Working Class cheer-oes

SONGS of struggle, protest and social injustice, we've got em.

Running in tandem with next week's TUC gathering will be the Liverpool Working Class Music Festival.

The festival was founded last year by Liverpool radical singer songwriter, Alun Parry. This year it will run from Sunday 13 September through to Wednesday 16 September.

It's at The Picket on Jordan Street and, let's face it, this is what The Picket is for. Yet not often does it get to be the spiritual home of all things rampantly scarlet and socialist any more. Ah the times they are a-changing.

The festival was founded last year by Liverpool singer songwriter Alun Parry. This year it will run from Sunday 13 September through to Wednesday 16 September.

Sunday's line up, sponsored by War on Want, consists of Tony Benn's favourite singer. Nope, not Cheryl Cole but the folky Roy Bailey. Hmm, who do we believe?

Also up is Leon Rosselson, a singer songwriter and prolific author with a 50 year pedigree of performing; Frankie Armstrong, a singer songwriter who has worked with the likes of Ewan McColl and Peggy Seeger; David Ferrand, a young Scottish American singer songwriter reminiscent of James Taylor and Woody Guthrie.

Monday's performances feature a Bob Marley eight piece tribute band, Legend Live with The Clash Tribute who are... guess what kind of band?

Tuesday features Manchester chanteuse,Claire Mooney; NME faves The Trestles; Merseyside rap and hip hop artist, Kof, fresh from his recent appearance at Glastonbury and Ian Prowse's Amsterdam.

Wednesday is sponsored by The Royal College of Nursing and features: anarcho-punk chart toppers, Chumbawamba, famous for dousing John Prescott with ice water at The Brits, Attila the Stockbroker and Alun Parry.

Tickets are available from the Philharmonic Box Office on 0151 709 3789