Alima Centre Launch Party

Alima Centre, 35 Sefton Street
6th August 2006

Reviewed by Alicia Rose

Ultimately, in the continuous search for social satisfaction, there will always be an entertainment venue that arises and then commands a community to stand up and take notice. The Performance Room at the Alima Centre, Sefton Street is without doubt the potential ‘new musical metropolis’ to eclipse all other ‘played-out’ venues.

This fresh new space with its easy accessible floor and stage arena together with outside ‘dragon theatre’ platform is avant garde in its efforts to be the next ‘Barfly’ and ‘Zanzibar’, and is sure to succeed because where others give just basic milieu and impression, the Performance Room gives a glamorous and artistic touch, heightening the overall aura and ambience.

Freelance artist Siân Garden gave the design an interesting mythical theme, with future aims to promote the event with discounted entrance for those sentient beings who arrive in costume of a mythological nature. The all day Sunday event saw and heard a plethora of artists administering their silvery artistic music to a keen and admiring audience. The ‘acoustic set’ fired up around 4pm and lasted a number of hours, travelling through song with artists such as Jeff Jepson, Martin McGuffy, Greedy Jesus and 21st Fret (pictured). The second half of the musical match got under way around 8pm with 19th Century strutting their tempestuous attitude, Virginia Haze giving quality myth and fable music with liberated leeway vocals and John Brindle offering cracking lyrics and polished performance. The event culminated with the stars of the night - Xander and the Smoke Pockets - revelling in their musical accomplishment.

Venue manager Andrew Cashin described how the aims of the Alima Centre and Performance Room - under the umbrella of Novas (www.novas.org) - was about ‘bringing people together, without exclusion’. Cashin confirmed that ‘everybody of every age’ was to benefit from the services offered, which was not exhaustive in its list. Creating as much activity as possible within the full and diverse communities of Liverpool is the goal of this new and exciting location.

For further information contact andrew.cashin@novas.org