There are plenty of ways for a venue to celebrate its first birthday. Some bring in a headline act. Some put on a special event. Some stick a few balloons up, hope for the best and call it a celebration. Archive Liverpool’s approach was different. Then again, their approach to most things is different.
Some venues are defined by the artists they book. Others are defined by the atmosphere they create. In just twelve months, Archive Liverpool has managed to achieve both, establishing itself as one of Liverpool’s most welcoming grassroots music venues. Built and operated by experienced tour managers and working musicians, the venue was created by people who genuinely understand life on both sides of the MoJo fence, and that experience is reflected in everything they do.
With a capacity of around 150 people, Archive has found the perfect balance. It’s intimate enough to create a genuine connection between artist and audience, yet large enough to generate a fantastic atmosphere. You feel part of the event rather than simply watching it, and that sense of community can’t simply be manufactured. It develops when good people create the right environment, and Archive has achieved exactly that.
One of the venue’s greatest strengths is its eclectic approach to live music. Looking back over the past year, Archive has hosted a remarkably diverse range of artists and events. While rock music undoubtedly forms part of its identity, the programme has also embraced indie, acoustic, singer-songwriter, roots, hard rock and metal performances as well as Metal 2 The Masses Merseyside. Artists and events such as Aziz Ibrahim, The Real People Acoustic, Beth Volpicelli, Headcreep, Beatnikhurricane and friends, SOLFFIGO and Sky Valley Mistress demonstrate a commitment to variety rather than sticking to a single formula.
Arriving at around 4:15pm, Tina and I found ourselves walking into an afternoon that felt less like a traditional gig and more like a gathering of friends who happened to have quite a lot of exceptionally talented musicians in their number. By the time we left shortly before 10pm, it was clear that Archive’s first birthday wasn’t really about marking twelve months of business, but celebrating the community that has grown around it since opening.
I would never profess to know the Liverpool music scene well, or the myriad people that turned up and played, but one of the joys of the day for me was never quite knowing what would happen next. Musicians appeared, disappeared and reappeared throughout the afternoon, often joining each other’s sets before slipping back into the crowd. The atmosphere was relaxed, very welcoming and completely free of ego. There was also cake. In fact, there were cakes, and as birthday celebrations go, that’s usually a good sign. Throughout the afternoon and evening, artists casually drifted on and off stage, joining one another for a song or two before handing over to the next performer. Acoustic sets blended effortlessly with more electric driven performances. Original material sat comfortably alongside well chosen cover versions. There was very little of the rigid formality that often accompanies live music events because the whole thing felt wonderfully organic.
Good friends of WeShootMusic, Headcreep, played their first gig at Archive earlier this year and return on 21st November. That for me, tells you everything you need to know about the venue. This is the sort of place where bands are given opportunities. Where artists can take those early steps in front of an audience. Where relationships are built and careers begin. Archive doesn’t seem interested in catering to a particular scene. It caters very well to lovers of live music and I think that may well be its greatest strength.
As somebody who rarely manages to stay in one place for too long at a gig, I probably provide a decent test case. Throughout the afternoon I found myself wandering around with a camera, chatting with musicians, catching up with promoters, speaking with bar staff, talking photography with familiar faces and sharing a few laughs with the owners.
Throughout all of that, I was probably dragging Tina around far more than was fair while introducing her to people I’ve come to know over the past year. Leaving your wife to fend for herself while you disappear into a sea of conversations could be considered a risky strategy. At Archive, it barely registered. While I was off doing photographer things, Tina was perfectly content indoors or out, chatting with people she’d met not five minutes earlier. Wether sharing a cigarette, discussing music or simply putting the world to rights, there was always someone happy to share a conversation.
The music may well be the reason everyone arrives, but the people and the community are the reasons they come back. Throughout the day there were countless examples of this. Musicians stayed to watch other musicians. Promoters mingled with regular gig goers. The owners moved around the room greeting people like old friends rather than customers. There was no sense of hierarchy, nor were there barriers or cliques. Just a room filled with people who genuinely seemed pleased to be in one another’s company and in many ways that reflects Archive’s first year perfectly.
It was a celebration of what can happen when people create a space where everyone feels welcome and, in an age when independent venues continue to face challenge after challenge, surviving a first year is a major milestone in itself. Managing to turn a live music venue into a genuine meeting place and build a real community during that time is something altogether more impressive.
So yes, there was fantastic music delivered by fantastic people. Yes, there were memorable performances. And no, there were no balloons, sparklers or banners, although they would probably have seemed surplus to requirements. We had cakes instead.
The lasting memory of Archive’s first birthday will be something much simpler than any of those things: A room full of people who genuinely wanted to be there. A room full of people who wanted to spend their time together in a place that somehow manages to feel welcoming to everyone who walks through the door. As for the next twelve months, I’m already looking forward to the gigs, the laughs, the conversations, catching up with familiar faces and meeting plenty of new ones along the way. Archive may have started life as a music venue, but somewhere during its first year, it became something much more than the sum of all its parts.
