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CAPITAL OF CULTURE KICK OFF

CONSTRUCTION THEMED CEREMONY: ‘A WORK IN PROGRESS’

As Liverpool launches itself into the 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations, Friday 11th January saw the opening event at St George’s Hall. Thousands of spectators came out in force packing the streets surrounding Lime Street and St George’s Plateau to watch the show. The opening event, consisting of over 600 performers, including The Wombats and Liverpool’s home grown Ringo Starr, aimed to open Liverpool’s 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations in style. Performers lined the top of St George’s hall armed with an array of drums and percussion instruments, high-wire acrobats flanked the plateau suspended from cranes and fireworks lit the sky. The whole event was conducted with a ‘construction’ theme reflecting Liverpool’s changes, involving over 2000 people working for a collective 40,000 hours to set-up.

Perhaps the most popular attraction was the appearance of Liverpool’s prodigal son, Ringo Starr, drumming with the percussionists on the roof, and performing his own song for the crowds. Although the event was designed and staged by Nigel Jamieson, the man responsible for the Sydney games opening ceremony, the party’s organisation came under criticism for lack of direction. The deputy chairman of the Culture Company said “It’s like a scouse wedding – a lot of rowing but it gets there in the end”. It would seem that the rowing didn’t end with the event either. Ringo Starr has come under fire for his alleged ‘betrayal’ of Liverpool after claiming he missed “nothing” about the city.

The event’s master of ceremonies announced, “Liverpool was, is and always will be nothing less than the centre of the creative universe.” Yet, despite clear skies and packed streets, some seemed disappointed with the event. The whole show lasted less than an hour, The Wombats only performed one song, and most of the event was taken up with various tedious speeches from the Master of Ceremonies which relied on shouting “Ringo Starr” to get the attention of the crowd. With hindsight it would seem this loyalty to the ex-Beatle was somewhat misplaced, yet the crowd possessed typical Liverpudlian enthusiasm.

Although the staging of the event and the use of performers on the roof made for a spectacle, I cannot help feeling that the ‘builder’ theme with the workmen outfits and cranes reflected the event as ‘under construction’ or a ‘work in progress’. I am certain Liverpool has more than enough ‘culture’ to justify its title as the Capital of Culture, but this was not it. If you want culture, try the theatres, wander the streets, go to the library or just talk to people. There you will find Liverpool’s true value as capital of culture.

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