The
Magnet Liverpool
Street Level Bar 2008 The
Magnet is situated in one of Liverpool’s famous
Georgian buildings in the architecturally rich area
of the City known as the Cultural Quarter. Surrounded
by the City’s best restaurants, within spitting
distance of the Royal Philharmonic Hall and the famous
Everyman theatre and close to the university campus’ and
halls. The Magnet is well out of the area of the City
where the stag and hen parties wreak their booze crazed
havoc.
The Magnet story so far - 1958 - 2008
The Sink circa 1963 The Magnet is 50 this year and has an illustrious
and iconic place in Liverpool’s musical history.
Originally, the street level bar was called the ‘Rumblin’ Tum’ and
the basement the ‘Sink Club’. It was
one of the city’s first black music venues
and entry was by way of a numbered sink plug on a
short length of chain which proved membership. As
the City’s other iconic clubs have come and
gone The Magnet has been sitting quietly up on Hardman
Street at the forefront of the Liverpool live music
scene all the time.
Above one of the booths you’ll see a photograph
(shown below) which was taken in the bar in the early
60’s. The picture is fantastic and you should
go out of your way to see it.
Ken Barney Sitting - 1963 Freddie Mercury first played with Brian May in a
band called Ibis at the Sink Club and there seems to
be very few bands and performers that at some point
in their careers haven’t graced the dark red
stage.
Following a brief period in the early 90’s as
a tapas bar, the venue was extensively refurbished
and re-named as The Magnet in 1998. A couple of years
later, the main room was extended and the sound system
upgraded to include a world class Funktion ONE with
an awesome 13.8 KW amp stack driving the enormous speakers.
Magnet as we now know it was born.
The Magnet NOW
The Courteeners Acoustic Set May 2008 The Magnet has an embarrassingly long list of accolades
including ‘Best Bar in Liverpool’ - The
Guardian March 2008, ‘Best Bar’ - The
Itchy Guide, and strangely and wonderfully at the
same time was designated No 29 in Best Bars in the
World - GQ Magazine 2007.
The Magnet is not part of a chain; The Magnet is a
one off, privately owned venue and has a community
of music lovers, academics and arty types who find
themselves surrounded by likeminded people in the cosiest
of setting. The booths, the lightwall all give Magnet
its unique, handmade feel and people
The Best Time to visit…
During the week and early doors on weekends, at street
level Magnet offers a relaxed mood where you can
enjoy your drinks at the bar or snuggle up with friends
in one of the cosy booths. It’s the perfect
place to prepare for the evening ahead or settle
for a long night of conversation and good music.
With residents playing the grooves that help give
Magnet its unique atmosphere there is nowhere else
quite like it in Liverpool. You’ll hear jazz,
soul, funk, rare groove and Latinesque beats. “It
really is one of the good things in life.”
Venture in to Magnet at weekends or late on in the
evening and you’ll be part of a lively bustling
crowd and you’ll find yourself rubbing shoulders
with the city’s bohemian and arty types.
It’s Magnet and you’re welcome!
Norman Jay Downstairs is where the party really goes off. . The
Funktion ONE sound system (the quality and clarity
of the sound has to be experienced to be believed)
is turned up to number 11 and you will hear music like
nowhere else in the city. Night after night you will
hear the live music and the best sets from the best
DJ’s from around the world.
It’s not all about getting drunk you
know!
The music’s the thing at Magnet. You can drop
in to Magnet almost any night of the week and get to
hear a wide variety of live music. Always interesting
and often very, very good; occasionally, you will hear
amazing gigs of world class performers long before
they make their name in the world of music.
Roy Ayers Gig 8th May 2008
Roy Ayers - 8th May 2008Recently we hosted Roy Ayers (8th May 2008) and an
amazing acoustic set from the Courteeners a week
or so before that.
In the not too distance past we have been lucky enough
to have The James Taylor Quartet, Horace Andy, The
Pies plus all the usual local musicians and bands as
you’d expect in a venue like Magnet.
Additionally, Magnet has hosted world class DJ’s
including Louie Vega, Jazzy B, Norman Jay, The Ramones,
Mr Scruff, Filia Brazillia and others too numerous
to mention.
World Music - always something to remember at Magnet
Damo Suzuki Bands from all over the world have played The Magnet
and the future looks to be more eclectic and more dynamic
than ever.
People people people ....
It’s a cliché but The Magnet is about
people. The people who are regulars, the people who
visit occasionally and the people who work in Magnet.
Magnet is a place you should visit at least once. And
you never know, that one visit could be the start of
something new.
It’s the Magnet, and you’re welcome!
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