November 2014
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www.brumnotes.com music and lifestyle for the west midlands
THE RETURN OF THE RUDE BOYS
THE SPECIALS INSIDE: GOODNIGHT LENIN LITTLE DRAGON SWEET BABOO CIRCA WAVES CHRIS TYE CHARLOTTE CARPENTER
OF
IN THE WEST MIDLANDS
ALSO: COMEDIAN ROMESH RANGANATHAN / WIN A £100 BAR TAB FOR THE VENUE OF YOUR CHOICE / THIS MONTH’S BEST NEW ALBUMS / YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON IN NOVEMBER November 2014
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Sun 23rd Nov • £24.50 adv
The Gaslight Anthem + Deer Tick + Bayside
OVER 18S ONLY - PROOF OF AGE REQUIRED
Sat 1st Nov • £34.50 adv
Counting Crows
6.30pm -10pm
Alex Goot Tues 20th Jan 15 • £22.50 adv
Weds 26th Nov • £32.50 adv
Gerard Way
+ Fryars
Mon 16th Feb 15 • £11 adv
Lily Allen 10.30pm-3.30am • £4 adv
Fri 16th Jan 15 • £10 adv
Weds 26th Nov • £14 adv
Chelsea Grin & Veil Of Maya
+ Wolf
Weds 18th Feb 15 • £19.50 adv
Delain
George Ezra
+ Lucy Rose
Fri 28th Nov • £15 adv
Sat 1st Nov • £13.50 adv
Hollywood Undead
Thurs 19th Feb 15 • £16.50 adv
Sat 29th Nov • £22.50 adv
ft. Don Broco + We Are The In Crowd
Klaxons
Mon 3rd Nov • £13 adv
Bakermat
Tues 4th Nov • £12 adv
TesseracT & Animals As Leaders + Navene K
Weds 5th Nov • £37.50 adv
Billy Idol
Thurs 6th Nov • £21.50 adv
Rise Against
+ Pennywise + Emily’s Army
Fri 7th Nov • £16.50 adv 5.30pm -10pm
Asking Alexandria
+ The Ghost Inside + Crown The Empire + Secrets
Sat 8th Nov • £19.50 adv
The Wailers
performing the album ‘Legend’
Sun 9th Nov • £14 adv
Sikth
Thurs 13th Nov • £10 adv
Lords Of The Riff Vol.2 ft. Anti-Mortem Fri 14th Nov • £22.50 adv 6pm -10pm
6pm -10pm
+ Icon For Hire
Mastodon + Big Business + Krokodil
The Kerrang! Tour 2015
Sat 21st Feb 15 • £15 adv
30th Anniversary of “Hatful of Hollow”
Thurs 20th Nov • £19.50 adv
Courteeners
Fri 21st Nov • £27.50 adv 6pm -10pm
Example + Feed Me
Sat 22nd Nov • £15 adv
Mad Caddies + Jaya The Cat
Dropkick Murphys Celtic Punk Invasion Tour + The Mahones + Blood or Whiskey
Weds 8th Apr 15 • £20 adv 6pm -10pm
Sleeping With Sirens & Pierce The Veil
+ Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!
Sound Affects 35th Anniversary Tour
Fri 5th Dec • £15 adv 6.30pm -10pm
Simple Minds
From The Jam
Thurs 12th Mar 15 • £10 adv / £25 VIP
Room 94
FOR FULL AND LATEST LISTINGS CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE
Mon 3rd Nov • £10 adv
Tues 20th Jan 15 • £9 adv
Graham Bonnet Catch the Rainbow Tour
Sat 6th Dec • £18.50 adv
Rescheduled show • original tickets valid
Professor Green Sun 7th Dec • £18.50 adv
Inspiral Carpets Mon 8th Dec • £8 adv
Raging Speedhorn + Godsize
Thurs 11th Dec • £19.50 adv
Gogol Bordello
Fri 12th Dec • £18.50 adv 6pm -10pm
Behemoth
Kill It Kid
+ Gallery Circus + Pickering White Sat 8th Nov • £10 adv
6.30pm -10pm
The Doors Alive + ONDAHWUN
Weds 17th Dec • £18.50 adv £65 VIP Meet & Greet
Heffron Drive
Thurs 18th Dec • £25 adv
Machine Head
Sat 31st Jan 15 • £6 adv
Jake Clemons
The Mighty Wraith + Signs of Fire + Resin + Torous + Guts for Glory
+ Invasion + Stay Fresh
Sun 22nd Feb 15 • £9 adv
Ghetts
Wild Child
Upon A Burning Body + Martyr Defiled + The Charm The Fury Sat 29th Nov • £11 adv
The Clone Roses
UK’s No.1 Stone Roses Tribute + Luna Kiss Tues 9th Dec • £9 adv
Sat 13th Dec • £6 adv
The Twang & The Enemy
6.45pm - 11pm
Rescheduled • original tickets valid
Weds 12th Nov • £12 adv
Thurs 18th Dec • £15 adv
Sat 20th Dec • £20 adv
6pm-10pm
Tues 11th Nov • £12 adv
‘68
(acoustic) + special guest Mark Morriss
Fri 30th Jan 15 • £11.50 adv
Lights
+ Devil You Know + Darkest Hour
The Wonder Stuff
The Weeks
Antarctic Monkeys
Weds 26th Nov • £9 adv
The Smyths
Sun 22nd Mar 15 • £19.50 adv
Boyz II Men
Thurs 4th Dec • £30 adv
Yellowcard & Less Than Jake
Fri 12th Dec • £11.50 adv
Sat 15th Nov • £11 adv
STRENGTH – 30th Anniversary Tour
Sat 21st Nov 15 • £20 adv
+ Andy D + Only The Good
Fri 14th Nov • £14 adv
The Kooks
Mike Peters presents The Alarm
Thurs 5th Mar 15 • £18.50 adv
Electric Six
Thurs 13th Nov • £12 adv
Sat 15th Nov • £19.50 adv
Sat 21st Mar 15 • £15 adv
Sat 11th Apr 15 • £39.50 adv
Levellers Against Me!
The Stranglers
Before You Exit & Christina Grimmie
Weds 3rd Dec • £12 adv
+ Decapitated + Grand Magus + Winterfylleth
6pm -10pm
Sat 14th Mar 15 • £23 adv
+ Trophy Scars
LIPZKIN
+ Jimmy Davis + Ginger Bread Men + Quarry
Fearless Vampire Killers Sat 28th Feb 15 • £6 adv 6.45pm - 10pm
Left For Red
(Album Launch Show) + One For Sorrow + IHYM + Beneath The Reamins Sat 14th Mar 15 • £6 adv 6.45pm - 11pm
Martyr De Mona + Eyes of the Raven + Aceldama
Sat 25th Apr 15 • £6 adv 6.45pm - 11pm
Lovebite Sat 9th May 15 • £13 adv 6.30pm - 10.30pm
Ultimate Genesis
Sun 14th Dec • FREE TICKETS FROM ORCHARDHILLTICKETS.BIGCARTEL.COM
Fri 15th May 15 • £12 adv
Orchard Hill
(Kate Bush Tribute)
6pm-10pm
6.30pm - 10pm
Cloudbusting
16-18 Horsefair, Bristol St, Birmingham, B1 1DB 2
Doors 7.00pm unless stated • Venue box office opening hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-4pm, Sat 11am-4pm • No booking fee on cash transactions
Brum Notes Magazine
ticketweb.co.uk • seetickets.com • gigantic.com • ticketmaster.co.uk
PRESENTS
November 2014
T I C K E T S AVA I L A B L E AT K I L I L I V E . C O M
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CONTENTS
The crowd during God Damn’s set at All Years Leaving festival. Turn to P32 for more images and the full review. Photo by Wayne Fox. Brum Notes Magazine Unit 12 The Bond 180-182 Fazeley Street Birmingham B5 5SE info@brumnotes.com 0121 224 7363 Advertising 0121 224 7363 advertising@brumnotes.com Distribution StickupMedia! 0121 224 7364 Editor: Chris Moriarty Contributors Words: Sam Bicknell, Daron Billings, Matthew Burdon, Tom Clabon, Andrew Gutteridge, Dan Owens, Will Pace, Jon Pritchard, Saima Razzaq, Ben Russell, David Vincent Assistant Editor: Amy Sumner Arts Editor: Dan Cooper-Gavin Pictures: Daisy Blecker, Wayne Fox, Andy Hughes, Jonathan Morgan, Richard Shakespeare, Sam Wood, Wayland Thor Badger Cover photo: Andy Hughes Design: Adam Williams, Andy Aitken Connect Twitter: @BrumNotesMag Facebook: www.facebook.com/ BrumNotesMagazine Online: www.brumnotes.com
Regulars News 6-7 Fresh Talent 8-9 Behind the Scenes 12-13 Live Reviews 32-35 Album Reviews 36-37 What’s On Guide 38-46 Music and Features KIOKO 10 Charlotte Carpenter 14-15 Comedy: Romesh Ranganathan 16-17 The A-Z Guide to Birmingham’s Arts Scene 18-19 Sweet Baboo 20-21 Chris Tye 22 Circa Waves 23 Goodnight Lenin 24-25 Little Dragon 26-27 The Specials 28-29
All content © Brum Notes Magazine. Views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Brum Notes Magazine. While all care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of content, Brum Notes Magazine will not be held liable for any errors or losses claimed to have been incurred by any errors. Advertising terms and conditions available on request.
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Brum Notes Magazine
November 2014
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bbc 1xtra brings music advice sessions to brum A series of events aimed at inspiring young people to succeed in the urban music industry will take place in Birmingham this month, in collaboration with BBC Radio 1xtra.
news
The star-studded 1Xtra Live takes over the NIA on November 15 and, while the main show is already sold out, various supporting sessions will take place elsewhere in the city. These include free Future Talent workshops at the Mac throughout the week of November 10, 1Xtra Open Studios at The Mailbox during the first week of November and an MC 101 Workshop with Jamie Dred at The Drum in Aston on November 9. DJ Target presents advice on How To Get Your Music Heard at Spotlight in Digbeth on November 11, while Punch Records join forces with 1Xtra for a Tuned On industry seminar special entitled Making Money From Music at The Studio, Cannon Row, on November 14. For details or to register for places visit www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra.
Black Sabbath © Jim Simpson
photo retrospective featuring some of the biggest names in music launches this month
drum’n’bass awards return to city in march
The national Drum’n’Bass Awards will return to Birmingham in 2015, with early bird tickets for the annual showpiece event now on sale. Marianne Faithfull © Jim Simpson
Unique photos of some of the biggest names in 1960s music will go on display at a new fine art photography gallery in Harborne this month. The Photography Retrospective of the work of Jim Simpson includes rare images of the likes of Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones, Little Richard, Nina Simone, Marianne Faithfull, Ginger Baker and more, chronicling not only a standout era in music but also the local musical history of Birmingham at the time. Jim Simpson is known to many as the founder of Birmingham-based jazz label Big Bear Records and the Birmingham International Jazz Festival, as well as being the former manager of metal legends Black Sabbath. But he was also a keen photographer who captured shots of a vast array of blues and rock’n’roll musicians during the 1960s. The exhibition opens on Thursday, November 13, and runs until the end of the year at Havill & Travis in Lonsdale Road, Harborne. Havill & Travis is a new gallery launched last month by music photographer and promoter Dave Travis and Moseley Folk Festival producer and head of fine art printers Mission Print, Gerv Havill. Visit www.havillandtravis.com.
The ceremony has been running for eight years and attracts international artists and fans from across the country to celebrate the genre. The 2015 instalment will take place on Saturday, March 7, taking place for the first time at Gatecrasher on Broad Street. A limited run of early release tickets are available now from www.theticketsellers.co.uk. Voting for the awards will start on December 1 at www.drumandbassawards.co.uk.
the charlatans to return with new album and uk tour following death of founder member The Charlatans have announced plans for their first UK tour since the death of their original drummer jon Brookes. The dates, which include a show at Wolverhampton’s Civic Hall on March 13, 2015, will follow the release of their 12th studio album, Modern Nature, out on January 26. The band said they were determined to carry on recording and playing live in order to honour their late drummer Jon, who died from brain cancer last year. The father-ofthree hailed from the West Midlands and was
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well known locally for his work in promoting new music, as the co-founder of One Beat Records and manager of local bands such as Dumb and The Arcadian Kicks. Keyboard player Tony Rogers said: “Jon was adamant that there was going to be another Charlatans record, and you have to put that into your own thoughts.” The shows in March will be The Charlatans’ first full UK tour since 2010. Pete Salisbury (The Verve) will be drumming on the dates. Visit www.wolvescivic.co.uk for tickets. Brum Notes Magazine
midnight bonfires to headline this year’s brum notes christmas party - tickets on sale now
christmas is coming as german market returns
The surest sign that Christmas is coming arrives this month, with the huge Frankfurt Christmas Market & Craft Fair once again taking over Birmingham city centre. More than 180 stalls and bars return to the city streets from November 13 to December 22, with around five million visitors expected to pour in during that time to eat, drink, shop and soak up the sights, sounds and smells of the traditional German festivities.
Photo by Andy Hughes
The annual Brum Notes Christmas Party returns in style to the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath next month – with Midnight Bonfires headlining a night of exciting new music. The show on Saturday, December 20, will see the five-piece alt-folk outfit bring their usual brand of off-kilter indie, killer harmonies and hook-laden tunes, no doubt laced with more than a good helping of festive charm. It’s been quite a year for Midnight Bonfires, who have racked up single and EP launches, headline shows and festival appearances, picking up plenty of new admirers along the way with their energetic and fun-filled live sets. More bands will be announced over the coming weeks, alongside a lineup of DJs to keep the festive party spirit going deep into the winter night. And you can get in the party mood nice and early by bagging your tickets, which are on sale now priced at just £5, a price so generous even Santa was impressed. The Brum Notes Christmas Party takes place from 8pm until late on Saturday, December 20, at the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath. Keep an eye on @BrumNotesMag on Twitter for more lineup announcements or head to www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk to book your early bird tickets.
Photo by Sam Wood
win a £100 bar tab Fancy getting the drinks in on us? To be in with a chance of bagging a £100 bar tab to spend at your favourite Birmingham boozer then all you need to do is answer a few simple questions in the Brum Notes Magazine Survey. Everyone who completes the short questionnaire will be entered into a prize draw, with a top prize of £100 to be spent in the venue of your choice (the increased popularity with your friends is an added bonus). And even if you don’t win then you can still enjoy the warm, fuzzy feeling that comes with knowing you’ve helped shape the future of your favourite free monthly magazine. This is your chance to have your say about what you would like to see online and in print. To enter simply visit www.brumnotes.com/survey.
THE CADBURY SISTERS TO RELEASE NEW VINYL SINGLE THROUGH PRESTIGIOUS RAK studios Modern folk trio The Cadbury Sisters will this month become one of the first acts to release a record through the brand new RAK Singles Club. The club is the brainchild of London’s illustrious RAK Studios, with a simple concept to give up and coming bands a platform of exposure that would usually be unattainable through big-name labels. They record an A-side of their choice, along with a B-side cover of a RAK classic, before releasing the music on 7ins vinyl.
November 2014
The main action will once again be centered around Victoria Square and New Street, with more stalls in Centenary Square and Chamberlain Square, from 10am to 9pm each day. Famously billed as the biggest authentic German market outside of Germany and Austria, you can expect lashings of Glühwein, German beer and plenty of bratwurst. Birmingham’s own traders will also be showcasing their handiwork at the Christmas Craft Fair in Chamberlain Square.
From the 1970s onwards, RAK Records was a household name in music circles, home to the likes of Jeff Beck, Donovan and Hot Chocolate. The Cadbury Sisters – whose roots go back to the founder of Birmingham’s iconic Cadbury chocolate factory – will be the third act to release a track through the new club, with Weight Of It out on November 24. Meat Eater/Dance With The Devil by Manchester band Trojan Horse launched the singles club in October and is out now. 7
Words by Amy Sumner
CHRIS CLEVERLEY
facebook.com/chriscleverleymusic for instance. The sound has become varied and eclectic, with moments of delicacy interspersed with grander sounds and heavier, even rockier rhythms at times, which has been greatly aided by the addition of some full band arrangements.” While he regularly plays solo shows across Birmingham, and increasingly further afield (thanks in part to that Isambard), Chris gets an all too rare chance to perform those “full band arrangements” at The Crescent Theatre on December 1, where he’ll be joined by various musicians including drummer Howard Smith (Steve Gibbons Band), dulcimer player and vocalist Kim Lowings (Kim Lowings & The Greenwood) and Mellow Peaches’ Amit Dattani. “Amit and Kim are both pillars of the West Midlands music scene. I’ve been watching them play for years…and as time went on it was a privilege to get a chance to meet them and eventually play some shows and record with them on various projects,” says Chris, who contributed to Kim’s successful 2013 EP Deepest Darkest Night. “They’re [also] both incredibly technical musicians. I would confidently say Amit’s guitar playing is unrivalled on the Birmingham acoustic blues scene, in terms of its speed, complexity and execution. Kim’s voice is effortlessly arresting, haunting and beautiful and she’s got such a good ear for an arrangement as demonstrated by the rapturous responses to her live shows with her five piece band.”
He may have won the prestigious Isambard award at Bristol Folk Festival earlier in the year, but it doesn’t mean that Chris Cleverley is heading straight down the traditional folk route. Elaborating on his rapidly developing sound, the guitarist and songwriter says: “It draws on the influence of the great British guitar players like Nic Jones and Martin Simpson in particular, but has been shaped latterly by my love of modern Americana (Elliott Smith/Bon Iver), country and even 50s blues and soul influences – Sam Cooke
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Entitled Apparitions and recorded with Rhythm Studios’ producer Paul Johnson (more famed for his work with metal acts), Chris’ debut album features contributions from Amit, Kim, and Dan Whitehouse, and is due in the spring. “With a mix of band arrangements and solo recordings, it ranges in its influences from traditional British folk to contemporary Americana/country,” he explains, “and I’m experimenting with some really interesting electronic sounds and string arrangements.” Chris Cleverley is live at The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham, on December 1.
We're recruiting for the following roles: Assistant Editor (part-time) Editorial Assistant (part-time) Media Sales Executive (freelance) We're also on the lookout for writers and photographers keen to contribute to the magazine and website. For more information visit: www.brumnotes.com/jobs Brum Notes Magazine
BROKEN WITT REBELS
www.brokenwittrebels.com is another word for cocky and everyone has a rebellious side, right?” Drawing from the likes of Alabama Shakes, Muddy Waters and Fleetwood Mac, it’s blues, soul and deft guitar work that bleeds through the music of the band. “We get compared to Kings of Leon, Alabama Shakes and The Black Keys,” says drummer Anthony Byrne, when discussing who they consider to be their contemporaries. “It’s amazing to be spoken of in the same sentence as those artists, but we like to think we’re like those acts on steroids.”
“A band without a good live show is as crazy as Keith Richards with a glass of warm milk!” Broken Witt Rebels’ drummer James Tranter mulls over the importance of the live performance for a band. Playing an attractive mix of blues rock’n’roll which comes alive in a crowded room, the five-piece from Castle Vale have already built up an impressively dedicated following through their live appearances. “Blood, sweat and tears, balls-to-the-wall energy and all-round ear penetration,” says bassist Luke Davis, when asked what an audience can expect. “[The name] ‘Broken Witt Rebels’ came from a copy of the Metro, which was in a local rehearsal room we were in,” explains Luke of the band’s origins. “We needed a name for the band so I opened a random page, closed my eyes and hovered my finger over the page until Danny [Core – vocals, rhythm guitar] said ‘stop’. The three words were Broken Witt Rebels. Although it was luck, the name has truth because we are a bit broken, ‘wit’
They released their Howlin’ EP in summer this year. The follow-up to 2013’s This Town Belongs To Me, it marked a progression and a refinement in songwriting for the band and a fuller sound overall. “We recorded it at Monochrome Studios in the Warwickshire countryside with producer Tom Gittins. It was an amazing experience, an amazing environment in which to make music and Tom is such a cool guy who understood us from the start,” explains Luke. The juicy stuff though is always unearthing the worst lyric a band ever wrote… “In the early days Danny was obsessed with getting the lyric ‘back streets and heart beats’ into a song,” incriminates James. “Luckily he never managed it.”
THE PLAYLIST GOD DAMN Horus The lead single taken from the Black Country duo’s forthcoming debut album, Horus is exactly the kind of unrelenting garage blues thrash we’ve come to expect. Out n o w, soundcloud.com/ goddamntheband SUNSHINE FRISBEE LASERBEAM Halloween III A super limited number of Halloween III cassettes were made up for keen fans to purchase at SFL’s ghoulish Halloween bash. Halloween may now have passed but we’re still spinning this alt pop gem. Out n o w, facebook.com/ sunshinefrisbeelaserbeam THE MOURNING SUNS Dreaming of an Island The Mourning Suns’ debut album Dreaming of an Island is released on November 1. We’ve been waiting for this for a while – check out the new live video of its title track filmed in the Lickey Hills. Psych folk at its most resplendent. Out now, youtube.com/themourningsuns Tom Forbes Wallflower A quick-fire, energetic mix of pop and funk, Worcester singer-songwriter Tom Forbes casts himself as the shy and retiring Wallflower in question. Eschewing his more acoustic side for a glossier finish, this track is a burst of confidence. Out Nov 3, soundcloud.com/tom-forbes-1
If that’s the worst of it then BWR should be alright. Broken Witt Rebels are live at The Actress & Bishop, Birmingham, on November 1. Their EP Howlin’ is out now.
Follow us at soundcloud.com/ brumnotes for more
ONES TO WATCH Chartreuse A delicate slice of soul pop from this four-piece who played their first gig only two months ago but already have us all kinds of excited. Check out this free entry show with club night afterwards and then talk to us about value for money. Bull’s Head, November 7 November 2014
Electric Having just finished recording at the legendary Rockfield Studios [Queen, Motorhead] and played a Birmingham date with The Struts, what their name lacks in imagination the Redditch rock’n’roll trio more than make up for in sleazy, rollicking riffs. The Sunflower Lounge, Nov 5
The Circles You can hear why Birmingham trio The Circles have been snapped up by James Skelly’s Skeleton Key Records – there’s more than a fleeting doff of the cap to The Coral within their recent Gonna Get To You EP. Keep your eye on these. The Sun at the Station, Nov 28
SLTP Infectious guitar pop for fans of The Cure and The Strokes from this Birmingham four-piece, Summer Loving Torture Party. Bagging the opening slot on the bill for Nottingham’s hotly-tipped Huskies, it’s pennies on the door for this one. The Sunflower Lounge, Nov 24 9
INTRODUCING… KIOKO Party-starting reggae rebels Tempting Rosie carved out quite a reputation for themselves with their own brass-wielding brand of rousing beats and dancefloor-baiting pop sensibilities. But now time has come for a change, the time has come for KIOKO. Trumpet player and backing vocalist Ewan Whyte tells us about a new era for the seven-piece Birmingham outfit. So you guys look familiar, haven’t we seen you somewhere before?
And how would you sum up the KIOKO sound to someone who’s not heard you before?
Yes! You may recognise us from our previous incarnation Tempting Rosie…
Unapologetic pop music with a heavy reggae influence.
And why the change of name then?
Obviously Birmingham has a great reggae heritage. Is this something that inspires you or do you ever find it can add to the pressure or preconceptions about how you might sound?
Over a period of time we’ve been gradually evolving our sound and approach to making music. We all felt like it was time to start a new project that reflected our new material and would give us a chance to progress without the previous connotations attached to our band. So the name reflects the development of the band as a whole? Definitely. We’ll have some new material online very soon – in the meantime people can catch us at our EP launch and hear for themselves. You’d picked up a decent fanbase and played some great shows as Tempting Rosie. What are your ambitions now for KIOKO? We all want Bentleys. 10
And what else have you got planned? We’re supporting The Specials at The Roundhouse in London on November 15, which is a huge honour. After that is our EP launch night followed by a number of shows around the country in the beginning of the new year in support of the release. Then hopefully back into the studio. Anything else we should know about you?
Birmingham and the Midlands in general has such a rich musical past. We never planned to deliberately write music that threw back to that, it was more of a happy coincidence, but it’s always great when people from that generation appreciate the connection. Can you tell us more about the debut EP? The EP consists of four tracks recorded and produced by musical genius Spider Johnson, who’s worked with the likes of Stevie Wonder and pretty much every great reggae artist you can name. Working with Spider was an incredibly insightful process and a huge privilege – we hope this is reflected in the finished product.
One of our brass players has both sets of genitalia. We’ll let you guess which one. And what can we expect from the EP launch party? It’s gonna be a great night. We’ve got support from great local bands Antelope and The Jacarandas, as well as DJ sets from Troumaca. The party is being held at the good old Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath, our favourite venue in Birmingham. KIOKO are live at the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, on November 29. Debut EP True What They Say is released on the same day. Brum Notes Magazine
FANTASTIC FOOD & great offers
tuesdays - all food is half price!
wednesdays - 2 for 1 on burgers
thursday - 2 for 1 on hot dogs!
An evening of the best musical talent in birmingham, spanning a breadth of genres. Every sunday at the sun on the hill from 4pm! Free entry!
An eclectic mix of handpicked musicians & poets create the foundation for this cross platform, intimate event. at the station every sunday from 6pm. free in!
MAKE A SUN-DAY OF IT with brunch & lunch
We’re serving up brunch every sunday till 12.30pm, followed by some pretty awesome sunday roasts after that. Perfect sunday!
Your Weekend STARTS RIGHT HERE! MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY BOOKING NOW FOR THE SUN ON THE HILL. PRICES START FROM £7.50 A HEAD FOR A PRIVATE BAR AND FOOD ON OUR MEZZANINE!
CATCH LIVE DJs EVERY WEEKEND AT THE SUN AND THE STATION WITH THE FUN STARTING FROM 6PM ON FRIDAYS AND 8PM ON SATURDAY NIGHTS!
AETHER RUACH PRESENTING A NIGHT OF ETHERERAL SOUNDS & LIVE MUSIC, LIVE VISUALS AND DJS. ALL ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 28TH AT THE SUN AT THE STATION!
sunonthehill.co.uk - @sunonthehill - facebook.com - the sun on the hill
sunatthestation.co.uk - @sunatthestation - facebook.com - the sun at the station November 2014
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behind the scenes
Nestled behind Digbeth’s backstreet boozers and wholesale markets is Muthers Studio. It combines the robustness of a purpose-built studio and rehearsal rooms in addition to a live venue and a bar, which makes for an informal and inviting creative space for musicians to work and hang out.
With new releases from Elephantine and Adore recorded and mixed here, it’s been a busy period for the studio. Sam Bicknell catches up with engineer Dave McCabe and Adore frontman Michael Johnston to talk about the recording process and discover why Muthers is fast becoming a mecca for local music. “We’ve just finished recording Elephantine’s live session which was broadcast on XFM, and a live session with Youth Man as well as Adore’s single,” says resident studio engineer Dave McCabe. With other recent successes including tracks from the now-departed Victor and Wide Eyed, it’s clear that Muthers is firmly part of the life cycle of bands making their way through the Birmingham music scene. 12
What really seem to draw local musicians here are the limitless possibilities in utilising the space available at the studio, making the experience of recording at Muthers truly unique. “The loom [cabling] goes all the way around the building which means the studio can be anywhere…you could even do vocals in the toilet if you wanted to because everything reaches,” explains Dave. “The conservatory in particular is a great space to record the drums in…you just capture the sound of the room”. Perhaps the secret behind Muthers’ success is that it’s firmly centered around the people that frequent the studio – it reacts and responds to the musicians who tirelessly work there each
week. McCabe demonstrates how over the years he’s adapted to the idiosyncrasies of musicians, and how to get the best out of their time in the studio. “I like doing overnight sessions, but it just depends on whether bands can do them… musicians just generally wake up late at night. I’ll come here and work on something until about one or two in the morning. It’s just easier to work without any noise. “The setup here is hybrid,” he continues. “I’m using the tape to create a certain tone and then feeding it back through the digital, which means we can use analogue technology without wasting any time.” Brum Notes Magazine
Photos by Daisy Blecker
This was a feature of the studio with which Adore were keen to work during the development of their latest single We Are Ephemeral. Guitars were recorded on tape as well as sent directly through the mixing console to create layers of fuzzy, lo-fi noise. The track is complemented by tight drum and bass grooves and finessed with infectious, saturated vocal harmonies. “We wanted to do it with Dave [after having recorded elsewhere]… there’s so much space here, and it’s a great atmosphere,” says Adore frontman Michael Johnston. “In Adore the bass essentially works as the lead guitar. It carries the main riff, so we wanted to contrast it with dirty, tape-driven guitar tones.”
Adore’s new single We Are Ephemeral is out on November 15 and will be available for free download from www.soundcloud.com/adoretheband. For more on Muthers Studio visit www.muthersstudio.co.uk. November 2014
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Dulcet Tones Smooth-voiced songwriter Charlotte Carpenter continues to impress with her latest EP, which sees her joined by a backing band for the first time. Will Pace joins her in the studio to find out more about a musician who is constantly evolving. “The first time I visited this studio I was 16 and I came in and couldn’t believe that this kind of place could exist,” says Charlotte Carpenter. Sat in the inner sanctum of Dulcitone Studios, filming a live recording session, it’s easy to see what she means. The converted chapel is located in the small village of Ringstead, Northamptonshire, and has served as her recording home across seven years and four EPs. “It’s done wonders for my music, it has turned into a hub for me, my roots and my foundation start here,” she says. “There are no rules or restrictions, you do what you want. You pick up an instrument, you play it and see what comes out of it.” With guitars sequestered in every place the eye can see, Charlotte – primarily regarded as an ‘acoustic’ artist – explains her recent love affair with the electric branch of the family. “I think playing the electric guitar has just opened up a lot more opportunities for me, it allows me to be a bit more creative and try out some different 14
sounds and styles that I haven’t really been used to. It’s feeding my brain a lot. I’m very thankful for picking up the electric, it’s kind of changed everything for me.” With roots firmly planted in the fertile soil of Dulcitone Studios and her repertoire blossoming, Charlotte ascribes her developing sound to being able to grow organically as an artist. “I get really excited about where each EP is going to take me next. I’m not going to let the previous one dictate what I should then do for the next one, that one kind of goes to sleep and the next one comes alive.” With her latest EP, Take It All, her direction has changed once more, with the key addition of a backing band. “I think it’s the best decision I’ve probably made so far, it just gives a whole new dimension to what I do. It also allows us to be a bit more creative when we come to recording because we know we can pull this stuff off live now. Whereas before I was very careful with what went on an EP, I didn’t want people to miss that when I performed on my own.”
To coincide with the EP’s release, Charlotte is heading into uncharted territory – it’s her first band tour. “When I was on my own with my acoustic guitar, I’d just book trains and go and stay on people’s sofas, so now it’s all very different.” Logistics aside, it genuinely seems to be the next big step for Charlotte, and the support of the band has become paramount. “It’s massively beneficial and it’s cool having them with me as well, I feel like they are hugging me throughout the whole process.” That process doesn’t just start and end on the stage, however, it’s evident that the creative input added by the band has broadened the spectrum of invention available to Charlotte, whilst keeping her in the driving seat. “If anything, having the guys has opened my mind up more so I’m very comfortable with it.” Her hunt for a bigger audience is bearing fruit, with a BBC Introducing live session under her belt, her last EP, Whole, charting at number 10 in the singer/songwriter category on iTunes, and Brum Notes Magazine
BBC 6 Music DJ Lauren Laverne spinning one of her tracks, Siren Song. Everything, it seems, is scaling upwards. “Being a part of BBC Introducing was great because it’s a platform people recognise. It’s the same with my play on BBC 6 Music with Lauren Laverne, that happened out of the blue and I feel really lucky about it, again people pay attention because they know who the name is.” A prolific writer, she draws heavily from her own feelings for inspiration from a self-declared bottomless well. “I’ve said it over and over again – I’ve always had too many feelings and writing is just the best way to deal with them all. I take great care in what I write and the lyrics, because I want everything to be portrayed raw. I like things emotional, if I can make people feel something that I once felt, then my job’s done.” It definitely helps if you also happen to be the owner of a voice that tends to leave people dumbfounded. “My voice has always been talked about, even when I was younger, it’s strange, in school choirs my voice never really sat very well with other people’s,” she says. “I’ve always known it’s a bit different, I’ve just embraced it, it is what it is, so I look after it.”
“My voice has always been talked about, even when I was younger, it’s strange, in school choirs my voice never really sat very well with other people’s”
With the EP released last month and a new nationwide tour in full swing, Charlotte still keeps one eye on what’s next. “After the tour and Take It All, it’s just on to the next EP, which I’ve already started writing and is just a matter of coming back in and recording it all. “Hopefully I will be taking the next level up and it’d be great to grab a support tour and play to some new audiences and venues. I’m playing very intimate gigs and I would love to be able to take it to hundreds of people and see what they think.” Now, with a catalogue of EPs at her disposal and more on the way, it begs the question if Charlotte has designs on a full-length release. “I think an album is a little while longer off for me, I’m still finding a lot out about myself as a musician and I don’t quite feel like I’m at the point where I want to go and record 12/14 songs. I want the album to be a solid piece of work that represents me as a musician at that time, at that point, not something that is just brushed under the carpet. I want it to be a really strong debut and something I’m incredibly proud of so I’m cool with that taking a little bit longer.” Charlotte Carpenter is live at the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, on November 27. New EP Take It All is out now. Photos by Sam Wood
November 2014
15
It’s Tricky
comedy
Inspired by the TV adventures of Run DMC’s Rev Run, comedian Romesh Ranganathan decided to improve his life. David Vincent finds out how he fared… Though he’s holed up in a swanky cafe, Romesh Ranganathan’s choice of refreshment isn’t refreshing or appetising. In fact, it’s punishment. “I’m drinking a veggie juice. I’m trying to get some goodness into my life,” he says of his decision to trade a coffee for something more healthy. “I have a very addictive personality. If I have a coffee day, I’ll be tripping off my nuts on coffee. So now it’s veggie carrot juice. I could’ve gone for some green tea, but I wanted to punish myself.” Romesh’s choice of tipple is in keeping with the subject of his new show, Rom Wasn’t Built In A Day, which sees the acclaimed comic discussing his attempts to improve his life. “We had two kids as I was writing the show and then my wife got pregnant with our third, and it makes you reflect on your life, if you’re a good father and a good husband. You take for granted that you’re good, but I felt that on a few things I was really letting the side down. Which,” he laughs, “is not as wanky as it sounds.” 16
As an example of his decisions, he cites his love of trainers and how, as a vegan, he can no longer indulge wearing leather footwear. So he opted for a canvas alternative made by a brand he discovered “have an appalling track record using child labour. So what do you do? Those things became agonising!” While fatherhood and family provided Romesh with the impetus for self-improvement, his initial inspiration was a certain 80s rap pioneer. “I was actually inspired by Run DMC’s Rev Run, who had a reality TV series called Run’s House, which about eight other people probably watched in this country,” he says, referring to the MTV series that appeared in 2005. “In the show, he picked something which he wanted to be better at – like not talking about people behind their backs. Those things are easy to do for a small amount of time. I’ve had a week of not slagging someone off, and it builds up, so you end up going off on one: ‘Those pricks!’”
Having examined his life and foibles in detail, does Romesh believe he’s enriched the lives of his family? Is he now a better person than when he began his journey? Has he improved? “Have I improved?” he cries. “If anything I feel I’m probably worse now. If you’re ignorant and you do something, that’s one thing…but it’s far worse if you know, and you still do it. Then, you’re a prick! And I know it. I try to improve…but you have to make a conscious decision, and it’s hard not to fall into those old habits.” An established panel show guest, plus Newsjack and Stand Up for the Week regular, Romesh has come a long way since his debut back in 2010. “I blagged onto the bill at the Comedy Cafe in Shoreditch. You had to have done 20 gigs before you could play there – I lied. I said I’d done 20 but hadn’t. I completely died. It was the worst gig any human being had ever done,” he shudders. Brum Notes Magazine
“If you’re ignorant and you do something, that’s one thing…but it’s far worse if you know, and you still do it. Then, you’re a prick!” Despite his lack of experience (and knowledge), within a few months Romesh had discovered the open mic circuit and smaller club nights, and was soon ranking highly in leading new act competitions. He’s since supported the likes of Seann Walsh, Paul Chowdhry and Ricky Gervais, made tentative steps into acting (including a wounded patient in Holby City), and is now in the middle of an acclaimed UK tour with fellow comic Suzi Ruffell. “We’re totally different acts. It feels like that for the audience I think. Suzi’s upbeat, she actually likes life – which is a sharp contrast to my set,” he says. “She likes hip hop, which is good, but she has to adjust to the fact that I’m not the best travelling partner, I’m not ‘Hey! November 2014
It’s a gig! This is great!’ – I’m ‘geez…I’m a vegan, what is there I can eat here?’” Although the tour was initially billed as a double-bill, Romesh seems the likely closer. “We’ve not decided who comes on last, but we’ve done a few shows and I’ve gone on second,” he continues. “It would be a good idea to flip it, to alternate, but maybe the audience would be too suicidal after me, so it’s best if we give them upbeat first, or they’ll leave after my set and not come back for Suzi.”
Romesh Ranganthan’s Rom Wasn’t Built in a Day is live at The Glee Club, Birmingham, on Friday, November 14. 17
arts & culture
The A–Z of Birmingham’s Arts Scene
Birmingham is positively bursting with culture to suit all tastes – but if you’re new to the area, or just fancy broadening your cultural horizons, it can be hard to know where to look. So fear not, here’s Arts Editor Dan Cooper-Gavin with our essential A-to-Z guide to the arts scene in Brum and beyond…
Barber Institute of Fine Arts A beautiful Grade II-listed Art Deco building on the campus of Birmingham Uni, and home to an impressive collection of paintings spanning the Renaissance to the 20th century, including pieces by Claude Monet, JMW Turner and René Magritte.
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Slap bang in the middle of the city centre in Chamberlain Square, Birmingham’s most imposing arts venue dates back to the 1880s, when it was built with the intention of educating and inspiring Victorian-era Brummies. Specialises in works of social and historical significance. Custard Factory
Crescent Theatre
The Drum
While The Rep is the main focus for Birmingham’s theatres, the Crescent – just off Broad Street – is also well worth keeping an eye on. Its prolific resident company give a fine selection of performances, taking on both King Lear and David Hare’s The Judas Kiss in November.
Located just north of the city centre on the site of the fabled old Aston Hippodrome, The Drum was set up in the early 90s to promote black and minority ethnic voices, and is now the UK’s leading intercultural arts centre.
Custard Factory
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Capsule One of the UK’s most fearless arts producers, and titans of Brum’s 21s-century cultural landscape. Best known for the annual Supersonic Festival of outer-limits music, Capsule put on a trailblazing year-round programme of exhibitions and gigs – next up, a special performance by experimental composer Ben Frost at Eastside Projects on November 12. 18
Eastside Projects
The old Bird’s Custard factory in Digbeth is now a mecca for Birmingham’s creative and digital industries. Among the many treasures on site are twin gig/club venues (Alfie Bird’s and The Oobleck), the Mockingbird Theatre and two fine independent record shops (Left For Dead and Milque & Muhle).
An inspirational artist-run space just down the way from the Custard Factory, running a hugely exciting programme of experimental exhibitions, with the express purpose of furthering the cultural growth of the city. This month, check out Broken Ensemble, the new sound installation from Turner Prize winner Susan Philipsz.
Digbeth First Friday
Electric Cinema
With the Custard Factory leading the way, many more of the disused industrial units around Digbeth have been taken over by pioneering artistic enterprises, transforming the area into a cutting-edge hotbed of creativity. On the first Friday of every month, Digbeth comes alive with late-night openings and special events.
The oldest working cinema in the UK, and a genuine local and national treasure. With its restored Art Deco splendour innocuously tucked away behind New Street station, the Electric runs an expertly-chosen programme of art-house treats alongside the pick of the mainstream.
Brum Notes Magazine
Flatpack What began as a film night in a Digbeth pub has become, in the words of The Independent, the UK’s most creatively-curated film festival. In addition to their peerless annual jamboree of off-kilter cinematic delights, Flatpack are active all year round, collaborating with venues across the city to screen undiscovered gems and forgotten classics.
Herbert Art Gallery & Museum One of the main bastions of Coventry’s arts scene, the Herbert does fine work engaging with local culture and society, while examining the city’s place in the context of the wider world. Check out the current People of India exhibition – three sets of photographic portraits spanning 150 years.
Hippodrome Mainstream musicals and pantomimes may form the bulk of the programme here, but this large
Ikon
Mac
RBSA Gallery
The Mac – formerly known as the Midlands Arts Centre – has been bringing art into the lives of Birmingham families for over 50 years. Located in Edgbaston’s picturesque Cannon Hill Park, it combines a wide range of classes and workshops with a strong programme of plays, gigs, comedy and film.
Now located in the Jewellery Quarter, to the northwest of Brum city centre, the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists has links that can be traced back 200 years. The RBSA’s programme is characterised by its open-submission exhibitions and its dedicated Craft Gallery.
Minerva Works Another of Digbeth’s cultural landmarks, and home to a range of excellent cutting-edge art spaces, including Grand Union, Vivid Projects, Stryx and Centrala, a new initiative run by the Polish Expats Association.
Old Joint Stock A gorgeous Victorian building opposite Birmingham Cathedral, with previous lives as a library and a bank. These days, downstairs is a fine Fuller’s Ale & Pie House, while upstairs you will find an intimate 100-seat theatre hosting an impressive programme of new writing, comedy and musicals.
Mac
theatre is also home to the prestigious Birmingham Royal Ballet and hosts an annual free arts festival in and around the surrounding streets, Summer in Southside.
Ikon Behind Broad Street is the swanky Brindleyplace development, home to all manner of upmarket businesses and eateries. That’s where you’ll find Ikon, an internationally-acclaimed gallery which for 50 years has brought top-drawer contemporary art from around the world to Birmingham. Don’t miss the incredible Lee Bul exhibition – it closes on November 9.
Library of Birmingham
Ort Gallery Head south out of Brum city centre to Balsall Heath, where you’ll find the Grade II-listed Old Print Works. Downstairs, Ort is an art-andcommunity vegetarian cafe, running a superb range of classes and performances – while above the cafe is a socially-conscious artist-run gallery space.
New Art Gallery Walsall North of Birmingham is the town of Walsall, whose New Art Gallery may not be strictly new anymore (it opened in 2000), but remains well worth a visit, with its impressive permanent Garman Ryan Collection complemented by an excellent rolling programme of new exhibitions.
The Rep The main destination for Birmingham’s discerning theatregoers, The Rep’s dramatic refurbishment went hand in hand with the development of its colossal new neighbour in Centenary Square, the Library of Birmingham. The theatre combines high-profile touring productions with a dedication to emerging talent.
Warwick Arts Centre On campus at the University of Warwick but completely open to the public, the WAC is one of the UK’s largest arts facilities outside London, home to five separate venues – including two theatres, a cinema and the Mead Gallery. The experimental theatre productions are a must.
Wolverhampton Art Gallery Well worth the trip into Wolverhampton, the Art Gallery has been the centre of visual culture in the city since the 1880s. It was extended in 2007 to include a dedicated Pop Art gallery – home to one of the most extensive collections in the country. As well as the regular arts coverage in our monthly magazine, check out www.brumnotes.com every Thursday for a weekly rundown of unmissable cultural treats across the West Midlands. What are your favourite Brummie arts institutions? Let us know on Twitter @BrumNotesMag.
Library of Birmingham (photo by Lee Allen)
With the printed word supposedly an endangered species, Brum’s £189 million investment in a new library was a remarkable statement of intent, a hugely commendable commitment to education and culture in the city. As well as the books, there’s a gallery space, performance rooms and access to the BFI National Archive.
November 2014
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KEEPING IT SWEET
Melancholic, tender, dark, funny, wry, folky and more than a bit poppy – Welsh musician Sweet Baboo is a hard man to categorise. Amy Sumner pins him down. "I don't think I'd say 'commercial', I think 'sketchy at best' is probably the way to describe it." Stephen Black, AKA Welsh psych-pop necromancer Sweet Baboo deliberates his métier. "I started writing songs when I was about 16 and I'm 32 now. I think I was quite emotional at that age and I needed some kind of outlet – that's why people normally start writing songs I guess. It was also a way to try and impress people, although 20
I don't really think I impressed many…I remember playing songs to my mum and dad and they certainly weren't very impressed." Playing his first show as Sweet Baboo just over 10 years ago, Black has balanced his impressive solo career (five albums and a splendid collection of EPs) with fashioning a comfy little cubbyhole in the very fabric of the Welsh music scene, touring and performing with the likes of Euros Childs,
Cate Le Bon and Gruff Rhys, among many, many others ("Cardiff is a very small place and everyone knows one another – you migrate towards people who like the same kind of things as you," says Black of the city he has lived in since he was 18). Musically, he's a difficult character to profile, veering from heartfelt to quirky to wry in just as many songs. He'll pierce your heart with his tenderness before playfully undermining that self same Brum Notes Magazine
“I remember playing songs to my mum and dad and they certainly weren't very impressed” melancholia. It's as much psych-pop as it is folk or country and considering his music is so heterogeneously kaleidoscopic it makes for a nice antonym that his surname just happens to be Black. Perhaps it's no surprise then that one of his earliest songs pays homage to Jonathan Richman, his name its title, his sense of kinship its discourse. "I think 'kinship' is probably doing him a disservice. When I first started writing music I was big into him because his songs are very open. Some are funny, some are conversational. He just seemed very honest and very modest to me, which are good things to have in music." If he ever seems impenetrable though, go listen to his 2013 record, Ships. "It's a pop record," Black enthuses, "I think all of my records are pretty poppy but that's the most upbeat one. When I wrote it I was doing a lot of touring with another band, Slow Club, and I was trying to record my album in between. Some of the songs were about three years old by the time we got round to recording them. We wanted to make a really poppy, brass-heavy record, something fun because a lot of my songs were a bit on the depressing side. Lyrically I tried as best as I could to be a bit more playful with what I was writing about and use a little imagery and I suppose that's the difference from my other records." In November Sweet Baboo and Scottish alt-folk act The Pictish Trail [the musical pseudonym of Johnny Lynch] play the opening night of their co-headline tour at The Glee Club in Birmingham. "I don't really know how it came about, I've been friends with Johnny for a few years and I really like Fence Records, which he used to run with King Creosote. There seem to be similarities between the Welsh and Scottish music scenes so we got to know each other through mutual friends and some time earlier in the year Johnny released his [Secret Soundz Vol 2] album on Moshi Moshi and one of us said, ‘why don't we do a joint tour together, it'll be fun?’. "The plan is, and this is a very vague plan, I think we're both going to go on together and I think we might alternate songs and do some together. It's all yet to be decided. The original plan was that we'd do two sets, but we'd both be on stage for both of them. So we'll do some songs on our own and if the other one needs a hand, we'll help each other out. That's the idea anyway. We've got a rehearsal booked so it will be very slick, it will always be very slick." But with an ever expanding and ever deepening catalogue of material to choose from, how does Sweet Baboo choose his set of an evening? "When we did stuff with the band last year we tried to focus on just the last album and when I do things on my own, which I have been doing a bit more this year, I play the ones I really like playing. It's nice to try out new songs too. But you kind of make it up as you go along, and there are always songs that people seem to like better than others and the trick is to find a balance between the songs that people want to hear and the songs that you want to play." Sweet Baboo and The Pictish Trail co-headline The Glee Club, Birmingham, on November 28. November 2014
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A pa s s i on re ig nite d
After several false starts, singer-songwriter Chris Tye is back on track with a new release. “If you do it right, making music should be pure joy,” he tells David Vincent. When looking for a title for his official debut album, Chris Tye delved into his hefty notebooks, iPhone notes, video clips of ideas and dictaphone recordings, and one phrase “refused to go away” – ’The Paper Grenade’. It was an idea that came to the singer-songwriter after a post-gig conversation with an audience member in Coventry, where Chris discussed a seriously ill friend, and she recalled how her mother had died far too young. “We said how it makes you realise that you have to get things done and not hang around procrastinating over things – in my case creative endeavours,” Chris recalls. “We talked about all the days in your life when you are simply going through the motions, those non-days. It struck me that a paper grenade was quite a nice analogy for these non-days. That night after the gig I went home and wrote The Paper Grenade title track, it came really easy and felt right. For me, both lyrically and musically, the album has lines of love, perseverance, nostalgia, new life and death running throughout, which seem to tie in with the carpe diem sentiment.” Despite that initial conversation, The Paper Grenade album is an uplifting and moving collection that has occupied Chris for the past two years. Inspired by such acts as Paul Simon, Ryan Adams and Grizzly Bear, it continues the musical journey Chris began on 2011’s Matchbox Stand EP, which was recorded with Tim Bidwell, then riding high with the success of the iTunes chart-topping Tim’s House for Kate Walsh. 22
“Tim and the new band I’d put together reignited my passion for making music and made me realise how, if you do it right, making music should be pure joy,” he says, discussing his experience making the six-track EP after three years of scrapped self-produced DIY sessions. “With The Paper Grenade I wanted to push the sound a little more, extend the dynamics and instrument palette. I feel I’m getting better as a songwriter and as a musician, and I think this comes across in this latest release.
light entertainment show, but it’s got nothing to do with creativity,” he states.
“On this record I wanted to capture the full palette of what I do live – sometimes it’s just me and guitar, sometimes we do it as a vocal trio (Chris Tye and Harmonies), and then, when we can, we get the full band involved.”
“I do like playing solo gigs – I’m free to change chords, melodies and you create a really intense performance – but with the band there are so many more options,” he says. “The material is generally the same on solo and band gigs [but] you can be louder. More intense. Big songs can be big and delicate ones can remain delicate.”
Having balanced those three approaches (predominantly with the aid of co-producer Michael Clarke), Chris cites Breakdown, Baby When I’m Down and Out, and Weight of Expectation as personal album highlights. “I wrote Weight of Expectation and I Will Be With You when we were recording Matchbox Stand, [they’re] some the first songs I’d written in the DADGAD tuning used by Nick Drake and John Martyn, who are two of my songwriting and guitar heroes. The lyric [in Weight of Expectation] makes reference to all the naysayers – it’s so hard for some people to understand why you spend so much time creating art. Some people have said to me, ‘you should just go on the X Factor,’ like that is some sort of replacement for what I’m trying to do. I have nothing against the X Factor as a
“I am the most happy with how this track sounds production-wise from all the songs on the album. It sits perfectly between my solo stuff and my full band sound...I think it has a really nice hazy, hypnotic feel to it, it sounds old.” The album will be officially launched at The Glee Club with Chris backed by a seven-piece lineup.
As he heads towards 2015, Chris promises further live shows to promote the record, and more new music, including a live take on the album, a Christmas duet with fellow Brum songwriter Dan Whitehouse and a new album. “I’ve a ‘good ideas’ folder with 103 song embryos, so far 11 have made out into the ‘finished demos’ folder. So work has begun of my new album,” he says, with pride. “Most of the finished demos are on the piano, so we’ll see where that ends up.” Chris Tye is live at The Glee Club, Birmingham, on November 23, with support from Vijay Kishore and Sam Redmore (DJ). The Paper Grenade is released on November 24. Brum Notes Magazine
RIDING HIGH
With aspirations to make indie pop with infectious choruses, tour dates with The Libertines and Interpol to their name and a debut album on its way in early 2015, things are set to get very exciting indeed for Circa Waves. Amy Sumner meets a band very much on the rise. “Forced is a strong word, it makes it seem like they held guns to our heads or something. But those gigs were kind of terrible. Playing to a room full of chin-scratching blokes who all left the minute we were done…we couldn’t wait to get that bit over and to start playing in front of real people.” Circa Waves’ bassist Sam Rourke is responding to a question about being forced to play shows in secret using different band names due to the huge amount of attention they’d provoked from the ‘industry’. ‘Malkovich Malkovich’ and ‘Die! Die! Die!’ sound fairly unassuming and easy to let slip through the net, but one whisper that ‘Wet Wet Wet’ are playing the local toilet circuit… The Liverpool quartet met at the city’s Sound City festival in 2013, “and decided it would be a better use of our time to start making music together.” In truth, lead singer Kieran Shudall had been trying to form a successful band for a number of years without much luck. ‘Last ditch attempt’ seems harsh but it probably wasn’t far off. The band were unearthed very early on by Zane Lowe who took a shine to their track Young Chasers and played it incessantly on his Radio 1 show. And it’s been a swift ascent from there. November 2014
“Our first aim was just to do a gig,” says Sam, “but after that it was to record some songs then pretty soon you realise that your next thing is going to Japan or something and that’s a bit of a ‘holy shit’ moment.”
with big, infectious choruses. It’s indie rock aiming for the top – The Vaccines Mark II. With their debut album due early next year, Circa Waves will get their best chance yet to show what they’re all about.
There have been a few of those for Circa Waves. Not only were the quartet thrust into the opening slot of the NME Awards Tour with Interpol, Temples and Royal Blood after just 10 months of being a band, they were also whisked off on tour with The Libertines to play a run of European dates earlier this year.
“We recorded the album in a couple of places in London this summer,” explains Sam. “Most of the songs were pretty much there before going in to the studio so it was mainly a case of getting the right sound and then getting it down. We had a lovely guy called Dan Grech (The Vaccines, Lana Del Rey, The Kooks, Keane) recording us and he made the whole process feel really easy.
“Those gigs were amazing,” enthuses Sam. “In Berlin we all watched from the side of the stage and that was a pretty special moment for all of us.” So what do they sound like? Well they’ve been quoted as saying they want to make indie pop. But is indie pop an oxymoron? “Maybe it used to be but indie is just a sound now more than anything,” says Sam. “Most people think of it as a genre more than a statement.” There’s definitely elements of garage rock in there, there’s The Strokes and The Libertines run through
“I think our main aim was to make an album that sounded like a bunch of guys playing together, it sounds quite obvious I suppose. We think of ourselves primarily as a live act so it was important to get some of that into the recording. Listening back to the sessions, we’re all pretty happy with how it turned out.”
Circa Waves are live at The Institute, Birmingham, on November 12. 23
All in Good Time 24
Brum Notes Magazine
Goodnight Lenin have emerged as one of Birmingham’s best-loved local acts in recent years, with sell-out shows in their home city, high profile support slots and plenty of festival appearances across the country. And now with their much-anticipated debut album finally ready to be unveiled, it’s time to really sit up and pay attention. Frontman John Fell tells Josh Allen why they now have a record that does them justice. “It took us a long, long time,” confides Goodnight Lenin frontman John Fell with a mix of understatement and frankness. He’s sat in the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath reflecting on the process of recording their long-awaited first album, the appropriately titled In the Fullness of Time. “It took us about four years to get it right,” he continues. “We must have recorded it about four times all-in-all, but it wasn’t right, it just didn’t reflect the development of our sound.” The reason for the record’s long gestation appears to lie in a marriage of method and craftsmanship. Goodnight Lenin proudly describe their sound as ‘old school West Coast Americana’. As such they lay claim to a musical pedigree that includes such illustrious names as Neil Young, Phosphorescent and Wilco. Since their 2011 formation, Goodnight Lenin have doggedly sought to pick up the standard of this scene, becoming along the way part of a growing band of artists committed to analogue recording mediums. “It just wouldn’t sound right making our kind of music any other way,” John says, explaining the band’s commitment to anachronistic, kit-like tape decks with their finely-tuned headstacks, widths and speeds. “Digital just doesn’t cut it,” he insists. The vibrations fan club includes some of the biggest names of the last decade, with everyone from Taylor Swift to Radiohead, via Jack White, getting in on the tape deck action. In a digital age, it says something for analogue’s warmth and soulfulness that Amy Winehouse’s epochdefining Rehab was captured for the recordbuying public on recording equipment so ancient and rock solid it had to be tempered back into
shape by gangs of mechanical engineers wielding soldering irons. This dedication to analogue brings its own challenges though, and not just for fans in terms of waiting time. “We had to all sit in one live room and record,” John reflects. “It really puts the pressure on, because it can take 10-15 takes to get it spot on…if you mess up you have to do it all over again, so of course you’re worried that you’ll get to the bit you got to last time and mess it up again. All in all it took us a year to put together the final record.” Luckily, given the potential tensions inherent in using such an intense and demanding process, as a collective Goodnight Lenin go back years. “Some of us have known each other since we were five,” John explains. “We’ve all played in different bands with each other at one time or another so that means we can be honest.” That closeness has undoubtedly helped make the painstaking process an awful lot more bearable, heck, maybe even fun. And it has also given them the patience to make sure they made the record that they wanted to make. “I accept it was quite frustrating for people,” admits the frontman, “for our fans, who just wanted us to push on and do well. But we just wanted to get the development right. We now [have a record] we’re really proud of.”
nostalgic record in that sense. I think that [given our strong roots in classic Americana] we’re a very nostalgic band.” It is clear that Goodnight Lenin have a very clear sense of setting, of their place within a strong musical community and tradition. “An absolute career highlight has to be getting Jonathan Wilson [who produced In the Fullness of Time] involved. He’s one of our idols, and an utter lodestar for the West Coast scene, he’s just someone who’s been flying the flag for a long time. “It’s a real bonus that we’ve finally shrugged off the folk band tag and are being recognised for what our influences actually are.” And that much is evident. With its piano sections and soft but ever-present electric guitars, In the Fullness of Time is far too grounded in American alt’s broad canon to be thought of as purely a modern folk album. “Also there’s a slight tendency to lump all Birmingham bands together just because of where we come from, frankly I don’t think that does any of us justice,” John adds. That isn’t to say that Goodnight Lenin completely dismiss the influence of their home city, which has spawned songsmiths as gleefully diverse as Joan Armatrading, Broadcast and Mike Skinner.
Fittingly for such a hard-won album, John says that a lot of its songs are meditations “on the passing of time.”
“We don’t write a classic sort of tune,” John adds, “we’re very much songwriters and I think in a sense that’s very Birmingham. We joke around a lot, we aren’t that serious. That’s very Birmingham, I guess.”
“The whole process has been a great reflection of how we’ve developed as a band, it’s quite poignant. Sorry if I sound pretentious, but every song is a nod to what I have or what I’ve had. It’s a
Goodnight Lenin are live at The Institute, Birmingham, on November 29. Debut album In the Fullness of Time is out on Static Caravan on November 24.
“There’s a slight tendency to lump all Birmingham bands together just because of where we come from, frankly I don’t think that does any of us justice” November 2014
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D R A G O N Overlooked at home, Sweden’s Little Dragon found success first in the US instead. David Vincent takes a Transatlantic call to learn more. “It’s going really well,” cries Little Dragon’s Erik Bodin, calling from the band’s American tour bus prior to a show in Salt Lake City, Utah. “We’ve been doing some areas in the Midwest where we’ve not done much, and some places that are new to us. There have been good crowds. They’re very expressive here – if they like you, they let you know.” The popularity of the quartet Stateside came as something of a surprise to the band. Based in Gothenburg, Sweden, the roots of Little Dragon go back to 1996, although it wasn’t until the early 2000s that they solidified. Broadly influenced by dance music, R’n’B, jazz, electronica and 70s and 80s synths, Erik, Fredrik Wallin, Håkan Wirenstrand and vocalist Yukimi Nagano’s self-titled debut album arrived in 2007. Home to piano ballad Twice, the record unexpectedly found favour in the US before Europe or Scandinavia. As did 2009’s Machine Dreams. “We were signed to a UK label, Peacefrog, but it was thanks to a radio station in California,” recalls Erik of their US break. “They started playing us on super-heavy rotation – they were the only place that played our music. We were buried in Sweden…and we had no idea. Then we were asked to do a show at The Roxy [on Sunset Strip, Hollywood], and it was the first sold-out show we’d ever done. So I’d say that we have a special relationship with the States.” Pulling a far bigger crowd in the US than back home is simply about the numbers, reckons Erik – bigger country, more people. “The big mass is not that interested in searching out new music, but those that are, do…and found us.” Alongside student and public service radio, TV also embraced the Swedes, as songs soundtracked such hit dramas as Grey’s Anatomy. But Erik’s not sure how much influence this had on their jump in popularity. “It’s hard to tell,” he says. “You hear a lot about it, but I don’t know what it means. The most important thing for us is to play live, to come 26
to a place, to build up a fanbase…but of course, music on TV is never a bad thing.” The band have since contributed to Gorillaz’ Plastic Beach, worked with SBTRKT and Outkast’s Big Boi, and opened for Red Hot Chili Peppers.
With their career continuing to climb, what do Little Dragon do? They take 2013 off. A risky undertaking… “But it was a risk NOT to take a year or more off, as we’d been constantly moving for four, six years, Brum Notes Magazine
Q U E S T “None of us are very good at pushing the music outside of our own bubble. For a lot of years, we only made music for ourselves.”
to return with their biggest release yet, Nabuma Rubberland. From glacial synths and sparse beats, to slick, sharp tunes, and slow jams, it’s a collection inspired by experimental Prince, Frank Ocean…and vintage Janet Jackson. Not a name many would drop into conversation today, but her 80s pop hits with genius production duo Jam and Lewis are much underrated. “When we make reference to Janet Jackson, one of the main things are those Jam and Lewis productions. They were an amazing production team, and not really looked upon as the most innovative sounds [nowadays]. But I like the way she sings, it’s sensuous, soulful, but minimal. She’s not really Beyonce. It’s very personal. Someone played all her albums to us and we got soaked in it. It was like a new discovery which we thought we’d bring into the mix.” The coming months see the band’s global jaunt continue, with festivals already booked for the summer. “But the main plan is to write music,” stresses Erik. “We were touring too much before to write new music, and you get tired of playing the same songs. So maybe there will be an EP soon. We’ll definitely do something different from Nabuma. “We’re talking about maybe doing a dance EP, go all the way into dance…but who knows? There are always plans. Håkan wants to do an ambient record – but that could be solo. We’re very open. It will be something less polished than Nabuma though…rough.” and doing that, you get constantly tired, you get so stressed,” insists Erik. “Taking a year off was the best way to deal with it. It was nice to be home for a year, and a bit more, we could just write and play. We really did it to have no deadlines, none. That’s how we started, just playing, no pressure. November 2014
None of us are very good at pushing the music outside of our own bubble. For a lot of years, we only made music for ourselves.” Yet despite the extended self-imposed public silence, Little Dragon have beaten the odds
Little Dragon are live at The Institute, Birmingham, on November 18. 27
‘Legendary’ is a word thrown around all too easily these days. But no term seems more appropriate for Coventry’s 2 Tone and ska leading lights The Specials. The rebellious rude boys inspired a generation and their re-emergence in recent years has underlined their status as one of the most important acts in modern British music. But founder member Horace Panter is still surprised by their ongoing reunion. “We’re a lot more sensible this time,” he tells David Vincent.
TOO MUCH, TOO YOUNG “There’s no one more surprised than me,” admits Horace Panter, reflecting on the fullblown touring schedule that The Specials are once more enjoying. Just seven years ago, he was a school art teacher with a weekend gig in a Warwickshire blues band and a pop past. “I honestly thought I’d retire as a school teacher. Then in 2008, Lynval [Golding] made a call,” he says of his then-former bandmate and reunion architect. “I thought I could do it as a sabbatical, take a year off, do the band, then go back to teaching.” But here he is, six years on (and nearly four decades since the band first formed), and The Specials continue to play to sell-out crowds. “Everything’s sold out apart from two shows – which is extremely humbling,” Horace says of their current UK jaunt. “It continues to take me by surprise. Here we are, still finding new audiences. The old guard are in their 50s, they saw us in 1979 maybe, and now they’re bringing their children along, who are in their 20s or something. “So there seems to be a real longevity to this material. We have this place in British pop history. Which is why we can play three sell-out nights at the Roadhouse in London – incredible.” 28
Formed in Coventry in 1977, Lynval Golding (guitar), Terry Hall (vocals), Roddy Radiation (guitar), John Bradbury (drummer), Jerry Dammers (keyboards), Neville Staple (vocals) and Horace, aka Sir Horace Gentleman (bass), fused ska’s infectious beat with punk’s energy and defiance to huge acclaim. Their run of hit singles began in 1979 with Gangsters, heralding a ska explosion, and concluded in 1981 with the chart-topping ode to their home, Ghost Town. In between were news headlines, violence at shows, political and social comment, and a US tour which broke the band’s will. Though Dammers carried on with a version of the band, Hall, Staple and Golding returned to the charts as Fun Boy Three (and coincidentally launched Bananarama’s career), while Horace joined The Beat /Dexy’s spin-off, General Public. But by the 90s, most members were playing in various amalgamations under various names to drifting audiences, with old wounds seemingly ruling out full reconciliations. That was until peacemaker Lynval started contacting his former comrades in 2008, with a view to live shows marking the 30th anniversary of Gangsters. Remarkably, he managed to reunite everyone bar Dammers to universally fanatical reviews. There have been defections – Staple
left in 2013 (continuing to tour with his own band, including an appearance in Birmingham this month), while Roddy quietly shuffled off this year to concentrate on his own music (though his forum postings hint at a different story) – but otherwise, they’re still at it. “We’re a lot more sensible this time,” says Horace of their continuation. “When you’re young, energetic, idealistic, the band takes on a mission. Now we have our heads on our shoulders, we’re realistic, we relax between tours, which is something we never did and why we split up.” Looking back to their early fame and rapid implosion, it seems it was very much a case of (to quote the title of their 1980 hit) ‘too much, too young’.
“ We formed a group to make people dance, we hadn’t bargained for success ” Brum Notes Magazine
“Yeah, that expression has come back to haunt “Sleaford Mods are great. You won’t see Away from The Specials, Horace is kept busy us,” says Horace. “We didn’t realise we were them on Jools Holland,” Horace laughs. with exhibitions and more ska adventures with wearing each other out, being in such close “Taking them on tour reminds me of the 1978 the Uptown Ska Collective. proximity to each other for so long. We need- tour with The Clash where the official support ed to spend some time on a hot beach. But we was Suicide. They came from New York and “The Uptown Ska Collective are basically were the face jammed into the vortex of the were just a rhythm box and a singer. Someone the people from The Specials who music business. We came from the Midlands, said Sleaford Mods were like a cross between aren’t in The Specials,” he smiles. “I love we weren’t used to success. Success usually Shameless and The Clash, or John Cooper playing that music. It’s on the backburnhappened to someone else. When you think Clarke with beats. Seeing Sleaford Mods was er at the moment, but I’ve been talking of Duran Duran or Spandau-fucking-Ballet, one of the most real things I’ve seen in ages. to agents recently about getting more work success for them kind of came with the territo- We’re also going out with this schoolboy mod next year – The Specials notwithstanding. ry. We formed a group to make people dance, band from Essex, whose average age is 15 I also still have a blues band who play we hadn’t bargained for success. That’s (The Tones) – they’re like the ying to Sleaford at weekends – Blues2Go. We play in something I’ve had a lot of time to think about.” Mods’ yang.” Coventry and Warwickshire and just turn up, stick our gear in the corner of the On internal band politics, Horace says “some As to the future of the revitalised Specials, pub and play. We’ve been doing that for 10 of those relationships worked, some of those Horace is open minded. “We just see what years now.” relationships didn’t,” and adds members share happens. If we only sell 35 tickets in a 3,000 few interests. “We have nothing in common capacity venue, or if we’re all stuck in a van in a Having now hit 60, that idea of retiring a with one another, other than when you put us car park outside the back of a pub in Bedford... teacher seems long gone. “I don’t believe in in a room with musical instruments, something then we might stop. But I don’t know. Is this retirement,” he laughs. the last tour? I don’t know...the audience are extraordinary happens.” still there.” And it is extraordinary, bringing audiences to tears, and still exciting the band. “My heart One thing seems more certain though – no The Specials are live at the Civic Hall, swells with pride when I hear those opening new songs. “We talk about new material an Wolverhampton, on November 20. You can awful lot. If there was going to be new mate- also catch ex-Specials member Neville chords,” Horace insists. rial it would have emerged by now,” reckons Staple performing with The Neville Staple In an inspired move, the current UK dates see Horace, joking that it would only send fans Band at The Oobleck, Birmingham, on the band joined by East Midlands’ equally running to the bar. November 8. remarkable Sleaford Mods.
POP STAR POP ART Images courtesy of Horace Panter
Horace Panter graduated from Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University) in 1975 with a degree in Fine Art, but years playing music and teaching meant that he’s only recently found the time to pursue his own muse.
Newman, were talking about the essence of painting, talking in metaphorical terms. Then in comes Andy Warhol with his soup can. A soup can? Wonderful! It’s like punk rock. Newman’s talking about art one way and Warhol another, it’s the artistic equivalent of Johnny Rotten vs Emerson, Lake & Palmer, which is why I lean towards pop art,” he says, drawing a comparison to the punk vs prog rock battle.
“I look upon art as my solo career. I’m a bass player, and you can’t play bass guitar solo. And I can’t sing. So I need a drummer, I need a guitarist. I’m a team player. As an artist, it stands or falls on me,” he explains. “I’m in love with America. All my favourite music comes from there. At the moment His work is steeped in popular culture refer- I’m doing a lot of Edward Hopper-like ences, from images of the band and other paintings, of road signs, diners, liquor musicians, to mixtapes and urban landscapes. stores. That’s the Americana series.” “I’m interested in pop art, in elevating the ordinary. It’s also related to music, and my interest in that period [60s-70s]. “I love the fact that [in the 1950s] the Abstract Expressionists, like Barnett November 2014
Horace Panter’s next exhibition is at The White Room in Leamington Spa during December. His work can also be seen at Reuben Colley Fine Arts, in Moseley, Birmingham. For more information visit www.horacepanterart.com. 29
apply within We're recruiting for the following roles: Assistant Editor (part-time) Editorial Assistant (part-time) Media Sales Executive (freelance) We're also on the lookout for writers and photographers keen to contribute to the magazine and website. For more information visit: www.brumnotes.com/jobs
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Brum Notes Magazine
STREET STYLE BIRMINGHAM
This month’s Street Style was shot at All Years Leaving at the Hare & Hounds. See the full review over the page.
style
CONNOR HEMMING, 18 T-SHIRT: SONIC YOUTH FROM HMV FLANNEL SHIRT: CEDAR WOOD STATE JEANS: TK MAXX TRAINERS: SECOND-HAND CONVERSE FROM EBAY HERE TO SEE HOOKWORMS
GREG COATES, 27 HOODY: FOUND JACKET: FOUND JEANS: H&M BOOTS: CLARKS HERE TO PLAY WITH THEM WOLVES
POPPY TWIST, 23 JACKET: BEYOND RETRO TOP: CHARITY SHOP LEGGINGS: AMERICAN APPAREL SHOES: KURT GEIGER HERE TO PLAY WITH TABLE SCRAPS
CHRIS BRANSDEN, 32 JACKET: ALL SAINTS JEANS: LEVI’S JUMPER: H&M SHOES: DR MARTENS HERE TO SEE THEM WOLVES
CARA WILLIAMS, 25 JACKET: MONKI BLOUSE: 70S VINTAGE DRESS: FREE PEOPLE BOOTS: F-TROUPE HERE TO SEE HOOKWORMS, THEM WOLVES, VICTORIES AT SEA AND ECHO LAKE
EMILY WARNER, 32 SHIRT: ROXY VALETTA VINTAGE BOTTOMS: NEW LOOK BOOTS : EBAY BAG: HAND-ME-DOWN FROM HER MUM HERE TO SEE: ECHO LAKE
November PHOTOS2014 BY Sam Wood
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live
ALl years leaving
Traams Photo by Wayne Fox
Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath 24-25/10/14
Day One All Years Leaving, the festival of new music curated by This is Tmrw, crashes into action on the Friday with Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam very much setting the pace for the weekend. Their single Auto shows the crowd just how exciting this band can be. Keeping up with them is Bad Breeding who are pretty angry about…something. You’d have a hard time making out what it is through the fury of their guitars. Menace Beach show Birmingham that they’re not just great at picking names but also pretty awesome songwriters. Every song feels well thought out and each one is more interesting than the last. With Wolverhampton power duo God Damn’s album approaching fast it’s great to see the guys blasting out a mixture of new material from that and old faithfuls like Heavy Money. Next up, London’s answer to Wavves, Cheatahs, take the stage. Ripping through an incredible set of genuinely interesting tunes it’s easy to understand their recent rise in notoriety. Stealing the night, however, are headliners Eagulls. Kafkaesque in their mannerisms, it almost seems intentional when a broken
string leads to an impromptu and very surreal spoken word performance. Footsteps, Yellow Eyes and Nerve Endings are stand out moments in the set showing off the bleak and hard hitting nature that defines this band. Matthew Burdon
Day Two Table Scraps begin day number two for those who managed to crawl out of bed early enough (4.30pm). It’s a full-throttle abrasive attack on the senses before Theo Verney’s psyched out set merges easily into Them Wolves, their noise rock assault continuing the upward ascent. The synth rock of London’s Echo Lake is next. In truth, it’s a little drawn out but joined on stage by Burning Alms’ drummer Thomas Whitfield for a final flourish, the outfit make way for electrolytes Victories At Sea who play a set of largely new material and carry it off largely successfully. Less successful is the sound system for The Voyeurs which appears not to be able to cope with five instruments at once and which dampens an otherwise impressive performance. Traams are arguably one of the highlights of the weekend, a relentless postpunk attack assuaged with a krautrock groove, the slacker vocals of lead singer Stu Hopkins piquing at their gemstone, Flowers, before Hookworms bring the entire event to a climax with their noise psych which has even tempted The Guardian up from London. A high five to all at This Is Tmrw – Birmingham count your Them Wolves Photo by Wayne Fox blessings. Amy Sumner
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ST VINCENT The Institute, Birmingham 24/10/14
Preceded by a computerised voice that requests refrain from technological devices for the show’s duration (an instruction flouted by inconsiderate pockets of the crowd), Annie Clark – owner of the pale complexion and wild-but-styled grey hair that currently defines her ever-morphing St Vincent moniker – marches into view with the rigidity of an automaton, jerking her angular body in time to the opening hiss of Rattlesnake. Completing the first verse without her signature jetblack guitar, she’s saddled with it in time for its blitzkrieging solo and from then on, barely lets its six strings breathe. Whether charging through Digital Witness’ funky stomp, the (rather fitting) Sabbath riff that disturbs the skittering hip hop of Huey Newton or the histrionic wig-out of Cruel, Clark – a consummate showwoman – is only ever a windmill away from aping Pete Townsend’s legendary theatrics. But, far from being a static shoegazer, there’s more to Clark’s charm than just a few effects pedals. Draping herself saucily over pinkened LED steps like some balladeering X Factor hopeful on I Prefer Your Love, orchestrating a dramatic stereo pause as Regret begins to inch off its leash and tottering impossibly back and forth on her dainty, high-heeled feet between the verses of Birth In Reverse, she can also dazzle without so much as playing a note. On a night where pop and prog entwine, nothing, it seems, is off limits. And, as the set draws to a close, things get even more unorthodox. Tiptoeing precariously across the audience’s hands and taking a smatter of Brum Notes Magazine
TELEMAN Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath 21/10/14
St Vincent Photo by Sam Wood
ironic selfies with crowd-owned cameras as Year of the Tiger burns out, she’s lifted hazardously onto the balcony and up to those seated above. Yet, laying her life on the line is exactly what Clark’s always been about. Pouring personal experience into every song and ripping through her fingertips as she goes hell-forleather on her instrument, tonight she writes herself into alternative rock’s pantheon with a performance worthy of her saintly alias. And one to whom, we, the aghast onlookers, are truly not worthy. Dan Owens
Real Estate + Alvvays The Library @ The Institute, Birmingham 24/10/14
“We’re from Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island…do you know where that is?” Alvvays seem impressed the crowd does, further enhancing the lovely day they’ve been having in Brum – one of the boys even managed to score a pre-gig date with St Vincent, who’s playing upstairs tonight. As the Canadian (see, told you we knew) five-piece strike into gear with The Agency Group, frontwoman Molly Rankin has the slouch and bleach-blond hair of Kurt Cobain, yet her heritage is her family’s country-folk group, erm, The Rankin Family. It means that Alvvays’ eponymous debut album, which they play almost in its entirety, has a melodic gravitas which elevates it above a mere jangle-pop bagatelle – Rankin’s vocals have an eloquence and emotional complexity that make Alvvays a very special proposition indeed. While tonight’s performance lacks a little of the November 2014
album’s sense of poise, the desperate allure of Party Police and breezy energy of Atop A Cake are very much present and correct. They finish, of course, with Archie, Marry Me, a global mega smash in any perfect parallel universe. When one punter turns up late and asks if Alvvays were any good, his grimace suggests he already knows the answer. Yes, they were. Sitting out on the porch in a New Jersey suburb, lost in thought while the sun goes down. This is the sonic stock-in-trade of Real Estate, whose ecstatically-received new album Atlas has them packed in at The Library tonight. There’s a curious disconnect between their preppy aesthetic and their loose stage patter – before they’ve played a note, bassist Alex Bleeker has invited us all for a pint at The Kerryman after the show. That’s as rock’n’roll as Real Estate get, their songs never departing from the mid-paced restraint of Martin Courtney’s languid vocals and Matt Mondanile’s gently chiming guitar. Choosing to open their set with the pleasantly melodic instrumental April’s Song, it’s clear the band expect you to meet them halfway, but it’s a journey that’s justified by the bittersweet charm of cuts like Talking Backwards and Crime. When they return for the encore, there’s a sudden frisson in the room, with the crowd urgently appealing for It’s Real, the glorious standout track from previous album Days. All through their set, the band have attempted to whip us up into a frenzy by reminding us that it’s Friday night, but it’s a tactic that’s doomed to fail – after all, we’re the sort of people who’ve decided to spend their Friday night watching Real Estate. Dan Cooper-Gavin
Teleman’s debut album Breakfast is quite a feat. Drawing influences from David Bowie, Robert Wyatt and the Pet Shop Boys, there are also elements of kraut and the stylings of Kraftwerk at play. And as the quartet step on stage tonight in uniform shirts, boy do they look the part too. Launching into Mainline, they play almost all of the material from that debut as well as the B-side to their first ever single, Kill It. “We don’t often play it live so it’s a treat,” assures lead singer Thomas Sanders. Highlights are their wonderfully whimsical single Cristina and an extended version of Steam Train Girl, which is bolstered with some impressive synth samples. But the real gem of the set is the new song they play, a funkedup disco Depeche Mode number – if this is the direction the new material is taking then it’s something to look forward to indeed. There are a couple of snags – the backing vocals of bassist Pete Cattermoul are inaudible, there are a few too many sampled drum beats to get away with when you consider the actual workload of drummer Hiro Amamiya, and there are some gremlins in the guitar pedals (“that’s what happens when you use 70s equipment…”), but really it’s even more mechanically rhythmic live than on record and they finish impressively with Not In Control followed by Redhead Saturday. “Has anyone seen us here before? How many times?” questions Sanders of his audience. Teleman have played here about three times in the past 10 months. This one wins assuredly. Amy Sumner
OxjamBrum Takeover Festival Various venues, Birmingham 18/10/14
With a slightly anaemic looking lineup due to the loss of The Mighty Young, Haze and Heavy Waves, the OxjamBrum Takeover Festival still got its charitable claws on Birmingham’s Saturday. And what a day it was, one that would see the likes of Curb, Kaleidoscopes, Alex Moir, Mirrorhall and KIN take to the stages of various venues. But for now the day starts at Six Eight Kafe and the Killr Punx stage. Walking into the small coffee shop just outside the Great Western Arcade you could be forgiven for thinking that maybe it’s been called off, that is until you hear the unmistakable sounds of Connor Hemming bursting from the basement. His reputation for live wild shows does not let him down. Managing to be powerful and volatile armed with just an 33
people are lending their friends copies of their album. Matthew Burdon
JOHNNY MARR Civic Hall, Wolverhampton 17/10/14
Curb Photo by Wayland Thor Badger
acoustic guitar, and while his lyrics can feel a bit awkward at times, his powerful vocals mean that the mic in front of him may as well not be there. Not one for standing still, Connor winds round the room playing his mash of country and punk leaving an appreciative audience shellshocked by the end. Next up is The Chalet Lines, aka Enquiry’s Joseph Parker, a telecaster and a lot of reverb, playing his first show. If at times you find that life is just too full of happiness and you miss that little bit of angst then he’s got you covered because it just pours out of his music. Don’t take that as a bad thing, Parker’s songs and demeanour feel like seeing Brian Molko sleeptalking but it’s enthralling. The set consists mostly of originals with a stripped-back, although hardly inspired, cover of Where is my Mind, and when all is said and done it’s clear that this isn’t going to be his only show as The Chalet Lines. Those that desire something a little louder are well catered for at the Talk stage. Making good on the promise are Rulers finishing off an incredibly energetic show setting the bar high for those to come. Then come Last Light to play their carefully crafted, gloomladen songs under the black lights of Talk’s basement. Last Light have a clear set of influences (think every band that has ever been described as sorrowful) but it doesn’t feel like a rehashing of a movement that happened over a decade ago, but rather the continuation of an idea. They’re exciting both on record and on stage and it’s an absolute joy to see their soundscapes recreated in a live environment – a definite highlight of this year’s OxjamBrum. In an almost suspicious set of coincidences, this year’s OxjamBrum comes in the same month that Brum Notes celebrates its fifth birthday. So naturally we were given a stage at The Sunflower Lounge to fill with only the finest bands in town. Natural born shredders Curb are one of those bands deemed worthy of such a prestigious position. The 34
release of Communication seems to have refreshed Curb a little bit, with a clear focus on newer and unreleased material within their set. A rushed version of How Are You Now, coupled with the fact that it was their last time playing that song, gives the impression of a band moving to something new. From their performance it’s obvious that Curb are a band who are most comfortable when they’re progressing and can get frustrated when they’re stuck on one thing for too long. At this point an honourable mention must go to fallen comrades Swerve who couldn’t play because of a lost voice. To help those in pain Mirrorhall come on to bring the art rock to this charity hoedown. Everything feels so heavy and serious, you can almost hear the avant-garde wine glasses clink over discussions of the human experience. Despite a few issues with the sound, Mirrorhall do hit all the right spots. Reserved when they need to be, powerful and explosive when the mood takes them all while delivering interesting songs that are the sonic equivalent of Picasso’s Blue Period. It will be interesting to see where this band goes as they evolve their live shows beyond a dark basement. KIN are by far one of the highlights of the festival, it is a genuine joy to see them perform if only to be dazzled by their awesome display of talent. Still technical ability isn’t everything, which is why it’s a good thing they have an arsenal of excellent songs. Tracks like Loom and Porn show their ability to incorporate elements of pop, funk, psychedelia and jazz into one cohesive unit, coming out with a sound that is hard to pin down. As the set goes on the crowd starts to grow and pays more attention to what is going on on stage. Charge Your Heart’s glorious chorus certainly resonates with Birmingham, while But Tonight is the song that turns those watching into fans, as the band throw themselves into every beat and every bar. KIN may be in their infancy as a band, but it’s not hard to imagine a future where
There’s always a danger when dealing with former members of bands with that hallowed ‘legendary’ status. It’s a danger of relying too heavily on the glory of days gone by, a danger of the failure to recognise the natural passing of time. But we needn’t have worried about Johnny Marr. Playing the fourth night of his current run of European dates, tonight the former Smiths guitarist plays a balanced 90-minute mix of material from his 2013 debut solo album The Messenger (Upstarts, Generate! Generate!, New Town Velocity) and its 2014 follow-up Playland (Back In The Box, Easy Money, Dynamo), as well as a handful of Smiths tracks including Panic, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out and of course, How Soon Is Now. Frustratingly, there’s a lack of crowd reaction for much of Marr’s solo material – there’s chanting ‘Johnny, Johnny, Johnny fucking Marr’ and then there’s actually getting into the songs. And it’s clear that the majority of tonight’s punters are here for The Smiths, coming alive only upon identifying the opening bars of each of the six the guitarist plays. Just the Smiths songs though, Marr’s rollicking cover of Iggy Pop’s Lust For Life appears to fall largely on deaf ears. Or maybe tired legs. Equally, there’s little danger of encroaching the 3,500 capacity of the venue as the balcony is completely closed. Tonight Marr plays his trademark mix of classic British indie, new wave and post punk ably, impressively and deserving of the legendary status afforded him – but will his solo efforts ever even parallel those of his band’s in the eyes of his fans? Amy Sumner
THE SHRINE The Oobleck, Birmingham 08/10/14
You know the expression ‘they just don’t make music like this anymore’? Well Californian psychedelic rockers The Shrine are making that music. After two incredible, albeit eardrum-splitting, sets from supports Death Alley and Dirty Fences, The Shrine take to the stage to show The Oobleck that it is absolutely necessary that we still have bands who are making the kind of music your dad rocked out to in the 70s. The Black Sabbath and Black Flag influence is clear just from their appearance, the wild untamed hair and shabby clothes signal just what the audience are in for. ‘Heavy’ is a Brum Notes Magazine
Johnny Marr Photo by Jonathan Morgan
word that doesn’t quite have the weight to describe what comes next. Everything that is great about this band comes alive in their performance, the visceral nature of Tripping Corpse, the slow and impending riff of Rare Breed and the wild solos in Run The Night. The music hits your primal side with a swift dropkick right to the gut, it becomes a physical force that surrounds you until you’re left with musical shellshock. The Shrine are as brutal as they appear, they’re not for the faint of heart. Matthew Burdon
VASHTI BUNYAN Mac, Birmingham 07/10/14
Who better to open a show when there’s a cult musical hero in town than one of Birmingham’s finest upcoming musical heroes, Katherine Priddy? Captivating as ever, Katherine plays a beautiful set from her ever-growing catalogue, and after an impeccable performance we’d never have guessed she’d just spent the last two weeks suffering from tonsillitis. A short while later Vashti Bunyan takes to the stage alongside Gareth Dixon, who accompanies her on guitar for this intimate tour. Softly spoken and shy in her exterior, Vashti opens with There Before, a beautiful song about her children. Just Another Diamond Day comes next, with Vashti recalling a time when she first tried to get an agent but was told she wasn’t “commercial enough”. Triumphantly, years later JADD was featured in a huge mobile phone commercial. Throughout this set Vashti’s hypnotic vocals capture the attentive crowd, as do the stories which accompany each song. A great storyteller, she shares a wealth of life’s tales. This being her first live performance in four years it was an absolute honour to see her opening her tour in Birmingham and from the crowd’s rapturous applause, it’s clear she did not disappoint. November 2014
Saima Razzaq
APES Alfie Bird’s, Digbeth 04/10/14
It can be hard to take a chance on a gig, especially one you have had to climb three flights of stairs to get to. However, if you didn’t take a chance on Apes when they played Alfie Bird’s, you’re going to be annoyed that you didn’t take the walk. There’s a few things you have to know about Apes: 1) they’re Australian; 2) they’re awesome both live and on record; 3) they put on a pretty good light show; 4) they have excellent taste in cowboy boots. From the off it’s clear that Apes are a band that fully deserve the praise they’ve received from Zane Lowe and the high profile support slots they’ve earned with the likes of Royal Blood. Songs such as furious-paced, angerfuelled Seven show a band with energy and a sound reminiscent of an early Cage the Elephant, and it’s clear to the few that did turn up that these guys are something special. While they might not be at their slickest on stage just yet, they take everything in their stride and are clearly enjoying themselves. From the slow, soul-aching, blues-inspired Goin’ On, to the catchy-as-hell Pull the Trigger, to the aforementioned Seven, there is a great diversity to their songwriting that really shines through. A memorable night for those that made it. Matthew Burdon
SYLVAN ESSO Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath 01/10/14
Sylvan Esso is one part Amelia Meath (one third of a cappella folk outfit Mountain Man), and one part electro producer, Nick Sanborn. Together this unlikely pairing have coxed an intuitive mix of synth pop that no doubt will be compared to the likes of Purity
Ring, Chvrches and Dirty Projectors. On stage, the duo hold an infectious energy and Meath has the crowd hanging on her every word. Her vocals are clear and elegant, and performances of Dreamy Bruises and Dress make it clear that her folky endeavours have had little impetus on this offering. Throughout the set, Sanborn, the duo’s master of rhythm, charms Meath’s vocals by meticulously weaving multiple loops into unexpected beats – there’s even hints of R’n’B, dubstep and techno in his rhythm. Between them, Meath and Sandborn have captured the essence of what is the grey area that sits between genres. Meath’s lyrics reflect on the tumults of life and Sanborn humanises this through the frequent use of sound-effects – we hear street scenes with roaring engines and even a closed door. Overwhelmed by the substantial turnout from what they thought would be a “low show”, this duo put on a great performance. It’s just a shame they don’t come back for an encore. Saima Razzaq
THE HORRORS The Institute 29/09/14
If openers Telegram spent as much time writing songs as they do whirling their guitars about their heads they may have come up with something more interesting. Instead they highlight the ever-broadening margin between looking the part and sounding it. It makes a pleasant change to actually see The Horrors tonight. Usually they’re engulfed by shadows, spectre-like contours shimmering beneath a smokescreen but a good dose of house lighting reveals the enigmas tonight. Well, partially. Beginning with Chasing Shadows from their fourth album Luminous, released in May this year, the fivesome play a well-balanced set from their latter three records. Who Can Say makes way for a rousing rendition of Mirror’s Image, Still Life and Change Your Mind before they encore with a beautifully extended Moving Further Away. The Horrors are a band who have constantly evolved and constantly impressed with each transformation and it’s testament to them that newer songs I See You and So Now You Know are met with equal appreciation as tried-and-tested favourites Sea Within a Sea and Endless Blue. Still nothing from their perpetually-slighted 2007 debut Strange House, which is a shame given its capabilities, but here’s a band who have hit their stride and if it’s one which has no place for their first incarnation then, sounding this good, we’re more than willing to accept. We’ll give it a sneaky spin when they’re not looking. Amy Sumner 35
album
Photo by Andy Hughes
reviews
SUPERFOOD Don’t Say That Out November 3 (Infectious)
There’s a certain dance move that requires perfecting in order to fully enjoy Don’t Say That. It’s called ‘The Superfood Nod.’ Essentially, tilt your head to one side, nod backwards, tilt your head to the other side, repeat to fade. Think of the Bez dance, but with less maraca. You’ll have plenty of time to practise. The first few tracks of this album push beats right to the
DAMIEN RICE My Favourite Faded Fantasy Out Nov 3 (Atlantic)
My Favourite Faded Fantasy is the third album by folk troubadour Damien Rice following his seminal O album, which sold two million copies worldwide, and its million-selling, Brit-nominated follow-up, 9. What happened after that? Well, not much really. Rice stepped away and became a 36
front of the mix, from the surreal Gorillaz-funk of Lily For Your Pad To Rest On, to the self-titled song that fuelled Superfood’s initial hype. This particular re-recorded version is vocally less raw than the earlier demo, but it seems a sure-fire hit should it be released as a single. TV from February’s EP Mam also returns remixed, with some extra vocal shouting but still as infectious and eccentric as before. After being heavily compared to Blur, labelled as Britpop revivalists, and thrown in with the B-Town ‘scene’ (over which the national fervour appears to have fizzled out by now), Superfood have worked
farmer in Tuscany. Eight years of that seem to have been enough though so we arrive at the release of My Favourite Faded Fantasy. This album, while not as instantly accessible as the previous ones, is a true work of art, a beguiling collection of songs about accepting one’s faults but also appreciating one’s abilities. The songs go from quiet to almost thunderous, but are never over the top, and are all emphatic. At just eight songs there is, at first, the feeling that you’re being left shortchanged, but with the majority easily passing the five-minute mark (and one coming in at close to 10) it feels raw and – most importantly – focused. There is
hard to make space for themselves. And on Don’t Say That they now finally just sound like themselves. On top of this, they’ve made the catchiest album of the year. By all accounts, this is a debut album to be proud of. Tom Clabon
no doubt that Damien Rice fans who have waited so patiently for such a long time will absolutely adore this album. Fans of intelligent and inventive songwriting, you’ll love it too. Ben Russell
BIS The Anthology – 20 Years Of Antiseptic Poetry Out November 10 (Do Yourself In)
Brum Notes Magazine
Remember when ‘pop’ was FUN? Famously the first ‘unsigned’ band to ever appear on Top Of The Pops, the Bis flame burned bright and brief, much like many of the tracks on this cracking career retrospective (hits, misses and rarities) in fact. The early stuff sticks firmly to their DIY roots with Peel Session (the great man was a fan) versions of Kandy Pop and Icky Poo Air Raid fizzing with all the explosive energy of a well shaken bottle of Irn Bru. The combination of Manda Rin’s super cutesy shouty vocals and Sci-Fi Steven’s slightly menacing Glaswegian twang still sounds remarkably fresh and different – how often do we hear proper full-on accents on records, eh? Exactly. After being snapped up by the ice cool Beastie Boys Grand Royal record label in the US, predictably making it big in Japan and recording the theme tune to The Powerpuff Girls (sadly not included on this compilation), later releases like Eurodisco and Action and Drama saw their sound polished just a little without losing their youthful zest but inexplicably (given that these are pure pop gems) they failed to break the charts. Icky boo! After splitting in 2003 they reformed in 2010, releasing Data Panik Etcetera in 2014, compiling much of the material they’d recorded during their hiatus (most notably as the short lived and criminally underrated Bis follow up Data Panik). Pick of these and one of the standout tracks on this album, the irresistible electro punk/nu rave mashup of Cubis (I Love You), well and truly signals a band that’s far from ready to be consigned to Bis-story. Strong contender for compilation of the year. Daron Billings
LOLA COLT Away From The Water Out November 3 (Fuzz Club Records)
Away From The Water is the debut album from London six-piece Lola Colt. Named after a 1960s Spaghetti Western, their fascination with all things Morricone coupled with noir psychedelic tendencies, results in a sound that is both hallucinatory and cinematic. According to the band, the songs on the album (produced by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ Jim Sclavunos) are soundtracks to films that are yet to be made and after a few listens this idea becomes all-encompassing. Opening track Ring of Ghosts is Sergio Leone meets The Doors, with Danish singer Gun Overbye’s vocals invoking Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick. From the solitary echoing guitar lines that evoke a thousand desert scenes and steely-eyed stares to Gun’s ethereal hum that introduces Highway, November 2014
these simple devices create a sense of tension from which the album draws its energy. On Vacant Hearts, the post-punk guitars shake up Gun’s vocal giving it a Patti Smith-style grit. When Gun sings ‘I wanna play God’ on I Get High if You Get High, the guitar reverb effects a freeing of the senses and a will to power. Mapping out a landscape that reaches out to your psyche and pulls you in, Lola Colt’s debut is a widescreen success. Andrew Gutteridge
GOODNIGHT LENIN In the Fullness of Time Out November 24 (Static Caravan)
It’s an apt title – after all, fans of Goodnight Lenin have been waiting a fair few years now for the band’s debut album, which probably explains why, even after just a handful of listens, it already feels like an old friend. The theme of time echoes throughout many of the tracks too, from lost love on Another Day to the country-tinged Carry the Burden of Youth in Your Heart and on to the album’s undoubted tour de force, Old Cold Hands, an emotionally-charged classic that builds to a raw, rock climax. That’s not the only example of the Lenin rocking out though. At times The Reason comes on like Fleetwood Mac at their majestic best, pounding drums, insistent keyboards and heading down the freeway with the wind in your hair guitars. Worth the wait then? Hell yeah, time well spent we’d say. Daron Billings
THE FLAMING LIPS With A Little Help From My Fwends Out November 3 (Bella Union)
Albert Einstein is famously noted as saying the definition of genius is taking something complex and making it simple. What The Flaming Lips have done throughout With A Little Help From My Fwends, a cover of The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album with numerous guests, is take something complex and make it more complex. It is everything we have come to expect and love from The Flaming Lips – more mental than experimental. As always, there are moments where it seems as though they have pushed things too far, but after a number of listens there is some sort of order in the chaos. On second track, With A Little Help From My Friends, the first reaction is “oh my god this is
terrible” – and it is. The ‘no one should mess with The Beatles’ snobbishness sets in, but it’s the only song on the album which is really bad. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, featuring Miley Cyrus and Moby, is like LSD on LSD, and When I’m Sixty Four is a slowed down version of the classic and surprisingly good. Phantogram and Julianna Barwick do She’s Leaving Home justice, while Lovely Rita with Tegan & Sara, Stardeath and White Dwarves is, well, lovely. We’ve all bought things from charities for the sake of do-gooding, and this may be the case as a portion of all proceeds from the album go to The Bella Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in the band’s hometown of Oklahoma City, which assists low-income, elderly, or terminally ill pet owners with the cost of veterinary care. But what you will actually be left with is something worth keeping, even if you do only listen once in a while. It’s The Beatles, but not quite as we know them. Jon Pritchard
Elephantine Glimmer Out now (I.T.K Records)
If you’ve managed to catch Elephantine live over the past year then you’ll agree that you’ve waited a year too long to listen to this highly anticipated debut. The band have been steadily uploading titbits from this EP via their SoundCloud, before treating us to its full release on limited edition vinyl and digital download. Fusing elements of jazz with riot grrl and blending traits of chamber music with grunge, Glimmer reveals the extent of Anna Palmer’s vocal range, which moves between the unruly and wild of opening track Porcelain to the controlled, soaring heights of its closing track, Submissive. In contrast to Elephantine’s live set, which sees Abreast and Blame at the fore, it’s perhaps Chewing On The Bit, neatly tucked away in the middle of the EP, which is the most beguiling track here. Structurally, it ebbs and flows with melancholy. Its bare, pared down opening verse (punctuated with the haunting lyric ‘I’d rather be hung, drawn and quartered and fed to those that need it’) gives way to a thundering dénouement, the likes of which really demonstrates the virtuosity of this trio. It’s a cerebral debut release, challenging in both content and composition and comparable to the avant-garde tendencies of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ self-titled EP of 2001 through its sheer intensity. Sam Bicknell
Read more reviews at www.brumnotes.com 37
gigs
LOS CAMPESINOS
PICK
The Flapper, November 22 With five albums under their belt, which span their impressive eight year career, six-piece indie poppers Los Campesinos! have come a long way since their impromptu lo-fi demo Hold On Now, Youngster back in 2006. Courting a playful preoccupation with death but carrying it off with their trademark frisky flourish, expect cavorting aplenty from this lot. After sparking stage invasions and riotous dancing at One Beat Weekender at the Mac this summer, they return to the great indoors down in the basement confines of The Flapper.
OZRIC TENTACLES
MERCHANDISE
Ed Wynne’s Ozric Tentacles celebrated their 30th anniversary last year. During that time the band have flourished through a number of lineup changes, spawned several side projects (including Eat Static and Nodens Ictus), created their own record label (Dovetail & Stretchy), put out close to 30 albums and sold over a million of them worldwide. This month the influential Somerset space-rock quintet come to Birmingham to play a culmination of it all.
DIY Tampa five-piece Merchandise play a mammoth 30 European dates with no breaks throughout the season, calling into Birmingham somewhere in the middle. Into their sixth year, the band have ceaselessly revised and reinvented themselves and their sound until the only dependable factor is the independent and punk ethic of their output. After a stupendous performance last time This Is Tmrw invited them to the venue, the band return to play what is surely another not-tobe-missed spectacular.
The Rainbow, November 7
MARIKA HACKMAN
The Sunflower Lounge, November 13
PERFUME GENIUS
on home territory in Wolverhampton this month. Utilising the beautiful room aside the recording studio of Ryan Pinson, it’s well worth the jaunt out of Birmingham.
THE TELESCOPES
The Flapper, November 29 What a night this one promises to be. Space rock noise act The Telescopes formed in 1987 and draw influence from Suicide, The Velvet Underground and The 13th Floor Elevators. Playing a selection of material from their six-album back catalogue, they’re joined by support acts Spotlight Kid, The Exploding Sound Machine and The Mighty Young. Come wearing reinforcements.
The Oobleck, November 25 Building on the exquisite piano ballads of his first two records, Seattle-based soloist Mike Hadreas, AKA Perfume Genius, tours his third studio album, Too Bright, this month. A glittering and unpredictable opus, the record has received heightened critical acclaim and promises a special live performance to boot.
Alex Ohm
Marika Hackman
ALEX OHM
38
Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton, November 28 Ex-frontman of sadly defunct local guitar rock act The Lines, Alex Ohm carries on his ascent as a solo singer-songwriter, airing his new material Brum Notes Magazine
Photo by Andy Hughes
Hampshire songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Marika Hackman sounds like ‘the lovechild of Nico and Joanna Newsom’ (Nylon Magazine). Fresh from touring the UK with professional genreblenders Alt-J, she tours her own beautiful folk melancholia this autumn.
Hare & Hounds, November 21
club nights
BREAK THRU PRESENTS Dub Phizix & STRATEGY
PICK
Alfie Bird’s, November 22
Modern day drum’n’bass heavyweights Dub Phizix & Strategy join forces to form a devastating duo, delivering deadly beats, rhymes and tunes drawing influence from across the globe. Making the journey from their native Manchester, they will be joined by an exciting assortment of guests for the next instalment of Break Thru, which once more takes over the rejuvenated clubbing space in the heart of The Custard Factory.
ANNIE MAC PRESENTS
ATOMIC JAM 19TH BIRTHDAY
Global Gathering brings Annie Mac Presents to The Rainbow Textile Factory for the Birmingham leg of her 2014 AMP UK tour. Featuring performances from Hannah Wants, Tourist (Live), Lxury, AMP resident Monki and the first lady herself, Annie Mac, if you don’t already have your tickets for this one then you’re going to have to search pretty hard indeed...
After a two-year break, Atomic Jam returns to a more intimate venue to celebrate 19 years in the business. In the NextDoor venue Dave Clarke and Stephanie Sykes battle it out, whilst over at Spotlight J-Dok, Leon Garcia, Apartment 9732 and Matt Tilley mix drum’n’bass and everything in between.
The Rainbow, November 15
Alfie Bird’s, November 15
Retro electro, 80s hip hop and classic rave collide in this mash up of samples and scratching at Alfie Bird’s in The Custard Factory. Expect live remixes of classic tunes from DJ Mylz (Hedz) and Ben Dunn (Jam Hott), plus more to be announced across the venue.
HORSE MEAT DISCO
Hare & Hounds, November 21 An evening of disco, house and boogie which has become something of an annual occurrence from the boys in Horse Meat Disco, who return to the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath with support from Mark E (Spectral Sound). Make sure you get your tickets in advance as this is likely to be a supremely popular event. November 2014
BLACKDOT PRESENTS ENZO SIRAGUSA NextDoor, November 21
London House DJ Enzo Siragusa launched his own event and brand, Fuse, in 2008 after spinning records in some of the city’s hottest venues over a 10-year period. Initially taking place at East London’s infamous 93 Feet East, the weekly Sunday party then moved on to Shoreditch hotspot Village Underground and comes to Birmingham for one night only this month. Move fast to grab those tickets.
Playing a full band set, expect a good dose of modern Afrocentric funk.
SHOREBITCH
The Oobleck, November 29 What’s in a name? London lifestyle brand Shorebitch travel out of their hometown to bring their urban flavoured party to Birmingham this month. Expect classic old school R’n’B, hip hop and garage, as well as the hottest new music from the UK and internationally recognised artists.
Ibibio Sound Machine
HEDUCATION PRESENTS TRANS4MERS
NextDoor & Spotlight, November 14
IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE
Hare & Hounds, November 28 Fronted by London-born Nigerian singer Eno Williams, Ibibio Sound Machine is a clash of African and electronic elements inspired in equal measure by the golden era of West-African funk and disco, with modern post-punk and electro. 39
arts & culture
Othello
The Rep, November 12-15
PICK
A modern-day take on Shakespeare’s tragedy from physical-theatre ensemble Frantic Assembly – according to The Times, “the most innovative and progressive company around”. Expect tons of energy as Othello’s affair with Desdemona causes things to turn lairy around the pool table. Broken glass and brawls in the car park may not sound like typical ingredients of a Shakespearean stage play, but this thoroughly modern adaptation offers a new perspective on 21st century Britain. Even if you know the play inside out, this award-winning production comes highly recommended.
About Town
Eye Candy
For four nights, Southside will be awash with dazzling video art from around the world, courtesy of Hippodrome Plus and Ikon. The images and sounds, all based around the theme of metropolitan life, will permeate all manner of unusual places. The Gallan Car Park on Hurst Street will be drenched with large-scale projections, including Gillian Wearing’s documentary of Broad Street nightlife. At the Birmingham Back to Backs on Inge Street, Noam Chomsky speculates on the end of the world in a film by Cornelia Parker, while there’s treats to be found all around the Hippodrome building, including a documentary of artist Kelly Mark’s 2006 performance outside the old Birmingham Library.
This year’s celebration of street art, illustration, pop culture and style – based primarily at the Digbeth warehouse space, with further bits and pieces around the Southside area. Amongst the star attractions are illustrator Daisy de Villeneuve and the French artist Fafi. Alongside the programme of workshops and mural paintings, Guatemalan artist Muxxi will create a huge fibreglass model, while 3D paper engineer Sam Pierpoint displays some of his work.
Various venues, November 13-16
Imran Qureshi
Ikon, from November 19 A showcase of the work of Deutsche Bank’s 2013 Artist of the Year. Noted for his miniature painting, Qureshi imbues the traditional practice with a modern-day relevance via the addition of social commentary that is as relevant to the wider world as it is to his native Pakistan. Also this month, Ikon revisits Julian Opie’s modernist sculptures of high-rise buildings – an exhibition lent a new poignancy post 9/11. 40
Boxxed, November 13-15
Ben Frost
Eastside Projects, November 12 Birmingham’s chief sonic trailblazers Capsule present a special live set from the Australian-born, Iceland-based composer, in which he’ll be joined by black-metal drummer Greg Fox to perform material from his punishing new album A U R O R A. Intense and invigorating in equal measure.
The Trial
The Rep, November 10 For one night only, Philip Glass’ criticallyacclaimed opera, based on the notorious Franz Kafka novel, comes to Birmingham. With the main protagonist Josef K trapped inside the maddeningly illogical legal system, Glass gives voice to the
high tension and paranoia in this co-production between Music Theatre Wales, the Royal Opera House, Theater Magdeburg and Scottish Opera.
Lyric Hammersmith: Secret Theatre Company Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, November 11-22
The STC have already caused quite a stir down in West London with their provocative performances (“vivid and vital”, according to the Guardian), and now the 20-strong ensemble is hitting the road, showing the rest of the country what they can do. This special season will include performances of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire and Mark Ravenhill’s Show 6, as well as their own A Series of Increasingly Impossible Acts.
Choose Your Own Documentary
Old Joint Stock, November 28-29 Winner of the 2013 Scotsman Fringe First Award, this show from Nathan Penlington gives the old concept a very 21st-century twist, with the audience determining how the action unfolds by voting via remote control. As pages from a mysterious diary fall out of a book bought on eBay, it’s up to you to decide what happens next...
Brum Notes Magazine
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November 2014
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The Roadhouse Birmingham, Wharfside Leisure Complex, Lifford Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham, B30 3DZ 0121 246 2273 // www.theroadhousebirmingham.com
SAT 1 SUN 2 THU 6 FRI 7 SAT 8 SUN 9 THU 13 FRI 14 SAT 15 SUN 16 THU 20 FRI 21 SAT 22 SUN 23 THU 27 FRI 28 SAT 29 SUN 30
“MODS & ROCKERS” Celebrating 50 years since Brighton w/ THE COOPERS & THE FRENZIES THE STEVE GIBBONS BAND support comes from REBECCA DOWNES MAIN ROOM: INPUT HAVANA + MISERY CHICK + THE FIX + AMY ELLIS LIVE LOUNGE: ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC w/ COREY YOUNG JEAN GENIE – The world’s No1 tribute to DAVID BOWIE support comes from MAUVELLE DIZZY LIZZY SUNDAY ROCKFEST ALL-DAYER Ft: LOOKING BACK + PROMETHEA + ABSOLUTE ATAXIA + THE BOURBON ALLEY BLUES BAND + BEAR WITNESS + LIQUID METAL + 44 PISTOL + THE GRIMALDI BAND + SARAH KATE (3pm Doors) MAIN ROOM: HOPWOOD JUNCTION + SMALL CHANGES + DAN HARTLAND LIVE LOUNGE: ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC w/ HELEN JONES THE TOTAL STONE ROSES support comes from GRASSROUTES TooREX – T-Rex / Marc Bolan tribute UAC MANAGEMENT Presents: FREEFALL FESTIVAL 2014 Ft: CARCER CITY + THE CATHARSIS + ASHES + ANCHORED BY AVARICE + THE DISTANT NORTH + HOMELAND + CROWN ME KING + HOURS (3PM DOORS) MAIN ROOM: SMALL CHANGE w/ support from PRIME NUMBERS LIVE LOUNGE: ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC w/ TIM WALKERDINE MATRIX CLUB MATRIX + CREAM OF CLUB CLASSICS & DANCE ANTHEMS absolutely LIVE support comes from ELECTRIK CUSTARD BOOTLEG BLONDIE BLOODY SUNDAY PROMOTIONS Presents: JEFF FEST 2014 Ft: WICKED SNAKES + SALVATORE LEONE + I HATE YOU MORE + SOUR MASH + MAGE + SWAMP DONKEY + ABSOLUTION + THATCHERS LOVE CHILD + LIQUID METAL (3PM DOORS) MAIN ROOM: UAC Management Presents: THE KING IS DEAD + AMONGST THIEVES + COLD SUMMER + AMATEUR DRIVE BY | LIVE LOUNGE: ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC w/ IAN BEVAN FLEETWOOD BAC – The Fleetwood Mac Tribute Show THE KOMMITMENTS – The Saviour’s of Soul PLUMMET OR ASCEND Promotions Present: MAIN STAGE: OCEANS ATE ALASKA + CABIN BOY JUMPED SHIP + A PROMISE TO FORGET + THIS MEMORY + ORACLE + BESIDE ALL HOPE + ANCHOR DOWN + MERCURY KILLED NEWTON + CHANGING TIDES + LET VENGEANCE RISE | STRIPPED BACK STAGE: KEEP THE CHANGE + SPEAKING IN SHADOWS + PRETTY SELECTIVE + IMPARTIAL ADDICTION + SYCOPHANTS + ALL THE REST + RUNNING ON BRAVADO + GREEN APPLE PIE + JOSH HALE (3PM DOORS)
LIVE LOUNGE OPEN MIC COMEDY ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC EVERY MONDAY WITH EVERY THURSDAY HANNAH SILVESTER
MAIN GIG ROOM OPEN MIC EVERY MONDAY WITH BEN DALBY
NEW WEBSITE COMING SOON
Follow @BrumNotesMag on Twitter for updates www.brumnotes.com
All listings are correct at time of print, however, they are subject to change at any time so please check website or call the Roadhouse Team before you travel. Please note: We are strictly 18+ on Friday & Saturday Nights
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WHAT’S ON
KEY TO LISTINGS: M = LIVE MUSIC CN = CLUB NIGHT C = COMEDY
BIRMINGHAM: O2 Academy, Horsefair, Bristol St B1, 0844 4772000; The Institute, High St, Digbeth B5, 0844 2485037; NIA, King Edwards Rd B1, 0121 7804141; LG Arena, NEC, Solihull B40, 0121 7804141; The Flapper, Kingston Row B1, 0121 2362421; The Victoria, John Bright St B1, 0121 6339439; Hare & Hounds, High St, Kings Heath B14, 0121 4442081; The Actress & Bishop, Ludgate Hill B3, 0121 2367426; The Sunflower Lounge, Smallbrook Queensway B5, 0121 6327656; Symphony Hall, Broad St B1, 0121 7803333; Town Hall, Victoria Sq B3, 0121 7803333; Kitchen Garden Cafe, York Road, Kings Heath B14, 0121 4434725; Alexandra Theatre, Station St B1, 0844 8472302; Bull’s Head, St Marys Row, Moseley B13, 0121 2567777; Island Bar, Suffolk St B1, 0121 6325296; The Jam House, St Pauls Sq B3, 0121 2003030; Ort, Moseley Rd, Balsall Heath, B12; The Asylum, Hampton St, Hockley B19, 0121 2331109; The Rainbow, High St, Digbeth B12, 0121 7728174; Adam & Eve, Bradford St, Digbeth B12, 0121 6931500; The Rose Villa Tavern, Warstone Lane, B18, 0121 2367910; The Yardbird, Paradise Place B3, 0121 2122524; The Glee Club, The Arcadian, Hurst St B5, 0871 4720400; MAC, Cannon Hill Park B12, 0121 4463232; Nightingale, Kent St B5, 0121 6221718; Scruffy Murphys, The Priory Queensway B4, 0121 2362035; The Wagon & Horses, Adderley St, Digbeth B9, 0121 7721403; Lab11, Trent St B5, lab11.co.uk; The Moseley Arms, Ravenhurst St B12, 0121 7668467; Alfie Bird’s/The Oobleck, The Custard Factory B9, 0121 270 6665; Suki10c, Bordesley Street B5; Gatecrasher, Broad St B15, 0121 633 1520 M M M M
Saturday, Nov 1 The Urban Folk Quartet Counting Crows + Lucy Rose Klaxons
C Mac
Birmingham
O2 Academy
Birmingham
O2 Academy 2
Birmingham Birmingham
M M M
Cold Ocean Lies
Temple @ The Institute The Actress & Bishop The Oobleck
Revolver
The Oobleck
Birmingham
Klasside
Birmingham
M M CN
Amp Fiddler
The Sunflower Lounge Hare & Hounds
Impericon
Wulfrun
Wolverhampton
Moschino Hoe, Versace Hottie Throwing Snow
Spotlight
Birmingham
The Oobleck
Birmingham
FACE x 02:31
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Hospitality
The Rainbow Warehouse Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
M
CN CN CN CN CN C M M M M M M
Indiana Hope for Return
Bruk Up with Soul Twins & Jayson Wynters Habit Halloween Special Paul McCaffrey
Birmingham Birmingham
Kings Heath
Kings Heath
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Sunday, Nov 2 Roger McGuinn
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Future
The Institute
Birmingham
The Free Love Club
The Yardbird
Birmingham
Terry & Gerry
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
The Mastersons
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
The Steve Gibbons Band
The Roadhouse
Stirchley
November 2014
M CN CN C C M M M M
M CN M M M M M M C C M M M
Want your gig or club night listed in our monthly guide? Send details to: info@ brumnotes.com All details correct at time of going to press. Check with venues before setting out.
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Birmingham
Ultra
Temple @ The Institute Gatecrasher
Jam Jah
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Rich Hall
The Glee Club
Birmingham
RH Comedy Night
The Roadhouse
Stirchley
O2 Academy 2
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Rough Works the best in new comedy Monday, Nov 3 Sam Callahan
Tuesday, Nov 4 TesseracT + Animals as Leaders The Shires + Ward Thomas Royal Blood
Birmingham
The Institute
Birmingham
Speech Development Records Presents B Dolan + Warrenpeace Hawklords
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton
Hang Loose
Alfie Bird’s
Birmingham
Wednesday, Nov 5 Billy Idol
O2 Academy
Birmingham
Kill It Kid
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Lacuna Coil
The Institute
Birmingham
The Circles
The Sunflower Lounge Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
The Scribers + Mount Fuji Paul Foot
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Jason Cook
Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton
Thursday, Nov 6 Rise Against
O2 Academy
Birmingham
Your Head
Subside
Birmingham
Band of Skulls
The Institute
Birmingham
Ferocious Dog
Kings Heath
43
M M M
M C C M M M M M M M CN CN CN CN CN CN C C M
Insomnium
The Oobleck
Birmingham
Hope & Social
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
An (Almost) Bonfire Night Special with Midnight Bonfires Input Havana
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Roadhouse
Stirchley
Andy Robinson
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Jason Cook
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Friday, Nov 7 Peacock Angell Band Asking Alexandria
Birmingham Birmingham
Saint Motel
Birmingham
Ozric Tentacles
Temple @ The Institute The Rainbow
Nimmo
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Chartreuse
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Highgrade 6th Birthday Resonate presents George Fitzgerald Dirty Disco
Library @ The Institute NextDoor
Birmingham
Q Club
Birmingham
Supersonic Vague
Gatecrasher
Birmingham
Hot Cakes Club Night Vacuum Boogie Residents Party Paul Myrehaug
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Sara Pascoe
M M
La Roux
M CN CN CN CN CN
CN CN C M M M
44
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
The Wailers
M
Mac O2 Academy
M M
Kate Boy
Neville Staple Band Delta Spirit The Blackout Trancecoda 1st Birthday Absolutely Gorgeous FACE
M M
Beorma
Saturday, Nov 8 Loveable Rogues
M
Birmingham
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Glee Club
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham
M M CN CN C M M M M CN CN M M
The Roadhouse
Stirchley
Tuesday, Nov 11 Jake Clemons
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Blues Pills
The Oobleck
Birmingham
Solemn Sun
Birmingham
The Lost Brothers
The Sunflower Lounge Hare & Hounds
Hang Loose
Alfie Bird’s
Birmingham
Seedy Sonics Residents Free Party Wednesday, Nov 12 Circa Waves
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Temple @ The Institute Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham Birmingham
Kings Heath
Kings Heath
Birmingham Birmingham
Marika Hackman
Birmingham
M
Nick Harper + Simon Scardanelli Troupe
The Sunflower Lounge Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
M
The Rainbow
Birmingham
M M M M
Bull’s Head
Moseley
RH Comedy Night
Talk
Sticky Warehouse
An Evening with Knicker Bocker Corey Paul Myrehaug
Bull’s Head
Street Eaters
Birmingham
Kings Heath
Birmingham
Jam Jah
O2 Academy 3
Boxxed
Hare & Hounds
Gatecrasher
Wild Child
Birmingham
Kings Heath
Kings Heath
Ultra
Jamie T
The Sunflower Lounge Slade Rooms
Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
M M M M
Birmingham
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Library @ The Institute O2 Academy
The Oobleck
Warehouse Club
Moseley
Shabazz Palaces
M
Birmingham
Sun City Bonfire Night Bonanza Circles Presents Metal Headz Ulterior Motive LP Launch Party Moulin Groove
Bull’s Head
Stirchley
Thursday, Nov 13 The Rifles
Temple @ The Institute The Institute
Wolverhampton
Kings Heath
The Roadhouse
C
Birmingham
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Monday, Nov 10 Simply Dylan
Submotion Orchestra Katherine Ryan
Library @ The Institute O2 Academy
Birmingham
Brennen Leigh + Noel McKay Bohemian Jukebox Sunday Social Rockfest All-Dayer
CN CN CN C C
Kings Heath
Boxxed
Birmingham
Doused Dutch Takeover Beatamx
The Tunnel Club
Birmingham
The Victoria
Birmingham
Fierce & Fabulous Cabaret Andy Robinson
Mac
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Alfie Bird’s
Birmingham
Friday, Nov 14 Grafham Water Sailing Club Arhai
Mac
Birmingham
Levellers
O2 Academy
Birmingham
Against Me!
O2 Academy 2
Birmingham
The Growlers
Temple @ The Institute The Actress & Bishop The Flapper
Birmingham
The Rainbow
Birmingham Birmingham
Beau Trap
The Sunflower Lounge Bull’s Head
Supersonic Vague
Gatecrasher
Birmingham
Occult presents Yousef
Lab11
Birmingham
M
The Mumblecores
Moseley
M M
Cancel Tomorrow
The Glee Club
Birmingham
M
Sunday, Nov 9 SikTh
O2 Academy 2
Birmingham
Nine Below Zero
The Glee Club
Birmingham
The Free Love Club
The Yardbird
Birmingham
M CN CN
Birmingham
Winston’s Big Brother Superficials
Birmingham Birmingham
Moseley
Brum Notes Magazine
CN CN CN CN C C C M
Birmingham
Mala
NextDoor/ Spotlight The Rainbow Warehouse Hare & Hounds
Hot Wax
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Mark Thomas
Mac
Birmingham
Rob Deering
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Romesh Ranganathan + Suzi Ruffell Saturday, Nov 15 Set it Off
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Atomic Jam 19th Birthday Hysteria
Birmingham Kings Heath
Library @ The Institute O2 Academy
Birmingham
Birmingham
M M
The Kooks
M
Malarki
M M M M CN
Screaming Quays
Temple @ The Institute The Actress & Bishop The Flapper
New Found Glory
The Institute
Birmingham
This Burning Age
The Oobleck
Birmingham
The Surfin’ Birds
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Heducation presents Trans4mers [anon] 5th Birthday
Alfie Bird’s
Birmingham
Lab11
Birmingham
Annie Mac Presents FACE x Surreal x Experiment Club A Go Go ft The Atlantic Players M O D O with Miguel Verde Mark Thomas
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Mac
Birmingham
Rob Deering
The Glee Club
Birmingham
CN CN CN CN CN C C M M M M M C M M M M M CN CN C M M M M M
EofE
Birmingham
M M
Birmingham
M
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Institute
Birmingham
Truckfighters
The Oobleck
Birmingham
The Free Love Club
The Yardbird
Birmingham
Kate Tempest
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Slaves
Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton
Kane Brown
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Monday, Nov 17 Gareth Gates
The Glee Club
Birmingham
BANKS
The Institute
Birmingham
Bahamas
Birmingham
Johnny Lloyd
The Sunflower Lounge Hare & Hounds
Kris Bowers
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Ultra
Gatecrasher
Birmingham
Jam Jah
Bull’s Head
Moseley
RH Comedy Night
The Roadhouse
Stirchley
Kings Heath
Birmingham
The Poozies
Library @ The Institute Mac
Passenger
O2 Academy
Birmingham
Katie Armiger + Holly May Horisont
The Glee Club
Birmingham
November 2014
M M M M
M M
The Rainbow
The Oobleck
M
Birmingham
Sunday, Nov 16 Seether
Tuesday, Nov 18 Little Dragon
M M CN
Birmingham
Birmingham
M M M C M M
Chali 2na (live)
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Big Elf
Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton
Hang Loose
Alfie Bird’s
Birmingham Birmingham
Frazey Ford
Temple @ The Institute The Glee Club
King Tuff
The Oobleck
Birmingham
Cloud Nothings
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Darius Rucker
Wulfrun
Wolverhampton
Thursday, Nov 20 Grumbling Fur
Alfie Bird’s
Birmingham
Library @ The Institute O2 Academy
Birmingham
Barrence Whitfield & The Savages The Temperance Movement Kerbdog
Temple @ The Institute The Institute
Birmingham
The Oobleck
Birmingham
Strobes
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
The Specials
Civic Hall
Wolverhampton
Simon Evans
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Friday, Nov 21 Northcote
Alfie Bird’s
Birmingham
Library @ The Institute O2 Academy
Birmingham
Birmingham
Wednesday, Nov 19 Trampled by Turtles
Joey Bada$$ The Courteeners
Crossfaith
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham
M M
Example
M M M M M
Simone Felice
The Actress & Bishop The Glee Club
Martin Harley
The Oobleck
Birmingham
Urchin
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Merchandise
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
The Rural Alberta Advantage Enquiry
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Robert Plant
Civic Hall
Wolverhampton
Supersonic Vague
Gatecrasher
Birmingham
Blackdot presents Enzo Siragusa Horse Meat Disco
NextDoor
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Relative with Jordan Fitz, Leon Garcia, Matt Tilley & Kenders Club Matrix
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Roadhouse
Stirchley
Paul Thorne
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Mark Watson
Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton Birmingham
M M CN CN CN CN
CN C C M
Klasside
Saturday, Nov 22 [spunge]
Birmingham
Birmingham
M M M
Jim Moray
Library @ The Institute Mac
Mad Caddies
O2 Academy 2
Birmingham
Savage Messiah
Birmingham
M
Gucci Pimp
M M M
Los Campesinos
Temple @ The Institute The Actress & Bishop The Flapper
Mallory Knox
The Institute
Birmingham
Nothing
The Oobleck
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham Birmingham
45
M
Birmingham
Paloma Faith
The Sunflower Lounge Civic Hall
Dying Fetus
Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton
Break Thru presents Dub Phizix & Strategy FACE x Colore
Alfie Bird’s
Birmingham
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds Bull’s Head
C
Sweat 21st Birthday Enter The Dragon with Steve Kelley Paul Thorne
M
Sunday, Nov 23 Beardyman
M M CN CN CN CN
M M M M M M M M M M M CN CN C M M M M
Jim Noir
The Gaslight Anthem HAJAmadagasgar and the Groovy People Chris Tye
M M C 46
M M
Hollywood Undead
Kings Heath
M
Moseley
M M
Sweet Baboo + The Pictish Trail VeXXen
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Library @ The Institute O2 Academy
Birmingham
M M
Birmingham
M
Temple @ The Institute
Birmingham
CN CN
Birmingham Birmingham
Lily & Madeleine
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
The Ordinary Boys
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Blown Out
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Jeff Fest 2014
The Roadhouse
Stirchley
Monday, Nov 24 James Bay
O2 Academy 2
Birmingham
The Pretty Reckless Being As An Ocean
The Institute
Birmingham
The Oobleck
Birmingham
Ultra
Gatecrasher
Birmingham
Jam Jah
Bull’s Head
Moseley
RH Comedy Night
The Roadhouse
Stirchley
Tuesday, Nov 25 Pulled Apart By Horses Raleigh Ritchie Perfume Genius
Wednesday, Nov 26 Sharon Van Etten
M
Tonight Alive
The Yardbird
M
M
M
Wolverhampton
The Glee Club
CN
M M C
Friday, Nov 28 Orgy
The Free Love Club
Live Jazz with Andy Gayle Hang Loose
M M M
M
Library @ The Institute Temple @ The Institute The Oobleck Bull’s Head
Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham Moseley
CN CN CN C C M
NextDoor
Birmingham
Gatecrasher
Birmingham
Ibibio Sound Machine Uber
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Jo Caulfield
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Dave Spikey
Wulfrun
Wolverhampton
Library @ The Institute O2 Academy
Birmingham
Birmingham
Saturday, Nov 29 Goodnight Lenin
Birmingham
Birmingham Birmingham
KIOKO
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Erasure
Civic Hall
Wolverhampton
Embrace
Wulfrun
Wolverhampton
The Ouse Party
Boxxed
Birmingham
1 Night Stand - The Bad Christmas Jumper Party Shorebitch
Sticky Warehouse
Birmingham
The Oobleck
Birmingham
FACE x Cache
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Pandora 2014 Closing Party Jam Hott with Ben Dunn & DJ Mylz Jo Caulfield
Warehouse Club
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Sunday, Nov 30 The Free Love Club
The Yardbird
Birmingham
Best Friends
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Protest the Hero
Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton
Danny Buckler
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
CN
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
C
Jesse Malin
Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton
Hal Cruttenden
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Birmingham
Blackdot presents Heidi Supersonic Vague
Dubgasm
The Victoria
Birmingham
Stirchley
Wolverhampton
The Silent Union
O2 Academy 3
The Glee Club
Newhampton Arts Centre Club PST
Moseley
The Oobleck
Upon A Burning Body The Vaselines
The Roadhouse
Wolverhampton
Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbot Alex Ohm
Curbstone
Birmingham
Jo Caulfield
Civic Hall
Revolver
The Telescopes
O2 Academy 2
Kings Heath
Kings Heath
M M M M M M CN CN
Delain
Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
The Sun at The Station Bull’s Head
Maximum Zero
Lily Allen
Everybody Looks Famous Charlotte Carpenter The King Is Dead
The Rainbow
The Mighty Young
Birmingham
M
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham
Temple @ The Institute The Actress & Bishop The Flapper
Library @ The Institute O2 Academy
Library @ The Institute O2 Academy 3
Temple @ The Institute The Glee Club
Amity Affliction
Birmingham
Mastodon
Birmingham
Thursday, Nov 27 Dreadzone
Birmingham
M M
Alfie Bird’s
Birmingham
Library @ The Institute Library @ The Institute O2 Academy
CN CN CN
M M M C
Coasts
Birmingham
Birmingham Birmingham
Birmingham
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November 2014
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