A new mural was unveiled today on the exterior of SP Energy Networks’ Mathew Street substation, one of the company’s key sites in the heart of Liverpool. The artwork celebrates 100 musical icons who have shaped Liverpool’s cultural heritage, past, present and future. From The Beatles to OMD, The Teardrop Explodes to Frankie Goes to Hollywood, each figure reflects the city’s rich and diverse soundtrack.
The mural is designed and created by renowned artist, Joe Venning and is funded by SP Energy Networks and The Beatles Story via The Beatles Legacy Group and facilitated by Liverpool Business Improvement District. As part of a wider £1million investment in the site, SP Energy Networks has contributed £25,000 to the installation of the mural.
Wirral based artist Joseph Venning has designed a mural which is 15m wide and pictures 100 musicians as an audience, with Mathew St as the stage itself. The mural covers the exterior of SP Energy Networks’ substation wall, a site that has long been part of the fabric of Mathew Street and is just a few steps from The Cavern and Eric’s, two iconic music venues that have shaped music history both in Liverpool and across the world.
SP Energy Networks has been serving Liverpool since 1996, powering the city through three decades of change. Just as Liverpool has thrived and transformed over the years, the electricity network has evolved alongside it. The mural captures that shared journey, reflecting the city’s cultural vibrancy and SP Energy Networks’ pride in supporting the communities it serves. It also celebrates SP Energy Networks’ role in powering Liverpool’s cultural life, weaving together visual references to renewable energy, electrical infrastructure and the city’s sustainability ambitions.
Today, SP Energy Networks supplies electricity to around 700,000 customers across the Liverpool City Region. In line with its long-term commitment to the area, £240 million is being invested in upgrading the electricity distribution network across Merseyside and Wirral through to 2028. SP Energy’s Networks investment will help build and maintain a safe, stable, and reliable network, powering the city and supporting the local community’s green ambitions.
Scott Mathieson, Director of Network Planning and Regulation at SP Energy Networks, says: "Liverpool’s music has echoed around the world and this mural brings that energy right back to the heart of the city. Our substation has long been part of the fabric of Mathew Street, on the doorstep of Liverpool's most iconic live music venues. Mathew Street is at the heart of Liverpool's creative community and we’re proud to celebrate the cultural icons that helped shape Liverpool's spirit and inspire generations.
“It’s been a pleasure working with Liverpool BID, The Beatles Legacy Group and the artist Joseph Venning to ensure the environment is reflective of the culture and ambition of Liverpool at a time when we’re investing record amounts into the local electricity network infrastructure.”
The musicians celebrated in the mural range from Sir Paul McCartney and Ian Broudie to Louisa Roach, Abi Harding, Mick Head, Carol Decker, Andy McCluskey, Holly Johnson, Jayne Casey, Chris Amoo, Mike McGear and Kingsize Taylors. The bands featured include Red Rum Club, Camelphat, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Wombats, Dead or Alive, The Icicle Works and The Swinging Blue Jeans, together forming a visual celebration of Liverpool’s rich musical heritage.
Artist Joe Venning says he wants people to make connections through the artists featured, from dance music and disco: “The musicians in the crowd scene are arranged in roughly chronological order with the contemporary artists at the front and the Merseybeat era bands further back, to form a timeline of sorts.
“Whilst painting I started seeing connections between bands I hadn't noticed before. The lineage of indie is pretty obvious from The Cavern bands to Jamie Webster via The Las, The Farm, The Zutons etc. You can also trace the family tree of dance music from CamelPhat back through the original 90's Cream DJs and The KLF, and then through earlier electronica acts like OMD and further still into Disco with The Real Thing. I hope viewers will start seeing these kinds of connections too.
“You don't see many murals where members of Atomic Kitten rub shoulders with members of Carcass!”
Peter Hooton, Chair of The Beatles Legacy Group, who have co-funded the mural, and founding member of The Farm, says: “We are really excited about this brilliant new mural which brings to life Liverpool's musical heritage, in the heart of the city. Tourists flock to Mathew St because of its bars and clubs but also because of its history, so it is fitting that it is located near to The Cavern and Eric's, the venues that shaped much of that history. People will undoubtedly spend time pointing out the artists on the mural that have contributed so much to the culture of the city.”
Bill Addy, CEO of Liverpool Business Improvement District, added: “We are delighted to be supporting this mural, which puts the legacy and impact of our city’s music centre stage. Mathew Street’s musical heritage is one of the reasons tourists visit from across the world. The Cavern Quarter is such a distinctive and vital part of our city, the artworks throughout it are part of a visual storytelling, showcasing why the spirit of this place is such a passionate one”.