BOY George, Shaggy, Tim Burgess, Goldie, The Hoosiers, Kid Creole, Lemar, The Farm, John Power, Ian Broudie's Lighning Seeds and multi-Grammy nominee Marsha Ambrosius are among acts booked for the second Liverpool International Music Festival, it is revealed today.

More than 200 acts representing 20 countries will perform around 150 hours of live music throughout the event, which runs from Friday 15 until Saturday 31 August.

The biggie, August Bank Holiday weekend, will see Sefton Park play host to LIMF Summer Jam. It kicks off with Ian Broudie and The Lightning Seeds joining the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in a special concert hosted by Classic FM which takes place on Friday 22 August.

Tim BurgessTim Burgess

From Saturday to Monday, the Central Stage will have different themes: Saturday – British Invasion; Sunday – World Music; Monday – Summer Sessions with Juice FM.

Organisers say one of the key aims of this year is to create new music performances via a series of LIMF Commissions. For example, record producer Steve Levine will direct Assembly Point Sessions at St George’s Hall. To date, collaborators include Tim Burgess, Pete Wylie and Bernard Butler. The evening will also see a full headline set from Boy George.

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: “We were overwhelmed by the response to the inaugural LIMF last year, and today, people still tell me that the Sefton Park gigs were the highlight of their summer. 

“There’s more of a focus on the park this year, and without a doubt, it will be the place to be during the August bank holiday for all the family."

As well as Central Stage there are four other music areas:

  • The it’s liverpool Stage with BBC Radio Merseyside aims to showcase the next musical trailblazers to come from Liverpool, as well as celebrate the legends of the city’s music scene.

  • The International Emerging Sounds Stage will host artists from elsewhere.

  • The LIMF Bandstand will give a platform to local unsigned talent ranging from bands and soloists, covering a variety of musical genres.

  • The LIMF Academy will showcase up and coming young acts.

The key events

Assembly Point: Thursday 21 August
Grammy winning producer Steve Levine will artistically direct the project that will see a number of top British music artists use traditional and new technology to collaborate together for an exclusive performance at the historic St George’s Hall. Featured performers include Boy George, Tim Burgess and Pete Wylie. This is a ticketed event.

LIMF Summer Jam, Friday 22 August, 7.30-9.30pm
Ian Broudie and The Lightning Seeds will join the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra for a joint performance in Sefton Park. Free event.

LIMF Summer Jam, Saturday 23 August, midday-6pm
Tribute acts on the theme of “British Invasion” on the Central Stage. The International Emerging Sounds Stage features Jamaica’s Stylo G, Japan’s WordySoulSpeak and Iceland’s Samaris. Free event.

LIMF Summer Jam, Sunday 24 August, midday-6pm
Shaggy, Kid Creole and Goldie on the Central Stage while the “it’s liverpool” stage will play host to Wirral based indie rock band By The Sea along with the winners of the 2013 LIMF Academy One to Watch award Tyler Mensah and Sophia Ben-Yousef. Free event.

LIMF Summer Jam, Monday 25 August, midday-7pm
Juice FM will programme several artists yet to be announced, but across the park stages there will be performances from Lemar, The Hoosiers, Marsha Ambrosius, The Farm, John Power and Rustie, with a back to back DJ set with Kanye West producer Evian Christ. Free event.

LIMF Summer Jam, Saturday 23-Monday 25 August, midday-5pm
The LIMF Academy returns for a second time which aims to inspire the next generation of musicians and performers. Aimed at 13-21 year olds there will be workshops, performance opportunities and master classes by some of the industry’s leading music experts. Free event

Other events that make up the programme just outside of the August Bank Holiday weekend
International Beatle Week, Migration Music at the Everyman, You Are Here at Sefton Park Palm House, Summer Camp, Above The Beaten Track and BOILER ROOM: CIRCUS x Liverpool International Music Festival.

And finally, Minor Characters: Friday 29 August.
The Kazimier hosts Minor Characters. Music manager Chris Bye and The Quietus website will bring together six artists to create an original body of work which will be released digitally through The Quietus label. Participants include GIT Award 2014 winner Forest Sword, as well as the likes of East India Youth and Luke Abbott.