THE wraps come off Liverpool’s newest music venue today when bosses at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall declare they no longer have the builders in.
The Music Room (or will locals start to call it the Little Phil?) gives the city a brand new performance space for world music, pop, rock, folk, roots and small scale classical acts, able to accommodate audiences of between 160 and 250 people.
Complete with grand piano and clad in acoustic panels the hue of French mustard, the stunning new space, with its own front door on Myrtle Street, will operate independently even if the combined energies of the Phil orchestra and its choir are belting it out along the corridor. Or even if the hall is shut.
And it appears the Phil has struck the right chord with promoters, artists and audiences, with scores of performances and events already booked in between now and next June and several sold out.
Tonight from 7.30pm, Phil regulars and people who rarely or never set foot in the Herbert Rowse landmark can have a good look around.
The doors of the 1939 Grade II* listed building are being thrown open for two hours, giving free roaming access to everyone with live music in the Grand Foyer and Music Room and all bars open for food and drink.
The Music Room (Picture by Mark McNulty)The opening of the Music Room signals the end of the two-phase £14.5m facelift that started almost two years ago, causing a logistical nightmare for those who run the place.
Concerts and shows had to be sandwiched in between building work, with orchestra members having to rehearse and be housed in Portakabins across the road.
The Music Room can accommodate theatre style or cabaret seating, or standing, with two of the walls able to disappear at the flick of a switch to merge the auditorium and the bar into a much bigger area. Soundproofing means the noise of buses can’t be heard, nor can the noise from the Music Room filter into the main building.
Richard Haswell, Liverpool Philharmonic’s head of events programming, said: “Our aim is that Music Room’s distinctive live programme will complement our programme in the main hall, and be an exciting addition to the diverse live scene across our city. It’s a welcoming and friendly space for people of all ages to both experience and make music and will play an important part in enabling us to deepen our relationships with city-based emerging and established artists, festivals and promoters.”
The room gets its first public test tomorrow (Oct 10) when Steve Nieve Plays Elvis Costello, however there have been practice gigs in the last week, perfomed by blues singer Connie Lush, to a private audience designed iron out any hiccups with fire alarms, acoustics, PA, box office and bar operation.
Delighted: Richard Haswell and Emma King in the new Music Room yesterdayTomorrow night's show by Nieve, contemporary composer, pianist and founder member of Elvis Costello’s band, The Attractions, kicks of an opening season of nearly 50 events between October and December including Tom Robinson, Michael Head and The Strands, Thea Gilmore and Gypsy Jazz legend Lulo Reinhardt. There will also be performances by members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, learning activities for all ages and master-classes.
Michael Eakin, Liverpool Philharmonic’s chief executive, said: “Liverpool Philharmonic has been at the heart of Liverpool’s musical, cultural and social life for 175 years. Our history shows that we’ve never stood still, we’ve continually evolved thanks to the support, generosity and sheer love and passion for music that is the heartbeat of our city.
The Music Room has its own entrance on Sugnall Street and a separate bar which can become part of the auditorium if needed“The completion of the refurbishment to our Hope Street home and the opening of Music Room launches us perfectly in to the next exciting chapter in our story as a thriving, forward looking music organisation, with musicians and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra at its heart.”
Emma King who has been in charge of the vast project was delighted with the finished product.
She said the newly extended bar area, with quick and easy access via lifts, means people in the cheap seats can now mingle with patrons from the dearer seats, thanks to the reach the bar in the interval without the need for a sprint and an obstacle course.
Behind the scenes the musicians now have a new set of practice rooms, ending the days of warm-ups in the photocopying room.
