There’s always something going on, from huge city-wide celebrations to underground shows find out all the upcoming Spring events.
MOTHER’S DAY IN MERSEYSIDE:
•5 Liverpool spots to treat your mum
•How local businesses are being supported on Mother’s Day (more on page 3)
CHEAP EATS AND HIDDEN GEMS
ALBERT DOCK
ST PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
MOUNT PLEASANT
EUROVISION BEGINS
MAY 9TH
For people who love to EXPLORE, love to EAT and love to TRAVEL
∙Eurovision, all you need to know
(page 3)
∙Mother’s Day treats and unmissable spots
(page 5)
-St Patrick’s Day Parade (page 6)
∙Cheap Eats and hidden gems in the Albert Dock
(page 7)
∙March events in Merseyside
(page, 9)
-Lead Creative Director, Dan Shipton, talks plans for Eurovision (page 3) and it’s development.
-Medication Club Founder, Marc Jones, talks nightlife and protecting Liverpool’s culture (page 8)
-Bingo Lingo at Camp and Furnance (a night of entertainment and bingo)
Friday 24th March
-Elton John performs at M&S Bank Arena
Friday 24th March
-Gymnastics British Championships comes to Liverpool
23-26 March
-Liverpool Craft Beer Experience
Saturday 26th March
-The Beatles Story Experience at Royal Albert Dock
22nd-31st March
Kick of the summer season with a stunning live show at the Waterfront To enter, just fill out the entry form on page 22.
The Eurovision spotlight is set to shine on Liverpool as the city hosts the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. As we are approaching May, we’re all feeling the excitement for the biggest song contest to return to our screens. The event will be hosted by the EBU and BBC on behalf of 2022 winners Ukraine in the Liverpool Arena on May 9, May 11, and May 13. The U.K.’s entry last year, Sam Ryder’s “Space Man”, placed second overall, a result few could predict given that it was the UK’s best result in over 20 years by far. This year, UK’s representation, popstar, Mae Muller, will be taking the stage with the track, ‘I Wrote a song.’ Creative Director of Eurovision 2023, Dan Shipton, has been appointed by the BBC to oversee the various creative elements of the show such as the
interval acts to ensure the production value is at it’s best for the high-scale event. Shipton believes that the event has been growing bigger and bigger in viewers each year, stating: “It is essentially the greatest music festival now.” When asked about the amount of tickets, Dan stated: “There’s no arena that can fit the 160 million people who watch it, so I think a lot of the team’s concentration will be making sure the broadcast of the event is A1.” Green added: “But for those lucky people who got tickets, they will be able to see a great celebration of music.”
A lot of hotels have hiked prices on the night of the final but we have searched for the most affordable stays in Liverpool. There are a few hotels under
the £300 mark, so Travellodge on Liverpool Central Exhange Street costing £260 per night while being less than a 20 minute walk from the M&S Bank Arena is more than ideal. Slightly further away in Fazakerley is the cheaper Travelodge Liverpool Stonedale Park. A similar room there is £220 per night and the Arena is around 25 minutes away in a taxi making it a reasonable alternative.
Dan Shipton (pictured with Sam Ryderr) and Travelodge room (bottom-right)
By Olivia Shaw
Continuing his life’s work as a DJ, as well as a Student Club founder and promoter, Marc Jones has paved the way for students coming to Liverpool, with his ‘Medication’ events being a unique welcome to those intersted in the student culture. Medication is famous for it’s huge production in terms of lights, lasers, inflatables and confetti, as well as over 5 floors of music for everybody to enjoy. The events were originally at Cream nightclub for 20 years but has since been at Electrik Warehouse on Wood Street for the past 4 years, with Jones stating: “We’ve had 20 glorious years in which people have made lifelong memories while they’re in their best years, it’s essentially what student life is about, and I never want that to be lost.” Marc has been a promoter the whole of his working life, helping bands at Liverpool gigs most often, before turning his hobby into his
later lifetime career. The rise of dance music and clubbing culture in Liverpool was the catalyst for his success, “As much as I loved working in the indie and alternative music scene, I found the whole dance culture to be remarkable” As Liverpool’s music scene grew, Marc soon got the idea to provide a cheap version of huge music events for students which quickly created a positive impact on the number of those coming to the city for University, “Liverpool wasn’t a major university city at the time, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to do a combined university night
because there was really only student unions for students to go clubbing then.” Reflecting on the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic had on Medicaton and his career, Marc stated: “The constant delays with the pandemic made it a really struggling time mentally and finanacially. I worried a lot and thought, how am I going to talk enthusiastically about the events, without any gurantee that things were going to improve in a month’s time?” Despite all, Marc stayed committed to his career and continued to create a positive community for students to enjoy themselves.
Marc Jones talks the development of his career being the founder of Merseyside’s favourite student club and the future of live music
“As long as there’s students in Liverpool, Medication will always be a part of the student culture.”