LIVERPOOL Sound City is holding a special music and business showcase in New York which will be headlined by the first US gig in 20 years by The La's.

The Daily Post can reveal that New York Sound City, to be held in March, will see Mersey musicians and creative businesses take over a Manhattan hotel on March 12.

That will include the first US gig in two decades by legendary Liverpool band The La’s, best known for There She Goes, while other Merseyside performers will soon be added to the bill.

But Sound City – which has been backed by regeneration agency Liverpool Vision as well as the Arts Council – will also be a showcase for creative and digital firms from Merseyside who want to win business in the US.

And Vision, which has this year redoubled its efforts to build trade links with the US, believes the event will prove to New York’s creative and digital businesses that Liverpool is a great destination in which to invest.

Liverpool has long trade and cultural links with New York, which was John Lennon’s home for nine years.

Sound City director Dave Pichilingi wants to see Mersey music firms follow in the footsteps of Sentric Music, which is working with a New York publisher to licence work by UK artists to hit TV shows such as CSI.

Mr Pichilingi said: “If you look at what’s going on with our economy at the moment, it’s really important that businesses from our region begin to look overseas for people to trade with.

“From a business and a cultural perspective, Liverpool has a lot of connections with New York. There’s got to be great opportunities there.