A NEW music and arts venue, aiming to be unlike any other in Liverpool, opens in the city tonight. Monochrome is a new project from a Liverpool firm of music industry specialists of the same name.

The media management company has used its contacts and expertise in the world of live entertainment and stage management of festivals and tours to set up the bar and club, on the site of a former sports bar on Sir Thomas Street.

“We have always wanted to run not so much a commercial venue, as somewhere that provides space for all arts to function, and we are trying to encourage all forms of art to use us,” said Spike Beecham, director of Monochrome Media Management.

On the ground floor of the new venue is a bar with a seated area of booths, each with its own individual artwork dedicated to a famous Liverpool club; sketches donated by artist and La’s founder member Mike Badger; and a jukebox filled with the best of the city’s talent old and new (except The Beatles, as fans are catered for in the Cavern Quarter across the road).

The top floor will host nights of acoustic music, comedy, literary events and more.

Downstairs, due to open in March, will be a 360 capacity, state-of-the- art live venue.

“Hopefully, people will see the concept of what we’re trying to do,” said Mr Beecham.

“We wanted to keep it quite informal and laid back and tried to make it homely. We want people to come and use it as a front room.”

The flagship club night will be the weekly Saturday Night at the Movies, which will play tunes from film soundtracks alongside cinema clips. The last Thursday of every month will be the Burletiquette burlesque night in what organisers say will be a proper 1930s style, with dancers, MCs and satirical comedy. The bi-weekly Donkay! comedy nights start from February 1, with line-ups to be announced.

“We know we can get big artists to play downstairs. We wanted the best of both worlds, a nice environment to watch shows in, and have a place bands want to come and play because they get looked after properly,” says Mr Beecham, who promises some famous names as well as up-and-coming musical acts from New York.

MONOCHROME opens tonight with a New Year’s Eve party.

vickyanderson