LIVERPOOL’S NI MAXINE ANNOUNCES ‘THE COMMON ROOM’

Fresh from the release of her debut EP Mother’s Arms and a run of intimate UK tour dates, Liverpool-based neo-jazz artist and curator Ni Maxine is inviting audiences into a different kind of cultural gathering with The Common Room, taking place on Tuesday 30th June 2026 at The Gallery at The Black-E.

Running from 6:30pm – 10:30pm, ‘The Common Room’ transforms the gallery into a warm, welcoming listening room where music, conversation and community take precedence over traditional nightlife expectations. Combining a hi-fi listening experience with a shared meal and mocktails, the event offers a space for people to slow down, rest and reconnect through a carefully curated selection of records centring Black stories and experiences.

Guests are invited to leave their shoes at the door and settle into what Maxine describes as a “soft sound sanctuary”, an intentionally Black female-led, queer-friendly, sober and intergenerational environment designed to foster cultural exchange and quiet connection.

Known for her emotionally rich songwriting and affinity with jazz and soul traditions, Maxine has spent the past year building momentum following the release of Mother’s Arms via Ripe Records, an acclaimed debut EP exploring identity, generational trauma and belonging. 

The project was accompanied by a regional UK tour, including dates in Liverpool, Newcastle, Margate, London and Brighton, where audiences were introduced to her vision of live music as a sober-friendly, emotionally open space for connection and reflection.

That ethos now expands beyond performance and into curation.

“A big part of the inspiration behind these events comes from a pair of vintage Tannoy (SRM 12X) studio monitors that my mum passed down to me when I moved to Liverpool, in a house similar to the one she was raised in, just across the park. 

Growing up, music was always playing in the house: reggae CDs on Valentine’s Day mornings before school, discovering albums like ‘The ArchAndroid’ (Janelle Monae), given to me by my Uncle Roy (the first time I met him in New York) and, of course, studying ‘Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook’ which shaped so much of my early vocal style. I didn’t understand how special those listening experiences were at the time.” – Ni Maxine

Hosted and envisioned by Maxine, whose previous community-focused work includes event programming at Granby Winter Garden, ‘The Common Room’ reflects her ongoing commitment to creating spaces that heal, connect and put people first. The iconic ‘Sun Palace Sound System’ will be providing speakers for the night. Widely recognised by the audiophile community and We Out Here Festival-goers, their ‘Baby Pink’ sound system is arguably the best sound in Liverpool, and possibly the UK.

Speaking about the event, Maxine says:

“It can be a real challenge to find gathering places in the city centre that centre music and our capacity to connect with ourselves and like-minded people without the pressure to drink. As a sober and (likely) neurodivergent Black woman, I wanted to create an accessible communal ‘third space’ where people can leave feeling rested, nourished and connected.

‘The Common Room’ invites anyone seeking an alternative gathering space to listen deeply to a curation of records centring the Black experience. Nodding to the concept of the college Common Room, the idea is that everyone feels welcome and can interact with the space in a way that suits their needs while considering others. Respect is the foundation. Listening is the intention.”

With community ticket options available to help remove barriers to access, ‘The Common Room’ is designed to be as inclusive as it is intentional, offering an alternative vision of nightlife rooted in care, culture and collective wellbeing.

EVENT DETAILS

The Common Room with Ni Maxine
Tuesday 30th June 2026
The Gallery at The Black-E, Liverpool
6:30pm – 10:30pm
Tickets: £10
Community ticket options available