Guaranteed to raise a smile! Our pop critic's verdict on Liverpool's Sgt Pepper celebrations

Lucy in the Sky fireworks, A Day in the Life of the living dead, Lovely Rita’s parking meter parade … Beatlemania is gripping Liverpool. Our writer dives in

Among the selection of vast advertising hoardings lining Liverpool’s Erskine Street, one currently stands out. If you’re driving into the city, it suddenly confronts you with an immense black and white image of the Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, in profile, his hand resting on his chin, as if listening intently to someone. The other side of the hoarding bears a message: “Brian Epstein died for you.”

The same two images keep cropping up around the city centre: on an electronic billboard at Lime Street Station, flyposted on the windows of empty shops, alongside adverts for new albums and forthcoming gigs. This is artist Jeremy Deller’s contribution to Sgt Pepper at 50: “Sixteen days of performances, installations, spectacular outdoor shows, music, theatre and dance” celebrating the golden anniversary of the classic Beatles album’s release.