National Trust is bringing live music back to Forthlin Road
Down a suburban street in Liverpool sits an unremarkable house, with a truly remarkable legacy. This is 20 Forthlin Road, the home of the McCartney family. Here, 60 years ago, four teenagers were given permission to create, allowed to dream and made music that helped themselves, and a generation, forge their own identity. At 20 Forthlin Road, the Beatles were born.
Successful applicants will perform their song in the McCartneys' own front room
2022 is an important year for Beatles fans. It’s Sir Paul McCartney’s 80th birthday, 60 years since Love Me Do became their first single, and 65 years since a teenage Paul first met a young John Lennon. To celebrate these anniversaries and the house where it all began, the National Trust is bringing live music back to 20 Forthlin Road and giving you the chance to add to its incredible story.
“The Forthlin Sessions” is looking for new artists to perform in a live music event at 20 Forthlin Road, the birthplace of the Beatles. Successful applicants will get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to write a song inspired by the Beatles' legacy, and perform it in the McCartneys' own front room.
Entries will be reviewed by a selection panel including Sir Paul McCartney’s brother and fellow musician, Mike McCartney; independent Beatles expert Pete Paphides; and representatives from the National Trust. The competition is based on an idea by musician and producer Alan Boyd.
On 17 May 2022, successful applicants will be given access to a wide range of memories, thoughts and stories about the Beatles supplied by the public via the social media campaign #TheForthlinSessions. From these, the artists will have the opportunity to create a new song to perform at 20 Forthlin Road on 17 June 2022.
The performance will be broadcast free on YouTube and social channels on 17 June 2022. Unfortunately, due to the size of the venue audiences will be remote only. Finally, the artists will receive mentoring from experts at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts for six months after this performance.
Applications close on 30 April 2022 - to apply, visit the National Trust.
Read next: ‘The Beatles: Get Back’ - unseen footage features in new documentary
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