OPEN August / September 2014 by OPEN Magazine

OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

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OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

EDITOR’S LETTER AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2014

We are approaching that time of the year again. It is definitely the hardest season crossover to adjust to. As August melts into September everything starts to change. Windows are no longer left wide open, the evenings draw in noticeably quicker and we are left with the smouldering embers of summer. But what a summer in the city it was. Without sounding like I’m on the payroll of Culture Liverpool, the city is absolutely flying at the moment. It’s riding high on a wave of pride generated by a combination of great events, great weather and great global media coverage courtesy of the Giant Spectacular. Mayor Joe Anderson’s head must feel like it is pumping with nitrous oxide right now. But before we draw the curtain on summer 2014, there are still a few more massive events to come. Creamfields is lined up nicely for the August Bank Holiday Weekend with the world’s biggest DJs from all the sub genres of dance music descending on the Daresbury fields for what is always a messy weekend. Only in its second year but already a significant date in the calendar, the Liverpool International Music Festival is back, bigger and better than before. Born from the council’s desire to do away with the annual Mathew Street Festival, which was basically just a street piss-up loosely based around the legacy of The Beatles, the new event was a resounding success with a focus on international music and the next generation of musicians. The enormity of the influence of The Fab Four around the world still to this day cannot be underestimated. On a recent trip to Hamburg, I noticed they even had Beatles tours there, a German version of Mathew Street, but within a red light district. LIMF 2014 is a progression from all of this. With events in association with MTV, Boiler Room TV and CIRCUS it really has something for music lovers of all kinds. We’ve got a full guide to all our favourite events in this issue (page 46).

EDITOR

WORDS

Robbie Muldoon editor@open-mag.co.uk

Zoe Yvonne Delaney Claire Reid Lucy Varley Josh Williams

ART DIRECTOR Robert May rob@open-mag.co.uk

DIRECTOR & SALES Michael Smith mike@open-mag.co.uk

DIRECTOR Adam Duffy adam@open-mag.co.uk

Robbie Muldoon editor@open-mag.co.uk

Mike Brits

ILLUSTRATIONS Will Daw (willdaw.com)

SPECIAL THANKS Yaw Owusu, Camp and Furnace

SALES Alison Quirke alison@open-mag.co.uk

ADVERT DESIGN Greg Boulton

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT Mike Brits mikebrits.com

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Lucy Varley

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We are also launching a new look website so make sure you take a look at it over on www. openthecity.co.uk, it’s your essential youth culture city guide. Ta for picking us up!

PHOTOS

DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP, FIND THE SYMBOL AND SCAN THE PAGE For subscription info go to openthecity.co.uk. OPEN Magazine is published six times a year. OPEN Magazine, Baltic Triangle, 34 Norfolk Street, L1 0BE Web: www.openthecity.co.uk Phone: 0151 230 8975 Email: info@openthecity.co.uk Twitter: @OPEN_MAGAZINE Facebook: www.facebook.com/ openthecity Printed by Custom Print Ltd, Liverpool.

OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

CONTENTS

STUFF

21 / West Coast

12 / The World’s Favourite MILF Pornstar

Vamp Creative’s take on a dreamy summer fashion shoot.

Tanya Tate left Liverpool in 2008 to embark on a bit of a career change. 14 / If You Want To see People Doing ‘Moby Dicks’, Get to Albert Dock Red Bull Harbour Reach 2014 is bringing the world’s best wakeboarders to the city.

26 / Come As You Are Kurt Cobain themed fashion shoot by Vamp Creative. 32 / Sole Selection: Laces Out! A preview of Liverpool’s first sneaker festival, coming in October.

MUSIC

17 / Viral Vidz Calm down, calm down!.

36 / Open Your Ears And Hear…

18 / What’s Happening

Use the Layar app to listen to the sounds of Lapsley.

Some of the main events this August and September. 78 / Win LIMF 2014 Tickets We’ve got a load of tickets to the biggest LIMF events to giveaway. 78/ Game of Thrones

38 / The Highs and Lows of Example The rapper opens up to talk about drugs, Twitter abuse and marriage.

ART & DESIGN

Illustration by Will Daw

68 / Citygrams

CLUB LIFE

People, places, parties. 70 / If Looks Could Kill

58 / Get On It Get your tickets for the biggest upcoming nights before they sell out.

STYLE 20 / Check Out Shopping in Liverpool – the hidden gems.

The wet dog stars of the recent Sony World Photography Awards exhibition held in Liverpool.

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FEATURES

42 / Alexa Goddard Meet Jay-Z's newest Roc Nation diamond. 46 / OPEN’s Guide to LIMF 2014 Essential events and exhibitions at this year’s festival.

56 / Behind The Decks: Yousef The Circus head honcho brings Boiler Room to Liverpool for the first time. 60 / SickNote The street artist covering the walls around the city with his ‘paste up’ characters.

OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

THE WORLD'S FAVOURITE MILF PORN STAR COMES FROM LIVERPOOL By Robbie Muldoon

Tanya Tate was bored of her office job and life in Liverpool when one night in 2008, as she watched an adult movie with a friend, she decided that she could do it better. After a little research and pulling a portfolio together, the next thing she knew she was making her first porn and touching down in The Valley, LA’s home to a once thriving adult entertainment industry. Tanya is a porn star, and a successful one at that; this year winning a The Fannys Award in the Who’s Your Mommy category. She is one of the world’s favourite MILFs, even featuring on the cover of the Turkish issue of FHM. She is also one of few women directors in the business – and most recently appeared as Lara Croft in Womb Raider. We chatted to Tanya about the state of the current industry, and being Liverpool’s most famous porn star. OPEN: Was it easy finding work out in the US? TANYA: Somewhat. I had an agent straight away who would get me booked, but soon after I had made enough of a name for myself that I could do my own booking. And I have self represented since 2010. What’s your favourite thing about being a porn star? The opportunities that being a performer has provided me. I have been very fortunate that I have been able to capitalise on my career as I have. A lot of girls don’t and it is a shame. I didn’t get into the adult industry for a few laughs, I knew it presented possibilities. For example, I would never have gotten on the cover of FHM if it had not been for adult entertainment. I would have never been the subject of a Channel 4 documentary Date My Pornstar or been photographed by Deborah Anderson, had it not been for adult entertainment.

What’s the worst thing? That no matter what positive things I do I will always be a 'porn star'. I do a lot outside of adult, especially in the geek community. I blog about cosplay, review collectible toys, I’m on panels at comic conventions but when it comes down to it, people will try to pigeonhole me as simply a porn star, when I am much more than just that. Samuel L. Jackson recently pissed off the #PayForYourPorn campaign by naming RedTube as one of the best pop culture achievements of the past 50 years. What’s your take on the argument and should we just be a bit kind on Sam because he did that The 51st State film set in Liverpool? Ha! I like that movie too. [Ed. Note: We didn’t say we liked it] He said something that was a bit of a joke. Yes, a bad one, but in all fairness, in a few short years piracy has virtually destroyed the porn industry. So, on that end, it really isn’t a joke. There are a lot less people working now because of it. As for the #PayForYourPorn movement, I think it is an interesting concept. But I do believe it is going to take more than

a hashtag to make a difference. I think people know what they are doing and feel a sense of entitlement to the product, so while educating the masses is a positive first step, there needs to be more. So the industry has changed since you started out in 2008? Oh, definitely. Like I mentioned, there is less work, yet one has to work harder to attain some star status. There is a high turnover rate now, because girls come and go so fast. Where do you see the industry in 10 years time? I don’t know. Hopefully, it will reinvent itself and become lucrative again. By then I will have well retired from performing, but probably still directing. Do you think the stigma attached to porn will ever leave it? No. No matter how much it will appear to be accepted by the masses, it will always be seen with a negative connotation. But I do think you can make the best of it and turn those negatives into a positive. I’m proof of that.

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AD TO FOLLOW

OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

IF YOU WANT TO SEE SOMEBODY ‘DO A MOBY DICK’, GET DOWN TO ALBERT DOCK By Robbie Muldoon

It wasn’t all that long ago that the Albert Dock was a water space polluted with flotsam and jetsam, mutant jellyfish, and used condoms. These days, it has come a long way. It is now central to a World Heritage Site, a tourist attraction, and hosts a variety of water-sporting events including this August one of the world’s most talked about wakeboarding events, Red Bull Harbour Reach 2014. The purpose-built wake course will test the world’s best riders’ agility and technical abilities to the max, as they throw huge tricks off the jumps and rails inspired by Liverpool’s industrial heritage and will be judged by American wakeboarding legend Parks Bonifay. OPEN caught up with Florida born Parks, to discuss the increasing popularity of this extremesport and pulling off 'Moby Dicks'. OPEN: There is footage of you learning to water-ski behind a boat at just six months old. Do you think you should have at least first learned how to do things like talk and use the toilet before becoming a daredevil? PARKS BONIFAY: [laughs] I should've probably learnt a few more basic life skills before I water-skied! But thankfully my mom and dad got me out there at an early age. It seems like from that point on I was in love with being in the water. It changed my life forever!

Roast Beef Grab’, and of course ‘The Stale Fish'. I'd say the craziest names in wakeboarding are for my brother’s two tricks that he invented called 'The Tootsie Roll’ and ‘The Dum Dum'. Both named after candy for some unknown reason! Who names the tricks? Have you invented or named any of your own? Well, no one really names tricks anymore. But back in the day, if you invented the trick you got to name it! Yeah, I named a couple. There’s 'The Vulcan', 'The 911' and 'The Temper Tantrum' to name a couple few [laughs]. What three adjectives would you use to describe the lifestyle of a wakeboarder? Sunburnt, loose and fun as fuck! What three adjectives would you use to describe yourself? Free spirited, spontaneous and observant.

We like the names of the tricks in wakeboarding, like the Moby Dick. What is your favourite trick to pull off and what is the best trick name?

What is the world of wakeboarding in need of at the moment to boost its popularity even further?

Yeah, there are some pretty crazy names in wakeboarding! I think it started from all the crazy snowboard grab names like 'The Canadian Bacon' and ‘The

I think it needs a live web cast and more of the live TV coverage that they sometimes have. But if the whole world knew of all these live events it would 14

bring everyone closer together as an industry, and it would expose kids to all the different aspects of wakeboarding. Have you ever disagreed with the judges scoring your rides in pro competition? Oh yeah, it happened a lot when I rode! But it's always gonna happen. When every event has 100% subjective judging there are always gonna be disputes and someone is always gonna be unhappy!" Why should everybody get down to the Red Bull Harbour Reach at Albert Dock on August 30th? Red Bull Harbour Reach is gonna be a great event and it's giving a platform to the sport in the UK! I haven't been there personally, but I heard the venue and the city of Liverpool are just awesome! The crowd is gonna be so close to the action and it's an amazing way to watch wakeboarding live!

Red Bull Harbour Reach 2014, 30 August 2014, Albert Dock, Liverpool.

OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

VIRAL VIDZ: CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN! We don’t know what it is about the summer, but it really seems to make people do crazy things and get aggressive…

Download the Layar app for your smartphone and when you scan this page the videos will literally jump off the page at you. Trust us, it looks boss. It also means the internet has now sort of spread to paper. Doesn’t it? View using an iPhone or Android (sorry Blackberry heads). Get it at www.layar.com/ download

IT’S JUST A SELFIE!

LIVERPOOL FLASHMOB!

What happens when somebody walks into a rough part of town and starts pointing their camera phone at random people going about their business? Well, they get annoyed and hostile. The plan goes that tensions are diffused when it is revealed only to be a selfie being taken, and not an invasion of privacy. But it doesn’t always work.

An elderly man enjoyed this Liverpool street band’s version of John Paul Young’s ‘Love is in the Air’ so much that he started dancing along on Lord Street. This sparked a bit of a furore as other people joined in, but was it spontaneous or planned? We can’t tell…

HE’S NOT WORTH IT! DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP, FIND THE SYMBOL AND SCAN THE PAGE

Cesar Millan knows how to break up a dogfight, but if he’s not around next time it goes off between two pooches in the park, then just leave it to the other dogs to sort out, like you would with a scuffle outside a pub.

JUST LOOKING FOR THE BANK, AREN’T WE? Now this video received derogatory and anti-scouse comments online such as, “Scousers going to work”, as if Liverpool is the only city in the world where armedrobbery occurs. What it really says about the city is that there are some funny people about, just watch the Taxi driver’s reaction, it made his day!

OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

CHECK OUT SHOPPING IN LIVERPOOL â&#x20AC;&#x201C; THE HIDDEN GEMS By OPEN staff

Who: Krate & Co

Who: The Cotton Patch Boutique

Who: Trapped Rats

What: Krate & Co was founded from an idea based on shoe storage and wanting to display them prized hard to find gem sneakers. The days of crushed cardboard and finding that pair amongst a mountain of boxes are gone! Once you've received your Krates, tag your photos on Instagram and use #krateandco to show off how you are using the Krates.

What: Liverpool based luxury clothing online boutique offering stylish fashion to unique women. The collection is lovingly handmade using authentic materials to create exquisite kaftans and kimonos. Each design is a one of a kind piece designed by Laura May. A bespoke design service is also available to help you get the desired image you are looking for.

What: Clothing made by vermin for scumbags, is the slogan of this Liverpool indie streetwear clothing label. Visit their online store for a selection of fresh tees, vests, hoodies, and jumpers branded with the Trapped Rats logos. Quality materials and affordable prices.

Where: Online at krateandco.bigcartel. com or Instagram @KrateandCo

Where: Online at thecottonpatchboutique.com or call 079 2538 6107 between Mon-Sunday: 9am - 10pm.

Where: Online at trappedrats.bigcartel. com or Twitter @Trapped_Rats

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WEST COAST by VAMP Creative (www. vampcreative.co.uk) Photography: Jessica Lang (www. jessicalangphotography.co.uk) Make-up & Hair: Decadence Makeup (www.decadencemakeup.com) Stylist: Kerry Saxon (www. kerrysaxonstylist.com) Models: Coral & Lily-Flynn at Boss Model Management (www. bossmodelmanagement.co.uk)

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Styling American apparel Forever 21 Diva dames (Www.divadames.com) Naa naa Www.naanaa.co.uk Someday by Laura (www.somedaybylaura.bigcartel.com) Helix and felix (Www.helixandfelix.co.uk)

OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

See the full set of images at www.openthecity.co.uk

OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

COME AS YOU ARE

Concept: VAMP Creative (vampcreative.co.uk) Photographer: Shaunna Hardie (shaunnahardiephotography.com) Hair & Make-up: Carina O'Brien (decadencemakeup.com) Models: Meg J & Lauren from La Moda Models

OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

See the full set of images at www.openthecity.co.uk

OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

LACES OUT! LIVERPOOL’S FIRST FESTIVAL FOR SNEAKERHEADS By OPEN staff

Sneakers, trainers, trainees, trabs, kicks, webs, wheels - whatever you want to call them, they have never been in bigger demand than they are now. Sportswear can be seen on the catwalk and special commission collaborations between the biggest brands and celebrity designers can be seen all over the place, from Kanye West and Adidas to Asics and Ronnie Fieg. Such limited releases are what drives the community of dedicated ‘sneaker-heads’ from Brooklyn to Brixton and everywhere in between. Now, a festival dedicated to these enthusiasts or sneaker-heads is coming to Liverpool as the city gets its very own sneaker festival, Laces Out!, this October (Saturday 4th) where loads of hard-to-find sneakers are up for grabs. Whether you’ve

Laces Out!, Camp and Furnace, Greenland St, Liverpool, L1 0BY, Sat Oct 4, 12pm – 6pm Tickets are £3 each and available at www.lacesout.co.uk Follow on Twitter: @lacesoutfest Instagram: @lacesoutfest

been on the hunt for Jordans, Air Maxes or Adidas or are just craving something new and box fresh, you can head down to the Baltic Triangle where Camp and Furnace hosts 30 stalls with 1000s of different trainers for sale and swap, plus an all day bar, a barber specialist in the form

of Cutthroat Pete, and live music with beats supplied by a live DJ, Mighty Mojo. The popularity of these events in London is such that they are notorious for their large queues, with thousands of people eager to get in the mix amongst the rows of footwear. Laces Out! promises to be a haven for trainer addicts, drawing in the best of the best when it comes to traders of the laced collectibles. You can also have your sneakers customised by onsite experts. And if trainers aren’t your thing there will also be streetwear by the likes of Trapped Rats, sneaker art, and street food available. Who’s going to be there? Krate & Co: Smart shoe storage

perspex boxes from this Liverpool based company, helping to protect those precious collectables and show them off at the same time. http://krateandco.bigcartel.com/ Mayo Customs: Quality shoe customs based in Liverpool.

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Cutthroat Pete: Talented Liverpool barber with a large and high profile clientel from all over the country will be on site offering fresh cuts, beard trims and merchandise. cutthroatpete.com/ Twitter: @ cutthroatpete

socks and Nike dri-fit socks. Mydopesocks.com

Ran: Independent North West shop stocking clothing and footwear from around the world. Ranshop.co.uk

Trapped Rats: Crisp tees, vests, hoodies, and jumpers from an indie Liverpool streetwear label. trappedrats.bigcartel.com Twitter: @Trapped_Rats

Lost Art: Skate-related shop, selling boards, accessories and clothes – plus various street paraphernalia. Lostartshop. co.uk MyDopeSocks: The best custom Nike elite socks in the UK. Making unique custom Huf

Weaver’s Door: Liverpool based designer clothes store for men, providing stylish stock made from the best materials. Weaversdoor.com

Ry Tattoo: A household name in the British tattoo community. Twitter: @ry_harris89 Plus a whole host of other independent trainer sellers from across the UK specialising in rare and hard to find trainers.

Learn the lingo The world of sneakerheads has developed its own terminology, so if you’re not familiar with some of the phrases, here’s a guide to keep you in the loop. Hypebeast = Somebody that likes a pair of shoes because they are rare, limited, or just because someone else likes them. OG = Original or original release DS = Deadstock Bred or Bread = Black/red colourway Heat = Hot/rare shoes Uptowns = Air Force 1s Holy Grail or Grails = A most desired sneaker that you most likely will never attain Beaters = Shoes you wear without caring for condition

OPEN AUG / SEPT 2014

MEN'S JEWELLERY FROM MOCOCO

SKULLS The skull details of THOMAS SABO are one of the most popular symbols for the jewellery brand. Whether polished silver or adorned with black cubic zirconia for a more dramatic look, there are many pieces incorporating this iconic design.

The modern man wears more than just a watch as Mococo, the affordable luxury designer jewellery emporium located within Liverpool’s Metquarter can confirm.

THOMAS SABO Sterling silver polished skull bead bracelet £359

As one of the UK’s leading suppliers of THOMAS SABO jewellery, Mococo stores play host to many male shoppers looking for the fashionable edge in accessorising. 2014 is the 30th birthday of the German-born THOMAS SABO brand which has always been synonymous with designer sterling silver jewellery. In 2007, responding to the changing trends and fashions, the men’s jewellery range was launched with extravagant, intricate and very fashion-led pieces at the helm.

Thomas Sabo 925 sterling silver and black cubic zirconia skull ring - £305

Striking designs peppered with masculine leather touches, heavy metalwork and edgy symbols such as skulls makes THOMAS SABO a must in the male jewellery world. Formula 1 racing driver Nico Rosberg is the face of the brand and cites special jewellery as part of his prerace superstitions. If he has worn a piece of jewellery and won a race, he will ensure that he wears the same jewellery the next time he gets in the racing car. With the 30th anniversary of THOMAS SABO demonstrating more popularity than ever with men’s jewellery, which key pieces can we expect to see adorning the contemporary style conscious man this year?

THOMAS SABO Matte obsidian skull pendant necklace with cubic zircoinia £179

Thomas Sabo 925 sterling silver and obsidian bracelet with skull £115

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KEEP TO TIME The sporty highlight of the THOMAS SABO watch collection, this rose gold chronograph black leather watch boasts rose gold coloured stainless steel, combined with shiny ceramic bezel and matte leather strap. THOMAS SABO polished sterling silver cufflinks £159 Rose gold stainless steel and leather THOMAS SABO watch £339

THE FAST LANE Owing to Nico Rosberg’s association with THOMAS SABO jewellery, a specific set of sterling silver and obsidian beads have been commissioned. Nico’s favourite is the fast lane bead which sits nicely adorning the new THOMAS SABO Karma collection bracelets.

Fast lane Karma bead in sterling silver and black pave cubic zirconia £45

All THOMAS SABO products can be purchased online at www.mococo. co.uk. Order before 2pm Mon-Thurs and spend £50 or more to receive FREE next day delivery.

Rebel at Heart Karma bead bracelet by THOMAS SABO. Individual beads from £16.95

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OPEN YOUR EARS AND HEAR… LÅPSLEY By Claire Reid

With a voice and production skills way beyond her 17 years, Merseyside’s rising star Låpsley is currently impressing all the right people. Real name Holly Lapsley Fletcher, she only began producing her own tracks at the end of 2013 but she’s already making waves. The young singer/songwriter has been invited to perform at the closing party of Liverpool Music Week in October, and claimed the ‘One to Watch’ at the 2014 GIT Awards, and her song Station has had almost 410,000 plays on SoundCloud. But it’s not just the local scene showing such strong recognition, people from further afield have also taken notice, something which many local artists spend their whole lives trying to achieve. So far this year she has featured in NME, and has had air time on Radio 1 and Radio 6.

Who: Låpsley, electronic singersongwriter from Formby. Listen to Låpsley with the Layar App

Despite all this interest, Låpsley remains modest and doesn’t let the praise go to her head. “I work hard” she says, “and I see every week as an improvement. I will say to myself: ‘I have achieved something’ when I am happy with a completed song.” 36

As well as her own brand of sometimes haunting electronica, Låpsley is known for her impressive and unusual vocals, singing within two different pitches and putting one track over the other so it’s hard to believe you’re not listening to two singers. Her EP Monday features a cover of Blue Monday - not an easy task to cover such a well-loved song - but she makes it well-and-truly her own. As for what’s next? Låpsley is as cool and calm about that as she is everything else, telling us, “I’d like to work hard in the studio, finish demos and work on the live set. Basically, focus on the music to become a better musician, producer and performer.” Single Station / Painter (Valentine) is out now on HerOwn Recordings and available on iTunes and Spotify.

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THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF EXAMPLE THE RAPPER ON DRUGS, TWITTER ABUSE, AND MARRIAGE By Zoe Yvonne Delaney

Fan or not, nobody can deny that Example is one of the busiest men in pop right now. Currently in the middle of an intense European tour, he's also promoting his fifth studio album, Live Life Living, celebrating his first wedding anniversary to a former Miss Australia and is confirmed as one of the headline acts at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s V Festival. It certainly makes our summer plans seem a bit lazy in comparison (but then again, we're not international pop stars, so some slack can be cut!) "I like to constantly be busy and keep going," Example stated when we pointed out his hectic schedule. "I do take little breaks here and there. Most artists like to do an album, tour for a year then go away for a while but I don't like to do that. There's too much demand for me at festivals and in Europe, Australia and Asia. The industry is fickle these days so I like to stay in people's consciousness." The industry may be fickle, but Example needn't worry about that for the time being - his latest offering Live Life Living comfortably made the Top 10 (despite having a title that sounds like it could adorn one of those 'inspirational' wall hangings that fill Home & Bargain stores). If we can look past the title, it's a well constructed, feel-good album that will certainly appeal to his current fan base, and perhaps new listeners, too! It's pretty obvious that each album, so far, has been reflective of his life at the time. His last album, The Evolution of Man was a dark, pensive album the comedown album to accompany his previous, hedonistic releases. "It really did show the dark side of drugs and partying," he commented. "It was almost self therapy - it was me apologising to my ex and my family for my behaviour."

Live Life Living is out now and he headlines V Festival August 16th & 17th.

So we've had the 'partying' albums, the therapeutic, apologetic record and now we're onto 'Live Life Living; just a happy, energetic album, with more than just one nod to the nineties. It certainly seems Elliot (that's his real name, fact fans) is in a good place and it doesn't take a genius to figure out this may be due to his marriage to Erin McNaught last year. "I think everyone, sooner or later, realises that they can't just party and 38

mess around forever," he reveals when discussing falling in love with the Australian model & TV presenter. "I thought, after the breakdown of my last relationship, that I needed to be single for a while but then a couple of months later I met Erin and a few years later we're married. The thing with Erin is that I met her and she became my best mate. I thought, 'I've met my best friend here' and it kinda made sense." So are kids on the agenda any time soon? "Yeah but more a case of when we can fit them in," he told us, logically. "It's not fair for me to be on such a mad touring schedule and my wife be stuck at home. So it's more for next year and when there's free time for me to at least be around for the birth because I don't want to miss that." Kids may be on the agenda now, but way back in 2007, Example was a very different artist and person. His debut album, What We Made was a rap-focussed effort featuring samples of old songs. Tracks such as Me & Mandy, I Don't Want To and You Can't Rap saw him build up a cult following before his breakthrough album, Playing in the Shadows saw him propelled into the mainstream. As with any artist that suddenly begins to sell a lot of records, there are always claims that they've 'sold out' and a nostalgic longing for their old material from a selection of fans. "What annoys me is when people say 'your early stuff was the best music you've ever done'," he explains. "It shows a complete disregard for the more recent stuff. Also, only 8000 people bought my first album, in an era where albums were expected to sell a million copies. Whereas now we're in an era where 100,000 is pretty good. People who say 'you're shit now, go back to doing your first album', disregard my song-writing skills, my ability to write melodies and bring thousands of people together at festivals in fields and to write songs that actually mean something to people." "The old stuff never really worked on stage," he explained. "When you come to my gigs now it's everyone bouncing up and down, going crazy, hands in the air - my music now is euphoric. The music back then was quite awkward to move to and sing along with." So anyone who's hoping for a rendition of Me & Mandy or I Don't Want To at his

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next performance shouldn't hold their breath. Speaking of Me & Mandy, the song that's basically a love letter to MDMA, leads us to get chatting about drugs always a fun topic. Where does Example stand regarding the substances he used to rap about? Does he want to cover up his past experiences? "The thing is with drugs, it's not about glamorising them," he tells us. "When I made rap music it was about who I was and what I was doing at the time. I think rap music lends itself a lot more to storytelling and speaking the truth. The Streets, Wu -Tang Clan, Dizzee Rascal or whoever, in rap, have always historically told you about who they are. My first album had a lot of references to alcohol and drugs because, at 23/24, that's what I was doing. I think once you appear in the public eye you do have a lot more responsibility to not glamorise stuff or, if you do discuss it, let people know about the downside to it - like I did with Evolution of Man. "The whole thing with One Direction smoking weed or whatever - I believe the media almost has a duty not to report these things because we're all human beings who get caught up in these things, especially young kids in the music industry. I think in that job, or any job in fact, you're going to come across drugs or be offered them at some point of your life. It's human nature for us to have vices or

experiment with things for ourselves. I think artists should be allowed to do that in private if they want to. The media, if they get wind of these things, have an obligation and have to make a decision whether or not to report these

â&#x20AC;&#x153; People who say 'you're shit now, go back to doing your first album', disregard my ability to bring thousands of people together at festivals.â&#x20AC;? things because it's going to be read by their 10-year-old fans. "I read an interview with Sting in which he said marijuana really helps him with creativity and ideas. Miles Davies wrote one of his best albums ever on heroin. There are people out there who think it's ok to glamorise it, I wouldn't go as far to do that. I always write music sober but I do think music is one thing that people always like to enjoy intoxicated. No one likes to get drunk

or high and watch a movie, no one goes sky diving or goes running. So as far as pop music goes, then it is one of those things whether, you're at festivals, a club or at home, it lends itself to drugs, and alcohol too." It's hard not to agree with Example there, with a pretty sound, sensible view on drugs in the music industry. There's only one last topic to discuss really Twitter Trolls. Does any of the mainly illiterate abuse that gets sent ever get to him? " No, not really," he tells us, thus disappointing trolls everywhere. "I think most people my age, who have been around as long as me, are pretty thick-skinned. I dealt with bullies at school so now when people say stuff on Twitter to me about my hair, or my voice or whatever - it doesn't get to me. Sometimes, if I'm in a fun mood, I reply to them but I mainly just block them - I must have blocked over 5000 people. I've had people threatening to meet me and stab me, or throw acid at me - all that shit. A lot of the time these people are just looking to get a rise. I've had Top 10 albums and singles, travelled to over 100 countries and married a beautiful woman - I'm doing alright. As far as I'm concerned, I'm living the dream." And on that note, Example has wrapped things up nicely for us, there.

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ALEXA GODDARD MEET JAY-Z’S LATEST ROC NATION DIAMOND By Robbie Muldoon

Marilyn Monroe is one of the greatest pop culture icons of all time. Her life was a complex story which cannot be done justice by attributing a single quote to her. But still, it’s a great way for girls all over the world to express their feelings across social media networks, as so many people can connect with a somewhat tragic icon of the fifties. So it’s a safe bet that any bubble-gum pop songs about The Blonde Bombshell are going to have wide appeal across a certain demographic. Elton John started the trend 11 years after her death, when he wrote Candle in the Wind in her honour. More recently Nicki Minaj released her single ‘Marilyn Monroe’ in 2012, and earlier this year Pharrell Williams released his second single of the same name from his latest album, Girl. Now, Alexa Goddard has added to the list of songs inspired by ‘MM’, with her infectious debut single ‘Marilyn’. The 25-year-old from Hampshire is an artist primed to explode, freshly signed by none-other-than Jay-Z to his Roc Nation record label, home to the likes of Rihanna, Rita Ora, and Calvin Harris. I put her on the spot slightly, when I ask what would be her favourite Marilyn quotable? “I can’t remember it word-for-word, but it’s something like; “I told you I’ll be ready in five minutes, stop calling me every half hour”, and when I first saw it along with a picture of her getting ready I thought ‘Oh my god, that is literally me off to a tee!’ My poor management! When I’m getting ready to go somewhere or to do something they’re like ‘Are you ready? Let’s go... and I’m like yep...okay... five minutes... and then it’s been 20 minutes! So when I read that quote, I just knew it was definitely me!”

Alexa Goddard will perform at LIMF Summer Jam presents Summer Sessions with 107.6 Juice FM on the Central Stage in Sefton Park on Monday 25 August

Long before Alexa was signed to a record label she was working hard to get noticed. Her CV stretches back to the tender age of just 14 when she was travelling across Europe recording early demos; by 18 she’d toured the United States and by 22 she was one of the ten most subscribed musicians in the history of YouTube in the UK with over 40 million views and a Top 20 single under her belt. An amazing singing voice, a clever selection of cover versions, together with her relatable 42

appearance – sat singing, wearing fluffy pink earphones – proved a perfect combination which won her an army of YouTube fans before any ink touched a recording contract. Her huge potential and verifiably huge fan base obviously caught the attention of Roc Nation, and Alexa cannot speak highly enough of her followers. “[My fans are] unbelievably supportive, and extremely patient because it has taken me quite a while to get out my own music. They’re good fun as well, they make me laugh! Sometimes, I post out the most random Tweets, asking people to make me laugh or inspire me and things like that and they’re just amazing. On Facebook as well, they’re very cool!” Alexa Goddard is a prime example of how the music industry has changed in the 2010s, reflecting a shift in direction. As the charts lose their prestige and the power of social media grows exponentially, what does a fledgling music career benefit from more nowadays; a Top 10 hit or to trend worldwide on Twitter? “That’s a tough one!” Alexa ponders. “Five years ago I’d have had to have said a Top 10 hit, but now, social media is such a huge part of the music world, so I kinda’ want to say that - the trending worldwide bit! It’s amazing how incredibly powerful things like Twitter and Facebook are, and you’ve got this YouTube for me, it’s actually crazy how powerful they are! To be in the charts and played on the radio is all important but personally, as an artist, for people to know who I am is important so I’d have to go with Twitter!” This choice may be a surprise to some, but to take a quote once again from Monroe: “A woman knows by intuition, or instinct, what is best for herself.” As Goddard has already proved with her YouTube success, she is simply ahead of the curve. OPEN: Female solo artists are really dominating the charts at the moment, from the very sexualized public images of Rihanna and Miley Cyrus to the likes of Adele and Katy Perry. Where do you see yourself fitting into that whole landscape?

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ALEXA: I think the way I see myself as an artist is somewhere in the middle of those. I mean, because I have come from YouTube, the first thing that people see is literally me with not very much make-up and a baggy old jumper on. I think it’s very much important for me to keep an element of that on stage. I want to be relatable to young girls and some older girls. I want people to feel that I’m approachable and a real, normal girl. But, at the same time, it’s cool to have that balance of being a pop star and being sexy and being fun - as long as the balance is right! I like to think that’s who I am, somewhere in the middle. Nothing too crazy or sexy, but something fun and real! Is there anybody you get regularly compared to that you find annoying? Not really! When I actually first signed the deal, a couple of people compared me to Christina Aguilera, but for me that was the biggest compliment ever because she was one of the artists that I always listened to, so she was amazing to be compared to! Aside from that I haven’t really had many comparisons, but I’m sure there’s many to come! Did you ever doubt you would get a record deal? Oh yeah! It was probably less than a month before I finally signed the deal. I had a few meetings with different record labels and I had a couple of offers, but nothing felt right. A part of me, obviously being so excited to get my foot into the industry, part of me just wanted to take whatever was offered, but luckily I got the incredible management team around me and didn’t just take the first thing that was offered. There was a time when I thought I’m not sure if it’s going to happen, I might just have to stick to singing in pubs, which would be cool but obviously not what I wanted...my dreams were a little bit bigger than that! The first time you met Jay-Z you walked straight up to him and introduced yourself. What exactly got said and did you refer to him as Jay or Mr. Carter? I actually think I was like Jay, Jay but I’d had a couple of glasses of champagne because we were at a Roc Nation party, and so I’d got a little bit of guts and

realised I just had to go for it. The party was coming to an end and I thought no, I’m not going to let you walk past me. I grabbed him and told him I wanted to introduce myself, and told him that he’d signed me in October and I wanted to thank him. He was absolutely delightful. I thought he would be a little bit like Oh cool, see you later but he just stopped, gave me a high five and had as much time to give me as I wanted...he’s so funny as well! He’s got a very British sense of humour! Very dry! You’re a big hip-hop fan. Was there much of a Hampshire hip-hop scene?

“ There was a time when I thought I’m not sure if it’s going to happen, I might just have to stick to singing in pubs, which would be cool but obviously not what I wanted...my dreams were a little bit bigger than that! ” I don’t think so. The thing is I was really moulding to the likes of Eminem, Jay-Z, but I think we lacked a little in terms of a Hampshire hip-hop! I am going to have to have a word around town! I saw you did a recent soundtrack to your life feature, your pick for ‘song you put on to impress people’ was 2pac Thug Passion. I’m really impressed. Yay! I love that! I don’t think people expect me to know songs like that! If you could collab with any hip-hop artist, who would it be?

Wow, I actually had this conversation with my management a couple of days ago, and I was struggling so hard to make the decision! There are just so many artists that I would absolutely love! Like Jay, number one! And I’m such a massive, massive fan of Eminem, he is probably one of the most incredible artists ever. I love Drake, Kendrick Lamar, there’s just too many! Maybe we could just do a massive collaboration? You have worked with Chris Brown on your album, Will he be featuring on it? He actually wrote one of the songs, and it’s one of my favourite songs that is on there so hopefully it will be a single... we will see! But no, no collaboration in terms of him singing on the song...but who knows? You never know...never say never! I read that The Spice Girls are one of your influences. But which Spice Girl was your favourite and why? Baby Spice, of course! I went to a Spice Girl’s concert when I was about 8 and I went dressed up as Baby Spice! I had a blue sequined dress on, I had my hair in pigtails with a pink fluffy headband and little silver wedges which, at the time, I thought were the most incredible shoes ever because the Spice Girls were wearing the big platforms and I felt like I had the younger version of that. I must have looked hideous but at the time, I loved it and I literally thought I was Baby Spice! Having covered lots of other people’s songs on YouTube is there added pressure releasing your own original material? Yeah, in a way I do. Obviously yeah there’s a little bit of pressure because up to now I’ve just been performing other people’s songs. I am just so excited to release my own. I have had some incredible feedback from people with the fanbase that I’ve built, they’re so lovely and supportive but they have only heard Marilyn and Pretty Girl, and only ever heard me sing other people’s songs, so yeah there is definitely a little bit of pressure. I am just so, so excited! The feedback that I have had from Pretty Girl and Marilyn has been so amazing, much better than I even dreamed of so I want to share more

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songs! I have got another song on the album that I absolutely adore. I love them all, but there’s one going online very soon for people to hear, so I’m looking forward to that. What are you trying to express through this album? Nothing in particular, it’s just a real mix of different things, different messages, different themes, and one thing that I really wanted the album to be was that it wasn’t necessarily full of love songs and wasn’t just full of dance songs. I wanted it to be a real mix of everything.

I wanted to have songs on there that make people laugh, songs that make people cry, songs that make people just want to dance and some songs that make people feel inspired...something to evoke every different emotion! What do you plan to do to make Alexa Goddard a household name? Where do you want to be in a year’s time? I just plan to work as hard as I can, and have as much fun as I can, and make my fans have as much fun as they can whilst following my journey and whilst 45

listening to my music! I just want to make people feel good! As a fan, I feel good when I listen to particular songs and particular artists, so I hope that I too can make people feel that way! That would make me happy! Obviously, the biggest dream is to sell out a world tour and have number one hits, but for now, as long as I can make people feel good with my music then that’s the most important thing for me!

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10 ESSENTIAL EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS AT LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL OPEN’S PICKS FROM THIS YEAR’S CITYWIDE CELEBRATION OF MUSIC

The Liverpool International Music Festival returns this August after the success of its opening year, which saw thousands of people take part in a programme of events that culminated in a free concert at Sefton Park, on a sun-soaked Bank Holiday weekend. This year it seems like the people behind LIMF have been hard at work to curate a series of events to surpass the scale of last year. This time around, the music festival promises to be even bigger, busier, and better. For just over two weeks, LIMF will be a citywide celebration of the world’s best established and emerging talent, and the city’s brightest musical mavericks. With so many things going on around the main Summer Jam event on the bank holiday weekend (see page 48), we’ve picked ten of our highlights from the calendar that you need to get involved with…

1 MTV BRAND NEW PRESENTED BY LIMF LOCATION: CAMP AND FURNACE / DATE: 13TH AUGUST / COST: £3 + BOOKING FEES This exclusive show – titled MTV Brand New presented by LIMF – will kick off this year’s festival on Wednesday 13th August at Camp and Furnace on Greenwood Street. MTV Brand New 2014 nominee, and Brit Award winner Ella Eyre will be joined on the bill by chart-topping singer-songwriter Jess Glyne and Becky Hill whose last single Gecko (Overdrive) with Oliver Heldens went to number one in June. The event will be broadcast across MTV’s flagship UK music channels, MTV MUSIC and MTV LIVE HD. Tickets are on sale at just £3 each so don’t expect to get any if you leave it late!

2 CLUB MTV PRESENTED BY LIMF LOCATION: EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB / DATE: 14TH AUGUST (DATE CHANGED TO: 30TH AUGUST) / COST: FROM £5 Club MTV is the clubbing arm of MTV. After running over 100 events across the UK in the 12 months since its inception, it is finally coming to Liverpool.

For the latest information go to www. limfestival.com, follow @LIMFestival or like Liverpool International Music Festival on Facebook.

SECRET / DATE: 16TH AUGUST / COST: INVITE ONLY Boiler Room brings together the world's most bleeding edge DJs and live-acts to stage intimate performances in secret locations, broadcasting live over the web to millions of young music fans. Evolving from the UK's rich pirate radio heritage, Boiler Room has grown from a webcam taped on a warehouse wall, to become the deﬁnitive showcase of new music globally.

4 STEVE LEVINE’S ASSEMBLY POINT SESSIONS LOCATION: ST GEORGE’S HALL / DATE 21ST AUGUST / COST: £35 This year LIMF has promised to create never before seen or heard music performances via a number of exclusive commissions. The theme is World Firsts By Collaboration and Grammy winning producer Steve Levine will artistically direct the project that will see a number of top British music artists use traditional and new technology to collaborate including Bernard Butler, Tim Burgess, Hollie Cook, Pete Wylie, Mark King and a full live bandbacked set from Boy George. Additionally, Steve Levine will allow the intimate audience to witness the live recording and production of some of the performance.

5 SEVEN STREETS’ YOU ARE HERE LOCATION: PALM HOUSE, SEFTON PARK / DATE: 23RD AUGUST / COST: £5 The centenary of the outbreak of the world’s first industrialised brutal conflict which brought death and destruction to Europe on a scale like never before, is the inspiration of this project curated by David Lloyd, editor of indie regional guide Seven Streets. You Are Here will bring musicians from the triple entente together – The United Kingdom, France and Russia – to investigate their experiences of what home means to them. Now; in the 21st century.

Working with a combination of big name UK talent, and upcoming DJs, Club MTV has solidified itself as one of the must attend parties in each city it visits.

The collaboration explores how the ground beneath our feet can shape the music we create. With Liverpool’s Bill Ryder Jones and Kof working with French band, Moongai, and Russia’s Noonwraith and Archngl, You Are Here promises a night of boundary-crossing brilliance.

3 BOILER ROOM = CIRCUS AND LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL - LOCATION:

6 LIMF ACADEMY ‘HAVE A GO’ WORKSHOPS LOCATION: PALM HOUSE,

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SEFTON PARK / DATE: 23RD – 25TH AUGUST / COST: FREE

animals - all hosted by Camp and Furnace and taking place as part of LIMF.

Edge Hill University and OPEN, this area is an exciting and original addition to the Festival and will feature a variety of free open to all workshops aimed at 13-21 year olds with the aim of inspiring the city’s next generation of musicians.

8 SENSE OF SOUND: MIGRATION MUSIC LOCATION: THE EVERYMAN / DATE: 28TH – 29TH AUGUST / COST: FROM £10

The Have a Go workshops will include; singing, recording techniques and music production, DJing, drumming and free running. There will also be an exclusive chill out zone, black cab style photo booth, and beat club DJ hub. Live performances from the LIMF Academy Class of 2014 (see page 52) will take place within the Palm House on the Saturday 23rd and Monday 25th August as part of LIMF Summer Jam.

7 SUMMERCAMP LOCATION: CAMP AND FURNACE / DATE: 15TH & 16TH AUGUST / COST: £6 - £12.50 Summercamp is a small festival with big talent up close. A village fete meets bloc party in the great indoors, a show that can’t be rained off. Where spirits can’t be dampened and the fire will not go out. Dreamt up by creative pioneers in Liverpool's wild west, Summercamp is two days of music, food and arts for all ages and two nights of performances and revelry for nocturnal party

Sense of Sound is a collective of exceptional vocalists from across the country who push the boundaries of choirs and a cappella singing. They have collaborated with established artists including Damon Albarn, Paloma Faith and Imogen Heap to name but a few. For LIMF 2014 the singers will be mixing it with an ensemble of beatboxes (led by Shlomo) in what promises to be a dramatic mix of sound and visuals, lighting, voice and beats. Migration Music will take the audience through significant moments in the history of music, honouring composers, songwriters and musicians from the 18th to the 21st century. Using modern technology to replicate traditional instruments the cast of 30 singers and 10 beatbox artists will use only their voices to create a thought provoking musical experience.

9 MINOR CHARACTERS LOCATION: THE KAZIMIER / DATE: 29TH AUGUST / COST: FREE East India Youth, Forest Swords (2014 GIT Award Winners), The Lone Taxidermist, English Heretic, Ten Mouth Electron and Luke Abbott will each create a new piece of work to form

a musical exploration of the overlooked importance of minor characters within literature, theatre and film. The results will be released digitally through the Quietus record label and be entirely free to download. The live event will be a night of multi-sensory treats by some of the UK’s most promising young musical artists.

10 ABOVE THE BEATEN TRACK FESTIVAL LOCATION: THE BLUECOAT / DATE: 30TH AUGUST / COST: FREE This grass-roots event will be shining a light on the city’s cultural underground; showcasing live music, DJs, artists, makers and audio-visual extravaganzas, with free entry to everyone. Housed within the walls and rooms of the oldest surviving building in Liverpool city centre, Above The Beaten Track will celebrate Merseyside’s creative grass roots scene and bring under-the-radar live music to the fore. There will also be pop-up gig poster exhibition Screenadelica onsite, with new commissioned works of psychedelic prints. There will also be vintage fairs, and arts and crafts traders with quirky handcrafted goods for your pleasure.

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OPEN’S GUIDE TO LIMF: SUMMER JAM THREE DAYS OF THEMED LINE-UPS WITH EVERYTHING FROM THE BEST TRIBUTE BANDS TO A BIT OF FUNK, POP, HIPHOP, ELECTRO AND… MR BOOMBASTIC!

Liverpool International Music Festival’s Summer Jam is the beating heart, life and soul of the celebration. Sefton Park will transform for a fun, free, and family-friendly alfresco activity. The rolling meadows will host never-before-seen collaborations, fantastic musicians, Juice FM’s Summer Sessions and a 50th anniversary celebration of the British Invasion: when MerseyBeat electrified the airwaves of America. Summer Jam’s Central Stage is where the soirée begins. Settle yourself in, get your dancing shoes (or wellies) on and dance until the sun goes down!

SATURDAY Join thousands of music lovers in a colourful celebration welcoming the British Invasion, programmed by Mathew Street Festival. 13:15 – Kinx Kicking things off is the ultimate tribute

14:30 – Who’s Next The UK’s #1 live tribute to The Who. Rocking out with their authentic stage wear and instruments, this must-see show is set to be a time machine ride back to the height of The Who’s fame. 15:45 - Rocks Off A touching tribute to the Rolling Stones. Christened as Sweden’s greatest Rolling Stones tribute, regarded by others as THE greatest Stones tribute globally. The band has satisfied crowds across Europe, and now, they’re set to take LIMF by storm. 17:00 - All You Need Is Love A tribute to Liverpool’s very own, worldadored The Beatles sends Saturday off with a bang. Capturing the hearts of crowds as they perform favourites Lady Madonna, Come Together and of course, All You Need Is Love, they promise to blow away the city where the magic was born.

SUNDAY World Music Day is hosted by BBC Radio 1’s Seani B…with appearances from Radio 1Xtra DJ’s DJ Robbo Ranx and DJ Edu. 12:30 - Ice Prince The Nigerian rapper will take to the stage alongside LDNC, a group specialising in Afrobeats, RnB, Hip Pop and Rap along with other eclectic sounds. 14:00 - Future Trad Collective The latest project from Michael McGoldrick, Ian Fletcher and Andy Dinan features pipes, whistles, flutes, fiddle and guitar. Festival-goers can experience beautiful reels whilst having a jig in their wellies! 14:30 – Goldie British electronic music artist DJ Goldie takes to the stage showcasing his famous drum and bass innovations. 15:00 - Yaaba Funk A unique talent, reminding audiences why they’ve secured such a strong fan base. The set – programmed by Africa Oye – is not to be missed!

LIMF Summer Jam 2014 takes place across Sefton Park on the August Bank Holiday Weekend from Saturday 23rd – Monday 25th

band to The Kinks, cleverly christened Kinx. Voted ‘best tribute band he’s ever seen’ by The Kinks’ own Dave Davies, their version of Waterloo Sunset featured in the soundtrack of the French Film Boule et Bill.

15:30-DJ Muvelo An internationally famous Latin American Dance and DJ teacher. 16:00 – Kid Creole The fantastic Kid Creole brings some latin and disco to the Central Stage.

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17:15 – Shaggy Concluding Sunday’s action is worldfamous, Jamaican-American reggae fusion singer and DJ Shaggy, admired for catchy hit-singles Boombastic and It Wasn’t Me.

album, Late Nights & Early Mornings in early 2011, and has flourished ever since.

MONDAY

Foxes Grammy winner for her featured vocals on Zedd’s 2013 single ‘Clarity’, her debut album, Glorious, was released in the United Kingdom in 2014 and features the top 20 singles Youth, Let Go For Tonight & Holding Onto Heaven.

The final day sees the Central Stage host the Juice FM Summer Sessions... and a thrilling line-up. 13:20 - The Tea Street Band Liverpool’s loved local lads are set to take to the stage with a demonstration of how their electro, dance and house music stylings scored them their fandom. 16:10 – M.O With an SBTV performance that went viral, M.O girls Annie, Nadine and Frankee are due to blow the music scene away this year.

Alexa Goddard See our interview with the Roc Nation artist on page 42.

DJ Fresh Pushing the sound he describes as “future jungle”, DJ Fresh managed to make tracks like last year’s vocal rework of his 2008 track “Gold Dust” reach out to new audiences, while keeping the rude energy of the initial 1990s explosion at their heart.

17:00 – Marsha Ambrosius Liverpool’s very own Marsha Ambrosius will round the weekend’s events up perfectly. Former Floetry singer, she released her first solo

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LARK LANE CLASSIFIED

ARCHERS JERSEY ICECREAM

BIER CRAFT BEERS

Archer's Exquisite Jersey Ice Cream is an award winning Ice Cream and Coffee Parlour in Heswall and on Lark Lane in Liverpool. We offer a selection of home made artisan ice creams, sorbets, ice cream cakes and fresh coffee. Using only Jersey Milk and the finest ingredients, we produce a range of over 40 different flavours. Come and find your favourite...

Bier specialises in German lagers and cask ales, they stock over 100 world beers and they have a cocktail menu. They offer a wide selection of pies including the legendary Pieminster pies (prices range from ÂŁ4-8). Bier also serves nachos and chilli dogs. Never miss a Liverpool or Everton game, Bier bar always has the best sports on view.

Find us at; Lark Lane, Liverpool & Heswall Tel: 0151 727 6223 Website: www.archersjerseyicecream.com

Find us at; 52 Lark Lane, Liverpool, L17 8UU Call us: 0151 727 0594 Facebook: Bierl17 Twitter: @bierlarklane

BELLY TURKISH RESTAURANT

ESTEBANS TAPAS RESTAURANT

Belly is a new modern Turkish restaurant based in the popular dinning area of Liverpool Larklane. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a family run business, who have years of experience in catering. We offer the true taste of Turkey with some Greek taste in a relaxed and friendly enviroment the way a Turkish food should be eaten. We have a room for 28 people so be sure to book early to avoid any disappointment.

The tradition of the tapas bar has become an integral part of socialising with friends; the informality of the dining experience suiting the gregarious Spanish lifestyle. Here at Esteban, we strive to bring you a great range of freshly made tapas served in a vibrant yet relaxed atmosphere.We recommend three tapas per person person, but feel free to experiment with more. Find us at; 40 Lark Lane, Liverpool L17 8UU Call us: 0151 727 7200 Email: enquiries@estebanlarklane.co.uk Website: www.estebanlarklane.co.uk

Find us at; 83 Lark Lane, Liverpool, L17 8UP Tel: 0151 345 6945 Website: www.bellyturkishrestaurant.co.uk

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MARANTOS RESTAURANT & BAR

MEDJOOL BISTRO

Our exciting and varied menu combines the best of Italian and American cuisine and offers something for everyone. From our secret-recipe BBQ ribs to our home-cooked risotto funghi, no wonder our customers return again and again. A fabulous living example of Liverpool's rich architectural heritage with a contemporary twist. There is serious fun to be had browsing our extensive list of cocktails and world beers.

Come in and try our delicious range of fresh home cooked foods inspired by the Middle East, Turkey and beyond. Not just kebabs and koftas, you can sample from Egyptian breakfast platters, Persian salads, homemade cakes and wholesome daily specials. Our menu contains plenty of vegetarian and vegan options as well as meat dishes. Whether you want to come in for a filling breakfast, a relaxed lunch, a romantic dinner or a party you will be well looked after in Medjool.

Find us at; 57-63 Lark Lane, Liverpool L17 8UP Call us: 0151 727 7200 Website: www.marantoslarklane.co.uk

Find us at; 82 Lark Lane L17 4UU Tel: 0151 378 9145 www.medjoolbistro.co.uk

MEAT & LIQUOR AMERICAN RESTAURANT

RAGGAS CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT

American restaurant and bar specialising in quality burgers, 6oz of minced rump steak served on glazed brioche buns. Meat & Liquor has separate dining and bar seating areas. Enjoy a full meal or go along for snacks and drinks from the bar, including popular American lagers. Vegetarians donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid, there are meat free options on the specials menu which are changed every month.

Situated on the famous Lark Lane & Swithdown Road, Raggas dishes up Caribbean cuisine to eat in, take away or for home delivery within a 3 mile radius on order over ÂŁ6. Raggas can cater for special ocassions and events. Take a look through our packages or give us a call and we can tailer one to your needs. Find us at; Lark lane & Smithdown Road Call us: 0151 222 4176/ 0151 281 3241 Email: info@raggas.co.uk Website: www.raggas.co.uk

Find us at; 101 Lark Lane, Liverpool, L17 8UP Call us: 0151 727 3126 Twitter: @Meat_And_Liquor

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RISING STARS MEET THE NEXT GENERATION OF MERSEYSIDE MUSICIANS By OPEN Staff

One school exam subject the teenagers of Merseyside won’t have sat this summer, yet the region continues to produce experts in the field at a higher rate than the rest of the country, is being a professional footballer. The England squad was full of players from Merseyside at the World Cup in Brazil (*cough* let’s not look too closely at the performances, though *cough*). Likewise; the school curriculum leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to helping kids achieve fame and fortune through the music industry, even though this is another profession the region has always supplied well. This is where the Liverpool International Music Festival steps in, because all the music syllabus ever got from the repugnant former Education Secretary, Michael Gove, was a soul-destroying rendition of the ‘Wham Rap!’ (YouTube the cringey clip, and get yourself fuming). A key aim of the festival is to inspire the next generation of musicians and performers and it does this through its LIMF Academy set up. Unsigned bands, artists and DJs aged between 13 and 21 have been judged by a panel of experts including BBC Merseyside presenter Dave Monks, Grammy Award-winning producer Steve Levine and the festival’s own music curator Yaw Owusu. The entrants were whittled down to 15

professional artists – are the LIMF Rising Stars 2014. Remember where you seen them first…

BAND NAME: KATY ALEX Hometown: Liverpool The line-up: Katy on main vocals, acoustic guitar, bass, drums & backing vocals. Background: Katy is an 18-year-old singer/songwriter from Liverpool, studying a music degree at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. Since she was 7, she has been singing and learning to play musical instruments. She writes acoustic and soul/pop songs, and either performs solo or with her band, who are also students of LIPA. Her material contains catchy hooks and plenty of lyrics, largely based on personal experiences and the world around her. Her biggest crowds have been at gigs such as a Bestival charity gig and The Grand National, where she played to a crowd of thousands. Katy is hoping in the next few years to take her music to another level, make her band bigger and play her music to larger crowds. Why did you pick your band name? My name is Kate Alexandra Bryson. I've always had the nickname 'Katy B' as I've grown up, but that's already taken so Katy Alex is fine for me! How did you form?

You can catch all the LIMF Academy bands performing live at The Palm House stage on Monday 25th August from 3:00pm – 6:00pm

finalists who will all get to perform live on the LIMF Academy Stage (within the Palm House at Sefton Park) during the August Bank Holiday weekend. The very best of these finalists, the top five promising young local talents – and judged to be the most ready to become

I've never been able to stick to one genre, but I don't mind. I tend to stick around RnB/Soul/Pop styles, so they're not too different. I've always wanted a band behind me to give my music that nicer and fuller texture it needs, so being in a University surrounded by so many talented musicians every day was the perfect opportunity to get started! We've only had two gigs together so far, as it took a while finding the right members to jam with, but they've been excellent gigs! The biggest one was this year’s Grand National on Ladies Day, where we performed in a huge hall for thousands. That was my favourite gig to date! Why play the genre or genres that you do? I'm still trying to discover a genre that I feel most comfortable in. One day I might write a happy, bouncy soul tune,

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musician who originates from Ellesmere Port. Always a creative soul, Luke began playing the piano at around the age of 15, which gradually led him into singing and writing. By 17, he had released his debut EP Blueskies Sunrise to great critical acclaim. A naturally gifted songwriter; Luke performs armed with an electronic piano, velvety beats and a falsetto to die for. Luke has a hugely commercial feel that mixes beautifully with pure emotion. 2014 has definitely been his year! Meetings with major labels and playing a showcase for Sony in Munich are surely just more reasons why Luke's future is, without question, looking exceptionally bright indeed. Why did you pick your band name? the next a mellow, slow pop ballad. I've spent the past year thinking I need to stick to one genre, but I'm starting to realise that's not what I need. As long as I'm happy with the songs I'm writing, I'm sure I'll get along fine because my genres blend well together in a set!

Follow on: SoundCloud: Littlegrace Twitter: @LittleGraceUK Facebook: LittleGrace

Follow on: SoundCloud: Katyalexmusic Twitter: @Katyalexbryson Facebook: Katyalexmusic

Hometown: Ellesmere Port, based in Liverpool

BAND NAME: LUKE CUSATO

How did you form? Naturally. My love for music drove me to wanting to create my own. Why do you play the genre or genres that you do? I like to experiment with different genres. I've collaborated with many young artists creating tracks anywhere from dubstep to hip-hop. My heart is in emotional, soul pop kind of stuff. Follow on: SoundCloud: Luke-cusato Twitter: @LukeCusato Facebook: LukeFrancecoCusato

BAND NAME: LITTLE GRACE Hometown: Widnes/Liverpool The lineup: Ben Harrison, Adam Harrison, Callum Horridge, Mike Doyle, Peter Kirby

BAND NAME: VISITORS

Background: The band formed just over a year ago in 2013 but have all known each other for three years, performing alongside each other before deciding to combine their passion for RnB/Motown and Soul.

Hometown: Liverpool The line-up: Callum Mian – Lead Vocals & Lead Guitar Mateo Carney – Bass Guitar & Backing Vocals Jake Jones – Drums & Backing Vocals

Why did you pick your band name? The name originates from a story based upon a girl who haunted St James' Cemetery. Her name was carved into a wall by a medium in attempt to create peace with the spirit. How did you form? Ben and Adam on vocals are twins. They knew Callum through school and formed in college accompanied by various guitarists to begin. Peter and Mike joined the band recently as we have began to take things more seriously. Why play the genre or genres that you do? We feel that writing music is almost a necessity, in our lives, and we create music for others to hopefully appreciate. We are just playing the style of music that we all love and have been influenced by.

It's my name.

The line-up: Luke Cusato, solo artist Background: Luke is a 19-year-old

Background: Visitors are a three-piece band from Liverpool who started out in early 2013. They combine the Garage Rock and Grunge genres together to create a new, unique sound. Their predominant influences consist of Fuzz, Ty Segall, SoundGarden, Arctic Monkeys, Nirvana, Miles Kane, Royal Blood, Queens of the Stone Age and many more. The band are often praised for their live shows, as they portray considerable emotion throughout their performances, they are extremely tight and go at it with a thumping sound.

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Why did you pick your band name? Our name was inspired by the Arctic Monkey’s song Pretty Visitors. The song has quite a dark and mysterious feel to it, and we felt that our Visitors part of the title suited us and our own, unique genre of music. How did you form? We were originally a four-piece group until, in early 2013, when musical differences came into place and we decided to continue on as a 3 piece. That’s when we really started to find our muse and the sound we wanted. Why play the genre or genres that you do? Our genre is a mix between Garage Rock and Grunge, and by mixing those two genres together, it has proved to formulate a new, unique sound we are really proud of! We feel that this sound could make us stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Follow on: SoundCloud: Visitorsuk Twitter: @Visitors_music Facebook: Blackmambaliverpool

BAND NAME: XAMVOLO Hometown: London, but studying in Liverpool Background: Sam (XamVolo) is a 20-yearold artist originating from London, but currently studying in Liverpool. Predominantly identifying as a soul and neo-soul artist heavily influenced by Jazz

culture, he has always aimed to bring a cool and collected aura to the music scene. Self-producing nearly all of his own music to this point has allowed him to discover and explore his individual, jazzy style. His lyrics are enigmatic yet vivid, with inspiration arising from unlikely sources, helping form his unique approach to the genre. Some liken his expressive vocals to artists such as John Legend and Aloe Blacc, alongside UK acts such as Maverick Sabre, Ella Eyre and Amy Winehouse. Why did you pick your band name? Well, I didn’t really put much thought into it when I chose it. It’s actually a loose play on my real name, Sam Folorunsho. I just wanted something different and attentiongrabbing to put my music out under. It could be argued that I picked it because it’d be easy to find on Google! How did you form? I’ve loved music ever since I was in primary school. I only started to take it seriously at A-Level, mainly because I loved the idea of being productive and using my time to be creative. I can’t really put a finger on when it started to become an identity, but I can safely say I’m aware that it’s the direction I want to head in career-wise. Why play the genre or genres that you do? I love soul music. I was brought up around Soul and Jazz; there’s something about it that resonates with me. Neo-Soul is a fairly new genre, but it captures all the elements that I love about music – the musical technicality, the vibe, the lyrics whether cryptic or heart-on-sleeve – it’s home to such a versatile yet distinct and timeless

sound. I’m glad I’ve been able to put my own twist on it! Follow on: SoundCloud: xamvolo Twitter: @svfolo Facebook: xamvolo

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THURSDAY 14 AUGUST EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB 90 Seel St, Liverpool, L1 4BH

22.00 - 03.00 FROM £5 Club MTV is the clubbing arm of MTV. After running over 100 events across the UK in the 12 months since it’s inception, it is finally coming to Liverpool. Working with a combination of big name UK talent, and upcoming DJ’s, Club MTV has solidified itself as one of the must attend parties in each city it visits. Previous guests have included Sigma, DJ Fresh, Duke Dumont, Gorgon City, Labrinth, Wretch 32, Rizzle Kicks, BTraits, Shy FX, Redlight, Zane Lowe, and many more. For all the latest about Club MTV Liverpool, look out for listings and check out Club MTV on Facebook. For more info visit: limfestival.com/club-mtv

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BEHIND THE DECKS: YOUSEF BRINGING BOILER ROOM TO LIVERPOOL Interview by Josh Williams

You can’t think of the Liverpool House and Techno scene without thinking about Yousef and his night Circus, which has now been the main event in the city for over a decade. With Circus continuing to attract the best DJ talent in the world to its home in East Village Arts Club, this August Yousef will be turning the tables and presenting the best talent this city has to offer to the rest of the world when he hosts a Boiler Room set as part of the Liverpool International Music Festival. OPEN caught up with a busy Yousef, to get the views from behind a DJ’s decks who has been around long enough to have seen it all. OPEN: So, first things first - can you just tell us a bit about what you've been up to lately? YOUSEF: I’m always busy! Touring is endless, all over Europe, South America, India, and Asia, up and down the UK. I’ve just released my new EP on Circus Recordings By The Way You Dance, which is cooking nicely. It’s part of a two part EP release I’m doing showing differing sides, or colours of my musical pallet. Putting together my Circus Events in London, Liverpool, Barcelona, New York, Serbia, Manchester... oh and my weekly radio show is now on over 80 stations globally, which is crazy! These days every DJ seems to have a record label, but with its 10th birthday being fairly recently, what do you think the reasons are for Circus being so successful? Circus (events) and Circus Recordings are different things, kind of like brothers, who help each other out. The Circus events are 12 years old, a hobby, a residency, a place where I support and the music I love. Circus Recordings is now about 5 years

old, and is really developing into a serious, organised record label. Both the events, and of course myself, champion what is good, and exciting, new and interesting in underground house and techno, with the freedom to move around sub genres freely. Why are they successful? Hard work and passion and dedication. Circus is hosting Boiler Room TV for a special one off show as part of the Liverpool International Music Festival in August, how excited are you about this? It’s cool to bring Boiler Room to Liverpool for the first time. It took me close of 10 months of chipping away to get it confirmed and I wanted to house the event in a stunning location, which again really represents the city of Liverpool in great light - so the Palm House is perfect. The event will be further about Liverpool, as I’m only inviting local artists to join me playing and showcasing what Liverpool has to offer. It’s less about Circus and more about the abundance of talent in electronic music in Liverpool. I’m very excited though and really happy we could pull it together.

“ I’m just a little worried that EDM will get killed off like "disco" did in the 70's, making all forms of electronic music polluted.” You recently hosted your very own Circus arena for the first time at Global Gathering, do you prefer the festival experience over clubs? It’s quite monumental for me to have my own Circus arena with many of my friends DJing. I was thrilled to be asked! Festivals and club are different, what I really search for when DJing is crowd connection, that’s the magic no matter where you play. Circus has also been announced as one of the nights on the 2014 Warehouse Project calendar, so how different will it be hosting a night there rather than just playing a set? I guess I will have a closer eye on making sure the event represents Circus, but the line up does, and WHP are 100% in control of sound, lights and production, so I guess it will feel similar, but bursting with more 56

pride. As far as the music goes, which producers have impressed you recently and are there any names you can tip for future success? Many, I love Davide Squillace; his new remix for Carl Cox on Circus is literally incredible. Also Kydus is a new name people need to keep a close eye on. I love techno and nu disco, so even though my sound is the heart beat of house, I’m just as likely to play Todd Terje in my set as I’m Joseph Capriati. What are your thoughts on the modern day obsession of EDM and how the craze of dance music has developed over the past few years? Dance music has been a true movement for over 25 years, maybe the real meaning of house music is entirely lost on the EDMers? That said, I guess they do ‘feel’ something, so who am I to say how they feel about their chosen music? They are having a good time, so who cares! It will come and go, it’s already fading, and house and techno will continue to rule, so I’m happy with that. It’s certainly brought a huge amount of attention to electronic music. I’m just a little worried that EDM will get killed off like "disco" did in the 70's, making all forms of electronic music polluted. I’m doing my own thing; each to their own essentially. With the overall house scene seemingly catching the attention of the younger audience, what would you say the scene was like when you first started as a listener or producer and did you prefer it in those days? No, it’s different: ‘Dance music’ is accessible anywhere now. Back then it really was an underground movement where you had to put time and effort into source. Record shopping, secret raves, mix tapes, motorway convoys... real effort, now it’s everywhere, that’s cool, but it’s extremely different. The underground does not really exist, in fairness. Brand new music is out there the same day it’s made in some cases.

Yousef will be hosting Boiler Room = CIRCUS & Liverpool International Music Festival on August 16th. Stream it live from boilerroom.tv

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GET ON IT TICKETS TO THE NIGHTS THAT MATTER

FREEZE PRESENTS JOHN DIGWEED, PACO OSUNA, HENRY SAIZ AND JEMMY Saturday 23rd August The Bombed Out Church, St Lukes Church, Leece Street Tickets £30.25 Doors 1pm – 3.30pm Celebrated for their continued, effortless success in operating a wide and thrilling variety of urban venues, spaces and environments for their magnificent parties, Liverpool’s iconic nomads Freeze are elated to announce their return to the iconic Bombed Out Church as one of their venues for Saturday

23rd August’s much-anticipated double whammy of shows, with the second, mystery venue to be announced very soon. Their unique methods of scoping out the most enticing venues in the city has led them to dominating St George’s Hall, The Anglican Cathedral, The Williamson Tunnels and of course The Bombed Out Church, as well as pretty much every other noteworthy club space the city has on offer, and their sporadic parties are fast becoming the talk of the town. With summer 2014 already in full swing, Freeze recently went the extra mile to thrill crowds, asking their loyal audience to call the shots on who should be booked for their events in August, and whether they should bring John Digweed back to Liverpool exclusively for their next event. The ecstatic, unanimous response demanded that he returns to DJ in Liverpool, and thus, one of the most iconic and widelycelebrated scratchers is set to return for the massively-anticipated, imminent event. Notorious for his pulsating workouts administered globally, techno fiend Paco Osuna will make his debut for the club, equipped with a wide spectrum of music from grooveladen house, building to a crescendo of the most ferocious techno cuts. His attendance will encapture the music which now exists to be the night’s foundations. Regarded as Spain’s most prominent techno DJ, he is also Richie Hawtin’s main resident at his Ibiza Enter Parties. And of course, the party wouldn’t be complete without a spectacular show from Spanish DJ and producer Henry Saiz, who conquered the

All tickets available from 3B Records & Tickets, 5 Slater Street, Liverpool 3brecords.co.uk @3brecordsLTD info@3brecords.co.uk 0151 353 7027

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crowds at Freeze’s memorable debut show at St George’s Hall, all the way back in 2012. His show is set to blow party-goers away, with his accompanying full band, blending a rich, sonic tapestry of only the finest, most refined sounds.

party at Club 051 'till 4am for those who choose to buy that ticket – there is a basic festival ticket too with no after party option. A cab back to Liverpool is probably about a tenner each, though we hope to be looking at coaches for those who want that option.

Supporting will be Freeze cornerstone Jemmy, perceived as one of the finest residents globally by no lesser a sound guru than Danny Howells, along with a long-awaited return for the indigenous Freeze DJ Rob Casson, who rounds the billing up perfectly.

Food stalls and mad entertainment outside plus outside bars too.

MUMU SESSIONS #005: PAN POT

REMINISCE FESTIVAL AFTERPARTY

Sunday 24th August Kitchen Street, Liverpool Tickets £19.50 Doors 4pm mUmU bank holiday partys' have been legendary over the last few years, so now mUmU sessions will take up the baton. One DJ – all night long.

REMINISCE FESTIVAL

&US PRESENTS JAY LUMEN

Saturday 13th September Sherdley Park, Marshalls Cross Road (A569), St Helens Tickets £43.95 Doors 2pm – 11pm

Sunday 24th August The Garage, Greenland Street, Liverpool Tickets £11.25 Doors 10pm – 5am

TWO HUGE big tops in an amazing setting of greenland for 3000 ppl just 20 minutes from Liverpool with an after party at Club 051 'till 4am.

Jay Lumen is not just a name or just a face in a club with 1000s of music lovers screaming the name. Jay Lumen is a creation in himself. Stemming from his resounding success in Ibiza as well as years becoming a music veteran in his own right over this past decade, Jay has already gained momentum in the underground music scene in 2014. On that note it would only be too polite and an honour to announce that we are bringing Jay Lumen to the shores of England’s legendary City. Liverpool.

One arena will be the real legends of the scene with some local and some national Djs plus amazing live PAs that we cannot wait to announce. This will be the main arena for 2000 and will give you all your screaming piano and vocal classic anthems from State Quad Cream Hacienda and much more. The second Arena will be for the Bounce heads catering for all the 051 / Sunrise / Wigan Pier sounds with an unbelievable line up of Djs and PAs including one headliner from Italy … This Big top will hold 1,000 people. All day festival till late then the after

Saturday 13th September Club 051, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool Tickets £11.25 Doors 10pm – 4am Can’t make the daytime at Reminisce Festival? Then tickets for the after party at Club 051 are also available which will feature: Sonique (live PA) and DJs from Lee Butler, Lil John, Mark Simon, Ste Mcgee, and Steve Cocky.

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SICKNOTE I WANTED TO MAKE MY CHARACTERS COME TO LIFE BY FINDING THEM NEW HOMES ON THE STREETS – TO TRY AND MAKE SOMEONE STOP, LOOK AND SMILE BEFORE THEY GO BACK TO THEIR WALK TO WORK.

An increasingly popular form of street art is the ‘wheatie’ or wheat paste-up, they are easily removable and thereby avoid any vandalism fines. But they’re also bold and full of character and that’s what has people stopping in their tracks when they stroll upon one of these wall-turned-canvas displays in a discreet corner of the city. Sicknote has retained that instinct we all have when we are young to doodle and sketch anywhere and on anything in sight - usually bad ganja symbols on school sketchbooks. But cartoon characters have always been the biggest influence. “As a kid, me and my brother would spend hours watching Cartoon Network, proper buzzing off shows like Dexter’s Lab, Cow & Chicken, Ed Edd n’ Eddy, and Dragon Ball Z, and we’d go away and doodle our favourite characters,” Sicknote enthuses. “I know it’s an old cliché about street art, but pasting up onto the streets creates an interaction with everyday people. Everyone

View more of Sicknote’s work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ sick_note/

can also relate to cartoons because we all used to - or still do love - watching them. Whoever you are there will always be some connection with them.” Interaction with some of Sicknote’s works has gone further than the sly crack of a smile by a passing observer. “One of my paste-ups was just a moody face I thought would look good in a doorway. A few weeks later I went back to take pictures and somebody had written on his fod “Fast Eddie” - I have no idea what it means or the story behind it but that name and face just fitted and made me laugh.” People have also found the time to show their appreciation for Sicknote’s work directly. “I wondered what people would make of a huge Wookie having a dump on Duke Street. An American woman who had moved to Liverpool emailed me saying; “Chewbacca cheers me up every single day!”

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CITY GRAMS PEOPLE, PLACES, PARTIES A round up of Instagrams taken between June - July at some of the best events listed in the last issue of OPEN.

@oohshootstu Just seen this done live by @conradroset in The Kazimier Garden... #liverpool #Barcelona #liv-bcn @pagster57 #brazilica Opposite page (Left to right) @charliepaton24 Ghostfacekillah #Kazimier @shuv93 #africaoye #seftonpark @missmojopin #brouhaha #carnival @chrisadamparker #biennial #jellyfishtoxteth @dduffy86 #bombedoutchurch #freeze @justclaire25 #holioneliverpool

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@lynmatfogstar – Ainsdale Woods Man is nothing else but that which he makes of himself. — Jean-Paul Sartre

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IF LOOKS COULD KILL THE WET DOG STARS OF THE 2014 SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS Photos by Sophie Gamand All images are Copyright: © Sophie Gamand, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards Editor's note: Dog quotes are our fabrication, names are real.

Prints are available from sophiegamand.com Instagram: SophieGamand Wet Dog book is scheduled for release Fall 2015 with Aurum Press in the UK. Entries for the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards are now open. For further details visit worldphoto.org

For the first time since its launch in 2007, the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition was held outside of London in the UK when the pop-up exhibition appeared in Liverpool ONE. The event featured images by the very best established and emerging contemporary photographers from all around the world with work in the fields of fashion, travel, wildlife, landscape, and current affairs. Anybody who stepped foot in the South John Street exhibition could not have missed the winner of portraiture category, which stole the show with New York based French photographer Sophie Gamand’s Wet Dog series of images. “The Wet Dog series, captured in a dog grooming salon, is a gallery of portraits of dogs captured during an activity they hate: bath time. Photographing them in this moment of extreme vulnerability has allowed

me to capture the incredible range of emotions they are capable of expressing. Poignant looks, anger and judgment can be read in their eyes and should question our own behaviour,” says Gamand. The photographer, who has also photographed dogs at the vet and dog pageants as part of a larger exploration of our relationship with ‘man’s best friend’, explains, “today, especially in large cities, [dogs] often replace friends, spouses or even children.” “By replacing humans with dogs, we have subdued an entire species solely to meet the needs and desires our human partners were not fulfilling. The way we treat dogs speaks volumes about the social challenges we face. The dog has become somewhat of a mirror to our own condition and our ultimate solitude.”

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Nicole: “Don’t give me all that ‘good boy’ s*@te, ya rat.”

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Marshmallow: “I guess I’m gona just have to shake it like a polaroid picture, aren’t I?”

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Commando: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Look at yourself, you smelly, baldy monkey."

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Diamond: “Yeah, laugh now because I look like Gizmo. The second I’m out of sight I’m going to leave you a nice little prezzy to pick up.”

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Oscar: “Ever since you got my balls removed, I just don’t seem to care anymore.”

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Chiki Baby: “So, just lash us that bone whenever you’re ready, ta.”

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New Website. www.openthecity.co.uk

People Showcasing the best of local talent and big name interviews Places Check the site for special offers at the best venues in town Parties Regular ticket giveaways to some of the biggest nights in the city @open_magazine

/openthecity

@openmag

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WIN LIMF FESTIVAL TICKETS Get in for free to Steve Levine’s Assembly Point Sessions and Summercamp at Camp and Furnace Courtesy of our friends at Liverpool International Music Festival, and Camp and Furnace, we are offering one reader the chance to win a pair of tickets to the main ticketed events of LIMF 2014, Summercamp at Camp and Furnace on 15th – 16th August, and Steve Levine’s Assembly Point Sessions at St George’s Hall on 21st August. Summercamp kicks off on Friday night with sometime Super Furry Animal, composer, producer, filmmaker and author Gruffydd Maredudd Bowen Rhys - or just Gruff Rhys if you prefer - who will be coming to Liverpool to showcase the best of his ace new project American Interior. In the evening it goes up a notch as Deep Shit - the record label, club night and radio show curated by Jack Savidge of Friendly Fires

and Edwin Congreave of Foals - are playing an extended set in Blade Factory.

we’re giving away over £150 worth of tickets to these fantastic events.

Saturday sees the wonderful former Dove Mr. Jimi Goodwin headline Camp fresh off the back of his critically acclaimed solo album Odludek. While in Blade there is Dauwd: Championed by Benji B, Gilles Peterson and Jamie XX amongst others.

How to win

And as well as all this, Camp will be hosting a one-off free Summercamp editions of Food Slam, Meatmarket, Roast and Fanpark (the new Premier League season and a Summerslam special no less). A week later, as LIMF 2014 continues its citywide programme of events, Grammy winning producer Steve Levine will artistically direct Assembly Point Sessions that will see a number of top British music artists use traditional and new technology to collaborate together for an exclusive performance at the historic St George’s Hall. The list of confirmed performers include Boy George (full live set), Tim Burgess (from The Charlatans), Bernard Butler (from Suede), Hollie Cook, Mark King (from Level 42), Pete Wylie (from The Mighty Wah!), Mary Epworth and Natalie McCool. LIMF is into its second year with citywide events and music gigs for everybody. And

For your chance to win a pair of tickets to all the events listed above, as part of LIMF 2014, all you have to do is follow and tweet us at @OPEN_MAGAZINE including our web address www.openthecity.co.uk, with the hashtag #OPENLIMF. That’s it, and we’ll randomly pick a winner from the tweets. The competition closes on Monday 18th August 2014. View full line up info at www.limfestival.com Terms and conditions All entrants confirm that, if they are under 18 years of age, they have obtained the consent of their parent or legal guardian before entering the competition. FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, THE PRIZE DOES NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL TO/FROM THE FESTIVAL, CAR PARKING, SPENDING MONEY, T OR ANY OTHER EXPENSES INCURRED AS A RESULT OF ATTENDANCE AT THE FESTIVAL.

Visit limfestival.com and campandfurnace.com for ticket links and other info

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