Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

A new year should always bring with it the twin senses of optimism and hope, whether hand in hand and with angelic smiling faces, cool enough to disarm the concerns of all who approach it initially with caution or in hessian sacks to stop them fighting over who gets to pull the wool over the eyes of the population first; the latter seems to come round all too frequently, flattering to deceive and lulling you into the false sense of security before robbing you blind of faith and wonder. Then there is the former, the place where the view from Flatlands Rising is charming and honest, sincere and welcome; it is a position in which optimism and hope thrive and live carefree.