LIVERPOOL will play host to the North West’s first eco-friendly music festival next month.

Livefest will see hometown sons Shack, “country acid house” outfit Alabama 3, hillbilly-rock crossover band Hayseed Dixie, and singer-songwriters Tobias Froberg and John Smith play alongside unsigned local talent.

The idea for the event was spawned last November, and the small organising team already has high hopes, having secured the licence to hold the event for 10 years.

Although the first Livefest, on August 11, expects 10,000 music fans, they believe it has the potential to host 30,000 people over the coming years.

The festival will be held at Liverpool Cricket Club, on Aigburth Road.

Co-organisers Sarah Davidson and Chris Meehan said the ethos of Livefest was about keeping the day as green and as family friendly as possible.

Ms Davidson said: “We realised there was a gap in the market for something different, something less corporate.

“We wanted a very inclusive event that the whole family could attend.”

In this vein, rather than slap the logo of any well-known beer or alcopop over Livefest, food and drink will be provided by international food stalls and 10 different micro-breweries at a real ale stand, and a family picnic area will be provided.

Ms Davidson added: “We are looking at every aspect of making it as green as possible. We are working with Unison and Liverpool City Council to recycle waste from the event, and Merseytravel to promote public transport on the day.

“We want the whole day to be enjoyable, not just the music, and it’s something that will be able to tie in well with 2008 next year.”

A green exhibit will be on site, and resources such as electricity will be conserved wherever possible: not leaving generators running unnecessarily and keeping soundchecks short are just two ideas.

Andy McCartan, environmental services manager for the city council, said: “I was impressed with Livefest from the moment I heard about it and have become even more thrilled by what the team are doing.

“In our ever changing local and global climate we have to think of the future, and a green project like this is the right way forward.

“I think this is the start of something special for the Livefest team.”