The beat goes on at Mathew Street festival

Aug 25 2008 by Richard Down, Liverpool Daily Post

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TENS of thousands packed into clubs and on to Liverpool’s streets as the Mathew Street festival burst into life.

For the first time, the music extravaganza features six stages of bands playing everything from Elton John classics to new tunes by homegrown acts over two days.

The sun shone as spectators brought their packed lunches and deckchairs out to St John’s Gardens for a grandstand view of the Tunnel Stage.

Fake That! were among the entertainers keeping a massive crowd enthralled while yards away the Streetwaves Stage featured up-and-coming acts in Williamson Square.

Families and music lovers, like Lynn Clare and her three-year-old niece, Honey Hawkins, were revelling in the atmosphere.

“It’s absolutely fantastic, she said. “The weather has been kind and this is Liverpool at its best.”

After the non-event last year, visitors such as Mark Berry, from south Liverpool, have a massive appetite for the festival.

He said: “There’s something different everywhere you turn and having a big Sunday seems to have worked because it’s packed.”

The sheer scale of the street festival is mind-boggling. There are three big screens, 25 generators, 10 miles of audio cable, half a million watts of amplification, 500 speakers, 500 microphones, 15 trucks, 150 security and 250 “crowd management” staff, 250 temporary toilets, more than a mile of fencing and a cleansing team of 20 vehicles and 100 staff.

Scores of tribute acts were joined by Cockney favourites Chas ’n’ Dave, and today I’m Too Sexy stars Right Said Fred are on stage.

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

For the first time this year, a Liverpool nightclub is running its own stage.

Garlands DJ Lez Calvert and resident Diva Angie Brown have joined Cher and Elton John tribute acts.

Club promoter Barry McDonald is hoping the party atmosphere the club has developed a reputation for in Ibiza will translate to the streets.

richarddown