Strawberry Field has announced that the legendary musicians The Quarrymen will be the first act to perform for a preview event on the new bandstand ahead of Eurovision.
Strawberry Field’s Spring/Summer cultural program, which celebrates music and imagines peace, begins with the concert. People from all over the world will be inspired to stand up for peace by events planned in the weeks leading up to Eurovision and throughout May. The programme’s specifics will be made public in the upcoming weeks.
The Quarrymen, a band that John Lennon founded in 1956, reformed in 1997 and have since enjoyed continuous success, releasing three albums and touring the UK, US, Germany, Japan, and Russia. Tickets for the band’s performance this Saturday, April 15, are now sold out.
The next preview event will be a celebration of Ukrainian culture. On April 22, Liverpool-based poets will recite poetry written by Ukrainians about the war and the resulting refugee crisis.
The event at Strawberry Field was organised by the Unusual Art Sourcing company. In addition to the traditional Ukrainian tap dance, there will also be performances by the female-led performance group Sole Rebel and Northwest band Kaloko. Entry is free, and bookings are not required.
The new bandstand attraction in South Liverpool is shaped like a massive bass drum and was inspired by The Beatles’ iconic ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album cover, The Salvation Army and its marching bands, is a lot of fun. Additionally, it is one of the most technologically advanced bandstands in the world, enabling guests to take in musical and theatrical performances while touring the renowned grounds while donning wireless headphones.
Major Kathleen Versfeld, mission director at Strawberry Field, said:
“Our beautiful new bandstand provides a platform to continue John Lennon’s legacy and message of peace, hope and love for all, and we cannot wait to share it with our guests from the local community and further afield. It’s right that The Quarrymen should be the first act to perform on it knowing the part they played in the history of John and The Beatles.
“We are bringing music back to the Strawberry Field gardens – the place where John experienced one of his earliest musical experiences when hearing The Salvation Army band play. Join us as, together, we make a stand for peace.”
Cliff Cooper, CEO of Orange Amplification and Honorary Patron of the Strawberry Field initiative, donated the bandstand. It also has a bigger version of the “Imagine” mosaic from the Strawberry Fields memorial in Central Park, New York.
Strawberry Field is a visitor attraction in Liverpool, located at the iconic site immortalised by John Lennon in The Beatles’ hit, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. Telling the story of John Lennon’s childhood and the writing and recording of this iconic song, the attraction is home to an interactive visitor exhibition which includes the actual ‘Imagine piano’, the original red gates, and the peaceful gardens where John played, climbed trees and dreamed as a child.
For more information about Strawberry Field visit their website here.
READ MORE: Strawberry Field give a first look of the mosaic to feature in their new bandstand
