Streetwaves 2006

The Picket, Jamaica Street
28th August 2006

Reviewed by Alicia Rose

A crashing and rolling tidal wave of music continues to saturate Liverpool and with such events as Streetwaves 2006 it looks as if deep musical currents will continue to sweep their rhythmic way to the shoreline of mainstream popularity. Bank Holiday Monday saw The Picket play host to an astounding sixteen act line-up in conjunction with a cumulative music competition that had taken place in preceding weeks within seven zones of Merseyside. The winners of each zone were awarded several goodies including the ultimate kudos of performing at the Mathew Street Festival.

The Alphites were one of the conquering hero bands and they took to The Picket’s stage with gusto and fervour. Theirs is a well-packaged and creatively artistic parcel of live performance encouraging tumultuous head rocking and being received with rapturous awe and applause (especially from the girls). The five piece collectively is Campy Alphite on keyboards, Geoff on bass, Matt on lead guitar and vocals, John on guitar and backing vocals and Jim on drums. Their combined age is just 95 and they were victorious over twelve other bands in their heat at The Sandon in Anfield. They were ‘made up’, said it was ‘boss’, ‘fantastically awesome’ and ‘a joy’ (definitive Liverpool lads then). The Alphites earned their place at the Mathew Street Festival New Bands stage and are every bit the walloping success they steer toward. Keep abreast of these lads because they are just like the ‘superheroes’ they sing about.

Another very alternative maestro band to become aware of is Metro Manila Aide (pictured) who were also winners of their heat. The originality and prowess of this maturing group is more than worth a listen, together with watching out for the ‘live and inventive’ expressionism freely given by the lead singer.

The professionalism and superb sound quality offered at The Picket gives this venue its deserved place in the ‘springboard’ musical arena, acknowledging that these up and coming bands of today could most definitely become our stars of tomorrow and a certainty of this stardom must be waiting in the wings for ‘The Tom Cartledge’ band. They are a five piece who are currently entering their third and final year of BA Music degree at the University of Liverpool. They are all aged twenty and all outstandingly supersede this youth when on stage, producing their full-grown quality and raw musical ingenuity.

For more information about The Picket please visit www.loveliverpool.com

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