Open Magazine spring 2013

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Editor: Robbie Muldoon editor@open-mag.co.uk Creative 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 Sales: Michael Tremarco michael@open-mag.co.uk Website development: Stephen White prettyflystudio.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS: Estelle Cartlidge, David Crighton, Stephanie Gibney, Steph Johnson, Francesca Kearns, Tom Ledson, Victoria Melia, Kieran Owens, Ashley Waugh, @ ScouseBirdProbs If you are an aspiring writer with something to say and would like to contribute to OPEN go to openthecity.co.uk/write-foropen/

EDITOR’S LETTER R&B stars don’t get much bigger than Ne-Yo. The multiple Grammy award-winning performer was in Liverpool recently touring his latest album Realizing Every Dream. He was also promoting his latest business venture, a dive into the world of artist-owned alcohol. Ne-Yo together with Malibu have created Malibu Red a drink that, in my opinion, should be as easily available as tap water. We spoke to the eternal hat wearer and found he holds a lot of admiration for a few well-known Scousers yes, The Beatles obviously. (But we Googled ‘Ne-Yo Beatles’ and found no results informing us of his love for The Fab Four. So that’s a world exclusive for you all right there. No need to thank us, just doing our jobs.) On the back of this our creative director, Robbie May, produced a Beatles-inspired poster and presented it to the man himself. Mr. Shaffer C. Smith liked the design so much he asked us to produce a few more copies for himself and his family. Ne-Yo got his posters and we got lots of free Malibu Red: it was a good deal.

The festival season is fast approaching and luckily for us the first music festival of the year is officially Liverpool Sound City. Running over three days from Thursday 2nd May with literally hundreds of acts performing at venues all over the city it’s a great time to get out and enjoy a drink in the surroundings of quality live music. Have a gander at our guide to the festival with our picks of the soon to blow-up acts to watch out for and who’s playing where, and when. What’s more you don’t even need a tent or wellies, and that means the festival isn’t at the mercy of the bastard weather!

Robbie Muldoon editor@open-mag.co.uk For subscription info go to openthecity.co.uk. Open is published four times a year.

Photography: Mike Brits, Adam Johns, John Johnson Special thanks: Becka Corner, Polly Daszkiewicz, Lucy Goodwin and Canoe Inc, Peter Guy, Malibu Red, Moore Media, and everybody at Tea and Cake PR! Illustration: Robert May

OPEN MAGAZINE City Point, Unit 14, Great Homer Street, L5 3LE Web: www.openthecity.co.uk Phone: 0151 207 4925 Email: info@openthecity.co.uk Twitter: @open_magazine Facebook: www.facebook.com/ openthecity Printed by Custom Print Ltd, Liverpool.

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NOW OPEN A GUIDE TO THE NEWEST SHOPS, BARS, RESTAURANTS AND ENTERTAINMENT VENUES OPEN IN LIVERPOOL. The Art Of Pop Video Exhibition at Fact

STRIP WAXING BOUTIQUE 3rd Floor at Harvey Nichols, Liverpool ONE. Visit by Steph Johnson Getting a bikini wax is not something a girl looks forward to, unfortunately it’s a necessary evil unless you want to spend your entire hard-earned holiday lying on the beach fretting over whether you look like you’re smuggling spiders in your bikini.

Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, but will explore the genre in more conceptual way – mapping the history of music videos and looking at the future for the format in an age which is digital, online, immediate and accessible.

feel like I was in safe hands. I left with highend skin care that was hand picked for my skin that would be beneficial and make a difference.

I for one have been converted to a lover of Kiehl’s.

The exhibition is now open and runs until 26th May.

BYRON AND BROWNS

KIEHL’S

STRIP claim to have a wax which reduces pain by 70% and as an added bonus smells like chocolate hazelnut.

Liverpool ONE, 70 South John Street

I barely noticed the pain. Much better than strip waxing. How it works, they explained, is that the wax dries and shrinks around the hairs and they pull the wax itself off – the pre wax oils mean it doesn’t stick to the skin which is why it’s more effective and less traumatic than strip waxing. They offer traditional bikini, Brazilian (landing strip), Hollywood (all off) and the new fashion ‘gems’. Right beach, here I come, I’m ready for you!

Kiehl’s has opened its first store in Liverpool and what a lovely little delight it is. As you would expect from a major skin care brand that has been around for 162 years since its beginnings in New York, they know their stuff.

THE ART OF POP VIDEO FACT, 88 Wood Street, Liverpool, L1 4DQ In the first exhibition of its kind in the UK, more than 100 video clips tell the story of the pop video, marking the medium’s substantial contribution to visual culture.

Showcasing the music video as an artistic medium in its own right, the exhibition follows its history from the 1920s to its most contemporary manifestations, focusing on the recent shift in the audience’s role from passive viewer to active producer.

The Art of Pop Video will include classic promos from the heyday of MTV, such as

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Visit by Ashley Waugh

Liverpool ONE, 43 Paradise Street Located side by side between John Lewis and Harvey Nichols’ recently opened Beauty Bazaar, both restaurants will open this spring.

With so much choice in store the Kiehl’s team are there to help and guide you through the whole experience.

As soon as I entered the store I was sat down and treated to a skin analysis test, which took seconds, but with thorough results.

The skin analysis helped pinpoint products that would help my skin and advised me on how to get the most out of them. Their expert advice and skin care tips made me

40 years after the first Browns opened in The Lanes of Brighton the bar & brasserie chain is coming to Liverpool.

Situated in Liverpool ONE and opening early summer (end of May / early June) Browns will bring its mix of Classic Dishes Close to People’s Hearts, expertly mixed cocktails, beautifully chosen wines and a balanced range of perfectly chilled beers all served by a wonderful team within the stylish buzz that is Browns.

Byron will be opening its restaurant next door with the vision of ‘serving proper hamburgers the way they should be.’

OPEN CARD OFFERS: SPRING USE YOUR OPEN CARD AT THE THESE PLACES FOR SPECIAL OFFERS THOMAS COOK

PHI BAR & GRILL

CAPELLO HAIR

£50 per person discount on all Club 18-30 and Escapades holidays for Open Card holders on selected dates;

10% off food and drink, Unit 2-7 Almonds Grove, West Derby, L12 5HP, 0151 345 4348 www.phi-thai-restaurant.co.uk

Hair and make up together for just £35, 3a Hatton Garden, Liverpool, L3 2FE, 0151 236 4444 www.capelloliverpool.co.uk

ACTIVE ADVENTURES

HOUSE

Pay one person goes free, 37 Otterspool Drive, Aigburth, Liverpool, L17 5AL, 0151 494 3044 www.activeadventuresuk.com

Almost half price Full English Breakfast with tea or coffee, usually £14.90 but just £8 with the Open Card. 25 Bold Street, Liverpool, L1, 0151 709 1791 www.house-liverpool.com

20 May ‘13 - 16 June ‘13 19 Aug ‘13 - 13 Oct ‘13 or a fantastic deal of: Ibiza 04/09/2013 7 Nights San Antonio Hotel Apollo £199 pp ( Bargain ) www.thomascook.com

TRIBIANNI’S PIZZA

MISS FRANCESCA COUTURE 20% off online purchases, 82 Islington, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 8LD, 0151 207 5959 www.missfrnacescacouture.com

BAR BURRITO 10% off Food, 30% off Alcohol, The Galleria, 14 Paradise Street, Liverpool, L1 8JF www.barburrito.co.uk

DESIGNER BOUTIQUE 10% off all stock, Stopgate Lane, Aintree, L9 6AN, 0151 523 3388 www.designerboutique-online.com

15% off all orders, 3C Hatton Garden, Liverpool, L3 2FE, 0151 236 6404 www.tribbianispizza.com

CENTRAL PERK

SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE OPEN CARD AT OPENTHECITY .CO.UK

Free refills on all tea and coffee with Open Card, 3B Hatton Garden, Liverpool, L3 2AN, 0151 236 6799 www.central-perk.co.uk

VOODOU 20% off at salons across Liverpool, the two on Bold Street, one on Button Street and one in West Derby Road, Tuebrook. 0844 445 7889 www.voodou.co.uk

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PUMA selected Liverpool as one of the locations to capture their looks in a cool urban environment as part of their Worn My Way spring/summer ’13 campaign. OPEN were invited along to shoot behind the scenes.

The PUMA “Worn My Way” campaign, featuring ambassadors Professor Green, Jamal Edwards and Misha B is captured through a series of mini films that will be hosted on PUMA’s new interactive hub (www.wornmyway.com). A source of all things PUMA, the lifestyle hub will host everything from news on the latest drops to galleries featuring key silhouettes in the UK, events and carefully curated content from cutting edge blogs.

Puma Suede Classic

Puma Suede Classic

Puma Suede Classic

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Puma Future R698 Lite

Puma Archieve Lite Low Nylon

Puma Archieve Lite Mid Nylon

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They say that inspiration can come from the most unusual sources, and to those who are familiar with my designs you might think that the late great Elizabeth Taylor is not actually that unlikely.

However, a spoof award that I received in the Liverpool Echo Insider’s honours list – ‘The Elizabeth Taylor Award for unashamed bling’ - was what made me think... that has to be a compliment, right? I mean I loved Elizabeth Taylor, and my thoughts of her are of outstanding beauty, exquisite jewels, excess and simply being fabulous. After reading a little more about the beautiful Miss Taylor, I was intrigued by her upbringing and her childhood, her naivety and the difference between her private and public personas.

When designing my current collection, I had in mind a little girl being brought

up to believe she could have anything, that she was as important as any adult she might meet or even more so, being told she was the most beautiful thing in the world but not actually believing it. The combination of clashing fabrics used, such as neon shades of sequin against delicate lace can be seen as the difference between the bold, confident and articulate child star in comparison to the naive, lonely little girl, like a bird in a cage.

Other inspirations for this collection came from the colour palette of a vintage sweet shop, Victorian style dolls house dressing and a day out to an English tea party. I love this collection and like to think that it is our most exciting and diverse offering of looks and styles for many seasons! Everything from frills and flounces to glitzy sequins, delicate lace,

How FAB does Alesha Dixon look wearing our Sally dress from AW 2012 in the advertising campaign for Babybell and Comic Relief!! I have loved Alesha since her days in ‘Misteeq’ so seeing her in Miss Francesca Couture was a proud moment for me ☺ and I even think the red nose compliments the design perfectly!

This season is all about COLOUR for me after being dressed head to toe in black (or grey if I’m feeling adventurous) for what seems like an eternity. I can’t wait to lighten my mood and wear something a little brighter. What better way to introduce some of the seasons delicious mouth watering shades than through your accessories? Here is my summer wish list…

1. Flutter bloom printed satin scarf (Matthew Williamson) 2. Shourouk necklace (Benna.co.uk) 3. City lights oval stone bracelet (Topshop) 4. Yellow YSL tribute sandals (Cricket) 5. Neon pink celine mini luggage (Matthew Williamson) 14 SPRING 2013 / OPEN MAGAZINE

oversized bows, playful proportions and top to toe white outfits are some of the uber feminine details that make it perfect for any occasion this summer! The hard part now is choosing what one to wear...

Miss Francesca couture Summer ‘13

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Photography: Mike Brits Stylists: Becka Corner and Polly Daszkiewicz Make up by: Louise Gibney Hair by: Steph Gibney (Capello Liverpool) Models: Josh Gordon & Lauri Paine Clothing: Cricket & Reiss Location: Camp and Furnace

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Him Balmain mint blazer, Lanvin shirt, Lanvin trousers, Lanvin shoes Her Stella McCartney jacket & skirt, Christian Louboutin shoes

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Him Balenciaga suit, Lanvin shirt, Lanvin shoes, Lanvin pocket square Her Temperley bustier, Lanvin skirt, Christian Louboutin shoes

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Him Lanvin Blazer, Dior shirt, Balmain trousers, Balmain shoes Her Lanvin dress, YSL shoes

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All clothing from Reiss.

Shoes from Christian Louboutin and Lanvin

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BACK TO THE NOUGHTIES IF YOU WERE BORN IN LIVERPOOL DURING THE 80’S, GREW UP IN THE 90’S, AND GOT DRUNK IN THE 2000’S - A DECADE AGO YOU PROBABLY DRESSED LIKE THIS… Words by: Robbie Muldoon, @Scousebirdprobs Photos: Mike Brits Stylists: Robert May, Becka Corner Models: James Fearns, Lauri Paine

The Noughties are now well behind us, almost far enough for it to be acceptable to open up a noughties retro bar somewhere down Mathew Street. And it seems as though history isn’t looking back with much fondness on a decade that brought us wars, iPods, and Eminem. ‘A stunted deformity of a decade when technology was routinely more impressive than people’, is how some have put it.

But for those of us who were coming of age in the early 2000s, it will forever be a decade looked back on with fondness. But nostalgia can be a deceptive thing.

Look at Instagram: people make the pictures they take today look like they were taken years ago, because our cynical minds yearn for the ‘golden days’ gone.

As we settle into the ‘teenies’ decade we thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at the fads in Liverpool during the early noughties. Now we know not everybody in Liverpool at the time dressed like this, but a lot did. It happened...

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TOP SCAL The Lacoste tracksuit epidemic in Liverpool of the early 2000s made a mockery of the nationally held stereotype that scousers were all shell suit wearing scally wags. Top scals could be seen parading around town with their hands tucked down the front of their tracksuit bottoms accosting teenage girls – sounds a lot like Jimmy Savile now.

This is either the look of somebody from the early 2000s or a smack head off County Road. Either way, somebody should tell him Helly Hansen coats died a death in the 90s.

The iPhone of the day was the Nokia 3310 – the Chuck Norris of mobile phones. No apps, no camera, not even WAP – just a reliable phone with Snake on it. Oh, how we have lost sight of what really matters.

It was also vogue for a time to tuck tracksuit bottoms into your socks. This was a look probably inspired by the need to stop them getting caught in the gears of your mountain bike. A strict rule also applied to the hems of all tracksuit bottoms they had to be elasticated. A scouser wearing wide flaring tracksuit bottoms (a distinctly ‘wool’ look) anywhere in Liverpool, was social suicide.

All white trainers were a staple of any lad’s wardrobe. This pair looks a bit scuffed and in need of the whitening brush. It used to be acceptable to use a whitening brush to cover up scuffs. But it shouldn’t have been, it should never have been.

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TJ HUGHES RAIDER Decked out head to toe in St John’s clobber this girl just oozes class, as in she’s oozed every last bit of class she’s got out until none remains. Thinking she’s boss, she’s probably just been to Storm and thinking about getting ready for a night out in The Barracuda.

You can still buy these picture tops in Select and St Johns market yano. Horrible aren’t they? Cheap see through material and always get reduced to about a quid in the sales because no one wants them.

Print trousers are back in. Yano what’s not back in? Those pants that had a skirt attached to them, remember them? What was that all about? I remember going to a house party for the Millennium wearing a picture top and a grey pair of skirt pants. Blame All Saints... or if not, Chris Maloney.

Chippie trabs, the footwear of choice for any self respecting girl of the early noughties. The louder and brighter the better. If your Ma couldn’t afford to get them for you then there was always TJ Hughes. I picked up a belter pair of purple, orange and lime green ones. Boss.

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051 ENOUGH? The early-2000s nightlife scene in Liverpool revolved around Club 051. The chances are you were trying to get past the bouncers with your older brother’s ID… so dressing to appear older than your age was essential.

You could find Moschino shirt wearing sunbed kings in all of the following hot spots; 051, Barcelona Bar, VR Bar (Wednesdays - £10 entry and a free bar!), Wonderbar, Arena, Aquarium and after hours rush-sniffing-hives the Sunrise, and Pleasure Rooms. Wherever the girls go the lads will follow, and so it eventually was when Society and Garlands became the places to be and a different dress code brought the curtain down on the Moschino shirt wearing era in Liverpool.

The drink of choice back then was an alcopop, lots of cheap, nasty, heartburn-producing alcopops – VK being the worst offender. After a heavy night on the blue WKDs you could expect to have a green poo.

The sovereign ring was an accessory that yelled ‘I like a scrap!’ and would accompany a solid gold curb bracelet (the thicker the bracelet the more likely that the person was a drug dealer). All of which can now be pawned for a good price at Cash Converters.

Scouse house was still alive and kicking in the clubs of Liverpool at the start of the millennium, Ultrabeat’s Pretty Green Eyes was massive with funky house growing in popularity. But does any tune represent early 2000s clubland better than the Ludacris vs Kylie remix - Can’t Lick You Out Of My Head!? The hip-hop-pop-dance genre was born. It’s only taken 10 years for America to catch on.

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CLUB NECKER I like bit buns an I cannot lie, you other birds can’t deny, when a girl walks in with an itty bitty bun an u wanna punch her in the face she’s a wool! Small buns and hair bubbles are naughty, they belong in the past. What were we thinking? Runcorn take note.

Those earrings, ah yes, the 25p section of Quarters, I remember it well.

Here she is, ready to go off swigging her Smirnoff Ice in Norwegian Blue. I’ve got no idea how she reckons she’s getting a club neck like. Mind you, I don’t know how birds from St Helens get a club neck but they somehow manage it. She’s deffo channelling St Helens 2013 here.

Look at that hideous skinny diamante belt please!

I just wanna rip it off and strangle her with it. I was in New Look the other day and I saw a similar one – someone needs to write to their Head Office and tell them to create a ‘wool’ section for such hideous creations so I don’t have to suffer retina damage. Like the behind the curtain bit in a sex shop.

Urgh I don’t even know what to call these. They look like she’s put a swimming brick in a sock. Vile, vile, vile.

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The Guide To Liverpool Sound City 2013

OPEN’s Ones To Watch

By David Crighton

What have Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, V Festival and T in the Park got in common? All of them have a high number of irritating ‘revelers’ who go to say they’ve been but don’t actually scratch beyond the surface of the main stage. They pad out the numbers and just generally get in the way!

If you’re one of those people (now be honest we’ve all been there at some point) it’s not too late to change. You don’t have to condemn yourself to watching the likes of Status Quo followed by Shirley Bassey on a Sunday morning so you’ll have a ‘great spot’ for Toploader at midday. You can check out the other stages and try something new. However, training has to start now! Are you ready? Yes! Good. Are you with me? Yes! Great.

Liverpool Sound City runs from May 2nd- 4th across 25 venues in the city hosting a staggering 360 acts. It’s a festival that’s growing in reputation and in previous years has featured artists such as Florence and the Machine, Jake Bugg, Paloma Faith and Ed Sheeran. We took a look at some of the must-see bands to check out for this year…

Swim Deep @ Zanzibar, Thur 2nd May, 10:15PM - 11:00PM

Birmingham has a chequered musical past and it’s hard to pin down a definitive Midlands ‘sound’. Metal, reggae, glam-rock and brit-pop have all been represented across the decades and now a new indie pop movement is emmerging. At the forefront of this musical resurgence is Swim Deep.

Their whimsically upbeat tunes and simple but catchy guitar hooks have an expressive

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quality which has drawn comparisons with The Stone Roses. They definitely possess a sound that is infectious and warm but with real edge.

The band has a huge summer ahead and it starts with Liverpool Sound City, before some big UK dates and a debut album release set for July. If you’re planning on dipping your toe in uncharted musical waters then Swim Deep is the perfect place to start on the opening night.

Melody’s Echo Chamber @ The Kazimier, Fri 3rd May, 10:45PM – 11:45PM

When you think of Paris you think of fashion, chic, beauty and a scene that screams sophisticated art and culture.

Parisian based Melody’s Echo Chamber embodies all of these elements perfectly; through a blend of dreamy electronic psychedelic melodies and reverb heavy vocals.

“ Liverpool Sound City is a great opportunity to catch quality artists up close in town; before they’re the act that you’re sat in a field waiting for as you endure some washed up pop act to ensure a good spec! ” Singer songwriter and multiinstrumentalist in the band, Melody Prochet, worked closely with Kevin Parker (Tame Impala) to get the self-titled album off the ground. It’s an album that oozes class from the very first listen!

If you’re prepared to let your mind take you on a hazy journey that will open up a small slice of Paris in L1 then I strongly recommend you check out this band. I guarantee you’ll be enchanted from the very first beat.

Coffee And Cakes For Funerals @ The Garage, Thur 2nd May, 7:40PM – 8:10PM

Coffee And Cakes For Funerals are a fourpiece band from Liverpool. We all know what four-piece (sometimes five-piece) bands from Liverpool sound like, right?

Sorted then, on to the next preview.

Well, actually it’s not that straightforward!

Coffee And Cakes For Funerals are something a bit different from what we’re

used to in this city and quite frankly they’re something quite special too.

Joe Hazlett’s vocals are fit to rival any R’n’B artists out there and when you combine that with the tight clean guitar riffs and hip hop drums you get a fresh perspective on the Mersey beat.

Since this guide is about dipping your toe in unchartered musical waters where better place to start than with a Liverpool band who, by their own admission, look to play upon the influences of Radiohead and Dr Dre. Now that’s got to be worth checking out!

Dan Croll

The LIPPA graduate will bring an electroacoustic folk sound to proceedings and, like Coffee And Cakes For Funerals, offers another glimpse of what the new alternative music scene in Liverpool is all about.

… You don’t need wellies or tents or gas stoves that you’ll never use. You don’t have to drink warm lager, squat over a hole in the ground or refresh your ‘bits’ with a wet wipe. Liverpool Sound City is a great opportunity to catch quality artists up close in town; before they’re the act that you’re sat in a field waiting for as you endure some washed up pop act to ensure a good spec!

@ The Garage, Fri 3rd May, 8:30pm – 9:00pm

Dan Croll has been a favourite of the Liverpool music scene for some time and his Friday night set at Sound City is certain to be a packed house! Having featured on Steve Lamaq’s Rebel Playlist and performed live in session on Radio One he’s destined to shine at this year’s event.

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Sound City Venue Guide OPEN’s pick of who’s on, where, and when

Sound City is a thrilling three day rock n’ roller coaster and the first opportunity to catch the globes most boundary pushing artists in one place before they hit the summer festival circuit. With over 360 artists in over 25 venues, here are the gigs OPEN recommends not to miss.

Art Academy The Art Academy is one of Liverpool Sound Cities pop up venues. The space is usually used as an art gallery however staging, lighting, bands and a bar have been brough in for Liverpool Sound City!

Highights: Thurs: Reverend And The Makers 23:30-00:45 - Fri: Everything Everything 23:30-00:45

Epstein Theatre The Epstein Theatre is a recently refurbished grade 2 listed theatre in the centre of Liverpool. This is the only seated venue in the whole of the festival circuit.

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Highlights: Fri: Nadine Carina 21:2021:50 / Bird 22:15-22:45

Kazimier Gardens The Garden is a summer long drinking establishment like no other in Liverpool.

A hybrid space bridging natural and urban environments to form a post biogenic wonderland.

Screenadelica Screenadelica is a pop up gig poster exhibition which tours festivals all over the world, commissioning new works, offering artists a platform for exposure and educating the masses on the medium of screen printing.

The Black-E

Highlights: Thurs: All We Are 23:1500:00 - Fri: Duologue 22:00-23:00 / Concrete Knives 23:00-00:00 - Sat: Sun Glitters 23:00-00:00

The Black-E (formerly The Blackie) - a combination of a contemporary arts centre with a community centre has been curated by The Anfield Wrap.

Liverpool Cathedral

Highlights: Thurs: Silent Sleep 00:0001:00 - Fri: The Tea Street Band 00:00-01:00

3 great nights at Liverpool Cathedral with headline acts for Sound City Festival 2013!

Highlights: Thurs: Loved Ones 19:3020:00 / By the Sea 20:30-21:00 / Noah and the Whale 21:30-22:45 - Fri: The Walkmen 21:30-22:45 / On An On 02:15-03:00 - Sat: Dexys 20:30-22:45

The Garage

O2 Academy Liverpool

Liverpool Sound City returns this year to one of 2012s most exciting new venue creations, The Garage. Hijacking the Wolstenholme Square Car Park for the three days of the festival, The Garage is transformed into a fully functioning warehouse style venue.

In September 2003, O2 Academy Liverpool launched with local heroes Shack and quickly made a fantastic names for itself, thanks to its unique warehouse feel and great diversity for club nights.

Highlights: Thurs: Esco Williams 20:30-21:00 / AlunaGeorge 00:15-01:00 / Bastille 01:30-02:30 - Fri: Unknown Mortal Orchestra 21:30-22:00 / King Krule 22:30-23:00 - Sat: Mount Kimbie 01:00-02:00

Highlights: Sat: Enter Shikari 21:1022:30

The Kazimier A staple of the Liverpool music scene, The Kazimier sits in the middle of Wolstenholme Square, playing host to an array of music, art and creative performances throughout the year.

Highlights: Thurs: Afternaut 21:1521:45 / Oneohtrix Point Never 22:15-

23:15 - Fri: Melody’s Echo Chamber 22:45-23:45 / Thee Oh Sees 00:15-01:30

The Shipping Forecast The Shipping Forecast is one of Liverpool’s coolest new venues. Upstairs is a great place to relax and eat while downstairs is one of the best places in the City to watch a gig.

Highlights: Thurs: Drenge 23:00-00:00

The Zanzibar The Zanzibar is a live music venue located on Seel Street in Liverpool best known for being the home of regular clubnights such as “The Bandwagon” and “Valhalla” among others.

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THE GIT AWARD 2013 SHORTLIST Use our interactive guide to the best new music coming out of Merseyside The GIT Award 2013 received over 380 entries from artists across Merseyside hoping to make it onto the final shortlist of 12 selected by a judging panel made up of respected music industry figures including Tom Ravenscroft, the editor of Q Magazine, Liverpool-born Andrew Harrison, Matt Wilkinson, NME’s new music editor, The Quietus’ editor, John Doran plus other cornerstones of Liverpool’s music and arts scene. The shortlist covers a diverse range of styles and genres, highlighting what is currently an exciting period for music on Merseyside.

WAVE MACHINES

JETTA

BARBEROS

This band plays electro leaning tunage whilst wearing creepy masks of their own faces

Paloma Faith loves her, and she is one of Liverpool’s most exciting rising pop stars

Three mysterious lycra-donning pneumatic drum mercenaries

Genre: Electronic pop Year formed: 2007 Sounds like: A bit like Alt-J

Genre: Soul Year formed: 2010 Sounds like: A bit of The xx and a little bit of Florence.

STEALING SHEEP Hypnotizing vintage folk-influenced female trio co-signed by Sir Macca Genre: Pop folk Year formed: 2008 Sounds like: The Coral’s diverse younger sisters

BY THE SEA Beautiful melodic escape pop from the mighty Wirral - loved by NME Genre: Escape pop Year formed: 2010 Sounds like: Early Stone Roses

NADINE CARINA A magical box of delights which carefully weave deep into your soul Genre: Pop folk Year formed: 2008 Sounds like: The antithesis to formulated-pop

CLINIC Post-punk, fast-paced, eclectic surgical mask wearing scouse veterans Genre: Psych-rock Year formed: 1997 Sounds like: Super Furry Animals

JOHN HECKLE DJ and maker of cosmic house electronica Genre: House/techno Year formed: 2006 Sounds like: Ambient house with a nod to Aphex Twin

DAN CROLL

Genre: Alternative Year formed: 2008 Sounds like: electro noise band

CONAN Big doom metal band seek to crush a million skulls Genre: Doom metal Year formed: 2006 Sounds like: Electric wizard

BALTIC FLEET Ambient sounds from former Echo and the Bunnymen keyboard player Genre: Ambient post-rock Year formed: 2008 Sounds like: A bit like DJ Shadow

TYLER MENSAH

22 year old one man pop machine with bags of charm

Teenage R&B soul singer songwriter guitarist who does a great Frank Ocean cover

Genre: Indie pop Year formed: 2011 Sounds like: Pop in the vain of Bon Iver

Genre: R&B Soul Year formed: 2010 Sounds like: Frank Ocean /Ed Sheeran

GIT (Getintothis) Award 2013 takes place at Leaf on Bold Street Friday April 19, where the shortlisted artists are expected to perform – with the winner collecting £1000 in prize money on the night.

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MOST WANTED: THE THREE MASSIVE HEADLINE ACTS YET TO PLAY GLASTONBURY Whether you are one of the lucky ones to actually get a ticket or you just plan on watching it on the tele, people look forward to the setting of the summer sun for the main headliners to play Glastonbury - it gets them excited.

So, are you happy with this year’s Glastonbury line up? The Rolling Stones are the main attraction and will be bringing their combined age of 277 years to the Pyramid Stage for the first time ever. The Arctic Monkeys will be occupying the Friday night slot and Mumford and Sons will be shoring up the Sunday curtain closer – a selection that has not been universally welcomed with some believing they just aren’t ‘big enough’ for such an appearance.

People care about who headlines the Pyramid Stage. So we set out to find out who the three most wanted acts yet to play Glastonbury are, and then got some of their biggest fans to tell us just how euphoriballs it would be to see them rocking out the world famous festival.

FLEETWOOD MAC Mac fan David Crighton says: Living in a household where the record player was never off you grow up listening to a strange mix of music! The Beatles, Neil Young and Harry Nilsson were always staples in our house.

There was also, in my eyes, musical faux pas to be had in the arl fella’s vinyl collection (see: The Moody Blues) but one album stood out on its own merits and that was ‘Rumours’ by Fleetwood Mac. From the very first time of hearing it as a kid I knew it was something special. I’d listen to it loads and I was in awe of the lyrics at work, the subtle mixture of soft ballads and powerful guitar tracks. Only after reading up on the band in my teenage years did I realise what a feat it was that the album was even produced!

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Exploring the inner workings of Fleetwood Mac I read about a group built around the inter-band relationships of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham along with the marriage of John McVie and wife Christine.

all generations. It’s the strength of this seminal album that makes the band deserving of a headline spot at Glastonbury Festival for me.

At some point most couples go through a messy break up and the only positives that surface are nagfree shopping trips or pub visits.

However, in the case of Fleetwood Mac relationship breakdowns provided the passion needed to create one of the greatest albums of all time.

Stevie Nicks’ cocaine habit in the ‘70s and ‘80s was so bad that she burned a hole in the cartilage of her nose.

Thirty-five years after its original release ‘Rumours’ was back in the album charts this year, bringing classic songs to a new group of fans. Songs such as ‘The Chain’, ‘Go Your Own Way’ and ‘Don’t Stop’ deserve to be belted across Worthy Farm and enjoyed by

Things you might not know about Fleetwood Mac…

The original Fleetwood Mac was led by guitarist Peter Green, who is widely considered to be one of the best English blues guitarists of all time... Until he freaked out after a bad acid trip.

“Tusk,” the follow up to “Rumours,” flopped in the marketplace in part because it was priced much higher than other albums at the time – $15.99 for the double vinyl set.

PRINCE Super fan of The Purple One, Peter Guy, says: It’s nearly midnight, September 2007, in the bulbous balloon that was the Millennium Dome.

the blink of an eye has run through a further 90 minute set which sees him swap bass for guitar, Beatles for Stones, reduce support Beverly Knight to tears during an impassioned Nothing Compares 2 U duet, and exit in a 4am flash - but not before jumping off a piano into the splits and back up to tear strips off another Fender Strat.

We’re in one of the 20 or so bars that’s blasting out Minneapolis-made classics while hundreds of elated bodies dance on tables or take to mics to maul karaoke of their favourite Purple offering.

If it were his ’88 Lovesexy Tour he’d have included a mid-set basketball session. For he could have been a pro at that too. Not bad for a 5’5” skinny dude.

We’ve just witnessed a near three hour, 50-hit-packed show - just one of Prince’s 21-night sell-out run of gigs at the O2 Arena.

Push things forward to March 2013, His Royal Badness, Prince Rogers Nelson is 54 and he’s still the talk of the industry, playing a three hour, 40-song set at the world’s biggest new music showcase SXSW, in Texas.

We’ve tickets to an after-show which promises nothing. We sit around til 2am, and just as we’re about to leave, out he struts - and in what seems like

PINK FLOYD Floyd fan Michael Bird @BIGPresents says: Back in 2002 when I was about 13, I had Floyd on one of those first generation MP3 players, which was given to me with the track Money already on it. I played it about 100 times that week.

One lad at school actually made a joke about it in class, he said it sounded ‘jarg’. Weeks later I was able to recite the entire Pink Floyd back catalogue.

The music had a feeling of realness to me. Music listeners love all that, it’s something that can’t be produced without the spark of genius.

Things you might not know about Prince…

He wrote his first song when he was only 7; it was called Funk Machine, no shit.

Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’ was supposed to be a duet with Prince.

But Prince objected to the lyrics, specifically the song’s opening line, “Your butt is mine.” “Who’s singing that to whom?” Prince questioned at the time, “because you sure aren’t singing that to me.”

Prince saw his first wife, Mayte Garcia, when her mother would send him videotapes of her daughter’s belly dance routines. She was only 16 but Prince fell in love at first sight and a long-distance courtship began with the hope of seducing her when she turned 18.

He’s been doing this almost every night since 1979. No one rocks a joint like Prince.

Floyd may not be an act on the mind of the Eavis’ anymore as I think the festival has become more of a commercial event catering to the mainstream music of the day. But it is unbelievable that a band of that stature and significance has never performed at a festival as big and important as Glastonbury has been. It’s about time that they did. I know they want to play Glasto; it was the wish of the late Rick Wright to have performed there. And David Gilmour has said in the press that the band were close to a headline slot back in 2008.

I think especially now, that if the festival wants to save its tradition as a proper music festival, it needs to go all out to secure and honour the great bands

whilst they still can. They have done so with The Rolling Stones this year, but I think a Floyd headline can overshadow that!

Things you might not know about Pink Floyd…

Roughly one in every 12 people in the world are estimated to have a copy of Pink Floyd’s top selling album Dark Side Of The Moon (1973) When Roger Waters quit the band in the 1980s, he prevented his former bandmates using the famous ‘flying pig’ stage prop. To avoid copyright breach, Floyd created a new flying pig – with enormous bollocks.

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Liverpool is not a place exactly known for its international hip hop scene. Sure, it’s responsible for one of the biggest crimes in hip hop history when the ‘Anfield Rap’ was released but the city has recovered and the world has moved on. So much so that a scouse rapper can be featured on an American movie, as was the case with Bang On’s inclusion on the Project X soundtrack last year. Signed to London based Big Dada Records he is one of many young rappers emerging from Liverpool. So when he brought to our attention Tony Broke, a middle aged scouse rapper with the persona of a down and out Frank Gallagher type character laced with a tongue as sick as Slim Shady’s – we just couldn’t wait to hear more.

Tony Broke’s debut album is titled Broke As F$£k and it’s a no holds barred breach of the peace by a man so deep in the gutter he’s drowning in his own shit. Tony Broke is the personification of David Cameron’s ‘broken Britain’ and he is completely unapologetic as he spits greasy rhymes over authentic 90s style hip hop beats.

We met up with Tony over a drink to discuss his beginnings, how he earned a cosign from hip-hop legend Kool Herc, and how politicians aren’t cool.

The first I heard of you was a video for ‘Lifted’ sent to me by Bang On, how well do you know each other?

I’ve known him since he was a kid, since he was about 10/11 years old. He’s brilliant.

He’s signed to a label - he’s a talent. We’re always supporting each other at gigs and stuff like that.

I actually saw you two supporting Joey Bada$$ at his show in The Shipping Forecast… are you a fan of Joey Bada$$?

I am, I think he’s a throw back isn’t he? To how hip hop was and he’s a fresh talent.

The fact he’s only young and he’s doing it over the rawest hip hop beats it takes it back. It’s good to see artists doing it like that again.

I can still do a bit of footwork and stuff but as far as doing the turtle and stuff - I used to be very good at doing the turtle very fast – it’s just age and weight. I can’t carry my own weight as much!

I hear you got a co-sign from the Godfather of hip hop Kool Herc?

Yeah, Kool Herc - he came to Liverpool at a No Faking Night which is where I made my name freestyling off the top and that.

Some lad jumped up and took the mic and he wasn’t doing very well. Kool Herc gave him a funny look as if it to say ‘what’s he doing?’ And the lad who put the night on

I’ve been in crews here and there, and I used to go to France a lot and gig loads with a Reggae Soundsystem. I done loads of live performances - I’m more of a in the moment artist - it’s only now that I’ve formed the identity Tony Broke with the group Children of the Damned and Blah Records. We all got different names so I thought, well I’ve always been fuckin’ broke and my name’s Tony, so that’s my alias now - Tony Broke!

But Tony Broke is a character isn’t he?

He’s a character but he’s based on me.

He’s based on parts of my life and what

So how long have you been rapping?

Since ’91. Before that I was just like every other kid in Liverpool going in to town by The Penny Farthing. There was a place called The Stage where they used to bring pallets and put lino on and the first round of hip hop in Liverpool for me was like the B-Boys and B-Girls. Everyone was breaking and popping, there was little crews all over the city coming to town to battle each other and stuff - it was brilliant. That’s what got me into hip-hop.

Can you still do a bit of B-Boppin’?

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said to me, “Tony, grab the mic now he’s embarrassing us!” So I went over and took the mic and hyped the crowd up and got the party going and Kool Herc said, “That’s what you call an MC.” So what’s taken so long to make an album?

I’ve seen in my life. There might be elements of other people around me in Tony Broke when I’m talking about certain things.

How excited are you about the album, Broke as Fuck?

Would you say you are a big uncle to the disaffected youth?

I’m happy. I just want it to come out and I want it to make an impact. I want to get gigs from it and make new fans. I’m looking to do the album launch 12th April at The Shipping Forecast.

Yea in a sense, I workshop anyway, I go and do workshops with young people as well but I am like an older version of what these rappers are going to be if they don’t get their shit together. If you don’t get your shit together you’re gona end up like Tony Broke; angry at the world, bevvying, getting off your head, not going anywhere but still struggling to make a living.

The production on the album is very old school, a throw back to the days of WuTang Clan. Who is behind the beats?

Reklews, I met him at the Cavern he knows how to compliment my voice. He’ll throw a beat up, I’ll get a chorus idea in my head and then we’ll go from there, we work well together.

The lyrics are grimey, dark, but also genuinely funny. Who are you speaking to with the album?

Anyone from a working class background who gets what I’m on about. It doesn’t have to be Liverpool based. It can be anyone who’s faced any sort of struggle, or been stressed out, or pissed off, or drunk in a bar… or off their head! My generation, after the B-Boy thing had died out, started smoking weed and getting drunk and taking tablets and doing all kinds - so it was like, a drug drink generation. My last track is just like ‘fuck it; I don’t want to be here anymore. I can’t take this shitty life I’ve got.’ And hopefully that will reach a lot of people who are going through that stuff.

Tony Broke offers a perspective from the gutter, what’s your view on why society is so fucked up?

Politics. Just the usual recession isn’t it - all the money’s down south now. I think the economic climate now is gona give birth to a lot more Tony Brokes. There’s loads of people who are skint and feeling the pinch.

is asked a question it’s like they’re programmed to just fucking lie and not give you an honest, straight answer. I’d rather someone just tell me, look there’s nothing we can do right now because there is no money or just be straight with us. They just lie about everything.

The bedroom tax, what do you think about that?

Any shows lined up? What’s the plan for the rest of 2013?

That’s just bullshit. What about somebody who can’t afford it? Or they’re disabled?

Or they’re struggling? It’s wrong mate, someone has got to do something because everyone is suffering.

Who pisses Tony Broke off the most, have you got beef with anybody?

For the album to blow up internationally, to get gigs everywhere and to not be so broke and maybe buy a car, because Tony Broke has had a history of having shit cars!

Every time I’ve had a car it’s always fucked up. Get straight on a second album and hopefully make a living from music with the Blah Crew.

I’ve got beef with politicians who just chat shit and lie on tele. When a politician

Broke as F$£k is available to buy from iTunes now.

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NE-YO “ THE BEATLES WERE PERFECTION ”

By: Robbie Muldoon

THE R&B SINGER HAS STARRED IN FILMS, WRITTEN COUNTLESS RECORDBREAKING SONGS FOR THE GAME’S TOP ARTISTS, WON MULTIPLE GRAMMY AWARDS, LAUNCHED HIS OWN BRAND OF ALCOHOL, AND STAYED OUT OF TROUBLE WHILE DOING SO (YEAH, WE’RE SNARLING YOU CHRIS BROWN).

NE-YO MIGHT JUST BE THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN. WE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM WHEN HE WAS IN LIVERPOOL. Ne-Yo’s most recent album is called R.E.D — an acronym for Realizing Every Dream — so does Ne-Yo feel as though he has finally achieved everything he wanted to?

“Not everything,” he replies, after a short pause. “I’ve accomplished a lot in the time that I’ve been here but that’s not to say that I feel like I’m anywhere near done or complacent with what I’ve done. I want to get to a place where I feel like I can stand next to my peers as their equal and in order for me to do that I got a lot more Grammys to win, I got a lot more albums to sell, I got a lot more shows to do and a lot more songs to write you know. So yeah, I have definitely realised some dreams. But I can say every dream has yet to be realised,” he says during a chat to promote his new Malibu Red liquor drink, whilst performing in Liverpool. And, Ne-Yo adds, “honestly, I hope I never get to that place where I’ve realized every dream and there’s nothing left for me to do. I don’t ever want to get there.”

Artist owned alcohol seems to be a growing industry, at least it is for the biggest names in the game. Diddy has his premium flavoured vodka, Ciroc.

Pharell Wiliams has a line of vodka-based, flavored cream liqueurs, called Qream (with a Q). Ne-Yo, for his part, has chosen not to go down the vodka based route: “I met the people from Malibu a little while back and we talked about a collaboration of some sort, we hit it off. It just needed to be about what? So between the time I met them and the next time I saw them I had already started on my own; taking tequila and mixing it with rum - just because I’d never really been a fan of straight tequila - so I would always take the traditional white Malibu and mix it with the tequila to kinda cut the taste a little bit. Oddly enough right around the same time is when they called me back and said ‘I think we got something. We

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want to take tequila and coconut rum and combine it.’ I was just like ‘wow’ that’s incredible, I been doing that for the last little minute! It just made me feel like this is a partnership that’s just meant to be. It was just supposed to happen.”

Even Ne-Yo’s own personal “signature drink” oozes class, it’s called a Red Pocket Square: “It is one part Malibu Red, two part tonic water and a splash of cranberry. This way it’s not too sweet you

know, it’s not so sweet it’s overbearing but then the fire of the tequila hits you right at the back of it. That’s my personal favourite way of drinking it.”

At this point, the cool voice and vocabulary of Ne-Yo makes me hate my own scouse accent. “People are digging it,” he says referring to the drink. If I had to promote my own brand of alcohol using my own vernacular I’d probably just say, ‘this bevvy’s boss.’ But before you start to think any tangible connections between Ne-Yo and Liverpool are a million miles apart, think again.

Ne-Yo was in need of a smash hit after his fourth studio album, Libra Scale, failed to reach the heights of his previous three efforts. He found it with the chart topper ‘Let Me Love You’ and more than a little help from Liverpool producer Mike di Scala who worked with the Stargate production team. But Mike is no stranger to chart success himself; he reached the number two spot as Ultrabeat with 2003’s Pretty Green Eyes. On crafting the track Ne-Yo says, “I know he (di Scala) worked very closely with Stargate, who I work with on a regular basis. The thing about Stargate is that they’re not producers with these huge egos. The fact that these guys produce some of the

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some of the greatest music on the planet with no ego - you’ll never hear them shout themselves out on the front of a song, so that the world knows that this is a Stargate record - they don’t have to do that. They prefer to let the music speak for itself and that’s one of the many things that I love about working with them.” The track has since gone platinum and sold over a million copies worldwide which, says Ne-Yo, was no surprise: “Everybody just kind of knew that it was going to be something special.

From the message, to the beat, it just came together perfectly and it’s not like it happens like that all the time in regard to music. There’s a lot of instances where you’ve gotta kind of work for it and every now and then the stars align and you get the song that just happens magically with little to no effort and that’s what Let Me

Love You was. So we weren’t shocked when it got to where it got but we were definitely grateful. It’s always a great feeling to know that people still care.”

The explosion of EDM music in America means Ne-Yo is just the latest in a line of artists blending R&B with a soaring dance beat. But is it a challenge mixing the two? “Not really. This is my theory on dance music; dance music is a genre of music that is based on evoking some kind of emotion and R&B music at its core is about emotion. So if you can find a lyric and melody that matches that rollercoaster of emotion that the music is already doing; it makes perfect sense.”

Our conversation then turns to his appointment as Vice President of Motown Records. In the 60s and 70s Motown Records together with The Beatles ruled the world of music and the period is often referred to as the Golden Age of Pop music. Is Ne-Yo as big of a fan of The Fab Four as he is The Four Tops?

“Oh absolutely, absolutely. There’s a song on my current album called ‘Alone With You’, that’s a dedication to my daughter that I definitely pooled from my love for The Beatles, Paul McCartney, and his usage of melody. If I do say so myself, I feel like if the remaining Beatles were to hear this record they would dig it. I think that they would appreciate it.”

If The Beatles were influenced early on by

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R&B then, Ne-Yo believes, the influence turned full circle: “There weren’t too many guys that looked like The Beatles that were coming up with melodies like The Beatles were coming up with, so with that being said, yeah - a huge, huge influence. The keys on a piano and strings on a guitar haven’t really changed over the years but for whatever reason these guys were able to get on the piano, or get on the guitar and find chords and melodies that nobody could before or that nobody was trying. They were pacesetters in that right alone.

Not to mention the lyrical content, not to mention just the artistry of the whole thing. They had their own style, their own image, their own everything. It was like they were…” Ne-Yo pauses, weighing up his next words: “They were perfection, if that even exists.”

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EDM IS BLOWING UP IN AMERICA, BUT WOLSTENHOLME SQUARE IS STILL THE PLACE TO PLAY, SAYS

TIM MASON Tim Mason is a 27-year-old English producer from Brighton with a roster of fans including David Guetta. He is a bigroom electro-houser who sounds a bit like Swedish House Mafia, and 12 months ago he caught the ear of the man himself, Steve Angello, who then snapped him up for his Size record label.

Since then Tim has performed all over the world, especially in the States, where they need us Brits to teach them what EDM (or dance music to you and me) is all about. But there was one venue he was still longing to play, forget about South America, Tim was dying to get on the decks at Cream Liverpool. We spoke to him after it was ticked from his bucket list.

That escalated quickly! We hear you recently said if you could play any event in the world it would be Cream at Nation. Well, you just did – how was it?

I was waiting for that to happen for a long time so I was really pleased when we got the show. To me, that is a special place to play: the same as Ministry. Being from England, you’ve got to play those places

I can’t really answer that because every event has its own special thing. If I do a show like Cream it’s about the music, it’s about clubbing. If I’m doing a festival or I’m playing in Vegas it’s still about the music but it’s also entertainment. But I could be playing for a big festival and I would probably prefer playing for 200 people when they’re really having fun.

Should you play for the crowd or for yourself?

Oh I always play for the crowd. I don’t go there and have my set prepared. I’ll test the crowd and see what they really want.

OPEN: Now, your rise in the game happened pretty quickly. Is it true that within two months you went from fixing computers to playing to thousands of people alongside the Swedish House Mafia?

Tim Mason: (laughs) Yeah, yeah it was a big difference! I was spending hours making music and stuff you know so within the space of a few months: literally when I did The Moment I went straight to Size and obviously Size is one of the current big labels. The reaction to the track was phenomenal - I remember Steve saying to me, ‘watch this you’re going to see your life changing quite quickly.’ I wasn’t really sure but as soon as I saw the big hype building around The Moment before it actually got released and then it became one of the biggest tracks in Miami Music Conference, every single DJ was playing it straight away and that was it.

With that being said, what’s your favorite type of show to play? I.e. abandoned warehouse, pool party…

Finally, what are we to expect from Tim Mason in 2013?

- especially when you’ve been there as a clubber and you’ve seen the vibe.

Would you say playing Cream in Liverpool is an ambition for most artists in EDM? Oh yeah, big time, BIG time. I mean when you look at the venue and everything that’s behind it - it makes it special. The crowd, the people, everything all together makes it a special event. So I can’t see any DJ that wouldn’t put that as an ambition for them to play - whether they’ve done it or not it’s one place that you definitely put in the priority of places to play for sure.

Well, Swoon came out not long ago and I’m very pleased with the reaction that it got.

I’m doing Coachella this year; there’s a few really good festivals that I haven’t done yet but also festivals that I’m going to go back for like Creamfields which is one of the best shows to be playing.

A busy year ahead then!

Yeah! This year is quite a busy year, but I’m excited. Really excited.

Thanks Tim!

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THE BALTIC TRIANGLE WAREHOUSE PARTIES By: Tom Ledson / Photos: Mike Brits and John Johnson

The Baltic area of the city is vastly becoming the hot spot for all things electronic, house, and techno.

With the Waxxx team settled into their new home, Haus on Greenland Street, and hosting some of the best parties in the city, the area is going through a boom of infectious, fist pumping, ear smashing spectacles. The likes of mUmU, Discoteca Poca and Peach are taking advantage of the area’s unique vibe, taking the parties back to their underground industrial origins.

Not to be left out, the heavy weights of Circus and Chibuku have taken up temporary residence in Camp & Furnace whilst The Masque is having a facelift.

Another night that has launched itself directly onto Liverpool’s Baltic scene is RUBIX. 200 people packed out the Blade Factory on a cold and frosty night back in November, with the promise of something new, something exciting, something with authenticity. The cold air quickly changed to warm contagious house riffs and incessant mechanical beats by the hottest local talent around.

To date, RUBIX has squared the circle with emerging raw talent, such as David Glass (Circus Recording) Lee Charnock, Chris McGee, Phil Fearon, Tom Buck and Dom Townsend.

For their follow up night in March, the lads behind RUBIX (BOSS Night) secured global producer and DJ, Mark Fanciulli. With Haus providing the perfect setting, penetrating function one sound system, the packed out crowd provided an atmosphere that can be best described as a fucking belter!

Things started off with the RUBIX residents, Chris McGee and Phil Fearon who got things going with a smooth blend of deep melodic beats, followed by Ibiza veterans Dom Townsend and Tom Buck who delivered in their usual groovy fashion. Next behind the decks was the scene smattering Lee Charnock. You couldn’t move on the dance floor and things were starting to get sweaty.

David Glass is the man of the moment for the Liverpool dance scene right now. His tracks are getting plays by names such as Loco Dice, Carl Cox and Richie Hawtin.

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Yousef has taken him under his wing and it was no surprise to see that his set delivered the goods. He managed to build things perfectly for Fanciulli, whilst still maintaining his consistent jackin’ house style.

Mark Fanciulli’s set confirmed that not only is he an unbelievable producer he is also an unbelievable DJ. He banged out a refreshing mix of techno and house, culminating in a set that created a palpable air of sheer ecstasy and excitement.

Keep an eye on @aBOSSNight for news on the next RUBIX event in the city.

It’s all about the house music! Mark Fanciulli behind the decks at Rubix

“A BOOM OF INFECTIOUS, FIST PUMPING, EAR SMASHING SPECTACLES”

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DRINK TO DILLINGER SPEAKEASIES ARE SO HOT RIGHT NOW Words: Robbie Muldoon

If Prohibition ever happened here in the UK, I like to think that Liverpool would be the Atlantic City of the day, smuggling cargo of illegal liquor under the cover of darkness off of boats down the docks, and speakeasies in the Ropewalks area of the city would be there to supply me with all that sweet forbidden booze.

As a fan of the epic Martin Scorsese crime-drama series, Boardwalk Empire, I am alluringly tempted by the vices portrayed on the screen. So when I heard about the opening of the latest speakeasy in Liverpool, Dillinger’s Bar, offering a prohibition-era drinks menu all hidden away behind a secret door that looks like a bookcase, I just had to go and take a look.

PROHIBITION COCKTAILS SERVED:

with one key difference. It has a float of red wine. This takes the simple whiskey cocktail in a whole new and wonderful direction. Simply delicious.

Dillinger’s Punch (£9.95) The 12-Mile Limit (£5.50) This potent Prohibition-era cocktail takes its name from the U.S. law that banned the consumption of alcohol a dozen miles beyond its shores. The very drink it inspired taunts the measure with its especially strong combinations of rum, whiskey, brandy, grenadine, and lemon juice.

New York Sour (£5.50)

Dillinger’s Bar hidden behind a book case

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The New York Sour was making the rounds in the late 19th century and became a favourite speakeasy’s cocktail.

The drink itself is a classic whiskey sour

Created for sharing to remember the day Dillinger’s crime spree would come to an end, a house special dedicated to the notorious outlaw himself. Mix of Dark rum, Grand Marnier, passion fruit and cranberry juice will surprise you.

Served in a teapot and teacups.

Dillinger’s Bar is open ThursdaySaturday evenings and also available for parties, private hire or for inhouse Cocktail Master Classes.

108 Bold Street, Liverpool, L1 4HY Tel: 0151 709 6607

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Ocean Beach Ibiza opens on May24th 48 SPRING 2013 / OPEN MAGAZINE

SUN, SEA, & SIN Wayne Lineker: Prince of Ibiza

The ultimate beach club in Ibiza, Ocean Beach Club, will hold its official opening party on May 24th as the whole island awakes from its slumber to party non stop for five months straight through to October.

The chic beach club opening will herald the most spectacular pool parties to a capacity of 600 guests, each treated to a luxurious party and relaxation experience situated on the San Antonio waterfront boasting breathtaking ocean views and plenty of Balearic sunshine.

Liverpool already has a strong presence in Ibiza, a lot of DJs are from the city, Garlands is massive there with their boat parties and obviously Cream needs no explaining. And during 2012 scousers made a splash on the pool party scene too

OCEAN BEACH IBIZA LOOKS FORWARD TO ANOTHER SUMMER PARTYING WITH GLAMOROUS SCOUSERS OPEN: Chilling in the beautiful surroundings of Ocean Beach, sipping daiquiris, and judging the odd beauty contest in the sun – just how much do you love life in Ibiza?

busy was even more exciting.

Wayne Lineker: I love Ibiza, I honestly feel it is the best Island I have visited and it’s now where I live. There is so much variety to the island and so much to do you could never get bored. This Island is now my home.

I love it, as I said before there is so much to do on the island it can cater for everyone’s tastes. It is also becoming more of a daytime party island, I feel, which again I prefer - as the hangovers aren’t so bad!

It beats living in Page Moss Wayne, I’ll give you that! Ocean Beach Ibiza opened for the first time last year, how would you describe her maiden season?

I like your thinking! Now, there was a constant stream of VIPs passing through Ocean Beach all summer in 2012, who did you enjoy blending it with the most?

Incredible! We always thought it would be

Mario Balotelli I guess, he is such a character and we even managed to get him to our bar for an after party.

With Ushuaia opening in recent years and now Ocean Beach, do you feel the Ibiza landscape is changing?

Who was the best looking VIP to visit?

Jessica Downes from 90210, she was at the opening party and is naturally very sexy but there were lots of amazing girls in there everyday. It was a good place to be.

Who was the funniest?

with the success of the Sin Sundays events held at Ocean Beach Club featuring local DJs Billie Clements, Chris Wright, Ian Longo and Mick Willow. This summer Sin Sundays is set to return and once again be a very popular event on the schedule of any scouser heading out to the White Isle.

We spoke to Wayne Lineker, partner in Ocean Beach Club, and ever present pool party host to see how the new season is lining up, get some goss on the celebrity guests and see if scousers are the best party people.

a success but the way it was received by all our clients was amazing. There were some obvious teething problems as with every big business but this year it will be a well-oiled machine and a great place to be.

What was your best highlight from the opening season?

The opening day, as so many people didn’t think we would get it open but it took a lot of people a lot of sleepless nights to get there and it was a relief to all when we finally got it open and then to see it so

Mario I guess, he was very quiet but when he did speak it was usually quite funny.

His demeanor is what makes him funny I think.

Who ran up the biggest bar tab?

On the champagne spray we had some very good clients enjoying themselves but prefer not to put numbers to it. But 15 Litres of Veuve Clicquot isn’t too cheap!

And who partied the hardest?

Me! haha

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Talking of partying hard, and I know this sounds a bit stalky, but last summer you tweeted that Scousers are the best type of party people… can you make that official for us right now and say why?

Yes, one hundred percent! I think they just love Ibiza, the music, and the girls always try to stay glamorous. I think they can party as hard as anyone out there.

Aww, thanks! You are our silver-haired Prince of Ibiza! Will Sin Sundays be returning to Ocean Beach in 2013?

Yes the guys are doing 4 parties through the summer on the 1st Sunday of every month, you can check the events calendar on www.oceanbeachibiza.com to be sure.

I think the beds have already sold out for their August party!

Before we go, I’ve just got to ask… Is it true at one stage when you were younger some people considered you to be a better footballer than Gary?

Yes, by some but that was a long, long time ago and at an early age! I would rather go out to a club and meet girls than go training so hence where I am today in Ibiza and why Gary is on MOTD! Ha, thanks Wayne – good luck with the opening party!

Sin Sundays @ Ocean Beach Ibiza 2nd June Opening Party meets Prestige 7th July hosted by Anton Powers 4th August Sin Sundays Longo & Willow Pool Party 22nd September The Closing Party

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MEET: STEPHEN CHAN “ CHINA TOWN WAS A GATEWAY TO THE EAST, A CONNECTION TO MY ROOTS ” Can you tell us a little about yourself and the ethos of your work?

Having graduated from product design - but wanting to pursue the Graphic / Media area of design more - I entered many work placements to build up all the basic graphics skills and processes I needed to become a Graphic designer.

Working at various companies allowed me to experience the different areas of design, and how they approached live projects from start to finish. I naturally fell in to, and developed more the graphics / illustration based side of design, and after working at an agency for a few years, I felt like I wanted to focus more on developing and improving my own illustration style.

I wanted the freedom to make my own decisions and the fulfillment of being recognized by the pictures that I draw.

My work is mostly character and narrative driven, often involving large, isometric detailed landscapes and scenery. I try to put my own spin on the isometric style, because illustrators like eboy and Rod Hunt have already established themselves at the top with this style, so it’s hard to stand out.

I like to mix in more organic shapes, like clouds and smoke, or soften the sharp edges of the vectors with textures and rounded objects sometimes. And because most of my work is usually screen printed, the colour palette is kept simple. I also like to create patterns and experiment which different visual effects – which might be coming from that graphic designer part of myself.

What were your drawings like as a child? What did you enjoy drawing?

The earliest memories I have of drawing is either some type of Inspector Gadget – gadget, that I’d invented, or dreaming up a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic during Primary school.

I guess I was (and still am, a bit) anti-social.

I preferred to spend hours watching Cartoons and Anime, reading American comics and Japanese manga, playing with 52 SPRING 2013 / OPEN MAGAZINE

Lego, TMNT action figures and those green plastic army men. After a journey to Hong Kong one summer back in the 90’s, (which lead to me bringing back hundreds of Dragon Ball trading cards, and various Anime merchandise) the endless pictures of characters in dramatic fighting poses phase of my childhood began.

that it’s never too late to pursue something that you enjoy doing if you have the passion and determination for it. I spent half a year doing work placements before I got my first junior position, and then a further 2 – 3 years developing, before I finally decided to fully pursue a freelance illustration career.

It’s clear that your work is influenced by your Asian heritage. But how difficult is it to find that eastern inspiration based in Liverpool?

You have an upcoming exhibition at the Hong Kong Art Fair in May, can you tell us a little about the show?

I think because Liverpool has such a strong Chinese community and history, that it’s actually easier than you think to find Eastern inspiration. The weekly visits to China Town were very inspirational for me.

It was a gateway to the East, a connection to my roots. These were the days long

“IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO PURSUE SOMETHING THAT YOU ENJOY” before the Internet and satellite TV. We would go to the video store in China Town to rent the latest TV news, dramas and cartoons. I would study intently the Chinese wallpaper that used ancient myths and legends as inspiration for the patterns.

These little things, and having a very normal Chinese family, kept me from losing my culture, which I feel a lot of people born outside of their country tend to do.

You are mainly self-taught, have you found any advantages in developing this way?

Different people develop in different ways, especially in creative fields. There’s no right or wrong way of drawing, so I don’t know if there’s any real advantages. It does prove

My friend in Hong Kong just opened a gallery / café last year, which is focused on supporting and promoting contemporary illustration and art. Late last year they asked me to hold my first solo exhibition at their gallery during the Hong Kong Art Fair 2013.

After a short period of hesitance, I decided to just go for it. But instead of going it alone, I thought it would be a good idea and a good excuse to collaborate and curate a show with friends I’ve made during these few years that I’ve been in this industry – which developed in to my show, ‘Stephen Chan & Friends’ presents – ‘Two Colours / Three Dimensions’.

I’ve always been a fan of ‘Old School’ 3D Anaglyphic imagery and Techniques in creating Illusions, which lead to the development of the theme. ‘Red and Blue Anaglyph 3D’ has been something that I’ve wanted to experiment with for a long time (and this show became the perfect excuse).

However, not all the artwork for the show will be anaglyphic, we’ll also be exploring a linked - secondary theme, which comes from the Red & Blue colours of anaglyphic imagery. Playing with how these 2 colours can be opposites, how they can be developed in to a visual narrative by experimenting in different ways, by over 20+ illustrators from around the world.

A small papertoy also spawned from this idea of opposites and attraction, which will be launched at the show too. I’m currently working with a few animators to create a short surreal visual 3D anaglyphic piece, which will be shown at the exhibition, that

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I’m most excited about. So…lots to look forward to…

Your top 5 things right now 1. I know it’s a bit late, but I’ve recently started watching The Walking Dead.

2. The Zombie Run App – Yes, I’m absorbed by all things Zombie, plus it’s a well designed, motivational app to get you to exercise, which has been something I’ve been meaning to do for several years.

3. Dorry’s sandwiches on Hardman St, a great lunch or snack after being chased by Zombies.

4. Lots of intense research on all things to do with Optical Illusions. It’s mind-blowing the things you can do with static imagery, or a bit of light and colour.

5. The Brothers of the Stripe Collective that I’m a part of, are setting up a very special school classroom themed illustration exhibition at this years Pick Me Up London Art Fair in April, which is pretty top.

What is something new you have noticed or learned recently?

I might have mentioned it a little already, but Anaglyph 3D is just so fun to learn and experiment with. When it’s done well, the effects it can produce are so beautifully layered. There’s just something really nostalgic and special about it that I love.

Who is your all time hero and why?

My dad is my hero. I didn’t appreciate it as much when I was younger, but now that I think back, I realize how great he was, and I realise how much love and freedom he gave me to do what I wanted. He is the kind of hardworking, family man that I aspire to be. Sadly, he past away shortly after I started university, but hopefully, he’s happy with the direction in life that I’ve decided to take and proud of my current progress.

What’s your vice?

I think it’s fine to admit now, after the worldwide success of ‘Gangnam Style’. I do have a slight soft spot for the occasional Asian pop tune. I feel people should be more open to new things in any creative area, and the music and the music video’s over there are so much more surreal – it’s kind of inspiring – it can activate a different part of your brain that you didn’t know existed.

Do you have a recurring dream?

I used to dream of being chased by Vampires. That was during Primary and High School. After that, most of my dreams have been either plain and forgettable, or occasionally quite surreal. The most notable one, is probably that of the Baby Bear Beer. Just to sum it up, I was in a restaurant with a group of friends, when suddenly a tiny baby bear ran across the room and under our table. One of my friends then proceeded to trap him inside a beer glass. So now the baby bear is inside the glass, on the table. We pour 54 SPRING 2013 / OPEN MAGAZINE

beer in to the glass, which the bear drinks with a smile on his face. A few seconds later he shudders, and a beer like glowing amber liquid slowly fills the glass. My friend drinks the bear filtered beer and the scene cuts to cans of beer with the bear face on it. That’s the gist of it… (feel free to cut this part out) What is your biggest fear?

I’m not a big fan of insects.

What do you think, in general, is great about Liverpool right now?

Liverpool is developing at a rapid pace.

It’s fast becoming a truly international and multi-cultural city. Personally, I’m quite a recluse, but on the occasions that I do venture out, I do enjoy all the new little coffee and tea places, creative spaces like FACT and Camp & Furnace.

What is not so great about Liverpool right now?

After mentioning how great the development of the city is … I do worry that we might lose some of the culture, some of the old architecture and spaces that we have / had. I see lots of hotels and apartments, car-parks and supermarkets appearing out of nowhere, taking over local independent businesses sometimes.

Hopefully, there will be a balance, but usually it’s not the case.

“WE WOULD GO TO THE VIDEO STORE IN CHINA TOWN TO RENT THE LATEST TV NEWS, DRAMAS AND CARTOONS.” View more of Stephen’s work at www.stephen-chan.co.uk

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“Peace is not something you wish for; It’s something you make, Something you do , Something you are, And something you give away.”

- John Lennon

their internal peace, happiness and health over how they looked on the outside. They practiced Bikram because it was good for their body and soul, not because it gave them six packs and arms like Madonna (though it does that too!).

Us Scousers like to look good. It’s a fact.

And it’s important to us: it makes us feel good, more confident and attractive. That’s why we’ve got more than our fair share of beauty salons, hairdressers, sunbed shops, gyms, spas etc etc…

And what’s wrong with that? Absolutely nothing I say. I love getting dressed up and having my hair and make-up done, I always have.

It is through my immersion in the world of yoga, however, that I see beauty as less of an aesthetic thing and instead, something that radiates from the inside out.

I have been practising yoga for more than a decade and discovered Bikram three years ago – I was hooked by the impact it had on my body and mind – my whole outlook and consciousness evolved and developed.

Bikram Yoga was established in the 1970s as a synthesis of traditional Hatha yoga and has taken its revolutionary sequence

In the Bikram hot room, we’re stripped right back to ourselves and forced to look in the mirror and focus for an hour and a half without criticism. Without criticism.

That is the key. When we look in the mirror, it’s usually to preen ourselves – styling our hair, putting make up on, looking at a new outfit. Bikram Yoga makes you face yourself in the mirror, without all that, which leads to the ultimate in confidence, through acceptance. global with more than 1700 studios worldwide. Bikram yoga is 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises practised in a room heated to 104 degrees and a humidity of 40%. This never-before-seen technique is both popular and effective due to the incredible focus that is required and honed during class as students take part in the ’90 minute moving meditation’.

It’s nice to look nice. Of course it is. But feeling happy and at peace on the inside, radiates the brightest and most true beauty on the outside.

Namaste x

When I first started practicing Bikram yoga, I considered the 90 minutes dedicated to myself as a gift to me where I could focus on just being Estelle in the present. As a mother of two (Michael 4 and Jasmine 3), this time was essential for me to clear and focus my mind and de-stress, which ultimately gave me more energy and love to share with my family.

As I got deeper into my practice, Bikram Yoga reinforced the significance of internal beauty which is so often ignored by society.

I qualified as a Bikram Yoga teacher following 10 weeks intensive training in LA – the land of the beautiful people. I was struck by how the people I met prioritised

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BIKRAM YOGA CASE STUDY: “I WOULD SAY DON’T BE SCARED, JUST TRY IT” “It lifts your mood and gives you more energy. You feel more alert and you think more clearly. You’re up earlier because it changes your sleep patterns and you sleep better. Your life outlook is much more positive: instead of putting things off, I’ll face them and I’ve got the mindset to do it.”

The benefits of taking up Bikram Yoga after just eight months for Clare Watson are extensive and impressive.

Clare, a thirty-something from Old Swan, had always exercised and worked out at gyms before developing back problems which meant carrying out her job as a beauty therapist became very difficult. Clare was suffering from sciatica and nothing the doctors could prescribe would help her.

“I kept going to the doctors and they kept giving me pain killers and antiinflammatories which made me sick all the time. I couldn’t get out of bed.”

Then a friend suggested Bikram Yoga, but Clare wasn’t so sure at first. “I just thought it was going to be a bit boring and ‘away with the fairies’… basically, not for me. But it wasn’t like that.”

Although Clare continued to suffer with her back when she began her Bikram Yoga journey, a visit back to her doctors saw such an improvement they advised her to continue with classes.

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“I kept coming and forgot about the painkillers and my back did go slightly worse – then all my back problems just went, like magic. I haven’t suffered at all for five months now. My mood is better because when your back is bad, you’re depressed. “It really should be on the NHS!” Clare now attends the hot room with her mat in hand four times a week.

With classes available throughout the day seven days a week, fitting it in around a busy schedule is no problem.

Clare has heaps of praise for her yoga teacher, Estelle Cartlidge. “She’s dead helpful to everybody, she understands people and is very spiritual – as well as being ultra-fit!”

So if you’re thinking of entering the hot room to try Bikram Yoga, what words of advice does Clare have?

“Just try it. Don’t be scared and intimidated by the postures and think it’s not for you. Man, woman – just come along. If you’ve got any injuries, over time it really does sort them out.”

“IT REALLY SHOULD BE ON THE NHS!”

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KO FITNESS: THE TRUTH ABOUT THOSE DIET AND EXERCISE MYTHS THIS COLUMN IS TO HELP YOU KEEP FIT. KIERAN OWENS, A PERSONAL TRAINER FROM LIVERPOOL, RUNS A SERIES OF BEACH BOOT CAMPS IN SPAIN, AND IS A NUTRITION SPECIALIST. HERE, HE DELIVERS YOU THE LATEST TRAINING TIPS AND CUTTING EDGE ADVICE. Undertaking too much running can damage your knee ligaments...

True! But not for everyone, some people can go their whole lives relatively injury free, running like Senor Gump - but for others it’s a different story. The genetics that you have been born with can play a big role, but unfortunately there’s not much you can do about that (blame your folks) so your skeletal structure just doesn’t support it. But for the most part it’s the fact that the force you generate when pounding the pavement equals four times your body weight, so heavier people are more susceptible to knee injuries when running. Another reason may be that you’re not allowing for adequate rest in between runs. Listen to your body and if the knees are hurting try some more low impact forms of exercise like swimming or a kettlebell class!

Skipping breakfast makes it more likely you’ll put weight on rather than lose it...

True! Numerous studies have shown that skipping breakfast will make you more likely to eat bad foods later in the day, especially ones that are higher in fat and sugar. In fact a recent study held at Imperial College London proved that the brain will crave these naughty calories if breakfast is skipped.

Might sound a bit random but try the meat and nut breakfast and you will see the benefits in a matter of days. Every client I have put on it has noticed a dramatic improvement in mental focus, energy levels and staving off those 60 SPRING 2013 / OPEN MAGAZINE

dreaded mid morning sugar pangs! The healthy fats in the nuts are essential for a sharp brain and the protein in the meat is thermogenic which means you will burn calories simply by eating it!

Best way to start the day.

Supplements such as creatine and whey protein are a waste of money...

False! Creatine is one of the most proven supplements on the market for strength and lean muscle gains, there are many forms available but the cheapest and by far most researched is ‘monohydrate’ so opt for that one. You can also get your creatine from beef and fish but would need to eat a hell of a lot to have the same effect. 3-5 grams per day for optimal results.

Whey is another supplement that is certainly no waste of money, it is the fastest absorbed protein by the body

which includes any type of food, and it is probably cheaper per serving than any other quality food source. It’s also much more convenient to just down a shake after training than cooking up some chicken so it saves time too.

20 grams or 1 scoop post training.

However if you want to skip the shakes and stick to whole foods your results won’t suffer.

Protein shakes give you bad farts...

True. Yep bad times I know, depends on the person and the protein powder a lot of the time but it is very common!

It’s better to train in the morning than later in the evening...

False! It makes absolutely no difference at all. It’s more a question of when you can fit it in. Some people prefer to go in early before work, others like to hit the gym in the evening, as long as your nutrition is on point and you’re getting in enough rest it should be the least of your worries.

It’s better to train before a meal than after...

False! The best time to train is when you feel most energetic and when you can find the time.

There are too many other things going on in people’s lives to worry about not training because you either have or haven’t eaten.

There is some data supporting the fact that carbs pre workout can make you more lethargic through the release of happy hormones but then it’s also your body’s primary fuel for energy. A nice

sweet spot for most people is around 90 minutes pre workout with a quality protein food source which will give you enough leucine (amino acid responsible for muscle building) to get the most out of your workout. But like I said, if you can’t work in that time frame you can just make up for it later.

Stretching before exercise is crucial...

True and False! Stretching yes, but probably not the kind you’re thinking of.

Stretching is normally associated with static or holding movements and while that is great for cooling down after exercise, before your session it can be muscular suicide. The reason is that the muscle should never be stretched cold and it can cause a loss of strength or even worse injury. However dynamic stretching before exercise is essential to get the blood and oxygen to the muscles. Best way to do that is to mimic the movements you are about to do with little or no weight at all. From there you can increase the resistance as you become stronger Rest and sleep is equally important as diet and exercise is as part of a healthy routine...

True! Most definitely, your body needs adequate time to recover and repair from the stresses you put on it during exercise. It’s also been shown that on average people who don’t get at least 7 hours in between the sheets consume more calories in a day. Plus you’re missing out on the vital hours of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This is the stage when you’re in a deep trance and have your strangest dreams, also the stage when you burn the most calories! So it’s no surprise that there is a correlation between erratic sleep and big undies.

Sticking to a rigid exercise routine is not the best idea...

True. If you do the same session week in week out you will hit a plateau and you will cease to see any more gains in muscle, or losses in fat. Don’t get me wrong; it’s important to always include the core fundamental exercises like Deadlift, and Squat but even then there are so many different ways to perform a Squat. Box Squat, Goblet Squat, Romanian Split Squat and countless others, even changing the rep tempo and weight being lifted will help bring results. The body will only change by making it deal with new challenges.

Same session different day should

never apply!

Crunches will get rid of your belly fat...

False! Never!

Ever! You cannot spot reduce a certain area. Ever!

This is one of the most frustrating questions because so many people still think doing crunches will torch fat. It’s such a small movement that the calories burned from it will be so minimal that you will see no effect. You can strengthen the abs but unless you drop your body fat percentage through a healthy diet and cardio (preferably High-Intensity Interval Training) you will never be able to see them!

Lifting weights will make women bulky...

False! But not because of the anabolic hormone testosterone like we once thought. A recent study at McMillan University in Canada found that even though men produced 45 times the amount of testosterone than women do it wasn’t the main reason why men had more muscle mass. The science has still yet to determine why, but until then unless the girls all start ‘juicing’ up, they’re more likely to look like Victoria Models than cage fighters.

trans fats that are found in processed foods, if you can’t pronounce a word in the ingredients then it’s whack for your body!

You should not eat anything after 9pm...

False! Doesn’t matter in the slightest, the whole no carbs after dark rule is simply a myth and no food after 9pm takes it one step further into the realms of folklore. It all boils down to your net intake of calories and your macro nutrient ratios of protein, carbs and fats. So if you have calories left to hit up and it just so happens to be nighttime, by all means get that good stuff into you!

For details on Kieran’s boot camp holidays in Spain visit: www.kobeachbootcamp.com or for details on personalised diet and workout programs email: contact@kobeachbootcamps.com Follow on twitter @kieranowens87

Fat is bad for you, no matter what kind...

False! There are certain fats that are beneficial for many things, mainly found in nuts, avocado’s and fish but be wary of the calorie content. Just because something is healthy doesn’t mean you can eat endless amounts of it, the average 100g bag of mixed nuts contains a massive 600 calories so moderation is the key. The fats you want to stay clear of are saturated fats that can clog up your arteries and the OPEN MAGAZINE / SPRING 2013

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THE HOUSE BEAUTY SPA: REVIEW THE PERFECT WAY TO PAMPER YOURSELF AND PREPARE FOR THAT NIGHT ON THE TILES First Impressions The House Beauty Spa is a haven, safely tucked away from the busy shopping area of Allerton Road. Based in a beautiful detached Georgian property, I knew I was in for a treat the moment I was welcomed through the door and into a world of low lighting, hanging lanterns, hardwood and candlelight to create an instantly warming and tranquil ambience. I was able to relax immediately.

What Happened Next?

My lovely therapist for the afternoon, Helen, handed me a client card to complete then led me to my treatment room. She explained the treatments I would be having and the skin care questionnaire I was asked to fill out was then used to pick the essential oil aromas and facial massage techniques to be adopted on my slightly parched skin.

My Treatment My relaxing session began with an Elemis Deep Tissue Back Massage (30 mins for £35) – treatments here commence with the room filled with aroma and scents as ambient music drifts you along the way. It was the perfect way to de-stress from the rigors of a working week – and also help improve circulation and offer relief from fatigue.

The calming sensation of the smooth massage offered a revitalising sensation which left me feeling invigorated and also completely losing track of time as I became wrapped up in a feeling of soothing peacefulness.

My deep tissue back massage was followed with a 75 minute Guinot Hydradermie2 facial (£50) which was a truly relaxing experience leaving my skin feeling tighter, healthier and instantly softer. A week later and after the initial after-facial glow had subsided my skin is still looking fresh and radiant.

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What can you expect at The House Beauty Spa? You can tell how much thought has gone in to making the spa a truly relaxing experience, every step of your journey has been carefully planned to make you feel at ease, and the therapists are approachable, friendly and fun. Using a range of beauty products and bespoke masks and peels, The House Beauty Spa’s treatments promise to leave skin healthy, glowing, rejuvenated and you ready for that big night out on the town.

Booking Procedure There are three ways to make a booking at The House Beauty Spa – in the spa itself with the reception team, through an online enquiry from which the spa will return your message or by simply telephoning the spa and booking directly.

You can view the treatments on offer on their website: www.thehousebeautyspa.co.uk

The House Beauty Spa, 9 Mather Avenue, Allerton, Liverpool, L18 6HE Telephone: 0151 724 4999 Email: info@thehousebeautyspa. co.uk

PERFECT TOP KNOT

By Stephanie Gibney: Hair stylist at

HOW TO GET THE PERFECT TOP KNOT IN FOUR EASY STEPS… 1

Brush hair into a high ponytail on the top of your head and place bun ring over the bobble – secure using pins.

3

Spray and fix away any loose hairs with hair spray and pins. And voilà! You now have a smooth, sleek top knot!

2

Back comb ponytail in 4 sections and spray with hair spray, then smooth over with a smoothing brush.

4

Wrap the back combed hair around the bun ring as neat or messy as you choose, securing with pins as you go.

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As of 1st April, the law is changing the way you can make a claim. As a result, we’ve been inundated with lots of questions so we thought we’d share a select few with you.

Family My ex-partner wants sole custody of our children; they’re taking the matter to court.

Can I claim legal aid?

From 1st April 2013 huge changes to Legal Aid in family cases. Generally this means Legal Aid will no longer be available in Private Law cases, including applications between parents seeking or opposing applications for residence and contact.

There are limited cases, subject to very strict limitations, when Legal Aid may be available including if you are the victim of domestic violence. The best course of action would be to contact a Resolution Accredited Family Lawyer who will be able to discuss the situation with you and the options available in terms of funding.

I want to Divorce my partner but I can’t afford a Solicitor; can I apply for Legal Aid?

exceptional circumstances and as there is no definitive definition of “exceptional circumstances”, it is important that all clients that qualify on financial means for legal aid should still consult with Solicitors in order for an assessment to be carried out to see whether they qualify on merit.

Personal Injury I believe there are a number of changes to legislation regarding Personal Injury claims, how will this affect me if I want to claim?

The biggest change relates to what can be recovered from the defendants. For over 10 years it has been possible to claim all legal fees in successful cases. As of the 1st April 2013 some fees will be payable by claimants who could be required to pay up to 25% of their damages. This is why it is important to submit claims before 1st April 2013.

From 1st April 2013, the legal aid budget was cut by 15%. Despite what you may hear in the media there is still money available to publicly fund Family Law cases.

Conveyancing / housing

All client’s with family disputes should still consult a Legal Aid Franchised firm so that they can establish if a person is eligible for Public Funding.

I have just bought a new home and the sale has gone through, I went to move in but the old residents are still there and refuse to leave. What can I do?

The cuts to the Legal Aid budget have in many ways benefited the client as it has concentrated Solicitor’s minds on looking at different ways of funding work in the future and looking at their fee structures.

If Legal Aid is not available for a client then Solicitors have come up with other ways of ensuring that clients can receive legal advice in relation to Divorce Proceedings on, for example, a fixed fee.

In general terms, Legal Aid for Divorce Proceedings is still available in all cases in which there are issues of domestic violence, child protection or if the parties are going through the mediation process.

In the first instance provided the contract states the house was sold with “vacant possession” then the buyers solicitors would serve notice to complete. This would normally give the Sellers ten working days to rectify the situation. Interest would be chargeable under the terms of the contract and there may well be clauses in the contract penalising the Seller further eg he may have to pay the buyers cancelled removal costs. If after the ten days the position is still the same then the buyer can issue proceedings for specific performance of the contract and /or damages which would include costs.

Legal Aid can also be applied for in

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Laser Hair removal I recently bought a voucher through a website for 10 sessions of laser hair removal at a discounted price. I was happy with the first 6 sessions, but on the 7th session, it was a different therapist and I’ve been left with burns. I’m worried that I will be scarred. I’ve not been back since, what can I do? Can I claim compensation?

Firstly tell the salon what has happened.

It’s important that they are aware of the problem, and may prevent it happening to someone else. Seek the appropriate medical treatment, either from your GP or medical centre to ensure that the burns are treated properly and reduce the risk of scarring. Keep a diary of events and take daily photographs. Keep hold of any information leaflets that you were given together with receipts either from the treatment itself or from the medication purchased since the incident occurred.

You may be entitled to compensation for the injuries that you have suffered. Call LLA today to get in touch with a Beauty Injury specialist today.

SAPPHIRE LOUNGE THE BOLD STREET VENUE PROVIDING FRESHLY COOKED FOOD BY AN AWARD-WINNING CHEF IN SWANKY SURROUNDINGS

Staff at Sapphire Lounge in 1930’s attire

Stepping off Bold Street and inside the warm, elegant Sapphire Lounge is like taking a step back in time – a time of class and intimacy. The genuine Art Deco 1930s furniture and antiques makes you feel instantly at home as you relax to laid back music. The Lounge is a glamorous venue and with a real ritzy vibe about the place.

High tea is served from 3:00pm to 6:00pm, with an array of sandwiches, homemade scones and mini cream cakes available. Or you can sample an extensive tapas menu with delicious cocktails to wash it down.

Peter says, “It’s easy eating for people out and about. It’s replicating a British tapas menu served up on sharing platters. It’s ideal for people looking to chill out and quickly come and go. On the lunch menu you’ll find the best fish and chips in town, fresh hand battered haddock and twice cooked hand cut chips.”

Our verdict; if you find yourself on Bold Street and want somewhere you can quickly come and go, have a chill out, eat quality, freshly cooked food by an award winning chef in swanky surroundings, then take a step into Sapphire Lounge.

A particular dish Peter is proud of – and he informs Open you won’t find anywhere else on Bold Street – are his pan seared fresh scallops. But if you’re looking for something a bit more meaty look no further than the finest fillet of Lancashire beef, which is locally sourced.

108 Bold Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 4HY

To serve up the finest dishes in the city Sapphire Lounge has handpicked top Wirral chef Peter Mills to head up the recently opened Ropewalks venture.

Having started his career at the tender age of 16, Peter has almost 40 years experience. He spent four years as head chef at The Devon Doorway, in Heswall and more recently was the head chef of celebrity restaurateur Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse Bar and Grill at Hotel Indigo.

Peter, an award winning chef having been awarded AA rosettes which places him in the top 10% of chefs in the country, is proud of the British tapas menu on offer at Sapphire; with all food locally sourced, handpicked by the chef himself, and freshly served.

Tel: 0151-709-6607

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COCKTAIL MASTERCLASSES, LAVISH FEASTS AND SALACIOUS COMEDY ALL IN ONE EVENING By: Victoria Melia The Albert Dock is one of Liverpool’s most iconic waterfront attractions with a plethora of bars and restaurants and a unique magnetic vibe that draws millions of visitors each year. OPEN were invited to sample a night on the tiles at our World Heritage site, ensuing an evening of cocktail shaking, delectable food, crowd heckling and overuse of the c-word! Intrigued? Then read on…

We kicked off the night with a Cocktail Masterclass at Revolution Vodka Bar; famous in the City for its flavoured vodkas (the chilli one is not for the faint-hearted) and trendy appeal.

Our barman, Josh, a thrifty-fingered smoothie who knows a thing or two about mixology, entertained us with a Tom Cruise-esque performance of shaking and stirring. We drank our way through several made-to-order cocktails whilst we blurrily followed Josh’s instructions…then it was time to scrabble behind the bar and make our own. I turned my hand to a Little Miss Sunshine; fresh splash of mango vodka and passion fruit with orange juice and lemonade and my partner chose what I reckon most blokes would opt for: the Porn Star Martini! A ‘sexy classic’ mix of vanilla vodka and passion fruit vodka topped up with sparkling Bolla Prosecco, served with half a passion fruit. It was a fantastic class with great banter from the staff and a fun lesson in cocktail making. If you’re looking for something a bit different for a Saturday afternoon or fancy an activity for your next birthday party – Revolution Cocktail Masterclass is definitely worth a try.

By the end of the class we were rosy-cheeked and in dire need of sustenance. A breath of seafront air and short stroll around the glisten-

ing dock freshened our thoughts and brought us to PanAm restaurant for our glamorous evening meal. Sat centre stage overlooking a dusk-tinged waterfront, we ordered our meal for two and nibbled on a generous selection of plump olives and warm doughy bread. Slowly sobering up from the earlier torrent of cocktails, our starters of juicy pan-seared scallops and a creamy clam and crab risotto went down a treat. We rested between courses in the large bare-brick listed

building decorated with twinkling fairy lights, and soaked up the breath-taking view of the misty dock. Our attentive waiter asked if we were ready for mains and delivered a dish of meaty Chinese spiced monkfish on a crunchy lemongrass and ginger rice cake with stir-fry vegetables in a light, fragrant soy and chilli dressing and for my companion, his favourite; medium-rare fillet steak and horseradish mash. The steak was, by all accounts, cooked perfectly and my monkfish, divine. Our full bellies denied us the pleasure of dessert and we pulled ourselves away from the tranquillity of PanAm dining room to

the raucous lion’s den of the Blue Bar Comedy Club.

Set in the basement vault underneath the Blue Bar & Grill, Comedy Central mixes modern and traditional; a platform for comedy at its most nail-biting carved into a backdrop of 19th century traditional pillars and brick features.

The atmosphere is electric and (if you’re unused to the rowdy nature of stand-up) a little daunting at times. The four acts seemed to offer something for everyone. After a good amount of heckling from one particular audience member, the evening’s compere delighted us in free-styling some witty (and probably quite offensive) comebacks at said heckler’s expense. The first comedian’s love of the c-word nearly made me spit my lime and soda all over the poor woman’s head in front and I found myself laughing hysterically at the only female act of the evening making hilariously graphic sexual advances on audience members! It’s not something for the easily-offended but Comedy Central offers an alternative night out where you can eat, drink and be transported into the unknown. Just don’t sit too near the front….

We couldn’t experience everything the Albert Dock has to offer in one evening alone so we’ll definitely be back for more fabulous food, drink and entertainment in the near future. However, one thing’s for sure. The winning character in this love story of alcohol-fuelled masterclasses, lavish feasts and salacious comedy is the living, breathing Albert Dock itself.

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A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

PROPERTY REPORT LATEST NEWS AND VIEWS FROM LIVERPOOL BASED GOLDING LETTING AGENT By: Brian Price

INDUSTRY NEWS

THE MAJORITY OF PROPERTY RENTERS WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO AFFORD THEIR OWN HOME, ACCORDING TO NEW RESEARCH.

Scottish Widows’ annual Savings and Investment report found that the typical tenant would require 23 years to save for the average house deposit, which is now £50,845.

This has led to many people giving up on the idea of owning their own home altogether, as only 29 per cent of renters said they are actively saving for a deposit.

Even first-time buyers, who are required to pay a significantly lower deposit of £27,984, would need to save for around 13 years.

The report also found that people in the rental sector are less likely to have substantial savings. Around half of the tenants have no money saved at all,

while a third have savings of less than £1,000.

Iain McGowan, head of savings and investments at Scottish Widows, said: “We live in a society where many strive to own their own homes but, for many people facing high rent and increasing living costs, this isn’t going to be achievable.”

TENANT DEMAND FOR CHEAPER ROOM SHARES ON THE UP THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LOOKING TO RENT ROOMS IN SHARED HOUSES AND FLATS APPEARS TO BE GROWING AS MORE SEEK TO SAVE MONEY ON THEIR LIVING COSTS. Easyroommate says that numbers of applicants on its website is increasing and easily outpaces supply.

Last year, it recorded an average of 36,886 people looking for a room at any one time. It is currently recording 37,468 applicants, but only 7,000 rooms – suggesting a huge shortfall. Most landlords are seeking a non-smoking professional female as a flatmate.

By far the greatest demand for flatshare

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rooms on the website is in London, where 15,162 prospective flat-sharers are registered, way ahead of the next highest, Manchester, with 1,578.

Under the Government’s Rent a Room scheme, live-in owner-landlords can earn up to £4,250 a year before having to pay tax.

“IT’S EASIER TO RENT” PAUL KAYE, 27, TELLS US HOW EASY IT IS TO FIND AND RENT A PROPERTY FROM GOLDING ESTATES. An Englishman’s home is his castle, so they say. Well, it is if you can afford it. The figures of home owners in UK show a home owning market in decline which has led observers to describe the current crop of young people looking to leave home as part of ‘Generation Rent.

The surge in the private rental market is mirrored by a fall in ownership levels – two thirds (65%) of all households are owner occupiers, down from a peak of 71% in 2003.

For many years seen as the lot of hard-up students or young footloose professionals, renting is becoming the “new normal” for millions.

And this is the case for Paul, as he recently rented his one bedroom apartment near Newsham Park, Liverpool.

“Basically, I have not got the finances behind me to get a mortgage together, and it was just one of those things, I had a change in circumstances and I needed somewhere to live,” says Paul.

House prices in the UK are at an all-time high and for millions of people like Paul, getting a mortgage is out of the question, especially with other finances taking priority. “If I had the money

behind me, I’d obviously go in to buy somewhere. But it’s just easier for me to rent at the moment.”

Paul is happy with the property Golding Estates were able to find him. The property is a large stylish, and spacious converted Victorian town house. “The location is good because it’s close to everything for me, work, the buses, shops, and I’ve got the park near by for the baby as well. It ticks all the boxes.”

GENERATION RENT Just over one in four people will be in “mortgaged home ownership” by 2025

Paul describes how straightforward dealing With Golding Estates agents was. “Dealing with Golding was very easy. I phoned up, I asked one of the agents there if they had a property close to my work, and near my mum and dad’s and stuff. They quickly called me back and offered me this property which was ideal, perfectly located and affordable. Before I knew it I was moving in. It was all very easy and the service offered by Golding Estates was great.”

GOLDING LETTING AGENTS OFFER A PERSONAL, TAILOR MADE SERVICE TO ALL CLIENTS. LIVERPOOL BASED GOLDING LETTING AGENTS HAVE A LARGE RANGE OF HOUSES AND FLATS TO LET VISIT WWW.GOLDINGESTATES.CO.UK

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Peter Cranfield @cutthroatpete

Adam T @TurpoEFC Chris Owens @ChrisOwens23

Ste Travers @stetrav

Ben Lunt @b3nlunt

Amy Faith @AmyFaithPhoto

Stephanie Till @CXStephanie Zooey @ZoeYak

Billie Clements @billiedj

Anton Powers @AntonPowers Bang On! @bangonmusic OPEN MAGAZINE / SPRING 2013

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CAN’T COPE? WE’VE ENLISTED YOU SOME HELP CAUTION: SHE WILL TELL YOU STRAIGHT!

I WANT TO MAKE HIM JEALOUS

Dear Scousebird Problems, Me and my ex recently broke up. It was what you would call a good breakup, we didn’t try and kill each other, but he called it a day and that was that. Only, his sister is my best friend (that’s how we met) and we still bump into each other and know what each other are doing. So, I want to make him realise he was wrong to let me go, I want to make him jealous – please help!

would be much more entertaining! I’ll borrow me arl fella’s camcorder and we’ll follow your fella to Shag-a-muff or wherever he’s going and I’ll film you following him round til I’m too drunk to hold the camera? Pya murders!

Ay though, me fella once told me he was goin on a lads holiday, I said sound I’ll book me girls trip to Cancun then! Oh then it was a different story! He soon changed his tune and decided not to go. If he gives a rats ass about ya hun he’ll swerve the lads holiday and spend the money on a new pair of shoes for ya. If not, go on your girls holiday and let Xavier the Mexican bartender make you forget your fellas name (with shots of course… what did you think I meant?)

- Pretty Green Eyes, aged 24 I once broke up with a lad who knocked me sick. I think I’d been drunk for the entire 3 weeks we were seeing each other and I just woke up one day and thought, “No lad, you’re an absolute creature and quite frankly you put me off me scran.” A few days (days mind!) after I’d given him the shove I got a text saying “Keep the bed warm for me, I’ll be there soon.” I rolled my eyes and didn’t reply. It was a blatant ‘accidentally on purpose trying to make me jealous text’. As I mentioned, he was a creature so there’s no channy he’d have found some other poor victim in 2 days. Lo and behold 20 minutes later I got a text saying “Oops sorry, that wasn’t meant for you!” I replied saying “Norassed lad.” Game, set, match – and they reckon we’re cranks! So yeah don’t do that, just be the absolute best version of yourself, if your ex sees you looking fab and genuinely happy, trust me he’ll be green girl. If it’s on the arms of a taller, fitter lad –even better.

I DON’T TRUST HIM ON HOLIDAY WITH THE LADS

Dear Scousebird Problems, My boyfriend has went and booked on to a lads hol with all of his mates to Magaluf in the summer. I didn’t want to be a crank and stop him from going with all of his mates – what can I do to make sure he doesn’t cheat, what if he does and I never find out?

- VD, aged 26 Well you’ve heard of the program Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents right? I reckon Sun, Sex and Suspicious Girlfriends

MY BOYFRIEND HAS TURNED INTO A SLOB

Dear Scousebird Problems, I love my fella loads but I can’t cope with his lazy attitude anymore.

He wasn’t like this when I first knew him. He lives in my house and helps with the bills but I hate him being in my bed because to be honest, he smells. I’ve tried dropping hints and also just being direct but nothing works. I don’t want to ask him to leave but I will have to if he can’t spend 5 minutes a day in the shower. Any suggestions?

- E. Humms, aged 30 Have you ever tried hinting to your fella about a Xmas or Birthday present? Even if you circle it in a magazine and shove it in his face, unless you say “I WANT THIS!” he’ll carry on playing FIFA and you’ll end up with a book aba trains and a tin of beans. Subtlety won’t work here, lift his pits and start spraying Febreeze under them and down his boxies. Make it clear that he won’t be getting dirty with you while he’s a dirty get. I mean what’s wrong with him the tramp? Is he a wool or something?

If he won’t clean up his act you’ll just have to swerve him, be assed endin up being the GF of the smelly arl weirdo on the bus with a 5 foot radius round him.

For Advice Write To editor@open-mag.co.uk Or Follow @Scousebirdprobs

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WATCH THESE VIDEOS ON YOUR PHONE WITH LAYAR 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 Caution: Some Of These Videos Depict Images Of Violence.

INCASE YOU FORGOT, THE WORLD CAN BE A DANGEROUS PLACE. SO, JUST TO REMIND YOU HERE ARE SOME VIOLENT VIDZ WE FOUND ON THE EVIL INTERNET.

EXTREME RUSSIAN ROAD RAGE It seems the dashboard cameras many Russians have in their cars are a wise investment, but a bullet proof vest would be too.

A driver and 3 pedestrians get into an argument, which results in one pedestrian firing on the vehicle. Nobody was injured.

STRUGGLE TO KEEP DOOR SHUT ON GUNMAN In March, 2013, an unknown man approached a Chinese Food store in Philly, USA, armed with a handgun. The suspect fires shots into the store as the victims struggle to keep the suspect out by holding the door closed. Amazingly no one was injured in this shooting; but a load of clean undies were needed.

DOUBLE KO Two skinny MMA fighters go toe-to-toe and land a knockout blow each at the same time. Snooze you lose, or in this case you draw.

APACHE HELICOPTER CRASH IN AFGHAN Those crazy Yanks treat £50m attack helicopters like BMXs. No one on the ground was killed and both pilots survived. This one definitely watched too much Airwolf as a kid.

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This space will contain a fresh new video each month, because we know you have probably seen the others on this page by now!

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Eleven photos of Liverpool.

All taken on Instagram.

Welcome to modern Liverpool through a retro lens.

Send your instagrams to: instagrams@open-mag.co.uk

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COMPETITION WIN A NIGHT AT THE BIG FIGHT British heavyweight champion David Price is all set for a rematch with Tony Thompson after his shock defeat in February brought Price’s quest to the top of boxing to an abrupt halt. PRICE VS THOMPSON II takes place in the Echo Arena Liverpool on July 6.

WHAT YOU WIN

We’ve got 2 tickets to the big fight plus a night stay at the Radisson Blu Hotel to giveaway to one lucky reader.

TWEET TO WIN

2 tickets to the fight at Echo Arena on Saturday July 6th.

Overnight stay at the Radisson Blu Hotel

To enter simply follow us and tweet: @open_magazine #OpenForAPriceWin Go to www.openthecity.co.uk for more information

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The winner will be chosen from random by a lucky draw and announced on 6th June 2013.

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