Music world salutes Liverpool Sound City

May 25 2009 by Peter Guy, Liverpool Daily Post

After an exhausting four days, music writer Peter Guy looks back at this year’s Sound City music festival

THE second coming of Liverpool Sound City signed off in style over the weekend, as four days and nights of music, film, debate and beyond culminated in parties right across the city.

Static Gallery, on Roscoe Lane, was brimming with talent until the early hours of Sunday morning, with Rascals frontman Miles Kane playing an exclusive set, while Scouse heroes The Zutons turned the magnificent surrounds of St George's Hall into a carnival of sound.

But the night belonged to Atlanta Georgia's Deerhunter, who played a fizzing set to a jam-packed Zanzibar.

Earlier in the day, experts were put on trial in a unique event at the Old Victorian Law Courts as music fans young and old grilled the media, Svengalis and record executives on the current state of the industry.

The penultimate night saw the cream of Liverpool's talent making a huge splash as Wave Machines proved darlings of the night at the O2 Academy.

Amid a sea of White Lies fans, the Merseyside quartet shocked and dazzled in equal measure with their precision avant-pop earning a legion of new followers.

Elsewhere, one-woman hype machine Little Boots had the entire crowd singing along, despite it still being a month away from the release of her debut record, whileŠIpso Facto won the prize for best-dressed band of the festival, donning matching black body stockings and underwear leaving little to the imagination.

Maps, Clinic and a whole host of Japanese bands rounded off a thrilling third night.

AŠUS invasion and a Cavern Club-style love-in were the highlights of the festival's second night.

Atlanta's Black Lips caused stage dive fever at the Barfly, with devastating support from the likes of Crystal Antlers, Titus Andronicus and Mika Miko.