The first ever HOPE Fest is set to be a blinder. A two-day music festival, in aid of TheHOPE Project (a young, volunteer-led organisation founded by Colin Dobie to help the homeless) will be held over the weekend of 8th - 9th March at The Brink and Lomax respectively.
The brainchild of HOPE Project associate singer/songwriter Anna Grace Henney, some thirty bands and solo acts from as near as Liverpool and as far as Australia, have given their time to play over the weekend - bands such as Osaka Punch, Joe Symes & The LovingKind, Field Trip to the Moon, Low Winter Sun, The Soul Rays, and Freq
HOPE Fest takes a unique approach to entry fees: rather than be charged a flat fee, festival-goers are instead encouraged to bring essential commodities which the charity can put to direct use. All they ask is that you bring a donation or an item from their list of needed supplies. In exchange for this gift, you will have access to live gigs performed by the best new talent -local and from further afield. And you will have the satisfaction of knowing you have improved the life of somebody, who is down on their luck. 
The HOPE Project volunteers go out onto the streets six nights a week offering a hot drink, food and lots of love and smiles to our city's homeless. They have also helped set up projects in Warrington, St Helens and as far as Barcelona, with plans to expand further.
Osaka Punch
Hailing from Australia, Osaka Punch have some 300+ shows under their belts, over their four years of performing. Promoters of Australia’s biggest festivals such as Big Day Out, and Sounds of Spring have issued 100% unsolicited requests for appearances based solely on word of mouth surrounding live performances of this five piece. Formerly the Kidney Thieves, the group’s distinctive fusion of achingly catchy grooves with jazz chops and a metal ethos has already inspired a spat of copycat bands along Australia's Eastern seaboard and has seen them reluctantly credited with the emergence of Djent-Funk as a genre.Joe Symes & The Loving Kind
Joe Symes and the Loving Kind are an original five piece acoustic rock outfit from Liverpool UK. The group has spent the last year launching their explosive assault on UK clubs and festivals. Not every band gets the privilege to play at Noël Gallagher and The High Flying Birds Official After Show Party but Joe Symes & TLK did. and when you hear them you'll know why! JS&TLK have also been invited to be the support act for Steve Cradock (Paul Weller / Ocean Colour Scene) at the 02 Academy, Liverpool and also The Blockheads at the iconic Eric’s in Liverpool.
Field TripTo The Moon
They are an alternative band formed in 2012 in London by Daniel G Jones (Two Way Analog/Danny Dodge) and Angela Christofilou, who's eclectic background somehow has translated a swampy-theatrical sci-fi alternative rock sound into the songs.
Other artists confirmed to play...Futurejack
Anna Grace Henney
Anna Grace HenneyAlexandra JayneEleanor Nelly
Gary Gardner
Mark Alan Irwin
Freq
The MekanoSet
MerseyBelles
TwistedTrees
Path Unknown
Andy Knight
Terry Gray
The SoulRays
SteveThompson
Alexandra Jayne
Hope and Grace
MickFlaherty
The GoodHost
Andy Cowan
Low WinterSun
MichaelBennett
Adam Dickson
Billy Kelly
The approved items HOPE will accept as a donation on the door are as follows:
Hat
Scarf
Socks
Sleeping bag
Block of cheese
Jar of coffee
Packet of tea bags
Biscuits/chocolate
Multipack of crisps
Self heating hand warmers
Fabric shopping trolleys
Thermal flasks
