LIV-BCN Preview

Showcasing the work of artists from Liverpool and Barcelona, cultural exchange LIV-BCN is set to take return to the city from 9 - 11 July 2015 with a programme featuring music, art and film.

By Richard Lewis

Returning for its second year following a highly successful 2014 debut independent festival LIV-BCN is set to take place on 9 - 11 July at The Kazimier, Liverpool John Moores University and Liverpool Small Cinema.

A cultural exchange on an international and local level that celebrates film, music, design, illustration, and food with contributions from Catalan and Liverpool artists, the Merseyside event complements the Barcelona edition that took place on June 12 - 13.

Now expanded to take in three separate venues, the festival concludes with a coveted headline performance by acclaimed psych rock quartet Clinic at The Kazimier on Saturday.

Following a warmly received first outing in 2014 the inaugural LIV-BCN ran from 3pm to 3am in The Kazimier and the Kazimier Gardens and featured performances from Joana Serrat, Broken Men and GhostChant plus workshops and art showcases.

LIV-BCN 2015 is curated by editor of The Double Negative and former art director of The Royal Standard Laura Robertson, comprises a series of events that invites both cities to meet in the middle, shining a spotlight on revered artists from Merseyside and the Catalan capital.

Profiling the events chronologically, the film portion of the festival is first to take place on Thursday with the recently established Liverpool Small Cinema making its LIV-BCN debut.

Silent film Blancanieves (Snow White) (2012) receives a screening, the film was a huge domestic success, sweeping the board at the Spanish film industry Oscars the Goya Awards, where it won ten gongs and going on to reap international acclaim. Showing at the Victoria St. cinema at 7.30pm, tickets only cost £3.

The following day(Friday 10th ) sees the art section of the festival commence, with the opening of the LIV-BCN exhibition at Liverpool John Moores University Exhibition Research Centre following its initial run in Barcelona in June. A showcase of works that feature obscure elements of the artist's respective home towns through graphic design and illustration, artists include Maria Diamantes and John Wai plus a selection of pieces from BAU School of Design, Barcelona and LJMU. Following its Friday opening the exhibition will run for two weeks until 24th July.

The Kazimier and the adjoining Kazimier Gardens step up to host to the festival's music programme on Saturday (the 11th), an all day affair that will see nine acts play across two stages.

Cult psych rock quartet Clinic headline proceedings, the event coinciding with the fifteenth anniversary of the bands' classic debut LP Internal Wrangler.

Boasting a strong undercard the line-up includes Barcelona garage rockers Mujeres, post-rock duo The Suicide of Western Culture, the reformed MinionTV and rising garage rock quartet Strange Collective.

The Gardens meanwhile play host to folk trio Bathymetry, Barcelona singer-songwriter Pau Vallvé, indie pop band Univers with DJ Coco from Primavera Sound Festival closing the evening and the festival itself.

For more details visit: http://www.liv-bcn.com

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