Beatles history to be created at Liverpool Mathew Street Festival

A new milestone in music history will be created in Liverpool at this year's Mathew Street Festival when each song from every Beatles album will be performed in sequence, live on stage.

The tribute to the Fab Four on Monday, 30th August will mark 50 years since the band first played under the name of The Beatles and is one of the highlights for the 18th Mathew Street Festival.

Billed as Europe's biggest free annual music festival, it will boast seven themed stages.

One will pay homage to the 25th anniversary of Live Aid with a special guest performance by The Boomtown Rats, who scored a worldwide hit with "Tell Me Why I Don't like Mondays".

There is also to be a stage to celebrating the 15th anniversary of the MOBO awards - a forerunner to that event being staged at the Echo Arena Liverpool for the first time on 20th October.

New themes for 2010 also include a Modfest stage featuring a headline performance by legendary bass guitarist Bruce Foxton, formerly of The Jam.

There will be an "M62 stage" to celebrate the music of Hull, Leeds and Manchester and Liverpool with a special guest performance from Merseybeat super star Billy J Kramer, while a New Bands stage will put the spotlight on rising talent of Liverpool.

A Female stage will feature special guest appearances by Merseybeat icon Beryl Marsden and one of the UK's greatest blues singers Connie Lush.

A Classic albums stage is a new introduction to the festival and there's a 70's stage which will feature Eric Faulkner original lead singer of tartan titans Bay City Rollers, to complete the retro feel to the weekend.

In total over 80 hours of live outdoor music has been programmed for the city council funded festival, across six outdoor stages over the Sunday and Monday of the August Bank Holiday weekend (August 29-30).

The international music festival will feature many of the best original and tribute acts bands from as far as USA, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, Switzerland, Russia, Sweden and Scotland covering hits by all time greats such as The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Queen and Elton John to modern chart toppers from Lady Gaga and Black Eyed Peas to Duffy and Kasabian.

Launched in 2008 the MSMF Fringe has grown to cover three days (Saturday-Monday) with more than 40 indoor venues hosting more than 100 of Liverpool's hottest new bands.

Councillor Joe Anderson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said: "In terms of variety and quality this year's Mathew Street Music Festival should be our best ever and a world's first tribute to The Beatles to a celebration of the MOBO's coming to Liverpool will give a very special edge to its 18th birthday."

Councillor Wendy Simon, Cabinet member for Culture and Tourism, said: "The line-up for the 2010 festival will make for a great weekend of music for all ages and tastes. The new themes are a brilliant addition and shows how the city has influenced the world and underlines why we are bidding to England's first UNESCO City of Music."

Bill Heckle, Festival Director of Mathew Street Festival Ltd, who co-ordinated the themes for 2010, added: "Like all successful festivals we've continued to introduce more new elements like the Mod and M62 stage. This year will also be very special for having the Live Aid and Beatles stage - two of the greatest musical phenomenon that continue to shape the industry today."

A new festival website was also launched today www.mathewstreetfestival.com with full listings and band information and links the festival to the biggest social networking sites - Twitter, Flickr and Facebook.

The outdoor stages will operate from 11am to 6pm on both days, with indoor venues offering live music from 12 noon until the early hours.

More than 300,000 people are expected in Liverpool for the festival, which is organised by Culture Liverpool at Liverpool City Council, and acts as the climax of International Beatles Week.

The themed outdoor stages on Sunday for the 2010 Mathew Street Music Festival are:

Queensway Tunnel - Live
Williamson Sq - New Bands
Exchange Street - Seventies
Lambanana (Tithebarn Street) - MOBO
Water Street - M62
Derby Square - Classic Albums

And on Monday, August 30:
Queensway Tunnel - Contemporary
Williamson Sq - Female
Exchange Street - Beatles Early
Lambanana - Beatles Late
Water Street - Modfest
Derby Sq - Classic Albums

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