Liverpool’s acclaimed Tea Street Band have built a global fan base since bursting onto the music scene – and they will headline the three-day Liverpool Loves festival next month.

The four-piece band will headline Liverpool Loves Festival Day at Pier Head Liverpool on Saturday 6 August when they perform on the Main Stage – hosted by a presenter Dave Monks from BBC Radio Merseyside, a champion of new music.

After scooping the prestigious accolade to be named as Small Tourism Event of the Year at this year’s Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards, Liverpool Loves is growing for 2016.

Liverpool Loves Festival Day will showcase the best of the city’s thriving local music and culture scene. This will be delivered through a wide programme of quality artists across five separate stages – inviting visitors to experience a free public event which features a packed programme of live entertainment, representing the city’s status as a UNESCO City of Music.

BBC Radio Merseyside’s programme on the Main Stage will run between 5pm and 9pm and will round off the Festival Day schedule, which runs from 9am. Tea Street Band will be joined by The Wicked Whispers, The Night Café and Bribes.

Tea Street Band are Timo Tierney, Nick Otaegui, Lee Smith and Dom Allen. Since the release of their debut self-titled album in 2014 on Liverpool’s Baltic Records label, Tea Street Band have played the main stage at a host of British festivals; toured with Inspiral Carpets and Jimi Goodwin (Doves); and also played with The Charlatans at Liverpool’s very own spectacular St George’s Hall.

Their unique sound has already resulted in building a global fan base. Extensive tours have already seen the band perform gigs across Europe, as well as dates in New York, Sydney, Melbourne and Seoul. Their industry fans include Liverpool’s Radio 2 DJ Janice Long; John Kennedy of XFM; Jo Good; Clint Boon; and Rob Da Bank.

Tea Street Band commented:

“It’s an absolute honour to be asked to headline Liverpool Loves Festival Day 2016.We’ll always be grateful for the support our home town gave us when we started on our musical journey – so this is a massive milestone for us. We’re very proud to fly the Liverpool flag all over the world when touring, so we cannot wait to be back on home soil to perform and showcase our fantastic city. Come and join us, it’s going to be a brilliant day.”

BBC Radio Merseyside’s line-up on the Main Stage will also feature The Wicked Whispers, The Night Café and Bribes.

The Wicked Whispers have become one of the UK’s most exciting British bands in the current flourishing psychedelic climate. The 5-piece band – Mike Murphy, Toby Virgo, Andy Smith, Steven Penn, Nathan Sayer – continue to tread their own path. Their sound is formed around catchy pop-centric melodies and solid songwriting – elements which have set them apart from their contemporaries.

The Night Café grew up in the same area of Liverpool and separately developed a love for playing music while at secondary school. It took a while for the four band members to be introduced through mutual friends, but they soon discovered a natural chemistry and talent for songwriting. The band – Sean Martin, Josh Higgins, Arran O’Connell and Carl Dillon – shot to prominence last year when debut song, Growing Up, appeared on SoundCloud and racked up more than 395,000 spins. With their infectious rhythm and melodic crispness, the 18-year-olds are definitely ones to watch in 2016.

Bribes are breaking through with their distinctive rock and roll sound – and have just been signed with a management contract by Polydor Records. Be one of the first to see them live at Liverpool Loves.

The Main Stage afternoon programme with The Guide Liverpool runs from 12pm to 5pm and will be hosted by The Guide Liverpool’s Jay Hynd. Now also confirmed is Liverpool songstress Mersey Wylie and her band.

Singer songwriter Mersey Wylie is widely known for her soulful voice, and in regular years she has become a familiar face and voice on the Liverpool music scene.

Mersey joins The Guide Liverpool programme, featuring a mix of genres from indie-pop and dance acts to 10-piece funk bands. The set will be headlined by The Hummingbirds and will also include Halem; The Native Kings; The Soul Rays; Shamona; Clare Sophia; Deliah; Eleanor Nelly; Spink; Joe Slater; and DJs Liam Hincks b2b Lee Butler.

The CultureBox Stage will see two special guest performances from legendary Liverpool selectors DJ Bernie Connorand the acclaimed Greg Wilson – as well a host of cultural shows from international communities in the region and festival partners like China Pearl; Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival and more.

To round up this year’s programme – new breakthrough music talent will be showcased by Liverpool SoulFest and Liverpool Disco Festival at Bar Funk, alongside acoustic performances on the Merseyrail SoundStation Pop-Up.

Visitors can look forward to a full programme at Bar Funk between 12pm and 9pm with programmes from SoulFestand Liverpool Disco Festival.

Now added to the SoulFest lineup is Shan Smile, a 23-year-old singer songwriter. She graduated from The BRIT School with a Music Business Degree. She already has the support from Alicia Keys, Lianne La Havas and Mali Music.A regular on the London and wider UK music venue scene, Shan’s style is soulful and uplifting.

SoulFest runs from 12pm to 5pm, and joining Shan Smile are Little Grace; Spxken; Xtine; Chesqua; Luke Cusato; and Lyons & Le Zel. Then from 5pm to 9pm, Liverpool Disco Festival welcome Andy Ash and Liverpool Disco Festival residents.

Returning for its second year is the Merseyrail Sound Station Pop-Up, with performances between 12pm and 5pm. Acts confirmed so far are Lumen; Astles; and Eleanor Nelly.

The Rider Stage will be presented by John Gibbons of The Anfield Wrap between 12pm and 6pm, and will feature The Ragamuffins; The Cheap Thrills; Shellsuit; The Bad Habits; The Jjohns; and Jo Symes and The Loving Kind. These young, buzz bands are from across Liverpool and represent areas from Huyton to Anfield and Aigburth to Walton.

Liverpool Loves attracted more than 27,000 visitors across the weekend in 2015 to celebrate everything that is fantastic about the City Region – with the spotlight falling on the four key themes of Business, Culture, Food and Wellbeing.

Liverpool Loves 2016 takes place over three days – Liverpool Loves Business on Thursday 4 August; Liverpool Loves Merseybeat on Friday 5 August; and Liverpool Loves Festival Day on Saturday 6 August.

Liverpool Loves is organised by Orb CIC, a Liverpool-based social enterprise with a strong proven track record in staging major city events and festivals.

Follow us on Facebook/Liverpool Loves; Twitter @LiverpoolLoves or you can visit the website at www.liverpoolloves.co.uk