On Saturday 20 July, Nile Rodgers & CHIC will be taking to LIMF’s Central Stage in Liverpool’s Sefton Park, to grace the crowds with tracks from his incomparable back-catalogue in a performance that’s not to be missed. Buy your tickets here

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Founded in 1989 by Jon Barlow, Dave Nicoll and Phil Southall as a dance music record shop in Liverpool, 3Beat has gone on to win numerous awards over the years, including Music Week’s Independent Record Shop Of The Year. In 1991, with aspirations to grow the business, Barlow, Nicholl and Southall took the next step and established the independent record label 3Beat Music, which released records by artists such as D:Fuse, New Atlantic, Berri, Pianoman and Lisa Marie Experience. Fast forward nine years to 2000, Barlow, Pezz 3Beat and Andy Jarrod went on to create the 3Beat Label Management company, which offered distribution services to numerous independent record labels.

In 2002, Barlow and Pezz, along with A&R executive Anton Powers and Label Manager Tim Condran, set up Boss Records, with distribution from the Ministry of Sound. Over the next four years the label released numerous singles, with hit records by artists such as Angel City, Aaron Smith, Mason versus Princess Superstar and Studio B.

More recently, Barlow and Pezz founded 3Beat Productions with distribution from Universal, releasing records by artists such as Agnes, Cahill, Martin Solveig, Duck Sauce and Skepta. In 2011, the label achieved its first UK No. 1 single with Loca People by Sak Noel. Since then, 3Beat has gone on to release a number of chart-topping and Top 10 records, as well as streaming success stories, from what have become household names across various genres including Sigma, Fuse ODG, Philip George, Kungs and Martin Jensen.

Join us on Saturday 20 July as we salute 3Beat Records at LIMF! Buy your tickets here

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With captivating light displays and an array of glittering disco balls are you ready to get ‘Lost In Music’? Buy your tickets here

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There’s never been a single breakthrough moment for them, rather a continual accumulation of achievements based on an intense work ethic and understanding of their audience, along with a willingness to experiment and step out into the unknown.

The past year and a half since ‘Sirens’, Gorgon City’s debut album, has definitely been crazy. Co-curating a compilation album with Pete Tong, remixing and collaborating with long-time heroes like Basement Jaxx and Underworld, creeping ever-higher on the billing in US and UK festivals, embarking on a proper transcontinental tour of the USA in two tour buses over the best part of a month, untold DJ dates, and still finding time to conjure up an embarrassment of riches in the studio: there’s scarcely been a moment for the pair’s trainers to touch the ground.

Yet there is not a sign of jadedness from them yet. If anything, the new material shows them settling into their groove and being more confident in branching out in all directions, from main-stage bangers to underground club groovers, 21st century hyper-pop to twisted acid house and righteous breakbeat, it’s the sound of two young men still having the time of their lives.

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Bailey Rae returned in 2016 with her third studio album, ‘The Heart Speaks In Whispers’ featuring ‘Green Aphrodisiac’, which Billboard critics named one of the 10 Best R&B Songs of 2016.

The album has received critical acclaim worldwide with NPR naming it ‘one of their favorite 30 albums of the year so far’ and The Guardian ‘one of the best R&B of 2016’. The Huffington Post included ‘Stop Where You Are’ in their Top Songs of 2016.

Described as the ‘Bewitching Queen of British Soul’, Bailey Rae has stunned audiences worldwide in 2016 performing in the UK, Europe, USA and Asia including as special guest for Stevie Wonder at his Hyde Park BST, London concert for a crowd of 100,000.

Bailey Rae was selected by NASA for the historic DESTINATION: JUPITER campaign; represented Europe for the International Olympic Committee’s PSA; and performed ‘Ooo Baby Baby’ at the Smokey Robinson: The Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize Ceremony.

Bailey Rae also has written music for film and television, including the theme song to Stan Lee’s Lucky Man (Sky1). Bailey Rae recorded Coldplay’s ‘The Scientist’ for the opening title sequence for Universal Pictures’ FIFTY SHADES DARKER, which opened February 10. The track is also featured on the Fifty Shades Darker Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, which has peaked between #1 and 40 in 33 countries at iTunes and has elevated her to one of the top artists in the world on Spotify. Most recently, Bailey Rae was one of 13 models chosen by fashion designer Sophie Theallet’s New York Fashion week Spring campaign, representing a message of world diversity.

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The dizzyingly infectious dancehall vibes of ‘Should’ve Been Me’ features vocals from British singer songwriter Kyla. The Brit vocalist has been everywhere this year – with her captivating vocals appearing on Drake’s chart-dominating ‘One Dance’, which spent 15 weeks at No.1 in the UK. Since that songs release she’d stepped away from the music industry, partly to concentrate on raising a family. But Naughty Boy tracked her down and couldn’t get enough of her or her voice.

That knack for alchemising talent into songcraft gold is clearly as strong as ever. It’s a point underlined by ‘Should’ve Been Me’s’ other feature, Popcaan, the Jamaican singer/DJ who’s collaborated with the likes of Drake, Jamie XX and AlunaGeorge.

After working with the biggest singer in the world, Naughty Boy could have continued in that vein. And indeed, he admits that he did try out a handful of other Big Name Vocalists for ‘Should’ve Been Me’. But in the end, Kyla was the only woman for the job.

Those impulses also find form in the other projects and ventures that have kept Naughty Boy busy over the last year. He was a judge on the recent Mercury Music Prize, and is rightly proud of the part he played in the award’s recognition, finally, of British urban music with the victory of Skepta. He’s an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust, and an ambassador for the British Asian Trust.

The man born Shahid Khan and raised in a working class household in Watford, who started making music in a shed in the garden, wants to encourage and enable young people, of any and every ethnicity, in whatever their field of dreams.

His work behind the scenes continues via his record label, Naughty Records. One of his artists is Ava Lily is currently working with an amazing new writer called Emily Warren who’s done a lot for The Chainsmokers. His co-producers on the single, meanwhile, are Mojam – the production/writing duo who are signed to his publishing company, Naughty Words.

In fact, Naughty Words has its own success story in 2016: it’s been responsible for some of the most notable tracks of this year, including ‘Pillow Talk’ by Zayn Malik, Sam Smith’s Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning James Bond theme ‘Writing’s On The Wall’ and Emeli Sandé’s comeback single ‘Hurts’.

Naughty Boy himself has four tracks on the Scotswoman’s critically acclaimed second album. The artist who was his career cornerstone collaborator, and the third key female collaborator in his life this year, has roared back with ‘Long Live The Angels’. Push him to pick a favourite and Naughty Boy plumps for ‘Shakes’, a titanic piano ballad.

Then, somehow, alongside all that, this year Naughty Boy has also found time to travel, tour Eastern Europe, and spend time in the studio with artists including Mike Posner, DNCE, Janet Jackson, Missy Elliot and John Newman.

As we might expect of this ever imaginative, ever innovative – not to mention ever mischievous – artist/producer/writer/publisher, Naughty Boy does have a vision for the follow-up to his groundbreaking debut. Watch this naughty space!

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‘Paper Chains’ is taken from the bands forthcoming album ‘Kicking Up The Dust’, due for release this spring. Both the new single and album were recorded at The Motor Museum in Liverpool and was produced by resident studio legend Alistair Groves.

From playing bass in the legendary Northern band The La’s, John Power (guitar/vocals), Liam ‘Skin’ Tyson (lead guitar) and Keith O’Neill (drums) are joined by former La’s member Jay Lewis on bass.

Originally formed in 1992, Cast reunited in 2012 with original producer John Leckie (Stone Roses, Radiohead, The Fall) to release a new album ‘Troubled Times’, their first studio album in over ten years.

At the end of 2015 Cast celebrated the 20th anniversary of their classic album ‘All Change’, with two sold out shows at the historic Liverpool Philharmonic Hall where they played the record in it’s entirety accompanied by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

New material, including tracks ‘Do That’, ‘Roar’ and ‘Baby Blue Eyes’ from their forthcoming album, are available to hear through the bands website and Soundcloud pages.

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As a member of the Dreem Teem he has had national chart success with ‘The Theme’ and ‘Buddy X’, their biggest hit and a successful collaboration with Neneh Cherry.

He can be heard on the iconic Rinse FM every Friday night from 7-9pm showcasing the best new Garage as well as the classics. He cites Prince, Michael Jackson, Masters At Work, Timmi Magic and Mikee B as his biggest musical influences.

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Having initially studied classical guitar from a young age, Jax took up beat-making at 15 after discovering Cubase on his friend’s Atari. Cutting his teeth at open mic clubs around London, Jax eventually came together with Rippermann, an up-and-coming grime producer from Mitcham at Brixton’s Raw Materials Studio and worked on notable releases for Big Narstie and Roadside Gs, among others in the scene.

The son of two teachers, Jax was encouraged to go to uni at 18. Despite a two hour trip, Jax went from lectures to the studio daily to work on his craft, posting beats regularly on MySpace. After graduation, Jax rented a studio in Sydenham, bought a mac tower from Gumtree and worked hard to hone his craft. After meeting Duke Dumont, he developed his passion for house music and co-wrote and produced ‘I Got U’ and ‘Ocean Drive’, both huge global smashes.

His latest single ‘You Don’t Know Me’, reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart and was a club smash.

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