So it’s my first Liverpool Sound City weekend festival, and I’m excited already. It’s that time a few days before, where we try to work out what bands and artists we plan to see.

The things I personally factor in include the distance between venues (who wants to spend half their time tramping between venues and then queuing to get in countless times?), how busy places might be as I tend to get too hot and fainty in a sweaty crowd for too long (never get elderly dear reader, it’s too depressing), and also to sketch out a bit of food/chill space.

I’m finding the Gigseekr app that Liverpool Sound City using to be a useful friend. What I tend to do is hunt down the daily cornerstone must-sees for me. From there, I fill in the gaps by thinking about the options, and I also throw in some plan B’s just because what I fancy now might not be what I fancy on the day.

Over the day, I also try and find a different blend of music, just to keep it all fresh and choppy. A bit mad? A bit like hard work? Perhaps, but I like to have a plan so I avoid missing stuff.

Anyway, if you can’t be bothered with all that stuff for yourself, here’s Tiggerligger’s tips for that all important first day at Liverpool Sound City. I’ll be the hot, rotund elderly gentleman drinking too much IPA.

My two “must see” lynch pin bands for this Friday are York based Bull and then those bouncy local guys Spinn.

Earlier this year Bull released their album Discover Effortless Living. It’s a laidback and very likeable album which has grown on me hugely. At Sound City, Bull are playing at 6:00 PM at the art club loft and I’m kind of thinking that Bull will kick off the Sound City experience really rather perfectly.

Scrub my comments about not wanting to be in hot sweaty venues because Spinn are going to go off. A gig with these popular local homeboys is always likely going to be busy. They are a band who are always likely to guarantee a smile around your chops with their jangly bouncy music, mad dancing and perhaps with a cheery chant of ‘Thatcher’s in the mud’ to move the crowd to cheers. Spinn are playing Liverpool Grand Central on the Friday at 7:40 pm.

If Speedy Wunderground are onto something, then it’s usually worth checking out. So after Bull, I intend hanging around the arts club to see Moa Moa. They play at 6:45 in the theatre. The band produce what I might describe as art pop but with only three songs to listen to on Spotify, it’ll be worth checking them out just to see what they’re about. Their latest single Coltan Candy is a heady mix of bop, funk and indie electronic, and I’m happy to find out more.

If after Moa Moa, Spinn look like a queue or if I fancy a new band to my ears, my alternate will be The Letrasets. Again, this Liverpool band have a nice indie jangle and a bouncing uplift. Quality, melodic indie pop here; what’s not to like? The Letrasets play Arts Club Loft at 7:40 pm.

Jaws The Shark are a Nice Swan Records find, so expect something a bit heavier, a bit more home spun and grungy, but with an ear for a mosh pit chorus. Nirvana meets Ash, kind of. Just what you need to really keep the mood going at 8.30 back at Arts Club Loft.

My final artist of Friday will be Callum Easter at LEAF at 9.20. This guy is just so cool, there’s a beat and a jig and a complexity to the tunes, but underneath it, I get pure rock and roll. Both Marc Bolan and Iggy Pop would approve.  I’m so looking forward to this one.

Haha, will I get to review Saturday before Saturday actually comes….watch this space…

Chris R

*Images have been taken from the band’s social media.