Lightport, an interactive visual and sound event created by Lucid Creates, continues on Lord Street on Sunday and Monday night, between 5pm and 9pm
OTS News was invited by Sefton Council to a test rehearsal and press event on Friday evening.
It’s worth remembering that Lightport wasn’t really curated and designed with me in mind. This is actually two reviews, then. The first through my own eyes: those of a cynical, unfit, aging father of two who earns a living from scrutinising the council, and those of my five-year-old son, whose primary job is to just be a five-year-old.
From his point of view, Lightport is a total success. He excitedly dragged me — twice — through each of the four zones set up along Lord Street, demanding my phone throughout to take his own pictures.
The display between the two sections of the war memorial, where smoke and lasers fill the sky, is genuinely breathtaking. The rest of it did sort of leave me wondering: ‘is that it’?
Back to Boy-o. Having wandered through the entirety of Lightport, from the Mermaid pool by Sainsburys, past the war memorial, past the church gardens, you are met with a striking 10m portal of rainbow light. When he could finally walk through it (“sorry mate, we need to wait for Granada Reports.”) he insisted that I filmed him dancing in the middle of it.
Honestly, he had a blast. But it was a short-lived blast as after 20 or so minutes, enough time for us to stroll through the entire setup twice, he was asking to go home. To be fair, we were attending an unadvertised press event on Friday. Saturday’s crowds were much bigger and Lightport probably took much longer to browse properly.
While writing this piece my son and I conducted a thorough review process. It went like this:
“Remember the lights we saw on Friday mate? What did you think of it?”
“It was……. great!!”
“Ok. What was the best bit about it?”
“….. All of it!!”
“Ok! Could they have made it better?”
“Erm…. no!”
“Good chat mate!”
I, however, am wired to ask the more miserable questions. What’s the point? Why here? Why now? It’s essential I suck the fun out of everything by asking how much it cost.
As a proof of concept, Lightport works very, very well. Some of the visual displays, again primarily the lasers between the war memorials, look genuinely incredible. It must be said that making the event free was an excellent and public-spirited decision.
It felt a little short. I wonder if this was a test event for something larger that may develop over time. There is, undeniably, potential for something bigger. All reports from the real launch on Saturday suggest it was well attended, which will surely be welcomed by businesses in the town centre. I think for that alone, the Council probably deserve a pat on the back.
I just felt like the event was perhaps a missed opportunity — that sticking up some lights wasn’t, on its own, a worthwhile event. In my teenage years, before the Fireworks Championships were cruelly locked behind park gates away from public view, those nights were the primary social event of the year. Everything was happening, everyone was out, everyone was having fun in a loud and bright carnival atmosphere. I wish Lightport felt like that, and I suspect it could have with a bit more planning. Again, I suspect the proper launch on Saturday felt much closer.
I confess I also felt slightly uncomfortable with the war memorial being used as part of the display. Admittedly, there are no permanent changes to the structure and nothing that would cause damage. It might be old fashioned of me to wonder if the structure deserves more solemnity and respect. The only other slight grumble is that the smoke was so thick at one point, I couldn’t see two inches in front of my face and nearly stumbled down some of the war memorial steps.
I think Lightport is certainly a worthwhile event, but only if it comes back. If this event is used as a test, as an experiment to come back bigger and brighter, then it’s absolutely worth supporting.
The key thing though, is that my son really, really enjoyed it and I’m sure your kids will too.
Lightport continues Sunday and Monday evening, between 5pm and 9pm.