If you're travelling on Manchester’s Metrolink tram network this week, you might be surprised to hear the voice of Liam Gallagher directing you on your journey. Well, not now I’ve told you about it. If you were planning to catch a tram in the next few days, pretend I didn’t say anything.
For the rest of you tram haters, let me tell you that Gallagher is now the voice of the trams. At least for the duration of this week’s Beyond The Music festival and conference, which runs until Saturday. Attendees are being encouraged to use the tram network to travel between the seventeen grassroots venues putting on shows.
“Liam’s doing his bit to get behind the festival and encourage people to get into the city and support new up and coming talent”, says a spokesperson for the former Oasis frontman.
When a request came in from Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, they add, “Liam loved the idea of surprising tram users by doing the announcements and he was given the chance to choose his favourite line. You’ll have to get onto a tram into the city to find out which it is!”
The excitement! It’s very obviously the East Manchester Line. Probably. That’s the one he’d get to his mum’s house, I reckon. If he got the tram, which I’m guessing he doesn’t. God, I’ve overthought this.
Anyway, Burnham, who is also a founding member of the Beyond The Music co-operative behind the new event, alongside Manchester City Council, CityCo and the AO Arena, Co-op Live and Factory International venues, says: "It means a lot to us that Liam has agreed to do this and show his support for his home city”.
“Supporting our music venues and giving people cheaper and better public transport to and from our gigs is what we're all about”, he adds. “I am sure that Liam's dulcet tones will wake up a few early-morning commuters, brighten up many a journey and produce a lot of smiles along the way”.
Beyond The Music
