For hundreds of years, St George’s hall has been the setting of important cultural and community events in Liverpool, and played its part beautifully once again for the fourth installment of The Florrie’s Big Guitar-In. On the 3rd December, over 600 people weaved their way through Liverpool’s vibrant Christmas markets for an evening of music and fundraising for The Florrie, which is currently undergoing crucial repairs.
A cacophony of sound rose in the hall as ukulele choirs, brass instruments, and guitarists warmed up, waiting to begin the first song of the evening. The Big Guitar-In came to life with Does This Train Stop on Merseyside, led by singer-songwriter and Amsterdam frontman, Ian Prowse. The crowd joined Prowse’s uplifting voice, backed by strings and the 601 choir, and the combined sound of hundreds of people singing and playing together set the tone for the rest of the evening – an inspiring event that reminds us of the power of community and music’s ability to bring us together.
Big Guitar-In attendees were then treated to live performances from two local artists, soul and blues influenced The Stamp and folk artist Ellis Murphy, before performing their second song of the night, All Together Now by The Farm. Lyricist and frontman Peter Hooton and guitarist Keith Mullin led the audience in a heartwarming rendition of their most popular song, which has amassed over 25 million streams on Spotify and 7.5 million views on YouTube. All Together Now, which was inspired by the Christmas football match that took place in no man’s land in the First World War, felt especially poignant as the sound of hundreds of voices and instruments filled St George’s Concert Hall in aid of supporting an important cornerstone of the community like The Florrie.
Local artists Banners and Red Rum Club kept the audience entertained during an interlude with acoustic performances that felt intimate and personal, despite the size of the crowd. You can check out Red Rum Club on their UK tour next March, and can stream Banners’ new song Hurts When It’s Healing when it releases on 13th December. Local spoken word artist Roy also gave a dynamic and impassioned performance of his “alternative Christmas message” that clearly resonated deeply with the crowd and was met with thunderous applause.
In a surprise performance, Brian Nash of Frankie Goes to Hollywood performed The Power of Love. This stripped-back rendition echoed hauntingly in the cavernous hall, and Nash’s poignant and stirring performance left the audience in awed silence.
The Big Guitar-In drew to a close with the entire hall coming together to play Fairytale of New York. The 601 choir, who supported throughout the evening, showcased their exquisite harmonies in this rendition of the classic Christmas hit. As the audience encored their final song and St George’s Hall was filled with music, we are reminded once more of what can be achieved when a community comes together. Without all The Florrie volunteers, the supporting staff at St George’s Hall, and all of the incredible musicians that attended, the event wouldn’t have been possible.
The Florrie has been supporting people in Liverpool for 130 years, and currently offers both adults and young people the chance to connect with their community and learn new skills through the Community Hub Activities program. You can help to preserve The Florrie and enable us to continue carrying out our vital work to support the community by making a donation.
Donate Now
Support our fundraiser by donating on GoFundMe.
Together, we can ensure The Florrie remains a thriving cultural hub and a safe, welcoming space for everyone.
Photo Gallery
Huge thank you to photographer John Johnson for capturing these incredible moments from the night.
You can watch the full live stream of The Big Guitar-In on out YouTube channel at this link.
For clips, highlights, and behind-the-scenes coverage, visit our social media channels.
Thank You
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the guitarists, performers, volunteers, and attendees who made The Big Guitar-In 2024 such a huge success. A special thank you goes to St George’s Hall for hosting this incredible event in their stunning venue.
Article by volunteer Emily Copping