Massive Attack, Idles and Nile Rodgers to perform 'sustainable' gigs in Liverpool

Idles, Nile Rodgers and Massive Attack are among artists performing a series of gigs in Liverpool. Credit: PA Images

Massive Attack, Idles and Nile Rodgers will play a series of green gigs in Liverpool in honour of the city being the world’s first ‘UN Accelerator City’ for climate change.

The concerts will be powered by energy from completely renewable sources, with no single-use plastic used and no waste sent to landfill.

Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson says the "experiment" is to try to "minimise our carbon footprint with these events, completely".

Liverpool has become the world’s first Accelerator City for climate action Credit: Peter Byrne/PA

He said: “When we’ve gone through the next few days, we’ll do a proper detailed audit on what’s worked and what we want to try in the future, but this is all part of Liverpool’s position of trying to decarbonise and make as sustainable as possible live music and the wider music industry.”

The shows follow Massive Attack’s summer gig in Bristol, powered entirely by battery and renewable power and designed to be the lowest-carbon concert of its kind.

Taking place between 28-30 November, each concert will analysed by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.

Coldplay, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift are among dozens of world-famous artists who are attempting to reduce their carbon footprint and encourage their fans to do the same.

Mr Robinson added: “We always want to be pioneering new approaches, so having the opportunity to do it in a part of industry that is very much at the heart of what Liverpool is globally recognised for, and being able to make sure we address the climate emergency through that, we see as a really great opportunity.”

As well as the concerts, which began on Thursday night with a performance from rock band Idles at the M&S Bank Arena, there will be a launch summit held on Friday, opened by TV presenter and environmental campaigner Chris Packham and attended by representatives from the film, TV and live music sectors.

Delegates will hear about a series of projects aimed at making Liverpool the greenest city in the world to shoot a production or stage a major live music event.

The arena will host the band Massive Attack, on Friday 29 November, who have been working with climate scientists to reduce the environmental impact of live music.

A public event featuring podcast sessions, art installations and musical performances will take place at Liverpool’s Exhibition Centre on Saturday, 30 November, before Nile Rodgers & Chic perform the final in the series of concerts.

Shows will take place at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool Credit: PA Images

Tickets for the gigs were offered to those living locally in a pre-sale and options included the cost of public transport, in a bid to cut down on people driving to the venue.

Food suppliers, who will only serve meat-free options, are all based within 10 miles of the venue.

It is hoped the summit will lead to more sustainable options for production crews filming in the city, which has previously provided the set for films and TV shows like Peaky Blinders, Fast & Furious and The Batman.

He added: “It’s a great opportunity in the creative industries that Liverpool is already strong in, but we want to be even more at the leading edge of.”

Around £6.75 million of government funding has been granted to MusicFutures cluster in Liverpool – which will provide training for musicians, educators and small businesses to use new technologies and explore making live music more environmentally sustainable.

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