Thursday 15 May 2008

Guide to going out in Liverpool

So, you’ve moved to Liverpool to embark upon your degree. You’ve just had your student loan dumped into your new bank account with a hefty overdraft. Your mum paid your first accommodation instalment and you’ve got your text books and insurance sorted. You’re all kitted out in a new wardrobe and you’ve just made a load of new friends and you’ve still got a very comfortable looking bank balance. How about you go and spend it on what it was meant for – partying!

Liverpool is not only home to the tracksuit wearing, perm sporting, Scouser; The Beatles; Everton and Liverpool FC’s, WAGs and the cast of Hollyoaks, oh no. It has three universities and has been named the capital of culture. Liverpool is a vibrant student friendly city with a hell of a lot on offer to make your student years there truly special.

I will introduce this guide with one of the most decadent, beautiful drinking establishments in Liverpool, The Philharmonic Dining Rooms (or the ‘Phil’). It was built in 1990 to cater for wealthy locals and concertgoers. Decorated in a stunning Art Nouveau style with exquisite mosaic carpet, wonderful craftsmanship on the woodwork and outstanding architecture, you may find yourself forgetting why you went in there in the first place. And then you remember: Beer. The beer does not let down the surroundings and has found a slot in the good beer guide a number of times. John Lennon allegedly said when asked about the down points of fame, ‘not being able to have a drink in the Phil.’

Being a student you may have to stick to a very tight budget; Liverpool has many a drinking hole to accommodate this requirement.
The Camel Club is a stylish tucked away bar with a chilled out vibe. On Monday nights you can get a spirit and mixer for 99p and bottles for £1. Thursday nights are also ridiculously cheap drinks with bottles sold 2 for 1 and shots at £1 .If you’re into R’n’B then this is the place to go. If you’re not, you can drink so much for so little money that you can block the music out probably within the first hour of being there.

Also popular with students is The Office on Concert Square. It was once called RSVP and was generally quite a hectic place but it has been renamed and reinvented as a mellow bar with good food. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the most student friendly nights.

A good night out can be found in Heebie Jeebies on Seel Street for the Indie types. The drinks are cheap, the staff are friendly and there are three dance floors to offer lots of musical variety.

If you’re a Beatles fan then there’s no doubt about it – you have to go to The Cavern. For those who don’t know, The Cavern is ‘the most famous club in the world’ because The Beatles used to play there when they were first starting out in the early 60’s. The Cavern makes business out of this reputation but they are still pioneers in showcasing new music in Liverpool. There are Live acts every night and the drinks are decently priced. There’s lots of memorabilia around and the brick wall outside has names inscribed in the bricks of lots of acts that have played there
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Bars that you can go to any night of the week and expect very cheap student drink offers include; Modo, Bar Ca Va and Font.

If after you’ve had a few drinks you feel like moving on to a club, Chibuku put on some of the coolest house nights in Liverpool. Recent acts have included James Holden, Fabio, Scratch Perverts, Killa Kela, Yousef and Pendulum. Chibuku host nights at Barfly and Nation and you can get discounted tickets as a student. I went on New Years Eve 07/08 and it really was the ultimate party – I strongly recommend embracing Chibuku. Rave safe students!

The Carling academy is where you want to be if you read the NME. All the hottest new bands are lined up to play there in the coming months; Lightspeed Champion, Bat for Lashes, Foals and Dirty Pretty Things to name a few. So shrink your skinny jeans, don your trilby hat and get ready to pose, scenester.

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