50 events, 16 venues and over 250 live bands showcased between 30th October and 6th November 2008

Liverpool Music Week and MTV have today announced a partnership for the 6th Annual winter music festival.

The partnership follows the announcement of this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards which is set to be staged at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on Thursday 6th November and will be one of the highlights of Liverpool’s year as European Capital Of Culture.   Liverpool Music Week, the UK’s largest indoor winter music festival will be staging over 50 events, across 16 venues and will play host to over 250 live bands.

Attracting a record breaking 60,000 people in 2007, this year the festival returns with a jam packed itinerary of live music, to take over the city for 8 days creating one of the biggest musical events of the year.  MTV Liverpool Music Week will run from Thursday 30th October leading up to the EMA’s, and a number of shows from the festival will be filmed for broadcast across MTV channels, to be announced shortly.  The event will be supported by the Liverpool Culture Company, for the fourth year in a row.

 “MTV is very proud to be supporting Liverpool Music Week, it will provide a fantastic line-up of artists leading up to the MTV Europe Music Awards,” said Richard Godfrey, Executive Producer. “This partnership underlines MTV’s commitment to live music for both new and established artists and will make this year’s EMAs a memorable event for the city of Liverpooland for MTV.”

Do you want to play?
All artists wishing to apply to play this year's festival can do so from Friday 25th July. Liverpool & Merseyside artists can download an MTV LMW application form from the festival website www.liverpoolmusicweek.com and MySpace page www.myspace.com/liverpoolmusicweek. Artists outside of the Merseyside area can apply online through sonicbids – www.sonicbids.com .

First acts announced
Coinciding with the announcement of MTV Liverpool Music Week, the first acts announced to perform include the Mercury nominated Goldfrapp, performing at Liverpool University on Friday 31st October, this internationally renowned band have achieved three No.1 US Dance singles and their album ‘Supernature’ was nominated for ‘Best Electronic/Dance Album’ at the 49th Grammy Awards.

On Sunday 2nd November at Liverpool University, Mercury Prize winner Dizzee Rascal performs, with a No 1. selling single ‘Dance Wiv Me’ currently at the top of the charts this largely self composed Londonwill be one of the major
highlights of this years Liverpool Music Week.

New York’s rock indie super group Vampire Weekend will be opening this year’s festival at Liverpool Carling Academy on Thursday 30th October.   The band who became one of the biggest draws and highlights of this years T In The Park and Glastonburyhave also had one of the biggest selling debut albums of the year, and they visit Liverpool for a highly anticipated debut performance.

On Saturday 1st November, Black Kids headline Nation, this US indie 5 piece have been one of the trailblazing acts of 2008, already one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s Top 10 Artists of 2008 and tipped as “the coolest kids in music”, they have gone on to produce one of the best albums of the year. Black Kids will be supported by Ladyhawke.

Free events, advice, opportuniites
Mike Deane and James Barton co-directors of Liverpool Music Week comment: We are thrilled to announce our partnership with MTV, underlining just how far this festival has come since it's creation in 2003 we will celebrate
this with the largest and most diverse LMW to date.  With a mouth watering agenda of ticketed shows and the massive spread of free events all featuring the hottest new artistes around and the most interesting line up
to date, MTV LMW will have something for everyone.

As well as staging a huge agenda of live music events, Liverpool Music Week will also be running a series of panels and seminars featuring some of the UK’s music industry movers & shakers who will come together to discuss
issues and opportunities within the sector and to offer advice and support to a range of related music businesses, artists and individuals with a desire to enter the music industry.

MTV Liverpool Music Week will culminate the cities year as European Capital of Culture, this partnership combined with an award winning line up of acts performing will cement Liverpool’s position as the world’s capital of Music and celebrate what makes Liverpoolgreat.

Councillor Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council and deputy chair of the Liverpool Culture Company, said:“As the World Capital of Pop Liverpool is immensely proud of its musical credentials, but we’re equally
keen to ensure that the city’s music scene continues to grow and develop, especially during our year as European Capital Of Culture.   The city has been a keen supporter of LiverpoolMusic Week over the past few years and
I’m delighted that the event has joined up with MTV for what promises to be an extremely exciting partnership”

MTV LIVERPOOLMUSIC WEEK – for dates see our events listings