The very first concert of this type will take place at Liverpool’s most prestigious concert venue the Philharmonic Hall on 22 October. The inaugural Irish Sea Sessions is part super group, part colossal session and part festival, all in a single gig.

A mass rank of exceptional musicians from Liverpool and Ireland will unite on one stage to enjoy the musical connections between the city, the island it looks out to across the waves, and those who pass through Liverpool en route to, or from, Ireland.

Ian says: “I feel immensely honoured, and a little bit nervous, to be representing Liverpool in among so many fantastic Irish musicians. We’re going to make a hell of a racket between us, as the only rock and roller in the troupe I’ll be providing the backstage egotistical ravings.”

The Irish Sea Sessions take place next Friday, October 22, at 7.30pm. Tickets £15 or £20 from 0151 709 3789 or www.liverpoolphil.com.

This huge project not only brings together a wealth of music, talent and skills, but people too, musicians and audiences from both sides of the Irish Sea coming together to celebrate their shared roots and music.

14 musicians sharing equal billing will spend the days leading up to the Irish Sea Sessions in the city, creating new arrangements of traditional tunes and each other’s songs, and presenting them here in session format but filling the stage of the concert hall.

Guitars, flutes, pipes, singers, fiddles, bodhran, whistles and some of the most exciting musicianship you’ll see, will combine to revel in the special bond between Liverpool and Ireland and the music that is so much part of both their identities.