Originally published by Liverpool Live. The Liverpool Music Awards have been months in the planning and years in the making. As Janice Long, one of the legends of British broadcasting took to the stage at The Dome on Renshaw Street, the waiting was finally over and a room packed with great and the good of local music started to enjoy the celebration of what makes Liverpool undoubtedly the world capital of music.

The event was launched earlier in the year by the brainchild behind the idea, Elinor Phillips at Eric’s, that the one prestigious night that Liverpool has been missing is one dedicated to the music of a city renowned world-wide for its uniqueness and its ability to bring the musicians to national acclaim was soon to  become a reality.

The Liverpool Music Awards was set up as, “celebrating the incredible musical talent and entrepreneurial achievements within Liverpool’s music industry” and as each performer, nominee and special guest filed through the doors, the atmosphere was heady, crackling with excitement but above all the realisation that the mantra of the awards was spot on. This was a night that will be talked of for a generation and showed the independent spirit that seeps out of every creative corner of the cultured city.

Janice Long has a long history with promoting new musical talent and as she hosted the evening it was easy to see the pride she took in watching all the nominees coming up on the large screen held high above the stage.

With Liverpool Acoustic receiving the first accolade of the evening for Live Music Night of the Year, the night was underway and respectful excited conversations took place on the tables surrounding the stage.

The evening was not just about handing out awards to the winners of each category; the purpose was also to showcase some of the artists that have created the positive vibe in every venue. With performances from the likes of composer Mark Simpson, the astonishing Ivy and the Chance, the fantastic Lizzie Nunnery and the 2012 MOBO Unsung award winner Esco Williams were given the ovations they deserved.

Many of Liverpool’s famous sons and daughters were in attendance and showing their support to the worthwhile and important night. With Mel C from the Spice Girls awarding the tremendous Rebecca Ferguson for best Female Artist of the Year, Brian Nash and Peter Gill of Frankie Goes to Hollywood coming home and adding their exceptional talent and sense of humour to the evening was a sight to savour and Steve Rotheram, one of the city’s highly respected M.P.s coming along to The Dome, the ceremony was one of the best attended and well respected evenings the city has had the pleasure to have in its name.

Other winners on the night included Ian McNabb for Album of the Year, the sensational Little Episodes. The phenomenal Stealing Sheep for Band of the Year, The Hummingbirds for the One to Watch, Charlotte Bowers for Manager/Management Team of the Year and Parr Street for Recording Studio of the Year, it is safe to say that the city of Liverpool has some exceptional talent within its boundary.

Luis Santos of the nominated All We Are when asked of how he felt to have been included in the evening said he was, “Very happy, the three of us (Richard O’Flynn and Guro Gikling) coming from different places are very proud to be part of the Liverpool music scene.”  It is sentiments such as this that show the inclusivity of the city’s musical future.

No one should ever take away the hard work that Elinor Phillips and her dedicated team has been through in organising this event. It is only right that Liverpool, one of the most musically creative cities in the world has a night to applaud the people, bands, groups, venues and people behind the scenes that make it a refuge of independent music that never gives in to what the rest of the U.K. expects.

On a night when Liverpool acknowledged the next generation of performers, music, in all its forms was the true winner.

 Ian D. Hall

Winners in full.

Live Music Night – Liverpool Acoustic

Producer – Mike CaveLive Music Venue – Kazimier

Record Label – 3Beat

Manager – Charlotte Bowers

Single – Tea Street Band “Summer Dreaming”

One To Watch – The Hummingbirds

DJ – Lee Butler

Band Of The Year – Stealing Sheep

Recording Studio – Parr Street

Male Artist – Ali Ingle

Female Artist – Rebecca Ferguson

Album – Ian McNabb “Little Episodes”

Local Music Champion – Phil Hayes (The Picket)

Outstanding Contribution – Dave Pichilingi

Lifetime Achievement – Roger Hill