PHOTOS: Morecambe Music Festival: Our venue-by-venue diary

Beyond Radio's GREG LAMBERT visited all 37 venues at Morecambe Music Festival. Here's his diary of a packed and varied weekend of live music in the town.

THURSDAY, JULY 11

Morecambe Music Festival opened with an 'Introducing...' night of original music at The Exchange for the second year running. The gig included the explosively talented Laurie Wright and his band, followed by ex-Seahorses front man Chris Helme (below) who entertained with witty between-songs banter and top-notch vocals.

The Exchange on Regent Road is one of Morecambe's top pubs for live music and was full of people enjoying the start of the annual festival.

Meanwhile with three more days of live music still to cover, I was pacing myself!

Here's excellent local band Listen Twice, who kicked things off on the night, arriving at the venue.

The Morecambe Music Festival organising team were there to enjoy the evening. Here are Lucy Blackburn and Maree Wright.

And here's Jay Blackburn, who put together the Introducing...night, pictured with Beyond Radio's Mark Prada whose Local Choice magazine sponsored the festival.

FRIDAY, JULY 12

My festival tour began just after 3pm at Shore Thing on Morecambe Promenade. The bar is run by Ryan Wallace, himself an accomplished musician who was guitarist in Morecambe band The Heartbreaks. Music fans had travelled from far and wide to experience the festival, including from Barnoldswick in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

I ventured along the Prom to the Midland Hotel, where singer Mark McKenna was hosting for the weekend. There I experienced the amazing vocals of Gemma Louise Doyle who performed to a mesmerised crowd at the back of the art deco hotel's Rotunda Bar.

Along to the West End Promenade where the now-licensed Ruby's of Morecambe hosted versatile Lancaster musician Matt Appleton for a few Friday teatime songs outside the cafe.

Back into town where singer-guitarist Alex Hulme's laid-back style was entertaining the audience at The Bull, including a family from Kent who travel up to watch the festival every year. Managers Sal and Paul, who recently took over the Fisherman's Square pub, told me they were loving being part of their first Morecambe Music Festival.

Nearby at The Pier Hotel, Roadstunner was regaling the busy pub with some guitar gymnastics during his cover of 'Champagne Supernova' by Oasis. A big shout out to The Pier for their superb WiFi which really helped with swift uploading of photos and videos for the Morecambe Music Festival social media pages!

Pier landlord David Hutton also runs the Joiners on Queen Street, where Beyond Radio favourite Molly Warburton (below) was in the early evening slot, surrounded by England flags as the town was also gearing up for Sunday's European Championship football final!

Down the Promenade to The Platform, where bands The Charm and Coasta (featuring Matt Appleton in his second gig of the day) were rocking the former railway station.

The newly-refurbished Bath Tap on Northumberland Street was really busy on Friday night for Jay Blackburn's The Good Souls. I was amused to find that these festival fans had brought a rubber duck to The Bath, naturally!

En route to The Bath, I bumped into Beyond Radio's Phill Hayward who introduced me to Shane Nolan. Shane comes from a famous showbiz family as his parents are EastEnders actor Shane Richie, and Nolan sister and now Loose Women panellist, Coleen Nolan. Shane was performing with his band at Johnny's Warehouse Bar on Friday and he let me in on his surprising local link...he used to play football for Caton FC!

At The Chieftain on Pedder Street on Friday night, I was really impressed with Shelly's Bane, whose cover of 'Wicked Game' by Chris Isaak was truly spine-tingling.

My night ended at the Old Bank for festival regulars Sold to the Sky, who are always entertaining, the smoothly soulful Twenty-Four Seven with Steven Wren on lead vocals, and back to Shore Thing for popular rock duo Fuse. All three venues were packed and bouncing with happy people, rounding off a promising first full day of the festival.

SATURDAY, JULY 13

My Saturday at the festival began with a tiny bit of rain, although thankfully, as I was making my way around on foot, it was mainly dry for the four days. Just after noon, I made my way to the Morecambe RNLI Hovercraft Station where a family fun day was in full swing, with the Morecambe lifeboat and hovercraft on display, an afternoon programme of live music on stage and performances by the Happy Feet cheerleaders (pictured below).

On Saturday afternoon the area outside the Stone Jetty Cafe was transformed into the West End Soul club, with DJs Paul 'Soul' Johnson, Nigel Rothwell and Jay Blackburn playing classic soul tracks overlooking the Bay. A beautiful location for sweet soul music.

I quickly popped to the Midland to briefly meet up with the Beyond Radio team who were hosting a live radio show from the festival that afternoon. Beyond Bear was already having fun, meeting singer Dane Piercy!

Across the road, lunch was being served at Rita's Cafe with an extra serving of live music, provided by singer Grace Warwick.

A trek along the seafront followed, down to the Battery, where saxophonist Tina Wells was joined outside the Beach Cafe by a backing group of little Olivia and Luis! Singer Kathryn Delaney also brought some surprising opera to the festival with her version of 'Ave Maria'.

At the Cumberland View on Heysham Road on Saturday afternoon, the omnipresent Matt Appleton was back with another one of his bands, The Fourth Colour. You can also see Matt with Supersonic Kicks at the Morecambe Rides Again scooter rally this coming weekend!

Into the West End where Mike Shepherd from Sold to the Sky and Baton Rouge was performing a solo set of country rock and Americana classics inside the Regent Park Pavilion Cafe and Bar. Nice specs Lucy!

It's a Saturday teatime tradition at the festival to be at The Exchange for ska legends The Reggie Mental Band. As always at this time of year, the venue was full to capacity. I also got wind that several other pubs in town were similarly full at the same time, Morecambe Music Festival proving as popular with punters as ever.

After a quick break for pizza refuelling, I popped along to More Music's base on Devonshire Road and was very impressed with the youngsters from their Stages project, who were performing their own material to an enthusiastic crowd in the Hothouse.

Onwards to The Boardwalk on Marine Road West, for a crowd-pleasing set of 2 Tone classics by the Rude Boyz. Another busy pub full of happy people.

Back into town at around 7.30pm and I could hear live music coming from everywhere, including the unlikely setting of the bucket and spade section of the Clock Tower Cafe, where dance music DJ Hux was turning Morecambe into Ibiza!

Across the road to the Brittlestar for singer-guitarist Anthony Huddleston. The wine bar and coffee house was teeming with people in high spirits. Seeing Morecambe so busy really warms the heart!

The Lord Nelson was also chocka for Dane Piercy on Saturday evening, while Melanie Horabin (below) had everyone up and dancing at The Masons.

Meanwhile at the King's Arms, I had a chat with the festival's oldest fan, 92-year-old Roger Obertelli, enjoyed a rousing set by The Flatlanders, and met this stylish gentleman below!

After speaking to a local couple who were loving the festival and were enjoying an evening meal sitting outside Miaitalia restaurant on Queen Street, I visited Fusion Sports Bar on Pedder Street. Leon Knight was the evening performer, and owner Marcus Harrington said he was also looking forward to Sunday, when John Blaylock was coming in to warm up fans for the Euros final with some England songs! Pictured below are festival fans enjoying the music in Fusion.

Speaking of England, The Howling Clowns whipped up a football frenzy at The Palatine by including 'Three Lions' as part of their typically upbeat set. The Clowns were brilliant value as always, entertaining a crowd which included festival organiser Stuart Michaels and top Lancaster singer, and former finalist on The X Factor, Paul Akister.

My Saturday evening ended with everyone in the party mood at Smokey O'Connors, for a terrific performance by Emma and Martin from the duo Blue Bay.

SUNDAY JULY 14

The final day of the festival and nerves were jangling ahead of England's big match! So I steadied them with a visit to Miogelato on the corner of Queen Street and the Prom for a chat with proprietor David Waddington, who talked about the positive impact the festival has on local businesses such as his.

At Lewis's Coffee Shop on the seafront, 1940s singer Rachel Grace was singing classic vintage tunes and one couple got up to dance in the middle of the packed cafe which was a lovely moment.

Music was continuing all over the town centre, including from Dan Doherty in the beer garden at Harry's Bar. Meanwhile England fans were already taking up tables at Johnny's Warehouse Bar to enjoy music from The Shivers, and to reserve their spots ahead of the match, eight hours before kick-off! Beyond Radio's Phill Hayward, pictured here with Beyond Bear, has been one of Johnny's resident DJs during the tournament.

The weather was just about staying dry, meaning the Morecambe Hotel beer garden was full of families enjoying the sounds of duo Just Country (below).

At The York, charismatic showman Mark Greenshields was a big draw as he brought his Meatloaf tribute act to the Lancaster Road pub on the festival Sunday afternoon for the second year running.

Another high quality tribute pulled families to the field at the back of the Trimpell Club on Sunday. Carrie Fern as Taylor Swift drew an adoring crowd of little girls who watched agog from in front of the stage, enjoying a fabulous performance of hits from the pop megastar.

At Coffey's Bar on Lancaster Road, Elena Reeve continued to show why she's one of our local area's most promising talents. The teenager's sensational vocals have been likened to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston and once again, she did not disappoint.

Down the cycle track to my final destination, The Station Promenade, where the number of England shirts was really starting to become noticeable!

Local band Antiks were on stage powering out plenty of heavy rock hits for the Sunday teatime throng.

I also had time to catch the very end of the performance outside Rita's Cafe by Carnforth's superb singing sisters, Gabriella and Jasmine T. They were getting ready for the match too!

Sadly for me and many other football fans, Sunday ended on a downer with England's defeat to Spain, which I watched on a big screen upstairs at the King's Arms.

But this won't sour my memories of another action-packed Morecambe Music Festival.

Once again Morecambe was buzzing like during its golden days. Venues were packed, spirits were high, and the amount of talent on show proved that our local music scene is thriving.

Can't wait for next year to do my tour all over again!