Brum Notes Magazine September 2012 by Brum Notes Magazine

September 2012

www.brumnotes.com music and lifestyle for the west midlands

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W E LC OM I NG B I R M I NG HAM’S N EW AR R IVALS

STUDENT SPECIAL TH E F R E S H E R S’ G U I DE TO B I R M I NG HAM Your 8 page insider guide to the best of the Second City starts on P24

ALSO INSIDE: Aiden Grimshaw Steve Cradock Cheek Mountain Thief Allo Darlin’ Husky and more…

PLUS: Win £100 to spend on Seventyseven clothing AND: Off The Cuff 2012 in pictures / Supersonic Festival and Birmingham Comedy Festival previewed / Your complete guide to what’s on in September September 2012

Thurs 11th Oct • £14 adv

Foreign Beggars Fri 12th Oct • £12 adv 6pm - 10pm

Ren Harvieu Sat 8th Sept • £10 adv

The Rollin’ Clones

Sat 13th Oct • £18 adv / £50 VIP

Hugh Cornwell

50th Anniversary Meals on Wheels Tour + Signify

Sun 14th Oct • £17.50 adv

Sun 9th Sept • £9 adv

Mon 15th Oct

IWRESTLEDABEARONCE Sat 15th Sept

The Cult

+ The Mission + Killing Joke

Sat 15th Sept • £8 adv 5.15pm - 10pm

Plug’d In Showcase

ft. Black Russian + The Tennysons + Twelve Clay Feet + The Nuclear Weasels + Silicone Daisy + Stormborn + Sophie Bohanan + Luke Huntley

The Midnight Beast Bloc Party Mon 15th Oct • £14 adv

Impericon Never Say Die! Tour 2012

Mon 29th Oct • £20 adv

Heaven 17

The Luxury Gap Tour

Tues 30th Oct • £15 adv

Tues 6th Nov • £10 adv

Pulled Apart By Horses Weds 7th Nov • £29 adv 6pm - 10pm

Tyler Hilton

Jack White

Weds 31st Oct

Weds 7th Nov • £15 adv

6.30pm - 10pm

Alt-J

Punch Brothers

Sat 3rd Nov • £13.50 adv

Sat 10th Nov • £12.50 adv

3oh!3

Hopsin

Sat 3rd Nov • £13.50 adv

Sun 11th Nov • £18.50 adv

Twin Atlantic

Coheed and Cambria

Tues 6th Nov • £18.50 adv

Thurs 29th Nov • £18.50 adv

Nightwish

The Vaccines

Weds 17th Oct • £13 adv 6pm - 10pm

Gallows

+ Feed The Rhino + Brotherhood Of The Lake

Thurs 18th Oct • £17.50 adv

Newton Faulkner

Sat 1st Sept • £5 adv

Tues 2nd Oct • £5 adv

Mon 17th Sept • £12 adv Performing ‘The Action Is Go’

Thurs 18th Oct • £22.50 adv

+ Mezzotonic + Luke Truth + Back To Back Covert + Arkwright ft. Bugzy

+ Sharksvbears + Bodhi Tree + Thunder Lion + The Fluffs

Fri 19th Oct • £11.50 adv

Mon 3rd Sept • £10 adv

The Jim Jones Revue

Europe’s Number 1 Tribute to Pearl Jam

Fu Manchu

Tues 18th Sept • £13 adv

Dying Fetus

+ Job For A Cowboy + Revocation + Cerebral Bore

Rick Astley 6pm - 10pm

City Lightz

Pearl Jem

Thurs 20th Sept • £11 adv

Sat 20th Oct

The Maine

The Gaslight Anthem

Fri 7th Sept • £5 adv

Fri 21st Sept

Sun 21st Oct • £12.50 adv

+ Martyr De Monda + Wraith + Black Wednesday

Halestorm

Reverend And The Makers

Sun 9th Sept • £7 adv

6pm - 10pm

Sat 22nd Sept • £22.50 adv

Nik Kershaw and his band Sun 23rd Sept • £13.50 adv

Motion City Soundtrack Weds 26th Sept • £11.50 adv

7.30pm - 11pm

+ The Carpels

Sun 21st Oct • £12.50 adv

Gaz Coombes

Mon 22nd Oct • £15 adv

Labrinth + Dbanj

Aceldama

Tom Hingley

(The Beast Inside UK Tour) Performing the Inspiral Carpets 2nd Album ‘The Beast Inside’ and reading excerpts from his book ‘Carpet Burns’ + Rory Mckee + The Brightsparks

Jellybean Rebellion Weds 3rd Oct • £8 adv 6.30pm - 10pm

Ben Montague Sat 6th Oct • £5 adv

Kites + Look, Stranger! Tour Sun 7th Oct • £6 adv

We Are Knuckle Dragger Romans Antlered Man The Villains & Vigilantes Tour

Tues 16th Oct • £7 adv

Fearles Vampire Killers + The Dead Lay Waiting + Obscure Pleasures

6.30pm - 10pm

Tues 23rd Oct • £10 adv

Mon 10th Sept • £6 adv

Little Comets

Sue Denim

Sat 20th Oct • £5 adv

Sat 29th Sept • £16 adv

Weds 24th Oct • £18.50 adv

Weds 12th Sept • £7 adv

Bowling For Soup

The Last Carnival

+ Sugar Mama + Howling Owls + Claire Boswell + Jody Capper

Aiden Grimshaw Maverick Sabre

Sat 29th Sept • £21.50 adv

Teedra Moses

Thurs 4th Oct • £10 adv

Vince Kidd Fri 5th Oct 6pm - 10pm

The Skints + Tyler Mae Tues 9th Oct • £10 adv

Lower Than Atlantis + The Dangerous Summer + Don Broco + Gnarwolves

Weds 10th Oct • £22 adv

6pm - 10pm

+ The Dollyrots + Patent Pending

+ KillTimers + Holocence + Last Masquerade + Tom Staniford

Weds 24th Oct • £8.50 adv 6pm - 10pm

Dog Is Dead

6pm - 10pm

StakeOut

6pm - 10pm

+ Keep The Change + Sunset Skyline + Everybody Looks Famous

Fri 26th Oct • £6 adv

Fri 21st Sept • £8 adv

Fri 26th Oct • £17.50 adv

The Enemy Brum Notes presents... Dakota Beats + Paper Shapes + Dive Exit + The One Twos

6pm - 10pm

Sat 27th Oct • £15 adv

Serj Tankian

Mindless Self Indulgence

Thurs 11th Oct • £17.50 adv

Sun 28th Oct • £16 adv

Hot Chip

Fri 14th Sept • £6 adv

Shinedown

Snooty Bobs

Mon 22nd Oct • £6adv

ahab

+ The Hummingbirds

Thurs 25th Oct • £12.50 adv

Evile + Wolf

Sat 27th Oct • £11 adv

Euroblast Tour

6pm - 10pm

ft. Jeff Loomis + Monuments + Vildhjarta + Stealing Axion

+ Silent Screams + Splintertone

Sun 4th Nov • £8 adv

Sun 23rd Sept • £10 adv

ft. Devil Sold His Soul + Heights + Heart Of A Coward + Steak Number Eight

Malefice

Anneke Van Giersbergen + Mojo Fury

Sun 30th Sept • £8 adv

Twisted Wheel

Metal Hammer Razor Tour

Fri 16th Nov • £8.50 adv 6.30pm - 10pm

[spunge]

16-18 Horsefair, Bristol St, Birmingham, B1 1DB 2

Doors 7.00pm unless stated • Venue box office opening hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-4pm, Sat 11am-4pm • No booking fee on cash transactions Notes Magazine ticketweb.co.uk • seetickets.com • gigantic.com •Brum ticketmaster.co.uk

Make Mr. Jack’s Birthday a memorable one. Please drink responsibly. *18+ only, terms and conditions apply, see online for details. September 2012

CONTENTS

Soweto Kinch live at The Flyover Show. See more on P36. Photo by Karl Dixon. Brum Notes Magazine Unit 12 The Bond 180-182 Fazeley Street Digbeth Birmingham B5 5SE info@brumnotes.com 0121 224 7363 Advertising 0121 224 7363 advertising@brumnotes.com Distribution StickupMedia! 0121 224 7364 Editor: Chris Moriarty Contributors Words: David Vincent, Jack Parker, Guy Hirst, Joe Whitehouse, Thomas Roden, Lyle Bignon, Ross Cotton, Ben Russell, Kez Whelan Pictures: Wayne Fox Photography, Jonathan Morgan (www.jamdonut.co.uk), Rob Gilbert, Karl Dixon (www.karldixon. com), Elliott Brown (The Public image, P24), Tony Hisgett (Electric image, P24) Cover image: Mark Murph & Craig Earp Style editor: Jade Sukiya jade@brumnotes.com Design: Adam Williams, Andy Aitken Connect Twitter: @BrumNotesMag Facebook: www.facebook.com/ BrumNotesMagazine Online: www.brumnotes.com

Regulars News 6-7 Competition 7 Live Reviews 34-37 Style 38-39 Food & Drink 40 What’s On Guide 43-46 Music and Features Preview: Birmingham Comedy Festival 8-9 Fresh Talent: The Enquiry + The Scribers 10 Ocean Colour Scene’s Steve Cradock 12 Allo Darlin’ 14-15 A swift half with: Husky 15 Cheek Mountain Thief 16-17 Preview: Supersonic Festival 18-19 Aiden Grimshaw 20-21 STUDENT SPECIAL The Student Guide to Brum 24-31 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. Brum Notes Magazine

Last weekend of the London 2012 Festival

Sampad and Seeper present

MANDALA Friday 7 September 8.30 & 9.30pm FREE Chamberlain Square, Birmingham See the trailer at www.mandala2012.co.uk Spectacular illuminations in colour and light, 3D digital projections with international and British Asian music & dance. Live music by Talvin Singh, live classical dance meets edgy urban attitude with Aakash Odedra, Devika Rao and Bboy’s Attic The FREE outdoor multimedia spectacle not to miss!

FREE events

RED BARAAT

BANDSTAND MARATHON

Friday 7 September 6.30pm FREE Chamberlain Square, Town Hall, Birmingham www.asianartsagency.co.uk

Sunday 9 September 1pm FREE www.bandstandmarathon.org.uk

Seriously hot, larger than life, Brooklyn based dhol ‘n’ brass band.

Premier partners of the London 2012 Festival

Principal funders of the London 2012 Festival

September 2012

Blues to reggae, bhangra to rock, brass bands to steel bands at bandstands in parks and town centres across the region.

Find free events and search Review and post images at for what’s on near you thegamesandme www.wmfor2012.com @WestMidsfor2012 www.london2012.com/festival #London2012Fest 5

two new independent retailers head for custard factory The Custard Factory in Digbeth is set to welcome two new retailers showcasing the best in independent fashion and creative arts. First to open will be Provide, a new boutique store offering menswear, tees, magazines, books and art from independent designers and brands. The store is due to open its doors on September 1 and will host a grand opening party on September 29 from 5pm. Also on its way is creative market Mr Birds Emporium which will offer a collective mix of independent shops under one roof, with a combination of permanent and temporary stalls showcasing a range of vintage and new contemporary items from local businesses and designers. It is being launched by Sabina Gran, organiser of Sutton Coldfield Vintage, and Frankie Johns, owner of iconic vintage store Urban Village, also based in the Custard Factory. The grand opening is October 13.

early details announced for oxjambrum takeover festival 2012

IN BRIEF

Wristbands are now on sale for this year’s OxjamBrum Takeover, a one day music festival taking place next month at various venues across Birmingham. The Takeover Festival returns to the city on October 13 with organisers teaming up with a host of partners to deliver what promises to be the best OxjamBrum event yet. Already on board for this year are Speech Fewapy, This Is Tmrw, Jazzlines, Brum Town and Eat Good, with confirmed venues include Symphony Hall Cafe Bar, moored canal barge Frederick, The Yardbird, Cafe Blend, The Victoria, Island Bar, and The Sunflower Lounge. A number of secret gigs are also being planned, with line-ups to be anGabriella Jones performs at Oxjam 2012 nounced shortly. We will be joining forces with the OxjamBrum team so keep your eyes peeled for exclusive news, previews and coverage of the event itself both online and in the magazine. This month also sees OxjamBrum teaming up with Chicks Dig Jerks and Speech Fewapy for a special one-off showcase event featuring live music and DJs at Sutton Coldfield pub The Station on September 16. Wristbands for the Takeover Festival on October 13 are available for £8.50 until September 3, or £10 advance thereafter with no booking fee at www.oxjambrum.org.uk.

A new student-friendly indie club night will launch at iconic Birmingham venue The Q Club next month. Ritual will boast five rooms of music including alternative and indie, hip hop and breaks, grunge and alt-rock, plus live music, spoken word and karaoke, as well as cheap drinks deals every Saturday at the Corporation Street club. Launch night is October 6.

goth bands wanted for halloween Dark and gothic bands are wanted to perform at a special Halloween event at Birmingham rock bar Scruffy Murphys. A £300 prize is up for grabs for the best band to perform at Suicide in the Music, billed as a haunting night of darkness, doom and drones on October 31. Organisers Aplemitz Art are looking for five bands to perform on the night who would describe themselves as doom, industrial, dark ambient, horror punk, grunge or gothic. The night will also feature a raffle for gothic artwork, t-shirts and drinks as well as a fancy dress contest with prizes up for grabs. Those interested in performing should email sacha_mcqueen11@hotmail.com with name, number and band name. 6

The London 2012 Festival draws to a close in spectacular style this month with a free music, dance and light show spectacular in the city centre. Mandala in Chamberlain Square will mark the end of Olympic-themed entertainment in the Midlands with colour and light projections illuminating the outside of Birmingham Town Hall, alongside live music by Talvin Singh and performances of Asian and urban dance. Performances are free at 8.30pm and 9.30pm on September 7, with entertainment starting at 6.30pm. A new monthly food market will head to the Mac in Cannon Hill Park on the last Sunday of every month. The Mac Food Market will take place on September 30 from 10.30am to 3.30pm offering a range of produce including homemade cakes, spices, traditional sweets, artisan breads, sausages, deli goods, a range of tea and coffee beans, freshly pressed juices, smoked meats, handmade chocolate, macaroons and more. Entry is free. A charity vintage fair offering clothing, accessories and homeware, as well as workshops and stylists will take over The Rainbow in Digbeth on September 29 from 1-5pm. The Virtuous Vintage event will also host a swap shop for bargain hunters to exchange items. Entry is £3 with funds raised going to Oxfam. Brum Notes Magazine

COMPETITION

win £100 of brand new streetwear from seventyseven clothing

Premium streetwear brand Seventyseven is celebrating the release of its brand new Capture range by offering the chance for Brum Notes readers to grab £100 of free clothes in our exclusive competition. The Birmingham-based clothing label’s latest musicinspired range is all about photographic prints and this tidy collection does not disappoint with five brand new on-trend designs, hand-printed on premium custom tees and crews. Perfect worn with a pair of chinos or shorts, this great new range is available at all Seventyseven stockists in the UK and online at www.seventyseven.co.uk right now. To be in with a chance of winning £100 worth of Seventyseven gear, just answer the following simple question: What is the name of Seventyseven’s brand new range? A: Capsule B: Capture C: Colin Send your answer, name, age and contact and details to competitions@brumnotes.com with the subject line ‘Seventyseven Competition’. Entries must be received by October 1. The winner will be chosen at random and notified by email, receiving a £100 voucher to spend at www.seventyseven.co.uk. For more Style, turn to P38.

NON PROFIT MUSIC REHEARSAL ROOM FLOODGATE STREET MUSIC COMPANY September 2012

£5

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ALSO FREE TO REFUGEES & ASYLUM

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Comedy Birmingham Comedy Festival returns to the city next month with new talent and international stars performing across the city. First up, The Glee Club gets in the mood with a one-off taster show starring Josh Widdicombe and Holly Walsh. David Vincent catches up with both comics and looks ahead to next month’s festival The city’s annual comedy fest’ returns next month with 10 days of mirth and (hopefully) laughs a plenty. Following a sneaky early show featuring Josh Widdicombe, Holly Walsh and Charlie Baker, the festival proper finds heavy-hitting Liverpudlian John Bishop weighing in for three nights at the the NIA (Oct 11-13). There’s also those Hairy Bikers (Oct 5-6, New Alexandra Theatre), but perhaps more interesting are appearances from shaggy haired wunderkind Seann Walsh (Oct 10, The Glee Club), Birmingham’s brightest comedy hope Joe Lycett (Oct 9, Blue Orange Theatre), hysterical impro’ Irish rappers Abandoman (Oct 7, The Glee), fresh from supporting Ed Sheeran, and the mighty John Cooper Clarke (Oct 11, Town Hall), ‘the Bard of Salford’ and subject of a recent BBC4 documentary whose distinctive tones also grace Plan B’s Ill Manors soundtrack. Other notable highlights include Charlie (brother of Eddie) Murphy (Oct 14, New Alexandra Theatre), the Scottish Falsetto Sock

Puppet Theatre (Oct 11, Old Joint Stock), Comedy In The Dark (Oct 11, The Electric), and E4’s musical hi-jinx clan The Midnight Beast (Oct 14, O2 Academy) – think Goldie Lookin’ Chain meets The Monkees – while a free ‘comference’ explores the differences between comedy and art, with an esteemed panel of academics and stand-ups (Oct 6, Hare & Hounds). Plenty of action from local acts too, including Mrs Barbara Nice (portrayed by Birmingham comedy stalwart Janice Connolly and no doubt still flushed with a raft of massive Edinburgh Fringe reviews), Birmingham Footnotes, Box Of Frogs, James Cook, Paul Savage, Sheila M, Freddie Farrell, Boris Nicoli, Fatbergs, Annette Fagon and Emma Morgan. Birmingham Comedy Festival runs from October 5 to 14 at various venues. Full listings at www.bhamcomfest.co.uk.

Comedy co-founder has continued to pursue her stand-up career, with her dislocated shoulder and broken arm sustained during an attempt to fly at the Worthing Birdman festival in 2010 providing rich source material for her solo show, Hollycopter.

holly walsh Picking up a Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer Nomination last year put Holly Walsh firmly in the comedy spotlight, though it’s fair to say she was hardly a newbie, having made her presence felt as far back as 2006. She’s since made numerous TV appearances, but her recent BBC3 writing collaboration with Pulling’s Sharon Horgan, Dead Boss, has established her as a promising new writer too. Despite the lure of TV and radio, the Popcorn 8

Dead Boss has recently finished on BBC3 - how do you think it went? Oh man! The whole thing was really exciting - watching it come out on actual telly was so brilliant! I tried not to read the reviews etc – I learnt that trick from being a stand-up – but we got some great feedback. How did the writing collaboration with Sharon Horgan come about? I met Sharon on my first ever writing job – as a joke contributor for Jo Caulfield’s Radio 4 show. Sharon was one of the actresses on it, and for some reason we hit it off. It took us a while to start writing together though. There was some great casting in the series - notably Jennifer Saunders, plus Miranda Richardson and Caroline Quentin ... but also Carl Barat and Tony Blackburn... I know! They were all amazing. We were so lucky that people were available and up for it - actors like Ed Hogg, Amanda Lawrence, Bryony Hannah - too many to mention - were

also superb. It’s two years since Birdman, which must have been a traumatic episode - was channelling that experience into your live show Hollycopter helpful/cathartic? Oh totally. It was basically therapy. Although it would have been a lot cheaper to go to therapy. I was lucky that my job allowed me to find the silver lining of a pretty awful experience. Throughout the making of Dead Boss you continued to do stand-up around the UK. How did you find the time and how much Red Bull did you have to drink? Ha-ha! I’ve never drunk a whole can of Red Bull! I think I had some once in a Jägerbomb? I did find it quite hard, working in the day and then working at night. But I really love standup, and when it goes well, there’s no better job in the world. What is it about doing live stand-up you enjoy so much? I think it’s the live factor – I love the idea that something happens between the comic and the audience that could never be recreated. My favourite thing in the world is trying out new jokes. There’s no bigger rush that saying something new and getting a laugh for it. Brum Notes Magazine

josh widdicombe Dashing up and down the country supporting such acts as Stephen Merchant, Alan Carr and Kevin Bridges has been a rewarding experience for comedian Josh Widdicombe. “You learn a lot,” he says. “I’ve really improved as a comic. When you go back to a smaller room now, it’s far less stressful. I remember

the first time I played The Glee Club in Cardiff and I thought it was so stressful - ‘how am I going to do this in front of an audience that big?’ But now I’ve supported Alan and Stephen, suddenly appearing in front of 500 people at The Glee is easy. “[I’ve been] doing well off support tours I guess,” he continues. “I’ve played all the biggest theatres in Britain! I have almost forgotten ... I did eight nights at the Hammersmith Apollo and most acts can’t even do one night there.” Confident and clearly comfortable on stage, the Devon-raised, Manchester Uni graduate surprisingly only made his stand-up debut in 2008. Before the year was out, he’d bagged a place in the So You Think You’re Funny finals, and has since racked up an enviable number of other gong nominations. “Previous to doing stand-up I worked in Waterstone’s and worked on the Guardian, on the sport bit on their website,” Josh recalls. “I was freelance doing two shifts a week and then doing stand up for the rest of the week ... and wishing I could do stand up all the time and leave work. Which is what eventually happened.

“I enjoy journalism, but as a comedian, I seem to have to do endless Q&As, which is the only thing I write nowadays. But I hope comedy will lead to other things – it’d be nice to lead to TV, writing books, anything. It’d be good to do those other things eventually.” TV has, of course, already beckoned, as Josh has penned material for Mock The Week and 8 Out Of 10 Cats, and appeared on such fare as Live At the Apollo, Show And Tell, and Stand Up For The Week with Jon Richardson, Rich Hall, and pal Seann Walsh. “I loved it,” he says of the topical series. “There is pressure. When you turn over that amount of material every week, the pressure is massive, but it’s like when you’re at university and you have to do an essay over night, it does become a lot easier the more you do it. Coming out of that experience, I found writing this [current live] show much easier. I’d love to do it again.” Birmingham Comedy Festival Presents Josh Widdicombe, Holly Walsh, Charlie Baker, Mickey Sharma and special guests, live at The Glee Club on September 26. Tickets £12.50, £8 NUS. Tickets from www.glee.co.uk.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Stand-up - Art - Film - Music - Theatre - Workshops

For full festival listings see: www.bhamcomfest.co.uk Facebook: BhamComFest Twitter: @BhamComFest

September 2012

SUPPORTED BY

Wednesday 26 September 2012 Birmingham Comedy Festival Presents...

JOSH WIDDICOMBE - HOLLY WALSH CHARLIE BAKER - MICKEY SHARMA and special guests A special, one-off, never to be repeated pre-festival spectacular. Tickets: www.glee.co.uk/birmingham Tel: 0871 472 0400

This event is supported by: ARCADIAN, HOLIDAY INN BIRMINGHAM CITY, MISSION PRINT and THE GLEE CLUB. Media Partner: BRUMNOTES MAGAZINE.

the enquiry After falling together at music college earlier this year The Enquiry are a band on the rise.

How would you describe your sound? JP: It’s like a mixture of bouncy indie and dirty heavy riffs, it’s almost bipolar. We go from having dancey happy riffs into a really big, heavy, grungy sound. I like the confusion on people faces when we make the changes.

Are you pleased with how quickly things have been coming together for you? RW: We’re really happy with the response What can you tell us about The Enquiry? we’ve been getting from everyone, it’s nice JP: The Enquiry is an alt rock band borne to have people such as [The Catapult Club out of the very depths of our fair city, Bir- promoter] Arthur Tapp bigging us up to peomingham, with the intention of making a lot ple, it gives us a great boost to write the best of noise and being generally loud. we can and enjoy it. SU: Over the moon. I don’t think any of Who is in the band and how did you form? us were expecting to get anywhere with JL: On lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Jo- what we were doing, let alone getting the seph Parker, lead riffs are carried by Richard response we’ve got from everyone. The Wright, Joseph Lees and Scott Underwood support you can get from Birmingham is are the bass and kit, respectively. astounding. I think that, combined with sheer JP: We all met while studying at a music dumb luck, has got us the opportunities to college [Access to Music] in Digbeth and get us as far as we have. I hope it has a bit we all gelled really well from day one so we to do with the music too. But what young decided to start writing tracks together in band can’t wake up and feel so lucky to be the same vein as bands we all individually at a point like this in a place like this? admired and mashing the sounds together. It really came together quite incidentally, Favourite gig you’ve played so far? there wasn’t really a sit-down period where RW: We played a show at the Adam & Eve we talked about it. It kind of just, happened. not long ago where the place was so packed it’s up to other people to pigeon hole it with a genre or style.

The scribers After being one of the surprise star acts of the day at minifestival One Beat Sunday, we take a closer look at teenage upstarts The Scribers. First things first, can you introduce yourselves? Liam: We are a dark indie/alternative band based in Birmingham, we have our own unique sound which has been referred to as mysterious and brooding. Jack Lawler is on lead vocals. I’m Liam Haste, I play lead guitar, Jacob Garvey is the drummer and Jack Vincent plays bass guitar. How would you describe your sound? JV: We sound like us... We play our own music and it seems to come across as quite dark and that’s how we like it. We do take influence from a few of our favourite artists but we feel that our music is our own and 10

The vocal style has a similar attitude to Jamie T, is he someone who you admire? JL: I listened to a lot of Jamie T when I was younger and still do, and I love the fact that his lyrics are meaningful and autobiographical. I also get a lot my vocal inspiration from Alex Turner. Being compared to Jamie T means a great deal to me. You must have been really pleased with the reaction you got at One Beat Sunday? LH: We couldn’t have asked for a better

the crowd were almost on the stage, we were sweating and rocking out right next to them. Those are our favourite type of shows, ones where the crowd go away with some of your DNA. Is it an exciting time to be a band in Brum? SU: It’s very exciting, I feel like we’ve won the lottery. Every night is electric, whether we’re on or not. You can go out to a bar or club or venue in and around the city centre and find gems, beautiful bands and artists. Vigilance Committee are an awesome band who can set a night on fire. We all saw them for free at a jazz club [The Yardbird] near the town hall and it was such a stand-out gig. The Enquiry headline The End @ The Ballroom, Birmingham, on September 8 and support Fever Fever at the same venue on October 7. reaction at One Beat Sunday, we have had such good feedback from that day, the reviews we have received have made us extremely happy. Was it strange playing to an audience who might not have known much about you? JG: It was good to play to a different audience, but we like doing that. We love to play to the people that like our music and show such good support towards us, but playing to new people is much more exciting, not knowing what they think of you and then getting feedback from them is great. What’s planned for the next few months? JG: We are looking at going back into the studio. We recorded our first single Incoming three or four months ago now but we have written a few more songs since then and are looking at getting our second single Waltzers recorded in the next couple of months. LH: We are comfortable gigging in and around Birmingham, just trying to build up our fan base but we would love to get out there and play to more people in different cities, and try and spread the word about The Scribers to as many people as possible. The Scribers are live at the O2 Academy 3, Birmingham, on September 13. Brum Notes Magazine

September 2012

As lead guitarist with one of Birmingham’s best known bands in Ocean Colour Scene, as well as a key member of Paul Weller’s band for two decades, Steve Cradock certainly knows a thing or two about entertaining huge crowds, having toured arenas across the globe. But with his solo project, he is more than happy to perform in more intimate surroundings and having turned to singing and songwriting as a ‘solo artist’ relatively late in his career he admits he is still getting used to being centre stage.

Ocean Colour Scene guitarist STEVE CRADOCK makes a welcome return to his native city this month to take centre stage as he performs under his solo guise. He tells Chris Moriarty what inspired him to take the lead role after more than two decades in music.

“It’s not even about getting close to the audience, it’s just that 200 people is as much as I can wish to get on a solo gig,” explains Steve Cradock, looking ahead to his relatively cosy solo tour, at least cosy when compared to the crowds of thousands he performs to with his other bands. “But I like it, 200 people is the right amount of people for an acoustic gig I think anyway. “I’m getting more confident with singing, definitely, because I’m just doing more of it. I play with four people, Andy Bennett, a guy called Andy Flynn and my wife Sally who plays mellotron and keyboards and we all do vocals so it’s kind of like acid folk music I think, so it’s not a solo thing, we’re all involved with things with all the harmonies and beautiful flute sounds and string sounds, it’s that kind of vibe.” For a man who has been a charismatic mainstay on Britain’s music scene for such a long time, it is perhaps surprising that he only got round to making his solo debut four years ago. These days based in Torquay, the Birmingham-born musician is now putting the finishing touches to album number three, a relatively prolific outlay by today’s standards. “Hopefully it [the third album] should be out in October or November, if we can get get everything into place beforehand, but, you know how it goes, I’m hoping this year anyway. “It sounds great, sounds like another mini-classic to me, as far as I know. It’s just 40 minutes of new songs really. It’s taken a year, from the first day I wrote the first tune to yesterday was a year ago so it’s still quite slow isn’t it, in comparison to the old days but I suppose it’s quicker than some, people take two or three years at the moment really.” It’s taken him a while to get here though, with the majority of his time having previously been occupied by his roles in first The Boys, followed by household names OCS and Paul Weller, it wasn’t until 2008 that he finally sat down to record solo debut The Kundalini Target at Weller’s Black Barn Studios in Surrey.

“I didn’t have any interest in writing to be honest with you before then,” he explains, “I just liked being a guitar player in a band and it’s only recently, I think it’s since I had kids really, — I don’t know, f*ck knows — it’s just I suddenly got into it, it was like a whole other world of the whole writing structure, do you know what I mean?” Whether his role as a father influenced his songwriting or not, it is clear that he is very much a committed family man and is relishing the chance to tour with his wife Sally. “I really like it because I’ve been in boy bands kind of all my life and it definitely brings a different thing, it adds a bit more glamour to it I think. It makes a big difference, I’ve got all my kids with me at the moment and we’ve just had a week up in Scotland so we’re like the travelling von Trapps or something. “I’ve not been a big rock and roller for many years, I just can’t be arsed with all that bollocks, you know it’s 20 years since we used to do all that, which you can’t be doing round kids, it’s not right is it?” While times may have changed and he has left his native city, he still can’t hide his excitement about playing back in Birmingham, not least the chance to return to his musical roots at the Hare & Hounds. “I love it. I’m back in Birmingham quite a bit anyway because my mates are still there and my dad lives in Leicester so I’m up in the Midlands quite a bit. But I really love playing in Birmingham, I think it’s a great musical city. And also we’re coming to play the Hare & Hounds which I’m really excited about because obviously we played there in The Boys, I played there with Simon [Fowler, OCS frontman] a couple of times, I used to go and see him when he was playing with this great band called The Boatyman. “It was before OCS, 1987/88 kind of time, I just thought they were brilliant and I used to go and see them quite a lot, obviously The Fanatics [Simon Fowler’s former band] I used to go and see there. We played the Jug, twice I think, before we got Moseley Shoals out. “I’ve got to be honest with you, The Jug was a great drinking pub but as a gig it was shit really, The Jug of Ale. But at the Hare it’s always been a better gig.”

Steve Cradock is live at the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, on September 27, with support from The Crooked Empire, Little Liam and The Making. Brum Notes Magazine

September 2012

Ukulele-toting twee pop outfit Allo Darlin’ head to the unlikely surrounds of Birmingham rock bar Subside on their next tour. We caught up with bassist and singer Bill Botting, one quarter of the London-based Aussie/Brit hybrid band to talk tattoos, tipples and touring.

So, first things first, are you looking forward to getting back out on tour? Very much so. It’s a lot of fun. And the more you do it, the better you get at it.

It does have a nice Jägermeister machine though. What’s your tipple of choice when on the road? Not Jäger! Well, not usually. Mike is a fan and a connoisseur of Tequila, he especially likes Have you played in Birmingham before? Siete Leguas. Though like the pelican in that This tour will be our first time playing in Roald Dahl book, he dreams of it all day but Birmingham — I have no idea why it has he never gets any. Paul likes a cocktail of his taken so long but we’re excited to finally be own invention called a ‘Risky’. It’s equal parts playing. And we’re doing two shows to make rum and whiskey. Elizabeth is less particular, up for lost time [They’ve also added an all but has a rule about cheap white wine. I drink ages acoustic show on the Sunday after- whatever’s going. I’m a yes man. noon at The Station in Kings Heath before the show on Monday night]. Do you get the chance to enjoy the nightlife or see the sights of many places when Do you realise you’re playing in a heavy you’re on tour, or does it tend to be a case metal bar in Birmingham? Any plans to of getting straight back on the tour bus? rock the tats and leathers or cover any It depends on what is going on the next day Black Sabbath for this show? and how suggestible we’re feeling. Some I heard it’s a metal bar, yeah. I’m sure we’ll nights we can get very carried away and feel perfectly at home there. When we were some days if we’re really lucky we might get in America earlier in the year two of us got into town early enough and be feeling enertattoos. Don’t expect any Sabbath covers getic enough to go and see what’s there to though. Maybe AC/DC. be seen. But if you want to see the sights, then being on tour isn’t really the best way to It’s probably going to be the first time do it. It’s work after all. Good work, but work. anyone has ever played a ukulele in that venue, are you looking forward to making What’s the strangest thing that’s your own bit of musical history? happened to you on tour so far? Are you sure no one’s played a uke there There’s a few contenders for the title of before? You see them quite a lot these days! strangest thing. We drove through a gun Although Elizabeth also plays guitar on a lot fight in San Francisco, then there was the of songs now. drugged up crazy guy who smashed his way 14

into the venue with a sledgehammer after a show in Montreal, um, I got tackled into the back of a van by a guy in Paris who was feeling amorous. A lot of strange things happen. If I thought about it I could probably list a load more, but those are the first ones that spring to mind. And how do you all get on when you’re on the road together? Pretty well. Everyone needs a little space once in a while, and you can’t always get that space, so the next best thing is to withdraw a little. But 95 per cent of the time we get on great. We’re all good friends and we probably see more of each other than any one else, so it’s just as well. So, how did you end up forming a band in the UK? Elizabeth came to the UK with the express intention of starting a band. Brisbane is a cool city with a lot of talented and interesting musicians and artists, but it’s also really small and it wasn’t the right place to make the music I think she wanted to make. And her heroes The Go-Betweens had made the same journey. It seemed like a path worth following I guess. As an Australian, are you sick of answering questions about the weather in England? Brum Notes Magazine

What’s interesting is that people seem to think it’s worse than it actually is. But yes. Yes. What do you make of the music scene back in your homeland, do you still manage to keep up to date with the new bands coming from there? I don’t hear a lot of Australian music, but the bands that tend to make it big enough to get heard over here aren’t usually my kind of thing. Lately, pretty much all the new music I listen to comes from bands that we play with or friends play with. Which don’t tend to be Australian bands. We are going to play in Australia in October though so we’ll get a chance to check it out then. Oh — actually I heard an Australian band yesterday — they’re called Go Violets and they were from Brisbane. I thought they were great! Your second album is apparently influenced by winter in Sweden. I guess you can’t get a much different climate to Brisbane. Do you find a lot of inspiration in the different atmospheres of different places? I think Elizabeth gets a lot of inspiration from travelling and seeing new places and meeting new people, yeah. I guess because she writes about her experience and about life from where she is standing and in the last two years or so that’s been a lot of different places. This tour will be the first chance a lot of your fans around the country will have had to see the material from [second album] Europe live since its May release, does it still feel like a new album to you? It does. Although we’re just starting to learn a few new songs that we’re going to record soon, so maybe it’s going to start feeling different again. If you don’t play a song for a while though it starts to feel new again. I remember the first time we played a song from our first record called Woody Allen after not doing it for ages it felt like a completely different beast. I really loved it. You must have been delighted with the critical reaction your album got on it’s release? Are reviews important to you? It is nice to have good reviews. It’s probably more nice for our record label, because hopefully that means they can sell some records! But, depending on what kind of a person you are it can be pretty dangerous to read them. Elizabeth reads almost none and I can understand why — I’ve read some less than positive reviews for both this record and the last one and they can be pretty hurtful or they can make you angry. Which is silly, but I guess it means that we are really proud of the records we’ve made, so when people like them it’s great, but not everybody likes everything. You can’t fool all the people all the time. Have you already started thinking about album number three, or is songwriting an ongoing process for you? There’s some new songs floating around, but I don’t know if they’ll be for the next record or something else. I guess we should probably be thinking about the next record, but we’ll get there. We’ve got a lot of work to do between now and then... Allo Darlin’ are live at Subside, Birmingham, on September 3, with support from Ace Bushy Striptease and Frankie Machine. Allo Darlin’ also play an acoustic all-ages afternoon show at The Station, Kings Heath, on September 2, with entry free for Subside ticket holders, starting at 1pm. September 2012

A SWIFT HALF WITH… HUSKY

Aussie outfit Husky bring their lush blend of spectral psychedelia and evocative harmonies to Birmingham this month. Frontman Husky Gawenda looks ahead. Looking forward to touring the UK? We are. We’ve done a little bit of touring in the UK but there’s a lot we haven’t seen yet, like Birmingham. So will be great to have a look around. And what do you know about Birmingham? I hear it’s the birthplace of heavy metal music. We were all metal fans in our teens — Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, etc. What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you on tour so far? Evan woke up in the lobby of our hotel in Brooklyn and just a towel and had no idea how he got there or why. The last I saw him he was asleep in the bunk bed above me. There’s a lot of layers to your studio sound, how do you go about recreating that live? We all find ways of multitasking using all eight hands and feet to do so. Do the songs take on something of a different life performed live compared to on the album? Yeah, I think live is always going to be different. There’s an energy, an immediacy and uniqueness to every show that is exciting and moving. You’re on a great label in the UK in Sub Pop, how supportive have they been in getting your music out there? Sub Pop have been really supportive. It’s a big world and we’re just a little band so we need the support. We feel really lucky to be working with great people. Is there something of an air of mystery touring in the UK being from so far away to know what sort of reaction you’ll get? It’s always a bit of an unknown when you are rocking up to places you have never been. But social networking does mean you can have some connection with people before you’ve actually met them. But to really know what you’re in for, you have to get there and hop on stage and then see how it goes. Husky are live at the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, on September 12, with support from The Bronze Medal. 15

TUNNG IN CHEEK Tunng frontman Mike Lindsay has found inspiration through love in more ways than one for his new project Cheek Mountain Thief. He talks to David Vincent about how the alien landscapes of a northern Icelandic fishing town formed the backdrop for a brand new album.

Tunng’s Mike Lindsay is a man clearly in love. And it’s not just with his girlfriend, Harpa, but also her home country: Iceland. After 18 months of touring hard with 2010’s …And Then We Saw Land, folktronica combo Tunng took a well earned rest leaving Mike with some time on his hands and the urge to nip up north. “I first went to Iceland six years ago,” Mike recalls. “I had an amazing week in 2006. It was crazy, fireworks, snow, alcohol. I never stopped thinking about it. When Tunng played Airwaves [Festival] later [2010], it was great, and it just evolved from there. I guess I fell in love as soon as I stepped [out] there, and a lot of people do, it is an amazing place.” Travelling light, Mike had few plans other than see girlfriend Harpa and return to Husavik, a small, northern fishing town under the shadow of Kinnarfjöll (aka Cheek Mountain), 16

a place of bubbling hot springs and a volcanic crater called Hell which he describes as “a mythical wonderland”. “I just went there for two months with a laptop, a guitar and a tape echo machine and was maybe going to make a solo EP, or an electronic dub record because of the tape echo machine. But within two days I’d met a great drummer, a great violinist, trumpet player and borrowed guitars, a synth from people. I built this mixing desk and studio all out of borrowed equipment.” As people and equipment came and Mike soaked up the atmosphere, the idea of the Cheek Mountain Thief persona and album quickly took shape. “The whole thing changed, it became this progressive folk record really, which is what I do, but it’s very personal, very different from a Tunng record because of that. It was completely inspired by Iceland, but also it’s

first person inspired, which is new for me. It just evolved over the months… because of the people.” After two months, Mike had a dozen songs recorded with local musicians, including a 15-year-old accordion player and her school’s marimba band. “I had the makings of a record telling the story of new beginnings, new people, alien landscapes, and falling in love. It certainly didn’t sound like an album of loneliness in the wilderness. But how could it?” The tracks were eventually completed in Reykjavík with the aid of a male choir, electronica artist Mugison and members of Mum, among others. “When you listen to it, it doesn’t immediately conjure up images of elves dancing about and glaciers, but the whole concept of the record, going to Iceland with hardly anything, means it of course is an Icelandic Brum Notes Magazine

record,” Mike explains. “I met a lot of local people, from the local communities, who really got involved in the record. Everyone on it is Icelandic apart from me. “The view of Cheek Mountain was so powerful. A couple of songs are quite literally about the mountains. I remember looking at them one day, and all the snow had melted about from the shape of a question mark. That felt really symbolic, about what I was doing, about this record. Seeing something like that can make you think about things. It is a magical place, with lava fields, the landscape, gloopy black molten stuff … I guess I did come over a bit ‘hippy’. And that all definitely fed into the music. I was leaving what I knew behind and making something fresh. It evolved over time. So it is all about Iceland, but also about a personal journey, a personal adventure.” Mike describes the experience as life-changing. “I never expected that, to have that feeling. I moved to Iceland and changed my whole life, it’s been absolutely magical, and the record came out of that…” Released on Full Time Hobby, the eponymous Cheek Mountain Thief album is accompanied by a scattering of live shows

September 2012

“The view of Cheek Mountain was so powerful… I remember looking at them one day, and all the snow had melted about from the shape of a question mark. That felt really symbolic, about what I was doing, about this record.” which sees Mike reunite with core players from the project. “There’s seven of us from the record and it’s a really big deal. We’re only doing a bit of a mini-tour — four dates in England and four in Europe. A couple of people have never left Iceland before I think! I’m really trying to get the choir over — this 25 piece, cowboy, drunk choir. I’ve got them along to gigs in Iceland and maybe some of them will try and make it to the English dates. They’ll be paying for themselves to come over, so they’ll be treating it like a holiday. It’s not confirmed though. I’d love to present the full thing — I am — but to present the full thing with the choir…” As for Tunng fans worried that this new life may mean leaving his other duties behind, those fears are quickly dispelled. Though now based permanently in Reykjavík, the

arrival of Cheek Mountain Thief does not spell the end for Tunng as Mike is currently ‘on holiday’ in London working on a fifth studio album. “Definitely finishing the Tunng record, that’s the main priority, apart from these shows,” says Mike firmly, who has also recorded an EP in Reykjavík with Laura J Martin as Bónus-skór. “I guess the Tunng album will be out next year? And then, I’ll get on with the next project. I’d like to build a permanent studio in Iceland, get people to come over and record there. I also like the idea of doing an annual Cheek Mountain Thief collaboration. But I don’t know yet. I like the idea of building a place close to the mountains….” Cheek Mountain Thief are live at the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, on September 13. The self-titled debut album is out on Full Time Hobby on September 10.

Since its inception in 2003, SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL has grown from a single day event into a full blown, threeday extravaganza, transforming Birmingham’s Custard Factory into a hub of exciting, cutting edge music and art. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Capsule’s illustrious festival, and the organisers have assembled a stellar line-up to mark the occasion, placing some highly regarded Supersonic alumni alongside a host of fresh new faces. Whatever kind of music you’re into, you’ll find something here to satisfy your tastes. Kez Whelan looks ahead to some of this year’s characteristically eclectic highlights, but, as always, Supersonic is a festival that will surprise and astonish, so expect the unexpected...

ELECTRONICA Kevin Martin (AKA The Bug) performed at the very first edition of the festival back in 2003, so it seems only fitting that the dub master has been invited back to play at this special anniversary edition. This time he’ll be joined by the world’s fastest rapper (and founder of Raggamuffin hip hop) Daddy Freddy and Flow Dan (co-founder of UK Grime collective Roll Deep) for a set that promises to deliver earth shaking basslines and grimey dancehall vibes in abundance. And Kevin isn’t the only Supersonic veteran to return this year; the festival’s unofficial house band PCM have been gracing the festival with their unique style of dark, energetic drum n bass every year since 2003, and of course this year is no exception. Newcomers Hype Williams will also be bringing their lysergic, lo-fi trip-hop along to the party, and sound artist Tim Hecker will be weaving more intimate soundscapes with his vast waves of warm ambient noise and soothing electronic drones.

FOLK Ben Chasny has played with everyone from psych-rock heroes Comets On Fire to David Tibet’s esoteric Current 93, but with his primary project, Six Organs Of Admittance, Chasny gets the chance to show off his skills as a songwriter. The band will be bringing their spacious and often psychedelic strand of American folk to the stage this year. Meanwhile, a trio of prominent Finnish artists will provide some more exotic sounds, with Islaja’s unique and, hypnagogic approach to folk, Lau Nau’s curious harmonies and Tomoutonttu’s exuberant cacophony of streams, mutilated voices and found sounds all awaiting the more intrepid festival-goer. 18

Islaja

Lichens

JAZZ Jazz fans can look forward to an incredibly rare UK performance from Germany’s Bohren & Der Club Of Gore. This four-piece specialise in doomladen, richly atmospheric film noir-inspired jazz, often played in such a minimalistic fashion that the music takes on an otherworldly and hypnotic ambience. The band haven’t visited these shores since 2008 and there’s no guarantee they’ll be back anytime soon, so make sure you take this opportunity to see them while you can. Prolific jazz percussionist Chris Corsano will be making two appearances this year, one as part of the psychedelic improv pair Flower-Corsano Duo and the other as part of experimental supergroup Rangda, also featuring Sir Richard Bishop and Six Organs’ Ben Chasny. Brum Notes Magazine

Kim Gordon and Bill Nace aka Body/Head

Goat

THE UNCLASSIFIABLE… One of the joys of Supersonic is stumbling across an artist that doesn’t fit neatly into any generic categories. This year Godflesh/Jesu mastermind Justin Broadrick will be unveiling his new JK Flesh project, a hybrid of industrial, dub, metal and noise, whilst Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon will be teaming up with guitarist Bill Nace for the unpredictable aural experiments of Body/Head. And then there’s the voodoo-inspired afro psych-punk of Sweden’s Goat, a truly bizarre prospect indeed.

EXTRA ACTIVITIES

METAL

If all this wasn’t enough, there are also several film screenings and exhibitions taking place this year, including Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller’s new biopic The Bruce Lacey Experience, a documentary examining the remarkable artistic legacy of this renowned avant-garde artist. Following on from this celebration of Lacey’s visionary attitude, a talk entitled You Can Be You will offer an insight into maintaining an independent spirit while on the very edge of the avant-garde, featuring Oxbow’s Eugene S Robinson and ex-Swans songstress Jarboe (both of whom are also performing at the festival). Friday will see a number of similar discussions at the School of Art, including a panel entitled Art of Listening, which explores the context of how we present sound-based work and performance. For a more hands-on experience, Imperfect Cinema’s workshop offers attendees the chance to shoot and edit their own short film, which will then be used as a visual backdrop during noise-rock monoliths Drunk In Hell’s set the next day. The Vinyl Rally is surely the icing on the cake, a large scale art installation involving a race track made from old vinyl records and a remote control car with a needle attached to it that has to be seen to be believed.

Capsule’s tireless efforts to celebrate Birmingham as the Home of Metal evidently haven’t gone unnoticed, and this year there are several riff devotees ready to blow your eardrums wide open. Ufomammut, Italy’s finest purveyors of psychedelic sludge metal, will be taking us on a supremely cosmic trip, whilst Dylan Carlson, of drone/ doom pioneers Earth, will be unleashing all manner of seismic six-string vibrations. To top it all off, Japan’s avant-metal mavericks Zeni Geva will be cleaving heads in two with their tortured, angular take on the standard metal blueprint.

September 2012

Wildman life drawing

NOISE Supersonic has never shied away from the noisier end of the musical spectrum, and this year is no exception. Infamous Japanese feedback god Merzbow will be obliterating the stage with his inimitable brand of sonic warfare, whilst Zeni Geva guitarist KK Null will be teaming up with local tuba drone pioneers ORE to deliver a set that’s sure to be quite a spectacle indeed.

Supersonic Festival runs from October 19-21 at the Custard Factory, Digbeth. Weekend tickets are £80 (plus booking fees). For the full programme and ticket details visit www.supersonicfestival.com

X-RATED He may have first come to our attention on all-conquering television talent search The X Factor, but don’t let that put you off. Aiden Grimshaw has made an album worthy of the attention in its own right. He tells Chris Moriarty why he has no regrets about where it all began. You might think Aiden Grimshaw would be sick of talking about The X Factor, perhaps even keen to wash his hands of his associations with the show and insist he was too good for it anyway. Far from it. No matter how many questions about Simon Cowell, Matt Cardle and One Direction he has to field in interviews, the self-depracating 20-year-old is realistic enough to appreciate that without it he would most likely still be working in a job he hates in Blackpool. “No, I don’t really mind it [talking about the X Factor],” he says. “Before I was on TV I worked at Pizza Hut and I used to get in trouble for stealing chocolate raisins from the ice cream machine, and if I went home with £6.50 in tips I went home a glad man. Whereas now I’m talking about a tour, I love it man. “It’s not the hardest work I’ve ever done, just talking about myself on a regular basis. It’s weird but, like I say, it’s not the hardest job. “It’s been nice to have a couple of years off and to experience what it’s like on the absolutely mental side of it like on The X Factor and then to get away from that, but it’s nice to get back to my own stuff.” Aiden, warm and friendly and a far cry from his ‘moody’ reputation on The X Factor back in 2010, insists he still thinks it’s a “great show” and will remain an avid viewer. After 20

all, despite tumbling out in ninth place in the live finals, in many ways he still has the controversial Cowell-powered entertainment behemoth to thank for getting him where he is today. And where he is today is a very exciting place. Sure, he may not have the multi-million selling success of teen boy band One Direction, but nor was he faced with the shackles of being forced into releasing the insipid guff often associated with the show’s winners. Instead he was able to sneak off quietly into the background, live it up in London for a couple of years before hooking up with one of the most in-demand producers in the UK to make what has to be one of the most surprising albums of the year. Surprisingly good that is. It is, of course, still a pop album, but one with a current sound that is primed for radio airplay yet has also earned positive reviews from some unexpectedly hip quarters. Some of the reviews may read like they’d been written with gritted teeth, while Aiden himself admits his appearance at the scenesterheavy music festival The Great Escape back in May drew a big crowd partly because “a lot of people were like, ‘what, that boy off X Factor? Let’s go and watch that, that’ll be fun.’” His first full tour this month will be something of a voyage of discovery as well, especially in terms of shaking off any X

Factor-inspired preconceptions that people may have about him. “It’s gone very well so far,” he continues. “People need to remember that all X Factor is is a platform and an opportunity for people. The X Factor never releases albums and The X Factor never releases CDs, it’s people’s names on them, it’s not ‘The X Factor’ but people do think like that, don’t they? Like I was saying to my friend the other day, if you gave me a [2009 X Factor contestant] Lloyd Daniels CD I probably wouldn’t want to listen to it, but I think you’ve just got to get over it. “I think I was lucky enough in the show with hindsight that I finished ninth so I wasn’t too cemented into it and I wasn’t too big a character in it.” No longer the raw 18-year-old who first appeared on our TV screens, he says he has since done a lot of growing up. In a fun way that is. But the time in between has certainly helped him grow musically as well, learning more about what goes into songwriting and making an album. “I’ve been learning all about the studio and stuff, building up a bit of confidence and learning how that all works, but aside from that I’ve moved away from home so I’ve learned how to change a lightbulb, cook some chicken, do my washing… Brum Notes Magazine

“To be honest, I’ve just been going out, the years between 18 and 20 I’ve just found absolutely mental so it was important to go away again and find something that was worth writing about. It was important to grow up and I feel a bit different to when I was on the programme.”

man, it really wasn’t hard. I just found you’ve got to be as honest as you can so you’ve got to write things down that are honest. “I feel like it’s been really natural and organic and it’s just me at the hub and with a team of people around me supporting me and everything just feels really honest and natural.”

That time has also been spent, crucially, meeting various music contacts since making the move to London, but it was being introduced to producer Jarrad Rogers (Lana Del Ray, Tinchy Stryder) that was the key for igniting his post-X Factor career.

“I think I was lucky enough in The X Factor in hindsight that I finished ninth so I wasn’t too cemented into it and I was’t too “I’ve met so many writers and producers in the last two years but as soon as I met him it was big a character in it.” just like, ‘this man is a genius,’” he explains. “I think he is the only person, or one of the only people, that I’ve met who genuinely cares about most of the crazy shit that I say, he’s amazing. I spent three months in the studio with him every day, he’s a really, really clever dude and he just got everything and supported everything that I ever did, there was never any fighting between ourselves, it was never hard, it was just great. “It was different for both people I think, I’d never worked with anyone like Jarrad before and I don’t think Jarrad had ever worked with anyone like me so it was a nice thing to do.” The end result was Misty Eye, Aiden’s debut album released last month, and one he says came about very naturally. “This album we started it in November and finished it in February. If you put all the days together that we wrote it, it would be weeks September 2012

“I’m really excited but I’m nervous about it, but I’m more excited about the album coming out than anything else, I just can’t wait for people to hear it. They might have been surprised by the singles but really you’ve got to hear the whole album before you get it.” This month sees him heading out on the road for his first ‘proper’ tour as a solo artist in slightly more intimate surroundings than those he was used to in his X Factor days (“Yes it’s a little bit different to doing The X Factor just in the fact that I can be singing my set and when I get off I don’t think I’m going to bump into Wagner”), but in many ways more exciting, especially with the chance to continue to surprise his new audiences. “I think people will be surprised by the sound

of the album and then the live show should be an extension of that so it’ll be a bit bigger and hopefully a bit more in your face. “I love the studio but I think the reason you start wanting to do this career is because, well, I know I started it because I did Grease the Musical when I was in primary school, about 10, and I sang a song and I got a massive clap and I was like, ‘sweet, that’s well good.’ So I think, yeah, you do it to perform, especially when people don’t expect what you’re going to do, it’s nice to shock people.” In today’s cut and thrust world of pop, when X Factor winners are tossed on the scrap heap as quickly as they rose to attention, and independent labels continue to struggle under the weight of commercial domination from the major players, for an artist like Aiden Grimshaw he admits it is hard to know where the album will take him next. But he is determined to enjoy it while it lasts. “I’ve been sat around for two years just in my pants watching Bear Grylls so it was really nice to start getting out and doing some work,” he says with a smirk. “My main thing about this when I moved away was I just want to make an album that I can play the whole way through, I don’t want to skip any tracks, I just want to make one album that I’m absolutely really proud of and if it all goes tits up I can go back to Pizza Hut but I can be really proud of the experience and the opportunity and what I’ve done with it.”

Aiden Grimshaw is live at the O2 Academy 2, Birmingham, on September 26. Debut album Misty Eye is out now. 21

presents

D OG

in association with Academy Events

presents

in association with Academy Events

DEAD

Plus special guests

Plus very special guests

O2 ACADEMY2 BIRMINGHAM WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER DOORS: 6PM / CURFEW: 10PM / £8.50 ADV Buy tickets now from: o2academybirmingham.co.uk 0844 477 2000 (24hr) facebook.com/dogisdead brumnotes.com | o2academybirmingham.co.uk

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O2 ACADEMY2 BIRMINGHAM FRIDAY 30 NOVEMBER DOORS: 6PM / CURFEW: 10PM / £7 ADV Buy tickets now from: o2academybirmingham.co.uk 0844 477 2000 (24hr) boattorow.com brumnotes.com o2academybirmingham.co.uk

21/08/2012 23:26

Brum Notes Magazine

September 2012

THE STUDENT GUIDE TO BRUM

Welcome to Birmingham, Brum, the Second City, the Centre of the Earth… whatever you call it, we hope it makes for a very happy home for you for the next three years and hopefully longer. For new arrivals in Birmingham, it can seem something of a sprawling city and navigating your way around the disconnected city centre and suburbs may seem daunting at first. Like any major city, it has its concentration of usual student haunts, largely concentrated around the stag and hen do hotspot of Broad Street, but scratch beneath the surface and explore beyond the chain bars and generic clubs and you will discover adventurous nightlife,

ARTS & CULTURE

Birmingham loves the arts and you’ll soon see why after a visit to one of the city’s creative hubs. From adventurous film in plush surroundings to contemporary art in unusual spaces, it’s easy to find something memorable to indulge your cultural cravings.

an exciting music scene, bustling creativity and a vibrant cultural hive of activity. From warehouse raves to cutting edge festivals, real ale specialists to boutique gin parlours, nightclubs nestled in the suburbs to outdoor discos in post-industrial backstreets, fine dining to guerilla restaurants, pop-up shops to vintage parlours, there is always something new to discover in Birmingham so whether you’re a new arrival or a veteran Brummie, we’re here to point you in the right direction and introduce you to some of the key places and soon to be familiar faces that are making this fine city tick. Welcome to Birmingham. Now get out there and enjoy it.

Ikon Gallery, Brindleyplace, city centre This acclaimed gallery has been at the forefront of modern art in Birmingham for decades and is now housed in an impressive neo-gothic former school which hosts temporary exhibitions from international artists across two floors, as well as various special events, screenings and performances, while its tasty tapas cafe bar is worth the visit alone. Mac Birmingham, Cannon Hill Park, Edgbaston Within easy reach of Selly Oak and the University of Birmingham, the 1960s-built Midlands Arts Centre recently enjoyed a £15m overhaul and boasts an eclectic bill of arthouse cinema, live music, theatre and art from its stunning lakeside location nestled in the leafy surrounds of Cannon Hill Park. Electric Cinema, Station Street, city centre This striking art deco venue is the oldest working cinema in the country and hosts an exciting programme of independent and foreign films, alongside well chosen blockbusters, classics and themed film nights. The absinthe bar, luxury sofa seating and waiter service all help to make it even more special. 24

It now hosts an interactive gallery plus an exciting programme of temporary exhibitions, international comedians and touring musicians, film and threatre, while this year saw the launch of Now We Are, a brand new indie music festival.

The Public, New Street, West Bromwich This iconic pink and black arts centre has transformed the centre of West Bromwich, a quick tram ride away from Birmingham.

Eastside Projects, Heath Mill Lane, Digbeth This warehouse gallery is an artist-run exhibition and events space in the post-industrial backstreets of Digbeth, with an exciting revolving programme which includes cutting edge art exhibitions, adventurous live music, performances, experimental club nights and guerilla events.

Brum Notes Magazine

SHOPPING

Birmingham city centre boasts all the usual high street favourites and big name stores you would expect in a major city, with more than 160 of them concentrated in the vast Bullring shopping centre, while the striking Selfridges department store is a treasure trove to explore. Beyond the usual suspects, you will also find plenty of unique stores, independent boutiques, vintage warehouses and other gems.

Urban Village, The Custard Factory, Digbeth A real retro adventure based in Digbeth’s creative hub of The Custard Factory, invitingly decorated with a variety of mod and kitsch paraphernalia and complete with a Lambretta scooter to usher in visitors. Recently extended, the shop now holds up to 1,500 pieces of high quality and rare fashion items, vintage denim and more than 5,000 vintage records which you can ‘try before you buy’ in the unique new record bar.

it specialises in high quality and designer denim, alongside other clothing and footwear, with an emphasis on relaxed yet attentive customer service within a unique, Speakeasythemed setting. Expect exclusive items from some of the most exciting British designers as well the most respected names at the cutting edge of jeans and fashion with brands including Levis, Oliver Spencer, Nudie, Universal Works, Edwin and Red Wing.

Cow, High Street, Digbeth This unmissable, yellow-fronted store in the heart of Digbeth offers a warehouse full of the finest male and female vintage clothing at bargain prices, as well as collections of artist-designed t-shirts and brand new items. Plenty of room for browsing the endless rails of jeans, tees, shirts, coats, dresses plus baskets and shelves full of shoes, bags, hats and accessories, while the uber-cool soundtrack and racks of flyers and free magazines help make this place a pleasure to visit. Liquor Store, Great Western Arcade, city centre A stylish new men’s retail store among the Victorian splendour of Great Western Arcade, September 2012

The Polar Bear, York Road, Kings Heath One of Birmingham’s few surviving record stores and certainly worth the visit for vinyl junkies and discerning music lovers. Specialising in cutting edge and avant-garde artists, with a bumper second hand CD section too, the knowledgeable staff know their stuff and this inviting shop is flanked by neighbouring vintage clothes stores and bars in buzzing King Heath. Top Banana, York Road, Kings Heath Another York Road favourite, it boasts an impressive collection of Converse trainers, Barbour jackets and imported American vintage clothing, including jeans, tees and shirts galore. Sister store Top Banana Too just a couple of doors down specialises in vintage dresses, handbags and accessories. The Candy Store, City Arcade, Union Street, city centre One of the city’s finest streetwear specialists, boasting the coolest brands with an urban edge. Stylish hoodies, tees and jeans are the

staple ingredients while the extensive collection of fitted caps will be perfect for keeping your unwashed hair covered during those early morning lectures. HQ Muzik, Priory Walk, city centre A must for dance and urban music aficionados, this specialises in vinyl and CDs across a range of club and bass-led genres, including dubstep, drum n bass, breakbeat, house, hip hop and grime, as well as stocking clubber tape and CD packs plus street wear and record label tees. Forgotten Vintage, Great Western Arcade, city centre Another impressive collection of vintage clothing, this time with the added bonus of raising funds to support homeless services across the city. The well-sourced retro clothing from around the world is a joy to search through in this friendly store, while the staff are clued up about Birmingham’s coolest nightlife too. A Too, Ethel Street, city centre Achingly stylish, this independent menswear store is long-established in offering the finest designer street threads with labels such as Adidas Originals, Acne, Folk and Tiger of Sweden. And if your student loan is burning a hole in your pocket, then sister store Autograph next door stocks the finest high end labels and couture clothing from the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Mulberry and more. 25

NIGHT —LIFE

Birmingham sparks into life at night, and as a student it's most likely that you will too. But to really see the best of Brum you need to stray off the beaten path once in a while, get out there and sample the finest independent bars, quirky boozers, hidden haunts, exciting new bands and innovative club nights. Whatever your tastes, they are bound to be catered for in unique style, you just need to know where to look…

TRADITIONAL CHARM & HIDDEN GEMS

FOR THE DISCERNING DRINKERS

The Adam & Eve, Bradford Street, Digbeth This unassuming venue exudes local pub charm yet hosts scintillating live performances from poetry to punk, as well as the most surprisingly decadent late night after-parties at weekends, which keep going until dawn.

Island Bar, Suffolk Street, city centre A rock n roll cocktail bar in every sense, with great music on both floors with live bands and DJs rolling out tunes late into the night, as well as a staggering array of spirits, speciality lagers, Birmingham’s only Tiki Bar, and a mouthwatering cocktail menu with drinks made up by some of the city’s finest bar staff showing off their flaring skills. Keep an eye out for the happy hours as well to help stretch that student loan even further.

The Rose Villa Tavern, Warstone Lane, Jewellery Quarter This landmark Grade II listed boozer in the heart of the historic Jewellery Quarter (they make jewellery round there, in case you couldn’t guess) has recently enjoyed an impressive restoration which retained its original charm yet added an edgy style. Rustic grub, well chosen beers, quirky quiz nights and eclectic DJs add to the appeal. The Old Crown, High Street, Digbeth The city centre’s oldest inn, this timber framed, 14th century pub sits proudly in the heart of trendy Digbeth and now boasts its own eye-catching secret garden, perfect for supping a pint while you soak up some rays, or more likely enjoying some outdoor drinking while sheltered from the rain.

BEST FOR AL FRESCO DRINKING The Yardbird Jazz Club, city centre Perfect for people watching, with a beer terrace out the front next to one of the city’s busiest pedestrian thoroughfares in between between Paradise Forum and Broad Street. Decent beer prices and more than decent live jazz and free gigs throughout the week mean there is just as much to keep you entertained inside as out. The Lord Clifden, Hockley A true hidden gem, this unique pub nestled unassumingly in Hockley, just a few minutes walk from the Jewellery Quarter, is decorated with urban art and Banksy paintings, serves some of the best burgers in Brum and boasts bustling soul nights at weekends. 26

Out the back you will find the legendary beer garden complete with a year-round outdoor bar, plenty of heating, a pink post box and ping pong table. The ultimate ‘in the know’ destination, just keep it to yourself, alright? The Plough, Harborne Within easy reach of the University of Birmingham, the BCU City South Campus and the University Hospitals, this is a hotspot for discerning students and medics. And it is easy to see why, a modest exterior but step through the door and you find quirky decor, great food, buzzing quiz nights and eating offers throughout the week, plus the pièce de résistance, an incredible secret garden out the back, complete with cinema seating, large covered tables and a plentiful supply of blankets and umbrellas for chilly evenings.

The Wellington, Bennetts Hill, city centre If you like your pubs proper and your ale real, then you can’t beat this place. Billed as a ‘specialist real ale pub’ it has so many pumps on at a time that you have to order by number from a menu on television screens. A regular winner of CAMRA awards and with a diverse crowd, dartboards and pork scratchings aplenty, plus, you can bring your own takeaway in and they’ll even give you plates and cutlery to tuck in with. The Jekyll & Hyde, Steelhouse Lane, city centre This intimate drinking hole may be at odds with its corporate surroundings, but inside it has an atmosphere all of its own, with a fairy tale-themed courtyard, murals and quirky decor, but best of all is its specialist gin parlour upstairs.

TRENDSETTING HANGOUTS Spotlight The latest addition to Digbeth’s underground nightlife scene, this is nestled snugly under the railway arches and was created with a concept of “rough elegance.” A varied music programme with talented DJs from across Birmingham and beyond make it perfect for whiling away Thursday, Friday or Saturday evenings, warming up for a club or just settling in for the night.

Brum Notes Magazine

Cherry Reds, York Road, Kings Heath This tiny cafe bar in Kings Heaths’ ubercool York Road is a tasty cafe by day serving sumptuous lunches and by night is an esoteric bar serving selective drinks and with cosy acoustic gigs and a welcoming atmosphere. Bull’s Head, St Mary’s Row, Moseley The Hare & Hounds’s sister venue, it offers a rare late drinking spot in the heart of bohemian Moseley. Sharp decor, tasty cocktails, a buzzing outdoor terrace and a unique intimate clubbing space upstairs all combine to make it an essential addition to your haunts of choice. Varied events throughout the week include a reggae club night on Mondays, open mic acoustic music on Tuesdays, chilled out tropical beats on Thursdays, plus an adventurous clubbing programme at weekends. The Victoria, John Bright Street, city centre This bohemian boozer is a honey pot for the trendies with its quirky decor, vintage features, cutting edge club nights, tempting cocktails and spicy Soul Food menu. The Sunflower Lounge, Smallbrook Queensway, city centre An indie kid favourite and a mainstay of the independent bar scene, this tightly-packed hangout within easy reach of the Bullring is a hive of activity with games, film nights, football and an intimate gig room in the basement.

LIVE VENUES AND NIGHTCLUBS Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath If live music, cutting edge DJs, exciting new talent and boutique club nights are up your street then get ready to make this your new second home. An historic music venue with its own place in Birmingham’s musical history, it has enjoyed a new lease of life in recent years and is the destination of choice for some of the planet’s most exciting new bands and discerning DJs. Expect the hottest new bands, most exciting local promoters as well as star names aplenty – Goldie, Gilles Peterson, Mr Scruff and Theo Parrish are just some of the uber DJs to turn up behind the decks recently, while acts to look out over the coming weeks include Japandroids, Jackmaster and Echo Lake. This distinctive Victorian boozer boasts two superbly equipped live and clubbing spaces upstairs hosting exciting live music and club nights throughout the week, while the pub itself downstairs serves tasty grub and great beers, September 2012

hosts chilled out music sessions, arts activities and quizzes and is a veritable melting pot of Birmingham’s scenesters and local characters. The Rainbow Venues, High Street, Digbeth Brum’s beacon of alternative culture and underground sounds, behind its modest Victorian frontage lies a sprawling multivenue clubbing experience which boasts al fresco partying in the Rainbow Garden, true underground nights in its cellar, cosy gettogethers in the courtyard and all out raves in the Rainbow Warehouse. Can operate as one mass clubbing complex or numerous distinct spaces. Cutting edge line-ups and respected global DJs, plus Birmingham’s finest turntable talent make up the bill, as well as up-and-coming bands and established live performers on the unique courtyard stage. Buzzing weekly club night FACE is a must and keep an eye out for the street parties and Below daytime raves, which spring up throughout the year.

music lover in the Midlands. Three rooms of varying capacities helps it to cater for everything from unsigned bands to the biggest sell-out artists, while club nights ranging from roller discos to raves, reggae to metal, keeps things interesting. Rockers will love the huge Subculture club night, which takes place every month. HMV Institute, High Street, Digbeth Another venue attracting the big names, this historic building is full of character in what was once a Methodist chapel. Banging club nights spread across the multiple rooms are another regular addition, alongside the packed gig calendar. Lab11, Trent Street, Digbeth A beautifully designed underground club specialising in techno. The stunning surrounds are just half the attraction, the mega soundsystem is the other. This is a true clubber’s club for those who know their beats.

O2 Academy, Horsefair, Bristol Street, city centre Big name touring bands, breaking artists and unsigned acts play across all three rooms at this staple live music venue, while studentfriendly club night Propaganda draws in the crowds every Friday. Plus, it’s home to the Brum Notes Presents... series of gigs which of course are well worth checking out. The Glee Club, Hurst Street, city centre One of the most popular comedy clubs in town, it also doubles up as a uniquely intimate and haunting live music venue, commonly attracting the finest acoustic and folk-leaning acts which in the past have included Mumford & Sons, Adele, Damien Rice and Laura Marling. The Ballroom, Dale End, city centre This historic venue reopened last year and has a special place in the heart of many a

The Flapper, Kingston Row, city centre Tucked away behind inner city tower blocks, this place is at the heart of Birmingham’s alternative music scene and raucous atmospheres in its sweaty underground live room are the norm. Beyond the gigs, this buzzing boozer is always well worth a visit in its own right too, with student-friendly drinks prices, a cracking canal-side beer garden, open mic acoustic sessions on Sundays, a quiz with free pizza on Thursdays and a great atmosphere with DJs and late night antics at weekends. Nightingale Club, Kent Street, Gay Village The beating heart of Birmingham’s famous Gay Village for more than four decades, this huge gay club caters for more than 2,000 clubbers and offers an eclectic lineup throughout the week including a popular student night on Thursdays with drinks from £1. 27

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE Seedy Sonics

If you’re looking to find your feet in a new city, then there is nobody better placed to help you than those who know it best. We caught up with some of Birmingham’s most exciting promoters and DJs for the inside track on the best that Brum has to offer…

“Birmingham is a city which was made for students. There is so much available for you to do and so many great events and parties to go to.”

So, first of all, who are you and where can we usually find you? We are Liam Roberts (director) and Shaneil Patel (marketing director) of Seedy Sonics. Seedy Sonics is a collective of friends, DJs and music lovers, who all met whilst studying in Birmingham since 2007. We can usually be found throwing parties at the Rainbow Warehouse & Garden in Digbeth, or attending various other parties in the city.

What’s the music policy? Liam: In three words - anything ‘electronically’ goes. We set out to create a carefree underground club night with house party vibes showcasing the music we as individual DJs loved to hear or play out. Our philosophy is to allow the DJs to choose what they play, not be tied down to one style or genre — with three rooms we’re able to accommodate all styles of electronic music.

How would you describe your nights to someone who’s never been before? Liam: A large scale house party with world class DJs providing an incredible soundtrack, with an atmosphere unlike any other party in Birmingham. If you’re a fan of any genre of electronic music then we will definitely have something for you at all times in the night. We’re open till 6am and the party doesn’t stop at dawn but always continues with an after-party organised for the hardcore party warriors!

What do you think is unique about the atmosphere and vibe at your events? Shaneil: The uniqueness is all down to the music policy and the DJs who play. Every Seedy is indeed like a mini-festival. It’s the idea of having all blends of music under one roof which makes it unique. I can’t think of any other monthly party in the city (or even the country) which 28

showcases House, Techno, DnB, Garage, Electro, Jakkin, Dubstep, Tech-house, Grime, Funky, Reggae at the same event.

Shaneil: I love a cheap, cheesy student night as well as the underground raves. I was even a Fresher Rep on the Vale in my second year, which was absolutely hilarious and very messy! What would be your first piece of advice There have also been some amazing house to new students arriving in Birmingham? parties in Selly Oak and Harborne over the Liam: Spend some time to get to know the years which will live long in the memory… city and don’t just go to all the places in the Small scale brands and venues such as Say fresher’s pack all the time, you will miss out on Nada, Le Lieu and Prospec (at the Hare & some great events and lots of exciting venues. Hounds/Wagon & Horses/Rainbow Pub) I have Birmingham is a city which was made for a lot of time and respect for because they focus students. There is so much available for you to on music which they love. do and so many great events and parties to go to in the city which is continually getting better. Any other hidden gems that people There is so much hidden below the surface of should know about? Birmingham. Lots of promoters putting on great Liam: We have thrown two after-parties at PST nights and it is a fantastic city to be in if you in Digbeth and we have to say that the upstairs want to party and meet like-minded, fun people. terrace was one of the most enjoyable rooms Shaneil: As a recovering sufferer of ‘post- to play in, we were in there from 6-10am and uni depression’ my major piece of advice for the sun was shining through the windows onto students is to enjoy your first year and take full the dance floor and DJs. advantage of your new found independence — Shaneil: Kings Heath has some fantastic pubs make friends for life, be smart and meet your with great, emerging live bands playing and deadlines and never take the student life for areas like the Jewellery Quarter remain largegranted because it is over within an instant. ly untouched by students and have some real hidden gems. Another great place to go is the Apart from your own, what are your Jam House for its cheap cocktails and jazzbased music policy. favourite nights? Liam: We love Face, 2.31, Below, Trmnl at Lab11, Cloak N Dagger — all events which occur in Digbeth. Watch out for The Rainbow, Seedy Sonics 2nd Birthday is on Octoit’s quickly becoming one of the best under- ber 5 at The Rainbow Complex. Visit ground venues in the UK with some crazy line- www.seedysonics.com for more details ups organised for Autumn 2012 (us included!). and upcoming events. Brum Notes Magazine

This Is Tmrw So, first of all, who are you and where can we usually find you? Matt: We run nights under the name 'This Is Tmrw' and you can find us hosting parties at the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, and the Bull’s Head, Moseley. When did This Is Tmrw first start and what was the inspiration behind it? Matt: This Is Tmrw started just over five years ago to simply put on bands we loved that had never played Birmingham before. That’s kinda still the policy, we strictly only put on music we love, but now that's broadened out to include lots more electronic and DJ-orientated stuff. What's the music policy? Matt: Pretty diverse, we love what we love and that includes everything from trashy lo fi garage rock, chill-wave through to straightup disco and bass-orientated house music. How would you describe your night to someone who’s never been before? JP: We make an effort to make the show fit the acts we book, so we look to booking the right supports, not just who's popular. The right vibes are essential too, so expect a full show, not just three bands playing after each other with a DJ stuck in a corner. We luckily use venues which give us the freedom to make things our own, be it with visuals, smoke machines, draping, anything to make it work

Greg: Explore Birmingham. Get online and find out what’s happening around the fringes of the city, not just in it. There’s something great on every single night of the week in Brum, you just need to find out where they are and get on them buses. The ‘burbs may look scary to an outsider but it’s no worse here than in any other city. In fact I think you’ll find that the dodgiest place in Brum that you’ll end up at is Broad Street, ironically still the most popular destination for students, despite being an absolute dive. Give that place a wide berth. There is literally nothing there for you but overpriced drinks, cat fights and the stench of cheap aftershave. Apart from your own, what are your favourite nights? JP: We get a massive kick out of what Le Lieu are currently offering up, they are bringing some amazing DJs to Birmingham and work on similar principals to ourselves, Fantastic Damage for hip hop, MHVH for party hip hop and RnB jams and not forgetting the legendary Leftfoot who have hosted and still are hosting all the greats. The Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath and Bull’s Head in Moseley are pretty much our office, so most of the time we'll be hanging round there. Favourite thing about living in Birmingham? JP: The favourite thing is its diversity, there's so many styles of music and club nights, there's a vibrant eclectic feel and I also think its somewhat negative press outside has made it an even more determined and ultimately creative city to live in, it even looks nice these days.

This Is Tmrw host the Greg Bird & Flamingo Flame EP Launch at the Hare & Hounds on September 14, Echo Lake What would be your first piece of advice live at the Hare & Hounds on Oct 19 and to new students arriving in Birmingham? Japandroids live on October 30.

“There’s something great on every single night of the week in Brum, you just need to find out where they are and get on them buses”

Chicks Dig Jerks So, first of all, who are you and where can we usually find you? I'm Mazzy who runs [promoters] Chicks Dig Jerks and Hott Date, I'm also one of the organisers of indie/mod/britpop night Come Together and underground 60s night Fuzzz! You can usually find me on York Road in Kings Heath, in the Jewellery Quarter or Digbeth. Apart from your own, what are your favourite nights and places to go? My favourite hangouts for drinks are The Rose Villa Tavern, The Lord Clifden, The Red Lion, Temple Street Social, Sunflower Lounge, Sun On The Hill, the Actress & Bishop and Cherry Reds. For gigs I like the Hare & Hounds, Adam & Eve, The Victoria and The Flapper. My favourite nights are Sugarfoot Stomp and ColdRice. Favourite promoters This Is Tomorrow, It's Just Noise and Birmingham Promoters. Any other hidden gems that people should know about? Temple Street Social is a great new bar and restaurant that's just opened on Temple Street. The Moseley Arms is a cracking pub in Digbeth which I've just started taking bookings for, definitely worth checking out for bands and small club nights. How do new bands looking for shows get in touch with you? cdjshows@yahoo.co.uk

September 2012

Leftfoot So, first of all, who are you and where can we usually find you? Adam Regan, promoter of Leftfoot nights, occasional DJ and Producer, owner of Bull's Head in Moseley and Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath. Apart from your own, what are your favourite places to go? Don't really go out to many other places but definitely rate places like The Rainbow and The Yardbird. The Glee Club have some amazing shows and The Prince Of Wales in Moseley is one of the best pubs in Birmingham.

Under the Counter When did UTC first start and what was the inspiration behind getting started? Keith Holland: UTC first came to life in late 2009 , I had been involved with the infamous Secretwars for some time and really felt it was time to do my own thing. At the time I also felt Birmingham was really starting to get left behind in terms of what was happening with what I guess you could call the underground bass and electronic music communities, I found myself never getting to see any of my favourite artists play in the Midlands, it was always a trip to London or bristol to find the music I wanted to hear. And finally, and probably the biggest reason and inspiration behind UTC, was a huge love of art and music and wanting to bring fresh and exciting acts and artists to the table in Birmingham and beyond while at the same time bringing together our own crew of people that shared this love of music and art and wanted to push the boundaries in the Midlands . What's the music policy? Haha, why is the shortest question always the hardest? Bass music would be what I guess you could call it, we bring all flavours of electronic music really from the West Coast beat scene through to dutty, ragga, jungle – if the beats are fresh and the bass is phat you'll probably find it at UTC. What do you think is unique about the atmosphere and vibe at your events? We put a lot of time into visual production for our shows and are really lucky to have some very talented people on board that lets us be able to push things a lot further 30

than most other promoters. Our parties are for the people and I think that really comes through, with the shows we always try to book interesting artists that haven’t played Brum before, we want to open people’s ears to new sounds and ideas, so when you take this mentality with promotion and make it about all three, the music the art and the party, I think it creates a vibe of its own. What would be your first piece of advice to new students arriving in Birmingham? You gotta take Brum with a pinch of salt, it can be a strange place but it’s full of wicked people, you may just have to dig a little deeper to find what you’re looking for here but there’s some cool nights, shops and art kicking about. You defo have to go have a skank on Mondays at Jam Jah [at the Bull’s Head], you can’t go past The Rainbow for a good party, PST is also a great bet, those guys are putting on some really good dub and reggae down there. Keep your eyes peeled for any nights put on by the Leftfoot crew as well, newcomers Le Lieu and Bombstore are bringing some weighty line-ups to Brum too. And if you’re looking for a cool Thursday check out Go With The Flo at the Adam & Eve in Digbeth, our mates Fantastic Damage also have to cop a mention for their underground hip hop vibes first Thursday of every month at the Bull’s Head. UTC & Freestyle present Mono/Poly at the Bull’s Head, Moseley, on September 28, from 7pm until 2am. Drinks deals before 11pm.

How would you describe your nights to someone who's never been before? You don't see loads of people chewing their faces off or wearing plunge-neck t-shirts and trousers that look like jumpers worn upside down. There are plenty of nights in Birmingham that cater for the fake tan massive. You can dress up or dress down, nobody's really that arsed about what you're wearing. Go with an open mind and don't expect to hear many of Pete Tong's big tunes. What's the Leftfoot music policy? Expect to hear anything from soul, funk, afrobeat, reggae, jazz, hip hop and latin to disco, house, techno, drum n bass. It's basically leftfield music with soul. It can get pretty banging when necessary but always with a balance of deeper and more mellow stuff. What would be your first piece of advice to new students arriving in Birmingham? Actively seek out the independent bars/ venues/shops and try and avoid being brain-washed by the corporates. You will be herded like sheep into the worst clubs imaginable. You will be force-fed cheap vodka Red Bulls and chart music unless you look beyond this nonsense and seek out what Birmingham is really about. Leftfoot and Le Lieu present Jacques Greene at the Bull’s Head, Moseley, on October 3, followed by the Eglo Records Takeover with Fatima, Olivier Daysoul and Alex Nut at the Hare & Hounds on October 20. www.facebook.com/ leftfootevents Brum Notes Magazine

Le Lieu What can you tell us about Le Lieu? We are Le Lieu, a monthly club night at the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath that is on every first Friday of the month. Our aim is to bring never seen DJs and artists to perform live in Birmingham and show different vibes each night. How would you describe your nights and what is unique about them? If you want to be dancing all night, enjoying the music you heard or never heard and

PWS Promotions When did the PWS first start and what was the inspiration behind getting started? Paul Self: I started up PWS around two years ago, but before that I worked for another promotions company Zoot Promotions for many years, so have been putting shows and events on for almost 10 years. What's the music policy? We put on all genres of music, from indie to metal and soul to pop… and everything in-between. What have been some of your highlights and what can we most look forward to coming up? At PWS we've put many many touring acts on, from small up-and-coming artists to larger established bands. Too many highlights to mention really, but definitely the We Are Scientists 3,000 sell-out show we put on at the old Carling Academy is up there. September 2012

socialise with great people, Le Lieu is the place. What's unique about our atmosphere and vibe is that near enough all our headliners for a start have never played in Birmingham, so that alone brings a unique sound. Favourite thing about living in Birmingham? There are a few hidden gems in the city whether it's a club night, a bar, restaurant or a small boutique. You just have to explore and always be on the look out. There are a few new venues opened in the last few months that we would recommend to check it out. All around the Digbeth area, Spotlight and Suki-10C are worth a check. Upcoming event details at www.facebook.com/lelieumusic.

What would be your first piece of advice to new students arriving in Birmingham? I'd say, forget about doing any work for the first year (we all know it doesn't count towards your final degree) and get yourself out and about in the city and surroundings areas, like Moseley, Kings Heath and Digbeth to and discover the vast venues and club nights we have on offer – these can be found everywhere other than Broad Street. Stay away from there and you'll have the best three years of your life. Any other hidden gems that people should know about? The Wellington and the Post Office Vaults, real ale drinkers’ paradises and proper boozers to boot! Favourite thing about living in Birmingham is you’re never more than two minutes walk from a decent gig or pint of ale and bag of scratchings. Bands looking for gigs contact bookings@pwspromotions.co.uk. Full listings at www.pwspromotions.co.uk.

The Catapult Club So, first of all, who are you and where can we usually find you? Arthur Tapp, running The Catapult Club, currently every Thursday at 02 Academy 3, weekends at Birmingham Ballroom and in-house promoter at The Actress and Bishop, with gigs every Friday and Saturday and some weeknights. When did the Catapult Club first start and what was the inspiration behind getting started? Started in 1989 when I was 17 and in sixth form. There weren’t that many venues for local bands at that point so in order to get gigs for my own band we set up a night every Monday at the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath. Most of the sixth form turned up so it was busy — meaning more bands wanted to play. And I’ve never stopped… What's the music policy? Mainly indie, rock, bands playing original material. You’ll find the best of Birmingham vibrant local music scene. There are some great bands to be discovered What have been some of your highlights? So many highlights over the last 23 years. Probably the biggest was the mayhem that was Quids In at the Jug of Ale every Wednesday (1999–2004). It was £1 to get in and £1 a pint and some weeks we’d have more than 500 people turn up. You could see great local bands or up and coming touring acts like Maximo Park and Kasabian. Editors used to play there and a huge thrill for me was obviously taking them from that level to the NIA where we sold 11,000 tickets. What do you feel the state of the city's music scene is now? Very healthy. I’ve seen it change so many times, at the moment there are a lot of venues and promoters so a lot of choice and diversity for music lovers. How can new bands get in touch with you looking for gigs? Always keen to hear from new bands. Email or a call/text is best (07958 787 634), Arthur@thecatapultclub.net and the website thecatapultclub.net, or on Facebook facebook.com/thecatapultclub. 31

presents

in association with Academy Events

A GOLDENVOICE PRESENTATION IN ASSOCIATION WITH CODA AGENCY

PLUS GUESTS SWISS

LIPS

Plus special guests:

Paper Shapes | Dive Exit | The One Twos

17 OCTOBER 2012 TOUR

O2 ACADEMY2 BIRMINGHAM FRIDAY 26 OCTOBER DOORS: 6PM / CURFEW: 10PM / £6 ADV Buy tickets now from: o2academybirmingham.co.uk 0844 477 2000 (24hr) facebook.com/dakotabeatsband | facebook.com/papershapes facebook.com/DiveExit | facebook.com/TheOneTwos

BN1206 BrumNotes Presents Dakota Beats A6.indd 1

BIRMINGHAM HMV INSTITUTE TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM AEGLIVE.CO.UK & SEETICKETS.COM Bad Blood the new single available to download & on 7" now www.bastillebastille.com

13/06/2012 20:34

SAT 1ST SEPT Fuzzz! 60s club night, freak beat, garage rock, yeye, psych. 8 til late/Free Entry FRI 14TH SEPT Live Jukeboz Burnside play hits from 1950s to present day. 8 til late/Free Entry FRI 21ST SEPT Acoustic Club 8 til late // Free Entry SAT 22ND SEPT Transmission (Joy Division Tribute) + Blunderbus 8 til late // £5 Entry SAT 29TH SEPT Pressure Drop Boss Reggae, Ska, Rocksteady & Soul. 8 til late/Free Entry FRI 5TH OCT Making Maisie + More TBC 8 til late/£5 Entry SAT 6TH OCT What Goes On - Brumbeat Mod Night 8 til late/£5 Entry

Book your event/party with us and get free hire* including sound man and PA.

For bookings and availability email: cdjshows@yahoo.co.uk 105 Ravenhurst Street, Birmingham B12 oHB Tel: 0121 766 8467 / facebook.com/themoseleyarms

Brum Notes Magazine

September 2012

Photos by Wayne Fox Photography

live OFF THE CUFF FESTIVAL The Flapper, Birmingham 27-29/07/12

Friday The sun may be shining in Birmingham this weekend, but a dark cloud of sonic expectation is looming over The Flapper, ready to open the floodgates of aural adventure as the hotly-anticipated three-day noise assault (with some dainty acoustic artistry thrown into the mix) makes its welcome return. Festivities are launched and then mercilessly beaten into submission on Friday evening by the crippling weight of the astoundingly technical three-piece BOVINE, whose colossal riffage and proficient vocals take the audience’s attention hostage while setting the standard staggeringly high. Armed with flip flops, Fenders and a feisty need to up the ante, ROMANS are the first to break the barriers between the band and the audience. Their chief lead player lunges and marches through the venue, exhilarating the crowd and electrifying the atmosphere. THESE MONSTERS then unleash their playfully eccentric persona upon The Flapper’s basement surrounds. Shirtless frontman Samuel Pryor intoxicates with passionately preached but incoherent vocals, accompanied by a wall of disturbing but powerful stripped-down noise rock. Bringing the evening to a fitting climax with their ferocity and outstanding presence, the snappily dressed SHAPES perform their refreshingly technical, brutal and eclectic set, flaunting virtuosity through vexing rhythms and titanic soundscapes. 34

Turbowolf

Saturday With the sun beaming down on the busy beer garden, it seems it will take something special to attract attendees to abandon their al fresco drinking in favour of the windowless confines of the basement stage. But THE TRAPS – with the bonus addition of Tom Peel on brass – do just that, bewitching the audience with a hazy kaleidoscope of enchanting melodies and captivating grooves, and with a voice as warm and inviting as their guitar tone the performance is positively spellbinding. Upstairs, KID CONVENTIONAL is the first act ever on the brand new addition to this year’s festival, the Brum Notes Magazine Acoustic Stage, and certainly does it justice, drawing the drinkers in with his smooth vocals and Bright Eyes-inspired intensity. Back in the bear pit downstairs, with resounding beauty grounded by enchanting and perfectly executed harmonized vocals, FUNERAL SUITS are the mother-ship of cool, dazzling the main stage with their diverse set. Up to the acoustic stage and ex-Tantrums member ANNA PALMER steals hearts and minds as she reveals a sneak preview of her forthcoming Anushka project, and it proves to be one of the highlights of the new stage, silencing the heaving bar with her beguiling blend of piano and searing vocals. A trio of men sporting terrifying sheep masks take to the downstairs stage where

they ignite their electronic and progressive avant-garde freak show. Akin to an animalistic Kraftwerk, their music borders on futuristic lunacy. With the addition of vocals from Greg Bird completing this cherishable circus of electronica, FREE SCHOOL now have a voice. A stripped down, two-person version of alt-folk outfit YOUNG RUNAWAYS, led by charismatic frontman Mat Pinfield, provide a witty and jaunty acoustic refrain upstairs, ahead of a rare unplugged performance from Black Country indie rockers DAKOTA BEATS, revealing the more insightful side to their songwriting. On the main stage, Off The Cuff welcomes its first instrumental band of the weekend in the form of MAYBESHEWILL. Serving forth awe-inspiring and egoless instrumentals, they are precision incarnate. Ramping things up a notch on the acoustic stage, JIM LOCKEY & THE SOLEMN SUN may have been in slightly different surroundings to their previous night, which saw them performing as Frank Turner’s backing band in front of 80,000 at the Olympic opening ceremony, but their showing in the upstairs bar was no less inspirational, delivering all the energy and drama that Brum Notes Magazine

Bats

Jim Lockey

Blacklisters

a Ann

Palm

The Traps

Kid Conventio

nal

Dakota Beats

Them Wolves

Free School Horrorshow

you would expect from them. With attention returning once again to the main stage, Cornwall’s finest newcomers TALL SHIPS set their stall out with a stunning set of loop-tastic experimentalism, raising the bar ahead of the appearance of THREE TRAPPED TIGERS. But the headline trio create a terrifying array of destructive sound, making a kick drum sound like the heartbeat of the apocalypse throughout marquee track Reset, and treating the crowd to a full frightening hour of tearaway instrumental anger. Sunday HORRORSHOW make a mockery of the early time of day, the fact that it’s a day of rest and the fact that there’s only two of them, delivering an unabated assault of trash rock power. More than fit to follow them, &U&I are loud, abrasive, straight up rock. They riot through a short set and provide a taster for the rest of the day. At the opposite end of the scale, CHARLOTTE CARPENTER’S wistful acoustic set, shimmering vocals and charming tunes leave the upstairs bar chilled, refreshed and in silent awe. But downstairs the volume is about to be ramped right back up. You know that thing that happens on a plane when you’re taking off, the sensation that your ears have stopped working? Well, that’s what Them Wolves do. Harsh, chugging guitars overlapped with impressive vocals come together to create a wall of September 2012

sound for a powerful 30-minute set. The bearded terrorists of unmitigated sonic domination aren’t playing their songs, they’re abusively detonating them at point blank range. Welsh singer-songwriter JOSHUA CAOLE is brooding intensity personified on the acoustic stage, with a captivating set of introspective yet edgy tunes, before back downstairs BLACKLISTERS’ mixture of grindcore and inharmonious hardcore is as confrontational as frontman Billy Mason-Wood himself. He launches himself up above the audience, crowd-surfing as he performs his enrapturing vocals. It’s difficult not to admire a band who finish their set by wrestling a man to the floor. TWO FATHOMS is a one man ball of energy with his acoustic guitar around his neck, pacing around the upstairs stage as he bellows out his down-to-earth and witty ramblings with unrivalled passion, while downstairs two people have never made this much noise by themselves. Ever. THAT FUCKING TANK do nothing to help the Sunday hangovers. Grungy and loud, we are all witnessing something special and we all know it. MEZZOTONIC funk things up back in the upstairs bar, with their high-energy acoustic set, before folk collective BOAT TO ROW draw the acoustic stage to a close in front of its biggest crowd of the weekend, delivering their dreamy and intelligently-crafted brand of sunshine jaunts, rousing rhythms and

ans

Rom nimble melodies. Nimble is seemingly not a word in BATS’ vocabulary with an all out attack of math-rock, before TURBOWOLF take crowd interaction to another level, whipping up the sweaty audience into a frenzy with their retro-inspired ‘rawk,’ nighon dangerous crowd-surfing and the most mental cover of Jefferson Airplane’s Somebody to Love ever. It’s a tough act to follow but FUTURE OF THE LEFT are more than up to the task. Andy Falkous leads his energetic charges in a battering ram set of politicised, intense intelli-rock with sweat levels reaching record highs and the surreal ending of leaving a front row fan gaffa taped to the stage is a fittingly bizarre way to end an incredible weekend. Roll on 2013. Guy Hirst, Joe Whitehouse & Chris Moriarty

Future of the Left 35

Photo by Karl Dixon (www.karlrdixon.com)

The Flyover Show Hockley Flyover, Birmingham 18/08/12

Reclaiming a long-neglected space under a busy arterial route in inner-city Birmingham through any kind of event was always going to be a huge challenge in itself, particularly given the current state of funding, apparent general inertia from the city council and logistical difficulties of transforming a mini concrete jungle into a festival site for one day. Kudos then to Birmingham-born jazz musician and MC Soweto Kinch for realising the ambition that a major block party attended by a few thousand people – including local residents and tourists from south of the Bullring – can unite a neighbourhood and city through music, art and entertainment for not just a one-off, but for four years in a row now. Delivered by Kinch, industry professional Clare Edwards and team, The Flyover Show featured live graffiti, b-boy demonstrations, performances from Birmingham Royal Ballet dancers, sets from reggae old-schoolers like Basil Gabbidon and headliner Maxi Priest as well as emerging artists like Ibeeniice(sic), Deci4life, Smash and RTKAL . The day belonged to only one though – Brum’s own grime crossover artist Lady Leshurr, whose explosive set featuring incredible wordplay and a talented young dancer just tore up everything else on the stage before and after. The Flyover Show format is still rough around

the edges in places - which is of course part of its charm - in that the space could have been used more creatively and the programme was in need of a little polishing (nice one Jonzi D for filling in for the divaish latecomer Janet Kay) but as a celebration of both Jamaica 50 and the rich pool of talent this city features, this free event is by far one of the best ways to spend a summer day in Birmingham. Another brilliant home-grown cross-discipline event to file alongside the likes of Supersonic, Moseley Folk, Mostly Jazz, BASS and Off The Cuff festivals. Lyle Bignon

Modified Stockhausen Mac, Birmingham 20/08/12

German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen is considered both groundbreaking and pioneering in the development of 20th century electronic music. To this day, he’s still considered highly influential to an array of musicians. Nonetheless, Stockhausen has never fell short of criticism over his entire career either. This event equally celebrated, re-imagined and reassessed the life of such a prolific, experimental artist. Firstly, Dick Witts (former leader of the 80s post-punk act The Passage) shed some light on the actual facts with his humorous lecture revealing that many artists like to name-drop Stockhausen rather than take inspiration from his sound, playing snippets of pre-recorded interviewers with the likes of Pink Floyd, as well as Stockhausen’s own responses to the work of artists such as Aphex Twin and Plastikman. Ostrich Box were the first to perform their own Stockhausen inspired piece. The duo

used a stethoscope throughout the entire show, creating anxious sounds out of manipulated heartbeat patterns. For Modified Toy Orchestra, the Stockhausen sound is a whole new alter ego to their once familiar, toy-pop melodies. This time, the orchestra are stripped from five members to three, and a once-happy, cheery sound had now been turned into an alien soundscape of dark explorations. MTO’s first piece re-imagines Stockhausen’s Spiral, with eerie radio experiments and atmospheric ambience, draining into a coldness of synthetic radiance. Cosmic Pulses was the last Stockhausen piece for the orchestra to explore, with their eerie childlike melodies returning, but in random, reel-to-reel looped peculiarities. The circuit bent toys were aligned and singing to develop new, across-the-ether ambiences. We were then led to Raffertie, a solo sound artist who digitalises the German composer’s world with his laptop music, developing off-kilter beats and fractured electronics to create frantic, psychedelic visions. His world gives a completely modernistic modification to Stockhausen’s ethos, bridging the gap between the German experimentalist’s work, and the synthetic, technological new age of avant-garde. Ross Cotton

Youth Man + Thieves + Prayers The Flapper, Birmingham 16/08/12

Some bands are hyped because they know people, some pay a lot of money for it and then some are hyped just because everybody knows they’re going to be incredible. In the run up to tonight the anticipation for the arrival of Prayers has been tangible and, with a short but burly set, they prove that they

Photo by Rob Gilbert 36

Brum Notes Magazine

belong in the latter category. Deep haunting vocals fill the room and are offset perfectly by the apocalyptic resonance surrounding them. Given time, Prayers have the potential to be the new marquee Birmingham band. A segue into ‘lad-rock’ comes next, from five-piece Thieves in what can only be described as an honest answer to Britpop. The set is enlightened somewhat when the lead singer removes his shirt, taking it upon himself to dance with the audience, encapsulating the set – fun and lighthearted but lacking in guile. Akin to Prayers in such that the anticipation surrounding them grows by the day, Youth Man headline for the first time tonight. They are a mental cacophony of punk lust, a 30-minute set that leaves you feeling as though you’ve spent it in a wind turbine rather than a gig. The last time they played The Flapper their show was punctuated by a mid-set bloodbath. Thankfully no blood is spilt this time, but all the energy is still there. Youth Man, tearing peoples faces off since 2012. Any more words would only take away from what is an incredible live show. Joe Whitehouse

Blur Civic Hall, Wolverhampton 05/08/12

O2 Academy 3, Birmingham 18/08/12

Caves open up the night with a set that can be summed up with one key word: loud. There will always be a large space in the hearts of music fans for lo-fi, care-free rock. Caves prove themselves more than worthy to represent that style in Birmingham’s blossoming music scene. The wealth of talent among some of Birmingham’s freshest faces continues with These Kings. They may appear a tad awkward on stage but as any musician will tell you, playing to live audiences is nerve wracking. Their traditional brand of indie is made up of admirable musicianship. The Tone Thieves break the cycle of very young bands but don’t break the winning streak. If anything, they pick the night back up again. Their enthusiasm is instantly infectious and their set rocks and rolls along with exhilarating enthusiasm. In fact, some of the younger contemporaries on the bill could learn a lot from the showmanship of The Tone Thieves. Wide Eyed not only darken the stage but darken the atmosphere of the O2 – and threaten to steal the show at the same time. Each act on the line up takes the night in a new direction. The key elements of Wide Eyed’s particular direction involve abstract guitar compositions twisted with distortion and vocals that implore you to yearn along with them in their psychedelic soundscapes. It is then left to Jaws to bring the night to a triumphant close. They play to their strengths throughout their set; short, sharp guitar pop in the form of Donut and wistful dream pop in the form of debut single Toucan Surf. Live staples Holy Cat and Cameron get a good airing alongside a brand new song. Their presence was felt throughout the whole

night due to their blow up shark hanging at the back of the stage and they certainly made their presence felt when they took to the stage. Sure they are raw, but so too are they modest, original and cool incarnate. They are a band growing in confidence and ready and willing to live up to their undoubtedly huge potential. Jack Parker

The Low Anthem Mac, Birmingham 20/07/12

British summer, outside show at the MAC. Doesn’t sound like it’s going to be ideal but when the band is The Low Anthem you shouldn’t care if it’s pouring down. And it’s a testament to the band that so many people brave the terrible, and now reluctantly accepted, British weather to come out and watch them. And they certainly don’t disappoint. Probably best known for stark, easy going, American folk songs, the band launch into some of their heavier material. Suffering from technical difficulties though, thanks to on/off rain earlier, they decide to abandon the stage and come into the centre of the amphitheatre, in the venue’s outdoor arena. They even manage to drag their old organ off the stage with them. The band soon have everyone nodding and swaying and there are even glimpses of the sun – the power of great music or the collective will of everyone at the Mac? Throughout the show the band prove to be true professionals, outstanding musicians and incredibly down to earth people. All their songs, whether heavy or quiet, lesser known or big hits like the anthemic Boeing 737 and beautiful Charlie Darwin, go down incredibly well. The Low Anthem have that rare ability to not only capture an audience’s attention but make something ordinary extra special. Ben Russell Photo by Jonathan Morgan

Let’s face it, Blur’s performance at this year’s Brit Awards was verging on a disaster. The songs sounded under-rehearsed and frontman Damon Albarn clearly struggled to keep up. Overall, it didn’t leave us with the highest hopes for Hyde Park. But as the first notes of Girls and Boys ring out through the Civic Hall, all is forgotten. Albarn lunges across the stage and belts out the song while the audience sing along and pick him up should his voice fall short. The set is one that many Blur fans would have dreamed of. Fan favourites such as Jubilee, Trimm Trabb and This Is A Low make easy bedfellows with classics such as Beetlebum and Song 2. Even seldomplayed tracks such as London Loves, Caramel and Sing receive a heavily-applauded airing. But by far the show’s finest moment comes in the form of new track and latest single Under The Westway, a song which transforms from gentle plodding piano to glorious crescendo. The band close the show with a breathtakingly transcendental rendition of The Universal but it is Tender which has the biggest impact, with the audience singing the refrain of “oh my baby” all the way home. Thomas Roden

Brum Notes Presents: Jaws + The Tone Thieves + Wide Eyed + These Kings + Caves

Jaws September 2012

STYLE ASOS £100

TOPSHOP £110 TOPSHOP £70

DIESEL £125

H&M £35

WE ARE HANDSOME £230

:ON TREND EDITOR'S PICKS

FRENCH CONNECTION £150

EQUIPMENT £265

TOP TIPS:

3) MAC Studio Sculpt was a catwalk backstage beauty favourite because of it’s velvety smooth texture. Buff this into the skin before adding a traceless powder like Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder, Whatever your make-up this it’s light reflecting and creates a season, make sure you have soft-focus finish. the perfect complexion by enhancing your natural features 4) Create contours and highlights with award-winning beauty using Chanel Bronze Universel. It’s favourites in order to create a a cream-gel hybrid, which can be flawless finish. used to contour cheekbones and emulate sun-kissed skin. Finish by 1) Firstly, go back to basics by applying MAC Shell Cream Colour prepping the face to create a clean Base, a multi-purpose cream prodand smooth base for make-up ap- uct which adds a luminous sheen to plication. Follow your cleansing skin, use this highlighter on cheekand toning routine by massaging a bones, Cupid’s bow and inner cormoisturiser all over the skin. I rec- ners of the eye. ommend Kiehls iconic Ultra Facial Cream, it’s lightweight, hydrating 5) Perfected your complexion? and suitable for most skin types. Add a pop of colour with this season’s staples from a calligraphic 2) Applying a primer before any black liner to a darkened lip colour make-up will give a smooth and for a modern update on autumnal even application and long-lasting make-up. look. Nars Multi-Protect Primer boasts an anti-oxidant rich and oilWords: Ami Streets free formula with an essential SPF. Photo: Jade Sukiya

DEWY SKIN

Brum Notes Magazine

NEWS Lana Del Rey has been confirmed as the new face for H&M’s Autumn/Winter campaign. In the new campaign images shot by famous dutch duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin we see Del Rey sporting a pink Angora jumper, leather jeans, stiletto nails, back combed hair and blinding earrings which the brand’s creative director described as “very LA Noir.” Lana will also be releasing a music video for the brand which will be out on September 19 and can be found at www.H&M.com.

GEORGINA, 18, STUDENT

JODIE, 16, STUDENT

photos by Kate Hook

ON THE STREET

images courtesy of H&M & PUMA

Lana Del Rey X H&M

Puma X Alexander McQueen

Streetwear giant Puma has launched two new premium high top sneakers to add to the already existing collaboration. The two new designs from the unique collection are the high-top Joust and the mid-top Street climb models. The Joust includes a quilted stuffed heal, lace guard and leather lining and is available in regular leather, metallic leather and pony hair. The Street Climb features leather and suede combined with tonal laces.

Rihanna X River Island

ISEA, 21, SALES ADVISOR

SORAYA, 21, STUDENT

Pop sensation Rihanna will design a capsule collection for high street retailer River Island, it has been announced. Although there are no clues as to what will be included in this collection the retailer explains that they are “thrilled to be collaborating with Rihanna and to be the first fashion brand to work with her in this way. Rihanna is a style icon, from street to chic she enjoys her fashion. As soon as we started to work together we knew this was a perfect fit. Rihanna will be designing the collection and we will be sharing our fashion experience with her to develop a range her fans will love.” The collection won’t be hitting the stores until 2013 so keep your eyes peeled.

Rosie H-W X Autograph

Devon-born actress, supermodel and the face of M&S Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has unveiled her very own lingerie collection. Rosie for Autograph is the next step in her relationship with retail giant M&S for which she has modelled for the past two seasons. She describes the range as “completely feminine, it’s something for women and it’s ours. It’s our little secret.” The vintage-inspired collection is made up of 33 pieces adorned with floral print and vintage detailing and was released on August 30 in selected M&S stores.

TARA, 16, STUDENT September 2012

ALYS, 20, SALES ADVISOR 39

FOOD + DRINK cocktail of the month: feeling blue It’s easy to feel blue, what with the terrible weather, England’s disappointing performance at the Euros or lacklustre performances of iconic bands at recent festivals. But fear not, why not raise your spirits with a blue cocktail? Yes, that’s right. Blue. Ever since most good bars left blue drinks behind in the 80s there has been a bit of a stigma attached to them, mostly due to the fact that most bartenders had to use a Blue Curacao of some sort which is essentially an orange liqueur with blue colouring added. Additives are generally classed as a bad thing and so anyone with an ounce of self-respect ceased drinking or making drinks with them. Today we are lucky enough to have access to many more exotic fruits and ingredients to turn drinks blue, but even if you cannot get your hands on them Blue Curacao need not be the enemy. Consider this – the additive is nowhere near as bad for you as the alcohol contained in the drink. There I said it, a staunch advocate for cocktails talking about the evils of alcohol but you are not stupid, deep down you have always known this. So as cocktails are, among other things, more fun than some other drinks we intend to have some fun with blue drinks, we will rise up and lead the blue revolution. With this in mind on September 17 at sister venue Island Bar [Suffolk St Queensway] we are hosting a cocktail competition between all our sister venues to create the perfect blue drink. Throughout the entire month we will also be donating funds to the urology department of the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust Charity every time we sell a blue drink. This month has been named internationally as Blue September with the aim to raise awareness of cancer affecting men of all ages, and with funds from the cocktails going directly to our local hospitals there’s all the more reason to get involved. So come along and enjoy blue – responsibly of course. By Julian Rose-Gibbs, general manager at The Victoria, John Bright Street, Birmingham. www.thevictoriabirmingham.co.uk. Island Bar hosts the blue cocktail competition on September 17. 40

Recipe: sweet freedom Ingredients: 35ml light Scotch whisky 35ml Blue Curacao 35ml fresh pressed apple juice 15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice Dash of sugar syrup Directions: Shake all the ingredients with cubed ice and fine strain into a coupette glass.

Brum Notes Magazine

RE B CO RA RD ND IN NE G W ST UD IO

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www.jjmstudios.co.uk 41

.PRESENTS

BODY/HEAD

FEAT.

KIM GORDON

BILL NACE

BOHREN & DER CLUB OF GORE THE BUG C_C CARLTON MELTON CLIFFORD TORUS DEVILMAN DJ DIE SOON DOPE BODY DRUNK IN HELL DYLAN CARLSON FLOWER/CORSANO DUO GOAT HEY COLOSSUS HOOKWORMS HYPE WILLIAMS ISLAJA JARBOE JK FLESH JUSTICE YELDMAN KAKAWAKA KEVIN DRUMM KK NULL KOYXEN LASH FRENZY LAU NAU LICHENS MERZBOW MOONN MOTHERTRUCKER MY DISCO NICHOLAS BULLEN ORE AND KK NULL OXBOW ORCHESTRA PCM RANGDA RICHARD DAWSON RUINS ALONE DJ SCOTCH BONNET SIR RICHARD BISHOP SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE STIAN WESTERHUS SWLLWS THOMAS ANKERSMIT TIM HECKER TOMUTONTTU UFOMAMMUT WARM DIGITS ZENI GEVA + F I L M S / I N S TA L L AT I O N S / TA L K S / WO R K S H O P S / M A R K E T P L AC E / T E A R O O M

19-21 OCTOBER. BIRMINGHAM UK

W W W. S U P E R S O N I C F E S T I VA L . C O M

Brum Notes Magazine

WHAT’S ON

KEY TO LISTINGS: M = LIVE MUSIC CN = CLUB NIGHT C = COMEDY

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; Bull’s Head, St Marys Row, Moseley B13, 0121 2567777; Island Bar, Suffolk St B1, 0121 6325296; The Jam House, St Pauls Sq B3, 0121 2003030; The Asylum, Hampton St, Hockley B19, 0121 2331109; The Rainbow, High St, Digbeth B12, 0121 7728174; Adam & Eve, Bradford St, Digbeth B12, 0121 6931500; The Rose Villa Tavern, Warstone Lane, B18, 0121 2367910; The Yardbird, Paradise Place B3, 0121 2122524; The Glee Club, The Arcadian, Hurst St B5, 0871 4720400; MAC, Cannon Hill Park B12, 0121 4463232; Nightingale, Kent St B5, 0121 6221718; Scruffy Murphys, The Priory Queensway B4, 0121 2362035; The Wagon & Horses, Adderley St, Digbeth B9, 0121 7721403; Highlight, Broad St B1, 08700 111 960; The Ballroom, Dale End B4, 0121 320 2820; Lab11, Trent St B5, lab11.co.uk; The Moseley Arms, Ravenhurst St B12, 0121 7668467; Air, Heath Mill Lane B9, 0121 7666646; 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 Saturday, Sep 1 Casino

Actress & Bishop

Birmingham

Taking Hayley

The Ballroom

Birmingham

The Carpet Cutouts + The British Kicks Dressing For Pleasure Bounce Back

The End @ The Ballroom Sunflower Lounge

Birmingham

CN CN The Big Saturgay

Club PST

Birmingham

Nightingale

Birmingham

CN CN Machine

The Ballroom

Birmingham

The End @ The Ballroom The Moseley Arms

Birmingham

M M M M

Night Out Subculture

CN Fuzzz! 60s Club

Night FACE feat Rebel

Birmingham

CN Sugar Rush CN Jam Jah Reggae M M

Bull’s Head

Moseley

NIA

Birmingham

The Glee Club

Birmingham

B Dolan’s Church Of Love & Ruin Moschino Hoes Versace Hotties Mrs Brown Rides Again Thursday, Sep 6 The Secret Year

The Library @ HMV Institute The Victoria

Birmingham

NIA

Birmingham

M CN Diversity CN Tropicalia They All Started C

O2 Academy 3

Birmingham

Nightingale

Birmingham

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

NIA

Birmingham

The Glee Club

Birmingham

The Victoria

Birmingham

The Artrix

Bromsgrove

O2 Academy 3

Birmingham

M M CN

CN CN Moseley Folk

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

CN Daniel Townes C

Bull’s Head

Moseley

M M

Sunday, Sep 2 Free Love Club

Island Bar

Birmingham

Red Method

O2 Academy 3

Birmingham

Tom Peel

The Flapper

Birmingham

Sherelle Myers

Sunflower Lounge

Birmingham

Mostly Autumn

Robin 2

Bilston

C C

Monday, Sep 3 Allo Darlin’ + Ace Bushy Striptease Escaping Vendetta

Subside

Birmingham

The End @ The Ballroom

Birmingham

September 2012

Moseley

Birmingham

M M M M M

Birmingham

Bull’s Head

Birmingham

The Rainbow Arena

Birmingham

Nightingale

The Library @ HMV Institute Hare & Hounds

Birmingham

The Glee Club

All details correct at time of going to press. Check with venues before setting out.

Symphony Hall

The Rainbow

Afterparty Uber

info@ brumnotes.com

Two Door Cinema Club Jeff & Vida + The Toy Hearts Jolt + Benjamin Blower Mrs Brown Rides Again Wednesday, Sep 5 Perfume Genius

CN CN The Burning Van Festival Bruk Up

Tuesday, Sep 4 Dave Stewart

Want your gig or club night listed in our monthly guide? Send details to:

Somewhere Mrs Brown Rides Again Roger Monkhouse

Manilla Road Comedy The Boy With Tape On His Face Friday, Sep 7 Aceldama

Kings Heath

Birmingham

Brum Notes Magazine

M M M CN CN CN CN CN

Sour Mash

Actress & Bishop

Birmingham

Kyoto Drive

The Flapper

Birmingham

The Enid + Inme

Wulfrun Hall

Wolverhampton

Resonance

Club PST

Birmingham

Hype Birmingham

Lab11

Birmingham

Propaganda

O2 Academy

Birmingham

ReggaeBaby Lounge Highgrade 4th Birthday Berlusconi’s

The End @ The Ballroom The Rainbow Warehouse The Victoria

Birmingham

CN CN Le Lieu Present

Birmingham Birmingham

Hare & Hounds Fantastic Mr Fox Mrs Brown Rides NIA Again Roger Monkhouse + The Glee Club Tom Wrigglesworth Saturday, Sep 8 Looca Actress & Bishop

Kings Heath

The Enquiry

The End @ The Ballroom Sunflower Lounge

Birmingham

The Artrix

Bromsgrove

M CN The Big Saturgay

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Nightingale

Birmingham

CN CN FACE feat Kerri

Subway City

Birmingham

The Rainbow

Birmingham

CN CN Hot Wax Mrs Brown Rides C

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Bull’s Head

Moseley

C C M M M M

Jack Rubinacci Virgil & The Accelerators Rotunda Of Wonder Night Out Simple Hype

Chandler Balkanic Eruption

C M M M M M M

M M C M M M M M

Birmingham

NIA Again Roger Monkhouse + The Glee Club Tom Wrigglesworth Sunday, Sep 9 Iwrestledabearonce O2 Academy 2

Birmingham

Tom Hingley

O2 Academy 3

Birmingham

Sam Eden

The Flapper

Birmingham

Bohemian Jukebox

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Monday, Sep 10 Sue Denim Dave McPherson (InMe) Sleepy Sun

M CN Jam Jah Reggae M

Birmingham

Tuesday, Sep 11 Under Blacked Skies The Moons Acoustic Club

Birmingham

O2 Academy 3

Birmingham

The Flapper

Birmingham

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Scruffy Murphys

Birmingham

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Bull’s Head

Moseley

BBC Radio 2 New The Glee Club Comedy Award 2012 Wednesday, Sep 12 The Last Carnival O2 Academy 3

Birmingham

Dexys

Symphony Hall

Birmingham

Husky

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Thursday, Sep 13 Quayside + The Scribers Cate Le Bon

September 2012

Birmingham

O2 Academy 3

Birmingham

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

M M M

Cheek Mountain Thief Marillion

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Civic Hall

Wolverhampton

Albert Lee & Hogan’s Heroes Diversity

Robin 2

Bilston

Nightingale

Birmingham

Bull’s Head

Moseley

NIA

Birmingham

The Glee Club

Birmingham

Friday, Sep 14 Rebel Movie Maker

The Flapper

Birmingham

Raymond Froggatt

The Artrix

Bromsgrove

Greg Bird EP Launch Party Cedar House Band

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Propaganda

O2 Academy

Birmingham

Muzik Hertz

The Rainbow

Birmingham

M4TP

The Victoria

Birmingham

Bombstore

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Paul Tonkinson

The Glee Club

Birmingham

Jason Byrne

Civic Hall

Wolverhampton

Saturday, Sep 15 Youth Man

Adam & Eve

Birmingham

The Cult

O2 Academy

Birmingham

The Features

The Ballroom

Birmingham

Prayers

The Flapper

Birmingham

Tommy Gun

The Moseley Arms

Birmingham

Party Planning Committee Geno Washington

The Victoria

Birmingham

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Air

Birmingham

Rainbow Warehouse The Rainbow

Birmingham

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Alexandra Theatre

Birmingham

The Glee Club

Birmingham

Sunday, Sep 16 Emily Ewing

The Flapper

Birmingham

Wet Nuns

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

The Making

The Slade Rooms

Wolverhampton

Monday, Sep 17 Fu Manchu

O2 Academy 2

Birmingham

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Tuesday, Sep 18 Dead End Trap

Actress & Bishop

Birmingham

Acoustic Club

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Mark Morriss

The Roadhouse

Stirchley

Wednesday, Sep 19 Jesca Hoop

The Glee Club

Birmingham

CN CN Fantastic Damage Kevin Hart C Paul Tonkinson C M M M M CN CN CN CN C C M M M M M M

M CN HARD as FK CN El-P

CN FACE feat Lakosa CN Shelter present Tokyo Prose Habit

CN Jason Byrne C Paul Tonkinson C M M M

M CN Jam Jah Reggae M M M M M M M M

Birmingham

The Mezingers

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Thursday, Sep 20 Crybaby

Hare & Hounds

Birmingham

The Maine

O2 Academy 2

Birmingham

Crybaby

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

CN Flavour: The CN CN CN C C C M M M M M CN CN CN CN C M M M M M CN CN CN CN CN C M M M M M CN CN C M M M M M M M M M 46

Tropical Freshers Party Manhattan Loft

The Rainbow Complex

Birmingham

The Victoria

Birmingham

Tropicalia

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Student Fest 2012

Civic Hall

Wolverhampton

Rob Rouse

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Craig Hill

The Glee Club

Birmingham

Abandoman

The Slade Rooms

Wolverhampton

Friday, Sep 21 Halestorm

O2 Academy 2

Birmingham

Acoustic Club

The Moseley Arms

Birmingham

I Swim With Sharks

Sunflower Lounge

Birmingham

Gunning For Tamar

The Flapper

Birmingham

My Autumn Empire

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Propaganda

O2 Academy

Birmingham

Bambaux

Suki10c

Birmingham

Live Forever

The Victoria

Birmingham

Freestyle

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Craig Hill

The Glee Club

Birmingham

Saturday, Sep 22 Richard Hawley

HMV Institute

Birmingham

Nik Kershaw

O2 Academy 2

Birmingham

Rise Of My Empire

The Flapper

Birmingham

Kid Ink

Birmingham

Ian McCulloch

The Library @ HMV Institute Kasbah

Come Together

The Adam & Eve

Birmingham

FACE meets 2:31

The Rainbow

Birmingham

Fantazia

The Rainbow Arena

Birmingham

Beatamax

The Victoria

Birmingham

Daddy G

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Craig Hill

The Glee Club

Birmingham

Sunday, Sep 23 Motion City Soundtrack Andy Mckee

O2 Academy 2

Birmingham

The Glee Club

Birmingham

Karnataka

The Artrix

Bromsgrove Birmingham

Joyce Manor

The Library @ HMV Institute The Rainbow

Sugar Rush

Nightingale

Birmingham

Jam Jah Reggae

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Monday, Sep 24 B.o.B

Coventry

Birmingham

Fear Of A Brown Planet Tuesday, Sep 25 Then Jerico

Mac

O2 Academy 2

Birmingham

Sincerity

Actress & Bishop

Birmingham

Joe Brooks

The Temple @ HMV Institute Hare & Hounds

Birmingham

Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun Wednesday, Sep 26 Aiden Grimshaw Ultravox Smoke Fairies Midnight Bonfires Tracer

Birmingham

Kings Heath

O2 Academy 2

Birmingham

Symphony Hall

Birmingham

Hare & Hounds Bull’s Head The Slade Rooms

Kings Heath Moseley Wolverhampton

M C C M M M M CN CN CN C M M M M M M CN CN CN

Erja Lyytinen

Robin 2

Bilston

Josh Widdicombe + Holly Walsh + more Danny Bhoy

The Glee Club

Birmingham

The Artrix

Bromsgrove

Thursday, Sep 27 The Catharsis

Actress & Bishop

Birmingham

Rachel Sermanni

The Glee Club

Birmingham

Mikill Pane

Birmingham

Steve Cradock

The Temple @ HMV Institute Hare & Hounds

Diversity

Nightingale

Birmingham

Manhattan Loft

The Victoria

Birmingham

Tropicalia

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Mark Nelson + Ben Norris Friday, Sep 28 Marc Almond

The Glee Club

Birmingham

Symphony Hall

Birmingham

Jody Has A Hitlist

The Ballroom

Birmingham

Ethan Ash

The Glee Club

Birmingham

Machine Gun Kelly

Birmingham

Autumn Store

The Library @ HMV Institute The Victoria

Drag

Wagon & Horses

Birmingham

Propaganda

O2 Academy

Birmingham

Lucha Libre feat DJ Disgrace Underground Soul Project Silent Noize Disco

Sugarloaf Bar @ Bodega Suki10c

Birmingham

The Moseley Arms

Birmingham

The Rainbow Warehouse Hare & Hounds

Birmingham

Bull’s Head

Moseley

The Glee Club

Birmingham

CN CN Onedub

CN Sugarfoot Stomp CN Mono/Poly Mark Nelson + Ben C M M M M

Norris Saturday, Sep 29 Maverick Sabre

Kings Heath

Birmingham

Kings Heath

O2 Academy

Birmingham

Teedra Moses

O2 Academy 2

Birmingham

Jake Bullit

Actress & Bishop

Birmingham

The Nortons

The End @ The Ballroom The Flapper

Birmingham

M M

Wrapper In Plastic

M M CN CN CN CN CN CN CN C

Man Like Me

The Library @ HMV Institute Sunflower Lounge

Rival Sons

Wulfrun Hall

Wolverhampton

Garuda

HMV Institute

Birmingham

Planet Wonk

Suki10c

Birmingham

Subculture

The Ballroom

Birmingham

Pressure Drop

The Moseley Arms

Birmingham

The SCC

The Victoria

Birmingham

LTJ Bukem

Hare & Hounds

Kings Heath

Move 1st Birthday

Bull’s Head

Moseley

Mark Nelson + Ben Norris Sunday, Sep 30 Free Love Club

The Glee Club

Birmingham

Island Bar

Birmingham

Twisted Wheel

O2 Academy 3

Birmingham

Dragonforce

Wulfrun Hall

Wolverhampton

Patrick Monahan

The Glee Club

Birmingham

M M M C

Tom Baxter

Birmingham

Brum Notes Magazine

September 2012

Brum Notes Magazine