited by artinliverpool.com’s Ian Jackson, www.liverpool.com/art

PEOPLE’S PROJECT The Fifth Floor: Ideas Taking Space. 16 December 2008 – 1 February 2009, Tate Liverpool. Tel: 0151 702 7400. Admission free This has a bit of an end-of-year free-for-all. In fact, unusually for the Tate’s special exhibitions, it is free entry. There is no Fifth Floor of course, it’s on the Fourth Floor but with a ‘Fifth Element’ There’s a lot of consultation and interaction before and during the show - which includes major new works and commissions by more than fifteen internationally-renowned artists that respond to ideas and themes that have evolved out of discussions with individuals and groups based in Liverpool Tate Liverpool posed the question “what kind of exhibition would you like to experience?” to the people of the city. A key finding was the idea of an exhibition created through the presence of people. The Galleries will be transformed into spaces for encounter and collaboration, for exchanges of views, shared decisions and responsibilities and further animated through an evolving programme of events and performances featuring visual artists, musicians, performers and groups from across the city, as well as various forms of community activity.

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Advertising Feature

IT’S A

GUY THING

Want to look tip-top this Christmas? All it takes is a little Voudoo, as Mike Pinnington discovers FOR SOME TIME now in our fair city, if you’re a guy, there’s really been one option if you’re looking for a cut above in terms of a hair-do. Your thoughts will more than likely turn to Voodou, the city’s hip hairdresser of choice. So where better to turn if you, or the man in your life, is in need of something of a winter makeover? We took ourselves off to Voodou for him, slightly concerned with our decidedly un-hip (and unchanged since the late 90’s) get up, for a chat with marketing manager Tom Johnson and the assistant manager of the branch, Amanda Irving. Luckily, there’s more to a visit than a wedge hair do, with Amanda explaining that Voodou caters not only to the skinny

jeaned Alex Turner wannabe you may expect to frequent the place, but “anyone and everyone” whether they be looking for the ‘latest trend’ (with Amanda citing an updated version of Modfather Paul Weller’s do as the cool cut du jour) and the products to go with it, or a simple old-skool short back and sides. So, other than getting your haircut, what can you expect from a visit to Voodou? Amidst the wide range of grooming products, what really caught our attention was the plethora of professional shaving gear. Generally finding the process of shaving a chore (littered with nicks, gouges and Kleenex to soak up the blood) it was epiphany-like to hear that not only does the Bold Street store sell some lovely shaving

American Crew Shower kit, £25

getaway in the morning, with body wash, body lotion and one of the best hair fibres around. The thing we like about this is that it has a very subtle, refreshing smell that stays with you all day.

The set comprises some luxurious body wash, conditioner and shampoo which in itself is great, but what we liked best of all here at Liverpool .com was the lovely and stylish travel bag that comes with it. Designed to hold more than just the items in the set, this one’s a winner.

Traditional English Shave followed by a Nickel face mask, £40 We know, we know, that is quite pricey for a shave, but when you consider that you’re treated to an expert barber giving you the shave of your life with the added extra of the cleansing and exfoliating face mask, we think this is a special treat and well worth it.

American Crew Classic Man Gift Set, £24.99 This has all you’ll need for a quick (and cool)

stuff, they (as well as the specialist shaving branch on Button Street) also offer a range of luxurious shaving experiences, from an express shave through to around an hour of pampering with a traditional shave followed by a face mask. We bid our farewell and left feeling very educated and informed. The good news for you is, kind people that we are, we won’t keep things to ourselves. Below, you will find yourself a five-step guide to looking the business not only this Yuletide, but well into the New Year.

American Crew Tea Tree Set, £18 If, like us, you just can’t seem to summon the energy to get out of the shower in the morning, here could be your answer. You get shampoo, conditioner and defining paste for your money with the bonus of reviving tea tree doing the waking up for you.

Voodou Shaving Sets Razors, from £35, sets from £45 These beautifully crafted pieces of kit, designed by the master of traditional shaving, Edwin Jagger, make your shave more of an art than a battle.

Voodou Shaving Cream, from £6 You’ll need some professional shaving cream to go with that close shave. Voodou provide their own at affordable prices which comes recommended to us by Voodou’s own Tom Johnson: “It’s not foam, you don’t need to use much and it’s really nice on your skin.” That’s good enough for us, Tom! Voudoo For Him, Bold Street, Liverpool Tel: 844 445 7889

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NIGHTLIFE

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Edited by Katie Smith www.liverpool.com/clubbing

GET CARTER! DJ and publican Jon Carter talks to Katie Smith ahead of his Boxing Day date at Cream.

“This is a really important project for me, I want to get my music out there,” Says DJ and producer Jon Carter. He’s talking to Liverpool.com about his latest project, an album entitled Gentleman’s Agreement and in particular the track The Rabbit, which he’s obviously rather fond of. Before interviewing Jon Carter it became apparent that the people we spoke to about him, knew him best for two speciﬁc things. One was that, to put it mildly, he’s been known to be a bit of a party animal in his day. The second thing, surprisingly, was when a Known for blazing the trail of independent bars in Manchester, Leeds and, er, Barbados, we were more than happy to hear the award winning bar Mojo was coming to Liverpool. Renowned for being as popular with the musicians from the bands it plays on heavy rotation, as it is with the music lovers it caters for, Mojo will certainly feel at home in our music loving city. The motto at Mojo is ‘music for the people’ and the bar intends to keep it busy, playing everything from The Beatles to The Clash to The Libertines.

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hardened hater of ‘dance music’ began singing Women Beat Their Men (the Junior Cartier alter ego commercial offering), at the very mention of Carter. Which signiﬁed the obvious appeal of what Carter does and the wide audience he is capable of reaching. Aside from the inevitable Sara Cox comments - which we discounted immediately on the basis that we’re just not very interested - what Carter is primarily known for his abilities on the decks and his enthusiasm for a good party. Which sounds like the perfect combination to us...

BAR LIFE

MOJO

Mojo is a welcome edition to the city’s ever improving nightlife scene and is open till late throughout the week. There’s a real a buzz around Mojo coming to the city and for once it seems more than capable of living up to the hype. The Stables, Back Berry Street, Liverpool, Tel: (0151) 707 0828

For those who have witnessed Carter play live, they will have inevitably experienced his fondness for eclectic sets and slipping in a surprising tune selection when we least expect it. Just when you think you have Carter all ﬁgured out, he’ll go and sample Creedance Clearwater Revival. Carter is well travelled as a DJ and his gigs have taken him as far from his native Essex as you could imagine. Having recently played Dubai, New York and the compulsory summer shows in Ibiza, Carter is now gearing up for the

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The essential list Boxing Night show at Cream. “I love doing the boxing night gig,” he says. “It’s become a part of my Christmas, so I’m used to doing it by now.” “The Annex is still one of my most favourite places to play. Each time the crowd is different which is really unusual, I find there is a real mixture of people in there and it’s really open minded.” As the once resident of the now defunct Bugged Out, Carter has played his fair share of gigs in Liverpool and speaking to him it’s obvious he has a real affection for the place and most notably dance music’s spiritual home, Cream. “I’ve had some really memorable nights in Liverpool, but one of the best ones was playing there the night George Harrison died.” remembers Carter. “I was travelling up to Liverpool when I heard the news,” he says. “As soon as I arrived I found a second hand record shop and banged on the door till they opened up. In fact, I woke the owner up. He hadn’t heard what had happened so while he was bumping all the prices of George Harrison records up, I got a copy of All Things Must Pass.” It’s testament to Carter’s ability to be able to pull off playing a Harrison tune at the end of his set, but the tribute played off. “I played that song as the last track of the night and it completely went off, I looked into the crowd and everyone was singing along and all the bouncers were lined up with their hands in the air. It was a real moment.” Aside from his hectic DJing commitments Carter has established himself as an accomplished remixer and producer. Never one to stay still for long, he has managed to fit in a residences at a number of seminal UK clubs including the Heavenly Social and the Boutique in Brighton, release an album and perform live as Monkey Mafia, create remixes for film soundtracks, star in the original line up for Love Parade and collaborate with

guerrilla artist and friend, Banksy, during his illustrious career. Showing no signs of slowing down, Carter has been busy in the studio of late. “I’m working on stuff which will be out next year,” he says. “It’s a fantastic project where I’m getting the chance to work with the reggae legends who I was initially influenced by.” “In particular I’m working with Horace Andy and we’re working on the track Hypocrite. It’s incredible to be working in the studio and hearing these tracks, somehow they manage to sound fresher and younger now than they did years back.” Alongside reggae, still a notable influence on Carter’s work, we wondered what else he is listening to and playing at the moment ? “I’m listening to a lot of Dub Step right now, but I also really like Sigur Ros and the White Stripes... Jack White is a genius. I’ll listen to that for both work and pleasure.” Frankly, we’re surprised he finds the time. Not content with a busy social and work calendar DJing, remixing and producing - he’s recently decided to buy a pub. “It’s true,” he says. “It’s me and four other partners and the pub is called the Lock Tavern... it’s very music based.” The Lock Tavern and its sister venue The Amersham Arms have been responsible for Rob da Bank’s famed Sunday Best and spawned the rise of the Filthy Dukes and Simian Mobile Disco. So it keeps you out of trouble then ? “Too bloody right it does,” he says with a laugh. Luckily for us and pub commitments aside, Carter has the Cream Boxing Night special firmly ingrained on his work schedule and is “really looking forward to it”. Not as much as we are.

“I love doing the Boxing Day gig, it’s part of my Christmas”

Jon Carter, Cream Boxing Night Special, 26 December, Nation, Wolstenholme Square, Tel: (0151) 709 1693

Bruce Carter

CHOON!

(The Whip) Fake Blood - Mars Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy Hey Girl (Soulwax remix) MGMT- Kids Ladyhawke - Paris Is Burning

Each month we ask a selection of our favourite Harper’s Bizzare Witchi Tai To DJ’s if we can sneak a peek in their record bags to find out what they’re currently listening to and playing out, here’s what they said....

Kissy Sell Out

Wandy (Chibuku)

David E Sugar Although You May Laugh

Silver City Pendulo (Pete Herbert Edit)

Herve & Kissy Sell Out - Rikkalicious (12” Version)

Johnny D - Soleil (Delete Vocal Mix)

Esser - Headlock

Yuksek - Deladeu 2

Mystery Jets - Half In Love With Elizabeth (Foamo Remix)

In Flagranti Bipolar

Howard Jones Life In One Day

Gorilla - Idiotproof

CLUB PICKS

Donuts Christmas Party Making Thursday’s good again, Donuts have been bringing their unique combination of Funk, Hip-Hop, Soul, Dancehall, Reggae to The Magnet for a while now. To celebrate Christmas they have decided to welcome back three of their favourite former guests and consequently come up with a great bill for their December outing. The Christmas party line up sees the welcome return of former DMC champion and serious contender to the UK Hip Hop DJ and producer throne, DJ IQ. Joining him will be stable mates Asaviour and Skrein who are destined for great things. Also appearing will be Kwinzola from No Fakin and Friends And Family. Anyone who as caught Kwinzola over the years knows the party is guaranteed to go off with a bang. A perfect way to round off an impressive year for Donuts, their Hip Hop masterclass has been a firm favourite of ours this year, long may it continue. 11th December, The Magnet, Hardman Street, 0151 709 6969, £4 /£3 NUS

Chibuku Chibuku, it’s like the gift that keeps on giving... We can never get bored of their parties when the line up’s are so consistently mouthwatering. Any responsible thoughts we had about saving our energies till the end of the month were soon forgotten when we saw Yoda was playing. The super busy cut-and-paster will inevitably wet our whistles as the festive party season begins, expect theme tunes neatly sandwiched between a healthy serving of hip hop beats. Joining him will be those cheeky Beat Monkey’s proving that four decks, plus two mixers equals some serious breaks, funk and electro sounds. Combine this with The Plump DJ’s, Jeru The Damaja, and Evil 9 playing live and you know you’re in for some serious action. If all of this wasn’t enough the irrepressible Superfly DJ’s and No Fakin DJ’s will also be on hand to rally the troops. With Chibuku playing such an impressive hand this early on in the month, it looks like Christmas just came early. 6th December, The Masque, Seel Street, 0151 706 80451, £13/ £11,10pm - 3am

Bumper Rock Their slogan ‘it may be bad for your teeth but it’s great for your feet’ sums up this weekly night perfectly. DJ Steferson will be playing nu rave and electro party tunes, making Bumper Rock the prefect pre cursor to the weekend making Thursdays the new Fridays, or something. Either way what we strongly approve of is the consistency with Bumper and it’s uncanny ability to make week nights just as good as anything else at the weekend. The night also features a showcase of UK talent in the shape of a new band performing each week. Thursday’s, Bumper, Hardman Street, 0151 707 9902, free entry

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Edited by Katie Smith www.liverpool.com/clubbing

THE OUT SIDE

by David Brookes

Boxing Clever Christmas Day’s over. Time to start celebrating, then, says Katie Smith. There are a number of big events happening in Liverpool for Boxing Night, here’s our pick of the best...

Cream It wouldn’t be Christmas without the annual sound clash at Cream, and this year looks to be as strong as ever. Their mighty Boxing night bash line up is looking busy and the event is expected to sell out as ever. We’ve already heard how Jon Carter is looking forward to playing this Christmas (see interview previous page) also conﬁrmed are Armin Van Buuren, John Digweed and Danny Howells - both playing three hour sets. Playing alongside them are Nick Warren, Laidback Luke, Justin Robertson, John Kelly, John O’Callaghan, Gareth Wyn, Anthony Probyn, Lee Ellis and Rob H. Nation, Wolstenholme Square, 0151 707 1309, 10pm-6am, tickets £28 in advance

Dubzone Liverpool.com favourites Senator Sound System will be hosting Dubzone on Boxing Night in Django’s Riff. The night will feature their resident Selecta’s, DJ’s, and singers. Featuring the winning formula of Senator B, Robbie Culture, Daddy Mountain, Rico T, The Godfather, Dubsy and Selecta B. The Boxing night party will be a ﬁtting climax for what has been a great year for Liverpool’s best Dub, Roots and Reggae pioneers. Dubzone have consistently hosted inspired events at Django’s whilst continuing on their mission to restoke the ﬁres of our own dub scene. This attitude free event promises to be like no other, expect special guests at this sublime event. Django’s Riff, Wood Street, 0151 708 8896, £1 bar charge on the door

Circus The Circus Boxing Day Party is becoming as much of a part as Christmas a the Queen’s speech. Only this looks set to be a hell of a lot better. The atmosphere is what makes Circus on the most habitually popular nights in Liverpool. Quality tunes and good times are the template they’ve stuck to over the years, and it’s a winning formula that’s seen Circus fight for space as one of the main contenders on Liverpool’s clubbing scene. The Boxing day line up boats Circus founder and DJ Yousef, plus a five hour set from one of the original Latin American electronic music scene pioneers Luciano. Also on the bill are Switch, Shlomi Aber, Lewis Boardman, Alex Wolfenden and Scott Lewis. The Barfly, Seel Street, 0151 706 8045, 10pm – 3am, tickets £14 NUS / £16 others

mUmU Having celebrated a very successful year, mUmU are choosing to round it off in style with a Boxing day party till the wee hours at Magnet. Working as a collective which was ﬁve years in the making, but well worth the wait mUmU exploded onto the scene early this year and haven’t looked back since. Their nights have grown increasingly popular showcasing live electronic, deep house and techno sounds, overseen by residents Lee Rands HRSN and Gemmah. The Boxing night line up will see Gregor Tresher, Reboot - Live and Geddes. The ﬁsh tank room will see Mono_Cult join the party. Magnet, Hardman Street, 0151 709 6969, 10pm-5am, £10

WIN! We have two pairs of tickets to give away for Circus and Garlands Boxing night parties. Visit: www.liverpool.com/competitions

“I don’t want a lot for Christmas, I don’t even wish for snow”, yes it’s the most wonderful time of the year, the red cups are back at Starbucks & the X Factor single will be the Christmas number one again - so enough of what you already know lets get down to business December in Gay world. 26th November (7.30pm -11.55pm) at an exclusive location AKA Anderson’s bar on Exchange Street East. Sees the launch of Varda Varda, branding itself as “Its about time! It’s Gay, Its flirty, its over 30”. This is a new exclusive night for the over 30’s LGBT crowd (yes they do exist I’m getting closer I’m 25 in Dec). It promises to be am evening of opulence, glamour and sophistication. For more details contact the team at vardavarda@vardavarda.com or check them out on Facebook. This month make sure you’re at Destination as they keep to their promise of bringing regular Live Pa’s to Liverpool’s Gay Scene. On Friday 28th November for Avenue. Avenue is a sexy boy band you might remember from X Factor 2006, they’ve recently released a single which is actually very good you can hear a preview at www.weareavenue.com. Also get down to Destination on 13th December for S Club vs. Five. Details to S Club vs. Five are vague so I hope it’s the real S Club & Five to stay updated log on to www.clubdestination.co.uk Office Christmas party night, Friday 19th December: massive Christmas parties getting thrown at both G Bar and Garlands (£5 for G Bar, £8/10 for Garlands both open till 6am) Also G Bar and Garlands have Birthday celebrations this month, G Bar’s 12th Annual Belated Birthday Ball with surprise special guest Friday 5th and 6th December & Garlands is 15 on Saturday 29th November with 3 Live P.A’s. Also at G Bar Boxing Night with Whitney Wide-on / John Cotton £10 entry biggest clubbing night of the year till 8am. Don’t forget Lavina’s New Year Party at G Bar 31st December Entry £10 (10pm - 8am) If you’ve not been yet then get to Bar Euro on Whitechapel for Tranny Tuesdays every Tuesday (9pm – 2am) this night has a strict gay door policy. Every Sunday at Tutti Fruitti (The Sunday Club 10pm - 2am) Free entry all night and they say they have the best-priced drinks any where in the city, surely that’s worth a look. Ever wondered how much you can drink in 4 hours then for only £10 get to Chicago’s every Thursday and see whether your a light weight, or can drink your weight in alcohol. So as 2008 ends all you Sauna fans 2009 will see the launch of Splash Sauna in Liverpool City Centre check out www.splashsauna.com for details. I hope you’ve had a great 2008, there’s definitely been a buzz on the scene this year and I hope this continues in 2009. I wish you all a Merry Christmas & Very Happy New Year. David xXx david.brookes@liverpool.com

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The essential list

LITERATURE

BOOK STORE EVENTS Penny Readings 7 December “The beautiful room was crammed to excess last night, and numbers were turned away. Its beauty and completeness when it is lighted up are most brilliant to behold; and for a Reading it is simply perfect.” A wonderful testimonial, particularly since it’s from Charles Dickens, talking about the stage in St George’s Hall on which this year’s Penny Readings will take place. Organised by The Reader and inspired by Dickens’ public readings which cost a penny to attend, this is the fifth year of guests reading aloud from their favourite books, and with the price still at a penny, even maxing out your credit card on Christmas presents won’t prevent you from attending. Ending each year with a reading from A Christmas Carol, the Penny Readings is guaranteed to get even the greatest Humbug in the festive mood from 6pm. (See Events section for further details). Penny Readings, St George’s Hall. Tel: 0151 225 6909

World Aids Day 1 December Cate Jacobs, a HIV positive woman from Merseyside and Positive Nation columnist, is having her first collection of poetry published by Merseyside-based Headland. Cate is a member of Sahir House, which supports people and families living with or affected by HIV on Merseyside and her book explores her journey from diagnosis through bereavement, becoming a grandmother and new love. For more info on Sahir House or to order a World Aids Pack, Tel: 0151 708 9080, email info@sahir.uk.com or

Edited by Nicola Mostyn

BOOKS OF DELIGHT

Stuck for gift ideas? Liverpool University Press solve your pressing pressie problems, with titles to suit every awkward family member. Except, perhaps, that eccentric auntie… celebrating an artistic career which is inextricably intertwined with a love of Liverpool. Best for: your muso Brother-in-Law Mr Roscoe’s Garden, Jyll Bradley (£24.95. Liverpool.com price, £18) The Liverpool Botanical Collection, founded by William Roscoe in 1803, holds the greatest orchid collection ever amassed in municipal Britain. As the gardens open to the public once again, Bradley has used images and illustrations to explore their 200 year history. Best for: your Mum

Cover Versions: The Album Art of Steve Hardstaff (£19.95. Liverpool.com price, £14.95) Spanning three decades, this book collects a career’s worth of images from Hardstaff’s work, from his awardwinning Half Man Half Biscuit sleeve to posters for The Magical Mystery Tour, and also includes work with Led Zeppelin, The Mighty WAH!, Icicle Works and Fleetwood Mac. However, not all of the images were easy to locate: “I had to track some of them down by word of mouth,” says Hardstaff, “Somebody actually bought a Led Zeppelin poster from ebay, which was very kind of them. Mind you, they sold it on at a proﬁt.” If every picture tells a story, Hardstaff particularly recalls those involving Led Zeppelin manager and exwrestler Peter Grant. “We were doing some more work for Led Zep so we had to go and see them live. I was sitting next to Grant, who you wouldn’t mess with, and he turned round to me and said, “So what do you think of the lads, Steve?” Normally in that situation I’d lie but on the spur of the moment I told the truth. I said, the music isn’t really my cup of tea. And he said something like, nor mine either. When he asked what I was into I said rock and roll and he said, Yeah, Gene Vincent is the greatest. If pushed, Hardstaff cites the Half Man Half Biscuit sleeve Four Lads Who Shook The Wirral as one he likes a lot, but says he doesn’t really have favourites. Not to worry - there are plenty for the reader to deliberate over in this striking book

Liverpool 800: Culture, Character and History, John Belchem (£14.95/Hback £35. Liverpool.com price, £10.95/£25 The biography of a city is a racier read than any celebrity tome. Plus, a city can’t publish its memoirs when it’s only 23. In fact this book covers eight – count them – eight centuries of Liverpool life, taking in economics, war, boom, decline and the city’s recent renaissance. Beat that, Kerry Katona. Best for: your Grandparents. Pop Cultured: The Music Photography of Mark McNulty (£25. Liverpool.com price, £18) A documentation of the Liverpool music scene through 300 images, ﬂick from the acid scene of the early nineties to Liverpool’s latest musical offerings, taking in The Farm to Ladytron; a witty pictorial account of an ever changing music scene with an enduring spirit. Best for: your girlfriend/boyfriend. Cains: The Story of Liverpool in a Pint, Christopher Routledge (£14.95. Liverpool.com price, £10.95) Okay, we do have one for your alcoholic auntie. Founded in Liverpool in 1850, Cains’ story reﬂects the city’s own highs and lows, with the family going from the slums to a seat in the House of Lords in two generations. As Cains’ future remains uncertain and the new owners pledge to rise to their recent challenges, this forms an essential record of a Liverpool institution. Plus it’s easier to wrap than a pint. Best for: your Dad. Liverpool.com and Liverpool University Press have got together to offer a seasonal 25% discount to Liverpool.com readers. To order Tel: 0151 794 2233 or 0151 795 2149. Email: lup@liv.ac.uk and quote ‘Liverpool.com Christmas Book Offer’. Please add £2.50 p&p. This offer is subject to availability and valid until 12 December 2008. www.liverpool-unipress.co.uk

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GRAND DESIGNS Bologna, beautifully preserved yet bursting with 21st century vigour, northern Italy's seat of gastronomy and learning feeds body and mind, says Joel Jelen

ADMITTEDLY, Bologna is not a city that would be the ﬁrst destination on people’s list in visiting Italy. Whilst less obvious than Florence, Milan, Rome and Venice, Bologna in my book beats them all. Why? Well, it’s a charming puzzle, a university city where a merchant economy has thrived since medieval times. It is both an architectural and gastronomic gem untainted by tourism and, for a weekend of sheer self-indulgence and good living, it is unrivalled. The city’s centrepiece is characterised by her historic heart; Renaissance and medieval palaces, towers and churches in russet, rose and terracotta brick linked by mile after mile of porticoes. Hidden away under these arcades are some of the ﬁnest restaurants in Italy. The city’s location amid the fertile plains of the Po valley has ensured her chefs have never lacked for ingredients of the rich, creamy, cheesy and meaty variety. Despite its traditions, Bologna has been enjoying a quiet urban revolution since it was 76

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dubbed European Capital of Culture in 2000. Museums have been restored, cocktail bars, galleries, cool new shops, new-wave restaurants and contemporary hotels have opened. I popped my head into Hotel Commercianti, a 13th century palace tucked under the west wing of the Basilica di San Petronio on the city’s main square, Piazza Maggiore. Magnificent. However, wandering down Via Indipendenza, I found Bologna’s last word on luxury lodging, the Grand Hotel Baglioni. Marbled floors, columns and frescoed ceilings painted by the Caracci brothers, Bologna’s most respected Renaissance artists. If it’s good enough for George Michael and the late Princess Diana… Come morning, breakfast was a favourite at one of the cafe terraces looking onto the Piazza Maggiore followed by lunch and dinner in Bologna’s gourmet heart, the Quadrilateri. This ‘grid’ of cobbled streets is home to enticing delicatessens, a covered food market, fishmongers, butchers, bakeries and chocolate shops. Not to mention a wealth of bars, cafes and osterie. My preferred lunchtime pit stop was

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Travel MAGNETIC ATTRACTION

COOL CUSTOMERS Want a piste of the action? Then get your skates on and hot-foot it to Trafford's Chill Factore with Vanessa Greatorex Winter wonderland or damp squib?

EATING OUT

SHOPPING

By day, the Pescherie Vecchie, the city's market area, and the Via Drapperie are great for food on-the-go. By night, head to the streets which fan out from the Piazza Maggiore, where wine-bars and restaurants offer authentic, good value meals.

Traditional crafts at Galleria Marescalchi, Via Mascarella. Chocolates at Majani, Via Carbonesi. Elegant jewellery at F Veronesi & Figli, Piazza Maggiore. Unusual presents such as sweets and liqueurs from Carusi, Via Giacomo.

TOUTRIST INFORMATION Ufficio Informazioni e Accoglienza Turistica, Piazza Maggiore. Tel: 051 246 541

deli/restaurant Tamburini for its tortellini, the city’s culinary speciality. The more eccentric but equally authentic experience is at Paulo Atti, a bakery of distinction selling the finest torti de tortellini I’ve ever tasted. Not only is Bologna a famous source of foodie heaven and take-home treats – don’t miss Enoteca Gilberto on Via Drapperie for wine, chocolates and preserves – but it also runs Milan a close second in the fashion shopping stakes. Label lovers flock to L’Inde Le Palais on Via dei Musei, an emporium full of Galliano, Lanvin and Givenchy. Heading west to Peron & Peron on Piazza San Francesco, you’ll find master cobbler’s hand-made shoes that rival Berluti. Come nightfall, the beautiful people descend upon the Quadrilateri, whilst the bohemian set hang out in Via del Pratello, home to atmospheric drinking holes popular with students. The local’s choice of restaurants is epitomised by Rodrigo, unpretentious and low key with a menu that offers the full course Bolognese blow out. The following morning I sought out ‘Bologna the learned’. Students have studied here since

AFTER DARK With a large student population, nightlife is vibrant and good value. Head for the streets near the University: Via del Pratello and Via Zamboni are both lined with arcades and cafes.

1088 making it the world’s oldest university. In 1506, the institution was centralised in the grand Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio which houses a municipal library home to more than 700,000 books. The present day university district is on Via Zamboni. The arcades here shelter pubs and pizzerias, while the faculties are housed in palaces. Only in Italy… To the south lies one of Bologna’s principal streets, the palace-lined Strada Maggiore. It is full of medieval wooden porticoes and a picturesque chain of renaissance courtyards with chic cafes, animated until the small hours. Back in the city centre, the place to chill out, especially on a Sunday, is Piazza del Francia, with DJs spinning decks under strobe lights, sushi, cocktails, and the chance to reﬂect on this city’s joyful capacity to reinvent herself without betraying her heritage. ■

GETTING THERE Plenty of carriers operate a Manchester to Bologna route. British Airways, leaving 17 Jan 09, and returning a week later, will set you back £173. Visit: www.opodo.com

Real snow (courtesy of snow canons and science) decks Britain's longest – and the world's widest – indoor ski slope (it's 180m long with a 100m base). Offering ideal conditions, it's the training HQ for several British snowsports squads. There's also a 55m nursery slope for beginners. Main events? Skiing and snowboarding, with or without expert tuition geared to your standard. You can also luge down a 60m toboggan run at speed on a specially designed mat, or tube down a neighbouring track on a giant rubber ring. There's a snowplay area for 2-10 year-olds, and a 12-metre high indoor climbing wall. What's on the menu for afters? Après-ski options abound in the 'Alpine' village. You can buy wintersports gear and gifts in the specialist retail outlets, refuel at various bars, restaurants and cafes, and party (or hold business meetings) in the conference facilities. Die-hard snow fanatics bitten by the love bug can even get married on the premises. Any festive extras? Until 23 December children can visit Santa in the ice castle. What's the downslide? Could be an expensive day out, as every activity carries a separate cost. But ‘family fun’ tickets start from £12. Magnetism rating: Art: 8/10. More information: Tel: 0161 749 2222. www.chillfactore.com Location: Trafford Way, Trafford Quays Leisure Village, Manchester, M41 7JA. Open: Daily. Times vary, check website.

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ALL FOR ONE

Allerton’s one of Liverpool’s most complete communities, with excellent shops, restaurants and a real independent spirit, as Joe Shooman discovers THE ancient borough of Allerton was ﬁrst named in the Domesday Book as Alertune, meaning ‘alder village’; the catkins are still a feature of the parks that surround the area, and the village aspect, perhaps surprisingly for an area famed for shopping, still lives on too. Take local artist, Deborah Butler, for example. Her specialist art shop, Splash, on Greenbank Road, is one of a row of specialist and independent stores within a stride of each other just at the smudge of where Smithdown meets the start of Allerton itself. “It’s a nice area,” she tells us, “We get people coming from all over the world to the art shop but also to the music shop, and the cake shop attracts an awful lot of people. It makes Allerton a very interesting place. South Liverpool has a lot of creative people and I often talk to musicians, writers, artists, photographers, dancers, theatre people. I don’t 80

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know what it is but Allerton seems to attract a lot of people.” In truth, we could stay talking art all day but we sadly tear ourselves away to talk music with Richard Behrend, the music specialist whose shop selling ‘real’ instruments has been a feature here for 22 years. “Demand for traditional instruments is struggling a little,” he sighs, “Children ﬁnd other things easier than perhaps a brass instrument which requires a lot of commitment. I still play a lot so there are a lot of rewards when you put something in; it’s something you can keep doing forever, a lifelong skill.” Richard himself is a bass trombonist and tuba player, the unsung heroes holding the rest of the orchestra together. There’s a metaphor there somewhere. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” continues Richard of his Allerton base. “It’s a nice area and it feels like home.”

After a dalliance with the world-famous and utterly wonderful Dafna Cheese Cake factory, we perambulate further down Allerton Road, passing takeaways, cafes and wood-restorers as we go. Our eyes are drawn, however, to the astonishing Retro Love Deluxe Ltd – George Mensah’s incredible (and affordable) haven for 20th Century mid-Century modern/retro originals. “This is the only shop like it in Liverpool,” he says, “People who collect this kind of highend stuff would have to go to Birmingham and Shefﬁeld. Small retailers are getting battered by new developments and we could be getting more help to compensate. We source funky stuff from all over Europe and it’s all original. The area’s got everything; it’s a great community and everyone knows everyone. For shops, nightlife, parks, it’s super and has got everything you need.”

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THE ALLERTON PAGES

Splash Fine Art & Craft Materials 18a Greenbank Rd Tel: 0151 733 6633

Richard Behrend Music Specialist 8 Greenbank Road Tel: 0151 733 2213

Retro Love Deluxe Ltd 260 Smithdown Road www.retrolovedeluxe.co.uk

Penny Lane Wine Bar 116-118 Penny Lane. Tel: 0151 733 6229

Desires 97 Allerton Road Tel: 0151 724 4990 www.desiresexclusivewear.co.uk

The shop is wonderful; our photographer is in heaven (first home-made cakes and now this visual feast. Can’t be bad.) Allerton’s independent stores are everything that makes a Capital of Culture what it is and we would be wise to remind ourselves of that fact. Here on this road you can buy everything from Hornby model railway accessories to football trophies, stuffing your gob in some of the worst-punned cafes you could ever envisage. Allerton Road is a mash of charity shops – the big Oxfam is legendary for furniture and the extensive book section – but, eschewing the temptation to browse for Elvis books, we find ourselves at Penny Lane Wine Bar; one of the strongest Beatles-linked venues in our fair city, as assistant manager, Dave Ingham, explains. “We’re a working pub and the tourists come too. Lennon’s school is just round the corner

and Menlove Avenue isn’t far away. I do feel sorry for tourists looking for the roundabout and ﬁre station… all taken down!” Oops. One pint later (to wash down the cake) our attention is caught by the rather well-endowed mannequins at Maria Byrne’s exclusive dress/design boutique, Desires. “Liverpool girls like something different,” she explains. “The clothes are all one-offs and they love that. They’re the most fashionconscious ever from the age of 16 onward.” Natasha Hamilton, Danielle Lloyd, Abby Clancy and Liz McClarnon are all fans of her work. And the mannequins? “They’re from Germany and really lightweight – the clothes look great on them; all the guys notice them - they’ve also caused a few crashes.” We can see why. To cool down, we take a walk through the lovely Calderstones Park, the Japanese Garden is legendary for its beauty. In the nearby Coach

House, a set of local artists have their work on display, including the familiar, abstract naturalist landscapes of Deborah Butler. Allerton, despite its reputation as Studentsville, is actually a thriving, independent and welcoming community that has some of Liverpool’s most treasured attributes at its heart. The togetherness and tenacity of the independent stores along with a very lively pub and cafe culture and a smattering of history old and new makes it more Liverpudlian than the city centre by its nature. Long may it thrive. ■

GETTING THERE Take the 86 bus from the city centre to Allerton Road, this is a frequent service and takes approximately fifteen minutes. Or by rail, the Liverpool to Manchester service which stops at West Allerton station. For more information visit www.merseytravel.gov.uk

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1. My Cultural Hotspots I love the philharmonic, what a fantastic building. A great Art Deco edifice for everyone in the city, and a top class orchestra. I remember meeting my uncle Bernie there, a hairy-arsed Liverpool Docker with a refined ear for classical music. He would meet me at the Philharmonic later, after he had a good few scoops of the Aussie Whites at the Wine lodge. He would then proceed from the back of the stalls to shout out requests to the maestro….. We got flung out once! 2. My Favourite Hangout with Friends I love going to a great little café off Lark lane called ‘Casa Anna’. Its owned by a brilliant Portuguese character called Luis who welcomes all hands with cheap home cooked nutritious food. Me and my best mate Lady Sean, a great drag artist and raconteur, can usually be seen in there, gossiping away.

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5. My Secret Sanctuary I love to go for a walk up to Calderstones Park and consult with an ancient standing stone, even older than Stonehenge! – The best Beatle, John Lennon, would go to Calderstones and muse the stones into his songs. I think A Day In The Life was inspired there. 6. My Favourite View I love the view from my top ﬂoor ﬂat that looks out across the chimney tops and trees of Lark Lane and further out to the Welsh Hills of Moel Famau. The Welsh Celtic Connection in my family and a lot of the other scousers goes back along way and we have everything to thank for the ‘bone setters’ and the medicine men that came out of the hills to the city.

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8. My Favourite Table The Everyman. I’m going mad about the ludicrous proposals to pull it down and rebuild it - with some glass monstrosity probably. This is unique to Liverpool. I’ve been drunk there, danced there, been thrown out of there. It’s a rite of passage. 9. My Favourite Building The Liver Building. I love it because it so symbolises home to me. I love how big it is: and the fact it’s got eggs on the top. We only saw them for the ﬁrst time when we saw the opening credits to Letter to Brezhnev, with the helicopter ﬂying over the waterfront. Some people call it ugly. They’re probably the types who prefer buildings to look like Stanley knives.

3. My Favourite Shop I love Grand Central run by a great Liverpool family called the Tierneys. They have made such a valuable contribution to Liverpool commerce. Giving it a great boost to young entrepreneurs, plus it’s a great shopping emporium. 4. My Favourite place for a Party Anywhere John Kelly’s throwing a party. He’s a great Liverpool DJ who organises crazy full on parties with loads of scousers that you’ve bumped into over the years - because after all, Liverpool is like a huge daisy chain. Everybody is interconnected.

7. My Favourite Liverpudlian John Lennon – he’s a hero to most Liverpool families and a great spirtual warrior. And I don’t just mean the music, I loved the way he loved Yoko. My family always said ‘If he loves her, that’s good enough for us, we love her too.”

Saturday evening City Talk presenter Margi Clarke is back pounding the famous cobbles of Coronation Street. But where does she go when she returns from Wetherfield?

10. My Favourite Place to Take Visitors At City Talk we’re blessed with the most amazing vantage point. The surprising thing is just how much Liverpool is dominated by the Mersey. Looking out over the vastness of it, you can see it’s less of a river, and more of a sea. That’s where we get our electromagnetism from: the pounding of the tides. They’re what make Scousers tick. That’s our pulse.

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