Get back to the Mathew Street Festival after a year's break

Aug 20 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

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THE Bootels, The Beatelles, Det Betales, The Repeatles, The Beatlemaniacs . . . it’s that time of year again.

The 16th International Beatle Week, incorporating the Mathew Street Festival, begins today, with tourists and talent from all over the world decending on the birthplace of the Fab Four in droves.

The event is making up for lost time in Capital of Culture year after the annual shindig – which attracts tens of thousands of people to the city – was disastrously pulled at the last minute in 2007.

From today until next Tuesday, there will be some 480 gigs across 14 venues, the vast majority free of charge, culminating with the Mathew Street Festival on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday.

Alongside some of the best regional and international Beatles tribute acts, over six free outdoor stages, will be Cockney favourites Chas ’n’ Dave (Sunday) and I’m Too Sexy stars Right Said Fred and blues diva Connie Lush (Monday) among many others.

Bands from across Scotland, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, France, Italy, Finland, Poland and Turkey will all be performing.

A dedicated Merseybeat stage will include the Zodiacs, the Original Fourmost, the Mersey- beats and the Undertakers among others.

The festival continues to branch out to take in all kinds of music, not just The Beatles, and this year sees its stages also dedicated to soul, diva, Britpop and new bands.

The outdoor stages will run from 11am to 6pm on both days, with indoor venues offering live music from 12 noon until the early hours.

Highlights of the weekend will include a 42-piece orchestra from the Czech Republic and a 32-piece military band from Brazil accompanying two Beatles tribute acts.

On the Sunday, the Adelphi hotel will host several events featuring guest speakers such as Beatles authors Philip Norman and Spen- cer Leigh, and actor Victor Spinetti who appeared in A Hard Day’s Night, Help! and Magical Mystery Tour.

Bill Heckle, from organisers Cavern City Tours, said, the company behind the festival said: "We’re already 15% up on visitors and that’s because of 2008, I imagine. Everybody is seeing it as a special year to travel."

New for 2008 is the introduction of a Hall of Fame, to which the first nine acts will be inducted during a concert at the Adelphi hotel on Friday afternoon.

There will also be a new Mathew St Fringe Festival, will feature nine venues including Korova and Zanzibar showcasing original up-and-coming Liverpool talent.

* FOR full line-up and listings, visit www.cavernclub.org and www.mathewstreetfestival.com

vickyanderson@dailypost.co.uk