LIVERPOOL
Liverpool. The City Of Music. Welcome. After you’ve trekked your way through the “variety” of fresher’s events and club events that desperately miss-sell themselves, you’ll have popped out the other side ready for some truly unforgettable nights that you won’t be able to remember.
On Monday you’ll have two options: The Raz, or Brooklyn Mixer (for those who believe they are too good for The Raz). Set at the stop of Seel Street, The Raz is a sweaty room full of sweaty people drinking Raz Bombs and Fat Frogs and singing along to the biggest, cheesiest indie/alternative hits of the noughties. It’ll be the only night out you’ll find yourself dressing down for and looking for your specific set of “Raz Shoes”. I always find The Raz to be not too dissimilar to Nickelback, you definitely know you shouldn’t be enjoying it, but that fifth Raz Bomb begs to differ.
Once you’ve conquered The Raz there are some great stops further down Seel Street. The first being Heebie Jeebies. Always the safest option on the weekend, three floors of music, a courtyard and the soon to be open EBGBS club and bar in the basement, there is something there for even the soberest of minds. During the week however, Heebie’s transforms, playing host to live music and open mic nights every Thursday. But when it comes to live music no place champions original bands like the famous Zanzibar. The Zanzibar has live music every night, ranging from established artists to the future stars of tomorrow. If you’re a group or a solo artist, get yourself down there, get yourself a gig and put yourself on the map. If that has whet your appetite for music, then head onto Hardman Street to find The Magnet. Hosting events from the powerful Youngblood Brass Band to personal acoustic gigs from the likes of Reverend and The Makers, to Thursday’s Juicy, The Magnet is an intimate venue full of diversity.
Scattered across the week days lie other numerous events, such as the overrated LEVEL Wednesdays, whose unimaginative music choice is almost as irritating as those who feel the need to inform you that it’s called Level and not Levels. It has a similar layout to the Krazyhouse, but that is where the similarities end. Where Krazyhouse (Open Thursday to Saturday) has three floors of differing music (first floor, rock and occasional live gigs, second floor, alternative, and third floor, house and dance music), pub games and a unique fun-house vibe, Level has vaguely differing music spanning it’s three floors, some flashing lights and a typical “VIP” lounge.
When it comes to the weekend, you can often be spoiled for choice. Friday’s fantastic Medication and Heebie Jeebie’s, Saturday’s Krazyhouse and Level (if you are that way inclined) or Sunday’s Popworld, which, to continue to enjoy, will need to be taken in monthly or bi-monthly doses, as the novelty of exclusively listening to GTA’s Non-Stop Pop radio station can wear pretty thin very quickly. Medication on the other hand can become a weekly ritual which can become hard to escape. However the true gems of a weekend in Liverpool are found in the Baltic Triangle. Camp and Furnace, Constellations and Unit 51 are a few of the ever evolving venues that play host to some of the most creative and colourful nights in Britain. With the likes of Fiesta, Threshold, Psych-fest and Chibuku, the Baltic Triangle has events spanning from gig nights to fully fledged festivals.
After a weekend out in Liverpool you’d probably be in need of a quiet Monday night in to catch up on University work. At least until you receive that harrowing two word text message: “Raz tonight?”
Words by Tom Spencer