Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
They are one of the great young bands and artists that call Liverpool their home. Alongside many others that in the last few years have made the city’s music addicts sit up and take notice of the new and tremendously exciting breed coming through, such as All We Are, Stealing Sheep, Path Unknown, Joe Symes and The Loving Kind, Only Child, Mono L.P.s, Matt Breen, Buckle Tongue, Rob Vincent and Carrianne Hayden, The Hummingbirds name has travelled far and wide, beyond the metaphorical city walls and out into the open world. People outside the city have once more discovered what makes Liverpool tick like no other in the U.K. and perhaps in the world.
In the scheme of things The Hummingbirds have already beaten a wide and deep path for others to make their own but the band; like so many of this 21st Century Liverpool sound, more diverse, deeper and thrilling to watch as they grow, are still more than happy to bow to the greats of Liverpool and support legends as they become more and more proficient. In the case of The Hummingbirds they more than held their own opening up for The Christians and gave yet another interesting and blistering attack on the senses at The Atkinson in Southport.
The six piece group didn’t swagger onto the stage at The Atkinson; their feet, even after all the genuine interest from outside of the U.K. remain firmly on the streets of Liverpool and it would never be good form in the city to get too big lest people think you will desert them. Instead this group of lads turned up and were gracious to the Southport audience, a few jokes in the right places and with the right type of deference that really marks out quality, songs that grew in strength as the night went on and all done with that cheeky smile that makes The Hummingbirds such an enjoyable band to watch.
The crowd at The Atkinson were treated to a great set which included songs such as Talking of Tomorrow, Stop Me Feeling Blue, the fantastic Emma, Awaiting Your Call, the delightful Back in Liverpool and Bankrupt Blue. The band finished off their part of the evening with a shrewd nod to the evening’s trip from Liverpool to Southport, The Beatles hit Day Tripper.
The new generation of Liverpool musicians are making the greats of 20th Century Liverpool music proud with what they have achieved; The Hummingbirds and every single musician/group that calls Liverpool or Merseyside their home turf have made sure that the city is once again the best place to make music.
Ian D. Hall