Liverpool Entertainment

The nightlife in Liverpool is nothing if not diverse. Built on the back of the Beatles and the legendary Cavern club back in the early 1960s, this town has a rich musical heritage which continues today. Youll find plenty of pubs, bars, music venues and nightclubs to keep you busy well into the early hours.

Nightlife

Liverpool has earned its reputation as a party city, offering dozens of traditional pubs, trendy bars and hip nightclubs to visitors. Most of the action happens in the centre of town around Concert Square, where you can find a range of late bars and clubs that crank out the music and cheap drinks. If you feel like getting dressed up for a night out, head down to Edward Pavilion at Albert Dock, where bars like Baby Blue and the Blue Bar and Grill are packed with well-heeled professionals. Fleet Street is another nice area with a number of trendy bars that are popular with the laid back younger set.

Liverpool also has a thriving club scene, with Cream at Nation currently holding the title of hottest nightclub in town. Camel Club on Wood Street is popular with the citys large student population, thanks to its good music and chilled out atmosphere. Other hot spots include Le Bateau, The Blue Angel, Zanzibar and the highly acclaimed Modo & Roccomodo.

Theatre and music

Liverpool is virtually synonymous with live music and has a pedigree to place it among the worlds greatest music spawning grounds. The Beatles kicked it off by playing gigs at the Cavern Club, which no longer exists. Today, venues such as the Zanzibar Club are holding the reins for up-and-coming bands from Liverpool and all around Britain. There are dozens of other small bars that have regular schedules of live music, so you wont have to look far to find something youll enjoy hearing. Bigger acts tend to play at the Liverpool Carling Academy.

For a more cultural taste, the Liverpool Empire hosts visiting stage productions of dramas and comedies, ballets and tributes. The Philharmonic Hall is home to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which is widely considered one of the best outside of London and when theyre not in town, other excellent performances are scheduled.

Festivals

Liverpool has plenty of fun artistic and cultural festivals to keep things exciting in this northern city. Most of them occur during the summer, when the days are long and the weather warm.

• Chinese New Year is a big deal in Liverpool as the citys large Chinese community celebrates the day with festivities and parties in Chinatown (February).
• The Grand National is one of the biggest and most popular horse races in Britain, attracting visitors from all over the world to Aintree racecourse (April).
• Merseyside International Shanty Festival combines live music with maritime displays of tall ships, yachts and military vessels at Albert Dock and other waterfront sites (June).
• International Beatles Week Festival celebrates this citys most famous music band with a schedule of tribute bands, films and other events all dedicated to the Fab Four (August).
• Creamfields attracts clubbers from all over the country to an abandoned airfield on the edge of the city for a massive weekend dance party (August).