Gigs are back! One of the most frustrating things about the lockdowns and restrictions of the last couple of years is the effect it has all had on the arts and, in particular, live music.
Those of you who have been regular gig goers will have felt this very keenly; gigs were what we did, where we met people and how we kept ourselves sane. To have all that taken away from us has been to deprive us of a huge part of our lives and our identities.
But hopefully this is all in the past as live gigs have returned with a vengeance, seemingly eager to make up for lost time.
We’ll be updating this page periodically as new gigs emerge over the coming weeks and months. Feel free to send us any events in Liverpool and we’ll make sure they are added to the list.
These include a long overdue return to Liverpool for Killing Joke. One of the last standing bands from the early punk scene as it morphed into goth, they will hit the O2 Academy on April 1. Killing Joke look set to prove that they are not ready to mellow with age and frontman Jaz Coleman sums things up perfectly when he says, “The fire is that which brings us all together. And after this dreadful pandemic this tour will be like no other. One great mosh pit!”
Yard Act are a name on everybody’s lips at the moment and look set to take 2022 by storm. If you don’t believe us, check out their debut album The Overload or catch them live at Zanzibar on May 19. One to boast about in the future, I think.
The Psychedelic Furs also return to the city for the first time in many years, playing the O2 Academy on April 8. The Furs music has stood up well to the passing of time and their last album, 2020’s Made of Rain comes very highly recommended.
Peter Hook and the Light go some way to making up for the cancellation of the Futurama Festival by bringing the best of Joy Division and New Order to the O2 Academy on April 16. These shows are always special occasions and we have no reason to doubt that this won’t be another one of those gigs that are talked about for many years to come.
The Mysterines are another band on a roll at the moment with debut album Reeling finally setting them on a course to the top. The band play the Invisible Wind Factory on April 2 in a sure sign that their star is in the ascendant.
John Peel favourites The Undertones bring their timeless punky pop anthems to the O2 Academy on April 5, which will no doubt bring a warm nostalgic glow to those of us of a certain age who still remember the thrill of hearing Peel play Teenage Kicks ant every given opportunity.
Pip Blom bring us up to date with a show at the Jacaranda on May 4. The highlight of last year’s Sound City Festival, Pip Blom is very much one not to miss.
On the same night, Montreal’s The Besnard Lakes return to the city in support of their latest long-player, …Are the Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings, which made our Top 50 Albums of 2021. The band will play District.
A selection of the up and coming Liverpool gigs can be seen below. Let’s jump in a celebrate being part of a live music scene again.
See you down the front.
| ARTIST | DATE | VENUE |
| Ukraine Solidarity Fundraiser | Wednesday, March 16 | Future Yard |
| Group Listening | Thursday, March 17 | Future Yard |
| Liv Warfield | Friday, March 18 | Future Yard |
| Good Grief | Friday, March 18 | Outpost |
| Bodega | Saturday, March 19 | Future Yard |
| Infinity Knives | Sunday, March 20 | Future Yard |
| Mosh Tots | Sunday, March 20 | Future Yard |
| Cate Le Bon | Monday, March 21 | Arts Club |
| Lynks | Thursday, March 24 | Future Yard |
| Skating Polly | Friday, March 25 | Jimmy’s |
| Fujazzi feat. Slow Loris | Friday, March 25 | Future Yard |
| Dub Pistols | Saturday, March 26 | District |
| Sisters With Transistors | Sunday, March 27 | Future Yard |
| The Oracle | Thursday, March 31 | Future Yard |
| Killing Joke | Friday, April 1 | O2 Academy |
| Whelligan | Friday, April 1 | Future Yard |
| Fucked Up | Saturday, April 2 | District |
| The Mysterines | Saturday, April 2 | Invisible Wind Factory |
| The Undertones | Tuesday, April 5 | O2 Academy |
| False Heads | Tuesday, April 5 | Future Yard |
| Warmduscher | Tuesday, April 5 | District |
| Ali Horn | Thursday, April 7 | Future Yard |
| Sydney Valette | Friday, April 8 | Kazimier Stockroom |
| Psychedelic Furs | Friday, April 8 | O2 Academy |
| Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard | Saturday, April 9 | Arts Club |
| Silent Sleep | Saturday, April 9 | Future Yard |
| Frank Turner | Wednesday, April 13 | Phase One |
| The Buffalo Riot | Thursday, April 14 | Future Yard |
| Cocaine Piss | Friday, April 15 | QUARRY |
| Shipwrecked | Friday, April 15 | Future Yard |
| The Unthanks | Saturday, April 16 | Philharmonic |
| The Cabarats | Saturday, April 16 | QUARRY |
| Peter Hook & the Light | Saturday, April 16 | O2 Academy |
| Ist Ist | Thursday, April 21 | Jimmy’s |
| Beija Flo | Friday, April 22 | Future Yard |
| Kristin Hersh | Saturday, April 23 | Phase One |
| Bambara | Tuesday, April 26 | Future Yard |
| Metronomy | Wednesday, April 27 | O2 Academy |
| Roosevelt Collier | Thursday, April 28 | Future Yard |
| She Drew The Gun | Saturday, April 30 | Future Yard |
| JP Cooper | Sunday, May 1 | Future Yard |
| Jerry Leger | Tuesday, May 3 | Future Yard |
| Pip Blom | Wednesday, May 4 | Jacaranda |
| Wax Machine | Wednesday, May 4 | Future Yard |
| The Besnard Lakes | Wednesday May 4 | District |
| Modern Nature | Thursday, May 5 | Future Yard |
| Beige Banquet | Friday May 6 | QUARRY |
| GNOD | Saturday, May 7 | Future Yard |
| Islandman | Tuesday, May 10 | Future Yard |
| Pop. 1280 | Wednesday, May 11 | Kazimier Stockroom |
| BC Camplight | Thursday, May 12 | Future Yard |
| Alt-J | Saturday, May 14 (acoustic performance w/ matinee show) | Phase One |
| Ritual Howls | Saturday, May 14 | QUARRY |
| Keep Dancing Inc. | Wednesday, May 18 | Future Yard |
| Yard Act | Thursday, May 19 | Zanzibar |
| Charlie Parr | Friday, May 20 | Future Yard |
| Errorr | Saturday, May 21 | QUARRY |
| Neon | Saturday, May 21 | Future Yard |
| Kuunatic | Thursday, May 26 | Future Yard |
| The Flaming Lips | Thursday, May 26 | O2 Academy |
| SRSQ | Friday, May 27 | Kazimier Stockroom |
| S Y Z Y G Y X | Saturday, June 2 | Kazimier Stockroom |
| Opus Kink | Sunday, June 3 | Future Yard |
| Ghost-Note | Monday, June 6 | Future Yard |
| The Shivas | Monday, June 20 | Future Yard |
| The Love Band with Jonny Echols | Thursday, June 23 and Saturday, June 25 | Future Yard |
| Courtney Barnett | Thursday, June 30 | Invisible Wind Factory |
| Yves Tumor | Saturday, August 13 | Hangar 34 |
| Witch | Tuesday, August 16 | Future Yard |
| Joshua Ray Walker | Thursday, September 1 | Future Yard |
| Penelope Isles | Friday, September 2 | Future Yard |
| Francis Of Delirium | Monday, September 5 | Future Yard |
| Night Beats | Friday, September 16 | Future Yard |
| Tertia May | Sunday, September 18 | Future Yard |
Sun 13 