Words by Meg Glover

Photos by Harry Proctor

The first year of multi-venue day festival So Long Good Friday kicked off in Liverpool on Friday, with Fat Dog as the headline act.

On the 3rd of April, wristband wearers had access to a lineup of 28 bands, including late night DJ sets - all in the heart of the Baltic Triangle. Saxophones, trumpets and bands with the most members we’ve ever seen on stage, So Long Good Friday had a triumphant opening day. And gig goers didn’t have far to go between venues Camp & Furnace, Hangar 34, District and Lost Art, which made for easy hopping between sets. 

It was also our first time visiting many of the Liverpool venues, and they did not disappoint. Aside from them being high capacity with lots of room to dance, it was also a fiver for a pint of cider in Hangar 34 - and we enjoyed that very much.

As the main venue, Camp & Furnace saw high energy bands like SILVERWINGKILLER, GANS, Opus Kink and of course the South London headliners Fat Dog. The electronic SILVERWINGKILLER duo bounced around the stage with an impressive level of energy - to chaotic vocals in a mixture of English and Chinese, while the GANS lads proved that the drummer can indeed also be the vocalist. And we were lucky enough to discover some new music gems throughout the day in the venue, like seven member band Mleko and the 90s infused East Exchange. 

At Hangar 34, we ticked off one of our must-see artists: Brigitte Calls Me Baby, a Chicago-based band that has supported big names like Morrissey. And for fellow Smiths fans, it’s hard to ignore the 80s/90s British alt-rock influences in their tracks. You could even go as far to say that lead singer Wes Leavins’ hair is reminiscent of a young George Michael.  

As So Long Good Friday drew to a close, The Orielles played their evening set followed by headliners Fat Dog. And whether you have heard of the South Londoners or not, it’s unlikely you’ll forget them after seeing them live. Fat Dog’s mix of electro-punk, rock and rave tunes are some of the most distinctive on the festival circuit, and they’ll have you screaming ‘It’s f*cking Fat Dog baby!’ in no time. 

The debut of the Liverpool day festival was a complete success, and we’re excited to see what So Long Good Friday has in store for us in the coming years.