St George’s Hall has chord-ially invited 600 guitarists to play together in one of the biggest musical performances ever to take place in the venue.
The special concert, which takes place on Wednesday 14 June, will raise money for local charity, The Florrie which has organised the event.
The Florrie has been at the heart of the L8 community for over 130 years. The charity’s purpose is to provide a cultural hub for arts, music, education, physical and mental exercise and improve the quality of life for its community. They host musical events and exhibitions every year, including a variety of artistic and culture activities for all ages. The team at The Florrie have been running regular, guitar groups for several years and consider singing and playing together to be one of the most effective ways to boost happiness, relieve anxiety and reduce loneliness for their community.
Timothy Tierney, Community Coordinator said: “The guitar group is so much more than just playing guitar. It’s a place for people to come and meet other people. It is a place to come and feel good. I know it boosts wellbeing and reduces social isolation.
We are so excited to host the event in St George’s Hall, it is a significant building to me for many reasons, from my Nan taking me to see the lions on the plateau, to seeing Liverpool bring the European Cup home in 2005, to registering the birth of my son Sid; St Georges Hall is such a special, iconic building. Seven years of running the guitar group at The Florrie to this… 600 Guitarists for this one big special event.”
The last Big Guitar-In hosted in The Florrie’s community arts and heritage venue, was a huge success. Up to 200 residents and visitors came together to sing and strum their guitars in unison, covering Liverpool classics such as ‘Ticket to Ride,’ but this is the first time the charity has embarked on a shared performance of this size.
The Florrie have received funding from EuroStreet – Culture Liverpool’s community programme funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, to make this event possible, and St George’s Hall have offered their largest and most iconic space, The Great Hall, free of charge.
Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing & Culture said: “Eurovision brought millions to Liverpool’s local economy but organisations like The Florrie have been quietly contributing to the city’s outstanding musical heritage for years.
Liverpool has been ‘united by music’ long before Eurovision arrived, and communities across the city will continue to celebrate our musical history in song, dance, and art for years to come.
The benefits of cultural events such as this one, that promote togetherness and a sense of belonging will be a huge part of Eurovision’s legacy.”
It’s a month since Liverpool welcomed the world for Eurovision on the 13th of May and The Big Guitar-In is just one of the musical events happening across the city this summer, it will be closely followed by Africa Oye, the UK’s largest free celebration of African music and culture in Sefton Park this weekend and just a couple of weeks later, Liverpool’s iconic waterfront welcomes Cream for another weekend of eclectic musical performances.
For full details of the event or to donate, visit https://www.theflorrie.org/
