July 2014
www.brumnotes.com music and lifestyle for the west midlands
free
DEFIANTLY
DIFFeRENT Ibibio Sound Machine bring the summer funk to Birmingham
INSIDE THIS MONTH: FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS TALL SHIPS STEEL PULSE SUNSHINE FRISBEE LASERBEAM TEMPLETON PEK MIDNIGHT BONFIRES GLASS ANIMALS ALEX OHM AND MORE...
ITH: L FRENZY W A IV T S E F , S PLU OWN
SIMMER D AL BE FESTIV K & SOUL N U F , Z Z A J MOSTLY K E ND E R E E W T A E B ONE
AND: Your complete guide to the best of what’s on in Birmingham throughout the month July 2014
1
Sat 27th Sept • £12 adv
Sat 15th Nov • £11 adv
Quadrophenia Club Night
30th Anniversary of “Hatful of Hollow” playing the seminal album in its entirety
8pm - 1am • over 18s only
10.30pm-3.30am • £4 adv
OVER 18S ONLY - PROOF OF AGE REQUIRED
Thurs 14th Aug • £3 adv
Propaganda ‘A’ Level Results Party Thurs 3rd July • £15 adv
Bam Margera’s F**kface Unstoppable Mon 7th July • £28.50 adv
Moved from The Institute, Birmingham Original Tickets Still Valid
Extreme
Pornograffitti Live Tour + Leogun
Mon 7th July • £15 adv
Brian Jonestown Massacre + Carsick Cars
Sat 12th - Weds 16th July
National Rock & Pop Festival
Tickets £9 adv per show / £3 concs Festival ticket £30 adv / £10 concs
Sun 20th July • £13 adv 6.30pm - 10.30pm
Ultimate Genesis Mon 21st July • £12.50 adv
Onslaught
+ Artillery + Hatriot (ft. Steve Zetro Souza former vocalist of Exodus)
Sat 23rd Aug • £22.50 / £25 VIP 9pm - 5am • over 18s only
Bassman Birthday 2014 Tues 26th Aug • £12.50 adv
Mordred
+ Furyon + Valous
Fri 29th Aug • £22.50 adv 6pm -10pm
The Janoskians Sat 30th Aug • £9 adv 6pm - 10pm
Big Screen Film Show with DJ Drew Stansall (The Specials) + The Atlantics (playing the movie hits) + The Coopers + The Birmingham Club A Go Go DJs
Tues 7th Oct • £20 adv
Tues 23rd Sept • £35/£45 adv
Ms. Lauryn Hill
Thurs 25th Sept • £9 adv
Download Freezes Over - King 810 Sat 27th Sept • £20 adv
The Fray
The Gaslight Anthem Weds 26th Nov • £14 adv
The 8123 UK Tour ft. The Maine
Delain
Fri 5th Dec • £15 adv 6.30pm -10pm
Graham Bonnet Catch the Rainbow Tour
Sat 6th Dec • £18.50 adv
Rescheduled show • original tickets valid
Professor Green Sun 7th Dec • £18 adv
At The Gates
+ Tryptikon + Morbus Chron
Fri 12th Dec • £18.50 adv 6pm -10pm
Behemoth
Fri 28th Nov • £15 adv
+ Decapitated + Grand Magus + Winterfylleth
Hollywood Undead
Fri 12th Dec • £11.50 adv
The Hold Steady
Weds 3rd Dec • £12 adv
The Doors Alive
Weds 15th Oct • £15 adv
Thurs 4th Dec • £30 adv
Plus special guests Lydia and Nick Santino
Mon 13th Oct • £16 adv + The So So Glos
Kid Ink
6.30pm -10pm
Electric Six
Boyz II Men
6.30pm -10pm
Fri 19th Dec • £30 / £170 VIP 6pm -10pm
UB40
Sat 18th Oct • £16 adv
Katy B
Fri 17th Oct • £12.50 adv 6pm - 10pm
The Neighbourhood Sat 18th Oct • £10 adv
Thurs 3rd July • £4-£6 adv
We Are The Ocean
School Of Rock & Pop Showcase
Weds 22nd Oct • £15 adv
Tues 8th July • £9 adv
Clean Bandit
Rixton
Sat 13th Sept • £5 adv 6.45pm - 11pm
Beneath The Remains Fri 19th Sept • £10 adv 6.30pm - 10pm
Definitely Mightbe
Sat 25th Oct • £15 adv
Fri 11th July • £10 adv
(Oasis Tribute) 20 Year Celebration, Performing Definitely Maybe in Full
Weekend ticket £25 adv
In Hindsight
Sat 20th Sept • £10 adv
1pm -11pm
UK B-Boy Championships Knock-Out Jam
6pm - 10pm
Sat 19th July • £6 adv 6.30pm - 10.30pm
Glassbullet Black Eyes EP Launch
UK Foo Fighters Weds 24th Sept • £7 adv
Me vs Hero
Sun 26th Oct • £15 adv
+ Piston + Tigerpunch + Bad Flowers + My Great Affliction
Weekend ticket £25 adv
Sun 20th July • £8 adv
Rescheduled • original tix valid
+ Crash Call + A Promise to Forget + Wait for the Fall
Sat 4th Oct • £13 adv
3pm -11pm
UK B-Boy Championships World Final
Mon 27th Oct
Sam Smith Mon 27th Oct • £13 adv
Chevelle + Lucy Rose
UK Foo Fighters
Sun 23rd Nov • £24.50 adv
Tues 7th Oct • £13.50 adv
Mon 8th Sept • £17 adv Sat 20th Sept • £10 adv
Passenger
Black Veil Brides
Sat 1st Nov • £34.50 adv
Jesus Jones Doubt Tour
Tues 18th Nov • £20 adv
+ Deer Tick + Bayside
Stakeout The Final Show
The Smyths
Counting Crows Sat 1st Nov • £13.50 adv
Klaxons
Thurs 6th Nov • £21.50 adv
Rise Against
Fri 7th Nov • £16.50 adv
Kids Can’t Fly
Thurs 24th July • £8 adv
The Last Carnival Weds 6th Aug • £8 adv / £20 VIP
Kingsland Road Mon 11th Aug • £6 adv 6pm - 10pm
Orchard Hill
+ White Clouds + Gunfire
Weds 20th Aug • £12.50 adv
My Ruin
+ Sanctorum + Extreme O.D + General
Sat 30th Aug • £5 adv 6.45pm - 11pm
Kataleptic
5.30pm -10pm
Tues 9th Sept • £10 adv
+ The Ghost Inside + Crown The Empire + Secrets
Thurs 11th Sept • FREE tickets from www.ourzonemag.com/tours
Asking Alexandria Sun 9th Nov • £14 adv
Sikth
Pearl Jem (Pearl Jam Tribute) 6.30pm - 10.30pm
Ourzone Found Tour 2014 ft. As It Is + Like Torches
Sun 28th Sept • £12.50 adv
Hats Off To Led Zeppelin 6pm - 10pm
Skeletal Family & Salvation Weds 8th Oct • £15 adv
Supersuckers
Tues 14th Oct • £8 adv
Eliza and the Bear Fri 17th Oct • £10 adv 6.30pm - 10pm
The Modfathers
The UK’s No. 1 Tribute to Paul Weller & The Jam
Sat 18th Oct • £10 adv
Danny & The Champions Of The World + Trevor Moss & Hannah Lou + Brokenwitt Rebels
Sun 19th Oct • £10 adv
Knotslip
Fri 24th Oct • £8 adv 6pm -10pm
Dave Giles
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
July 2014
3
CONTENTS
Arthur Brown at Lunar Festival. Read the review on P34. Photo by Richard Shakespeare. 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: David Vincent, Daron Billings, Dan Cooper-Gavin, Saima Razzaq, Ben Russell, Tajinder Hayer, Dan Owens, Will Pace, Jon Pritchard, Becky Rogers, Saima Razzaq, Matthew Way Assistant Editor: Amy Sumner Arts Editor: Dan Cooper-Gavin Food & Drink Editor: Daron Billings Pictures: Andy Hughes, Richard Shakespeare, Sam Wood, Ian Dunn Design: Adam Williams, Andy Aitken Connect Twitter: @BrumNotesMag Facebook: www.facebook.com/ BrumNotesMagazine Online: www.brumnotes.com
Regulars News 6-7 Fresh Talent 10-11 Style 30-31 Food & Drink 32 Live Reviews 34-36 Album Reviews 38-39 What’s On Guide 40-46 Music and Features Behind the Scenes: Midnight Bonfires 8-9 Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam 12-13 Alex Ohm 14 Bromheads / Templeton Pek 16-17 Tall Ships 18 BE Festival 20-21 Steel Pulse / Simmer Down Festival 22-23 Fun Lovin’ Criminals 24-25 Ibibio Sound Machine 26-27 One Beat Weekender 29-30 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.
4
Brum Notes Magazine
ER
FF
JU 4 O LY
20 1
JJM Studios is a purpose built complex of six luxury, sound proofed rehearsal studios, professional recording studio and tuition services located in Walsall, West Midlands. At JJM Studios we always make sure you have the best possible rehearsal experience.
FREE 2 HOUR rehearsal for new bands
A4
61
• To book call us on 01922 629 700 • Subject to availability • Offer valid from 1st July 2014 to 31st July 2014 • You must present this offer on arrival. Simply rip out this page and hand it in at JJM Studios reception.
WALSALL TOWN CENTRE
OA DW AY N
A3
4
RUS
HAL L ST
REET
OR TH
ES
LOW ER
IDG
TR
the rehearsal room of your choice for existing bands
MONTHLY UPGRADES MEAN INCREDIBLE SPEC IN EVERY ROOM
FREE TEA AND COFFEE, CYMBAL HIRE AND EAR PLUGS
B4151 From Sutton Coldfield
BR
BR
50% OFF
BRAND NEW IN-HOUSE PRO-TOOLS 9 RECORDING STUDIO
EE
TR LS AR PE
AD L RO GHIL SPRIN
EE
T
T
WE ARE HERE
POOL STREET
REET BATH ST
SUT TO
SANDWELL STREET
N RO AD
AD RO
July 2014
20 Pool Street, Walsall WS1 2EN AM GH IN RM BI
A4031 From West Bromwich
Tel: 01922 629700
A34 From Birmingham and M6 Junction 7
For FREE membership and further details visit
www.jjmstudios.co.uk 5
mini munich brings oktoberfest to brum
Beer lovers of Birmingham rejoice...again! Another boozy event to add to the calendar has been announced, with the city set to stage its own version of Germany’s famous Oktoberfest. Expect oompah bands, busty Fräuleins and frothing steins of German lager when the event heads to Cannon Hill Park in Edgbaston from October 15-19. Staged in a tent in the park, there will be space for up to 2,500 revellers each day. Entry will be free on the Wednesday night, £5 on Thursday or Friday and £10 on Saturday, while reservation and pre-booked food and drink packages start at £26. Visit www.birmingham-oktoberfest.co.uk.
Photo by Nicci Peet Photography
news
birmingham beer bash brews up historic return
Beer lovers of Birmingham rejoice, for a three-day celebration of all that is wonderful about this beloved tipple returns this month. Birmingham Beer Bash is now in its second year and will once more take over The Bond in Digbeth from July 24-26, showcasing the finest craft brewers and independent drinks from across the region and around the world. This year will see it turning back the clock, bringing a number of historic beers back to life. Six beers from between 1839 and 1929 are being specially commissioned from participating breweries, and will be served up alongside some of the finest beers currently being produced. Alongside the kegs and casks of traditional and new beer styles on offer, the festival will also offer ciders, street food and gourmet dining, plus talks, tastings and tutorials on the festival “fringe”. The Birmingham Beer Bash was originally conceived by a group of beer bloggers and social media beer enthusiasts, with hundreds of visitors packing out the canalside complex to sample 120 different beers at the inaugural event last year. Sessions take place from 5pm-11pm on Thursday, July 24, 4.30pm-11.30pm on the Friday and from 11am-4.30pm and 5.30pm-11.30pm on the Saturday. Tickets for these and the limited capacity fringe events can be booked in advance at www.birminghambeerbash.co.uk.
free rehearsals up for grabs for bands in july
Bands in the West Midlands are being offered the chance to rehearse for free in professional surroundings throughout July. JJM Studios in Walsall is running a special summer promotion, allowing musicians to enjoy two hours practice time for nothing. The free two-hour session is open to any bands who have never used the studios before, while existing customers can take advantage of two hours for half price. The offer is open until the end of July, simply tear out the voucher on the reverse of this page and take it with you. JJM Studios is based in Pool Street in Walsall town centre. Visit www.facebook.com/jjmstudios for more.
vote now to help home of metal campaign capture prestigious national award
A campaign set up to honour the West Midlands as the birthplace of heavy metal is in the running for a prestigious National Lottery Award. Home of Metal launched in the summer of 2011 to pay homage to the pioneering musicians from Birmingham and the Black Country who spawned the genre. And now the project, run by adventurous music promoters Capsule, has made it to the final of an annual search to find the UK’s favourite Lotteryfunded projects. The awards aim to celebrate the difference that such projects have made in their area, with Home of Metal having generated an estimated £2.69 million of economic activity for the region. More than 200,000 people 6
attended Home of Metal events and activities, which attracted visitors from countries such as USA, Australia, The Philippines, South Africa, Canada, Egypt, India, Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Iceland and Finland. Exhibitions and events took place at various venues all hailing the role that the industrial heartlands played in starting a musical genre that went on to take the world by storm, celebrating acts such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Napalm Death and many more. Home of Metal is up against six national schemes for the title of Best Heritage Project. More information is available at www.homeofmetal.com or vote now at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk by July 23. Brum Notes Magazine
two day festival of UNDERGROUND NOISE Jaws
Underground rabble rousers Die Das Der have revealed details of a two-day festival, billed as ‘a guide to the musically obtuse, abrasive and intriguing from Birmingham and further afield.’ Yr Welcome, Birmingham takes place on August 9 and 10 at The Wagon & Horses in Digbeth and will feature 24 bands performing across both days, as well as DJs late into the night. The first wave of acts announced includes Slaves, Table Scraps, Wax Futures, Anima and more. Tickets are £7.50 per day or £10 for the full weekend. Follow @wearediedasder on Twitter for more announcements.
ART RAVE combines exhibitions and music BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL MARKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY WITH 10 DAYS OF MUSIC
Live jazz and blues will take over venues, streets, shops, galleries and even public transport across Birmingham this month. The city’s International Jazz & Blues Festival will celebrate its 30th anniversary with 185 performances in 10 days across more than 70 venues – with almost all of the events free to attend. It has racked up nearly 5,500 free jazz and blues gigs since 1985. This year the festival runs from July 18 to 27, with live appearances from British and international acts including King Pleasure & the Biscuit Boys, the Mike Sanchez Band, Steve Ajao Blues Giants, The Broombusters, Elvis Fontenot & The Sugar Bees, The Fitzmaurice Twins and Tipitina, while Hollywood star Steven Seagal (pictured below) will also make an appearance with his Blues Band. Acts will be drawn from across the globe, with visiting performers from the USA, Italy, Slovakia, Hungary and Spain, to name just a few. The festival has plenty to offer jazz and blues fans, but also aims to take the genres to wider audiences with dozens of performances in a variety of spaces, including Victoria Square, Brindleyplace, The Mailbox, StarCity, Bourneville Village Green and even the Cadbury Factory. Other venues include the grounds of Birmingham Cathedral, St Pauls Square, Snow Hill Station and Birmingham Markets, plus pubs and music venues including The Jam House, The Oobleck, The Lord Clifden and The Robin 2 in Bilston. Special performances will also be taking place on a canal boat and on trains during the festival. Pick up your full programme from outlets in Birmingham or view the online edition and full details at www.bigbearmusic.com.
A unique combination of painting, sculpture, film, music and live performance heads to Digbeth next month in the shape of Art Rave. The weekend-long exhibition takes over canalside complex The Bond on August 9 and 10. Artwork covering a variety of disciplines from more than 20 international artists will be on display between midday and 4pm on the Saturday and Sunday, with an opening party on the Saturday running from 6pm to 11pm, featuring live bands, a bar and a BBQ. Entry is free. www.transient-art.com
INDIE beach party heads for the BACK STREETS
Zombie Prom and Killer Wave join forces this month to unleash what they’re promising will be ‘Birmingham’s biggest alternative beach party’. Revellers will be able to dance the night away to indie, alt and party classics while soaking up the seaside atmosphere on 60 tonnes of sand in a Digbeth warehouse. The party on July 25 takes place in a secret spot near to The Rainbow and will boast beach games, surf machines and more beach-themed treats. Tickets are £7, but keep an eye on @BrumNotesMag on Twitter for your chance to bag free entry.
music lovers invited to share stories of their listening habits
Music fans from across the world are being invited to share their listening habits with a Birmingham-based online music project this month. On July 15, Harkive, brainchild of Birmingham City University music lecturer and self-confessed ‘pop music geek’ Craig Hamilton, will take a worldwide look at what it means to be a music fan in an everchanging digital world by recording the stories of how, where and why we listen to music. The project had a hugely successful first year in 2013, resulting in the collection of over 2,500 contributions, and was supported by a diverse range of media outlets, including Brum Notes, NME, BBC Radio 3, Popjustice, The 405, Hypebot, and others. The stories and contributions flooded in at such a rate on July 9 last year that July 2014
#harkive became the number one trending topic on Twitter in the UK. A number of independent record labels, including Wichita Recordings, Static Caravan and Lojinx Records are supporting the project by contributing prizes. Those telling their story on July 15 will be automatically entered into a competition for a chance to win CDs, vinyl, gig tickets, and a host of other items donated, including a limited edition print from artist Morgen Howell. Music fans will be able to contribute their stories to Harkive in a number of ways, either by emailing the project directly, posting to social networking sites such as Twitter using the #harkive hashtag, writing blogs on third party sites, or by posting on the wall of the Harkive Facebook page at www.facebook.com/harkive. 7
behind the scenes
Alt-folk cheeky chappies Midnight Bonfires have been in front of the cameras again, making a sometimes dark, sometimes silly video for new single Exhale. Produced and directed by Michael Tracey, Andrew McGovern and Paul Stafford at Midlands-based Incognito Productions, the same company who produced the band’s previous video for Lights Out, it clocked up more than 6,000 views in little over a week. Midnight Bonfires frontman David Langley tells us more about the track and the idea behind the video. 8
Brum Notes Magazine
“The song is a little take on human relations exploring the silly behaviour you undertake when pursuing someone, be it for sex or just self appreciation. I move from adoration, to hate to complete loss and the willingness to get on my knees for someone I hardly know. I guess I’m trying to explore and show how we act differently to impress and above all, be noticed. “The idea for the video mainly came from Rick who was inspired by Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place. We worked with the same guys as with the Lights Out video, so we’ve got a little theme going along with them. In my eyes the video shows the madness and the fun of the song. July 2014
Maybe the three guys at the Ouija board are the attention seekers, the split personalities doing something out of character which leads to their untimely deaths. Above all it was a lark – it’s a playful song.” Michael Tracey from Incognito continues: “We started working with the band in January this year when we shot the video for Lights Out, which reached over 25,000 views on YouTube. The video for Exhale was shot in my grandfather’s cellar at The Renwick Guest House in Selly Oak, though the armchair scene with Dave telling the story was shot in The Prince of Wales pub in Moseley, so it was all nice and
local, though he ended up consuming many pints as the takes went on. In terms of lighting, we wanted a dark, almost grungy look to the video, so only lamps, candles and torches were used but, because of the low ceilings, that meant that we all bumped our heads at least once.”
Watch the video for Exhale by Midnight Bonfires at www.midnightbonfires.com and check out Incognito Productions at www. incognitoproductionsonline.com
Midnight Bonfires are live at One Beat Weekender at Mac Birmingham on July 20. 9
Words by Amy Sumner
OUR MUTUAL FRIEND
facebook.com/OurMutualFriend
“Bromsgrove doesn’t especially inform our music because our musical tastes originate from much further afield,” says bassist Thom Hollick. The young five-piece, currently split between Cardiff, London, Lancaster and Bromsgrove, craft the selfprofessed sounds of ‘glamorous middle England’. “But perhaps there is something about the growing up in a relatively cultural backwater which gives our stuff a little bit of an Arcade Fire Suburbs style of claustrophobia and restlessness,” Thom adds. “It’s a very conservative place,” continues singer and guitarist Jack Goodall. “Lovely, but there’s a temptation to be as subversive as possible. I think it inspires a bit of a perverse stance. Like a lot of satirists, there’s a front of respectability...you’re more likely to trust the guy screaming at you if he’s wearing a suit and tie.” Photo by Imogen Buller
Last February the band released their five-track
Photo by Anthony Williams
THE MOURNING SUNS
Ambition EP, and it seems geography certainly seeped its way into the songwriting, as Jack explains. “I’d been writing songs when I lived in Canada as a student and a lot of those were about Canada. That got me thinking about England and what that means to us personally and as a band, so on the EP there are songs about childhood, memory and unemployment. The title track definitely has this sense of having to be on the move...like the place cannot hold us anymore. We’d love to do albums called England, Canada and France because the songs do fit into those categories. When I wrote the Canada songs I was alone but Ambition feels like we’re collectively wondering what’s out there. We’re not children anymore.” Our Mutual Friend play the July Issue Launch Party at The Sunflower Lounge on July 2.
facebook.com/themourningsuns “Rosie loves Kate Bush, Jean Ritchie, Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell and Jeff Buckley and Ant loves Nick Drake, Ryan Adams and Eddie Vedder,” the pair pinpoint. “Collectively we all love jazz, classical, rock, folk and blues so we have a lot of everything simmering in there.” “Most of the time I’ll improvise on the guitar until I’ve found something that I or Rosie likes and then we build on that,” explains Ant. “Rosie will create some melody or lyric which usually directs the writing style. Sometimes the songs are easy and enjoyable to write and other times they are trickier and take a lot more time. It’s hard trying to think critically about what you’ve written sometimes, and although most of the time you can go with your gut instinct, other times you need to be hard on yourself and keep working away until something better comes out.”
“It should be eight songs long, give or take one,” says vocalist Rosie Wilkes of The Mourning Suns’ forthcoming debut album. “It’s quite a worrying and exciting process, I mean, what if it’s shit? Or what if it’s amazing, or if it takes longer to make that we’d planned for...which is a real possibility here?” Having formed the core duo of the band with Ant Williams in 2011 at Dartington College of Arts, they’ve been an accordion-like entity ever since, gaining members, saying goodbye, until we reach 2014 and The Mourning Suns are a fully-fledged six-piece complete with guitar, bass drums, ukulele and viola. It’s delicate psych-hued folk, beautiful Joni Mitchell vocals atop softly intertwining instrumentation carefully layered. On record it’s richly atmospheric, live it’s enchanting. 10
For a band just three years old, there’s a maturity and a coherence to their writing. There’s an obvious chemistry which is most apparent live. “So much thought and feeling goes into every aspect of our songs that I hope our music has a cinematic and tangible quality to it,” Rosie says. “When I think of us live, I think more of an experience than just a live show, a live experience and I’d like to think that our shows make people feel things that are close to how I feel when we are writing.” The Mourning Suns are live at The Sunflower Lounge on July 2.
Brum Notes Magazine
“We’ve been kind of nomadic over the last three years but right now we’re spread out from Cardiff, across the Midlands and to London so ‘home’ is quite hard to pin down,” explains guitarist and banjo player Oobah Butler.
THE PLAYLIST EKKAH
My Grey Horse
“Most recently we stayed in a log cabin near the Wyre Forest where we wrote about half the tracks on the new album. We like to spend a week or so together pretty cut off from anything else. Each time we meet like this everyone brings a bunch of ideas, which means songwriting never feels stale or forced. It’s also resulted in a lot of b-sides that we love. Ultimately, if there is a vegetable steamer, a cheese grater, a couple of bunk beds and room for us to work on some new music then that’s homely enough for us.” My Grey Horse have been making music together for four years. A band of brothers and of friends, it’s melodic indie pop, cheerful and contemplatory, taking in influences from The Shins to Grandaddy to Pavement and polishing them up. They build upon the foundations of 60s pop hooks and transform them to suit the modern day mantra. Having released two EPs in as many years, the band release their debut album, I Still Don’t Understand through CRC Music on July 28. “We’ve been working on the record a long time actually, maybe about 18-19 months,” says bassist Tom Mott. “In that time we’ve been on about three separate writing weeks dotted over the country and have written around 60 songs, most of which will thankfully never see the light of day. The record was recorded in an old hop kiln in Hampshire and was mixed by our great friend Rob Bagshaw who also mixed our EPs. We wanted
facebook.com/mygreyhorse
the album to sound as ‘real’ as possible so we recorded it all live on to analogue tape. It was equally as important for our instruments to sound like instruments and for the listener to be able to visualise the cylindrical room it was recorded in. “Primarily the record plays with the concept of ‘do you ever really change as a person?’ It tries to allay some of the lessons these cyclical situations keep on failing to teach us. But we aimed to strangle some other themes with the same necktie too. Pete [Butler - vocals, guitar] has written a song on there called John D Long Lake which is lyrically and thematically totally different to the rest of the album, whilst I wrote a song about a widower’s sense of abandonment. That whole feel of optimism coming from desperation, that’s what we hope to have captured.” With this month’s issue launch party marking a rare Birmingham performance, expect all of the above and in Oobah’s own words, “three guitars, shitty Casio tone keyboards, a lot of harmonies and romanticising about underrated superhero films. Please don’t let that put you off though, we can’t wait.” My Grey Horse headline the Brum Notes July Issue Launch Party on July 2 at The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham. Entry is just £3 on the door.
Summer Mixtape Summertime is here and we can think of no more blissful way to embrace it than with this sexy, soulful funk and disco summer mixtape from EKKAH. It’s Jessie Ware meets Beach House meets Patrice Rushen and it’s free. Merry summer everybody. Free download available now at soundcloud.com/ekkah
BURNING ALMS Mid-Storm / Still Ending Straight up, unrelenting punk-rock from the Calories/Distophia pair, cut through with chirpy guitars, throwback vocal drones and a sludgy race for the finish. Free download available now from independentmusic.com
BROKEN WITT REBELS Shake Me Down The lead single from their forthcoming Howlin’ EP, Shake Me Down is the band’s selfproclaimed ‘number one smash hit’ and incorporates elements of old school Kings of Leon with a soulful blues underlay. A marked and groovier progression. Howlin’ EP out July 26, facebook.com/ brokenwittrebelsUK
SUPERFOOD Right On Satellite Buoyant guitars, exuberant chant-along chorus and token Britpop charm – check ,check and check. But Right On Satellite sounds more accomplished and more mature than anything before it. Graduation calls. Out July 28 via Infectious
ONES TO WATCH The Dollcanoes
Milk Teeth
Daniel Pearson
Helter skelter, synth-tinged indie pop, delightfully playful and deliciously ramshackle in all the right places on record – don’t miss your chance to see them recreate it live. Grrl power. Watch them: One Beat Weekender @ Mac Birmingham, July 20
Four-piece, female-fronted grunge punk band from Bristol who’ve been stepping out to Birmingham so frequently in the past few months we thought they deserved a spot in our recommendations. Heavy, engaging and deliciously garage. Watch them: TALK, Birmingham, July 19
The folk rock solo artist from Leeds calls into Birmingham as part of his UK tour to play his delicious mix of folk and Americana. Hailed as ‘the recession generation Bob Dylan’, expect incisive poignancy and a beautiful talent. Watch him: TALK, Birmingham, July 25
July 2014
11
What’s in a name?
Lo-fi and high octane indie adventurers Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam may get people talking with their choice of band name, but it’s the music that’s the real attention-grabber. They tell Amy Sumner about their brand new EP.
“Pete’s old manager used to call him ‘hotrod’ – we might have been Sunshine Frisbee Hotrod for an hour or so,” deliberates drummer Ralph Morton in explaining the band name. It’s something they’re probably coerced into having to do repeatedly, but it sure does decrease the odds of being involved in a Liberty X-style dispute. “We were originally called Spirits before we played our first gig,” he continues, “but there were a lot of bands with one word names like that at the time so we started thinking of stage names. ‘Frisbee’ I think was just because there was a frisbee lying around while we were having this conversation... ‘Sunshine’ I don’t really remember. But whenever people asked the name of the band and we’d say Spirits, it always got a pretty muted response. You say Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam and you tend to hear ‘that’s the coolest, or stupidest name ever!’ So that’s got to be better, right?” After two singles and a self-titled album, Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam release their first self-titled EP this month. “We’re quite prolific songwriters,” says guitarist Andy Bullock of the band’s output, “and we like to write and release material quickly so we can get to work on whatever’s coming next.” “For this EP we’d had some of the songs for a while but actually putting it together came about really fast,” continues Ralph, “maybe a few practices to see which songs worked best then an afternoon to record them all. Halloween II was from this session too, but the Halloween songs are a separate thing.” Recorded with Dominique James at Omstart in Kings Norton, the record has a raw live sound to it which perfectly captures a band who are at their 12
best thrashing out their repertoire at an impressive rate of knots. “All of the instruments were tracked live then we did some vocal overdubs on a laptop above Cherry Reds on John Bright Street,” says Andy. “It was great recording with Dom, he’s really relaxed. It wasn’t that different to doing the album at Highbury Studios, which was recorded live to tape, but we wanted a few more options to make it sound bigger this time around.”
“The goal remains, do whatever serves the song best. No peacocking!” For the first time since their formation in 2011, the band have adopted a new member, adding a third guitar, manned by David Bentall, to their two guitar/drums setup. “We didn’t really plan to expand, we just found we were having more conversations about how it’d be good if there was an extra guitar bit here or something to fill out the low-end there and Dave’s been a big part of documenting SFL over the past couple of years and he helped out in the studio when we did the album and stuff, so when it came to adding someone else he seemed like the natural choice,” explains Andy. “The only difference is that we can now play heavier and lighter so maybe the dynamics of the music have changed, but the songwriting process will stay the same as far as I can tell,” Dave continues.
“The goal remains, do whatever serves the song best. No peacocking!” ends Ralph. They have also been experimenting by playing acoustic and solo sets, mixing things up and changing them around. “We’ve always been in other groups and projects,” Ralph adds, “they all end up feeding into each other in some way so it’s something that has always played a part in how we play together.” “The acoustic shows we’ve done have been really fun but we don’t get asked to play them all that often,” vocalist and guitarist Pete Dixon explains. “We have enough songs at this point that we could do a bunch of different sorts of sets but generally we just get asked to do the rock shows.” For now, the band play a show to launch their EP this month and will continue writing for their next record from there. And that’s as far as the plans stretch out. Completely uncalculated and uncontrolled, Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam are a noise-ridden house of fun. So make sure you pay them a visit. Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam are live at The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham, on July 3, with support from Thrilling Headgear and Hoopla Blue. Entry is £3 on the door. Brum Notes Magazine
Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam: Track By Track Auto Andy: Auto is about living in automatic pilot and trying to cope with the mundane whilst dreaming of doing much more exciting things, and the lengths that the character in the song will go to to achieve greater levels of excitement out of his work. The beat is sort of krautrock to emphasise the monotony. Castles And Caves Pete: This is my attempt at a Lemonheads song. It’s a romantic look at rainy days in National Trust hotspots. Doomed By Fate Pete: This was originally called Roman Eyes and is about the act or personality of wanting to conquer everything, much as the Romans did in the time of their rule.
Cats Will Steal Your Babies Breath…typo or deliberate mistake? Andy: Funnily enough Ralph asked me the same question so we’ve included it on the liner notes. You decide... Cats will steal your baby’s breath (your singular baby) Cats will steal your babys’ breath (your multiple babies) Cats will steal your babies breath (your breath smells of babies, and cats will steal it) Lucid Dreams Pete: This is the high tempo thrash-out number to finish. Ralph: There’s a video on YouTube of Pete playing it through a row of amps from a few years ago way before we thought we could make a song like this work. The only lyrics in the song are the title.
academy events present
ACADEMY EVENTS BY ARRANGEMENT WITH X-RAY TOURING PRESENT
MON 7 JULY
O2 ACADEMY BIRMINGHAM
TICKETWEB.CO.UK · 0844 477 2000 A N A C A D E M Y E V E N T S P R E S E N TAT I O N
July 2014
www.facebook.com/academyevents
MONDAY 13 OCTOBER BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY TICKETWEB.CO.UK · 0844 477 2000 13
A new chApter As frontman with Wolverhampton rockers The Lines, he played to sold out venues and toured with some stellar names. But now Alex Ohm has started a new line all of his own as he embarks on a solo career. He tells Jon Pritchard what’s in store.
“I just want to make music that I enjoy making and hope that people enjoy it too and join me for the adventure.” And what an adventure Alex Ohm has had so far. With his former band The Lines he’s headlined the Civic Hall, played in America and supported Ian Brown in Amsterdam. But now he’s getting back to his roots and looking forward to keeping things intimate as he takes his new solo material to some of the smaller venues in the Midlands.
Photo by Andy Hughes
After almost 10 years with the band, Alex Ohm is now reinventing the wheel and stripping his songs back. His show at The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham on July 12 effectively marks the launch of his solo career after a few really small gigs finding his feet and testing out new material. “I’ve got to admit that I am looking forward to playing in smaller venues again,” he explains. “I love the intimacy of small venues, being able to take a step off stage and being part of the crowd. I’ve also played a couple of house gigs which I’ve enjoyed a lot. I’m thinking of doing more of those, maybe a living room tour...if people will let me into their home.” So what does his new solo music sound like? Well, not solo for starters. Ohm has enlisted the help of some of his musically talented friends to help him create the layered music he seems to love to make. 14
“It’s a mixture of sounds,” says Alex. “It ranges from acoustic to symphonic grandeur soundscapes. Some songs work simply with just acoustic but I’ve been trying to push myself creatively and get the most out of what I’ve been writing. “It’s nice to have the option of playing alone or as a band, which is what I have now. I’m currently working with some very talented musicians to bring a more complete sound to some gigs and that’s been exciting. I have also enjoyed stripping things right back and just playing alone acoustically.” But he admits to having mixed feelings about making his comeback, which has seemed a long time coming for the scores of fans he built up while in his previous band. “It’s a somewhat daunting but exciting time. There’s a bubbling excitement combined with an air of freedom that’s giving me a real urge to write and play again. It’s strange not having a band as such around me but I’ve been working alongside some great musicians and producers and that has given me clarity and sense of direction.”
had songs in my back pocket for a while that I’ve never done anything with and lots of new ideas, so originally it was just the exercise of getting those ideas down for myself really. I don’t think I’ve ever been as content with the outcome of recordings as I am now so I thought it would be good to get them out there for people to hear.” But has he been listening to his previous work with The Lines for inspiration? Can we expect some more thundering drums and riffs? “Musically I’ve been turning my ear to a mixture of artists from Bon Iver to Fleet Foxes to Lorde to Sivu. There’s a lot of interesting music and sounds out there at the moment. But the inspiration has been the same thing as ever really, life and whatever it deals.” However, fans can perhaps expect to still hear some familiar sounds.
But it’s not like he ever really stopped making music or writing songs.
“There might be a couple of covers making an appearance here and there,” he says with a knowing smile. “I’ve found myself reworking people’s songs more of late and trying to put my own stamp on them which has been fun in ways but in turn has produced some songs that I’ve enjoyed playing alongside my own.”
“Anybody that plays and writes will know that it’s something that always just seems to happen, even when you don’t intend to,” he continues. “I’ve
Alex Ohm is live at The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham, on July 12. Brum Notes Magazine
coming this july - COME TOGETHER SATURDAY 5TH JULY
THE GANDERS IBERS THE SCRAND MORE
SATURDAY 12TH JULY - REGGAE CITY
ARIES FRIENDLY FIRE BAND DJ FEVA & JOTA III (BRAZIL) JAM JAH SOUND MR MUZ HERO RECORDS TANGAWIZI AND MORE
WEDNESDAY 16TH JULY
TALL SHIPS HOLY & MORE
SATURDAY 19TH JULY - SHAKE THE SHACK
THE STRAIGHT ACES AND MORE
SUNDAY 20TH JULY BIRMINGHAM JAZZ
& BLUES FESTIVAL
S THE PRECIOU ERS CK PENNY PLU AND MORE
SATURDAY 23RD JULY
ROSE WINDOWS THE VELV ET TEXAS CANNONBALL
EXPLODING SOUND MACHI NE
G JERKS JULY - CHICKS DI SATURDAY 26TH
G N E E H T P M O O SW ES THE STARRIES WAX FUTUR
AND MORE
THE CUSTARD FACTORY • DIGBETH • BIRMINGHAM • B9 4AA KEEP UP WITH ALL THINGS ALFIE AT WWW.ALFIEBIRDS.CO.UK FACEBOOK: ALFIE BIRDS / THE OOBLECK TWITTER: @ALFIEBIRDS @THEOOBLECK
July 2014
15
Incendiary two-piece Bromheads make a welcome return to Birmingham this month, with new EP Kerosene burning a hole in their pockets. They talk loud amps, male prostitutes and action movies with Amy Sumner. “I’ve no idea, but we’ve been a two piece since late 2008 so maybe they’re all copying us...” proffers Bromheads singer and guitarist Tim Hampton, when quizzed about why stripped down duos seems to be so en vogue right now. With Royal Blood, Drenge and God Damn all flying the flag for the bass-less two piece, following where The White Stripes and then The Black Keys left off, it’s a flurry of activity in the resurgence of the setup. “We use lots of amps and turn them up really loud,” Tim continues, elaborating on how the band overcomes the obvious limitations. “But I think it’ll always just be the two of us now, it’d be too weird having someone else in the band.” If Bromheads sound familiar, the outfit started out life in 2005 as Bromheads Jacket, a threepiece garage rock band from Sheffield. In 2009 the band lost their Jacket along with bass player Jono West but continued to make music, spiky indie pop infused with a healthy amount of 50s garage. Churning out single after single, their ferocious live shows began to accumulate a reputation of their own. With four albums under their belt (the most recent, 2013’s Choro), the band are now set to release 16
their new EP, Kerosene, and step out on tour to support that in July. “There was a lot of stuff going on in the world at the time we were writing that record that was pissing me off,” says Tim about its contents. “A woman was enslaved and locked in her house by her parents for 30 years, a Methodist minister put in ridiculous amounts for expenses which he blew on crystal meth and male prostitutes...Kerosene is a metaphor for what can happen to people when they chase being famous instead of focusing on their art. When the drugs and the lifestyle takes over but then they lose the fame and it all goes up in smoke. I thought that adding kerosene and burning up made it a bit more exciting, a bit like a big action movie – cause that’s what we’re all about really, cheesy, over the top, big-budget action movies.” Tim and drummer Dan Potter have been making music together for almost 10 years now – a feat alone to keep the music fresh enough for outside human consumption. But within their own walls, there’s clearly still that age-old spark. Their situation within their home city of Sheffield and the emergence of other like-minded talent seems undoubtedly to have played its own part in that.
“We have a building we bought a few years back where we practice and we also have a load of rooms where other bands practice. It’s a long list of awesome people including Drenge, 65 Days Of Static and Hey Sholay and there’s two recording studios, one of which is ours and the other is Ross Orton’s [producer who has worked with Arctic Monkeys, M.I.A, The Fall]. We all have a lot of fun,” he says, “it’s like a big weird family.” On July 24 the duo call into Birmingham to play a live show at The Sunflower Lounge, a venue at which they’ve previously sold out two consecutive nights. “We’ve very happy memories from Birmingham and that venue. I remember it being the first venue outside of Sheffield where people knew the words to our songs – there were a lot of lovely people.” And the music? “It’ll be a bit like the above action movie only with a much lower budget, higher volume, less muscles and good looks, equal amounts of sweat but not involving anyone famous or good at acting.”
Bromheads are live at The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham, on July 24, with support from Dong Fang, Seize The Chair and more. Brum Notes Magazine
European union They’re so big in Europe, their Wikipedia page is only available in German. David Vincent finds out more about Brum pop-punk trio Templeton Pek.
For Templeton Pek, the decision to record their new album just outside Los Angeles was less about the sun, sea and sand of southern California, and more about the history of Hermosa Beach and the surrounding area. “So many of the bands we’re inspired by and have toured with have come from this little area just outside of LA. So that was the thinking behind it,” reports frontman Neal Mitchell. “The whole Fat Wreck Chords and Epitaph era, 90 per cent of those bands were from this area of California – the Black Flag church (rehearsal space) was there, The Descendents were from a beach down the road, and every single band we’d listened to played in that area. We appreciated the history of where our sound came from. We went out with the guys from Pennywise, Ignite were down the road…” Listening to Neal, it sounds less of a recording session, more of a pilgrimage. He laughs at the suggestion, but in part agrees. “That whole poppy/ punky sound all started in that area. Some have gone poppier, some have gone punkier, but that’s where it comes from. It was cool for us to be where it all happened 20 years ago.” Templeton Pek are one of Birmingham’s unsung musical exports. Formed by three friends in 2005, they were quickly tipped for big things thanks to a tight pop/punk/rock sound akin to Rise Against, Funeral For A Friend, early Foo Fighters and Ignite. But while other local acts have found fame in the UK, Templeton Pek – named after Dirk Benedict’s character from 80s TV hit The A-Team – have found themselves drawn eastwards, to mainland Europe. Recorded in New York city, their third album (yep, their third) Signs was released via monster German rock label Century July 2014
Media Records (also home to Brum grindcore/ metal legends Napalm Death), and demand for the band outside of the UK continues to climb. “At the moment, the mainland and Germany are the biggest for us,” says Neal, who is joined by Kev Green (guitar) and Jon Keen (drums). “It’s
“It’s hard to tell how it will sound at this stage as it’s in such a rough state. We’re so nervous…handing it over to someone to mix, it’s like handing over a baby” different country to country, but we can play small places, like [the size of] The Flapper, up to about 7,000 if we’re with someone like Rise Against. It all depends on where, and when, and who you’re with. But we want to keep the momentum going.”
such a rough state. We’re so nervous…handing it over to someone to mix, it’s like handing over a baby,” laughs Neal, who confesses all the tracks are currently nameless. “They’re just Song 1, Song 2, Song 3, Song 4, Song 5…which can be really confusing when someone says ‘says, ‘that part in Song 7’. Which was that? So now we’re firing ideas to each other as the next job is to name the tracks and to name the album.” While the band struggle for titles, several tracks will be aired at a special free show at The Flapper on July 5. “We plan to showcase songs from the new album, they’ll be played for the very first time in front of anyone, and it’ll be good for us to play them,” Neal explains, adding they’ve handpicked two local acts to support, Jetpack and Escaping Vendetta, as part of their desire to support and share their experience with up-and-coming acts from the region.
Keeping that momentum going means more Eurotunnel excursions (“we can get to Germany in 6-7 hours, we know the routine…”), plus the possibility of trips to Japan and Australia, and a desire for “a full-on, long tour” of America. But before the passport waving can begin in earnest, there’s the matter of finishing off album number four.
“We played with Jetpack at The Sunflower Lounge for Oxjam and I had a chat with the singer, about how bands don’t often help each other. The way it should be is that everyone should help everyone out, share contacts, point people in the right direction. Bands assume you have to be a good band to get anywhere, but the business isn’t like that, being a good band is probably 10 per cent. That’s just how it is. We’ve never been part of a scene [in Birmingham], but we wanted to make it more of a scene as there is a community here.”
“We’ve just finished recording it. Everything’s down and it’s currently being mixed, so we should get the first draft mixes in a week or so’s time. It’s hard to tell how it will sound at this stage as it’s in
Templeton Pek play The Flapper, Birmingham, on Saturday, July 5, with support from Escaping Vendetta and Jetpack. Admission is free. 17
Setting Sail After a period of quiet, Brighton-based Tall Ships are heading out for some select live shows. “It’s what we feed off most,” they tell David Vincent. Tall Ships haven’t played a gig for nine months, and they’re gagging to get back on stage.
though Everything Touching didn’t quite capture the true intensity of the band’s live shows.
“Playing live is our favourite part of being in a band; it’s what we feed off most,” explains frontman Ric Phethean. “This has been the longest period we’ve ever gone without playing a show so we’re really hungry to get back out and play these new songs we’ve been working so hard on. We’ve also got a couple of late-ish main stage festival slots, which is something we haven’t done before.”
“Yeah,” agrees Ric, “we’ve had people say this to us and we’ve had discussions about it ourselves. We’re definitely hoping to get a bit more of that intensity into the second record. We also feel it’s quite important to get a balance between the intense, drunken, scrappy wall of noise thing we do live, and getting an album which is actually listenable when you’re sat at home. It needs to be something you can listen to without needing the visual stimulus of five grown men bumbling around a stage like excitable puppies for it to make sense.”
Explaining their relatively lengthy silence, Ric says: “Towards the end of touring the first record we were completely exhausted and things were all a little strained and tense. We needed a break basically. So we took some time off to earn some money and pay back all our debts we’d accumulated from being on tour, basically just refresh ourselves for writing the second album. It was definitely needed.” Money was earned doing a variety of jobs, as Ric explains. “Collectively, past and present, we’ve put fences up, laid patios, built walls, laid turf, recorded/produced bands, pulled pints, care work, dug graves, planted trees, played in other bands, cooked Mexican food, removals, illustration, modelling…the list is ever expanding.” Ric (guitar, keys and vocals), bassist Matt Parker (bass, keys and vocals) and drummer Jamie Bush (drums) formed Tall Ships while studying at university in Falmouth during 2009. Relocating to cooler Brighton, the angular and layered sound of releases such as singles T=0, Gallop, Hit The Floor and debut album Everything Touching garnered increasing praise. Battles, Foals and The xx were cited as reference points, 18
With that nine month gap and several new tracks ready to be aired live over the coming weeks, have things changed musically for Tall Ships? “Not really,” says Ric, “there definitely hasn’t been any major shift in the sounds we use. It’s still pretty much the same sludgy post-rock pop thing that we had going on in the first record. If I was to highlight one change, I think we’re writing more ‘song’ songs, if that makes any sense. We’re writing some choruses, middle eights, cheesy guitar solos, all things we haven’t really done before. We’ve added another pair of hands to the mix too, which brings us up to a total of five. This has really changed the way we play live so we’re excited to get out and perform in front of people. It’s sounding pretty huge.”
music but I think those three probably have had the most lasting effect. They were three of my favourite bands growing up and have thus shaped a lot of my ideas about music and what excites me within it. Our music is a selfexpression filtered through, and via, all the various styles and things we love about the music we’ve listened too and loved. With Sigur Ros it was the epic, intense, moving, cinematic postrock thing that has definitely influenced us. With Battles, they were the reason I got into looping guitar, which then went on to become one of the most significant songwriting tools we used when working on the two EPs and first album. Biffy Clyro were simply my favourite band. I’d go and watch them religiously and loved their first three records so much. I’d spend hours figuring out how to play their songs and even played covers of them in my school band. My guitar playing and style is thus definitely indebted and influenced by [Biffy frontman and guitarist] Simon Neil. So yeah, they’re definitely three of the major influences at the core of this band…but there are so many more influences and other bands we love that shape the music we’re making.” With the current live shows injecting some increased enthusiasm into the band, a plan is taking shape.
The band themselves namechecked Battles, Sigur Ros and Biffy Clyro as early inspirations, and Ric reckons those three still exercise an influence.
“Our rough plan, as it stands, is to play some shows and festivals, finish writing the album, record the album, release said album, quit the aforementioned jobs and buy sports cars/ mansions with money earned from said album, tour the world, make loads more money and then repeat all of the above with album number three,” says Ric, with a smile. “Simple.”
“There are so many different bands, people and things that inspire and influence how we make
Tall Ships are live at The Oobleck, Custard Factory, Birmingham, on July 16. Brum Notes Magazine
July 2014
19
arts & culture
BE Here Now The BE Festival is a jewel in the crown of Brum’s arts calendar, presenting a veritable smörgåsbord of cutting-edge European theatre. As Dan Cooper-Gavin finds out, the festival’s unique identity won’t be compromised by its lavish new home… Since 2010, theatre fans with a sense of wanderlust have converged on the Jewellery Quarter’s AE Harris factory for the annual BE (or Birmingham European) Festival, with its adventurous programmes of short performances from across the continent. With business now booming again, AE Harris needed their factory space back, and so this year’s festival has found a new home in the rather more upmarket surrounds of The Rep. But initially, rather than being a cause for celebration, the move presented co-directors Isla Aguilar and Miguel Oyarzun with an identity crisis.
“As beautiful as The Rep is, it’s an institution, and the rules are right, and it’s a proper theatre,” says Miguel. “We come from a place where the space was different, there was a special atmosphere, a blank canvas for us to do whatever we wanted. And for the sort of work we programme, which is in the border of things, we were slightly concerned about bringing that type of work to a theatre. But then Isla was walking around and her bulb just lit. Why don’t we turn the theatre upside-down, back-to-front, and we use every space that the audience normally doesn’t see, which has the feel of a factory, because it’s basically a production house, and we use that as the festival space? It’s taken loads of meetings for it to be possible, but everyone in the team at The Rep is very excited and very proactive in making it happen.”
time and money mean they couldn’t assess each of the 600 plays in person, but watching them on DVD instead has proved a blessing in disguise. “Democratically, this is a more open process,” says Miguel, “because we can’t afford to reach those companies that are hard to reach because they don’t get into the big theatres. So this way, we open the chance for companies who have great work but haven’t made the step to the big theatres, and they are treated all the same way. It’s the quality that counts, not the name of the company.”
“It has been nice for a lot of people in the theatre,” says Isla, “because they propose things that they normally can’t do, and that is something that is very nice for them also, being creative in another way, and trying to transgress the line a little bit.” Isla and Miguel, both Spanish theatre makers, initially only came to Birmingham for an Arts Council Open Space discussion, but on meeting the movers and shakers of the local arts scene, they realised that Brum’s central location and dearth of international theatre would make it the ideal place for a new festival – and that they should be the ones to create it. A tentative call for submissions yielded no less than 64 applications, which this year has grown to a massive 600. Understandably, 20
Brum Notes Magazine
Democratic to a fault, Isla and Miguel were at pains to emphasise that the festival’s various attractions are all part of one coherent whole, but here are some of the pieces that they’re particularly excited about: The first week of this year’s festival takes the form of a double bill, comprising an expanded version of the winning piece from last year, the delightful Danish play Next Door, and a new work by Brum’s own Stan’s Cafe entitled Finger, Trigger, Bullet, Gun. Then, in the second week, each night offers a diverse programme of four short performances. “What we try to do is a combination between different disciplines, different moods, different languages,” says Isla. “We try to combine some shows the audience can enjoy, they can laugh, they can have a nice time – and others can be much more challenging. The audience may come out of the theatre saying, ‘I didn’t enjoy this show, but I enjoyed this other.’ Afterwards, you have that kind of debate and dialogue, and that’s one of the main themes, to free up that kind of atmosphere.” A strong sense of collaborative democracy oozes from every pore, with the festival running its own
alternative currency, called the karma, and audiences invited to dine with the performers in the interval. “Around the table, you talk in a more relaxed way,” explains Isla. “To break down that border between audience and artists, it’s one of our aims. If you create that common experience, you create bonds, and at the end of the week you really have that experience of something special.” With an increasing mood of separatism in many parts of the continent, the pair keenly feel the need to celebrate Europe. “There’s tensions about the fear of the unknown, people coming and stealing our jobs, et cetera, and that’s a shame,” says Miguel. “We would like the festival to be a space to celebrate what we share, but also celebrate what is different between us. When you sit down with someone and learn about all their experiences, it’s enriching to see something that is different from you, and it might teach you about yourself.”
Next Door An expanded version of the winning play from last year’s festival, from Danish company Out Of Balanz. Running July 2-4, it sees a man reimagine his relationship with his deceased neighbour. “It’s a fantastic show, it brought the house down last year,” says Miguel. “Fantastic performers, they’re just incredible. It’s a show that makes you laugh a lot.”
Mi Gran Obra A remarkable solo piece from Spain’s David Espinosa, running July 9-11, starring a cast of miniature figurines, playing to a maximum audience of 20 at a time. “When he attends big, costly shows, he always feels uncomfortable,” explains Miguel, “but then he puts himself in the position of, ‘what would I do if I was given the money to do the biggest work ever?’ So he creates a theatre which is a suitcase, on a scale of one to a million, and then he’s got all the performers he would ever want, he’s got animals, he even has Obama in the show. He manipulates 300 actors all the time, there’s music, and you see the show either with your eyes or with binoculars, so it’s a really interesting experience.”
Waiting Performance, dance and film intertwine in this piece from displaced Iraqi Mokhallad Rasem, on July 11. “I really was captured by this one,” says Isla. “It is beautiful, the aesthetic. It’s the story of people waiting to get a visa, waiting for different things. This is an Iraqi who had to leave his country and move to Belgium, he works there with different people from different countries. It really represents the festival, mixes different languages. I’m really looking forward to seeing it live.” BE Festival runs at The Rep, Birmingham, from July 2-4 and 8-12. For more information, visit befestival.org. July 2014
21
As legendary reggae band Steel Pulse prepare for their first home city gig in nine years, David Vincent discovers they still inspire. “To this day, people still want to go to Handsworth to see where Steel Pulse came from,” says Selwyn Brown. It’s been a while since Steel Pulse played on home turf. “Someone just told me that the last time we played Birmingham was back in 2005. We played The Drum and Reggae Rocks in the city centre. I didn’t realise it had been that long,” says keyboard player and vocalist Selwyn Brown, as the band prepare to headline the Simmer Down one-day free festival.
vocals for them,” explains Selwyn. “There was also Eclipse, Velvet Shadow, Cornerstone, they were a very, very good band, and Young Groovers. Yeah, there were a good few bands around the area, all kind of competing against one another. “But we’d also get together, go to each other’s rehearsals...steal ideas off each other,” he laughs.
While UB40 are continually name-checked as the city’s greatest reggae export, thanks to a run of international pop hits during the 1980s, there’s a good argument for that accolade to actually rest with the elder Steel Pulse, who emerged from a vibrant Handsworth in 1975.
Initially denied gigs in many Afro-Caribbean clubs due to their Rastafarian beliefs, the band soon found their roots sound embraced wholeheartedly by the burgeoning punk scene. As a result, they were quickly sharing bills (and headlining shows) with all the movement’s prime movers, including the reggae-loving Clash and The Police, The Stranglers, Generation X and X-Ray Spex. However, it was a support tour with Jamaican reggae act Burning Spear which drew them to the attention of Island Records, who released their politically charged third single, Ku Klux Klan, and debut album, the seminal (and arguably predicatively titled) Handsworth Revolution in 1978.
“There were a lot of good bands around at the time like Black Symbol, who have just started up again. They were like a family band and one of the family have restarted it, I’ve done some keyboards and
Though the deal with Island – home to Bob Marley and soon new wave acts such as The B-52s and U2 – didn’t last, it was enough to help establish Steel Pulse as a truly international act.
“That makes Simmer Down something very special,” he continues. “The last time we played Handsworth Park was 30 years ago, as part of the Africa Liberation celebrations. Playing in Handsworth Park again is a homecoming, people are saying we’re coming back...”
22
“Up until the 1980s, we’d been touring around England, and been to France, Germany, Italy I think, places like that. We’d played with Bob Marley. The first time we went to the States was 1980. We were getting letters from people from the US asking ‘when are you coming over here?’ We knew our fan base was growing, so we went out. Now, we still play there, but also further afield, Jamaica, we’ve played Africa. That all began in the mid-80s,” says Selwyn. Several decades later, and the band’s international reputation remains very much intact. “This year, we’ve been mostly in the US, east coast to west coast, north to south. We did a private show in Jamaica. We’ve also been to South America, Peru, and French Guyana,” says Selwyn, “I got back from Hawaii yesterday and I’m off Tuesday to New York state. Then there’s a private show in Jamaica, then Massachusetts, Connecticut, then Europe, Gibraltar, Belgium...” Reflecting on their success in the US, where they’ve been honoured with Grammy nominations and played for presidents, Selwyn continues: “Part of it is the message of the band, they can totally identify with it. Lots of things happen in Brum Notes Magazine
America. Plus the fact that when they see a Steel Pulse show, they really enjoy it as they don’t only like the music, but they genuinely enjoy the Steel Pulse show – we give them something special. A lot of old Steel Pulse fans pass it on to their kids, so you get kids and their parents coming to our shows there.” While the band spend much of their time on the road, with original member David Hinds now based in the Caribbean, the influence of Handsworth remains as strong as ever, as evidenced by a sizeable map on their website of the area which lists key locations from their pre-band and formative days, including schools and the ‘dole office’ where the original line-up picked up their unemployment benefits.
SIMMER DOWN 2014
“When the band started, we all left jobs and college to go on the dole and concentrate on the band. David was at art college, he’s very talented; I was doing insurance underwriting in the Rotunda for Legal & General.” Also highlighted are the local police station and some swift getaway routes. “We’ve all been there, back in the day,” Selwyn laughs. The map offers a stark (though very real) contrast to those promoted by the city’s heritage and retailfocused tourism industry, yet does prompt Steel Pulse tourists. “Some of our fans have come over to Birmingham, to feel the vibe of where we all grew up. To this day, people still want to go to Handsworth to see where Steel Pulse came from,” Selwyn says, with an understandable pride. You can take the man out of Handsworth, we begin, “...but you can’t take Handworth out of the man! Yeh, yeh!” cries the keyboard player with another laugh. Despite their continued popularity and constant touring, it’s surprisingly been 10 years since the band’s last album, 2004’s African Holocaust. “We are working on a new album now, we have been for three to four years, but it takes time to rehearse, we’re still touring a lot too. The next reason is that we haven’t got a base in Birmingham that’s a studio, so we have to record at various places around the world, send files to each other, but the album will be out this year,” Selwyn reveals. “We’re also working on a definitive documentary, which is almost completed, and we’ll maybe put that out at the same time as the album, so we’re aiming to release that this year too. With the 40th anniversary coming around [next year], we’ll be pushing the album and the documentary.” July 2014
After previous festivals witnessed headlining sets from the likes of Half Pint (2013), Aswad (2012) and Ken Boothe (2011), 2014’s Simmer Down promises a triple bill of Birmingham heroes with Steel Pulse accompanied by Apache Indian and The Reggae Revolution, and the revitalised Musical Youth. Apache Indian scored mainstream international success during the 90s, topping both the UK reggae and Asian charts. The Handsworth-raised artist cut his teeth working with local sound systems, and his mix of bhanga and ragga established him as one of the first major UK Asian artists. Having previously collaborated with such acts as Maxi Priest, Shaggy and Sean Paul, his most recent album, It Is What It Is, was produced by Jim Beanz (Timbaland, Britney Spears, Shakira, Nelly Furtado). Much like Steel Pulse, Apache’s links with the local area remain strong, and the Apache Indian Music (AIM) Academy opened last year at South & City College Birmingham’s Handsworth Campus to support and nurture a new generation of musicians and producers. Best known for their chart-topping 1982 smash, Pass The Dutchie, the teen and preteen Musical Youth scored three top 10 hits before splitting in 1985. Having weathered tragedy, they returned to the stage a decade ago, and continue to perform with original members Dennis Seaton and Michael Grant at the helm. Recent live appearances have included Lightwoods Park’s May Day fest, while download When Reggae Was King sees them revisit reggae hits from the 70s/80s, including tracks from Jimmy Cliff (The Harder The Come), Bob Marley (I Shot The Sheriff) and John Holt (I’d Love You To Want Me). Simmer Down Festival takes place at Handsworth Park, Handsworth, Birmingham, from 12.30pm-7.30pm, on Sunday, July 20. Admission is free. For more information, visit simmerdownfestival.wordpress.com or www.facebook.com/ simmerdownfestival. 23
mostly jazz festival
PURPLE PURPLE REIGN REIGN Prior to headlining the opening night of Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival, Fun Lovin’ Criminals’ Fast and Frank will be on stage delivering a reggae Prince tribute with their side project, Radio Riddler. “He’s the man!” declares Fast. David Vincent prepares to be entertained. The mention of Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival gets an
Riddler have since ‘riddled’ the likes of Marvin Gaye,
and Frank’s desire to call in some celeb pals to assist
instant response from Fun Lovin’ Criminals co-found-
Adele, Run DMC, The Beatles and The Bee Gees, while
with vocal duties, including Suggs (Let’s Go Crazy), Hollie
er Brian ‘Fast’ Leiser. “I like performing at festivals like
their debut album, the just-out Purple Reggae, sees the
Cook (The Beautiful Ones), Citizen Cope (When Doves
Mostly more than V or Reading/Leeds because we’re
duo re-record Prince’s hit-filled Purple Rain.
Cry), Ali Campbell (Purple Rain) and Beverly Knight (Baby
not as ‘pop’ as we used to be…and festivals like Most-
I’m A Star). The album also sees Irish chanteuse Sinead
ly, that’s where music-lovers go, and we wanna play for
“Frank is one of the top 10 biggest Prince fans in the
O’Connor, who famously hit number one in 1990 with
people who know our music,” he laughs.
entire world. He’s gone to see Prince 47 times! In differ-
Prince cover Nothing Compare 2 U, tackle I Would Die
ent countries! He listened to Purple Rain when he was,
4 U, in what is clearly a major scoop.
But their Friday night headline slot isn’t the only reason
like, 12, and just freaked out,” chuckles Fast. “Prince does
he’s looking forward to the fest, as earlier in the day, he
these concerts with short notice, so Frank’ll find out he’s
“How did Frank get Sinead to do another Prince song?”
and fellow FLC cohort Frank Benbini will be taking to the
playing in somewhere like New York, get on a plane, and
cries Fast. “I don’t know , but we think it’s pretty cool.
second stage under the guise of Radio Riddler.
just buy a ticket off someone for $500.”
Frank just talks to anyone and gets them to do it.
From an initial idea of reimagining hits by the likes of
The reggaefied track-by-track Prince tribute has been a
“Take Me With U has Deborah Bonham on it,” continues
Coldplay, Queen and Nirvana as reggae tracks, Radio
substantial five years in the making, thanks in part to Fast
Fast, referring to the sister of Led Zepp’s sticksman.
24
Brum Notes Magazine
“We met her through Harley Davidson, at one of these
Atlantic, thanks to such tracks as The Fun Lovin’ Criminal,
long-on-the-cards project with Echo & The Bunnymen’s
festivals where bike enthusiasts come to rev’. I heard
King Of New York and the Tarantino-sampling Scooby
Ian McCulloch – those elements that made FLC such an
this woman singing and I thought, ‘man, she’s got sick
Snacks. With Brit Frank already resident, the native New
appealing prospect to Britpop-drenched Blighty remain
pipes!’ She’s such an awesome singer. Frank’s second
Yorkers have since upped camp and relocated to the UK.
very much intact.
Frank convinced her to sing. She’s not a big reggae
“It’s a better HQ for us than New York,” Fast states,
“I love the smooth soul side, the rock is more Huey’s side.
fan, but she nailed it.”
adding it’s a perfect base for their continent-hopping
When we started this band, I thought ‘this is cool’, this
live and DJ appearances.
mix of styles. Now I’m older, I love reggae, hip hop, and
favourite band is Queen and third is Led Zeppelin, so
Released to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Purple
Huey loves blues and country and western, which is cool
Rain’s original release, there’s sadly no word from The
when we get together to write FLC songs,” says Fast.
Purple One’s camp as to what his Princeness thinks to Purple Reggae. “Not sure if Prince likes it. He’s the man! Super talented. He can play any instrument. He’s an amazing songwriter, a great singer, but it’d be a bit hypocritical if he doesn’t like it because he does cover versions.” So how do Frank’n’Fast feel their version stands up alongside the 1984 soundtrack?
“Prince does these concerts with short notice, so Frank’ll find out he’s playing in somewhere like New York, get on a plane, and just buy a ticket off someone for $500.”
“You know most bands say ‘we never want to repeat ourselves’? Well we say ‘no’. We’re confident with our sound, it translates from the studio to live, it’s working, and that’s important. “For us, music is an escape,” he continues. “Like if you go to the cinema, I’d rather go see Transformers or something big like that than 12 Years Of Slavery. I don’t want to be depressed when I go to the cinema, I want to be entertained!”
“Is it better than the original Purple Rain?” Fast queries. “The original is the original, it’s the first, no one had ever Fun Lovin’ Criminals and Radio Riddler are live at
heard it before then. So for us, this is just another version, As they edge towards their 20th anniversary next year,
Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival on Friday, July
Fast stresses that although their tastes and outlooks
11. FLC’s The Bong Remains The Same and Radio
Formed by flatmates Fast and Huey Morgan in their home
have changed, and they’re all involved in a myriad of side-
Riddler’s Purple Reggae are out now. Mostly Jazz
of New York in the early-90s, Fun Lovin’ Criminals mix
projects – from Frank’s Uncle Frank solo gig, to Huey’s
Funk & Soul Festival runs from July 11-13 at Mose-
of hip hop and blues/rock found favour this side of the
BBC 6Music show, Huey And The New Yorkers and a
ley Park, Moseley, Birmingham.
and that’s cool.”
July 2014
25
mostly jazz festival
SOUNDS SOUNDS INCREDIBLE INCREDIBLE Vocalist Eno Williams tells David Vincent how Ibibio Sound Machine have developed from a studio project to the festival stage. “We were trying to get away from obvious sounds that might pigeonhole the band,” she says. When it came to making their official live debut, Ibibio
“Most of us didn’t realise what a big gig it was going to
“Max was very keen to produce another album with an
Sound Machine (ISM) didn’t opt for a quiet city club,
be ‘til we got there,” she confesses. “Luckily we’d done
Afrocentric angle having recently enjoyed doing the
preferring instead to boldly announce their arrival in
some pretty serious rehearsing leading up to it.”
KonKoma record,” she continues. “We had been experi-
front of 30,000 people at France’s Les Transmusicales festival. “It was a nerve-wracking experience I must say, doing
menting with some ideas and found that the unique rhythHailing from London, ISM were initially conceived as a
mic sound of the Ibibio dialect was very well suited to
studio project by Eno, Max Grunhard (sax), Leon Brich-
musical interpretation.
ard (bass/synth) and Benji Bouton (drums/keyboards).
our first proper show in front of that big a crowd,” recalls
“At the same time, unknown to us in fact, Leon and Benji
ISM vocalist Eno Williams. “It’s very unusual for a project
“Myself and Max had been discussing the idea of trying
had been working on some great grooves in their studio.
in my experience, to start off with a gig of that size, but
to work on a record using my mother tongue, Ibibio,” says
Max knew Leon and heard these grooves and really liked
somehow we seem to have been lucky enough to get
Eno, referring to the language spoken in south-eastern
them, so suggested we try something, so all four of us
some great performance opportunities at an early stage
Nigeria. “We had spoken about the fact that it was a
[got] together, and that’s how the project started off.”
with this band, and of course you have to be ready to
language that had very little documented musically and
take the opportunity when it comes up because these
it would be interesting to try something using that as a
Building from the basic rhythm upwards, additional
type of shows can really open doors for you.
starting point.
players quickly came onboard (including KonKoma and
26
Brum Notes Magazine
Osibisa guitar legend Alfred ‘Kari’ Bannerman), and the
The stylistic diversity of ISM’s self-titled debut is varied
as a child in Nigeria, while her delivery has been shaped
unique ISM sound began to take shape.
yet seamlessly integrated. The Talking Fish (Asem Usem
by religious music.
Iyak), for example, has a real mid-70s funk groove (think “As we progressed, the percussion of Anselmo Netto
The O’Jays’ For The Love Of Money with added horns),
“My musical background is actually gospel music, sing-
and Alfred ‘Kari’ Bannerman’s guitar became instrumen-
a late disco beat and a great dirty guitar solo. Elsewhere,
ing in choirs – that’s where the craft was moulded,” she
tal in finding the sound we were looking for. But we
there’s post-punk and electronic sounds within the high-
says, adding her pre-ISM career includes performing
wanted also to find a sound that was not only retro/
life/Afro bedrock.
with choirs and in touring theatre productions, supporting such acts as Lionel Richie, Lemar and Mica Paris, and
looking back to the past of African music and western rhythmic styles like funk and disco. We wanted
“We certainly had the idea initially to combine Afro-
even, we can reveal, a winning appearance on TV’s Stars
something that captured a bit of ‘now’. That’s where
disco and highlife elements,” Eno says of the mashed
in Their Eyes as Alica Keys back in 2004.
the electronic element of the music came in, as we’re
up influences evident in the album. “However, some of
surrounded by that kind of influence in London and
the more modern aspects of the sound came about
“Ahhh...that seems like a looong time ago,” shudders
most of the guys play at least a bit of keyboards...so
more accidentally as we progressed with making the
Eno, with a nervous laugh. But with ISM taking off, it’s
different people contributed some interesting textures on
record. We were trying to get away from obvious sounds
doubtful if we’ll be hearing her winning rendition of Fallin’
that level with Tony Hayden’s Roland SH-101 becom-
that might pigeonhole the band in terms of a specific
again anytime soon.
ing particularly prevalent.”
genre, you know, create something of a different sound to the obvious.”
“We have a lot of gigs coming up so we’ll be focusing on the opportunity to present our music to people around
The final tally of ISM contributors hail from not just Nigeria and Ghana, but also Brazilian, French, English and
Since their French festival appearance back in Decem-
the UK and Europe, and then, going forward, we’re start-
Australian backgrounds, which all add to the mix.
ber, ISM’s infectious dance grooves have seen them
ing to think about some ideas for getting back into the
earn BBC 6Music playlisting and a stand-out appear-
studio and making some new tunes.”
“I definitely think the album is a product of the cultur-
ance on Jools Holland’s Later… show. But what makes
al influences that you only find in London and maybe
ISM’s rising popularity particularly surprising is the fact
Ibibio Sound Machine play Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul
a very few other places in the world,” reckons Eno.
that very few have any idea what Eno’s singing about.
Festival’s main stage on Saturday, July 12. Their selftitled debut album is out now via Soundway.
“The fact that you have so many people from different countries that converge on London, and then the very
“I suppose it is a combination of the weird diversity of our
The festival runs from July 11-13 at Moseley Park,
strong identity of the city tends to shape those influ-
influences combined with the fact that the Ibibio language
Moseley, Birmingham. It features appearances from
ences into something else again that is more than the
is so unfamiliar and adds a unique element to the sound,”
Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Ginger Baker, Mavis Staples,
sum of its parts.”
reckons Eno, whose lyrics reference folk tales she heard
Craig Charles and many more.
July 2014
27
Photo by Andy Hughes
One Beat Weekender, a two-day celebration of new music, heads to the unique outdoor amphitheatre at Mac Birmingham this month. Now in its third year, the festival will double in size to run across two days for the first time, after selling out for the past two years. Curated by One Beat Records (the label co-founded by the late Charlatans drummer Jon Brookes), this year sees them join forces with This Is Tmrw to put together the most exciting and eclectic line-up yet, boasting some of the best talent from across the Midlands, with a sprinkling of hot names from further afield. Amy Sumner and Matthew Way catch up with two of the bands adorning the bill to find out what’s in store…
EKKAH “We wanted to create something that people could listen to whilst getting ready to go out, to get in the mood for a party or to hang with friends,” says singer Rebecca Wilson of the summer mixtape EKKAH just released for free download. “There’s a running theme of summer of course!” In April this year, the duo (comprising singer Rebecca Wilson and synth player Rebekah Pennington, although the outfit perform live as a five-piece) put their first demo, 7am, up online. It was a blisteringly stomping number, gorgeously powerful vocals, an unrelenting funked up charge. May brought Figure It Out with its laid back, soulful vibe and then June…with June came EKKAH’s first compilation – a summer mixtape of five glorious sunshine streams. Soul, funk, R‘n’B, new wave, disco and a blissful tropicalia hue – it’s the perfect summer soundtrack, mission well and truly accomplished. There’s also a cheeky Patrice Rushen cover bringing it to a close – you remember, the song Will Smith transformed for Men In Black. “Although we are less Men In Black more Women In Colour, with sax!” enthuses Wilson. Though live EKKAH indeed do number more than two, the band are made up of a duo at the core – the clue is kind of in the name. “Rebekah is from Lancashire and I’m from the outskirts of Birmingham,” explains Wilson. “We both met at high school in Brum and started making music together. Now Rebekah lives in London so we meet at weekends and carry on just the same.” That’ll be where all the hype blogs are getting ‘London-by-Birmingham’ from then. 28
Photo by Ian Dunn
The girls in question are the feisty females who were at the heart of The Arcadian Kicks, a local indie pop outfit who found minor success (including appearances at the Isle of Wight and T in the Park festivals and on BBC WM) but split a few years ago. At the heart of that dynamic, the spirited vocals of Wilson added another dimension and in EKKAH too we’re treated to the same raw power. The dynamic between the two of them, on stage in particular, is getting a lot of people pretty worked up. “It wasn’t too difficult to fuse our influences together but we did spend some time finding out what EKKAH was going to sound like,” Wilson says. “After writing a few songs we realised we had a sound that mixed a few splashes of differing
genres, unintentionally, and we were really happy about that.” EKKAH take to the outside stage of the Mac for day two of One Beat Weekender later this month – and they’ll be hoping, like the rest of us, for the weather to play ball. “Expect clicks, claps, dance moves, and if the sun comes out, maybe even a pair of extravagant sunglasses! After that we’ll be doing some exciting gigs and festival slots and working on our EP which is due out in October.”
EKKAH are live at One Beat Weekender, Mac Birmingham, on Sunday, July 20. Words by Amy Sumner Brum Notes Magazine
GLASS ANIMALS “I think when anything becomes too predictable you lose people's attention,” says Glass Animals frontman Dave Bayley. There’s little threat of this on their debut record, Zaba. The Oxford outfit’s first LP has grabbed the attention of many and Dave is clearly happy to talk about how it is being received. “It’s really exciting to have Zaba out in the world. It’s been hidden under our bed for a little while now. This is sort of like your first week of school…are you going to make any friends? What do they eat for lunch at this school? How do I escape from French class? Those are the questions flying through our heads at the moment.” The story of the formation of Glass Animals is an unusual one. Dave suffered from insomnia while at medical school and found he had many a spare hour to occupy his busy mind. “I used to come back from the hospital or from my after-school job a bit wired. I just had trouble shutting off my brain I guess. At first I started listening to music to help me get to sleep. That eventually evolved into trying to make some of my own.” And after sharing this music with his three closest friends, Glass Animals were born. Dave had previously described the album as ‘a backdrop of man-made wilderness’. And when asked what people could expect of the record, the answer is a logical one. “It’s a concoction of all the music we have and do listen to, combined, melded together and spat out onto a CD”. Producer Paul Epworth (Bloc Party, Adele) was the man responsible for helping them put it all in one place. “Paul let us loose in his studio,” Dave continues, “there is a lot of amazing gear in there that we spent hours playing with. There were even some amazing children’s musical instruments lying around, which were wicked, some of them made it onto the record actually. If you listen to Pools you can hear these big plastic, multicoloured tubes called ‘boomwhackers’ we found. They are the main balearic riff that go throughout. It was neat”.
Inspiration for the album came from a pretty large spectrum of sources, including Charles Darwin, Nina Simone and Kanye West. Eclectic listening habits, it would seem, and Dave admits they are completely open in terms of what music they consume. “We listen to loads of different kinds of music, and what’s on the stereo changes every week. Apart from Kendrick [Lamar], he’s always on the stereo. Hip hop is something we listen to a lot, both new and old. Electronic music old and new. R’n’B, krautrock, psychedelic music, and we still occasionally listen to the stuff we listened to when we were young and became friends, bands like The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem. This list could go on forever.”
ever use those. So we have to strip back songs sometimes, or maybe a better way of phrasing it is focus on some key elements of the song and develop those.”
This eclectic taste is perhaps what makes Zaba such a satisfying listen. The storytelling throughout is curious and playful but the hip hop-influenced beats are heavy and intense. You really don’t know what’s coming next.
But back to Glass Animals, what does the future hold for them? “Drew is going to look for his glasses which he lost yesterday in Oxford, we might not see him again…I’m completely serious. Drew without glasses…yikes. Watch out Oxford”.
With such a rich sound there were always going to be questions over the live translation. “Developing the live set is a lot of fun, and a challenge,” says Dave. “Some of the songs on the record have so many layers that it’s not possible to recreate them all unless you have a backing track, and we decided early on we wouldn’t
And watch out Birmingham. The animals are loose.
Fans in Birmingham will get a chance to see how it all translates when Glass Animals take up their eagerly-anticipated spot on the One Beat Weekender stage this month. “Birmingham is really kicking off huh!” David exclaims of the city’s current musical climes. “It’s exciting to see from the outside, it must be great to be in and amongst it. Peace are cool. They have some neat songs off that last record. Their new record is one to watch. I hope they go psych-y…I kind of feel like they could.”
Glass Animals are live at One Beat Weekender, Mac Birmingham, on Sunday, July 20. Words by Matthew Way
ONE BEAT WEEKENDER JULY 19-20, 2014 One Beat Weekender takes place in the outdoor amphitheatre space at Mac Birmingham in Cannon Hill Park, on Saturday, July 19, and Sunday, July 20. Saturday night is headlined by Jaws, with Troumaca topping the bill on the Sunday night. Also performing are Los Campesinos, Dumb, LSA, Grafham Water Sailing Club, Juice, Hoopla Blue, Johnny Foreigner, Curb, The Jacarandas and Byron Hare on Saturday. Sunday’s line-up July 2014
includes Glass Animals, Ekkah, Friendly Fire Band, Midnight Bonfires, Elephantine, Exploding Sound Machine, The Oddysee, The Dollcanoes, Sylvia and Ohboy.
nearby Moseley, with late night guest DJs. Tickets are priced £15 per day or £28 for the weekend from www.macbirmingham.co.uk. After two sell-out years, advance booking is recommended.
There will also be DJ sets throughout the weekend, as well as an all-day bar, food stalls and a vintage market. Ticket holders also get free entry to an after party hosted by the Bull’s Head in
PLUS, for your chance to win weekend tickets for you and a friend, keep an eye on www.brumnotes.com or follow @BrumNotesMag on Twitter. 29
FOR HER
style
On Trend: SUMMER Style Picks £12
asos Minnie Mouse PoM PoM aliceband
£30
RiveR island blue PalM Print sweatsHirt
£830
FOR HIM
alexandeR wang leatHer backPack froM net a Porter
Ted BakeR seaM detail dress
£35
£185
30
£18
new look black Patent lace uP brogues
RiveR island navy MiPac Perforated backPack
BuRBeRRy brit cHecked cotton sHirt at Mr Porter
kaTe moss foR Topshop one sHoulder cHiffon dress
£87
£20
asos reclaiMed vintage round sunglasses
£85
£14
Topman reversible Hawaiian bucket Hat
£200
Ted BakeR wool cHeck suit
£30
new look navy boMber jacket
Brum Notes Hayer Magazine By Tajinder
STREET STYLE BIRMINGHAM
naThan Billingham, 23, senioR BaRBeR TRaineRs: adidas gazelle shoRTs: Hand cut: cHeaP Monday Top: all saints waTch: MicHael kors favouRiTe shop: all saints
lizzie, 19, sTudenT shiRT dRess: cos shoes: Hobbs sTyle icon: elin kling favouRiTe shop: cos
July 2014 BY ANDY HUGHES PHOTOS
style
luke easT, 21, BaRBeR Top: religion Jeans & loafeRs: toPMan waTch: diesel BRaceleT: links london favouRiTe shop: all saints
Jack lawleR, 19, sTudenT Top: cos Jeans: toPMan pumps: Huff waTch: MicHael kors Rings: indePendent favouRiTe shop: cos
alex waRd, 18, sales assisTanT shiRT: roMan Jeans & shoes: river island sunglasses: car boot Bag: givencHy antigona sTyle icon: kylie jenner/ victoria beckHaM favouRiTe shop: ebay, zara
sinead, 22, sTudenT Top: ebay (cHina) TRouseRs: zara sandals: george sunglasses: cow vintage haT: vintage oasis Market Bag: PriMarni sTyle icon: alexa cHung favouRiTe shop: ebay, vintage sHoPs
31
blue rabbit & CO @Kitchen Garden Cafe York Rd, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7SA 0121 443 4725 There’s something cool about pop-up restaurants. One day they’re here, the next they’re gone in a puff of tea smoke. Happily, Birmingham’s latest, Blue Rabbit & Co, is calling the Kitchen Garden Cafe in Kings Heath home for at least the next six months or so, giving discerning diners on a budget plenty of chance to ‘pop’ along. The cook (rather charmingly he avoids the term ‘chef’ on his website) Dominic Simmonds has previously worked at Purnells Bistro so clearly he knows his onions, and the menu (delightfully free of fancy frou-frou language) changes weekly so there’s always something new to try. Generally there’s a choice of three starters and mains plus a couple of puds. This week’s starters included ‘Pigs Head’, not a dish I’d tried before and perhaps not one I’d try again. Granted, the head isn’t perhaps the most appetising part of a pig to begin with and a fair degree of culinary alchemy is required to change this fact, but the all too thin slices of brawn lacked that powerful piggy oomph that you’re looking for. By contrast my companion’s Soused Mackerel was excellent,
Cuisine:
British/French
Price:
£18pp for three courses
Service: Atmosphere: Food: Overall:
fresh, sharp and meaty with slivers of radish to add a little crunch to the dish. For mains we plumped for Duck Leg with Carrots and Haricot Beans and Hake with Red Pepper and Potato. The duck dish was a rustic classic that proved to be more filling than it looked at first. The skin was nicely crisp and well seasoned and the leg itself just the right side of well done. The hake was as moist as a mermaid’s lips and sat atop a bed of sweet red peppers and buttery new potatoes. Both dishes were accompanied by roasted courgettes that somehow managed to melt in the mouth without suffering the indignity of being too mushy. There were two choices of pudding so we just had
VENUE WATCH: Bodega
12 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham B2 5RS South America’s having a bit of a moment right now, with the eyes of the world currently glued to dozens of sweaty men kicking a leather ball around in Brazil. Somewhat closer to home popular cantina Bodega is also ‘playing a blinder’ with the launch of its new menu. Top picks include the deliciously gooey Peanut Butter Pork Quesadillas and the Spicy Pibil Shredded Chicken Tacos (both under a fiver). Wash it all down with one (or more...) of the dozen 32
to try both (be rude not to, eh?). The Lemon and Ricotta Cake needed more zest to avoid being overwhelmed by the sweet strawberry sorbet, but it was moist and well baked. The Chocolate Tart on the other hand was a triumph, a crunchy biscuit base buried beneath a thick layer of gooey rich chocolate with a light vanilla infused cream to stop you from overdosing on all the cocoa. If this was a chocolate lover’s last dish, they’d die happy. We ate outside this evening and the venue itself was utterly charming. Hard to believe you’re just a stumble away from the bustling Kings Heath High Street. There’s a decent choice of drinks on offer and, with the sun setting gently behind the brick walled courtyard, you could almost be in some sleepy country village rather than the outskirts of Brum. The portion sizes could perhaps do with being a little larger and it will be interesting to see what other dishes come up over the next few months, but overall it’s a promising start from a clearly talented young chef...sorry, cook...and well worth a visit. Daron Billings
Website: www.bodegabirmingham.co.uk or so cocktails on offer. And of course, as you’d expect from any venue with a hint of South American flavour right now, they’ve more than embraced the beautiful game. As well as screening matches in the downstairs Sugarloaf Bar, you can sample the bespoke World Cup cocktail, complete with Brazilian ingredients. See the bar staff showing off their own skills too as they assemble creative concoctions in honour of the countries still competing for footballing glory. Delicioso! DB Brum Notes Magazine
SUN PUBS
EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FOR A GREAT BURGER WHILST YOU ENJOY THE SUN AND THE PERFECT MATCH TO A COLD CIDER SUBJECT TO THE LOVELY BRITISH WEATHER!
A WEEKLY WEDNESDAY LIVE MUSIC AN ACOUSTIC NIGHT EVERY SUNDAY AT THE STATION. NIGHT AT THE SUN ON THE HILL! JULY’S HEADLINERS - THE RAILWAY SOCIAL CLUB, STARTS AT 8PM WITH FREE ENTRY! SNOOTY BOBS, HIGH HORSES, & TOM WALKER TRIO D WORL CUP
SUMMER STUDENT STEAL!
TOO LO UNDS UD O S
FOR THE MONTH OF JULY WE’RE BANDS AND DJs ON FRIDAY 11TH JULY EVEN THOUGH ENGLAND ARE COMING HOME, WE’RE STILL SHOWING ALL THE OFFERING 50% OFF ALL FOOD ORDERS WITH GUESTS ANiMA & FAUXCHISELS BIG GAMES INCLUDING THE FINAL AT WITH A VALID STUDENT I.D AT THE SUN PLUS MORE. THE SUN AT THE STATION ON THE HILL! FREE ENTRY, STARTS AT 7PM. THE SUN AND THE STATION! THE SUN ON THE HILL - 23 BENNETTS HILL, BIRMINGHAM B2 5QP FACEBOOK.COM/THESUNONTHEHILL OR TWITTER: SUNONTHEHILL July 2014
THE SUN AT THE STATION - 7 KINGS HEATH HIGH STREET, B14 7BB FACEBOOK.COM/THESUNATTHESTATION TWITTER: SUNATTHESTATION 33
The Polyphonic Spree Photo by Richard Shakespeare
live
lunar festival Umberslade Estate, Tanworth in Arden 06-08/06/14
Arthur Brown carrying a flaming torch, leading a procession through the site with a brass band playing Fire; Donovan performing with Temples; crouching down in the mud with The Polyphonic Spree’s Tim DeLaughter; watching a dude having a 6ins nail hammered into his head...these are the kind of moments that make a truly great festival experience. And Lunar Festival was stuffed full of them. It all started gently enough, Simon Fox greeted early arrivers on Friday with some pluckingly lovely banjo driven tunes at times coming across like a one man Miserable Rich with touches of John Martyn for good measure. Step forward The Exploding Sound Machine who rolled up an organ-asmic set in one phat joint. Golden Glass did an equally good job of convincing you that you’d just shot back to 1968 with their trippy blend of psych folk, The Doors and The Brian Auger Trinity. It was left to The Dollcanoes to bring things kicking and screaming back to the present day (well, almost) with some inspired synth flecked Riot Grrrl. At their best, Money straddle the stadium and the bedroom with some rather beautiful and reflective tunes that doff a cap to both U2 and Pink Floyd. Toy pick up the pace a little with the kind of motorik beats that call for an open highway and a bag of illegal highs. 34
Then, blimey! It’s Kurt Cobain! Oh. Hang on. Nope...it’s Tim Burgess. Sporting bleached hair and white framed plastic sunglasses, The Charlatans’ frontman certainly bears more than a passing resemblance to old Kurt even if the music, a mix of country and gentle psych-tinged folk, is a world away. He’s actually got some impressive solo songs under his hat with previous singles The Doors Of Then and White sounding particularly good this evening. Great to hear The Only One I Know reworked as a folk song too. It was down to British Sea Power to close day one and at times they did so in suitably anthemic style courtesy of Machineries of Joy, Waving Flags and Animals. The following morning, the rain and the mud didn’t phase anyone and by the time Saturday’s openers Batsch play their hip swinging mix of afrobeat and synthpop, the skies (if not the heads) have pretty much cleared. Local boys Victories At Sea are the perfect accompaniment to the hazy sunny afternoon, their shimmering synthy soundtracks with one foot in the 80s and the other in heaven, inspiring one old dancing dude to really go for it. Katherine Priddy starts off with just a handful of people watching then they seem to be drawn in magically from all corners of the site. The phrase ‘fragile, ethereal folk’ might
be the kind of glib cliché that dodgy reviewers trot out but I won’t let that stop me. Fittingly, given that we’re on the very land that Nick Drake walked in his youth, some of her songs have that magical otherworldly quality. Tucked into the corner of the Lunar Cafe and armed only with a guitar, Tom Peel bravely battles a soundcheck going on on the main stage to play a selection of his greatest hits. Goodnight Lenin are pure festival gold and in the sun with a powerful sound system behind them they sound at their very best. If you’re a lover of Neil Young then you’ll fall head over heels in love with them. How do you follow that? How about watching a dude from the SDR Circus get a 6ins nail forced into his face? Ouch. Thankfully Donovan is soon on hand to calm things down a little and he dishes up a real crowdpleaser with Catch The Wind, Jennifer Juniper, Hurdy Gurdy Man and Mellow Yellow all making the setlist. He is back again later to help Temples cap off their set with a unique psych rock take on Sunshine Superman. Before all that though Kettering’s finest rock their ‘psyocks’ off. In Shelter Song, Colours To Life, and Mesmerise they nail that distinctive 60s sound better than any band around right now, with a cunning pop twist that makes pretty much every track as catchy as hell after just one listen. Brum Notes Magazine
Sunday morning, The Grafham Water Sailing Club are calling with their ominous sounding post-punk ready to mess with fragile frazzled minds. The old dancing dude is back again, going for it. Getting older also seems to suit the enigmatic leader of Misty’s Big Adventure, Grandmaster Gareth. He always seemed mildly annoyed at being young and now he’s growing nicely into his grumpy old man persona. It’s frankly impossible to sum them up in a few words but there’s certainly a healthy nod towards the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah band in there. The existential Tetris inspired Stuck On Level 9, with (whisper it) poppy keyboards and choppy reggae guitar would be a smash hit in a better world. Back in the Northern Sky tent Chris Tye impresses with a lovely cover of Walking In The Sun. In stark contrast Pram’s experimental 60s and 70s soundtracks to unmade late night movies could well scare the bejesus out of you. Paul Murphy’s huge contribution to The Destroyers may be missing these days, but they can still whip the crowd up into a klezmer-clismic frenzy. Then, after the swampy blues and slide guitar of the Magic Band, it’s time for Arthur Brown. He may only be known for Fire by many people, but if you’re going to be known for one song, better make it great one, eh? His set is a revelation though. At 71 his voice, range and energy are frankly mindblowing. Looking like Fagin on a particularly weird acid trip, it’s a brilliant mix of the old and new, from a cover of Simon Dupree’s Kites through to The Unknown from the forthcoming album Zim Zam Zim. Of course he does Fire, sadly without the flaming helmet, but the SDR Circus guys make up for it with some impressive fire breathing. Brown then leads a brass band playing Fire up through the site to a giant wooden sculpture that he lights with a flaming torch and a slightly demonic look in his eyes. He really is the god of hellfire. How the hell do you top that? I can’t think of a single band in the world who could’ve done a better job of closing the weekend than The Polyphonic Spree. Breaking through a giant Brummie Moon banner, Tim DeLaughter and his band of merry men and women delivered not just a set, more a religious experience. Perhaps unfairly written off as a bit of a novelty act by some, you forget just how many truly great songs they have. Light and Day, Hold Me Now, Soldier Girl, It’s The Sun...it’s like the best bits of The Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev sung by the happiest people on planet earth. “I want to play this festival every year,” says Tim towards the end of the set. Hell, there’d be few complaints if they closed EVERY festival. Daron Billings July 2014
Charlotte Carpenter Th e Ya rd b i rd , Birmingham 15/06/14
Candles line the tables of The Yardbird, flickering vulnerably as the outside wind swirls in. And it’s these dancing illuminations, breaking up the room’s all-consuming darkness, that foreshadow the quiet beauty of the music soon to be on display. Charlotte Carpenter’s songs have always proven that brightness can come from the blackest of experiences and tonight, as she headlines a folk showcase, the Northampton native reaffirms this message and demonstrates why she should be anointed alt’s newest darling. Like Laura Marling, a songstress to whom she’s already drawn so many comparisons, the diminutive folkie appears to a sensitive vision more normally reserved for those that have lived a great many years. Carpenter’s set, comprised of choice cuts from her quiver of EPs, positively boils over with worldweariness. She metes out this stunning gift on the likes of Sinking, a country ballad in 21st century clothes, and early tune Let It Go, which after a slow-burning start, soon becomes a violent tussle between hushed tones and caustic wails. Even the occasional trade between acoustic and electric fails to dampen her intensity, the poignancy of her words alone capable of reducing the crowd to a reflective silence. No longer writing as a lone troubadour, the newer songs, including those from the recent Whole EP plus Take It All and Siren Song, lean more heavily on Carpenter’s backing band who, despite being deployed
The Jacarandas Photo by Sam Wood
Charlotte Carpenter Photo by Sam Wood
sparingly, come properly alive with the latest material. Adding a traditional blues vista to the singer’s usual econo-folk, Siren Song’s swampy guitar line comes lifted from the Mississippi Delta, suggesting another layer to Carpenter’s already inimitable craft. ‘I don’t need no fortune teller…’ she delicately implores as she closes out her modest, bite-sized set with Whole. That’s just as well then as it doesn’t take a clairvoyant to see that Charlotte Carpenter is going to be around for a while. And that suits us fine. Dan Owens
The Jacarandas The Victoria, Birmingham 13/06/14
The Jacarandas’ first triumph is that none of them has passed out in the stifling heat of the packed out Victoria. Their second is bassist Jack Parker (the man responsible for their recent reformation) rounding up the audience during the interval and shepherding them to the front and centre. The band attack their first track Water Gun with vigour, energy and the most obvious showcasing of frontman John Hemsoll’s boynext-door meets Buzzcocks voice, spliced with guitarist Freddie Willetts’ excellent backing vocals. The Britpop punk style is well balanced in that first track, but slides too far off-centre towards pop in subsequent songs. “This next one is about burning your ex-girlfriend’s house down,” exclaims Hemsoll at the start of The Fire Dance. Such an introduction suggests a return to a punchier edge, but it lacks the drive of Water Gun. They clearly work hard on and off stage, as their army of friends and fans will attest, even throwing in an impromptu stage invasion at the end of Off My Mind. Nevertheless, if they are to live up to the hype already surrounding their renaissance, The Jacarandas must meld the grit with the glam. Will Pace 35
God Damn Photo by Andy Hughes
something. The ‘je ne sais quoi’ that is impossible to put your finger on but makes it sound great. And on top of that Dave Copson, their second guitarist, makes a welcome return to the stage as he continues his recovery from life-threatening injuries sustained last year. All these ingredients, plus the remaining songs, the grungy Fought In The Mirror, the cut-throat I’m A Lazer You’re A Radar, as well as self-titled track God Damn, make the whole night a very special occasion. After finishing off with epic closer Dangle Like Skeletons, the healthy crowd bays for more. Despite the name, there is no question that these guys have nothing to do with God. They’re more like a deal with the devil. Jon Pritchard
Baby Strange The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
Midnight Bonfires Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath 13/06/14
“I just wish for once this thing would work…” Dong Fang frontman Thomas Hughes wrestles with his guitar which is already a string down before the four-piece launch into their set closer, an extended cover of Hawkwind’s Silver Machine. Protopunk with a dirty blues edge, Dong Fang are rock’n’roll at its rawest, Hughes on the floor at the close. A complete contrast to Anna Palmer who stands amidst her string trio plus drums ensemble, a keyboard to each hand, the Kate Bush ringleader of I Am Anushka. Beginning with Reasoning which really shows off Palmer’s vocal range, we’re steered through half an hour or so of a-typical timings and a-melodic explorations, double bass to synth to unaccompanied, fragile notes. Tonight, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s completely novel and endlessly interesting to watch and to listen to, the talent on stage immeasurable. It’s a work in progress but it’s already pretty special. Beginning with their backs to the room (which is respectably bustling, given we’re on night number one of the World Cup), Midnight Bonfires burst into Wait, their wonderfully jovial, mandolin-enhanced single which prompts a singalong from its first chorus. Lights Out and “an old song which sounds like a new song,” (a beautifully reworked version of Misbehave, which is given a turbo powered electro boost) follow, before Misery, Someone Else and a cover of St James Infirmary Blues, for which they’re joined by Anna Palmer for a really euphoric singalong. The single they launch tonight, Exhale, follows before the night of 36
fun-infused folk pop is drawn to a close. Fifty minutes of well-chosen, powerfully executed party tunes, Midnight Bonfires are standing firmly on the feet they found a while back – a real tour de force. Amy Sumner
God Damn Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton 07/06/14
It’s been about 18 months since God Damn played a show in their hometown of Wolverhampton, but for the Yam Yam locals it feels a lot longer. But tonight the band, who have been holed up in the studio recording their debut album, are finally back at the Slade Rooms and, damn, it is worth the wait. The new songs, as you would expect, are as frighteningly loud, brash and exciting as those that went before them, whetting the appetite of the crowd for that eagerly-awaited album. Their new material comes and goes fast, pausing only for Heavy Money which gets the crowd more worked up than they already were, but there is something about this band that resonates farther than just the music. While frontman Thom [Edward] is either screaming or pitying the microphone in his inimitable way, drummer Ash [Weaver] is beaming with delight as he beats the hell out of his drums. It’s hardly believable that there are just two people on stage with the continuing onslaught on the assembled eardrums. First off there is the energy, thrown out by both men as they give their all. Secondly, there is the crowd interaction. Thom chats with the audience, makes them feel a part of the show, especially when a string breaks on his expensive guitar, while Ash seems to be winking and smiling at people as he thrashes at his kit. The third thing is that special
02/06/14
Opening the night, Brum newcomers Juice turn their amps right up to play an infectious 90s-style set, their only released track Sugar throwing back to The Jesus and Mary Chain and leaving everyone wanting more. Their geographical and stylistic contemporaries Dumb follow, who, ever since the release of Dive, have been catching more than a little limelight with their raw and gritty sound. Super Sonic Love Toy and Two Bottles have those who are already fans chanting along and everyone else wanting to join them. If you thought you’d like Baby Strange because of their glam rock T Rex-inspired name, their live set, packed full of snarling vocals, punk riffs and unruly drums, is something altogether different. The Sunflower Lounge plays host to their intimate Birmingham debut and the crowd instantly makes its mark on the Glaswegian threepiece with frontman Johnny Madden shouting, “it feels like we’re in Scotland in here, you’re making us feel at home,” just 10 minutes in. Friend and Distance Yourself go down a storm and soon enough a pit has formed while the trio onstage immerse themselves in their punk rock grunge. When the recognisable opening of Baby Strange’s debut track Pure Evil sounds, everything gets a bit messy – yelps of ‘Ew I’m tired of my generation’ overlapping the snide, attitudefilled melodies. A high-speed cover of (the song everyone knows) Peter Bjorn & John’s Young Folks leaves everyone shouting along, Baby Strange replacing its notorious whistles with overly-overdriven guitars. Never ones to tame down their set, the band end on a consistent high with their reputation for rowdy, disorderly gigs very much intact. Becky Rogers Brum Notes Magazine
July 2014
37
album reviews
King creosote From Scotland With Love Out July 21 (Domino)
With a looming national referendum and its largest city set to host this year’s Commonwealth Games, all eyes are seemingly on Scotland right now. No better time, then, to set King Creosote the task of creating an album to present to the world. From Scotland With Love accompanies a documentary of the same name directed by Virginia Heath, and was commissioned as part of the Cultural Festival accompanying the Games. Heath’s archive-led documentary explores national
ANNA CALVI Strange Weather EP Out July 7 (Domino)
In her youth, Anna Calvi’s artistic dreams were almost quashed by a chronic lack of self-confidence. Once so afraid of the sounds that might emanate from her own mouth that she chose to let her guitar do the talking, the Londoner has since quietly blossomed into one of Britain’s most electrifying talents. After putting her fears to the sword with two tantalising albums, her latest venture comes laced with more than a dash of irony. Released at a point where she finally seems to have slipped into her own voice, this five-track EP, comprised solely of covers, is an unexpected move to say the least. Even so, there’s 38
identity through universal themes of ‘war, resistance, emigration, work and play’, with Creosote’s music delivering a poetic narrative. Opener to both the album and soundtrack, Something to Believe In, offers a sense of hope and promise. It’s visualised by iconic Scottish landscapes and historic scenes of an industrial Scotland. It’s a delicately crafted track bursting with Creosote charm. A couple of tracks later, Largs celebrates the great British seaside holiday. Here both Heath and Creosote are at their best. Visually, Heath vividly captures the spirit of summer as Creosote sings of ‘99’ers’ and ‘kids going mental kicking up sand‘. Another notable effort comes in Pauper’s Dough.
no paucity of feeling here. Insouciantly swirling together influences old and new, Calvi lets the electro-punk paranoia of Suicide’s Ghost Rider trade blows with the mutant R’n’B of FKA Twigs’ Papi Pacify, uniting these disparate tracks with the spectral, frayed vocal that has become her calling card. Far from being a cute little aside in between albums proper, it soon becomes clear that Strange Weather is an opportunity for Calvi to feed off the creativity of ex-Talking Head David Byrne, who, fresh from his collaborative project with St Vincent, lends his talents to two of the five songs on offer. Leaving his jaunty fingerprints all over I’m The Man That Will Find You, it’s his storming contribution to the bleak titular track that sticks in the mind long after the EP stops spinning. Ending with a sparse update of Lady Grinning Soul, her nod to pop’s evergreen chameleon, David Bowie, Calvi reveals that she too can create mesmerising art
A poignant account of the miner strikes that, paired with Heath’s visuals, creates the most uplifting of moments. There’s a strong sense of community in Creosote’s lyrics, heightened by the backing choir. From Scotland with Love is an exquisite collaboration that offers an honest journey into Scotland’s past, in which Creosote presents a voice to Heath’s silent characters who emerge to share their stories. Saima Razzaq
from underneath a variety of masks. Scintillating stuff. Dan Owens
SLOW CLUB Complete Surrender Out July 14 (Caroline International)
Described as ‘a giant musical leap’ on from 2011’s Paradise, Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor’s third album finds the duo citing Frankie Valli, Marvin Gaye, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift as influences. It’s hard to pin down some of those names to specific tracks, but the soul influence rings out loud and clear in such tunes as stomper Suffering You, Suffering Me and the slower, building mini-epic Not Mine To Love. It also bubbles Brum Notes Magazine
away underneath the clipped, more pop-leaning The Pieces, as the duet rides towards a horn-filled conclusion, before heart-busting piano ballad Number One takes the mood down a notch. As a result, it sounds, at times, like two bands at play – the soul-infatuated band of The Queen’s Nose, versus the more pop-inclined band of title track, the bongo-bashing Complete Surrender. It’s an up-and-down journey, given a lush sheen by Richard Hawley producer Colin Elliot, but you’ve got to admire their ambition. Dave Freak
HONEYBLOOD Honeyblood Out July 14 (FatCat)
However, there’s a bubbling current of melancholy running through Song’s dozen cuts, from the whistling opener to country twang of Never Cry Again. Stark voice and guitar track Keeping Hope Alive finds Fullbright picturing ‘Little Lord Fauntleroy, sitting in his La-Z-Boy’, while the piano led She Knows acknowledges how others know much about life and us. With such a stripped down approach, the lyrical content has to be strong, and Fullbright demonstrates a good turn of phrase. Reminiscent of underrated Canadian Ron Sexsmith (a compliment, not a criticism), Songs has much to commend, yet never quite hits the mark. DF
nature (‘Robin Egg Shell Green / I don’t think that’s a colour’). The album’s first single Netman + Bird concentrates all these elements into two-and-ahalf minutes of indie bliss. Grant Mansions feels expansive whilst being tightly contained, familiar whilst having an otherworldliness about it. It’s one which percolates gently, it’s unrushed without being lazy, taking the listener on a long, pleasant journey. Sam Bicknell
MUTES Mutes Out Now (One Note Forever)
THE MOONS Blending dead-eyed derision with supercharged power pop, Honeyblood are the latest duo to follow in the furious blues footsteps of The White Stripes and rip up the stagnant notion of the four-member band. Despite early self-recorded EP Thrift Store failing to successfully reproduce their brutal live bite, their Peter Katis-anchored eponymous debut irons out these production lapses, and in its power chord-laced female ennui, comes on like the long lost Glaswegian cousin of The Breeders and Elastica. Though it seems averse to breaking new ground, Honeyblood is comprised of songs that are both infectious and inescapably well-crafted. Each and every lo-fi hallmark is neatly ticked off on Fall Forever and Spare Key whilst the numbing Super Rat houses heartache within every one of its slashed chords. All Dragged Up and caterwauling album highlight Killer Bangs shimmer with street-smart condescension and mercurial pop melody, whilst Choker, inhabited by a voracious earworming chorus, is worthy of a comparison to the brothers Ramone. A sweet and sour voyage into the choppy waters of relationships, post-teenaged apathy and every music snob’s grunge collection, Honeyblood, despite its angstby-numbers approach, is nevertheless a sumptuous record that sounds right at home in modern indie’s sunny female climate. DO
JOHN FULLBRIGHT Songs Out July 21 (Blue Dirt Records/Thirty Tigers)
“Tell me what’s so bad about happy,” sings Fullbright on his second album’s opening track, Happy. Born in Okemah, Oklahoma, hometown of roaming guitar-slinger Woody Guthrie, he’s supported the likes of Joe Ely and 70s songwriter Jimmy Webb, and earned a Grammy nomination for debut From The Ground Up – so Fullbright has got plenty to be happy about. July 2014
Mindwaves Out July 21 (Schnitzel Records)
Intermixing sounds of the carefree days of glam rock with a slice of modern day angst are The Moons, whose Luna Intro opening bars promptly familiarise you with their rock’n’roll vision. The psych-tinged instrumentation of George Orwell ode Society distracts from its disconcerting dystopian lyrics whilst the ballsy Body Snatcher displays musical elements from Tame Impala to Blondie. Probably not amiss in an 80s gothic thriller, the hazy All In My Mind makes a departure from Bolan and Bowie, its derailed church organ and erratic string arrangement blending into You Can’t Slow Me Down, which makes a sly nod to the psychedelic 60s. Laden with gaudy keys and echoing backing vocals it goes all out as a good old fashioned pop song. Removing any trace of glitz is euphoric closer On The Moon. Sodden with reverb, the ballad draws the record to a close innovatively, however, the finish does seem a little like a blasé attempt to show they’re not all about the glam and lets the record down slightly. Becky Rogers
THE SHALFONTS Grant Mansions Out July 7 (Giant Manilow)
The Shalfonts’ much anticipated third album reflects the highly collaborative nature of its development, with Grant Mansions featuring an impressive roster of musicians creating a vast, layered sound. Take the beautiful Spanish guitar on The House That Bled and compare to the delicate synthy drums of Stack Of Fridges and you have a wildly differing blend of textures, yet such differences perfectly complement one another. Bryn Bowen’s vocals are reminiscent of some of Thurston Moore’s finest, with witty lyrics of a semi-ironic
Mutes (the project of singer, songwriter, and producer James Brown), is dreamy, lo-fi fuzz, the eponymous debut EP comprising warm, introspective tracks, sparse with little other than reverb-heavy guitar and downplayed beats and vocals. For the most part the vocals are barely there, sitting softly on top of lazily strummed chords, making them at times hard to decipher but impossible to stop listening to. This enchanting EP feels like it’s heading somewhere big and clamorous, which of course would be the obvious place to go, however it never quite gets there. Having inked a deal with label One Note Forever earlier in the year and with the promise of a full band embracing the noisier side of things, the future is looking bright even if it is a little way off yet. Ben Russell
SUNSHINE FRISBEE LASERBEAM Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam Out July 3
Following on sharpish from last year’s self-titled debut album comes this short but no less sweet self-titled EP that starts as it means to go on with the nagging hook of lead single Auto. This gives way to the punchy call to arms of Castles And Caves and the sarky line ‘If you’re hopelessly romantic, get out!’ perhaps something the band will enforce at future shows – no hopeless romantics. Flashes of their trademark onstage humour don’t end there, at the centre of the EP lies Cats Will Steal Your Babies Breath which sounds almost as dark as its wickedly funny title. But despite all the humorous elements of Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam, there is a thrilling menace to their music. You can hear it in the urgent bite of the vocals and the way each song surges forward and makes itself heard. The songs don’t stick around long so blink and you’ll miss them but each short and sharp burst flows wonderfully into the other. Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam – the sound of organised chaos. Jack Parker 39
gigs
Brian Jonestown Massacre
PICK
O2 Academy, July 7
The San Fran grandaddies of psych play a run of European dates this summer in support of their critically acclaimed new Revelation album, their 14th full length LP in a prolific career. Formed in the late 80s, named in tribute to the late Rolling Stones guitarist and instrumental in the development of the US garage psych scene, their influence is also felt on the formation of the UK’s current crop of psych acts, such as The Horrors, Toy, Temples and the like. Fresh from their Glastonbury appearance, be sure to catch them on this rare appearance in Birmingham.
Tame Impala
The Institute, July 14 A Grammy nomination, a Glastonbury performance and a Flaming Lips collaboration – all what classifies as spare time pursuits for the Perth psych five-piece who have been riding high on the success of their second album, Lonerism over the past 18 months. This July the band play a handful
of UK dates punctuating some serious European festival appearances. Prepare for self-proclaimed epiphany pop at its euphoric extreme.
Kult Country
Bull’s Head, Moseley, July 10 Money and Great Waves label-mates on Salford’s Sways Records, Kult Country have been bundled up together with those bands in a package labelled ‘spiritual romantics’ and presented to the world as a whole. Umbrella tags, ideology and hell, even geography aside, it’s neo-psych drone ambience, soaring vocals and summertime disquiet. Recoil from the light with them at the intimate Bull’s Head this month.
Mark Morriss
Actress & Bishop, July 24 After 13 hit singles, three top 10 albums and their split in 2011, Bluetones lead singer Mark Morriss tours the UK solo playing a selection of material from his 2008 solo debut, Memory Muscle and its 2014 follow-up, A Flash Of Darkness, as well as classic band material. Supported in Birmingham by indie folk duo Contact and the country jazz pop of Nina Baker, expect an eclectic evening of entertainment. Tame Impala
Young Pilgrims
Symphony Hall Cafe Bar, July 25 40
Jazz, brass band and rock – that age old combination. With members wielding everything from a selection of trombones to sousaphones (we’re not entirely sure either) this promises to be a uniquely special event. Catch the band play a free show from 5pm in the Symphony Hall Cafe Bar as part of the Jazzlines Free Gigs programme.
The Destroyers
Mac Birmingham, July 5 Fresh from their performance at Tanworth-InArden’s Lunar festival last month, Midlands (count them) 14-piece The Destroyers bring their anarchic Balkan brass orchestra, complete with hurdy gurdy, tuba and duduk, straight to the Mac for your aural pleasure. Engaging, entertaining and wholly involving, just expect chaos.
Rose Windows
The Oobleck, July 23 Crafting psychedelic folk-rock which takes its cues from Earth, Black Sabbath, Tinariwen and the storied history of delta blues, Seattle six-piece Rose Windows perform their modern day take on the musical innovations of the 1960s. With support from the West Midlands’ own Velvet Texas Cannonball and The Exploding Sound Machine, if you haven’t been to scout out this new Custard Factory venue in the heart of Digbeth yet, tonight is now your night. Brum Notes Magazine
club nights
Global Gathering
PICK
Long Marston Airfield, Stratford upon Avon, July 25-26 The essential annual festival for clubbers and dance-heads is just a short trip down the road in Shakespeare territory. Now we’re pretty sure the Bard knew how to let his hair down, and with a line-up including the likes of Chase & Status, Tinie Tempah, The Prodigy and Alesso, festivalgoers are set for A Midsummer Night’s Dream all of their own. In fact, the new Woodland Wonderland VIP area is inspired by the Shakespearean tale. Another new addition is The Hangar, a huge freestanding arena that will host the likes of Tommy Trash, David Guetta and Andrew Rayel.
Wigan Casino Northern Soul Revival Hare & Hounds, July 11
At 2am in the early hours of September 23 1973, Wigan Casino opened its doors for its first ever Northern Soul all-nighter with Russ Winstanley on the decks. Tonight Russ brings that spirit and casino classics to the Hare & Hounds for one night only, and in conjunction with High Fidelity will be playing the best in motown, funk, soul, disco, reggae and 60s beat so get those dance legs ready.
Hidden
Q Club, July 12 An intimate party in the great outdoors on a terrace in the middle of Birmingham, this is the first event, a glow and disco extravaganza, and features DJs Loose Agenda, John Adams, Simon Kelly and Phily Mac bringing you the best in deep house and disco from 5pm until those early morning sun beams.
Magic Door
Alfie Birds, August 1 After a little break from Birmingham, Magic Door returns to the city for a mid-summer party in the part-alfresco, terraced locale of Alfie Birds. Featuring a secret special guest DJ as well as stalwart residents, the usual mix of glitter and glitz galore July 2014
and a super limited capacity afterparty in a secret location, it’s through the magic door and down the rabbit hole we go!
selection of rock’n’roll dancers, get ready to roll back the decades in true style.
Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Afterparties
Hare & Hounds, July 19
Hare & Hounds, July 11 - 12
Festival ticket holders pick up your wristbands from the festival shop in the park and prepare for the official Mostly Jazz afterparties, a short hop, skip and a jump down the road in Kings Heath. Featuring DJ sets from Kraak & Smaak, Deano Ferrino and Jukes of Hazard (Friday)and Craig Charles, Sam Redmore and Billy Chill Fingers (Saturday), the parties start at 10pm and continue right through until the bitter end...just enough time to catch a few hours kip before your next festival day begins then.
Gilles Peterson
DJ, broadcaster, producer, compiler, label owner and a muggle-born record collector, Gilles Peterson has one mantra: if it swings in the right places, it’s in. Having spun records in Rio, Martinique, Tokyo and Havana in this year alone mixing tunes from Sun-Ra to James Blake, Theo Parrish to Flying Lotus, if it’s a party you’re after, it’s a party the Brownswood Recordings and BBC 6 Music DJ is bringing. Expect an eclectic mix of soul, jazz, house and hip hop and get ready to get down. Gilles Peterson
Shake The Shack
Alfie Birds & The Oobleck, July 19 The brainchild of vintage-lovers Rachel Plant (Madame Moonshine’s Speakeasy) & Mazzy Snape (Chicks Dig Jerks, Soul Hole, Hott Date), Shake The Shack is a brand new 50s bash for all those rockin’ guys ‘n’ gals, hep cats, doowoppers, rockabillies, big daddies and dancing dollies out there. With DJs Takin’ Care of Business, Sugarfoot Stomp and friends, live music From The Straight Aces and more to be announced plus a 41
Dennis Oppenheim,Vibrating Forest (From the Foreworks series) Ikon installation view, 1982
Image courtesy the artist, MOT International and Ikon
arts & culture
As Exciting As We Can Make It: Ikon In The 1980s Ikon, from July 2
PICK
The gallery’s 50th birthday celebrations continue with this extensive revisiting of works exhibited at the Ikon in the 1980s, rounding up no less than 29 artists working in a range of media. This was the decade when Ikon established itself as a cultural hub of national importance, with artists responding to Thatcher’s Britain by turning to postmodernism, figurative painting and installation art. Highlights include Dennis Oppenheim’s immense construction Vibrating Forest (From The Fireworks Series) and John Stezaker’s Five Collages, which merge romantic photo stories with softcore porn. There’s also Cornelia Parker’s Thirty Pieces of Silver (exhaled), a response to her original piece commissioned by Ikon in 1988.
BE Festival
The Rep, July 2-12 Now established as one of the main highlights of Brum’s cultural year, the fifth annual BE Festival brings the cream of cutting-edge European theatre to Birmingham. A typical bill features four 30-minute performances by companies from right across the continent, bookended by workshops, talks, art and live bands. The festival seeks to break down the barriers between audience and performer, with events taking place in unexpected nooks and crannies and ticketholders invited to dine with the artists during the interval.
Birmingham Fest
Various venues, July 11-27
Pop Europe!
Wolverhampton Art Gallery, from July 5 More excellent eye-popping visual art in 42
Dealing With Dreams: The Garman Ryan Collection 40th Anniversary
The New Art Gallery Walsall, from July 10 Walsall is a good bet for art lovers in July, not least with this, a celebration of the collection that has enchanted visitors from far and wide for four decades, donated to the town by Kathleen Garman. As well as lots of Lucian Freud, there’s work from the likes of Van Gogh, Monet, Constable and Turner.
Noémie Goudal: The Geometrical Determination Of The Sunrise
staged within an oil tanker and on a diving board.
Gillian Wearing: We Are Here New Art Gallery Walsall, from July 18
Completing the new season in Walsall is this, a new film from the Turner Prize winner in which she goes back to her West Midlands roots. Inspired by Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon River Anthology, Wearing presents Sandwell residents speaking about their lives as if from the grave.
Stan’s Cafe and Billesley Primary School: Any Fool Can Start A War Mac, July 16-17
The irrepressible Stan’s Cafe strike again with this, a playful exploration of the Cuban missile crisis no less, in collaboration with 60 year six pupils from Kings Heath. We’re promised intrigue, tension, singing and dancing as Castro, JFK and Khrushchev bring the world to the brink of disaster.
The New Art Gallery Walsall, from July 10
Any Fool Can Start a War
After last year’s inaugural jamboree, the Birmingham Fest returns to present an even wider mix of independent fringe theatre from all over the UK and beyond. The Jewellery Quarter’s Blue Orange Theatre is the main venue, with performances also taking place at the Crescent Theatre, The Old Joint Stock and the Library of Birmingham. Children’s events are included this year for the first time.
Wolverhampton, this time concentrating on expressionist, abstract, pop and op art coming out of continental Europe, to be compared to and contrasted with British and American fare.
The first solo public exhibition from the powerful French artist, known for her large-scale photographs and stereoscopic images. The show sees her branch out into film and installation for the first time, with bespoke commission Tanker/Diver a multi-screen film documenting performances Brum Notes Magazine
July 2014
43
WHAT’S ON M M M M
Tuesday, Jul 1 Jazzlines Free Gigs: Conservatoire Jazz Composers Orchestra Ian McLagan Wednesday, Jul 2 Songs and Stories from The Full English Brum Notes July Issue Launch Party ft My Grey Horse + The Mourning Suns + Our Mutual Friend Field Harmonics
M CN Big Wednesday M M CN C C M M M
M
M M M CN
Thursday, Jul 3 Omar
M M
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Mac The Sunflower Lounge
Birmingham Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Snobs
Birmingham
The Jam House
Birmingham
The Sunflower Lounge Bull’s Head Mac
Birmingham
Andy Robinson
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Symphony Hall Cafe Bar The Actress & Bishop
Birmingham
The Flapper
Birmingham
Friday, Jul 4 Jazzlines Free Gigs: David Grey Mixtape Saints + Only Shadows + The Rimes + UNCLE TiM Sad Sally + The Wonder Beers + The Insomniacs + Not For Real The Arkhamists + Swoomptheeng + Sunshine Bloom + Koi + The Royale Sugar Mama + Eagle Empire Del Camino Cache ft Niall Wolfe + Opyn + Ohme + Scott bleepz East End Dubs & Rich NxT Essential
Saturday, Jul 5 The Destroyers Third Angle Projection Templeton Pek + Escaping Vendetta + Jet Pack Inego
M
Birmingham Moseley
Birmingham
The Rainbow
Birmingham
The Sunflower Lounge Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
NextDoor
Kings Heath
Birmingham
The Rainbow
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Mac
Birmingham
The Actress & Bishop The Flapper
Birmingham
The Sunflower Lounge
Birmingham Birmingham
Birmingham
Kings Heath
NextDoor
Birmingham
Q Club
Birmingham
The Oobleck
Birmingham
The Rainbow
Birmingham
CN CN Bruk Up with Kwai +
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
CN Danny McLoughlin C
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Glee Club
Birmingham
The Ganders + The Scribers 10:31 Presents Summer Jam ft DJ Zinc + Yasmin + EBL FACE Lord Byron Hot Wax
M M M
M M C M M M
Sunday, Jul 6 Cody Simpson
The Institute
Birmingham
The Free Love Club ft Lauren Pryke Sunday Social ft Sally Pepper + Brains For Breakfast + Alan Mason + The MP2 Band Nice Peter
The Sun On The Hill The Yardbird
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Sunplugged ft The Railway Social Club + Straina John Bishop
The Sun At The Station
Kings Heath
The Glee Club
Birmingham
O2 Academy
Birmingham
O2 Academy 2
Birmingham
Kitchen Garden Cafe
Kings Heath
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Snobs
Birmingham
Thursday, Jul 10 Light the Skies
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
John Otway
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Kult Country
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Sara Pascoe + John Robins Andy Robinson
Mac
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Symphony Hall Cafe Bar
Birmingham
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Monday, Jul 7 Extreme Brian Jonestown Massacre Sam Lewis
Birmingham
Tuesday, Jul 8 Rixton M CN The Black Veins Wednesday, Jul 9 Peatbog Faeries
M CN Big Wednesday M M M C C M M M
44
The Hip Priests + Black The Wagon & Bombers + Fukdust4 + Horses Grand Union + Sugar Razors Smoove & Turrell Hare & Hounds
M CN Enter presents Reeko CN Intervention 2 Payback CN Come Together with CN
Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam EP Launch Hip Hop at the Bull’s Head Zoe Lyons + Rob Rous
CN Danny McLoughlin C M M
The Jam House
KEY TO LISTINGS: M = LIVE MUSIC CN = CLUB NIGHT C = COMEDY
Friday, Jul 11 In Hindsight Jazzlines Free Gigs: Adrian Litvinoff’s Interplay Sour Mash
Brum Notes Magazine
M M M CN CN CN CN
C M M
M
Abberline + The Hand & The Flowers + Luke Wylde & The Japes Dead Sea Skulls
The Sunflower Lounge
Birmingham
M
The Victoria
Birmingham
Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival Portal presents Sidney Charles Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Official Afterparty Wigan Casino Northern Soul Revival Featuring Russ Winstanley Leftfoot Sessions with Adam Regan + Matt Beck + Sam Redmore + Spinx Anthony J Brown
Moseley Park
Moseley
M M
NextDoor
Birmingham
Saturday, Jul 12 Kastella + Quarry + Laranja We Are Carnivores + Midday Committee + Their Souls For Gold + more TFI90 + Reaside
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Bull’s Head
Moseley
CN M M M C
The Glee Club
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
TALK
Birmingham
C M M
We The Saviours + Moving Towers + more Wednesday, Jul 16 Tall Ships + Holy
The Oobleck
Birmingham
The Oobleck
Birmingham
Kiran Leonard + Flowers of Limerance Big Wednesday
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Snobs
Birmingham
The Actress & Bishop The Jam House
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Mac
Birmingham
Mac
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Symphony Hall Cafe Bar
Birmingham
The Actress & Bishop The Flapper
Birmingham
The Institute
Birmingham
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Thursday, Jul 17 Uncle Jim + Swerve + The Voyaires Toploader Davina & The Vagabonds + Danny & The Swampmen Addy Van Der Borg + Ed Gamble Andy Robinson Friday, Jul 18 Beorma + Good Work Watson + Seeking Daylight Jazzlines Free Gigs: Alyson Symons & Steve Tromans Band OneThousandSuns
Birmingham
Birmingham
M M M
Lynus
The Actress & Bishop The Flapper
Valve Sound System
The Institute
Birmingham
Alex Ohm + Duke
Birmingham
M
Moloch + Bayonne Bleeder + Beast Of God Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival Hidden
The Sunflower Lounge The Wagon & Horses
Birmingham
M M
Moseley Park
Moseley
M
CN CN Reggae City ft Aries +
Q Club
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham
The Rainbow
Birmingham
CN CN Mostly Jazz Funk &
The Rainbow
Birmingham
CN CN Urban Slag CN Our Friends Are Ec-
Q Club
The Oobleck
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
C
The Glee Club
Birmingham
CN
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Mac
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
The Actress & Bishop
Birmingham
TALK
Birmingham
The Sun On The Hill The Sun At The Station
Birmingham
The Actress & Bishop The Flapper
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Sunflower Lounge
Birmingham
The Victoria
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Newhampton Inn Alfie Birds & The Oobleck The Rainbow
Wolverhampton
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Bull’s Head
Moseley
M
Friendly Fire Band FACE
C
Soul Official Afterparty An Evening With Knicker Bocker Corey Anthony J Brown
C
Sunday, Jul 13 The Zombies in X-Ray Specs + ANiMA + Rotunda The Free Love Club ft Dead Radio Society Sunplugged ft Snooty Bobs + Driftwood Store Bohemian Jukebox Sunday Social ft Michael King (Boat To Row) + Jane James + Connor Hemming Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival Rough Works Acts
M
Monday, Jul 14 Tame Impala
M M M M
M
M
Tuesday, Jul 15 Jazzlines Free Gigs: Delano Mills and Not Strictly Jazz
Birmingham
Kings Heath
M M
M M M M M M
M Moseley Park
Moseley
The Glee Club
Birmingham
The Institute
Birmingham
The Jam House
Birmingham
M M
Myth City + Mixtape Saints + The Second Trip Slow Club The Heist + Eskers + Malone Malone + Red Method Hot Club De Swing July Ball Dome Club
lectic Pierre Hollins
Saturday, Jul 19 One Beat Weekender ft Jaws + Los Campesinos + Dumb Glassbullet Milk Teeth + Love Buzzard + Enquiry + more Mivvi + Estates + The Village Green Machine Secrets Of Mariana + Stonepit Lane + Neverender + Rustlung The Samuel Rogers Band + Winter 1982 + Jack The Biscuit + Luke Round Sour Scarlet + Million Empire Matthew Edwards & The Unfortunates Heidi Browne
CN Shake The Shack ft The Straight Faces FACE
CN CN Gilles Peterson CN One Beat Weekender Official Afterparty
July 2014
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham Birmingham
45
C C M M M M M
M M M CN C M M M M M M M
M
Harriet Dyer
Mac
Birmingham
Pierre Hollins
The Glee Club
Birmingham
M M
Mac
Birmingham
M
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Surrender The Coast + I Cried Wolf Rhys Darby
Scruffy Murphy’s Symphony Hall
Birmingham
CN DaggaDaggaDagga CN Operation Hardcore CN Zombie Prom & Killer
Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival with The Prescious Penny Pluckers The Free Love Club ft The Chinese Burn Society Last Edition
The Oobleck
Birmingham
Sunday, Jul 20 One Beat Weekender ft Troumaca + Glass Animals + EKKAH Kids Can’t Fly
Sunplugged ft High Horses + Corrina Jane One Beat Weekender Official Afterparty Tom Stade + Lucy Porter Monday, Jul 21 Onslaught
M M M M C C M M M M
46
Birmingham
The Sunflower Lounge The Sun At The Station Bull’s Head
Birmingham
Urban Coffee Co
Jewellery Quarter
Kings Heath Moseley
O2 Academy 2
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
The Institute
Birmingham
Revolver + Nine Dart Finish Dantanna
The Sunflower Lounge The Wagon & Horses Adam & Eve
Birmingham
PST
Birmingham
Secret Warehouse Bull’s Head
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Muthers
Birmingham
Wave’s Beach Party Soul Hole
CN Gordon Southern C M
The Sun On The Hill
Hans Chew + Rhino & The Ranters Tuesday, Jul 22 Daryl Hall & John Oates Mike Dignam
M M
Saturday, Jul 26 Final + Council Estate Electronics Sister Shotgun
Birmingham Birmingham
Phoria
The Sunflower Lounge The Wagon & Horses The Oobleck
Birmingham
CN CN Holiday IIII CN Summer Of 93 with
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Loft
Moseley
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Botanical Gardens The Glee Club
Birmingham
The Free Love Club ft Driftwood Store Nothing But Thieves + Martyrs Sunplugged ft Tom Walker Trio
The Sun On The Hill The Yardbird
Birmingham
The Sun At The Station
Kings Heath
Edinburgh Previews ft Paul Savage + James Cook Monday, Jul 28 Burt Bacharach
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Symphony Hall
Birmingham
Rowdy Roddy Piper
Mac
Birmingham
Tuesday, Jul 29 ArnoCorps
The Asylum
Birmingham
Club PST
Birmingham
Risa
Birmingham
The Institute
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Birmingham
Snobs
Birmingham
Subside
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
M M M CN
Broken Witt Rebels EP Launch Chicks Dig Jerks with Wax Futures + The Starries FACE
Mad P + Ratty O & A (Play It Down/All Night Records) Pressure Drop
The Institute
Birmingham
Ron Pope
The Institute
Birmingham
Maysa (Birmingham Jazz Festival) Wednesday, Jul 23 Rose Windows + Velvet Texas Cannonball + The Exploding Sound Machine Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys Big Wednesday
The Jam House
Birmingham
CN Gordon Southern C M M M
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
M
Snobs
Birmingham
M
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Thursday, Jul 24 The Last Carnival
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Mark Morris (The Bluetones) Lower Than Atlantis
The Actress & Bishop The Institute
Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham
C
M C
Mike Sanchez Band (Birmingham Jazz Festival) Bromheads + Sieze The Chair + Dong Fang Beech
The Jam House The Sunflower Lounge Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
Andy Robinson
Mac
Birmingham
Patrick Monahan + Andrew Bird Friday, Jul 25 The Little Deaths
Mac
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Jazzlines Free Gigs: Young Pilgrims Daniel Pearson
Symphony Hall Cafe Bar TALK
Birmingham
M
Birmingham
The Nortons + Pioneer + Ondahwun
The Actress & Bishop
Birmingham
M
Kings Heath
Moseley
Symphony Hall Cafe Bar TALK
CN
Birmingham
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
The Oobleck
Birmingham
Sax in the City with The Notebenders Elmo Sexwhistle
Symphony Hall
CN CN Canvas M M
Birmingham
Tides
Sunday, Jul 27 Electric Swing Circus Raghu Dixit
M CN Strictly Bangerz CN Frat House Wednesday, Jul 30 The Shires
M CN Canvas CN Big Wednesday
Thursday, Jul 31 Your Head + Swamp Donkey JP Cooper
Birmingham
Birmingham Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham
Brum Notes Magazine
July 2014
47
48
Brum Notes Magazine