All-singing Liverpool

Liverpool’s significant contributions to music past and present, and its enduring passion for jingles, beats, melodies and more, set it apart from the crowd.

Of course, The Beatles cast an almighty shadow here but there’s so much more to Liverpool’s music scene than the enduring influence of the Fab Four. After all, this is the city that birthed the Merseybeat movement, hosted the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest and racked up accolades like the World Capital City of Pop and the UNESCO City of Music.

With regular trains to the city from across the country – getting here is a breeze by rail. So, grab your Railcard, get 1/3 off your train ticket and set off on a magical tour of Liverpool’s most poptastic places with our short musical guide to the city. 

Become a Beatle for the day 

If you’ve ever wanted to walk in the footsteps of John, Paul, Ringo and George, you’ve come to the right place.  

In Liverpool, you can spend your morning touring the former childhood homes of Lennon and McCartney, which have both been lovingly restored and preserved by the National Trust. 

Once you’ve seen where they wrote some of their first hits, head on over to the Cavern Club(external link, opens in a new tab) to see where they played their early songs. You can also settle in for an evening of live music here, with most nights delivering a mix of local legends and Beatles tribute acts. 

For more stories about the iconic band as you take in noteworthy landmarks that either celebrate or are associated with the popstars, sign up for a Beatles Walking Tour or jump aboard the Beatles City Explorer(external link, opens in a new tab). From the comfort of an open-top bus, you'll pass Strawberry Field, Penny Lane and plenty more iconic locations. 

For a slightly more sedate stroll down memory lane, visit the Liverpool Beatles Museum(external link, opens in a new tab). Here, the band’s first drum kit, Lennon’s Sgt Pepper Medals, the legendary white cello and thousands more pieces of memorabilia plot the band’s success from humble beginnings to superstardom.  

Live the LIVE experience  

The live music scene in Liverpool, which has a long and illustrious history, is as good as it gets in Britain. Packed with bars, clubs and venues playing all sorts of music every night of the week – and most days, too – you’ll have no trouble enjoying new or familiar sounds. 

Just like the Cavern Club, the Jacaranda Club(external link, opens in a new tab) was pivotal to the Merseybeat scene. Today it hosts tribute bands and independent acts that keep the sound alive. EBGBs(external link, opens in a new tab) is another legendary local spot. The basement club showcases new independent artists, local legends and DJs spinning everything from indie classics to house and techno music.   

Prefer your bands a little bigger? The M&S Bank Arena Liverpool(external link, opens in a new tab) is where you want to be. Over the years, the 7,000-capacity venue has welcomed Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Girls Aloud, Phil Collins, Blink 182 and many, many more household names. There’s a good chance someone you know will be in town the day you hop off the train.  

For the ultimate live music experience in Liverpool, it’s hard to beat the city’s well-known festivals. Take your pick from In The Park(external link, opens in a new tab) and On the Waterfront(external link, opens in a new tab) for pop, rock and orchestral vibes or get down to the Baltic Weekender(external link, opens in a new tab) for techno, grime and drum and bass.  

You can hop on the shuttle bus from Liverpool Lime Street(external link, opens in a new tab) to the world-renowned Creamfields(external link, opens in a new tab) festival, too. 

Discover more sounds of the city 

Liverpool’s appreciation of all things musical goes way beyond its own creations. So, for the ultimate trip through rock and pop history, why not spend an afternoon at the British Music Experience(external link, opens in a new tab) (and get 2FOR1 entry, too, when you travel by train). You won’t regret it.  

Instruments, outfits and almost everything else you can imagine chart the history of British music from its early popularity in the 1940s to the present day. As well as acknowledging the influence of its global megastars, the exhibitions touch on everyone from The Spice Girls and David Bowie to the Sex Pistols and Dusty Springfield. 

Expect to get hands-on with the melody, too, as in the Gibson Interactive Studio – we’re still at the British Music Experience by the way – you can play the instruments that shaped British music. Bang out a riff on a Les Paul, bash the skins on Roland drum kits and get psychedelic on synthesisers. 

Later, bop on next door to the Dance The Decades experience for a virtual lesson in the biggest dance crazes of the past 70 years. Remember to pop your phone in the dedicated holder for the perfect TikTok or Instagram Reel. 

If you’re looking for lesser-known gems from Liverpool’s musical past, book the Music Icons Tour(external link, opens in a new tab), where a bona fide rock star will take you on a trip through the bars, venues, record shops and meeting places that launched the second wave of the city’s music scene. 

The tours tend to be led by members of The Farm and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, but the experience touches on many more 80s and 90s bands. Think Echo and the Bunnymen, Flock of Seagulls and The Teardrop Explodes.