As Liverpool gets back to business as usual, Jade Wright looks at the sucesses of this year’s Mathew Street Festival

THE Mathew Street Festival turned Liverpool into a party capital this weekend, attracting hundreds of thousands into the city centre.

Today, Liverpool’s businesses were celebrating the boost to the economy from one of the most successful music festivals the city has ever seen.

In total, 300,000 people flocked to see bands from across the musical spectrum.

Last night, Liverpool city council leader Warren Bradley said the city was already looking at ways of making next year even better.

Cllr Bradley said: “The festival has been a huge success, and that’s down to Team Liverpool – the emergency services, the festival organisers, the artists, the Mathew Street directors, the volunteers, the venders, the licensees, the list is endless.

“Best of all, we put it down to the people of Liverpool and the many visitors who came here to see what the city has to offer.

“We had around 300,000 people here this weekend, enjoying music from around the world, and the atmosphere has been fantastic.

“But despite all of that – and 300,000 people make a lot of litter – we can wake up to a city this morning that looks like nothing has happened.

“We have to thank Merseytravel for getting people here and then getting them home safely.

“This festival goes from strength to strength and it is now one of the most important dates on Liverpool’s cultural calendar, not just for Liverpool, but for those who visit the city.

“There cannot be many cities in Europe which can put on a festival as successfully and as safely as this, and we do that year in year out. Yet again, I think the people of this city should be proud of themselves.”

The event, organised in conjunction with Mathew Street Festival directors, had six outdoor stages across two days, with a main stage near to the Queensway Tunnel, a Mathew Street Fringe Festival, featuring original bands indoors, and huge LED screens around the city.

Crowds also flocked to Derby Square, Williamson Square, Water Street, Exchange Street and the Superlambanana Stage, in Tithebarn Street.

At the Tunnel Stage, music fans danced to tribute bands Antarctic Monkeys, Razorlike, Amy Wynehouse and Kaiser Thiefs.

Rain threatened throughout the day, but held off until headliners Kins of Leon finished their set.

At the Water Street stage, Sunday’s country and western hoedown made way for Monday’s HMS Garlands extravaganza, hosted by Marky J.

With Hounds of Love, So Blondie and Robbing Williams, it became party central.

The Superlambanana Stage was transformed care of the Emerald Isle, with So Patrol, Dizzy Lizzy, The Conmitments and U2 tribute act Elevation.

On the Williamson Square Stage came a fitting tribute to the late DJ Phil Easton, playing some of his favourite acts. Starting with tribute artists, they made way for China Crisis, Joe Echo and unsigned Liverpool band The Grants.

Overall, unsigned bands had an impressive showing, with the Liverpool Echo new bands stage showcasing the best in up-and-coming acts.

The new bands stage host, BBC Radio Merseyside’s Dave Monks, said: “The response has been phenomenal. We had crowds since the first band at 11am right through to the end.

“Liverpool is a great musical city and you only have to listen to the homegrown talent on the new bands stage to realise just how great the acts coming out of the city are.

“This is the second year I have hosted the stage, and the crowds are even bigger than last year.

“If there was anything I would change for next year, it would be to have the new bands on both days. There is so much talent, we could easily have filled the bill two times over.”

The Fringe Festival hosted free gigs from the best of the unsigned music scene. Venues such as Zanzibar, the New Picket, Studio 2 at Parr Street, Heebie Jeebies and the Masque were packed with music fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the next big thing.

Fringe Festival co-ordinator Gordon Ross said: “For us, it has been a massive success.

“The new bands stage has been fantastic – people have really flocked to see new talent and we have had a great crowd all day.

“The weather has not always been on our side, but if anything, that worked to the fringe’s advantage, particularly for the indoor stages.

“The Zanzibar has been packed and the BadFormat Social club, which only opened this weekend, has been overwhelmed. It is clear there is a massive appetite for new music in the city, and I think everyone benefits from it.

“Three years ago, a lot of these venues would not even have been open during Mathew Street weekend – there was no real focus on the music that comes out of the city all year round.

“After what happened in 2007, that has all been turned on its head and now those bars and clubs are packed to the rafters with people, which has to give those venues a boost.”

He added: “Mathew Street has become known for its tribute bands, but if the festival had existed in The Beatles’ days, they would have been playing at the fringe with the rest of Liverpool’s musical talent.”

jade.wright