Combining various guitar techniques together with a great sense of melody, Brazilian guitarist Oliver Christian, AKA Liverplate, has been drawing recent attention for his style of guitar playing, his fresh musical compositions which blend rock, metal, and Latin genres together, and his several awards from some of the most important international guitar contests. He has been recognized by musicians from all around the world and has been praised by Megadeth guitarist, Kiko Loureiro.
Starting at age 14, Oliver created videos as a way to measure and track his development on the guitar and uploaded some of them online to share his progress with friends. Through this, he started to become recognized in his hometown of Maceió, AL, which lead him to join and perform in several local cover bands. Encouraged by other musicians who saw the huge potential he had as a guitarist, in 2012, Oliver aimed to develop his playing further and gain visibility by joining online guitar contests. This decision only increased his hunger to learn more about composition and music production.
Two years later, Oliver put all the knowledge he gathered into a personal desire to have a musical project of his own. With other two friends, Oliver founded Heartless, a Metalcore/Post Hardcore band with which he has composed, produced, and released three singles: “Inevitable Guest” (2014), “Like a Whisper” (2014), and “Thelema” (2015). From 2014 to 2016, Oliver focused on live performances and gigging with his band, as well as being a sideman for other bands from the same genres. In 2018, Oliver established himself as a solo artist, with the goal of showcasing his musical background and influences more prominently in his musicianship.
In 2020, Oliver won several awards in some of the most prestigious international guitar solo contests, including #WinSarahSig and Uppsala XVII International Guitar Festival. At the same time, he was producing and finishing his first work as a solo artist under the name Liverplate and released his debut EP Imagine Niño in December of 2021. With a great fusion of rock, metal, and Latin styles with a modern approach, Oliver was finally able to show his identity as an artist. Imagine Niño features four tracks: “Amarelo”, “Nico”, “Imagine Niño”, and “Déjà Vú”, and tells, through beautiful catchy melodies, tight riffs, amazing guitar solos, and spicy grooves, part of his childhood story by highlighting special characters and moments from growing up. In 2022, Oliver released his Spicy Latin Fusion guitar lesson pack via JTC Guitar.
“.strandberg* guitars are universal! It’s where the modern meets the classic, in design, looks, and sonic profile. This gives the player the freedom to visit and experiment with different styles and genres, working perfectly from jazz to metal. There’s no limit to your playing. A truly ‘all-in-one’ guitar!” – Liverplate
Be sure to follow Liverplate on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
Photos by Victor Gonzalez, Iasmim Ribeiro, and Oliver Christian.