Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Hoylake might not rival its near big city neighbour Liverpool in terms of music history or of touring bands of musicians making their way to soak in the rich ambience and be part of the ever growing chronicles being reported on but in recent weeks it has held a couple of festivals in which musicians and audiences seem to have flocked to in large numbers.

After Oxjam a few weeks back, which was held in the same near perfect weather, The Festival of Firsts decamped along the multitude of bars that had thrown their doors open for the day to the music and crowds and the musicians that performed in the early part of the day all seemed to have a great following which can only be good for the scene all over the Wirral.

The Ship Inn was the port of call for one of the openers Gary Gardner to really raise the roof and set his sails ahead of everybody else at the venue and unashamedly and with a mix of ages watching him perform, Mr. Gardner simply oozed a certain class as he made his way through a set list that was both inspiring and enjoyable to listen to.

Armed with some great polished tracks and a guitar that made the Ship Inn’s walls sing and hum, Gary played several songs that made those present sit back, soak up the warmth of the day and the interesting lyrics that he sang with a sense of knowing and fondness. Opening up with Have I Crossed That Bridge Enough For You and Someone’s Watching Over Me, Gary weaved a tale of his life that many could empathise with and take in to their hearts.

Other tracks in his unique repertoire included the lovely Humankind, the delicate and seemingly fragile Lost With The Hour and with his wife watching from in the room he raised the stakes with a slight grin on his face with the very cool The Better Half before finishing off with the only cover of his set, a version of Valentine’s Song which was originally recorded by Henry Priestman and Lotte Mullan.

If Mr. Gardner can achieve this type of response with his music in a venue not naturally made for music but in which the scope of his work resonated throughout and made all who made their way to Hoylake for this sparkling festival, then his mooting of a full album of his music at a near junction will be one that will go down with great anticipation.

Ian D. Hall