CHRISTMAS CRACKER

Northern Empire returns for the festive season with an absolute treat of a bill bursting out of our stuffed stocking!

Much sort after Liverpool 3 piece, David Tyrrell complete their UK & European Tour where they started it back in August, headlining Northern Empire.

Promoting their debut album Substance, David Tyrrell has amassed a loyal army of followers who will make sure that this Christmas Special finishes the tour with a bang.

Also on the all-Merseyside bill are highly rated hopefuls The Verdict, who have enjoyed rave reviews from supporting all manner of key bands in the city this year. Their talent was spotted by our trusted spies at this year’s Mathew Street Festival so an NE performance was inevitable!

Following several sell out shows in New Brighton, Wirral band the Shed Spiders bring their rock sound over the water for greater exposure.

One band who is certainly no stranger to playing Northern Empire though is Liverpool favourites Jajuka. The band has evolved greatly since their first performance at NE some 2 years ago, but with a sell out Academy 2 performance under their belt and a sound as loud and uncompromising as you like, Jajuka are back and they’re coming to get you!

A late edition to the bill are young pretenders Black Void who have stepped in at short notice to replace the Backdrifts. We look forward to welcoming them to Northern Empire for the first time.

David Tyrell plus 4 other great Liverpool bands plus NE DJs spinning a soundtrack of Indie classics and dance floor fillers all for £6? It must be Christmas!

NE X

JUNE – AEROPLANES

June is a very busy month for Northern Empire. Not only do we have a bumper show on Friday 5^th June, headlined by magnificent Liverpool band The Aeroplanes, but it will signal the start of a mini UK tour, taking in Manchester, Birmingham and London, before returning to Liverpool on 3^rd July. More on the tour to follow in a separate update.

Last Autumn saw the release of the much anticipated debut album ‘Broken Hearts and Maladies’ from Liverpool band ‘The Aeroplanes’. A firm favourite around the Merseyside scene.

Crashing into the top 5 of the indie charts in 2005 with their debut EP and breaking the iTunes record for an unsigned artist in weekly downloads within a matter of months of each other gave The Aeroplanes the belief and drive to further themselves more.

They have played with the Happy Mondays, The Zutons and The Farm at the Leeds festival, Knowsley festival, Liverpool Arena and headlined at the Mathew Street festival.

Their profile continues to rise and their music is currently featured on several UK TV programs such as Eastenders and the US based dramas Veronica Mars and Cold Case providing them with worldwide exposure.

We welcome The Aeroplanes back for their third appearance at Northern Empire. A band that never fails to deliver.

Supporting the Aeroplanes is Warrington upstarts The 66, Local Lads Make Good, Pristeen and Skelmersdale favourites, The Black Jackals (making their long awaited return!) plus an after show with the NE DJs.

High quality live music at an affordable price? It’d be rude not to.

NE X

DOWN THE LINE

Northern Empire proudly presents to you the greatest thing to come out of Teeside since Juninho.

The mysterious troubadour Billy and his Barbaylios brothers preach full-blooded tales of tough love, hard luck and the triumph of romance against the odds. Every spit and sawdust jig is spun from the blood, sweat and tears, toil and glory of an extraordinary family and woven into a rousing patchwork of gritty urban folk.

Recommended to us by Twisted Wheel’s management, we are delighted to welcome Billy and his crowd to Liverpool for a headline performance.

Supporting Billy the Kid, are ultra-popular Liverpool bands Missions Babies and The Ringing Tree, as well as the Jives from South Yorkshire.

Northern Empire DJs will supply the sound track as ever.

Middlesboro might be going down, but Billy the Kid & The Brothers Barbaylios are most certainly on their way up!

Come and find out for yourself.

NE X

HO HO HO!

As we approach the season of good will to all men at a rate of knots and temperatures plummet to a point at which polar bears are moaning, it's reassuring to know that the friendly folk at Northern Empire have a Christmas party up their wizard's sleeve which is sure to warm even the coldest of hearts.

Topping the bill for December is The Troubadours. Fresh back from their tour of Japan with new guitarist Luke Thomson the half Liverpool half Wigan outfit bring their insatiably catching sound back home for their 2nd Northern Empire headline show of the year.

Armed with a barrel load of top tunes and a debut album nearing release, The Troubadours promise a homecoming gig to remember.

Supporting The Troubies are a young local band who is fast making a name for themselves. My Auntie Sam first shot to prominence playing gigs in Ormskirk, but despite their tender years have already supported the Rifles at the Carling Academy and opened up for the Northern Empire 1st birthday party in September.

With a dedicated following and killer tracks like Darts Down and So Strange, you can expect a minor riot.

If My Auntie Sam is an odd name for a band then surely Scuba Steve and the life aquatics is just plain ridiculous, but sure enough they're playing the NE Christmas party! Hailing from Formby this Bluesy four-piece make their NE debut with an army of fans in toe. I wonder it they'll all come dressed as Scuba Divers?

December's out of town band are the Jukebox Vandals. Hailing from Stevenage in Herts, they may not be particularly well known up north, but in the big smoke they are making a huge impact on the indie scene.

Supporting the likes of The Wombats & Pete and the Pirates and selling out the Fly on Tottenham Court Road & Camden Barfly, the Vandals describe themselves as a 5 piece indie pop band who play 3 minute indie pop sings for people to dance to.

We welcome them, their fans and our friends from Bang on it promotions for this special performance.

Completing the bill are young Wirral upstarts The Jolt. Having already impressed the crowd twice at Northern Empire, the 3 lads and a laptop from Bromborough return for another demonstration of rock n roll in the future.

No Northern Empire would be complete without the NE DJs blasting out several rounds of killer indie hits before and after the bands.

Expect The Pogues. It is Christmas after all!

NE X

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT!

With summer now confined to the memory (of about 2 years ago) and cold dark nights on their way, there can be few better ways to warm the cockles and brighten your mood than checking out Northern Empire's November offering...and what a treat we have in store for you!

On the back of their fantastic performance at our 1st Birthday party in September, one of Liverpool's finest bands, The Aeroplanes, returns to celebrate the launch of their much anticipated debut album 'Broken Hearts and Maladies'.

We've heard it and we can guarantee you that you won't be disappointed. The band look set for great success in 2009, armed with a long player that sets them apart from the field.

It is our absolute pleasure to welcome them back as headliner in November.

Supporting the mighty Aeroplanes is a band causing a big storm of their own in Manchester right now. Salford four piece Shanty Town having been wowing crowds in Manchester at notable clubs and venues including The Aftershow and Manchester Academy amongst others.

Their mission statement is simple. Enjoy what they're doing and give the crowd a good night. With an armoury of killer tunes and a merry band of dedicated supporters in toe, they promise to deliver just that and then some. Expect a minor riot.

Aside from Shanty Town, we're keeping it Scouse this month, with three local promising bands completing our bill.

We like bands called Ruby so much, we decided to have two on the same night!

Rude Ruby has been playing around the Liverpool scene, picking up fans along the way with their catchy indie rock sound. The boys promise a party on stage make no mistake.

Offering a totally contrasting style, Blue Ruby makes their Northern Empire debut on the back of a successful performance at this year's Mathew Street festival in front of thousands of people.

Citing influences ranging from 10CC to Monty Python, their sound is unique and absorbing to say the least.

Opening the show are fresh new hopefuls Kojaks Loft. Fronted by the young gifted Luke Fenlon, the band has already played Liverpool's Sound City festival with their clashing guitars and funky beats resulting in rave reviews.

Sound tracking your evening as ever will be the Northern Empire DJs, spinning the usual subtle mix of new Indie hits and dusted off Brit pop classics until 1am.

5 great bands for six nuggets? You've taken on the credit crunch and won!

NE X

With Northern Empire now proudly one year old and a birthday party of outstanding quality done and dusted, we turn our attention to some new faces in October and one very familiar one.

Firm Northern Empire favourites The Sums return to headline in a performance rearranged from our August show.

Fronted by the unmistakable voice of Liverpool legend Peter 'Digsy' Deary who was immortalised by Noel Gallagher on Oasis' classic debut album Definitely Maybe (Digsy's dinner), The Sums have been playing all over the UK and Ireland since 2005.

The band were formed from the ashes of Digsy's former band Smaller, retaining bassist Chris Mullin in the process. In the last 12 months they have already rocked Northern Empire on no less than 3 occasions, gaining many new fans along the way.

The band also performed live at the new Echo Arena for the No. 1 project; performing their own brilliant cover of The Beatles' Paperback Writer to much critical acclaim.

With a forthcoming support slot for John Power, no less, we welcome back Digsy, Chris, Lee and Bren for what will be another fantastic performance from The Sums.

The Metropolitans are a band who have exploded onto the Liverpool indie scene with their unforgiving energetic sound. Having played all over Liverpool, the band recently won Juice FM's 'Next big thing' competition against a strong field.

They support The Rascals in September before making their Northern Empire debut as main support to The Sums in October. We look forward to welcoming them.

We are pleased to announce the appearance of two out of town bands who both come to Northern Empire as part of their UK tours. London band Sleepercurve and Leeds outfit The Little Black Hearts could hardly be more contrasting in style.

Sleepercurve bring a deep layered far out sound from the big smoke that is reminiscent of Muse, whilst completely original. At the other end of the spectrum, Northerners The Little Black Hearts bring a stripped down raw indie rock sound that takes no prisoners.

Both bands have one thing common though. They sound incredible!

Completing our bill are local lads, Northern Lights. Spotted by NE's special agent spies at the Mathew Street Fringe festival this great sounding 5 piece were snapped up on the spot for October after just one listen to their fantastic guitarist!

As ever, your Northern Empire DJ stable will keep the tunes ticking over until 1am, for those who enjoy an after party.

See you down the front.

NE x