Liverpool is a brilliant city to make a music video in, and it is not hard to see why. Within a couple of miles you have warehouses and street art, a waterfront, one of the biggest cathedrals in Europe, neon lit back streets and a beach full of iron statues.
I have already written about the best photoshoot locations in Liverpool. This guide is different. It is about places that work for moving pictures: space to perform, light that changes as you move, and backgrounds with enough depth for a camera to travel through. These are the spots I suggest when I plan music videos in Liverpool.
The short version
- Baltic Triangle for warehouses, street art and club energy.
- The north docks for big industrial space and empty roads.
- Liverpool Cathedral for scale and sound, with permission.
- Ropewalks at night for neon, rain and city life.
- Council land needs a permit through the Liverpool Film Office.
1. The Baltic Triangle
Old warehouses, huge murals, independent venues and a proper late night feel. It suits hip hop, dance, electronic, indie and anything with an urban edge. Walls change every few months as new art goes up, so it never looks the same twice.
Best time: early weekend mornings for empty streets, or golden hour when the brick glows. Watch for: private yards and car parks, which need the owner’s say so.
2. The north docks and Regent Road
Head north along the waterfront and the city gets bigger and emptier: long brick walls, old warehouses, dock gates and wide roads. It is ideal for walking shots, car scenes and anything that needs a sense of scale or isolation.
Best time: Sunday mornings and blue hour. Watch for: many areas are private or working docks, so stick to public spaces or get permission.
3. Liverpool Cathedral
The Anglican Cathedral is enormous, and it sounds as good as it looks. It hosts concerts and events, and it gives performance films a sense of occasion that no studio can match.
Best for: ballads, gospel, choirs, big live sessions. Permission: filming inside needs to be arranged with the cathedral directly.
4. Ropewalks and Bold Street at night
Seel Street, Wood Street, Slater Street and Bold Street after dark give you neon, shop light, wet pavements and people. It is the easiest place in the city to make a night video look cinematic without bringing many lights.
Best time: after rain, midweek. Watch for: crowds at weekends and filming people who have not agreed to be in it. Keep them in the background and unrecognisable.
5. The waterfront at blue hour
The Royal Albert Dock and the Pier Head are postcard famous in daylight. For a video, the magic is the twenty minutes after sunset, when the sky turns deep blue and the city lights come on. It works beautifully for slow, emotional songs.
6. Crosby Beach and Another Place
Antony Gormley’s iron figures stand across miles of sand just north of the city. Big skies, huge tides and a hundred silent statues give you instant atmosphere. It is in Sefton rather than Liverpool, so check permissions with Sefton Council for anything beyond a small crew.
Watch for: the tide. It comes in fast across flat sand, so check the times and keep an eye out.
7. The Georgian Quarter and Hope Street
Tall townhouses, painted doors, iron railings and two cathedrals at either end of one street. It suits softer, period or romantic songs, and walking duets.
8. Small venues, studios and rehearsal rooms
Do not overlook the obvious. A small venue in the daytime, with its own stage lights, is a ready made set. Many will hire out the room for a few hours before doors. A rehearsal room or a photography studio gives you full control of light and sound, and no weather.
| Location | Vibe | Best time | Permission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltic Triangle | Urban, street art, club | Early morning, golden hour | Public streets via Film Office, yards via owners |
| North docks | Industrial, lonely, big | Sunday morning, blue hour | Mix of council and private land |
| Liverpool Cathedral | Epic, spiritual, live | By arrangement | The cathedral |
| Ropewalks at night | Neon, rain, energy | After rain, midweek | Liverpool Film Office |
| Waterfront | Emotional, iconic | Blue hour | Liverpool Film Office and site owners |
| Crosby Beach | Surreal, open, cinematic | Sunset, check the tide | Sefton Council |
| Small venue or studio | Controlled, live, intimate | Daytime before doors | The venue |
Permission, drones and being a good neighbour
Filming on Liverpool City Council land, buildings and public highways needs permission through the Liverpool Film Office. They run a permit system and offer free help with locations, parking and liaison, so contact them early with your date, crew size and what you plan to film.
Drones need a properly qualified operator and have their own rules, and parts of south Liverpool sit near the airport. If you want aerial shots, bring in someone who flies commercially rather than risking it.
And be kind to the people around you. Keep kit tidy, do not block pavements or doors, and thank anyone who helped. Liverpool is a friendly city to film in, and it stays that way when crews leave places as they found them.
Questions artists ask
Where can I film a music video in Liverpool?
Popular choices are the Baltic Triangle, the north docks, the Ropewalks at night, the waterfront at blue hour, Liverpool Cathedral, the Georgian Quarter and Crosby Beach, plus small venues and studios.
Do I need a permit to film in Liverpool?
Filming on Liverpool City Council land, buildings or public highways needs permission through the Liverpool Film Office. Private locations need the owner’s permission.
Can I film at Crosby Beach?
Crosby Beach is in Sefton, so check with Sefton Council for anything beyond a small crew, and always check the tide times.
What is the best time of day to film outdoors?
Early morning for empty streets, golden hour for warm light, and blue hour just after sunset for city lights with a deep blue sky.
Can you help find and arrange a location?
Yes. When I plan a music video I suggest locations that suit the song and help sort out who to ask for permission.
More guides for musicians: The best photoshoot locations in Liverpool · How to make a music video on a budget · Planning content for a release.
Know the place, need the video?
Let’s film it in Liverpool
Tell me about the song and I will suggest the location, the look and the plan.