http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0800beatles/mathewstreet/page.cfm?objectid=12139915&method=full&siteid=50061
Fans worldwide come to join in Beatle fun
Aug 23 2002
by Rachael Tinniswood, Liverpool Echo
IT is the one party guaranteed to attract crowds from all over the world.
And once again the Mathew Street Festival looks set to do just that.
The city has already seen 5,000 Beatles fans arrive in Liverpool for the
International Beatle Week which started yesterday and runs until Tuesday.
But more than 500,000 people from as far away as the USA, Japan and Europe
are expected to descend on the Mathew Street quarter on Monday for the ninth
annual festival.
More than 150 bands are to perform over the next three days with tomorrow
being designated a Beatles versus Stones Day while Sunday and Monday see a
mixture of music from around the world being brought to life.
And for the first time in the history of the Mathew Street Festival, an
original Beatle, drummer Pete Best, will be performing - in order to pay
tribute to the late George Harrison, who died last November and to whom this
year's festival is dedicated.
In what is bound to be a touching moment, George's sister, Louise Harrison,
70, will officially open the final day of the festival on Monday at one of
the outdoor stages on Victoria Street.
Meanwhile, the ECHO will be doing its bit to ensure everyone has a great day
with bands performing nothing but classic 70s music on the ECHO stage in
Castle Street on Monday.
Other highlights include the Sam Butera Band from Argentina, who struggled
after the collapse of their economy to scrape together enough money to
actually get to England for the Beatles Week and the Zeatles who, being
Kiwis, have covered 11,582 miles to be in Liverpool.
Merseybeat legend Billy 'Faron' Ruffley, of Faron's Flamingos, will play his
first gigs in eight years on Bank Holiday Monday, at T.P Molloy's pub in
Victoria Street, 1pm and 3pm.
Tribute group the Australian Beatals are welcomed back to the festival for
the second year in a row.
The Bootleg Beatles are also guaranteed a warm welcome when they perform at
the festival's finale on Monday night at the Royal Court.
It is hard to believe that, only nine years ago, the festival started out at
a car park at the side of the Cavern Club and attracted a crowd totalling
just 4,000, who turned out to see the band line-up.
Growing every year since, it has become one of the biggest musical showcases
in the world.
In fact, the event has become so huge that for the first year ever,
organiser Bill Heckle of Cavern City Tours has called in Liverpool city
council to take over the organisation of the festival.
"It is hard even for us to believe quite how big the Mathew Street Festival
has become," says Bill. "When we were first looking at doing it we chose
August because it was the quietest time of the year when nothing much
happens in the city.
"Now this weekend has become pretty much the best of the year."
The event has developed a following worldwide which has brought with it not
only interest from local and national television companies but also from
French and satellite channels.
The Discovery Channel has been filming US band American English who are
making their debut at Beatleweek following a five-year career.