Originally published by L.S. Media. February 13th 2012. 
Parr Street Studios will host a very special evening in aid of Cancer Research on Monday 27thFebruary. Presided over by Liverpool musician Barry Briercliffe, the night will be a celebration of good music with a couple of extra special guests thrown into the mix that will just one of those nights in Liverpool that in all honesty, you have to be at!
It is fitting that Barry should host this night at Parr Street, with a new album coming out soon, Barry has long been one of the musicians that Liverpool loves, in that he always gives back to the city just as much as he gets out of it.
I caught up with Barry briefly in-between engagements and as he played with an outstanding piece of kit on his phone, something I was assured would make its way on to the new album; we discussed the idea behind this worthy charity night. Nosh and Coffee may not be the easiest place to have a conversation, especially on such a delicate subject, but we both knew it was a comfortable setting and as Barry finally caught up with his overdue breakfast and put away the greatest mellatron app ever, I mulled over suitable questions in my head that I could ask the man about the up-coming evening. In the end I just went with the one that I knew Barry would prefer!
It was a simple question, one with no pretence and one that I knew would get the simplest of answers but in time honoured fashion I took the plunge and asked, why?
“Cancer Research, well cancer itself has touched me, in my life time I’ve had my uncle passed away; he had lung cancer and my nan she was ill with cancer too. I have had so many friends who have been affected by or had the disease or have known somebody to suffer from it and I just thought seeing as my friend Adriano (Italian musician Adriano Arena who Barry has collaborated with) is coming over, wouldn’t it be great to use the opportunity of him coming over to raise money for the charity. I could have just played a gig and charged five pounds on the door for people to come in and watch us play for a while but I wanted to give the money to charity. It’s a charity that’s especially close to my heart, you know what I mean?”
Barry’s reasoning is impeccable as I nod slowly at his statement of fact I’m reminded of a few people I have also lost to cancer and cannot but help agree with him. Before Christmas I lost an old school friend to liver Cancer, same age as myself and a genuinely lovely guy. No matter who you are, it touches everyone to some extent.
“It’s nasty”, Barry agrees sensing what I’m thinking off and as eloquent as Barry is with a guitar in his hand, he is even better at deflecting the dwelling of sadness in others. We steer the thought onto the evening in which the charity will be gaining from. For those that know Parr Street Studios, it will come as no surprise that the vibe musicians, poets and the general public that find in this little oasis of recording history rubs off to all it meets. Even those that have no musical leanings at all come out of there impressed with the strong sense of history associated with the building.
I name Jo Bywater as a guest and Barry smiles broadly, “legend” is his one stock answer and I have to agree. For those that make their way down to the studio that night, Jo Bywater will blow you away with her musical ability. She has been known to reduce people to a quiver with her talent. Barry also names Ray Clark as one of those doing a few numbers on the night and if I wasn’t excited before I am nearing a heightened state of cheerfulness knowing that this gentleman will be there on the night.
“I first met Ray (Clark) at an open mic-night in Parr Street, he came in and did a set and completely blew me away with his talent, he’s kind of like John Martyn, you know the way he slaps the strings, and it’s that kind of style, He is a very good finger picker, when he plays the guitar, you can’t help but zone out and lose yourself in the creativity, he’s that good. Jo Bywater, because she’s just that great and of course Jessicas Ghost as they are a really great Liverpool band! They remind me of Travis, kind of like strummy and very good song-writers.”
That leaves, special guests aside, Barry’s good friend from Italy, the ever impressive Adriano Arena. This night will be a culmination of gigs that he and Barry will be doing whilst he is over from Italy and without wishing to give the game away, he will leave you spellbound and heartbroken with his stunning musicianship.
This promises to be a very special evening and the inclusion of two very special guests is thrilling. I know who they are of course, one of the great things about being a journalist I guess, however if you make your way to Parr Street on that evening, I can honestly promise you, that if you stick around to find out who else is playing you will not leave the building until every vocal chord in your body has been tested with great abundance. The people Barry has pulled in for this night make it a shoe in for a cracking gig. It’s going to be a late one, book up the taxi now as it’s certainly worth staying the whole night and it’s in aid of a worthy and incredible charity.
The charity line-up includes Ray Clark, Jessicas Ghost, Adriano Arena and the exceptional Jo Bywater and tickets are priced at £5. Doors open at 7.30pm and all money raised goes to Cancer Research.
Ian D. Hall