July 2011
www.brumnotes.com music and lifestyle for the west midlands
free
Festival frolics with
JOHNNY FOREIGNER
ALSO INSIDE: Judas Priest Kill it Kid Evil Alien Goodnight Lenin
Plus our FULL GUIDE to Birmingham's Off the Cuff Festival and your chance to win the last pair of three day passes
ALSO INSIDE: WIN free entry to FACE @ The Rainbow for a whole summer of clubbing AND tickets to see DnB legend Goldie in Birmingham July 2011
1
2
Brum Notes Magazine
Access to Music is enrolling for its music technology and performance courses throughout the summer. Every Wednesday in July and August 10.00-16.00.
Last chance to sign up as a Music Apprentice! Access to Music Birmingham is offering a last chance opportunity to sign up to their unique Music Apprenticeship starting this July. If you are aged 16-24 and would like to set up your own business in the music industry then this is your chance. The apprenticeship caters for a wide range of business models from sound engineering and event promotion, through to running a label or being in a band. You are given advice and guidance throughout by an industry mentor.
Apprentices will be based at Heath Mill Studios in Digbeth, right in the creative heart of Birmingham. To find out more, book for an Apprenticeship Taster Day on Wednesday 6 July between 10.00-14.30, or go along to an Open Evening on the same day between 17.00-20.00. For more information and to book: W: www.accesstomusic.co.uk T: 0330 123 3155 E: atm.birmingham@accesstomusic.co.uk
Music Technology & Music Performance courses: Enrolling now!
Sign up now for Access to Music’s great range of music courses which are now run from Heath Mill Studios in Digbeth. Choose from Digital Musician, Performing Musician or Session Musician. To find out more book for a Music Makers Taster Day on Wednesday 6 July 10.00-14.30, or check out the Open Evening between 17.00-20.00. www.accesstomusic.co.uk
July 2011
Heath Mill Studios 68 Heath Mill Lane Digbeth Birmingham, B9 4AR T: 0330 123 3155
3
Brum Notes Magazine 120 The Greenhouse The Custard Factory Digbeth Birmingham B9 4AA Contact: info@brumnotes.com 0121 224 7363 Advertising: Contact: 0121 224 7363 or advertising@brumnotes. com Distribution: StickupMedia! 0121 224 7364 Editor: Chris Moriarty Contributors Words: Jon Pritchard, Daron Billings, Amy Sumner, Lauren Partridge, Alex Jukes, James Collins, Andy Carrington, Saima Razzaq, Steve Zacharanda, Cassie-Philomena Smyth, Gareth John Pictures: Gobinder Jhitta, Katja Ogrin, Jade Sukiya, Andy Watson, Drw Images, Ian Rook, Holly Stanton, Sander Jurkiewicz Cover image: Ian Rook Style editor: Jade Sukiya jade@brumnotes.com Design: Sleepy.me.uk, Andy Aitken 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.
CONTENTS
P6-7 P8 P24-26 P28-30 P32-33 P34-36 P41-46
P10 P12-13 P14-15 P16-17 P18 P20 P22-23
REGULARS: NEWS COMPETITIONS STYLE LIVE REVIEWS CLUB WATCH FOOD & DRINK WHAT’S ON - your comprehensive guide to music, clubs and comedy across the West Midlands this month FEATURES: CLUBBING: The story behind FACE FESTIVAL PREVIEW: Off the Cuff - the definitive guide MUSIC: Off the Cuff headliners Johnny Foreigner MUSIC: Kill it Kid MUSIC: Evil Alien MUSIC: Goodnight Lenin MUSIC: Judas Priest
Twitter: @BrumNotesMag Facebook: www.facebook.com/ BrumNotesMagazine www.brumnotes.com
4
Brum Notes Magazine
July 2011
5
NEw addition to Birmingham’s independent pub scene A landmark pub in the heart of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter has been reopened after an extensive refurbishment. The Rose Villa Tavern in Hockley has been taken over by venue specialists Bitters ‘n Twisted, the company behind hip nightspots The Victoria, The Jekyll & Hyde, Island Bar and Bodega. The team has launched an ambitious and sympathetic refurbishment of the Grade II listed building in Warstone Lane, maintaining historic features such as the parquet flooring alongside contemporary design already seen in the pub’s sister venues. The tavern will offer an extensive range of specialist drinks, including cocktails, global beers and handpicked wines. The pub’s kitchen will also be brought back to life offering American-style breakfasts and brunches, as well as gourmet sandwich lunches, burgers and Sunday roasts. The pub, which was due to re-open its doors on June 29, will also add a new element to the city’s nightlife options with DJs playing an eclectic mix of music until late on Fridays and Saturdays. Matt Scriven, director of the five venues, said: “Our intention with The Rose Villa Tavern is to preserve and enhance the historic features as much as possible whilst introducing contemporary and quirky touches to create a uniquely interesting pub in Birmingham. The Rose Villa Tavern will once again become the crown jewel in the Jewellery Quarter.” Visit www.therosevillatavern.co.uk for more information.
sights, sounds and tastes of jamaIca to hit birmingham city centre
ONE BEAT records HEADS TO LONDON
Britain’s foremost black and multi-ethnic orchestra will perform live in Birmingham city centre as part of a celebration of Jamaican-inspired culture. The renowned Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra will provide one of the highlights of the Jamaica Live! festival, taking place across Victoria Square for one day on July 23.
New Birmingham-based record label One Beat Records celebrates its launch with a live music and club night in London.
The orchestra was founded in 1988 by Mykaell Riley (pictured), going on to tour around the world and perform on numerous records. The day will also feature more live music, as well as DJ sets, dance performances and multi-media art. Family entertainment lined up includes a chill-out tent with storytellers and spoken word poets plus the chance to take to the stage for an open mic slot alongside Caribbean comedians. Plus, Dragon-charming chef and musician Levi Roots will be demonstrating Caribbean cooking live on the big screen, alongside pop-up restaurants, drumming workshops and hands-on art sessions. Jamaica Live, organised by Punch Records, also ties in with the London 2012 opening weekend to celebrate the forthcoming arrival of the Jamaica team in Birmingham for next year’s Olympics. Entertainment runs from midday to 6pm on July 23 across a mixture of covered and outdoor stages and tents.
The label, launched by The Charlatans drummer Jon Brookes and Ian Light, currently has The Arcadian Kicks and The Carpels (pictured below) on its roster. Return coaches will be leaving from Birmingham and Wolverhampton for the One Beat-curated This Feeling Club Night taking place at the Queen of Hoxton in Shoreditch on July 9. The night will include live sets from Birmingham bands Tantrums and The Carpels, plus Deadbeat Echoes and Missing Andy, with DJ sets from The Arcadian Kicks, The Charlatans and more. Tickets including return travel are £22, see www.onebeatrecords.co.uk for more info. Photo by Sander Jurkiewicz
birmingham music map has a new home in digbeth A unique work of art charting musical locations across Birmingham has been given a new home at a music education hub in Digbeth. Heath Mill Studios, which opened last month, will display the first A1 installation of the collaborative Birmingham Music Map project in its foyer. The map is the brainchild of Jon Bounds, founder of cult blog Birmingham: It’s Not Shit, and provides an online record of influential locations in the city related to music. 6
The ongoing project is constantly updated online as people add their own memories and suggested locations, with an A1 poster of more than 200 memories going on display at Heath Mill Studios. The new facility in Heath Mill Lane launched on June 9 and provides a new home for music college Access to Music and creative industry specialists Armstrong Learning, as well as recording, rehearsal and performance spaces for musicians and students. Brum Notes Magazine
Photos by Katja Ogrin
IN BRIEF An exclusive collection of screenprinted t-shirts, handbound books, gift cards and badges have been unveiled at a new shop in Digbeth. Independent screenprinting business Get a Grip has moved into a retail unit inside The Custard Factory, offering clothes, homeware and gifts which have all been printed on site. The new store has also launched a brand new range of items all exclusively commissioned by artists, designers and illustrators. The collection includes six different t-shirt designs made from 50 per cent organic cotton and 50 per cent recycled polyester. Visit the pool-side shop inside The Custard Factory complex or visit www.getagripstuff.com. Birmingham Zine Festival returns for a second year this month. The festival was set up to celebrate alternative publications and features a varied collection of selfpublished books, comics and magazines. Events include the Birmingham Zine Fair at the We Are Birmingham shop on July 9 followed by a BBQ and after-show party at The Jekyll & Hyde, with the Zine Picnic taking place in Cannon Hill Park on July 10. For the full programme visit www. birminghamzinefestival.com. The story of iconic record label Creation Records will be re-told in unique fashion at Wolverhampton’s Light House on July 2. The arts centre and cinema hosts a special screening of Upside Down, the documentary chronicling the history of the label which was founded by Alan McGee in 1983 and became home to the likes of Oasis, My Bloody Valentine and Super Furry Animals. The screening will be introduced by former Creation director Tim Abbot and ex-A&R man Chris Abbot and is followed by a live set from psychedelia band The Partizan Elektra. Tickets are £6.50 adv or £7 on the door.
HOME OF METAL EXHIBITION LAUNCHES ACROSS THE WEST MIDLANDS The summer of metal has arrived after the long-awaited Home of Metal campaign launched across the Midlands. Headline exhibitions were last month unveiled in Birmingham and Wolverhampton, while spin-off events and displays are planned throughout the coming weeks at various locations celebrating the impact of bands such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Napalm Death. It aims to celebrate 40 years of heavy metal while hailing Birmingham and the Black Country as the natural home of the genre. Curated by avant-garde promoters Capsule, Home of Metal runs until September 25. Attractions include main exhibitions at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (pictured) and Wolverhampton Art Gallery, while other events are taking place at The New Art Gallery in Walsall, Walsall Leather Museum, Dudley Museum, Light House media centre in Wolverhampton, and more. Capsule’s Lisa Meyer said: “We were really delighted that after four years of research and many late nights we opened our first two exhibitions for Home Of Metal. Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery saw hordes of people young and old alike enjoy the exhibition. We have loads more to come over the summer, so watch this space.” Visit www.homeofmetal.com for the full programme of events.
ANTHONY HOPKINS HEADS UP FILM MUSIC FESTIVAL Sir Anthony Hopkins will be the star attraction when the UK’s only major film music festival takes place in Birmingham this month. The Silence of the Lambs actor will take to the Symphony Hall stage on July 23, as part of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) Film Music Festival. Hopkins will talk about his career and his love of music in between orchestral July 2011
performances of music from some of his best known films. The festival runs from July 19 to 23, across the Symphony and Town Halls, with other attractions including an evening of John Williams Blockbusters, with the CBSO performing iconic classics from the likes of Star Wars and Jaws on July 22, while the orchestra will recite 21st century soundtracks from the likes of Harry Potter and Slumdog Millionaire on July 19.
NON PROFIT MUSIC REHEARSAL ROOM FLOODGATE STREET MUSIC COMPANY
For full details visit www.cbso.co.uk.
£5
REHEARSALS
ALSO FREE TO REFUGEES & ASYLUM
£45 PER WEEK LOCKUP
NON PROFIT MUSIC REHEARSAL ROOM FLOODGATE STREET MUSIC COMPANY
£5
REHEARSALS
ALSO FREE TO REFUGEES & ASYLUM SEEKERS
£45 PER WEEK LOCKUP
info@floodgatestreetmusic.org 0121 448 0323 | 07535 669 726 9-13 Floodgate St (off Digbeth High St)
7
Terms & conditions apply. All winners will be notified by email.
COMPETITIONS Goldie - August 6, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath
Legendary DnB pioneer Goldie returns to his native West Midlands for a special oneoff show at the Hare & Hounds, courtesy of nu skool Birmingham promoters PROspec. The Walsall-born and Wolverhampton-raised drum & bass producer and boss of iconic label Metalheadz will take over the decks at the Kings Heath venue for an exclusive DJ set on August 6. The 200-capacity club night is expected to be a sell-out so advanced booking is advised for tickets, which are priced at £10. We’ve got one pair to give away to the lucky winner who can answer the following simple question: What was the name of Goldie’s debut album released in 1995? Email your answer along with your name, age and contact phone number to competitions@brumnotes.com by July 29 Daddy G - July 22, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath
Roy Ayers + Pete Rock - July 24, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath
Daddy G, founder of trip hop icons Massive Attack , brings his groundbreaking sound to the Hare & Hounds on July 22, with support from live dubstep act Alternative Dubstep Orchestra. Tickets are £8 in advance but we’ve got one pair to give away. Just tell us:
Legendary American funk, soul and jazz composer Roy Ayers returns for a unique show alongside MC star Pete Rock adding a hip hop flavour of beats and rhymes. Tickets for this one-off show at the Hare & Hounds on July 24 are £15 in advance, but to win a pair tell us:
What UK city are Massive Attack from? Email your answer along with your name, age and contact phone number to competitions@brumnotes.com by July 20
What distinctive instrument is Ayers most renowned for playing? Answers to competitions@brumnotes.com by July 20
Club Hopper Pass for Summer at FACE @ The Rainbow, Birmingham Weekly house and tech club night FACE has unveiled its exciting summer programme helping to inject some sunshine and Balearic spirit into Birmingham’s nightlife scene over the coming months. And to celebrate we’ve got an exclusive Club Hopper Pass to give away, granting free access to FACE for two every Saturday night throughout the summer. This fantastic prize is worth more than £300 and will give you and a friend free entry to a host of feel-good nights out boasting the likes of Catz ‘N Dogs live at FACE on July 9, Pete Tong-favourite Glimpse headlining on July 16, the FACE residents showcase on July 23 and FACE meets Mustachio! on July 30. Plus you will continue to get free entry to FACE throughout August, including the huge street carnival run in collaboration with Cream Ibiza Classics on August 6 where you will join 3,000 fellow clubbers taking over the whole of The Rainbow Complex. For you chance to get your hands on the Club Hopper Pass and enjoy a whole summer of free clubbing, just answer the following simple question: Which hedonistic holiday island is nicknamed the ‘White Isle’? Email your answer along with your name, age and contact details to competitions@ brumnotes.com by July 8 8
Brum Notes Magazine
July 2011
9
Clubbing
FACE UP TO SUMMER Forward-thinking clubbing brand Face has unveiled an exciting summer programme bringing plenty of sunshine spirit to its home venue The Rainbow in Digbeth. We caught up with FACE co-founder and homegrown resident DJ Scott Bleepz about their electronic adventures.
John Peel is hailed by many musicians as a major influence on their tastes. But it’s not just bands who were spurred on by the legendary DJ’s eclectic record collections. For Face promoter and resident DJ Scott Bleepz, it was the late Radio 1 presenter’s evening show which had a profound affect on his enduring love of electronic music. “I was listening to a John Peel show when I was about 13 years old lying in bed late one night and he played a track called Polygon Window by Polygon Window, aka Aphex Twin. The next day I went out and bought Selected Ambient Works Volume 1. Haven’t looked back since and never will.” For Scott the natural progression from listening to electronic music was playing it for others, before going on to put on parties of his own. “My first DJ set was at Death at The Disco room at Resurrection on NYE of 2004. Since then I played regularly there and as a result ran the electronic room (Bleep Bleep) at another alternative club night Panic a few years ago. After that Bigger Than Barry had a place in my heart for a couple of years along with various other parties across Birmingham. It’s all been a very enjoyable and successful journey to be fair, leading into myself working with Lee at The Rainbow. We did a summer project in 2009 called Fused which then gave birth to FACE in October of that year.” It’s been a pretty whirlwind couple of years which have seen FACE quickly establish itself as one of the city’s best known and credible electronic club nights. With a reputation 10
for promoting emerging talent as well as attracting global names to play in the unique post-industrial surrounds of Digbeth, the over-riding theme is quality rather than being bound by any particular genres.
“If you have a happy, unintimidating crowd generally then you’re always going to be in for a great night.”
each week. It’s challenging and requires a lot of planning but pays off nicely. “FACE has had plenty of great moments as a club night with the likes of Matthias Tanzmann, Tim Green, Claude Vonstroke and our international resident Edu Imbernon tearing up the Courtyard with more hands in the air than ever before. It’s been a very exciting time for us.” As well as an adventurous and original music programme, the other key ingredient that goes into FACE nights is the crowd - the people make the party, for want of a better phrase.
“The thing about FACE is it’s run by three people who have slightly different preferences and experience in various styles of electronic music and also perhaps the parties at which we have attended over the years. Parties like Below, Circoloco and Back to Basics have all influenced us for sure and for me Death at The Disco from back in the day also,” continues Scott, one of FACE’s resident DJs, alongside Elliot Croft.
“We really try our best to ensure that the crowd feel comfortable and safe at our events,” says Scott. “We can sometimes be a little strict on the door but it’s only for this reason. It’s the most important thing for us. If you have a happy, unintimidating crowd generally then you’re always going to be in for a great night and across the three rooms, the selection of DJs we book always seems to get the place rockin’.”
“As FACE is a weekly event the big challenge is mixing things up a bit, especially in the main room Courtyard, but then again we have great access to booking a wide selection of guest DJs from a multitude of record labels spanning various genres of house and tech music. One week we could be going for a Crosstown Rebels vibe and the next Dirtybird perhaps. This draws in different crowds from one week to the next because you can’t expect the same people
FACE takes place every Saturday at The Rainbow, Digbeth. See our What’s On guide on P41-46 for July’s line-up Cream Ibiza Classics & FACE Street Carnival takes place on August 6 across The Rainbow Complex For your chance to win a Club Hopper Pass giving you free entry to FACE all summer, see P8 Brum Notes Magazine
INK
IRMINGH B Y M E D A C A O 2 T YA EVERY SATURDA S AT U R D A Y 2 N D J U LY MACBETH
LIVE &
presents
S AT U R D A Y
9 T H
AM
DJ SET
J U LY
HT OOK NIG COMIC B C SH OW CS + IN TER NATI ON AL CO MI
WI TH NO STAL GI A CO MI C BO OK CHARACTER DR ES S AS YO UR FAV E CO MI PRIZES FOR FREE ENTRY
+
1 6 T H
S AT U R D A Y
PRESENTS
LIVE
J U LY LIVE
DANIEL P CARTER & KATIE P
(RADIO 1 ROCK SHOW) DJ SET / (TOTAL ROCK/ NME.COM) DJ SET
S AT U R D A Y
2 3 R D
J U LY
AFTER AFTER SHOW PARTY FREE ENTRY WITH OTC TICKET
LIVE ICE COLD JAGERMEISTER SHOT £2.00 JAGERBOMB £2.50 VK £1.80 CARLSBERG £1.95 GAYMERS CIDER £1.95 COCKTAILS FROM £1.95 JACK DANIELS & MIXER £1.95 VODKA & MIXER £1.80
RESIDENT DJ
TICKETS: TICKETWEB.CO.UK / 0844 477 2000
July 2011
10.30PM – 3AM • £4 ADV + (NUS) / £5 ON DOOR CLUB-INK.CO.UK THIS IS AN OVER 18’s EVENT
11
JULY 22ND – 24TH 2011 After months of excitement, the time has finally arrived for this year’s Off the Cuff Festival to be unleashed. Birmingham’s premier city centre festival boasts the finest in alternative rock, indie, post-hardcore and general noisy merriment. With a killer line-up leaving adventurous music lovers frothing at the mouth with excitement, 2011 promises to be the biggest, best and sweatiest year yet for Off the Cuff. Here’s our guide to the best of the festival...
Friday post-punk could not be more suited to the homely comforts of The Flapper. Expect new songs, old songs and plenty of sweat.
JOHNNY FOREIGNER What better way to close proceedings on the opening night than with local cult heroes JoFo? Their bouncy brand of poppy
TUBELORD Tubelord have pretty much been the band on every other band’s lips when we’ve asked who they are most looking forward to seeing. And it won’t be hard to see why. Erratic, energetic, obsessed with fifth dimensional time travel and with a taste for releasing their music on cassettes, this Bristol-based four piece have already honed their live set with a 40-date mammoth tour earlier this year. Angular riffs, irregular beats and waves of soaring choruses back up their edgy poetics.
SHOES AND SOCKS OFF For a band who apparently started off “as a joke” in 2007, it’s been a pretty prolific few years, with five albums already under their collective belt. Their stomping blues won over chic indie label Big Scary Monsters, as well as an ever-growing army of fans. PANDAS AND PEOPLE Birmingham’s own Pandas and People have been gradually making waves across the city’s music scene as they develop their distinctively off-beat mixture of quirky melodies, off-kilter rhythms and lush harmonies. Think Pavement-esque Americana meets math-rock, underpinned with electronic pop.
Saturday pulsating, heavy blend of metal and structured thrash-punk. TURBOWOLF Continuing the wildlife theme, Turbowolf’s frightening combination of buzzsaw synths, furious guitars and relentless drums make them our tip for ‘most likely to induce the most damage on the dance floor.’ But that will be some achievement particularly with them following the likes of... DD/MM/YYYY It’s pronounced Day Month Year, ok? Right, now we’ve got that out of the way, perhaps you can enjoy them without fretting about their name. But these Canadian hipsters have plenty more going for them than a quirky moniker, delivering punchy, swaggering post-punk and downright weird, unconventional rock.
&U&I For Off the Cuff veterans, &U&I will need little introduction. After plundering last year’s festival with their post-hardcore aural assault, they’re back to do it again. Made up of three-quarters of former local favourites Blakfish, &U&I have chiseled a reputation all of their own with their high-octane live frenetics.
HAWK EYES Previously known as Chickenhawk, before plumping for another avian-themed name for reasons no more exciting than a lack of available web addresses. Still the same band though, still delivering the same
BRONTIDE Considering Brontide were formed partially from the ashes of dreamy, shoegaze pop outfit I Was a Cub Scout, their Battlesinspired, intelli-rock instrumentalism may come as something of a surprise. But a good
12
one. A bit like going paintballing. It was a shock the first time you got hit and your delicate skin bruised like a peach, but looking back it was fun. THE JAMES CLEAVER QUINTET With a name that sounds like the title of a horror flick, their dirty punk is just as threatening. Jagged and unpredictable, yet refreshingly engaging, their music alone makes them worth watching. The fear of what they might do while on stage just makes it even more intriguing. ROMANS Likened by Kerrang! Radio’s Alex Baker to “a roundhouse kick to the face,” it’s difficult to think of a more appropriate comparison. Presuming he meant that in a good way. Four unassuming lads from Kidderminster off stage, a riff-heavy, eight-legged rock beast on it. Also playing on Saturday, melodic postpunk and rollers OK PILOT, Flapper faves SHAPES fresh from the release of their own debut album and Leeds-based DIY noise rockers BLACKLISTERS. Brum Notes Magazine
Sunday with some unorthodox pop. A party band in the true sense of the word, the festival vibe will be in full flow. What a way to finish.
DANANANANAKROYD What is it with picking bands with tricky names this year? But you can’t complain when you’ve got the tightly-woven power pop of Dananananaykroyd to finish things off. Blink and you’ll miss them, they take everything that’s good about indie music, fuse it with the raw licks of rock and sugar-coat it
THE COMPUTERS With song titles like Teenage Tourettes Camp and their matching white stage outfits, it’s fair to say The Computers like to do things with their tongues placed lightly inside their cheeks. But that doesn’t stop them delivering an uncompromising brand of turbo-charged blues rock. Firm favourites of Radio 1’s Huw Stephens and Fearne Cotton and after this we’re pretty sure they’ll be firm festival favourites too. FLASHGUNS Brain-burrowing choruses are the name of the game for London three-piece Flashguns. Blending an indie-pop aesthetic with
elements of 90s alt-rock, these are songs made for arena singalongs. TALL SHIPS Another band from the Big Scary Monsters stable, this Cornwall trio craft experimental, intelligent indie-pop, with understated loops, carefully entwined guitars and whimsical tales of love. Also playing on the Sunday, explosive yet subtle six-piece TALONS Hampshire mathpopsters VENICE AHOY, Birmingham’s own gloom-rock soundscape specialists VICTORIES AT SEA, keyboard-toting Warwickshire three-piece DEATH OHH EFF, Foals-esque tropical, melodic-indie peddlers PEACE, and underground techriff merchants PHAROAHS.
Other treats Like food? Like it with soul? Well then you will be pleased, as Soul Food Project will be on BBQ duty all weekend, keeping your energy levels up with a fine menu of cajuninspired grub, with suitably meaty beef, fiery jerk chicken and home-made veggie burgers, as well as spicy jambalayas, summery sunburst salads and deep south cous cous dishes. Plus brownies for an extra treat. No, not those kind of festival brownies, but they’ll be good all the same.
think you’ve got what it takes to charm some hungover festival goers with your acoustic offerings then Team OTC will be picking a handful of acts to play live acoustic sets during the weekend. Auditions take place at our Fresh Talent open mic night at the Bull’s Head in Moseley on July 12. Get yourselves signed up by emailing your details to info@ brumnotes.com with ‘Fresh Talent OTC’ as the email subject or just turn up on the night
The main stage may be an unrelenting assault on the ears for much of the festival, but there will still be plenty of chances to chill out canalside with some soothing acoustic sounds during the day. Expect some surprise guests and some fantastic emerging talent, keeping things stripped down and chillaxed. Just don’t use the word ‘chillaxed’ in real life, you’ll probably get punched. Plus, if you
Off the Cuff 2011 runs from July 22–24 at The Flapper, Birmingham city centre. Day tickets are priced at £7 for Friday and £12.50 for Saturday or Sunday, with Saturday and Sunday combo tickets priced £23. To book visit www.offthecuffbirmingham.co.uk.
WIN! FINAL PAIR OF THREE DAY PASSES FOR THE FESTIVAL! Three day passes for Off the Cuff sold out weeks ago. Missed out? Well, we did warn you. But as much as we like to say ‘we told you so,’ we’re giving one lucky person a chance to bag the final pair. To be in with a chance of winning simply tell us: Which landmark transport link runs alongside host venue The Flapper? Is it: July 2011
a) the M6 motorway b) Birmingham Airport’s runway c) the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal Email your answers to competitions@ brumnotes.com by July 20 with your name, age and contact details. Entrants must be 18 or over, terms and conditions apply.
Winners will be notified by email. Don’t panic if you’ve missed out on a three day pass, day tickets and two day passes are still available. Visit www.offthecuffbirmingham.co.uk for full details.
13
FOREIGN AFFAIRS Lo-fi pop-punk trio JOHNNY FOREIGNER became Birmingham’s great white indie hopes when they were snapped up by Best Before Records four years ago. But while fame and fortune may not have followed, good times and plenty of kick-ass music certainly did. Not even label fall-outs, ongoing poverty and bear encounters in trailer parks have dampened their spirits and now they’re back and determined to enjoy themselves as much as ever. We caught up with the band ahead of their headline homecoming appearance at this month’s Off the Cuff Festival. “Tour, have fun, lose money, release record, have fun, lose money, tour, have fun, lose money, release record, have fun, lose money. I can’t be sure, but I think there’s a pattern forming,” explains bassist Kelly, as she attempts to sum up life in Johnny Foreigner over the past few years. “Yes, pretty much that,” adds frontman Alexei (Lex for short), “plus we’ve added a couple more continents to our CV as well.” If life in a band is certainly meant to be an 14
adventure then Johnny Foreigner are testament to that. Touring the globe, radio airplay, adulation from uber-cool music bloggers, recording albums in New York, umpteen EPs; it’s all earned them a loyal fanbase around the world, and while it may not have brought them riches, it’s brought them plenty of tales to tell. A parting of the ways with Best Before followed after second album Grace and the Bigger Picture but the story certainly
Photo: Ian Rook
doesn’t end there — self-releases, a new label in the shape of Alcopop! Records, relentless tour commitments and a new album due out later this year all means there is plenty of life in JoFo yet. “It’s all we’ve done and all we know to do,” explains Kelly. “It’s pretty sad how married to this band we are.” “Yeah, totally,” adds Lex. “The ups and downs help; the highs make you want to write better songs, and the lows make you actually write them. If we got to where we wanted to be after one record then we’d have nothing to rail against and our songs would go shit. “We walked away from Best Before after our second album campaign for reasons we’re way too professional to go into here. We released a bunch of stuff ourself in the last couple of years, and at the end of last year, we put out a couple of records on Alcopop. They both went really well, so we signed a deal with them for an album at the start of the year. Self-releasing is awesome cos it gives you the freedom to do what you Brum Notes Magazine
want, but pretending to be a label is real time consuming.” The modern music industry has made it more difficult than ever for bands to make money from their art and keen JoFo fans or followers of their bloggyforeigner blog will have noticed their tendency to beg and borrow for support to keep the band on the road. They’re certainly not shy about their financial woes, but nor do they have any regrets. “We’re totally grateful for all the awesome stuff we’ve had the chance to do,” insists Kelly. “We complain all the time about being in debt but I guess we could have all become lawyers instead I suppose.” “Yeah, you kind of accept you’re going to be perpetually broke,” adds Alex. “But the good stuff more than makes up for money, most of the time.” So all this good stuff then, there must be plenty of rock n roll stories to tell? “Not so much rock n roll,” admits Kelly, “it sounds cliched but you’d totally have had to be there. In brief: the party train from Jo’burg to Capetown and the adventure that was the whole of Ramfest following on from that — an awesome South African festival; both times we’ve been to Japan; a total ‘WTF’ moment was watching REM — yeah I know, I know, but when I was younger they were my total heroes — from the side of the stage at T in the Park one night and then the next night finding ourselves in a pool in Ibiza drinking cocktails. Though all in all, we’re really not a rock n’ roll kinda band.” That’s not a bad collection of tales to start off with though, for a band who claim not to be too ‘rock n roll.’ And there are plenty more tales that come into the ‘just downright strange’ category as well. “Taking part of the roof of our RV off in Mississippi and winding up in a trailer park with a bear enclosure,” continues Kelly. “Surreal doesn’t quite cover it.” “I don’t think there were actual bears,” chips in Lex, “just our tech walking behind us and randomly throwing things into the wild to make noises and freak us out. He’s from Redditch, that’s what they do. The trailer park was called ‘poverty point’, there was a water playground and we had a BBQ, it was pretty sweet.” All they need now is a couple of weird stalker fan tales to complete their rock n roll credentials. Luckily they’ve been spared anything too dark. “No no, all the fans have been really nice,” July 2011
says Kelly. “We’ve totally lucked out on the people-that-like-our-band front.” “We have had a few moment of madness in Japan,” Alex explains, “but I think every UK bands gets those out there. What’s kinda weird for us is just routine over there.” Despite all their globe-trotting antics in recent years, Johnny Foreigner have never really left their native Birmingham and are now resident here “more so than ever,” as Kelly puts it. While they may have been outspoken about Birmingham’s music scene (or perceived lack of) in the past, they agree there are some more positive signs that music in the Second City is heading in the right direction. And the band are quick to point out other artists worth watching from Birmingham (“Ace Bushy Striptease, for sure,” says Kelly, for Alex, “Pandas and People are incredible”). “I guess Off the Cuff alone is proof that any apathy that used to colour our city is washing away,” Kelly says. “Not sure about a ‘scene’ though, but that’s not to say there’s not one, just that we’re not aware of one.” “We met a girl in Switzerland last month who has a flyer for it [Off the Cuff] on her wall, and I felt genuinely proud,” Alex continues, “like, wow my city finally has something cool kids in other countries know about. I think it’s amazing and it’s a proper testament to what can be achieved if you let promoters who give a shit run things — but it takes more than a rad festival to make a scene. It could be an awesome start but it’s a 30 year decline in live music that’s now mirrored all over the country; and unlike most big cities, we don’t exactly have the council on our side.” While The Flapper is a venue frequented by JoFo plenty of times, they are in fact Off the Cuff virgins, so their headline Friday night spot will be special for band and fans alike. “It’s pretty awesome that people are passionate enough to put something like this on to be honest,” continues Kelly, “and the fact it’s at The Flapper is pretty cool. That place holds some pretty ‘ahhhh’ memories for us nostalgic folk. “We all played there a gazillion times in our old bands as well as this one, hell, Lex and I practically grew up there. So many gigs, so many drunk nights, so many games of House of the Dead (yeah, going back a bit with that one).” “‘Nostalging’ so hard,” adds Alex. “The first time I ever got ID’d was there, the day after my 18th birthday — suckers. So many amazing shows, Idlewild, Seafood, Distophia, The Starries, King Adora…it was
“I guess Off the Cuff alone is proof that any apathy that used to colour our city is washing away.” pretty much our local pub for like five years.” With so many happy memories of their own, JoFo will be determined to put on a memorable performance to leave their own mark on the venue and the festival itself. So what can fans expect on the opening night? “Two boys and a girl ripping off Pavement, to be exact,” says Kelly with a smirk. “Sweating, shouting, and, because it’s a home show and a festival, excessive drunkery,” adds Alex, further underlining his penchant for using perfectly appropriate yet madeup words. “We’re at that awkward stage where we kind of want to fill the set with new songs, but you’re obliged to play a greatest hits set at festivals. I think we’ll find a decent compromise.” And if that isn’t enough to convince you to go, JoFo have their own reasons why you should turn up to Off the Cuff: “Because Tubelord and Dananananaykroyd and other awesome bands are playing!” exclaims Kelly. “Oh yeah, we’re playing too, we’re okay I guess.” “Also, because all the people from my work are coming down and it’d be dead embarrassing if it was only them,” Alex adds. Any special treats lined up as a final tempter? Kelly: “Hmmm, aside from our quick wit, devastating good looks and arsenal of amazing new songs? No.” Alex: “Is that not enough? Balloons?” Balloons or no balloons, Johnny Foreigner are sure to make it a night to remember. Johnny Foreigner headline the opening night of Off the Cuff Festival at The Flapper, Birmingham, on July 22. Off the Cuff runs from July 22 to 24. Three-day passes are now sold out but a limited number of single day and twoday tickets are available from www.offthecuffbirmingham.co.uk Plus, for your chance to win the final pair of three day passes turn back a page to our full festival preview 15
All Grown Up Think you know Kill it Kid? Think again. The Bath outfit were barely out of their teens when they became the darlings of the music press on the release of their Americana-inspired debut album three years ago, being labelled as the latest additions to the ‘nu-folk’ scene. But now they’ve ditched the violins, brought in some samples of 1920s preachers, turned up the volume and made the raw, garage-blues rock record they always wanted. Frontman CHRIS TURPIN tells Chris Moriarty how frustration fuelled their reinvention. Kill it Kid are a band that had to grow up fast. Signed just months after recording a demo as part of someone else’s college project, they were still wet behind the ears when they were jetted off to the USA to record their debut album — and still too young to play any gigs in the country. “We were so young the first time round,” says Chris. “The first album did great, it got us acclaimed and press-wise we did really well out of it but we were a really young band. We’d only formed three months before we were signed so that didn’t give us the chance to really build up our own fan base so it felt like we’ve been constantly playing catch-up.” Now at the grand old age of 23, frontman Chris Turpin feels they are finally coming of age as a band; and while it draws on the bluesmen of nearly a century ago, their sound has grown up too. Determined to shake off their unwanted folk tag, line-up changes and a rawer sound have steered Kill it Kid down a rockier path. “We got caught up with the nu-folk scene 16
which we never really saw ourselves as. This new record has asserted the fact that that it’s not us, it’s much more of a garage, blues album. “Things have naturally changed and developed. We don’t have a violin player anymore. You’re instantly stereotyped as a band if you do have a violin player. “There seems a lack of real bands right now which is frustrating and we got sick of playing with indie scene bands and being misbilled really. This album has come out of that frustration.” For Kill it Kid, it has been a case of looking back to help them move forward, taking inspiration from some vintage sounds and even sampling 1920s recordings of American preachers. “It’s all born out of an interest in 1920s and 1930s acoustic country blues music. People like Mississipi McDowell and on the female side Steph [co-vocalist] liked people like Etta James. “Our drummer is very much influenced by people like Ben Harper, Rage Against the Machine and Queens of the Stone Age
which is where that energy comes from as well. The new record is very much similar to the Black Keys and the Dead Weather, that kind of sound. “Really early on in my formative years, the early White Stripes material was a massive influence on me as well. We managed to meet Jack White at SXSW and it was a massive thing for me. People always warn you about meeting your heroes but he was an absolute gentleman.” While it may feel to some that Kill it Kid dropped off the radar, Chris insists they have been working hard out of sight to create the album they wanted: “It’s just the nature of timeframes, this is literally as soon as we can get the album out,” he says. That forthcoming record, made with Brian Eno-collaborator Leo Abrahams on production duties, will once again be released in this country through hipster label One Little Indian Records while the ink is also drying on a deal for American release. “We’re looking for October to release the album as you can’t release anything in the summer apparently. It’s so frustrating sometimes having Brum Notes Magazine
“There seems a lack of real bands right now which is frustrating and we got sick of playing with indie scene bands and being mis-billed really. This album has come out of that frustration.� to wait. People think we’ve been sitting around when in reality these songs have been written now for about a year, we recorded it in December and already we’re moving on to other things. “We’re really happy with it though. This whole album was a bit more focussed than album one. It was approached very differently, we had 10 days in the studio and 10 songs to record in those 10 days. “We decided conceptually to take a lot of old 1920s Alan Lomax field recordings. Alan Lomax used to go around prison camps and fields recording local folk songs and teachings, so there’s 1920s Baptist preachers screaming across the album. We wanted to create something that’s not really been done before and build something quite unique and I think we’ve done that. “We use the samples in the live sets as well and hearing preachers screaming at you through huge speakers can be quite an arresting experience. We haven’t recruited any live preachers yet though, maybe one day when the budget allows.� Chris insists the development may come as a shock to some fans, while those hankering to hear much of their first album in their live shows these days may also be disappointed — although they still maintain the crucial male-female vocal interaction, with Chris and bandmate Stephanie Ward sharing vocal duties “more so than ever.� “It’s an entirely different band if you listen to it. It’s going to shock a lot of our fans as it is so different to the first album. We were young and excited the first time, we just recorded what we had from the first four months of being in a band. There’s been a lot more creative direction this time around. “We’ve been playing these songs now for the past six months. We’re not doing our fans many favours at shows at the moment as we’re not really playing any old stuff. We might do bits and pieces but it doesn’t really work anymore with the new material.� But pleasing everyone has certainly not been Kill it Kid’s intention on their sophomore album. In an era of over-produced pop music and fans “cherry picking albums from five second samples on iTunes,� Chris insists they have “created an album that hangs together as an album.� “There’s three or four songs that are on there which are over four minutes which is commercial suicide if you listen to some people,� he adds. “We had to ignore some of the advice we were getting from the label. We didn’t want to compromise and put things on there just for radio play.�
Kill it Kid are live at the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, on July 13 July 2011
54%002 2&/" &"30/ "4 # !
" # ! "# $ ! 2&/" &6&/43 7*-- (0 ")&"% 30 #2*/( 9052 $"(05-&3 $53)*0/3 "/% "/94)*/( 905 /&&% 40 #& $0.'024"#-&
&$% ! $ & # # & : 1. : *$,&43 ; ;
< "/ &8)*-"2"4*/( 1&2'02."/$& 4)"4 $0.#*/& #-5&3 20$, 7*4) !&34 '2*$">3 &-&.&/4"- "/$*&/4 342*/( (2006&=
)& 5/"2 0$*&49 # ! 12&3&/4
"" ! % ! !
"5/$) 7*4) 31&$*"- (5&343 % & : 1. : *$,&43 ; ;
<0/& 0' *2.*/()".>3 .034 &8$*4*/( 905/( #"/%3 =
'"( ( ! % & : 1. : *$,&43 ; ;
<30.& 0' 4)& #&34 "+5/ .53*$ 905>2& -*,&-9 40 )&"2 =
*/%-& )&"42& # ! 12&3&/4
# !"% &# % & : 1. : *$,&43 ; ;
< " #0-% "/% #-00%9 2&*/6&/4*0/ 0' 4)& .94) 0' 4)& *0/4"52 */31*2&% #9 4)& 6*35"- */4&/3*49 0' (2"1)*$ /06&-3 "/% $0.154&2 (".&3 =
!% $ " % & : 1. : ; */ "%6"/$& ; 0/ 4)& %"9
< 0.& "-0/( 154 9052 )&"%1)0/&3 0/ "/% %&$*%& 7)"4 #&"4 905 705-% -*,& 40 %"/$& 40=
&#!$ ! % &! & : 1. : *$,&43 ; ;
< "/ */$2&%*#-9 %*6&23& 2"/(& 0' 4"-&/4 " 2&."2,"#-& &/3&.#-&=
"-&3 /'02."4*0/
777 "243 $0 5, "//0/ *-- "2, : *2.*/()". :
17
HEAR NO
EVIL
Photo by Andy Watson, Drw-Images
Ambient electronica outfit Evil Alien have been keeping things close to their chest, with just a handful of gigs and a limited number of recordings seeing the light of day. But as intrigue and excitement continues to build, we caught up with frontman Glenn Smyth about his ambitions for the future. “At first we did keep things close to our chest to a certain degree. This was because we needed to give the project time to flourish and work on the sound that we wanted in the studio,” explains Glenn. “By nature we wanted Evil Alien to be a bit more inconspicuous and being as the internet would have rid us of any mystique, we kept away until we felt the need to publicise. It’s funny because as soon as we came up with the idea of not giving too much away WU LYF went and did something similar, but a marketing company planned it all for them and it has nothing to do with their music At the end of the day we just want to be judged on the music, above everything else.” And judgements on the music have so far been very positive, not least being picked up by Q magazine’s Next Big Thing 2011 with debut track Higher Than the Sun named as one of the top 50 downloads in April. “It felt a bit weird,” Glenn admits, “as we hadn’t even done a practice let alone a gig but we had recorded a top tune in Higher Than the Sun. It was important to make sure good foundations were in place before we played our music to anyone and it’s obviously great that the likes of Q, Zane Lowe and Steve Osborne like and understand what we’re doing.”
the fence to some of the commercial drivel that is currently around. It’s hard not to criticise some of what you see these days, but I digress. We’re beat-driven and most importantly this is real.” Belief and ‘real’ music are seemingly key themes for Evil Alien, as is creating music that stretches beyond the throw-away pop culture of a lot of chart music. “I don’t like the idea that music has become a kind of disposable commodity,” Glenn continues. “We have grown up listening to bands and artists who have defined generations, whose work span stretches beyond one song or album. We may be the last of the generation who went out and bought CD singles from the local record shop and couldn’t wait to hear the b-sides. It seems like new bands don’t get given enough of a chance to evolve, there is a kind of ‘here today, gone tomorrow’, blasé attitude around. Great music influences and this has always played a large part in our lives. This is what drives us.”
With the modern download culture making it harder than ever for musicians to make a living, for Glenn their key approach is not to be driven by success and sales, but just to keep the music at the heart of everything they do, writing and recording the best Their debut headline show was understanda- tracks they can. bly in demand, selling out the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath and crucially giving them the “The plan is to keep on with the recordings chance to hone their live performance. we are doing. The next few tunes I have writ“It was great, we had built up to that show for ten are some of my best yet and Dave has a over a year. I had geared up to that night for tune called Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing which ages like a boxer or something. We were all is monumental. We’re going down to Lonreally focused during the weeks leading up don in July to record at Universal so we shall to it. We will now only get better. I loved it.” finish these off, which will be cool and we’re also supporting White lies in Coventry on With more gigs planned this month, includ- July 7 and playing a show at an amazing loing a support slot for White Lies and another cation in Digbeth on July 22. I suppose there headline show at a new venue in Digbeth, is an element of seeing where it all takes us, plus a single release earmarked for the au- but I think if we keep moving forward it’s all tumn, it seems the time has come for Evil Al- there for the taking. ien to take their sound to a wider audience. And for those who haven’t heard it yet, what “We will give you something to believe in.” is that sound? “Edgy, dark, ambient electronica that has lots Evil Alien support White Lies at Kasbah, of soul and passion,” says Glenn. “Most im- Coventry, on July 7 and headline The Conportantly it has belief. We’re the other side of servatory @ Muthers, Digbeth, on July 22 18
Brum Notes Magazine
July 2011
19
GOODNIGHT SWEETHEARTS Fresh from their Glastonbury debut and with a host of further festival appearances lined up, Goodnight Lenin are brimming with confidence as they prepare to unveil their debut EP. Frontman John Fell tells us why they’re ready to stick two fingers up to the easy folk labels and stamp their own sound on the summer. In a year of milestones, playing at Glastonbury is certainly a major one for Goodnight Lenin. And as frontman John admits, just getting the chance to go to the festival without the hassle of having to win the battle of the broadband connections to buy tickets was a bonus. “A couple of the band members have always refused to go to Glastonbury, with the ethos of ‘we’ll go when we’re playing it’ so its definitely a major achievement for us,” he says. Goodnight Lenin are a band that have never lacked confidence but nor have they lacked the hard work ethic required to succeed. And that hard work is beginning to pay dividends with their busiest summer yet giving way to festival slots and their debut EP release. But there have already been plenty of highlights for the alt-acoustic outfit. “I think playing between Donovan and The Low Anthem at Moseley Folk last year has to be up there,” John continues. “We’ve listened to Donovan since we were 15 so to play before him and share a bottle wine afterwards was an absolute pleasure. Also, opening for British Sea Power at the highest pub in Britain [Tan Hill Inn in Yorkshire] will stay in our memories for a long time along, as will our first major headline gig in Birmingham which took place at St Paul’s Church. Despite it being -4C in there it was sold out and the crowd were amazingly receptive to us.” This month represents something of a resurfacing for the Brummie band who have kept their performances in their native city strictly limited this year. “It was a combination of wanting to record the EP and not playing gigs for the sake of playing gigs,” explains John. “We decided to get the name out a little before reigning it all in to make sure each show we play is an event. We are focused on making each Birmingham show special whilst nationally spreading the name. It is strange as 20
a lot of people are amazed we’re from Birmingham and expect us to be from London - not quite sure why.” Those London-assumptions have often been associated with alltoo-easy comparisons with the likes of nu-folk figureheads Mumford & Sons - a natural peril for any band using harmonies, fiddles and playing acoustic guitars these days - but John insists they are determined to carve out a reputation all of their own. “When we first started to play live every single reviewer would put us in the Mumford & Sons mould which was extremely frustrating as it wasn’t where we were coming from or where we intended to go. We’re heavily influenced by Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel & Neil Young who were so focused on lyrics or harmonies, which is where our love for music lies. There will always be a great demand for acoustic-led music, the past has shown us that. Although genres will always become saturated and quieten down whilst it waits for the honest artists to emerge. Hopefully 2011/2012 will allow us to breathe a little away from the obvious labels and show we have our own sound. “It’s great to have finished the EP. We are very aware of the pigeon holes we were falling into so it’s given us an opportunity to show that we’re not a run-of-the-mill folk band but something a lot more meaningful than that. The opener Ode To Rebellion is definitely ‘two fingers’ up to people who are trying to label us. Add the links in between tracks and people will see that there’s more to the picture.” Goodnight Lenin headline the outdoor ampitheatre at MAC, Birmingham, on July 23 The Wenceslas Square EP is available now on digital download and released in physical format on Static Caravan on July 23 Brum Notes Magazine
A SUMMER OF EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS CELEBRATING THE BLACK COUNTRY & BIRMINGHAM AS THE BIRTHPLACE OF HEAVY METAL FOR THE FULL SEASON & DETAILED EVENT INFORMATION SEE
WWW.HOMEOFMETAL.COM July 2011
PHOTOGRAPH I KATRJA OGRIN ‘CHRIS HOPKINS’
21
Heavy metal pioneers JUDAS PRIEST have embarked on their final ever world tour, celebrating an incredible career spanning four decades. Guitarist Glenn Tipton tells Chris Moriarty about the enduring appeal of metal and why this isn’t the end for the band dubbed the Gods of Metal.
GODS OF METAL ‘Legends’ is an often over-used word when it comes to musicians. But when referring to Judas Priest, few other tag lines seem appropriate. The Birmingham band, dubbed the ‘Gods of Metal’ by fans the world over, have more than made their mark on the genre over the past four decades. In a highly appropriate quirk of timing, Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton and co make a long-awaited return to the live stage in their native Midlands just weeks after the launch of a summer-long series of exhibitions hailing the impact of the region upon heavy metal. As one of the bands who helped kickstart heavy metal’s global revolution, Judas Priest naturally feature heavily in the Home of Metal exhibitions, with the band themselves showing an active involvement by donating some of their iconic stage clothes and memorabilia to be displayed. But fans will be able to get even more up close and personal at Wolverhampton’s Civic Hall, where the band 22
will perform an historic headline show as part of their final ever Epitaph world tour. And this isn’t one of those ‘farewell tours’ where the band mops up the ticket sales then does it all again in a couple of years time. They have been quick to dispel any confusion and point out this isn’t the end of Judas Priest full stop, but after 40 years of touring taking its toll, it is the last time they will travel the globe in quite the same way, as guitarist Glenn Tipton explains. “This is certainly our last world tour, no doubt about that, whether we do a small scale stream of dates at some point down the line is debatable, we won’t say we’ll never do that. But a world tour really takes a big chunk out of your life,” says Glenn. For a band who can still command huge crowds in their thousands wherever they travel, the idea of stepping away for good
is clearly a huge wrench and Glenn insists their passion for playing to their fans has never dwindled. “It doesn’t really go away, that buzz. Sometimes you can get worn out with the travel as you can imagine, driving here, flying there, getting a bus to here, but when you hear the crowd roar and you get on stage it’s just down to that moment. We’ve always said it’s not just us, it’s about the audience there as well that sing along to everything, it really is incredible. “We love it, we absolutely want to play for fans around the world for one last time, we want to do that. We’re not trying to con anyone by saying it’s our last tour and we won’t do any more dates and it’s not the end of our band either — but it is our last world tour. “We’ve got at least one more album, maybe two, in us and whether we do more live dates Brum Notes Magazine
in the future remains to be seen. But you never lose that buzz of playing live and it’s a difficult thing to give up.” And a world tour it really is too, having kicked off conquering crowds of 30,000 at the Sweden Rock Festival, the Hell for Leather rockers’ Epitaph tour schedule takes them across mainland Europe, everywhere from Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, right across the USA and through Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica and Venezuela. Pretty much every major city in the world is covered. And that’s just a handful of dates from their gruelling diary. A sign if one was needed not only of Judas Priest’s magnetism but also of the true global nature of heavy metal music. “People underestimate the importance and popularity of heavy metal. We can go to Chile or Turkey, or places in the middle of nowhere and 15,000 or 20,000 people turn up. People really underestimate the popularity of the music but also the positive impact it can have upon people’s lives. “It’s a great form of therapy where people get a great deal of tension out of their systems. People forget that it can do really good things.” Blackheath-born Glenn — now residing in leafier surrounds but still in the Midlands — and his bandmates also remain fiercely proud of their local roots and the impact Birmingham and the Black Country had in defining heavy metal music. “I don’t live that far from Birmingham even now, I’ve always stayed around here. I’m proud to be a Brummie and I always have been. There’s been some great artists that have emerged from the Midlands. It gives you a great strength of determination. I don’t know whether it is the industrial nature but there’s a lot of energy that comes from the area, I don’t know if it was the industrial side that gives it that energy but there really is a determination that comes from it. I worked for British Steel and I would never change a thing but it gave me that determination to go on and push for something. It was quite gruelling and gives you the determination to do something with your life. “I’ve never declined the Brummie tag, we never have, as a band. I come from Birmingham and I’ve never really left the area.” For musical history fans, Judas Priest make a fascinating case study, forming originally as a a power pop blues outfit named after a Bob Dylan song, through various line-up July 2011
“We’ve always believed metal doesn’t have rules, you can do what you want — as long as it’s still metal. changes and name trades, they morphed into the raw, double-guitar, bundle of energy that millions came to know and love. For Glenn, who joined the band in the early years of their development into a heavy metal act, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where the change came from, but one thing they will always be is metal. “You can’t really say why you play a certain type of music, you evolve as a musician and as an artist. “I was brought up on, well the first guitarist who really made an impact on me was Rory Gallagher and he was sort of blues but was slightly progressive and then Hendrix came along who was very progressive. I think progressive is the key word really, it became a form of music where you can do what you want within certain confines. “We’ve always believed metal doesn’t have rules, you can do what you want — as long as it’s still metal. “We’ve tried to broaden those horizons over the years but also give other bands the opportunities to broaden and evolve their sound. “I keep my ear to the ground, there’s a lot of great bands out there. I can’t pronounce most of the names, or even remember them with my memory at my age, but I do take a great interest in bands coming through. “I take my musical inspiration from everywhere, whether it’s classical music, a single drum beat, even pop-rock as long as it’s a great song, I can be inspired by it. It’s a great thing with certain bands you can’t help but tend to start to copy them. “But we are fairly unique in terms of character and if you you’ve got that character then that is half the battle and that is something I don’t think we’ve ever lost.” For many bands still touring after such a long career, it wouldn’t be unusual to see a crowd purely made up of ageing rockers reliving their youth. But Glenn says he is constantly amazed and touched by the sight of so many younger fans who they still regularly attract. “On the last tour we got a lot of 14 and 15-year-olds totally into the band, I know a lot of them have got into it from their parents, but a lot have discovered the band themselves as well. It’s heart-warming to think
what we’ve done is appreciated by a whole generation of younger kids. It’s really rewarding because it means you’ve got most of it right.” With most of their energy at present going into their final hurrah in world tour terms, new material is also on its way, with a brand new album well on the way to completion, although it is likely to be 2012 before it is unveiled, says Glenn. This is no rush job, and the bands writing process remains as simplistic as every — but they recognise the importance of finding the time to get this album right. “When we’re writing, we get an idea, sit down in a room together, pool our ideas and when we know we’re on to a song we’ll go with it, and then we start again until we’ve got a few and we pick the best of the bunch,” he explains. “An album has to have a theme and be related and then we fine-tune the writing and that’s what we’ve always done before and that’s what we’ve done this time.” And what has been the all-important fan reaction so far to the new material? “Well, no-one has heard it yet, we’ve mixed three and got another seven blueprinted and mapped out but the problem is getting time to go back to the studio. When you’ve got a couple of weeks off the last thing you want to do is go back into the studio, I’d rather be out fishing. So we just need to find the time to finish it off and it will probably be next year now. “There are some typical Priest songs in there with some of the trademark Priest sounds, kick drums and high screams, but we’ve also concentrated on getting one or two, not ballads as such, but anthems to say thank you to the fans. “Rob can write some really emotional lyrics, he can come up with some really heartwrenching stuff. It’s a big chance to say thanks to the fans for being with us for the past 40 years really. It sounds like a cliche but it’s true, if it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t be where we are.”
Judas Priest are live at the Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, on July 21 23
Hand warmers ASOS £4
Navy suede jacket Topshop £150
STYLE
Suede Cape Topshop £195
Valtina Wedges Kurt Geiger £75
Metal necklace Topshop £15
Stone suede waistcoat Wallis £95
Navaho Crop Vest Topshop £16 Bikini Brief ASOS £6 Stud and fringe bandeau Warehouse £45
Tan fringe suede belt Miss Selfridge £30
Suede lace up shoes H by Hudsen £42
On Trend
FRINGED FROLICS
Fringe bandeau Topshop £8
Fringing for the festival season is a must - it may not be a recent trend but it’s an essential and prominent summer trend for 2011. Fringing can easily be introduced to anyone’s wardrobe and can make the transition from a day out with friends to a night out at the club. However, if there’s one thing we would advise it would be not to wear too much of it in one go, try coupling a fringe jacket with a maxi-dress or a fringe boat shoe with denim shorts and a tied shirt. Multi fringe vest Miss Selfridge £20
Cream fringe tee Miss Selfridge £18
Lincoln fringe boots KR3W £135
Print scarf Mango £15 Macrami fringe top Miss Selfridges £28 Sand denim shorts Topshop £70
Fringe flat lace up ASOS £109
Whipstich hop belt Warehouse £10 Fringe back pack Urban Outfitters £60 Embroided kaftan Topshop £40
Woven chain ASOS £75
24
Cowl side dress Warehouse £45 Suede moccasins ASOS £45
Mohawk moccasins Topshop £36 Brum Notes Magazine
LONG CLOTHING
Style profiles
Formed in 2008 by young designers Gareth Emmett and Rhys Dawney, LONG has quickly built up a cult following that is stretching across the UK and the rest of the globe. The brand focuses on oversized, unisex clothing with bold graphic prints, which have now become the LONG signature statement. Today the brand has more than 75 stockists spread across 15 countries and is represented in London, New York and Tokyo. LONG also continues with its series of successful parties and club nights, affirming its status as one of Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most exciting and iconic youth brands. Check out these brilliantly simple yet bold designs at www.longclothing.com
TREACLE CLOTHING
Treacle is a clothing brand that brings together a collective of artists, photographers, musicians, drop-outs, graffiti artists, geeks and film-makers. They are grassroots artists, people you see on the street every day, making something special out of the mundane and enabling the talent that is hidden in every town and city in the UK. Treacle brings you not just clothing but artwork by giving you the opportunity to own special, limited editions designs. Take a look at the rest of the limited edition collection on their website (www.treacleclothing.co.uk) and check out their Facebook and Twitter pages. July 2011
25
HAIR
On Trend
CREEPIN’ A 90s trend that has come back thick and fast. Brothel creepers were first seen on the feet of WWII soldiers who on return to England were found wearing them at clubs and bars in London. Teddy boys, punk kids, goths and more fuelled the trend over the following five decades with brands like Underground England and Vans producing footwear inspired by this historic practical yet fashionable style.
TO DYE FOR
ACTIVE black creepers Topshop £60
D-ring lace-up creepers Underground £77
Can’t decide what colour to
Suede lace-up creepers ASOS £75
do your hair? Don’t wanna
Leopard print creepers Underground £81
let that ‘buy one get one free’ offer pass you by?
Red lace-up creepers Underground £77
Buckle creepers Jeffrey Campbell £53 Heart creepers TUK £55
Love your roots but don’t Leather creepers Underground £88
want everyone to think you’re ‘a bit Jeremy Kyle’? For all these worries and more there is one simple answer - dip dye. Regardless of cut, shape or colour, dip dye is one of the easiest ways to be on trend this year, which is probably the key reason why everyone is flexing it. Everybody may be going for that individual Nicki Minaj but you don’t have to settle for just two colours either - show your originality with more colours than anyone else. Yep, keep going until you resemble a Fruit Pastilles ice lolly. So now you’re more memorable looking having gone for this bold look, you’re all officially super cool trend-setters. Even your mom’s warming to it. Yep, your hair’s gone mainstream. Now time to try something else original: you saw a few other girls whose hair looked like backwards wigs - fringe at the back, Cousin It at the front. Now that’s original, best copy it!
26
Mondo hi creepers TUK £70
Hi creepers George Cox £159
Chukka boot George Cox £110
Style profiles
Founded by Laurie Prescott, Bell & Smokey is an online retailer aimed at young professional fashion-lovers. Their vision has been to create, source and distribute highly coveted women’s clothing sourcing garments internationally from the likes of Arrondissement AQ1, Dace, The Battalion and LaMixx to name just a few. Check out www.bellandsmokey.com.
“We felt there was a notable lack of online boutiques appealing to women who want their style to look polished but with an edge.”
Brum Notes Magazine
July 2011
27
Photos by Holly Stanton. Clockwise from top: Young Runaways, Blackajack, Will French, Louise Petit, Jacob Davidson
live FRESH TALENT Open Mic Bull’s Head, Moseley June 7 and 14 Our brand new open mic night kicked off in style at the Bull’s Head last month. Nestled in the bohemian hotbed of Moseley, the freshly refurbished pub’s upstairs live room provides the perfect setting for Fresh Talent, a weekly showcase for the finest emerging artists. Starting on June 7, with first night nerves pushing back the start time as expectant audience members mingled next to the upstairs bar, Greg Bird kept the mood chilled with a relaxing mix of tunes. First performer Darsh bravely broke the ice, taking to the stage with his guitar and quickly filling the room as his smooth-assilk vocals filtered through the pub and out onto the outdoor terrace. Will French followed with his bluesy brand of Kelly Joe Phelps-esque fingerstyle guitar and husky vocals. Poet Jacob Davidson delivered a snippet of his defiantly introspective lyrics, while Lichfield’s Louise Petit proudly hopped between sultry tales of heartbreak and jaunty pips of folk pop, switching ably between guitar and ukulele. Debut rapper Blackajack confidently
delivered his first stage performance, rhyming against a hip hop soundtrack and intertwining his performance with accompanying live female vocalists. Young Runaways took to the stage in stripped-down form but still delivered a lusciously layered sound, complete with their trademark brass and delicate vocals - throwing in a Specials cover for good measure. Continuing the cover theme, pianist and singer Rich Batsford conquered his missing sustain pedal troubles and paid tribute to The Beach Boys as well as giving a flash of his own material as a warm-up for his own headline show. Chris Cleverley rounded off the evening in fine style with his own take on Bon Iver’s Skinny Love alongside his own material, which included a show-stopping display of lapstyle guitar.
first attempt at an acoustic show, but what a result. Fractured brush-stroke drums, wellexecuted harmonies, unorthodox melodies and even a child’s xylophone thrown in for good measure made for an intriguing and captivating performance. Singer-songwriter Dominic Crane delivered a flawless demonstration of his melodic, acoustic blues, before beautifully chaotic band Hawker took the blues vibe to another level. Abandoning the stage to perform a cappella on the floor and armed with fiddle, percussion box, accordion and the frontman’s rootsy, soulful vocals, Hawker quickly commanded the room, even gaining a Bez-style drunken dancer along the way and succeeding in getting even the most beanbag-relaxed members of the audience on their feet and dancing. It’s not often an acoustic open mic night ends with a roomful of people stomping their feet, clapping and dancing away. But that’s how Hawker roll.
Roll on week two and the new addition of bean bags to the floor added to the relaxed vibe. As guests made themselves comfortable the mood remained perfectly serene throughout. Dutch songstress Anouk showed off her versatile vocal and Julia Stone-esque ability to weave a story through tone as well as her words. Pandas & People reinforced their reputation as one of our favourite new bands with a unique stripped down set. Apparently their Fresh Talent runs every Tuesday at the Bull’s Head, Moseley. Want to play? Email info@brumnotes.com or simply turn up on the night. Auditions for acoustic sets at the Off the Cuff Festival will also be held at Fresh Talent on July 12.
28
Brum Notes Magazine
Photo by Gobinder Jhitta
ADAM ANT O2 Academy, Birmingham June 20 Let’s face it, pop comebacks don’t get much more unexpected than this. It’s fair to say that ever since his last tour some 16 years ago Mr Ant’s been a deeply troubled man. Spells in psychiatric units and years on a dizzying cocktail of anti-depressants seemed to signal the end of his career. All of this makes the sight of a remarkably coherent and fit-looking Adam, running through a two-hour set of his pop hits and earlier punk tracks, pretty miraculous. Dressed like Captain Jack Sparrow’s older brother he comes on to a suitably
WU-TANG CLAN HMV Institute, Birmingham June 13 The legendary Wu-Tang Clan came to Birmingham with a half-strength line-up, with RZA, Raekwon and Inspectah Deck absent due to “unforeseen circumstances.” The diverse crowd stayed upbeat before the Clan’s eventual arrival on stage at 10.15pm. Method Man was the first out, grinning, and leading remaining founding members into their set, which included classics such as Bring Da Ruckus and C.R.E.A.M. from 1993 debut 36 Chambers. Despite one-third of the Wu being absent (including of course the deceased Ol’ Dirty Bastard), it was still incredibly entertaining to see the remaining rappers spar with each other on the mic,
JAMES BLAKE HMV Institute, Birmingham June 8
ecstatic reception, kicking off with a snarling version of Plastic Surgery from 1977 that sets the tone for the evening. Of course Adam was originally a punk and it seems to be where his heart still lies judging by the occasional audience baiting and vicious - but darn funny attacks on fellow pop stars - Geldof and Bono in particular get a real kicking. There’s still room for those era-defining songs though, with everything from Stand and Deliver, Prince Charming and Ant Music through to last ditch single Wonderful getting a punk-tinged run through. A triumph-ant return to form. Words by Daron Billings Photo by Andy Watson, Drw-Images
July 2011
Chillstep poster boy James Blake has a hell of a lot of hype to live up to. All this hype is totally at odds with the music, a mix of emotionally naked performances that would make Bon Iver seem like a bit of a lad, and sonic experimentation with a thin veneer of dubstep. Tonight’s gig shows up this contradiction with Blake’s carefully crafted soundscapes occasionally falling foul of the curse of audience chatter. When
BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH HMV Institute, Birmingham June 3 Male singer songwriters are annoyingly ten a penny – some of them decent, some of them crap, and most of them much of a muchness. Which is why it’s always nice when you find one to fall in love with. Exploring sentiment which is so easily, if at times painfully, identifiable, Ben Leftwich deftly and delicately picks his way through an album’s worth of self-exploration and confession which provokes a level of
as well as dip into their large collection of solo albums to further showcase their MCing talents. Dutifully going past the venue’s 11pm curfew, the Wu paid their tributes to ODB with renditions of Brooklyn Zoo and Shimmy Shimmy Ya, which seemed to get the crowd most excited. DJ Mathematics gave an awesome demonstration on the decks, while Method Man, who crowd-surfed and slapped hands with the front row, showed there is still a hunger within Wu-Tang Clan to give people their classic, raw music - and there’s still a definite desire to hear it. Words by Andy Carrington performer and audience fall into (dub) step together though there are moments of magic with Feist’s Limit To Your Love and Blake’s own The Wilhelm Scheme moving hearts, minds and - thanks to the odd slabs of rumbling bass - vital organs. A 10-minute jam on Digital Mystikz’s Anti War Dub closes the main set with a mournful trombone adding a fresh dimension to Blake’s often sparse musical palette before the encore saw Blake alone, behind his piano, for new track Heartbreak Now. When the hype has died down it will be fascinating to see where he goes from here. Words by Daron Billings intensity in the room so marked you could hear a pin drop. These songs are visibly acutely personal, and yet listening to them, understanding them and relating to them doesn’t feel like prying. And therein lies the beauty. Looking round at the eclectic mix gathered to appreciate his honesty and the rawness, what becomes apparent from the start is that Leftwich has steamed defiantly past the middle of the road. “I’m young and I’m yours/I’m free but I’m flawed,” he candidly confesses in Box of Stones. Well flawed he, may be, but it’s music like this which makes such stark admission bearable. Words by Amy Sumner 29
RICH BATSFORD MAC, Birmingham June 11 As a dreamy wave of sound washes over the room, planet earth’s left far behind. Welcome to planet Batsford. Tonight Birmingham’s very own answer to Brian Wilson (minus the whole sandpit/voices in the head/lost decades business) unveiled tracks from his latest album Mindfulness, a collection of songs about life, love and everything in between. In parts inspired by his beliefs as a Buddhist, much of the material this evening explores
TRIBES + Silver Souvenirs The Flapper, Birmingham June 12 On the day of rest, two very different bands battled it out for the musical pride of their cities in The Flapper. Hotly-tipped Birmingham outfit Silver Souvenirs laid down the gauntlet with explosive opener Lights. With their infectious beats and math rock riffs, the local boys challenged anyone not to move to their electro-indie sound. Throughout the energetic set, the band bounced over the stage and frontman Stephen Hutton spilled into the dancing crowd. With songs such as the uplifting Youth and anthemic Russia, one of the most hardworking bands in Brum proved themselves worthy of a field of thronging festival-goers. Closing with rapturous new single Shapes, the crowd were left wondering whether London’s next big thing could fill the Souvenirs’ retro plimsolls. But camouflaging with the cavern-like room at The Flapper, headliners Tribes were dressed for combat in dirty denim and distressed leathers. Kicking off with grungy tracks Whenever and Girlfriend, Johnny Lloyd’s raw lyrics and rippling voice ached over grinding guitars. Although references have been made to The Pixies, the Camden boys sounded surprisingly like Britpopsters Suede in the irresistibly catchy Sappho. But 90s influences aside, the band lived up to their hype in the darkly beautiful Nightdriving (Useless God); the song a poignant requiem for lost youth. Striking their last blow with We Were Children, Tribes played a track made for teenage hedonism yet it did not seem to recreate the party atmosphere victoriously carved by their Brummie support act. Words by Lauren Partridge 30
Rich’s search for inner peace, set against a soundtrack that’s tailor-made for the kind of meditation and reflection that, let’s face it, most of us could do with these days. A loving cover of Brian’s I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times is followed by Rich’s selfpenned Guessing Again and it’s a measure of his own ability that this unofficial sequel sits so comfortably next to its parent song. With tracks from his instrumental debut Valentines Court scattered in among the newbies, it’s an intimate evening of exquisite music played with the kind of understated charm that makes a real connection between performer and audience.
TOM VEK HMV Institute, Birmingham June 15 The six year break between Tom Vek’s debut and his current album Leisure Seizure didn’t seem to deter an eager crowd of fans. He’s greeted with rapturous applause and the crowd go wild for the opener C-C (You Set The Fire In Me). Accompanied by a second guitar, drummer and bassist with some kind of synth drum machine; all silhouetted with distorted projections of the crowd, this set makes a
Bowing, with hands clasped in gratitude as he leaves the stage for the last time, the rapturous applause and healthy queue at the merch desk prove the feeling’s mutual. Words by Daron Billings Photo by Mike Cummins
mighty transformation from his previous oneman band presence. We Do Nothing keeps the crowd on their toes, as does Leisure Seizure, yet Vek seems most comfortable when taking the bass for Too Bad. He keeps his stage banter to a minimum with the odd thanks given to screaming fans, not that anyone minded though - they sang and danced along to pretty much every track performed. There’s a hugely disappointed crowd when Vek announces A Chore as his finale and doesn’t return for an encore. But encore or no encore, this was by far one of the most incredible gigs of the year so far. Words by Saima Razzaq
GHOSTPOET BASS Festival, The Rainbow, Birmingham, June 9 Ghostpoet arrived in Brum with a growing reputation as the hip hop artist who is about to make the mainstream cross over his fans and record company believe is inevitable. With his band crammed behind him in the corner of The Rainbow he took no time to launch into his high-energy set. The smell of Caribbean food wafted through the venue from outside which gave the intimate concert a festival feel. He has certainly got the flow of an accomplished MC but what makes him stand out from the crowd are his brave attempts at singing or - when he gets carried away - wailing. Garden Path perfectly showed the variety
of musical styles he’s prepared to throw into just one track; electro, rock, hip hop all merged before ending with him repeatedly shouting the same lines into the mic. Ghostpoet has a manic energy on stage which can easily stray into the territory of looking like a barmy wino shouting at the sky. But then again he did say he’d lived a good whack of his life in Coventry. He also wasn’t afraid to joke around between songs, but his lyrics certainly betray a more tortured soul as well as showing the insight that has got so many people saying he is a cut above. Words by Steve Zacharanda Photo by Gobinder Jhitta Brum Notes Magazine
R B FR EHE RA OM AR ND £8 SA NEW PE L RO R O HO M UR
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. Expert tuition in:
M U SIC
S CHOOL
STUDIOS AVAILABLE FOR AS LITTLE AS £8 PER HOUR FREE CYMBAL HIRE, EAR PLUGS AND TEA/COFFEE
A4
61
JJM Music School is a brand new facility based within JJM Studios that is committed to providing the highest level of teaching anywhere in the Midlands. All of our tutors are experienced professional musicians that specialise in teaching beginner, intermediate or advanced level students.
Guitar • Piano / Keys Drums • Bass • Vocals Trumpet • Trombone Cornet • Tenor Horn Strings • Music Theory Professional Recording Professional DJ
WALSALL TOWN CENTRE
B4151 From Sutton Coldfield
BR
OA DW AY N
A3
4
BR
IDG
ES
TR
TR E LS AR PE
T
AD L RO GHIL SPRIN
ET
EE
WE ARE HERE
POOL STREET
REET BATH ST SANDWELL STREET
N RO AD
AD RO
July 2011
Tel: 01922 629700
20 Pool Street, Walsall WS1 2EN
admin@jjmstudios.co.uk
SUT TO
AM GH IN RM BI
A4031 From West Bromwich
BRAND NEW IN-HOUSE PRO-TOOLS RECORDING STUDIO
LOW ER
RUS
HAL
L ST
REET
OR TH
A34 From Birmingham and M6 Junction 7
For FREE membership and further details visit
www.jjmstudios.co.uk 31
CLUBS
32
Brum Notes Magazine
PUB TROPICANA The Adam & Eve, Digbeth June 10 The sun might not always be shining in Brum but the summer vibes are in full swing at the Adam and Eve in Digbeth thanks to its new monthly club-style takeover. If you’re looking for sexually ambiguous men in tighty whiteys drinking flamboyant cocktails and wearing sunglasses, you won’t find it at Pub Tropicana. No one’s wearing tighty whiteys, but I reckon you could probably find the rest tucked away somewhere.... You won’t be hearing any Wham and the drinks aren’t free, but they are pretty cheap at this monthly offering of sunshine music courtesy of Skankboy (Gutterskank, MHVH) and New Jack City (Bigger Than Barry, Elixir) rolling out a selection of reggae, dancehall, funky, 2step, moombahton and anything else that is deemed fit for the hot weather - or hot weather vibes at least. Set to keep a little pocket of sunshine tucked away in Digbeth right through the summer months, dive into the cocktail buckets or just any of the other drink offers and dance until the sun comes up and you saunter home. Search Facebook for ‘Pub Tropicana’ or visit www.theadam.co.uk for details of upcoming events. Who: Disaffected Brits looking for some sunshine spirit in a lacklustre summer When: Every second Friday of the month – next one July 8 Where: The Adam & Eve, Digbeth Price: The drinks might not be free but entry is Words by Cassie-Philomena Smyth Photos by Jade Sukiya Spotted yourself? Get tagging at facebook.com/BrumNotesMagazine Want your club night featured in Brum Notes Magazine? Email info@brumnotes.com for details
July 2011
33
FOOD + DRINK The american cocktail If there is one way the grand old US of A has made its mark on the world, it is with its food and drink. But there’s more to star spangled palates than just a taste for burgers, fries and Coca Cola. With American Independence Day on July 4 giving the perfect excuse to celebrate the best our Yankee brethren have given us, The Victoria’s bar manager Julian Rose-Gibbs takes us through some of his favourite trans-Atlantic tipples. When I started professional bartending back in ‘95 the first place I had ever tried a cocktail was in an American theme bar. Back then there were many and they all prized themselves on great cocktails and service: “That’s the future,” I thought. As it turns out, it is the past that makes America rich in cocktail culture. Whilst the word ‘cocktail’ originated in Europe, the earliest written definition of the word cocktail came from New York in 1806. It stated: “A cocktail is a stimulating liquor of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters…” Up until the early 1900s these ingredients with the addition of vermouths (Martini, Lillet Blanc etc) were mostly all bartenders had to work with and this is where the Americans shone. Some of the world’s greatest classics came from this period, helped later on by prohibition and the emerging availability of ice and fruit in the mid 1900s. You will find many of these cocktails in their original or contemporised form at The Victoria. Here are two classic examples:
Recipe: The Sazerac
Recipe: THE MAI TAI
Ingredients: Half a teaspoon (tsp) of French Absinthe, or Herbsaint (a New Orleans brand of anise liqueur, from where the drink originates) 1 tsp sugar water OR 1 sugar cube OR 1 tsp caster sugar. 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 2 shots rye whiskey Strip of lemon peel
Ingredients: 2 shots of J Wray & Nephew rum Juice from one fresh lime Half shot of DeKuyper Orange Curacao Quarter shot of sugar water made using rock candy Half shot of French orgeat Syrup (non alcoholic almond syrup) 1 sprig of fresh mint
Directions: Swill Absinthe around an old fashioned glass and discard excess Add one shot of whiskey and the sugar and stir to dissolve some of the sugar Next, add solid cubed ice and all other ingredients - especially the other shot of whiskey - and stir well to chill, dilute and blend all ingredients together To finish, twist the lemon peel to expose the zesty oils on the skin over the drink and then run the peel (oil side down) around the rim of the glass and pop in to finish.
Directions: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously Serve over crushed or shaved ice and garnish with mint As always, enjoy…responsibly of course.
34
By Julian Rose-Gibbs, general manager of The Victoria in John Bright Street, Birmingham city centre Call 0121 633 9439 or visit www.thevictoriabirmingham.co.uk
Brum Notes Magazine
July 2011
35
Food Review
Soul Food Project @ The Victoria
Food
SERVICE
John Bright Street, Birmingham B1 1BN
atmosphere
VALUE
0121 633 9439
OVERALL
Fish and Chips, bangers and mash, Sunday roast – do they all become one and the same when it comes to eating out at your local pub? Yes, according to the brains behind concept kitchen Soul Food Project. But that is something they are determined to change. It’s the first time Brum Notes has visited the American deep south-inspired project since it spread its wings and took over the kitchen at boho boozer The Victoria - and we were not disappointed.
Having first launched at music hub the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath, Soul Food Project has continued the theme of its menu yet developed it further for another unique offering at its second home in the city centre.
The Soul Food Project was instantly a concept that we liked. Inkeeping with the diversity of Birmingham, it was refreshing to see a menu ‘breaking the mould’ in terms of pub grub, and not just overpricing a standard dish that you could make at home. It was also inspiring to talk to clearly passionate and welcoming staff who are excited and energetic about the idea.
The Louis-Louis - trumpet legend Louis Armstrong’s favourite dish of ‘Pork n Beans’ served with beef patty in a bun - and The Rocksteady - grilled chicken smothered in homemade Jamaican Jerk rub, served in a bun with crispy bacon, herb mayo and a side of fries - were the dishes that whetted the appetite the most, and the slightly long wait was certainly worth it once we took our first bites. Although both were a bit on the spicy side, they struck the perfect balance of being filling yet moreish and the dessert of brownie with pecans, obviously individually crafted, was the perfect end to a lovely evening. SFP couldn’t have chosen a better setting for its second venture than the centrally located pub, with the rustic decor, retro lampshades and relaxed sounds of some of the best soul and blues classics of the last century. The venue, atmosphere and food are definitely memorable, and the Soul Food Project is something that deserves to expand and succeed. We will certainly be back. Review by Gareth John
Food Bites
dIary If you like it spicy, Reggae Reggae Sauce mastermind Levi Roots will be on hand to give a cooking masterclass live on stage in Birmingham city centre as part of the Jamaica Live! free festival. The musical cook will be joined by fellow chefs to share their tips for recreating the tastes of the Caribbean on July 23, with the cooking demonstration also being broadcast live on the big screen in Victoria Square. Jamaica Live!, which helps mark the countdown to the arrival of the Jamaican athletes in Birmingham for next year’s Olympics, will also offer freshly-cooked Islands-style food available from local Caribbean chefs and vendors on site. Beer-lovers will be able to learn more about matching their favourite tipple with cheese at a tasting event in Kings Heath. Cafebar Cherry Reds in York Road hosts world beer tasting on the first Tuesday of every month, with this month’s event on July 5 being run in collaboration with nearby specialist cheesemonger Capeling & Co. As well as learning which beers go with which cheeses, guests will get plenty of samples of both as well as the chance to try beers from around the world. Tickets cost £15 per person and advanced booking is recommended. Call 0121 441 3155 to book. Diners at the Hare & Hounds will be able to get a whirlwind taste of Brazil, courtesy of a night of Samba-inspired cooking. The Kings Heath pub hosts Soul Food Project Visits Brazil on July 28, when head chef Carl Finn will be serving up a three course menu exploring one-pot cooking from the South American nation. Dinner is £15 per head for three courses. To book email info@soulfoodproject.co.uk or call 0121 444 2081.
36
Brum Notes Magazine
mac birmingham and Moseley Folk present
GOODNIGHT LENIN www.goodnightlenin.com
Saturday 23rd July Doors Open 7.30pm MAC Outdoor Arena Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH Advance Tickets £10 (£7 Concessions) Tickets available from WWW.MACARTS.CO.UK
O2 ACADEMY3 BIRMINGHAM
02 JUL
O2 ACADEMY3
www.lowanthem.com
09 JUL
SLADE ROOMS
Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Advance Tickets £15 + £1 Booking fee Tickets available from WWW.moseleyfolk.co.uk
10 JUL
SLADE ROOMS
14 JUL
HARE & HOUNDS
16 JUL
O2 ACADEMY3
21 JUL
HARE & HOUNDS
23 JUL
SLADE ROOMS
28 JUL
HARE & HOUNDS
30 JUL
o2 academy3
THE LOW ANTHEM Wednesday 17th August Doors Open at 8pm mac birmingham and Moseley Folk present
The Burns Unit www.theburnsunitband.com
Sunday 21 August 7.30pm / Tickets £15 (£12) Outdoor Arena, mac birmingham WWW.moseleyfolk.co.uk www.macarts.co.uk
mac birmingham and Moseley Folk present
Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick watersoncarthy.com / www.folkicons.co.uk/swarb.htm
HARE & HOUNDS KING’S HEATH
THE SLADE ROOMS WOLVERHAMPTON
ENVY OF THE STATE, LEXICOMANE!, GIRLS LOVE PONIES, NEW DAWN WILCOX, ONE THOUSAND SUNS, MEZZOTONIC, WE HUMANS, SJS MY GREAT AFFLICTION, BROKEN AGAIN, GAUGE, RALFALFA, GRACE THE SKIES JON WINDLE, THE HOLE IN THE HEAD GANG, THE ONE TWOS, BROKEN WITT REBELS GUNDOGS, MY PRESERVER, THIS ELEGANT CHAOS, GO PRIMITIVE RAVEN VANDELLE, NEGATIVE BRODY, ONE MILLION SUNS, CROOKED DAWN LOUTISH LOVER, SEVENTH SYNDICATE, THE SHARABANGS, EVERY INCH A KING AGAINST THE WHEEL, SHEBREW, 2ND SIDE MADE, EYES OF THE RAVEN jackpike, joe karchud, CHASING SKYLINES, loves sinister choir
Sunday 25 Sept 8pm / Tickets £13 (£10) Theatre, mac birmingham WWW.moseleyfolk.co.uk www.macarts.co.uk
July 2011
37
38
Brum Notes Magazine
July 2011
39
40
Brum Notes Magazine
WHAT’S ON
GIGS
Birmingham’s own dub-infused indie punks Tantrums start the month off in shuddering style with a long-awaited headline show at the HMV Institute’s Library, while another of the city’s newest emerging acts Evil Alien delve into the new venue at Muthers Studios in Digbeth on July 22, while acoustic troubadours Goodnight Lenin showcase their new EP in the open air ampitheatre at the Mac on July 23. Haunting indie soul Sea of Bees (pictured below) swarms on the Hare & Hounds on July 10, while Frankmusik mashes it up at The Rainbow on July 13. Festival fever returns to the city showcasing jazz, funk and soul through to reggae, indie and rock. The Mostly Jazz Festival boasts the likes of Booker T, Matthew Herbert and The Cinematic Orchestra within Moseley Park from July 1 to 3, while the 27th Birmingham International Jazz & Blues Festival keeps the vibe going until July 10 with a host of free performances throughout the city. Off the Cuff Festival returns to The Flapper for its biggest offering yet of post-punk, rock and indie from July 22 to 24. Metal giants Judas Priest show how it’s done with an historic appearance at Wolverhampton’s Civic Hall while branching more into radiofriendly, nu metal territory, Funeral For a Friend will be pulling a late one live at the O2 Academy’s brand new alt-rock club night Ink on July 16.
COMEDY
CLUBBING
When it comes to keeping the summer vibe running whatever the weather, The Rainbow’s premium clubbing brand Face certainly knows how to do it. With a busy summer season ahead there are plenty of highlights, but the Pete Tong-endorsed Glimpse provides a certain stand-out show on July 16. The festival spirit will be spilling over into clubland as well with Air hosting contemporary Asian club fest Party in the Pend on July 2, while the Mostly Jazz Festival’s soon-to-be-legendary afterparties are sure to ooze soul as well as an esoteric vibe for those smart enough to grab their tickets in time, headed up by the likes of Gilles Peterson and Craig Charles leading proceedings at the Hare & Hounds and Bull’s Head over the first weekend of July. Alt-rock club nights seem to have taken on something of a competitive edge in Birmingham recently with Subculture taking up residence in its new home Vudu on weekly Saturdays, while Ink, the O2 Academy’s brand new offering on the same night, will be flexing it’s tattooed muscles with some big name DJs and exclusive live sets to boot. House music icon Paul Oakenfold takes over Broad Street superclub Gatecrasher on July 9, while underground dance will be the order of the night when Uproar returns to the HMV Institute on July 30 for Summer Sounds, spread across three rooms and showcasing hardcore, techno and classic anthems. The Bull’s Head continues its micro-clubbing vibe with Hott Date closing the Moseley Festival - not to be confused with the Mostly Jazz Festival - with a typically marathon party kicking off in the afternoon and running into the night on July 17. This is Tmrw continue their own series of club nights at the same venue in Moseley, following on from the likes of Mark E and Midland with Greg Bird performing a live PA and DJ set on July 30 alongside a mix of contemporary and future dance from This is Tmrw residents.
If you can’t make the trip to the annual tastemaking showcase at Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival, you can still get a taste of this year’s attractions, with artists stopping off in Birmingham to perform warm-up shows. Feisty newcomer Shappi Khorsandi and socio-politically minded Irishman Andrew Maxwell (pictured) will both be sharpening up their festival sets with a double headline show at The Glee Club on July 28. Gentle Geordie Sarah Millican and Jason Cook will similarly be showcasing their Edinburghbound gags on July 21 but tickets have already been snapped up for that one. Twitter flirt and One Show bad boy Jason Manford will be reaping the rewards of his own publicity with a run of headline appearances including the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham on July 8 and 9. Also a regular sell-out but far less irritating, Laughing Cows comedy night brings Shazia Mirza and more to the Kitchen Garden Cafe in Kings Heath on July 13.
July 2011
41
KEY TO LISTINGS: M = LIVE MUSIC CN = CLUB NIGHT C = COMEDY
VENUE DIRECTORY BIRMINGHAM: O2 Academy, Horsefair, Bristol St B1, 0844 4772000; HMV Institute, High St, Digbeth B5, 0844 2485037; NIA, King Edwards Rd B1, 0121 7804141; LG Arena, NEC, Solihull B40, 0121 7804141; The Flapper, Kingston Row B1, 0121 2362421; The Victoria, John Bright St B1, 0121 6339439; Hare & Hounds, High St, Kings Heath B14, 0121 4442081; The Actress & Bishop, Ludgate Hill B3, 0121 2367426; The Sunflower Lounge, Smallbrook Queensway B5, 0121 6327656; Symphony Hall, Broad St B1, 0121 7803333; Town Hall, Victoria Sq B3, 0121 7803333; Kitchen Garden Cafe, York Road, Kings Heath B14, 0121 4434725; Alexandra Theatre, Station St B1, 0844 8472302; Bulls Head, St Marys Row, Moseley B13, 0121 2567777; Island Bar, Suffolk St B1, 0121 6325296; The Jam House, St Pauls Sq B3, 0121 2003030; The Asylum, Hampton St, Hockley B19, 0121 2331109; The Rainbow, High St, Digbeth B12, 0121 7728174; Adam & Eve, Bradford St, Digbeth B12, 0121 6931500; The Rose Villa Tavern, Warstone Lane, B18, 0121 2367910; The Yardbird, Paradise Place B3, 0121 2122524; The Glee Club, The Arcadian, Hurst St B5, 0871 4720400; MAC, Cannon Hill Park B12, 0121 4463232; Vudu, Corporation St B5, 0121 643 0859 ; The Crown, Station St B5, 0121 643 4265; Scruffy Murphys, The Priory Queensway B4, 0121 2362035; The Wagon & Horses, Adderley St, Digbeth B9, 0121 7721403; Highlight, Broad St B1, 08700 111 960; The Bristol Pear, Bristol Rd, Selly Oak B29, 0121 414 9980; WOLVERHAMPTON: Civic Hall/Wulfrun Hall, North St WV1, 0870 320 7000; The Slade Rooms, Broad St WV1, 0870 320 7000; Robin 2, Mount Pleasant, Bilston WV14, 01902 401211; WEST BROMWICH: The Public, New St B70, 0121 5337161; COVENTRY: Kasbah, Primrose Hill St, CV1, 024 76554473; Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick, CV4, 024 7652 4524 M M M M M
M M M M
Friday, Jul 1 Charlie Simpson Black Russian + No Americana + Sour Mash + Nonentity Tantrums + Corelli + Swim Deep + Silver Souvenirs Turnbulls + Blue Bottle Boy & the Sunshine Kid Conduit + Cheap Thrill + Tsuris + Rise of My Empire + Hallway District The Ludds + Vinny and the Curse Alcohol Licks + Scarred Society Drunk in Hell + Backwards + City Sick Joan of Arc + Hot Club de Paris + Pandas & People Lou Reed
M CN Takin Care of Business CN Propaganda CN Discographic: Kaminski CN Rollergirls CN Birmingham Roller Disco
42
CN Summer Ball (invite O2 Academy 2
Birmingham
The Actress & Bishop
Birmingham
The Library @ HMV Institute
Birmingham
The Sunflower Lounge The Temple @ HMV Institute
Birmingham
The Victoria
Birmingham
The Wagon & Horses The Wagon & Horses Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
The Civic Hall
Wolverhampton
Island Bar
Birmingham
O2 Academy
Birmingham
Rose Villa Tavern Scruffy Murphys Space2, The Custard Factory
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham Kings Heath
Birmingham Birmingham
only) Twisted Funk
CN CN The Mostly Jazz Festival CN C C
M
M M
Afterparty with Gilles Peterson Mostly Jazz Afterparty with Soul Buggin + No Fakin DJs + Ross Egan Highlight Comedy
The Best In Live Standup Comedy with Jarred Christmas + more Saturday, Jul 2 Envy of the State + Lexicomane! + Girls Love Ponies + New Dawn Warlord UK
M
Gregg Allman: The Low Country Blues Tour The Procession + The Wish Fulfilment + Last Gasp + PNW Alexis Jordan
M
Isolated Atoms
M M
The Town
M
Mr Shankly + Jonny Kowalski & The Sexy Weirdos + Lobster + Sam Maloney
Want your gig or club night listed in our monthly guide? Send details to: info@brumnotes. com All details correct at time of going to press. Check with venues before setting out. While every effort will be made to ensure the accuracy of listings, Brum Notes Magazine will not be held liable for any errors or losses incurred from errors which may materialise.
The Rainbow
Birmingham
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Highlight Birmingham The Glee Club
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Scruffy Murphys Symphony Hall
Birmingham
The Actress & Bishop
Birmingham
The Library @ HMV Institute The Temple @ HMV Institute The Victoria
Birmingham
The Wagon & Horses
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham Birmingham
Brum Notes Magazine
CN Party in the Pend CN Dr Jekyll’s Potion - Back
Air
Birmingham
Jekyll & Hyde
Birmingham
CN Moschino Hoes Versace
The Victoria
Birmingham
CN Ink Feat. Dead Letter
O2 Academy
Birmingham
M
Island Bar
Birmingham
CN CN Juqebox: Maria
Post
Birmingham
M
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Birmingham
Scruffy Murphys
Birmingham
CN Face presents Julio
Rose Villa Tavern Space2, The Custard Factory The Rainbow
Kings Heath
CN
Hare & Hounds Kitchen Garden Cafe Bull’s Head
M CN Tiki Thursday Thursday Night Food & C
Kasbah
Coventry
Island Bar
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham
M M M
2 Life
Circus Funkshaan Sunset Party Rodregez
CN Dolce Vita Enter the Jungle
CN CN CN
Bashmore, Bunny Pukku Up Ibiza Launch Party Harvey Lane + Smokedog + Skudkid + Reno Reverb present Beats & Pieces (free party) The Mostly Jazz Festival Afterparty with Matthew Herbert DJ set Prospec present Optical
CN CN Blessed & Blue Highlight Comedy C C C M M
The Best In Live Standup Comedy with Jarred Christmas + more Jimmy Carr Sunday, Jul 3 Ke$Ha Days of the Sirens
M
Rory Mcleod
M
Roger Daltrey And His Band Credo
M CN Mostly Jazz Festival
Afterparty with Craig Charles Monday, Jul 4 GB Mondays
CN CN Fuzzy Logic CN Jam Jah Mondays M M M
M M M M
Tuesday, Jul 5 Broken Torment + Sons of Belial + Mirrors Michael Sutton Open Their Eyes + Dan Turner + Arrowell + Tom Anderson + Roland Kaye Wednesday, Jul 6 The Flex Lewis Floyd Henry + The Bourbon Street Stompers Academy of Music and Sound Showcase Night Diamond Head
CN Full Moon
July 2011
Birmingham
M
Birmingham
M
The Rainbow
Birmingham
M
The Wagon & Horses
Birmingham
M
Hare & Hounds Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Kings Heath
Subway City Highlight Birmingham The Glee Club
Birmingham Birmingham
Hotties Thursday, Jul 7 Acoustic Lounge with Jason Pegg False Pretence + Breaking Satellites + No ID + All Thought Out + Exodus Calling Birthrite + Twisted Species + Black Russian Rams Pocket Radio Traditional Song Session Death Oh Eff + El Burro + Giant Manilow DJs White Lies
Comedy Special with Chris Ramsey + more Friday, Jul 8 Bright Eyes
HMV Institute
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Club Bomb
Scruffy Murphys The Actress & Bishop The Rainbow
Birmingham
The Sunflower Lounge The Temple @ HMV Institute The Victoria
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Rose Villa Tavern The Sugarloaf Bar @ Bodega The Wagon & Horses Hare & Hounds Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Alexandra Theatre The Glee Club
Birmingham
M
The Indy Knights
M M
Hymns
Wolverhampton
O2 Academy
Birmingham
The Actress & Bishop Kitchen Garden Cafe The Civic Hall
Birmingham
M
Kings Heath
M
Wolverhampton
M CN Discographic: Chris 4D
Bilston
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Sylvia + Vault of Eagles + Minimum Flatline Stereo + Young Runaways Creepshow feat Vinny and the Curse + more Frutaloka
CN Lucha Libre CN Entropy
Gatecrasher
Birmingham
Oceana
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Actress & Bishop The Jam House Hare & Hounds
Birmingham Birmingham Kings Heath
Island Bar
Birmingham
The Jam House
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds The Slade Rooms HMV Institute
Kings Heath Wolverhampton
CN Dollop Clubnight CN
CN C C
M M M M M
Moseley
Neema
The Civic Hall
Robin 2
Kings Heath
Launch Teenage Kicks present Britpop Party with Jon Brookes (The Charlatans) DJ set Freestyle with DJ Miylz + Soul Rebel Jason Manford The Best In Live Standup Comedy with Chris Ramsey + more Saturday, Jul 9 James Taylor
Birmingham Birmingham
Birmingham Birmingham
Birmingham Birmingham Kings Heath Kings Heath
Birmingham
LG Arena
Birmingham
Sublunar Promotions presents My Own Agenda + Only the Good The Atlantic Players
Scruffy Murphys The Actress & Bishop The Victoria
Birmingham
The Splitters
The Wagon & Horses
Birmingham
Birmingham Birmingham
Birmingham
43
M M
Wilcox + One Thousand Suns + Mezzotonic + We Humans + SJS Jon Windle (Little Man Tate) 10 Years at SDC
CN CN Paul Oakenfold CN Panic CN Dr Jekyll’s Potion - Hot CN
Wax! Juqebox: Steve Jones
CN Kute CN Face presents Catz ‘N CN CN CN
Dogz (Live) High Fidelity Clubnight Music for Smart People Scroobius Pip presents Wearelizards Clubnight Uber & Days Like This present Together with Mad Mats Matrix Club Mix
CN Jason Manford C C
M M M M
M
M C C M CN CN CN M M
The Best In Live Standup Comedy with Chris Ramsey + more Sunday, Jul 10 Electric Cake Salad + Paraffin Brothers + New Generation DJ Poison Planet (afternoon show) Sea of Bees Bohemian Jukebox Sunday Social feat The Dirty Old Folkers + Ben Calvert + David Leach + David Boddison My Great Affliction + Broken Again + Gauge + Rafalfa + Grace the Skies Fun Lovin Criminals
The Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton
Kasbah
Coventry
Air
Birmingham
Gatecrasher
Birmingham
HMV Institute
Birmingham
Jekyll & Hyde
Birmingham
Birmingham
Kitchen Garden Cafe
Kings Heath
Island Bar
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Scruffy Murphys The Actress & Bishop The Rainbow
Birmingham
The Temple @ HMV Institute Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
CN CN Fantastic Damage Thursday Night Food & C
Island Bar
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley Birmingham
M
Comedy Special with Stewart Francis + more Friday, Jul 15 Belligerence
The Glee Club
Birmingham
M
Sicum
M
The Monicas + Contact
M
Face vs Heel + The Jenkinsons + Bolshie + The Black Tears + Cold Motive Slab + Macarga + I Hate You More + Shebrew Susan Cadogan with Friendly Fire Band The Sin Kings + The Nine Shanks + The Family Ford + Copious Greg Bird & Flamingo Flame + Paul Kaminski Discographic: Hot Wax!
Scruffy Murphys The Actress & Bishop The Sunflower Lounge The Temple @ HMV Institute The Wagon & Horses Hare & Hounds Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
Rose Villa Tavern The Actress & Bishop The Victoria
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Glee Club
Birmingham
HMV Institute
Birmingham
O2 Academy
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Scruffy Murphys
Birmingham
M
M
Hare & Hounds Hare & Hounds Bull’s Head
Kings Heath
M
Kings Heath
M M
Moseley
M
M Robin 2
Bilston
Alexandra Theatre The Glee Club
Birmingham Birmingham
The Actress & Bishop
Birmingham
The Wagon & Horses Hare & Hounds Bull’s Head
Birmingham Kings Heath Moseley
Coventry
Hare & Hounds Kitchen Garden Cafe
Kings Heath
Monday, Jul 11 Babeshadow
The Rainbow
Birmingham
GB Mondays
Gatecrasher
Birmingham
Fuzzy Logic
Oceana
Birmingham
Jam Jah Mondays
Bull’s Head
Moseley
M M
Kings Heath
Birmingham
The Library @ HMV Institute
Birmingham
Wednesday, Jul 13 Corey Taylor
HMV Institute
Birmingham
Dolls Eye Weaver
Island Bar
Birmingham
M
Frankmusik
Scruffy Murphys The Library @ HMV Institute The Rainbow
Birmingham
M
George Barnett + In Isolation Ofwgkta
44
HMV Institute
M CN Full Moon Laughing Cows C
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
M M M
The Crooked Fiddle Band Bad Religion
Kings Heath
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Kasbah
Far East Movement
M
Hare & Hounds Hare & Hounds Wulfrun Hall
Birmingham
Wolverhampton
Tuesday, Jul 12 City Stereo
Kill it Kid + Circus Town
Rose Villa Tavern Subway City
The Slade Rooms
Stand-up Comedy Cabaret The Improlympians
M
Birmingham Birmingham
M M CN
Thursday, Jul 14 Acoustic Lounge with Jason Pegg Tall Trees + Forget That Friday + Flygone Silent Filter Promotions presents Seventh Horizon Alex Clare And So I Watch You From Afar Jon Windle (Little Man Tate) + The Hole in the Head Gang + The One Twos + Broken Witt Rebels Tiki Thursday
CN Chicks Dig Jerks: The
Return of Mazzy n Maria Music for the People
CN CN Freestyle The Best In Live StandC
M M M M
up Comedy with Stewart Francis + more Saturday, Jul 16 Hard House Element Funeral For A Friend Live Gundogs + My Preserver + This Elegant Chaos + Go Primitive Kyshera + Perduramo + Scar the Crow
Kings Heath Wolverhampton
Birmingham Birmingham
Kings Heath
Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham
Kings Heath Kings Heath
Birmingham Birmingham
Brum Notes Magazine
M
The Actress & Bishop
Birmingham
M
The Sunflower Lounge
Birmingham
CN Comedy Stand Up (free C
The Wagon & Horses The Wagon & Horses
Birmingham
CN CN Dr Jekyll’s Potion -
HMV Institute
Birmingham
Jekyll & Hyde
Birmingham
CN Juqebox: Maxwell
Birmingham
Random Xcitement
Rose Villa Tavern Subway City
Face presents Glimpse
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Sweat
The Victoria
Birmingham
Jam Hott present Back 2 Back special Resistor presents Si Begg Habit present Ben DelaPena + Tom Belte + The PJR Project The Best In Live Standup Comedy with Stewart Francis + more Sunday, Jul 17 Lucy Wainwright Roche
Hare & Hounds Hare & Hounds Bull’s Head
Kings Heath
The Glee Club
Fruitaloka
M M M
Butterfly Stone + Open to Fire + The White Room + The Picadors Becky Lee + The Swampmeat All Stars + JD Smith Punk 4 The Homeless feat Senseless + more Silent Filter Summer Party feat Karma Suite + more Hard House Element Paradise Brothers
CN CN CN CN CN CN C
M M M
Steve Gibbons
M
Hott Date Moseley Festival Closing Party with live bands and DJs from 3pm Athlete
M
CN Hott Date Moseley
M CN M M
Festival Closing Party with live bands and DJs from 3pm Monday, Jul 18 Rebecca Schwarz + Abigail Seabrook Jam Jah Mondays
Kings Heath
Scruffy Murphys
Birmingham
Island Bar
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Scruffy Murphys The Rainbow
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Bull’s Head
Moseley
M CN Tiki Thursday CN Underthecounter +
The Civic Hall
Wolverhampton
Island Bar
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds
Kings Heath
Birmingham
C
The Glee Club
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham
M
Island Bar
Birmingham
The Wagon & Horses Kitchen Garden Cafe Bull’s Head
Birmingham
The Conservatory @ Muthers Studio The Sunflower Lounge
Birmingham
The Temple @ HMV Institute The Victoria
Birmingham
The Wagon & Horses The Slade Rooms Rose Villa Tavern Hare & Hounds Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
CN The Best In Live StandC
Bull’s Head
Moseley
The Glee Club
Birmingham
M
MAC
Birmingham
O2 Academy 2
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
The Actress & Bishop
Birmingham
Warwick Arts Centre Bull’s Head
Birmingham
M M M M M
Birmingham
Kings Heath Moseley
Kings Heath
M
M
Disciples of Tone + Urban Spirit + The Modern + Rosarsic Zelig + Facade + The Nortons + Lauren Pryke Birmingham Settlement charity band night Horse Feathers + Betty & the ID Catch The Rainbow + Pure Purple Discographic: DJ Cheese Dip Inqlab against the Cuts!
Coventry
M
Moseley
M M
Moseley
CN
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Scruffy Murphys The Jam House The Library @ HMV Institute The Wagon & Horses Hare & Hounds
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Silent Filter
Island Bar
Birmingham
Slash
O2 Academy
Birmingham
Sudden Injury
The Actress & Bishop
Birmingham
Chris Aldridge & Bee
M
Tom Tom Club
M
The Weezards
M
Foot Village + Bitches + Klaus Kinski + Skinn Limbs Wednesday, Jul 20 Pajama Club
July 2011
Leftfoot present Mike Gao + Darkhouse Family Edinburgh Preview Show with Sarah Millican + Jason Cook Friday, Jul 22 The Fear + Heathen Zoo + Ions + Eastern Moon
Moseley
M
Burn Out
Raven Vandelle + Negative Brody + One Million Suns + Crooked Dawn Speak Up Sessions with Jodi Ann Bickley + Matt Windle (spoken word) Judas Priest
Evil Alien
Kings Heath
Tuesday, Jul 19 Vintage Trouble
entry) Thursday, Jul 21 Acoustic Lounge with Jason Pegg Slim Fit Gym Kit + Loftbeat Emissaries + Nowhere But Hear Exit Ten
M
Kitchen Garden Cafe Bull’s Head
M
M M M M
Hare & Hounds HMV Institute
Proud Mary + The Ganders + The Yipes Full Moon
CN
CN Leftfoot present Daddy G (Massive Attack) + Alternative Dubstep Orchestra Freestyle
Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham Kings Heath
M M M
up Comedy with Jason Cook Saturday, Jul 23 Goodnight Lenin (The Wenceslas Square EP Launch) We Are The Ocean Martyr de Mona + Captain Horizon + Silent Nation The Motive + Paraffin Brothers
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham
Wolverhampton Birmingham Kings Heath Kings Heath
45
M M M M M
The Victoria
Birmingham
The Wagon & Horses The Cross
Birmingham Moseley
M
The Civic Hall
Wolverhampton
M
Loutish Lover + Seventh Syndicate + The Sharabangs + Every Inch a King + Rubbernek Panic
The Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton
HMV Institute
Birmingham
Island Bar
Birmingham
Jekyll & Hyde
Birmingham
CN Juqebox: Leon
Rose Villa Tavern Scruffy Murphys The Rainbow
Birmingham
Hare & Hounds Bull’s Head
Kings Heath
The Glee Club
Birmingham
Rice
CN Terrorizer Grindhouse CN Face Residents
CN C
CN C
Showcase Viva Brazil live Samba Party Bunka presents Billy Nasty The Best In Live Standup Comedy with Jason Cook Sunday, Jul 24 Leftfoot present Roy Ayers + Pete Rock Desi Central Comedy Show with Shazia Mirza Monday, Jul 25 GB Mondays
CN CN Jam Jah Mondays M M
M M
Tuesday, Jul 26 Sublunar Promotions presents Anti-Pop Consortium Room 94 Wednesday, Jul 27 Rise At Dawn + The Arkhamists Silent Filter Promotions presents Ash
M CN Full Moon M M
M M
M CN
46
Thursday, Jul 28 Acoustic Lounge with Jason Pegg Lakota Sioux + Poetry in Numbers + No Americana + APX + PNW Tyburn Drop + Obzidian + Grin Against the Wheel + Shebrew + 2nd Side Made + Eyes of the Raven Lost Gypsy Dolls + Hawker Tiki Thursday
The Glee Club
Birmingham
The Actress & Bishop The Library @ HMV Institute The Sunflower Lounge The Temple @ HMV Institute
Birmingham
M CN Advanced Underground
Robin 2
Bilston
Club PST
Birmingham
CN
Rose Villa Tavern Scruffy Murphys The Sugarloaf Bar @ Bodega The Victoria
Birmingham
The Wagon & Horses Bull’s Head
Birmingham
The Glee Club
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Scruffy Murphys The Actress & Bishop
Birmingham
The Wagon & Horses
Birmingham
M M
CN CN Takin Care of Business CN Dr Jekyll’s Potion - Cold
CN
C
The Sweet Nothings+ Anguish Sandwich +David Leach Algernon Cadwallader (afternoon show) Joe Harris + Stone Foundation Dream Theater
Birmingham Birmingham
Moseley
CN Lucha Libre CN DJ Royale CN Substep CN Freestyle The Best In Live StandC
Kings Heath
Gatecrasher
Birmingham
Bull’s Head
Moseley
M
Scruffy Murphys Hare & Hounds O2 Academy
Birmingham
M
M M
Kings Heath Birmingham
Island Bar
Birmingham
Scruffy Murphys Kasbah
Birmingham
HMV Institute
Birmingham
Coventry
Island Bar
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
Scruffy Murphys Hare & Hounds
Birmingham Kings Heath
M
Moseley
Island Bar
Birmingham
up Comedy with Tommy Campbell + more Saturday, Jul 30 Jackpike + Joe Karchud + Chasing Skylines + Loves Sinister Choir Triaxis Shoot the Dead + The Last Masquerade + Little L Pre-Rebellion Punk Half Dayer feat Drongos for Europe + more You And What Army
The Slade Rooms Uproar: Summer Sounds HMV Institute
CN CN Dr Jekyll’s Potion CN Juqebox: Kaminski CN CN CN CN
M M
M
Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham
Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham
Moseley
Birmingham
Wolverhampton Birmingham
Jekyll & Hyde
Birmingham Birmingham
Bound 4 Da Reload
Rose Villa Tavern Subway City
Face meets Mustachio!
The Rainbow
Birmingham
Jocko Homo
The Victoria
Birmingham
THC present Maggot (GLC) + Rich Turner This is Tmrw Clubnight
Hare & Hounds Bull’s Head
Kings Heath
The Glee Club
Birmingham
O2 Academy 3
Birmingham
The Library @ HMV Institute The Wagon & Horses Kitchen Garden Cafe
Birmingham
CN The Best In Live StandC
M Bull’s Head
Music Discographic: Cold Rice
CN Club Dawnrazor
Hare & Hounds The Glee Club
Birmingham
Edinburgh Preview Show with Andrew Maxwell + Shappi Khorsandi Friday, Jul 29 Little Liam & the Mystery Lads Nine Days Lane (EP launch) Faye Bagley + Fern Fox Palmer Jet Pack + Roxum + Bloom + Kupovti + My Boyfriends Last Girlfriend Quill
up Comedy with Tommy Campbell + more Sunday, Jul 31 All Our Glory Athlete The Unwelcome Guests + The 255s Wreckless Eric + Amy Rigby
Birmingham
Moseley
Birmingham Kings Heath
Brum Notes Magazine
July 2011
47
48
Brum Notes Magazine