News Preview: Liverpool Sound City 2013: Dan Croll’s Guide To Liverpool

Beginning today and running up to Saturday 4th May, Liverpool Sound City’s line-up is an absolute haven for new music fans. DIY’s got its own stage at The Shipping Forecast, featuring Drenge, Big Deal and PINS, so you could obviously spent every waking minute of the three day stint huddled in there, but in case you need to take a breather Liverpool resident Dan Croll’s offered up a guide to the city. From pubs to record stores, here’s everything that makes the city tick, beyond this weekend’s festival. Read our preview to the weekend, while you’re at it.



PUBS
The Grapes (on Mount Street) - It’s a small pub, but still they manage to pack the city’s finest jazz musicians in there to perform every Sunday.

The Philharmonic Dining Rooms (Hope Street) - The only pub in Liverpool where women are allowed in the men’s toilets to see the famous and grade 1 listed tile/marble work. Slightly distracting if you’re a guy though.

Leaf Cafe (Bold Street) - Just a great vibe, great food, and great beer.

Alma De Cuba (Seal Street) - This club/bar used to be an old church, and still remains in the same state with the alter still in place (usually with a Brazilian on top of it)

VENUES
The Kazimier - I’ve had many a great night here, whether its been seeing a band or experiencing one of their ‘krunk’ parties. You only have to have a look at their vimeo channel to see how ‘all out’ they go.

Cathedrals (Anglican and Metropolitan) - I’m still yet to see a gig in these venues, but I’ve seen plenty of amazing footage and photos from gigs in these incredible cathedrals.

CITY SECRETS
Princes Park and Sefon Park - Liverpool has plenty of great parks, but as I live right on next to these I’m more familiar with them. Sefton Park is the larger of the two, and has a beautiful structure called ‘Palm House’. Both are the perfect place to be on a sunny day.

Jamaica Street Skatepark - If you’re into skating, this a great little place that local skateboarders have won the right to keep from the council. Its also in a great area with plenty of bars and right next to Liverpools biggest brewery, Cains Brewery.

The Williamson Tunnels - These are a labyrinth of tunnels built below edge hill in Liverpool built by eccentric businessman Joseph Williamson in the early 19th century. He used unemployed locals to help him and nobody truly knows why the tunnels were built, so they are now open as a heritage centre. Definitely worth visit!

RECORD SHOP
Probe Records - I’m pretty sure this recently became Liverpool’s only record store, and one that we can’t afford to lose.

CITY MEMORY
Being brought up in Liverpool, most weekends we took a trip to the Albert Dock, Everton Brow, Liverpool Museums and Galleries, or a trip to the arcades of New Brighton.