10 Reasons why we love Liverpool's, Louis Berry

Louis Berry exploded onto the UK music scene a few years back now, signing a publishing deal at his first gig and a record deal at his second.

From then he constantly giving us new music that shows him getting better and better with every release whilst touring the globe nonstop.

Ahead of his sold out, hometown show at District, we wanted to tell you exactly why we love him so much.

His Voice

Louis Berry is a born and bred scouser, something that you can hear as soon as he opens his mouth to sing. Many singers these days have acquired some sort of American accent, but not Louis. His voice is raw, soulful and powerful, sounding like something straight out of the 60s, with a Mersey edge. This soulful side to Berry’s vocal is what sets his entire sound apart from other singer songwriters in a similar style. His latest single, Stumbling, really shows this side of him off.

His Guitar Skills

Imagine if Johnny Cash had been born on Mersyside…well, we don’t have to, because Louis Berry is bringing Cash’s country style into the 21^st Century through his acoustic playing. Whether soft, finger picking on a ballad, or raucous strumming on a rockabilly tune, Berry has more than a touch of Cash in his playing. The only time that this isn’t seen is when he takes up his white, Les Paul (electric guitar), transferring that frantic country strumming style into being a more Punk Rock affair.

His Attitude

Berry has a no nonsense approach to his music, interviews and what he says on social media; he says what he thinks and doesn’t apologise for having his own opinion, something that we Scousers appreciate and are even a little famous for. Berry is outspoken about being an authentic artist that plays an instrument and hones their craft, rather than “pressing play on a laptop”.

His Roots

Coming from Tower Hill, in Kirkby, Louis Berry is an example of what can be achieved with hard work. He now tours the world with his band and is a regular on Radio 1, but hasn’t lost sight of where he has come from, even being proud of it as it shapes much of the commentary in his lyrics and the sound of the music itself. He was given his grandfathers banjo when he was a nipper before migrating on to guitar, and those country inflected beginnings (the banjo) can even be seen his music today.

His Lyrics

To say that Berry wears his heart on his sleeve would be an understatement. He prides himself on using personal experiences and true stories throughout his songs, making him a truly authentic artist. From gun crime and drug addiction in his family to inner city homelessness and poverty, Berry bares all throughout his lyrics, something that is not only rare, but also very important, raising these issues and allowing them to be spoken about, coming from someone who has experienced them first hand.

His Songs

On the flipside of the heartfelt and authentic lyrics, his tunes are just outright bangers. Not in the sense that they’re going to be played in clubs, but in a good, old fashioned Rock ‘n’ Roll sense. Berry’s style wavers from Folk to Rock and brings a taste of Indie, Country and Acoustic Pop along with it. If Johnny Cash, The Beatles and Alex Turner wrote together, then they might get close to Louis Berry’s songs. His latest track, Stumbling also reminds us slightly of Rag n’ Bone Man, showing us that it’s not just the old school that influences him, he’s got relevance today.

His Style

You can tell that he is one of us just by looking at him. It can be hard to put your finger on, but from his hair cut to the way he holds himself, you can tell that he’s a scouser through and through. Maybe it’s the parka jacket, the polo shirt done up to the top or the bomber jacket. Maybe it’s the classic guitars he uses, reminding us of The Beatles or, more recently, The Zutons. Either way, a scouser knows another scouser when they see one.

His Band

We’ve got a bit of insider knowledge here at The Guide Liverpool – Louis Berry’s backing band is made up of local musicians and always has been. From the drummer to the backing vocalists, Berry has used local muso’s and LIPA students to back him up whilst touring the UK and Europe. It’s easy to go ahead with any old musician that the label wants to put you with when you hit a certain level, but, ever sticking to his roots, Berry has kept a group of locals together, including solo artist in his own right, Mylo Waters amongst others.

His Live Show

It wouldn’t be right for Louis Berry to be as outspoken as he is about playing what he would call “real instruments” if he couldn’t back it all up where it counts: live. Well, obviously, he can. He has stormed big stages such as LIMF and other European festivals, as well as sell out club gigs, rallying the crowd, and himself, into a frenzy. He uses the stage to further voice his opinions and story of a broken background to his fan base, loudly and proudly.

His Videos

Music videos are another way that Louis Berry tells his story. You won’t find mindless dance videos here, folks, each video helps tell the story and show the reality of life for a lot of people. Whether its running away from the police in 25 Reasons or the tale of a family in Restless, Berry’s videos are as intelligent as they are enjoyable.

Berry has recently just been confirmed to support Liam Gallagher, so it doesn’t look like things are calming down for him, and we couldn’t be more pleased for him. His work ethic is just another reason why we love Louis Berry.