Mathew Street Festival 2011 Preview

Well, the greatest weekend of the year is upon us again,
and having scoured the Mathew Street Festival website,
this years line-up is looking like the best one ever
(It could be better'd actually by having three more tribute acts:
Floyd, Zeppelin and The Smiths, but alas, you can't have everything)

Note to all - book Tuesday off work - you'll thank me when that alarm sounds.

Below, you will find a selection of acts that tickle my
musical taste buds and I will be found tapping my foot
to the sounds on the street, whilst occasionally necking
a warm bottle of Peroni on the sly, out of the sight of
the men in High Vis jackets who do not want glass bottles on site
(just to note, all of my empties will be disposed of in a
respectful and appropriate manner - I fucking love my City)

Anyway, here's my line up:
(Strangely enough, not a Beatles band in sight!)

All bands are tribute acts apart from :
Amsterdam, John Head, The Wayward Travellers,
The Tea Street band and The Captive Hearts.

As always, it's great watching live music,
even better when it's your mates who are up there on the stage,
plying their trade.
So have a good one Prowsey, Waka, Degsy, Pod, Frith
and all the lads in The Tea Street Band.

Sunday

Thin Lizzy 1pm – 1:45pm Derby Square
Amsterdam 1:30 – 2pm Williamson Sq
John Head 2:15 – 2:45 Williamson Sq
AC/DC 3pm – 3:45 Tithebarn
David Bowie 3:35 – 4:15 Tunnel Stage
Crowded House 4pm – 4:45 Tithebarn
Bruce Springsteen 4pm – 4:45 Water Street Stage
Queen 4:30 – 6pm Tunnel Stage
Wayward Travellers 6:30pm Zanzibar
Tea Street Band 6:45pm Zanzibar


Monday

Bob Dylan 12pm – 12:45 Tithebarn
Sex Pistols 1pm – 1:45 Tithebarn
Neil Young 2pm – 2:45 Tithebarn
The Stranglers 3pm – 3:45 Water Street Stage
Paul Weller 4pm – 4:45 Tithebarn
Coldplay 5pm – 5:45 Tunnel Stage
Wayward Travellers 5pm Bierkeller
Wayward Travellers 7:30pm Albert Dock (Boat)
The Captive Hearts (TBC) The Zanzibar

Songs I'm hoping to hear:

Thin Lizzy - The Cowboy Song


Amsterdam - Home


John Head - 1967


AC/DC - Down Payment Blues


David Bowie - Moonage Daydream


Crowded House - Fall at your feet


Bruce Springsteen - The River


Queen - Tenement Funster


The Wayward Travellers - My World Too


The Tea Street Band - Push the feeling


Bob Dylan - Tangled up in blue


Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant


Neil Young - Only love can break your heart


The Stranglers - No more heroes


Paul Weller - Wild Wood


Coldplay - Don't panic


The Captive Hearts - Believin' Love


As I said earlier, what an outstanding collection of music on display.
Even if I only heard half of the songs above,
I will be an extremely happy bunny.

My iphone weather app informs me that weather will
be perfect festival weather, sunny but slightly cloudy.
(I don't want to get drenched, but also, I do not want to wake up
on Tuesday morning with a head that resembles a massive tomato!)

Here's hoping that everyone has a great weekend!

See yers down there.

Justice for the 96 - sign the petition

One of the most shocking and repulsive things that was shown over the UK Riots in August 2011 was the video footage of the young Malaysian student being helped to his feet, dazed and confused, following on from an attack that left him with a broken jaw.

Whilst the student was in this state of semi-consciousness, he was robbed by those who it initially appeared had come to his aid.

(see below video of Malaysian student being robbed)

This was a sickening incident which was rightly condemned by everyone who happened to view this footage.

Now, imagine the circumstances were a lot worse…imagine the Malaysian student was dead at the time of the incident, and was robbed of his possessions as he lay, lifeless on the ground. Can you just imagine the uproar!?!

Now, imagine that it did happen, and then you, and your friends and family were wrongly accused of perpetrating this horrendous act! Imagine the guilt that you would be carrying around with you needlessly for the rest of your life. Wrongly accused of a crime that is too repulsive to even believe a human being could stoop to such a low depth of depravity.

Well, this sort of unfounded accusation has actually happened.

(Video below contains a scene from Jimmy McGovern's docu-drama "Hillsborough"

In the days following on from the Hillsborough disaster in April 1989. The LFC supporters present on that fateful day were accused by certain sections of the English media of carrying out this very act. The same supporters who, without any training or experience of how to act in the face of such tragedy, took it upon themselves to ply their amateur trade as first aid workers, pumping chests, giving mouth to mouth resuscitation in a confused and clueless state of mind whilst trained professionals watched on.

“Yorkshire policemen chat with folded arms, while people try and save their fellow fans” – sung Ian Prowse of ‘Amsterdam’ in the song “Does this train stop on Merseyside?”

It was said that these brave people (who should have been praised for their quick thinking actions in the face of tragedy) not only were the cause of the disaster, but also, they robbed and pick-pocketed the possessions of those that lay dead.

Just have a think about that for a second.

NOW, try to comprehend how the families and friends of the Hillsborough 96 have felt for the last 22 years to not only have lost their loved ones, but to also carry the extra burden of the allegation that their loved ones peers, friends, family and fellow Liverpudlians played an active role in their death.

That is why we are still fighting for justice, to clear the names of the wrongly accused, to expose the real cause of the disaster and ultimately, and hopefully, let the 96 souls who perished on the 15th April 1989 finally rest in peace.

Sign this petition,

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/2199

Let the truth be heard.