may 2010
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Brum Notes Magazine: Issue 8, May 2010 Brum Notes Magazine The Moseley Exchange 149-153 Alcester Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8JP info@brumnotes.com To advertise contact: advertising@ brumnotes.com Editor: Sean O’Muir Contributors Words: Tom Pell, James Collins, Jeff Stuka, Andy Roberts, Saima Razzaq, Richard Franks, James Sharp, Chloe Botting Pictures: Wayne Fox, Mark Allen, DRW-images Design: Ryan Killeen, Andy Aitken, Kris Jones 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. www.brumnotes.com Find us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Read us in print. Please mention Brum Notes Magazine when replying to adverts.
KING ADORA make their return at the Hare & Hounds. Get the verdict on p20.
Image courtesy of Wayne Fox Photography
contents NEWS 4-6: Supersonic headliners revealed, plus big plans for The Rainbow. FEATURES 6: Profile Our monthly series gets some Speech Fewapy. 7: The Bluetones Don’t pretend you don’t like them, because you do. And the Britpop survivors are here to stay. 8-9: The Futureheads You’re probably sick of the election, but Sunderland’s favourite art-rockers want to have their say.
10-12: Tinie Tempah No, we didn’t ask him about keeping his clothes at his aunt’s house. 13: Chiddy Bang Indie is the new hip hop. Or hip hop’s the new indie. I forget which. 14-19: Gentle Revolution Our special look at the bands putting their own stamp on the modern folk revival. REVIEWS 20-21: Live Relive the long-awaited comeback from King Adora, plus gigs from Laura Marling, Rolo Tomassi and more.
22: Records Stornoway storm away with album of the month, plus Cypress over the Hill? FOOD & DRINK 23: Virgin cocktails Summer’s on its way but that doesn’t mean it’s all booze, booze, booze. Enjoy some top alcohol-free tipples. LISTINGS 26-30: Gig Guide The biggest and best guide to gigs taking place across the West Midlands throughout May, with some handy pointers too.
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news ARTISTIC FLAIR FOR CITY BAR One of Birmingham’s most distinctive urban artists has helped transform the courtyard of a city centre pub. Multi-discipline painter, illustrator and character designer Glenn Anderson has been recruited by The Jekyll & Hyde in Steelhouse Lane to add his own creative flair to the outdoor space, taking over the walls with his stylish murals. Glenn has previously added his touch to other outdoor spaces including at The Custard Factory and the urban art landmark Mission Print building in Digbeth. The pub will celebrate the relaunch of its revamped courtyard with a series of free Saturday parties throughout May and June.
Shady Bard in action at the Created in Birmingham shop. Pic by Matt Murtagh.
FREE SHOP GIGS TO CONTINUE
Shoppers looking for some musical relief from the madness of the Bullring will be able to enjoy free performances every week this month at the Created in Birmingham shop. As the name suggests, the shop, based opposite the Apple Store in the shopping centre, showcases a variety of creative work made in the city, including everything from books to bags. It has also hosted a range of events and will continue to host free concerts every Wednesday throughout May. Performances take place between 6pm and 7pm and are aimed at showcasing the variety of musical talent from around the city. First up this month will be singer-songwriter David Garside on May 5, with details on all the other acts due to perform available from not-for-profit promoters Sounds Friendly, through www.soundsfriendly.co.uk. Other artists to have performed in the shop so far include this month’s Brum Notes Magazine cover stars Shady Bard, Boat to Row and Malpas.
FEELING SUPERSONIC New dates have been announced for Birmingham’s groundbreaking Supersonic Festival. The festival returns to the area in and around The Custard Factory but will this year run from October 22 to 24, rather than its previous
July date. The acclaimed annual event, organised by pioneering promoters Capsule, will be headlined by recently-reformed New York band Swans. It will be their first British show since they disbanded in 1997 The full line up will be revealed over the coming months, with
organisers promising a host of exciting acts and artists. The festival will showcase a diverse range of genres and alternative artists. Advance weekend tickets priced at £75 plus booking fees are available now through www.brumnotes.com. Details at www.capsule.org.uk.
news
RAINBOW REVOLUTION
Three new venues and 5,000 capacity arena for Digbeth
ICONIC Digbeth venue
The Rainbow has unveiled its ambitious plans for a major expansion, starting this month. The pub, club and live music complex will open its brand new underground space Cellar Door on May 28, the first of three new venues being integrated into The Rainbow brand. Cellar Door, built into the basement of the original pub on the corner of High Street Deritend and Adderley Street, will start off in style on the opening weekend, with new weekly Friday night Vulture Vulture hosting a Critical Records showcase for its launch night on May 28, featur-
ing guest DJs in the form of drum n bass and dubstep aficionados Nero, as well as Critical Records founder Kasra. The opening of Cellar Door will be followed in July by the unveiling of The Mezzanine, a rooftop space above The Rainbow Warehouse further down Adderley Street, primed for hosting day time summer parties. The most ambitious part of the redevelopment will see the opening of The Arena, a 5,000 capacity clubbing space under the railway arches at the end of Adderley Street, due to open in October. The site is being modelled on a Roman Coliseum and venue bosses have promised
it will host its own style of musical battles and mayhem. Once complete, the revamped Rainbow Complex will include nine separate venues on the same street that can be used in isolation to cater for anything from 200 to 5,000 or combined through road closures to create a self-contained party site for up to 10,000 revellers.
BONOBO KICKS OFF JAZZ COUNTDOWN
The countdown to Birmingham’s newest jazz festival starts in style this month with a unique night of live music. Mostly Jazz Festival is joining forces with crossover club night pioneers Leftfoot to bring Bonobo and Lizzy Parks to the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath on May 28. Ninja Tune’s Simon Green, AKA Bonobo, fell into the jazz, hip hop, funk, and soul scene in Brighton at the age of 18, quickly going from strength to strength. Bonobo will be supported by Tru Thoughts signing Lizzy Parks, who will be back in Birmingham to perform at the Mostly Jazz Festival on July 3 in Moseley. Tickets for the May 28 show are
£11 in advance.
CULTURE BID Birmingham’s bid to become the UK’s first City of Culture will be submitted this month. Bid organisers launched an intensive campaign to highlight the city’s range of cultural activities, after being shortlisted for the new title. Final submissions must be presented by May 28, with the winning city taking on the title in 2013. City council culture chiefs say the accolade would be worth £200m
to the region’s economy and boost tourism. The winning city will be announced in June. www.birminghamculture.org
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profile SPEECH FEWAPY WHAT: Independent record label run by indie rockers The Traps. WHERE: Birmingham, various venues. Follow them on Foursquare, whatever that is. HIGHLIGHTS: Great t-shirts and parties. Oh yeah, and bands too. The Traps, Malpas, Greg Bird, Flamingo Flame. DETAILS: New website at www.speechfewapy.com. So, nice t-shirts, but what else do you do? Well, Speech Fewapy is first and foremost an independent record label. We release singles and EPs in downloadable format which includes the tracks, video and artwork. We also run an online radio station, blog and put on shows. We also have a clothing line which we debuted at London Fashion Week. How long has Speech Fewapy been around and what have been the highlights so far? We conceived the idea about 18 months ago and released our first EP in January last year. We racked up around 2,000 downloads for the three Traps EPs we released last year which was a massive accomplishment obviously, so it has given us the motivation and belief to take this label forward. What’s next on the agenda then? We’re really excited about our next couple of releases actually. We’re putting out a Malpas track over the summer and we’ve just released Greg Bird and Fla-
Exploring the people and places that make up Birmingham’s alternative underbelly. This month, Speech Fewapy, the record label and DIY fashion house run by indie rockers and party liaisons The Traps.
mingo Flame and they’re going really well. They are both talented songwriters and they both recorded and produced their EPs and created the artwork and videos themselves, just as we did with The Traps EPs last year, so it adheres to the DIY mentality of Speech Fewapy. I am aware that the term ‘DIY’ is bandied around a lot in the independent music world, but we genuinely have no overheads, so we are able to give away music for free. Outside of music we are looking to be the primary sponsor for the 2011 World Table Tennis Championships in Rotterdam, but this is in the early stages of negotiation. What are your ambitions for the label – are you aiming for mass market, paid-for releases? The thing is about Speech Fewapy is that we are not experts within the music industry. We love music, so we are applying what we pick up from following music to how we think the label should be run. I think that the Malpas and Flamingo Flame EPs will generate a lot of interest, because they are really, really good. I think after the summer, we’ll be looking to release the next Traps, Malpas and Flamingo Flame singles/EPs, as well as looking to take on more artists. We want it to build organically and learn as we go along. We’d like to do full releases in the future fo sho, it would be nice to do vinyl press at some stage What else have you got up your sleeves? More events and cheap parties? Cheap parties always. It’s World Cup year so projector screen and a hot tub complete with floozies in the garden. We’re doing some co-promotions with This Is Tomorrow; Casio Kids in May and James Yuill in June. Have you had any complaints from the speech therapists’ union, if such a thing exists? They’re claiming that we’re breaching copyright, the whole thing’s gone legal so we would rather not comment at the moment. Who needs Speech Fewapy? Our bass player and administrator, Nick. And you.
The Bluetones “Britpop is in the past now and you have to move on.”
Out Of The Shadows
They were among the high fliers of the Britpop era and now THE BLUETONES are back. But the truth is they never went away, as James Collins finds out. “We haven’t stopped touring for three years, despite it maybe appearing that we’ve been away from the public eye,” explains frontman Mark Morriss. “We’ve still been touring, we just haven’t released any records for a while. “I don’t know why we’re still here, maybe it’s just bad luck,” he continues with a smile.
“It’s a small window,” says Mark. “It’s only a handful of people who get automatically included in these playlists. I can’t think of any artists playlisted consistently for 15 years at a time which is how long we’ve been doing this. “Everyone has their moment in the sun and then it’s a case of shuffling back into shadowy corners. “We’re a cottage industry now.”
“But if we didn’t enjoy it we wouldn’t do it so bloody much.” For their loyal band of fans, it won’t be any surprise to see The Bluetones on the road and touring. Forthcoming release A New Athens will be their sixth album following, coming four years since their last and 14 years since their platinum selling breakthrough debut Expecting To Fly, which boasted classic 90s singles such as Slight Return and Bluetonic, while follow-up records included Soloman Bites The Worm and If. But while the Britpop boom quietly imploded and scores of panic-signed, generic, jangly guitar bands sloped away, it was easy to assume The Bluetones had gone the same way. Once a staple ingredient of our airwaves, they were bumped off the Radio 1 playlist which, for many people, is where their knowledge of music ends. But you won’t hear any bitter grumblings from the Hounslow band.
What may have come as a surprise after so many years out of the mainstream spotlight is not that The Bluetones are releasing another album, but the fact they are doing it after being snapped up on a major label deal again, this time through Universal. “I’m not sure of the ins and outs of the deal, but obviously it is nice,” explains the singer. “I’m not sure what sort of affect it will have. You can’t judge demand by who wants to sign you, it’s a case of who wants to buy your records at the end of the day. “It seems to be levelling out at a nice level for us. We are playing good sized halls and we’re happy to have such loyal fans. But we’ve been loyal to them as well,” he adds, in typically wry style. While Britpop may be a phrase that sends a shudder down the spine of
some musical purists, is it a label that The Bluetones would still proudly adopt? “We certainly don’t class ourselves as anything really. That was all such a long time ago. It’s like looking back on punk. It’s in the past now and you have to move on. “I really do [think our music has moved on]. Hopefully any kind of band should be looking to progress with each record they make. “We’ll see if the new material does attract any new fans. There seems to be quite a good mix of age groups at our shows, god knows where the younger ones are hearing our music though.” So, if not Britpop, how would a soundbite hungry hack best describe Britpop survivors The Bluetones? “Future funk!” comes one shout from the band’s tour bus. “Slight-adelic,” comes another, “Acid skiffle,” comes the third. “Yeah, let’s go with acid skiffle,” agrees Mark, “there’s your headline.” Words by James Collins. The Bluetones play the O2 Academy 2, Birmingham, on May 3. Tickets from www.brumnotes.com. A New Athens is released next month.
Sunderland art-rockers THE FUTUREHEADS know more than most what it is like to succeed in the face of adversity. Now their newly-politicised fourth album The Chaos is their own attempt at a call to arms against social apathy. Packed full of their trademark killer hooks, who says music and politics don’t mix?
By the time you’re reading this there may be a new Government in place, there may not. Or you may still be deciding who to vote for, or indeed whether to vote at all. Heck, you could even be sat on the bus on the way to the polling station right now. Anyway, The Futureheads have a message for you: “Use your vote!” That’s right. The Futureheads, those happy-go-lucky, Kate Bush covering chaps from Sunderland have gone political. You’ll be relieved to hear it’s not quite in a whinging, worthy, Bono kind of way, not yet anyway. But latest album The Chaos is undoubtedly an attempt to capture a snapshot of a nation in flux. “There is an attempt at social comment,” explains guitarist Ross Millard. “We wanted to make a record that would be uplifting for people. It’s a time where everyone is going through some kind of struggle, whether it’s financial, personal or whatever. You’ve got factories closing down, people losing jobs and being made redundant and personally we’ve been very directly affected by that as we all know people in that situation and we wanted to make a record to promote the dismissal of apathy.
“Let’s bring back some debate and get talking about these things and not just standing for the okey-doke, which so many people seem prepared to do these days. “People say it’s the worst economic times since the miners’ strikes of the mid 80s. But you only have to look at the footage of those times to see the difference, as there was a lot of heart and soul in people who weren’t prepared to stand for being beaten down. “People say politicians can’t be trusted, or they can’t get involved in politics because it’s too much of a mess and - I’m generalising here - but this generation seems prepared to just sit back and accept it. “The world would be a better place if people found some positivity in their everyday living. “It’s going to be a massive six months for the country, I just hope people are motivated and come and see the worth in putting their X in the box. “It’s such a shame that people think whoever they vote for the outcome will be the same, that’s not the case.
“I don’t think you have a right to complain unless you get up and put your voice out there.” Uncertainty and unemployment would certainly ring true with The Futureheads who could well have slipped from view when they were dropped from their label, Warner Music subsidiary 679, in 2006 after their first two albums. But instead of sitting back and moping, the band sprang into action, setting up their own label Nul Records and releasing third album This Is Not The World in 2008 before following the same DIY model for The Chaos. “After we had the trouble and strife with Warners we did a UK tour not long after and that really reaffirmed our faith that there was a real reason to carry on,” continues Ross. “The fanbase is loyal. In terms of size, we’re not too big, not too small and we’ve got a very loyal set of fans. There was never a case of us thinking of calling it a day. “We managed to hit the sweet spot with setting up the label at the same time and having done well with one record hopefully it will be the same with this one.
“It really helps, keeping the copyright and the royalties and keeping an eye on the money. It’s a case of keeping an eye on it and making sure we don’t spend too much. “It’s a good situation for us to be in. It’s refreshing because you are in control of both sides. A lot of bands would give their right arm to be in control of their own music instead of being controlled by record company executives who hit the panic button at the slightest hint of trouble. “Artistically it makes sense because you are not relying on anybody else to make your art happen. You don’t want to be at the mercy of some deeply embedded corporate people as to whether it gets out there or not. “A lot of artists are going out trying to get funding or trying to find income to make a record from what would not have been a traditional route for bands before. It is an interesting time.” The Futureheads clearly benefited from the marketing budgets and the extra attention they gained through a major label deal for their first two albums. But they have managed to retain the quality and consistency to their tracks which means they have been kept on board by that oh-so-important beast - the Radio 1 playlist.
The Futureheads
The Futureheads
“I don’t think you have a right to complain unless you get up and put your voice out there.”
“In our situation you can’t barter with anyone and say ‘we’ll give you a Madonna exclusive if you play The Futureheads,’ which is what happens at the highest levels.”
“That sort of thing can have a massive impact on how well the record or tour sells,” admits Ross. “It is a lottery to a certain extent, all you can do is make a record and put it out there. “In our situation you can’t barter with anyone and say ‘we’ll give you a Madonna exclusive if you play The Futureheads,’ which is what happens at the highest levels. “But it’s not all down to luck as I also think certain tracks warrant that kind of playlist attention. “Hearbeat Song [their recent top 40 single] is the most poppy, bubblegummy tune we’ve ever done. It was one that came about by accident really, that song. We had some spare time in a London studio, we had everything else for the album written, and from scratch we put that together in about an hour, an hour-and-a-half. “Sometimes your most rewarding stuff just happens that way. It could end up shite but every so often we just find something that clicks into place and that’s what happened with Heartbeat. It sits quite well on the album as well as some of the stuff is so dark it offers something of a release.
“It seems for us, because of the journey we’ve done and the turbulence we’ve undergone it almost feels like this is our first record, we’ve been revived. “It’s been a massive journey, we’re massively grateful for these injections of action. You can’t just go through life writing an album, touring it, writing an album, touring it, I think the fact that we’ve been affected by these things has helped. I think we’d get so bored otherwise.” Words by Sean O’Muir. The Futureheads play the O2 Academy 2, Birmingham, on May 4. New album The Chaos is out now.
Tinie Tempah “I don’t want to complain, life’s been good to me. I don’t want to mislead anybody into thinking anything else. I’d say I had fun at school because, well, I did.”
Grime Does Pay
HE’S THE NICE GUY OF GRIME WHO HAS GONE FROM AUT0GRAPH HUNTER TO BONA FIDE POP SENSATION. SO HOW DID TINIE TEMPAH CONQUER THE CHARTS? TOM PELL FINDS OUT.
Dubi dubi dubi, dubi dubidoo . . . . . Yeah, THAT song. You’ve all been singing it. Or humming it. Or writing it as an introduction to an interview with the UK’s hottest new MC, as Brum Notes goes all grimey on y’all. So just who is Tinie Tempah, the man behind infectiously catchy chart-topper Pass Out? Born Patrick Okogwu 21 years ago in Peckham, South London, Tinie quickly had ideas above his staxxtion, and ‘Patrick’ simply wasn’t going to cut the mustard. “Basically, the name was inspired by what was going on at the time - the whole Dizzie Rascal and Tinchy Strider scene, and I was feeling the whole double barrel thing as it sounded a lot more professional than the tag names we used to have before,” explains the man himself. “In year 8 I was just like, ‘y’know what? I wanna be an MC. I wanna be like them’. So I just went in a thesaurus and found a name.” An impressive moniker to say it came out of the brain of a 12-year-old. But it took a certain group of, well, hoodlums, to change Tinie’s outlook on life completely.
Tinie Tempah plays The Rainbow Warehouse, Digbeth, on May 12, supporting Mr Hudson. Tinie Tempah “It’s something that’s relatively new to the mainstream, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to go away.” Those hoodlums in question? So Solid Crew...“I just thought - who are these guys? They can’t be English! They can’t be from South London, no way! Obviously when I found out they were, I remember going to the Ride With Us video and camping outside for hours just for an autograph. There was so much pandemonium because they were like a boy band and a girl group put together, and I just thought ‘if they can do it, then why can’t I?’ So after that, and Dizzie following, I had my life mapped out.” He wasn’t the only one. A growing crop of artists including Wiley, Dizzie Rascal, Lethal Bizzle, Tinchy Stryder, Kano and Chipmunk have taken the mainstream by storm in the past few years, slightly tweaking grime beats with poppier flavours to appeal more to the Myspace/Bebo/Facebook generation loitering outside Topman. With fellow Brit Plan B also flying high in the album charts by also taking risks and mixing genres, is this where the future of British music lies, or is it just another nu-rave type fad? “It’s something that’s relatively new to the mainstream, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to go away. Artists like your Jay Zs, your Snoop Doggs and your 50 Cents - people that can sustain careers for ten or twenty years - I definitely think there is potential for that here. As for the actual sound, I’ve never been one to conform so I can’t speak for everybody else. Like everything, it’ll continuously evolve through collaborations like the Dizzie and Florence one. I mean, what would you call that?“I think it’s gonna continue to be like that, people are gonna be
doing a lot more experimenting to make the sound appeal to more and more people. I don’t think it’s ever gonna go away.” As a break from the norm, Tinie hasn’t lived a life of struggle; he hasn’t been kidnapped by drug dealers, and wasn’t raised by wolves. Somewhat strangely for the connotations usually bandied around with the UK hip-hop community, Tinie‘s upbringing was all rather normal. “I don’t want to complain, life’s been good to me. I don’t want to mislead anybody into thinking anything else. I’d say I had fun at school because, well, I did! I met a lot of my friends there, people who are still my friends now, people who I know are genuinely happy for me. “School kind of reared me into the man I am now, certain experiences, whether it be with a girl or not handing in my work on time, I think all of those processes mean, when you look at it objectively, it [school] was fun. Not every day, but overall.” Hear that? So stay in school kids. And eat your damn greens too while you’re at it. One day you might be as cool as Tinie - the guy with the world at his feet and all that pressure heaped on his shoulders. “To be honest, I don’t really feel any pressure. I’m having fun. I feel like I was tipped at the right time.” Okay, maybe not that cool. Words by Tom Pell Designed By Ryan Killeen
“I started off just strictly dabbling in the rap world but after getting together with Xaph he’s put me onto the full indie bands like Passion Pit, MGMT and we’ve been on tour with Hockey and I’m a fan of them now.
US hip hop pair CHIDDY BANG stormed the charts with their indie-rapelectronica crossover hit Opposite of Adults And while they were as surprised as anyone at the instant acclaim, the genre smashing duo insist they have plenty more tricks up their sleeves. A rap song sampling MGMT? It may have sounded like a desperate attempt to cash in on the new trend for “crossover”music, as much as it seemed an unlikely combination. So imagine the surprise when Chiddy Bang’s Opposite of Adults actually turned out to be one of the freshest sounding hip-hop records to emerge for some time, settling in comfortably among the UK charts. Expect a similar reaction to follow up track Truth, which samples Passion Pit’s Better Things against a stomping beat. Chiddy Bang, the Philadelphia pairing of rapper Chiddy and the more musically broad-minded producer Xaphoon Jones, seem determined to breath new life into a genre which they feel was in need of a new approach. “Hip hop has been stagnant in recent years,” says Chiddy. “But it is sort of like a shift going on in hip hop now and the direction where it has gone, with collaborations and I think crossing genres. “When we sample indie stuff it’s making it [hip hop] cool again.” Cool it may be, but Chiddy is not too cool to admit he is unfamiliar with a lot of the samples his production partner Xaphoon presents to him.
“It’s amazing how if you are around something that is unfamiliar for a while, you become more familiar with it and really get into it.” The pair return to UK shores this month for their biggest tour to date, volcanic eruptions pending, and fans are naturally being promised quite a spectacle.“We’re very excited, we’ve done a lot of shows but we’ve never headlined our own tour, this is our very first headline tour. Later on in our careers when we’re looking back, this is going to be a big thing. “I’ll be doing my thing on a microphone and Xaph will be on the drums, on the keys, and we’ll have him DJing, it’s going to be a mix. It’s always a mix. Freestyle as well, I’ll usually freestyle in each city about whatever is going on in the crowd.
But if Chiddy is humble about the “phenomenal” response they have had in the UK so far, he is true to his hip-hop roots with his confidence in the forthcoming debut album. “It’s supposed to come out late summer, early August. It will be done in the same style of music that we’re delivering, indie, electronica, rap, it’s going to be a dope album, no question.
ple m a s n we s “Whe stuff it’ hop indie p i h g makin again.” cool “It’s probably going to have a couple of guests on but I don’t want to let those out of the bag, but it is going to be a big event.” And who could argue?
“It’s usually dope and exciting, we try and mix it up and give it some energy.”
Words by James Collins.
Call it what you like: anti-folk, alt-folk, folktronica, nu-folk, modern folk, folk n roll, or just...folk. Whatever handy label you want to attach to it, whichever way you look at it, it seems acoustic guitars are cool again. With the likes of Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling proving you don’t have to sell your souls to James Blunt to be a commercial success, the radars are of course out for the next rustic charm success story. But it’s not all about the chartbusters of course and there’s a wealth of talent already out there. We look at some of the acts putting their own unique stamp on the genre, with Oxford’s Stornoway, Brighton’s Peggy Sue and Dublin’s Villagers, as well as three of Birmingham’s finest in the shape of Shady Bard, Malpas and Boat to Row. Of course, there’s plenty of talent we’ve missed out, so fill us in on our Facebook page by searching for ‘Brum Notes Magazine’, or pester us at twitter.com/BrumNotesMag.
Naming yourselves after a town on a remote Scottish island in the Outer Hebrides certainly seems a sure fire way to conjure up images of whimsical, Celtic folk. Not that Stornoway would limit themselves to the grizzly, bearded folk scene of old. The Oxfordbased five piece have been on the radar of the taste-makers for some time, earning themselves a place on the BBC’s coveted Sound of 2010 list. But it seems the moment has come for Stornoway to take their music to the masses, with stunning debut album Beachcomber’s Windowsill a fine introduction. But, first things first, have Stornoway ever bothered to visit their namesake town?
“Yes!” proclaims keys and string player Jon Ouin, proudly. “We’ve just returned from our Highlands, Islands and Ireland tour which included a gig in Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, which none of us will forget in a hurry. Until then, none of us had ever actually been. “In our heads, there was always something nautical and pleasingly remote-sounding about the name Stornoway. “The day after the gig we were left stranded on the island for an extra day which was actually the ideal conclusion; it meant we could explore the place properly and see the Callanish stones [ancient Celtic stone circle, like a cooler Stonehenge] and the stunning coastline.” The tour may have sounded like a return to their Celtic folk roots, but the band are quick to stop themselves being pigeonholed. “If there’s something Celtic or folky there it’s certainly not a conscious affectation or influence,” continues Jon.
SEE THEM LIVE: hARE & hOUNDS, mAY 13
Stornoway
“I’m not sure Brian [Briggs, vocalist] listens to much of that kind of thing – he’s actually more into people like Gorky’s, Johnny Cash and Sam Cooke. “We do both like Jackson C Frank and Bert Jansch though. Personally I love a lot of 60s folk revival stuff – people like Ewan MacColl, Richard Thompson and C.O.B [Clive’s Original Band], but I don’t think any of that really makes itself heard in Stornoway.” “There is a folk influence mixed in somewhere,” adds Rob Steadman, drummer with the band. “Mainly in the lyrics and the way that they often tell a story and are not extremely abstract like many are nowadays. “For me and Oli [Steadman, bassist and Rob’s brother], who grew up in South Africa, a lot of influence comes from artists like Johnny Clegg who often adapted old African folk tunes.”
If the value of recognition on the BBC’s Sound of 2010 list is to be believed, then Stornoway are on their way to joining a growing list of folk-tinged bands seemingly bridging the gap between esoteric cool and mainstream appeal. And the band are not too cool to admit they enjoyed the accolade. “I think we were on the underground in London at the very moment we found out,” recalls Rob. “I seem to remember some of us swinging from the hand rails and running the length of the coach. “I must have been caught in the crossfire and knocked out though it’s a bit hazy.” So, is alt-folk the new indie rock and roll then? “It’s definitely a genre that’s growing fast and it’s good to have people like Laura Marling leading the way,” Rob says. If Stornoway are a new name to some, they are certainly not a new
act on the music scene and their debut album, out this month, has been a long time coming. “It’s been around three years in the making basically, in that a lot of the tracks are from the earliest days of when Brian and Jon started playing together,” explains Rob. “The idea is to take the listener on some form of journey. As the title implies it’s a collection of musical and lyrical ideas which have each got their own discrete feel and arrangement, but which we feel sit together well when taken as a whole,” continues Jon. “In terms of the lyrical content, as well as the more overt aspects, there’s also a bit of a coastal theme which is returned to over the course of the record.” Interview by Saima Razzaq. Debut album Beachcomber’s Windowsill is out on May 24.
Peggy Sue
SEE THEM L
IVE: THE YA
RDBIRD, mA
From busking at Brighton train station, to touring Europe, it’s been quite a journey for Peggy Sue, but with their beguiling, bewitching vocal style and ramshackle rhythm it’s easy to see why. Just don’t touch their headgear. Interview by Saima Razzaq. Ok, let’s be honest, if you’ve got acoustic guitars there’s a fair chance you’ll be labelled as folk music, or at least some kind of folky derivative. But you know what it’s like, you come up with a theme for a magazine to tarnish lots of bands with the same brush and then one of those acts comes along and claims “they’re not a folk band,” just to be awkward. But having produced one of the most attentiongrabbing debut albums of the year, Peggy Sue can get away with describing themselves as whatever they want. But maybe we can agree on folk-tinged at least? “Folk music is definitely an influence,” agrees Katy Young, co-vocalist and co-songwriter, who also dabbles with the accordion, trumpet and glockenspiel “But I don’t think we are a folk band because we take influence from so much
other music as well. Drums and percussion are often as important as guitar parts and our songs rarely follow a classic folk song structure. I think there is always interesting folk and acoustic music being made it’s just that it is particularly cool at the moment for whatever reason and so people who wouldn’t usually pay attention to it are sitting up and taking notice of some of the great music being made.” Peggy Sue count the likes of ‘cool folk’ pioneers Laura Marling, Mumford & Sons and indie darlings The Maccabees among their friends and fans and have gone from busking outside Brighton train station to releasing acclaimed debut album Fossils And Other Phantoms on Wichita and touring Europe. Being blessed with two songwriters in Katy and Rosa Slade, who both share a knack for sultry,
bewitching vocals and an ability to craft unerringly original harmonies, the past 18 months have been a period of rapid transition, adding drummer and occasional banjo payer Olly Joyce and changing their name from Peggy Sue and The Pirates to the more modest Peggy Sue. For Rosa, the name change signalled more than just simply the adoption of a new moniker. “It was something that we thought was important for us a band, but perhaps has proved confusing to people who have listened to us for a while,” she explains. “In our minds there’s a marked difference between the type of music we were making as Peggy Sue and the Pirates and the music we make now. “When Olly joined we saw ourselves as a different band, and it was important for us to mark that with a name change so that we
Y 17 (free e
ntry)
were seen as a three-piece as opposed to Olly being seen as ‘The Pirates’.” Despite the Buddy Hollyesque name, which Katy says came about because it was the nickname of a friend “who deserved to have a band named after her,” you’re unlikely to detect many more comparisons with the 1950s icon. “We’re all massive fans of old rock and roll and also geeky glasses but that’s about the extent of it,” explains Katy. “I did rip off the chord sequence of Peggy Sue for a really old song of ours though,” she admits. It is unsurprisingly a mixed bag of influences listed by the three members, with Olly citing his dad’s rock vinyl collection including his “all time favourite band” The Rolling Stones, Rosa naming Nina Simone, Johnny Cash and Joni Mitchell, as well as Nirvana, Fugees, and New
York anti-folk, while Katy explains it was a shared love of Regina Spektor, Cat Power and Lauryn Hill which helped bring the band together. “We often have band obsessions as a group, albums that we listen to to death in the van,” Katy continues. “Recently we’ve been listening to Elvis Perkins, Nina Nastasia and Jim White’s collaboration album You Follow Me and Dan Michaelson. My favourite all time band is probably Bright Eyes, that’s one of the reasons it is amazing to be on Wichita, their first ever release was a Bright Eyes album.” That aforementioned van has been transporting them around their first ever tour of the continent ahead of their biggest UK tour to date this month, before a relentless assault on the festival circuit. So, life on the road must have thrown up some pretty cool stories, right? Well, “cool” might be stretching it, but stories they have... “I caught the train down to Le Havre to meet the others who were driving over in the camping van,” says Rosa. “I had about three hours to wait so I walked down to the port and bought some beer and
crackers to read my book. I was sitting beside a very, very wide canal that lead out to sea, next to a notso-picturesque car park and wearing my hat. My hat is a pretty important part of me these days. It was my grandfather’s and it’s one of the only things I own of his. “Anyway, a gust of wind blew the hat straight off my head into the water. The outlook was bad - the water was freezing and really grubby, and the currents strong, and I had all my stuff including a laptop on the banks. Plucking up my courage, I jumped in, as funny men walking their dogs on the other side of the bank watched, before realising the bank was about twice the size of me and I couldn’t get out - and I’d lost track of the hat. “I finally found a ladder and got out. By then my hat was right in the middle, so I ran across a bridge and jumped in again. I managed to get the hat before it and me with it were drowned or dragged out to sea. When I showed Olly he was like, ‘what were you thinking, that could have been really dangerous’. “Mainly though I just had to put up with being salty and a bit smelly.”
page seventeen
SEE THEM LIVE: the glee club, june 1
VILLAGERS
There are countless records that have been inspired by a break-up, although it’s usually the romantic rather than the musical kind. For Dubliner Conor J O’Brien, the twisted songwriting brain behind Villagers, the imploding of his previous hotly-tipped band The Immediate inspired him to plough a more lone furrow - and with stunning results. “It felt like ending an incredible long-term relationship,” says Conor. “I’m terrified of bands now, so I do everything myself.” He played all the instruments and wrote all the songs on debut album Becoming a Jackal. But the lone ranger approach doesn’t always extend to touring through, when he is joined by a full band making up Villagers. “They‘re central to all this,” he continues. “When we rehearse, my little dictatorial act is over and they find their own way of playing it. The shows are one of most exciting things for me as the music morphs, so you can hear new lines coming in and things dropping out. “But we only rehearse for a couple of days before a tour, so it’s easy. It means I can keep writing instead of being locked in a room together three days a week. I’ve always preferred solitary writing, shutting your brain off from everything else.” Becoming a Jackal is out on Domino on May 24.
D R A B Y D A H S
SEE THEM LIVE: the flapper, may 8 “I will bring you down,” sings Lawrence Becko, one fifth of orchestral indie band Shady Bard, in an inadvertent piece of social commentary on new track Volcanoes. Originally planned as the first single from their next album Trials, it has been stood down in favour of something less topical and less likely to become an alt-rock anthem for
frustrated flyers. The decision however was not a big deal, and anyway, Lawrence seems pretty content. And he has reason to be. To date, the band - probably the most far removed from this month’s collective of folk-influenced acts - have seen their music appear on smash hit ABC medical drama Greys Anatomy, prime-
It takes a special kind of talent to be able to play a dulcimer on stage without looking pretentious. Luckily for Malpas, whose stage conjures up images of an obscure instrument curio shop, their spellbinding blend of folktronica and captivating melodies is enough to allow for such indulgences. “We swap and change,” explains frontman and primary songwriter Ali Forbes. “We’ve got glockenspiel, dulcimer, mandolins, synths knocking about, Luke plays samples off his kit at the back as well. There’s a lot of junk involved on stage which we try and use. “It was just whatever instruments we could get our hands on, then it comes round to thinking ‘we’ve got to actually try and gig this’ and it becomes a nightmare.” If Ali looks or sounds familiar to some, that is probably as he also
time BBC series Waterloo Road and provide the soundtrack to an international global warming campaign for MTV Switch. But it is not all about the soundtracks; their back catalogue displays a strong DIY ethic and creative approach, from the ice clear 7” vinyl single Penguins to limited edition hand painted or stitched cotton pouches. “As a band, we are much more concerned about the artistic process of what we do and how we present it,” Lawrence explains. “Given the effort which goes into creating a beautiful musical arrangement, we don’t want to defile it by giving it out
fronted the one-time great white hopes of Birmingham music, Envy & Other Sins, who bagged a record deal after emerging victorious from Channel 4’s mobileAct Unsigned show - before splitting two years later. Not that you’ll hear any regrets from Ali. “Officially it was June 2009 we decided to call it a day, we all wanted
on a nasty piece of plastic. “I love bands that created a whole world around their music – Spiritualised and Broken Social Scene work in a three dimensional capacity.” New single Trials [III], a bold three minute excursion into Latin American territory, is influenced by the major wildfires which decimated swathes of forests in Greece [Lawrence is half Greek] in 2009. “Every song has a personal metaphor or experience that I might not want to talk about but draws in a myriad of influences.” Trials (Part III) is out on May 10 on limited edition 3” CD and download. Words by Lyle Bignon.
to be doing different things really. “We had a good year, we made an album, toured it and we are proud of it. It was good while it lasted but it gets to the point where you can’t do something forever. “But now there’s a lot of enthusiasm about this [Malpas] and everybody that has heard it seems to like it so it’s all good.”
MALPAS
Image courtesy of Wayne Fox Photography
SEE THEM LIVE: WOOD FESTIVAL, OXFORD, may 22
Boat to Row
Boat to Row frontman Michael King is a busy boy. He not only creates leafy acoustic romanticism with baffling finger picking wizardry through songs such as A Boat to Row, To Row to You and Autumn Glow, he also gets the blood pumping as one fifth of disco sex punks Youves and a third of the adventurously angular Bronze Medals. So, how does he find the time? “I think it’s important to myself as a musician to try and keep a happy medium,” says Michael. “When times are busy with Youves I’m still able to write for Boat to Row and plan stuff, and now Bronze Medals are gigging we seem to be able to fit around the other two acts nicely as we’re quite a new outfit. I’m hoping for a busy year with plenty of shows and releases to look forward to. I feel
dbird, may 17 SEE THEM LIVE: the yarPICTURE BY MARK ALLEN extremely excited with where Boat to Row could go to in terms of progressing in the songs I write.” Popular Music graduate Michael is also a keen follower of other bands making waves at the moment. “It’s always a tough one as it’s sometimes hard to distinguish who you think are a great band and who are your friends in a band. I’ve really liked Malpas whenever I’ve seen them, with a voice like Ali’s, it’d be hard to sound boring. Goodnight Lenin are a band I really want to see live, from the footage I’ve seen they sound ace with a kind of Laurel Canyon approach to folk pop.” After impressing many people themselves in the past 12 months or so, Boat To Row have also caught the ears of super hip Nottingham-based label, Danger Laser! Phaser! Razor!, which will be releasing an EP and tape in the near future. Irrespective of what it sounds like, Michael promises us the packaging will be “immense”. Words by Andy Roberts.
live
KING ADORA Hare & Hounds Kings Heath April 7
Despite what has been a slightly unsettling six year gap in their career, as King Adora take the stage it’s quite apparent that not that much has changed. The androgynous, six foot corpse of Maxi is still instantly recognisable and more so is his outrageously slutty scream and ‘look at me I’m a tortured soul’ demeanour. After launching into The Law from debut album Vibrate You, the audience was given an instant reminder of why they loved the trashy, transsexual, hermaphroditic glam rock in the first place. The band manage to recapture the intensity of songs like Bionic the first time round, while still giving the audience something new to get excited about. This combination of nostalgia and anticipation for the future sets King Adora apart from other bands that have made similar comebacks. Despite the gig being somewhat more labourious compared to the somewhat brief and unpredictable action-packed performances of their past, King Adora still manage to evoke darkness and despair with a sense of humour unmatched by any other band in the UK music scene at the moment. Words by Chloe Botting. Picture by DRW-images.
SEA FIELDS The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton April 23
Well, to start off with, I’d never seen the Slade Rooms so full. Although it seemed support band, The Theories, had dragged along the majority among themselves, there was no hesitation in sticking around for local lads Sea Fields. Glancing across the venue saw a considerable quantity singing along, word by word, song by song. Formerly Kid Captain, the quintet powered through a number of tracks all capable of filling
larger venues including the impeccable December and the popular A Contrast In Winter. Drilling drums and intelligent instrumentals meant the intense sound dragged people from the main bar to stare through the door to catch a glimpse of who was playing. Closing the set on crowd favourite Hidden Forests, Sea Fields’ potential and immaculate vocals shone through, earning a rapturous response from all in attendance. Words by Richard Franks
TANTRUMS The Flapper Birmingham
have a selection of tunes that are not unlikeable but I would love to hear April 23 something that is truly theirs and not a sweet The Northfield area of romancing of their peers. the city appears to have Tantrums have taken a given birth to a new similar sound and elsound that is growing in evated it to new levels. favour. Driven by the In the past bands have popularity of the Scarlet sometimes added attracHarlots, and influenced by the danceable rhythms tive young females to of Bloc Party, bands such the mix to boost their popularity. Tantrums as tonight’s support, were a band that didn’t (silver) souvenirs, are need to do that, havdetermined to force this ing chucked out some agenda. Slightly shouty massive performances vocals, slightly jangly that won them adulation. guitars, all underpinned So, having added Little by jerky jumpstep bass a well respected danceable Theand xx,mighty live at the O2 AcademyPalm, 2, Birmingham, March 5. Picher byown Drw-images. artist in right, beats, (silver) souvenirs
o set up before getting int a fight. At times it was a toss up between the Californians leaving in style . and leaving in handcuffs April 19 Their intensity was It’s not every day a venue intimidating, a mix of ts ge ty aci cap 0 10 a th wi in-your-face trashcore á lo Ro . nd , ba al a festiv la Dillinger Escape Plan e nc ara pe Tomassi’s ap and old school, Black d an r yea t las SW SX at Flag aggression. impending Download Rolo Tomassi followed, slot this summer means their technical mathcore catching them at small taking conventionalis r pe ap Fl e Th e lik s venue ity, chewing it up, and becoming a rare treat. screaming it in your Opening support came face. There’s something d ase -b ds an idl M from jarring about the seemThroats, whose ruthless ingly sweet Eva Spence’s grindcore set the cacophguttural roars, but songs en ss tle len Re e. ton s onou like ‘Fofteen’ and ‘We ergy in songs like Reign Love Turbulance’ twisted of Low fronted a seething effortlessly between seart ou ab d ere off t tha lt assau ing highs and ethereal , as much respite as Chilows, combining hardcore nese water torture. electro and jazz. Joint headliners Trash , Come the end of the gig Talk – recently dubbed . ed sh The Flapper was tra ‘the most dangerous band n Words by James Sharp in the world’ – hadn’t eve to the lineup one might and the interplay of male/ have been asking why. It female vocals, while not doesn’t even take a full yet perfect, has added song to get your answer. something I didn’t think If Tantrums were lookthis band required, but if ing like top-of-the-range now were to be removed potential before introduc- would be irresponsible in ing a feminine aspect, the extreme. they now sweat it like Words by Jeff Stuka musical athletes who’ve just taken first place in PETER HOOK the warm-up events to The Glee Club the Olympics. It can only Birmingham be a matter of time before April 18 songs like Mek Ya Feel If you had the chance Hype are hitting national to ask, Peter Hook, bass radio, grasping the naplayer with two of the tion by the cochlea and most influential bands shaking it like a fighting in the past 30 years; Joy badger. The addition of Division and New Order, Little Palm has bolstered one question, what would an already massive sound it be?
ROLO TOMASSI/ TRASH TALK The Flapper Birmingham
LAURA MARLING Alexandra Theatre Birmingham April 16
With 2008’s “Alas I Cannot Swim” Laura Marling established herself as the new wonder kid of the folk music scene. Having been out of fashion for decades, suddenly the sound was Radio 1-playlist worthy and soon a swarm of ‘cool folksters’ followed suit. Two years later and no longer in her teens, Marling has returned with the spine-tinglingly beautiful I Speak Because I Can, so it is Perhaps you’d like to get an insight into his relationship with Ian Curtis, the tortured poet who penned some of the most moving and honest lyrics ever committed to record. Or maybe you would like to ask whether he was aware of the effect that his bands’ use of synthesizers and guitars would have on the next two decades of music. You might like to find out more about how Tony Wilson, head of Factory Records, managed to maintain an empire of such importance, yet was haemorrhaging cash. No, what I really want to
somewhat surprising to see so many empty seats. Marling oozes presence. In a set which covered both albums, Marling is at first joined on stage by a backing band and her calm, quiet presence is pleasing but lacks the wow factor. Soon enough Marling disposed of her company and suddenly everything stepped up a gear. A clearly reserved Marling shines in the spotlight, her tender and smooth vocals soothingly sullen. Words and pic by Jeremy Williams know is who Peter thinks is going to win the World Cup or whether he wears boxers or briefs. This was unfortunately the problem with tonight’s Q&A session with said bass-slinger. Too many banal piss heads shouting over audience members who appeared to be attempting to ask well-informed questions pretty much ruined what was set up to be an insightful night full of gems about the recording of classic albums. Words by Andy Roberts
page twenty-two
records STORNOWAY
Beachcomber’s Windowsill (4AD)
Oxford outfit Stornoway effortlessly strike the perfect balance between their flawless lyrics and incredible melodies on an accomplished debut. Fuel Up, a stand-out track, is a beautiful number
in which the echo of Brian Briggs’ voice faultlessly flows alongside enchanting vocal harmonies. Album opener Zorbing is a refreshingly upbeat love song, while We Are the Battery Human is the folkiest of their tunes, but tracks such as On the rocks and Long Distance Lullaby reflect a distinctiveness to their music. SR
PEGGY SUE
Fossils and Other Phantoms (Wichita)
Throughout this debut from the Brightonbased soulful folksters, twin vocals complement one another creating intriguing harmonies, while they pluck away their raw, fiery guitar riffs.
Long Division Blues makes a punchy opener, while upcoming single, Yo Mama represents Peggy Sue’s incredible lyrical ability and well crafted tales of heartbreak, while the quirky, miss-mashed February Snow stands out with its buoyant pace. Peggy Sue have added an individual touch of soul to the recent folk resurgence. SR
THE FUTUREHEADS
VILLAGERS
CYPRESS HILL
(Nul Records)
(Domino)
(Priority)
The Chaos
They don’t take kindly to their tag of ‘post-punk revivalists’, but The Chaos opens with more than a nod to the past. Shouty, in-yourface countdowns invoke the social rebellion of punk, with a poppy sheen. Beneath the shouting are intelligent, distinctive harmonies; chugging, sleazy melodies and a deceptively dark world. JC
Becoming a Jackal
With the strained emotion of Bright Eyes, the sense of drama of Death Cab for Cutie and the raw energy of Neil Young, Conor O’Brien, the creative force behind Villagers, is a true craftsmen. This debut album is both subtle and surprising, balancing its poetic narratives and bare simplicity, with the occasional flourish. JC
Rise Up
Once-reigning kings of rap Cypress Hill return after a six year hiatus, but it seems they’ve kept their heads in the sand for far longer. Like a punch-drunk old boxer trying to prove he’s still got it, skilful rhymes are wasted on dated reworkings of dope-smoking, gun-toting gangster rap of the early 90s. Passable but uninspiring. SO
page twenty-three
food & drink “In the summertime...” “... have a drink have a drive, go out and see what you can find,” sang Mungo Jerry. But woooahhh tiger, hold on a minute. They also sang “you can chase right up and touch the sky,” so clearly can’t be trusted. And as I’m sure you all know, drinking and driving is not only the pinnacle of stupidity, but also very illegal. So, other than grisly television adverts, what can be done to ease the temptation for drivers to reach for the booze when the sun comes out? “One thing bars and pubs can do is to offer a more interesting choice of soft drink,” says Julian Rose-Gibbs, manager of uber-cool drinking hole The Victoria. “At one point or another we have all had to endure ‘the wagon’ due to being on medication or driving and there is only so much coke, bitter lemon or orange juice you can put up with So, let me give you some liquid food for thought. “First up we have the juice category. On the market now we have passion, pomegranate, kiwi, grape, white cranberry - the list is endless. Not only do these taste good but they are all good for you from antioxidants to vitamins. Check out the Chegworth Valley range from the usual suspects to interesting
“Traditional soft drinks are popular at present like ginger beer and Victorian lemonade. Try the Fentimans range or if you like it retro go for Old Jamaica ginger beer and Lilt. “New to the streets of Birmingham we have Ting, similar to Lilt but grapefruit orientated and it is fantastic.
“I realise there’s a million other products in the soft market, I have merely highlighted what I will be drinking this summer. Here at the Victoria we also have a range of non alcoholic cocktails - here’s an old organic mixes like apple and rhubarb. favourite with its teeth removed.”
Virgin Mojito: Take 10 fresh mint leaves, tear once and put in the bottom of your Collins glass. Add 20ml of freshly squeezed lime juice and two teaspoons of heaped caster sugar. Stir well. Fill glass with crushed ice, add 50ml of apple presse, mix again well. Add a touch more crushed ice, top with ginger ale. To garnish add a straw, clap a mint sprig in your palms, place directly next to the straw.
page twenty-seven
gig guide THE REGION’S MOST COMPREHENSIVE MONTHLY GUIDE TO GIGS OF ALL SIZES
PICK OF THE MONTH:
Want your gig or club night listed in our monthly guide? Send details to: info@brumnotes.com All details correct at time of going to press. Check with venues before setting out. For latest information and ticket details visit: www.brumnotes.com. While every effort will be made to ensure the accuracy of listings, Brum Notes Magazine will not be held liable for any errors or losses incurred from errors which may materialise. Be good kids.
GIGS 1. DOVES, May 5, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton The elder statesmen of epic indie return to the big stage to mark the release of their ‘best of’ record. Tickets £18.50, www.wolvescivic.co.uk. 2. FAUST, May 10, Rainbow Warehouse, Digbeth Pioneers of ‘Kraut Rock’ and one of the most influential bands of recent decades. Tickets £15 , www.birminghampromoters.com. 3. THE CORRESPONDENTS, May 14, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath Imagine blending hip hop with 1930s big band swing and you’re close to The Correspondents. Tickets £4, www.theticketsellers.co.uk. 4. PEGGY SUE, BOAT TO ROW, JAMES REA, May 17, The Yardbird, Birmingham Bewitching modern folk from Brighton trio, with support from two of Birmingham’s finest. Free entry. 5. CASIO KIDS, May 27, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath Norwegian electro-indie disco assault, with support from Tantrums and Greg Bird. Tickets £5, www.thisistmrw.co.uk. CLUB NIGHTS 1. JUGEND CLUB May 15, Hare & Hounds Live music combined with angular new wave disco. Tickets £3.
2. SOUL SOCIETY May 15, Bulls Head, Moseley Promoters Habit kick off their new deep house disco. Free before 10pm, £3 after
FOR TICKETS AND UP-TO-THE-MINUTE LISTINGS VISIT:
3. VULTURE VULTURE May 28, Cellar Door, Digbeth Promoting giants join forces to launch new Rainbow venue. Tickets TBC.
BOOKING AHEAD BAND OF HORSES June 14, Wulfrun Hall £13.50, www.wolvescivic.co.uk MOSTLY JAZZ FESTIVAL
July 3-4, Moseley Park £various, www.mostlyjazz.co.uk. FUN LOVIN CRIMINALS Sep 18, Wulfrun Hall £20, www.wolvescivic.co.uk
SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL Oct 22-24, Custard Factory £75, www.seetickets.com
MONDAY, MAY 1 ATTACK! ATTACK!, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham CATHEDRAL, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham JOAN ARMATRADING, Symphony Hall, Birmingham TIMES NEW VIKING, The Victoria, Birmingham KIDNAPPER BELL, BRONZE MEDALS (Matinee performance 2pm7pm), Island Bar, Birmingham THE JACKDAWS, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton THE VORTEX, Kasbah, Coventry SUNDAY, MAY 2 PAUL CURRERI, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath ELECTRIC CARNIVAL DIGBETH STREET PARTY, Digbeth HARD CORE TIL I DIE, O2 Academy, Birmingham ACOUSTIC FESTIVAL (All day), Island Bar, Birmingham BERES HAMMOND, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton MARK LANEGAN, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton
MONDAY, MAY 3 THE CHEEK, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham DON MCLEAN, Symphony Hall, Birmingham THE BLUETONES, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham WINTERSLEEP, THE SCHOLARS, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath TUESDAY, MAY 4 OH TO PLAY: SOUND CITY, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham THE TEMPER TRAP, O2 Academy, Birmingham THE FUTUREHEADS, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham LITTLE COMETS, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton THE SWELLERS, Civic Hall Bar, Wolverhampton WEDNESDAY, MAY 5 KISS, LG Arena, The NEC, Birmingham 65DAYSOFSTATIC, O2 Academy, Birmingham YOUNG GUNS, The Flapper, Birmingham CRYSTAL ANTLERS, The Rainbow, Digbeth CHRIS WOOD, The Yardbird, Birmingham DOVES, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton HAMMERFALL, The Slade Rooms,
Wolverhampton
Kasbah, Coventry
THURSDAY, MAY 6 BOLT THROWER, The Asylum, Birmingham GLORIA CYCLES, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath CREVECOEUR, HORSE FEATHERS, DARK HEARTS, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath HOLD YOUR HORSE IS, The Victoria, Birmingham IDIOTS OF ANTS, Little Civic, Wolverhampton
SUNDAY, MAY 9 LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION, KURRAN AND THE WOLFNOTES, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham HOLE, O2 Academy, Birmingham AIRSHIP, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath SHOW OF HANDS, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton
FRIDAY, MAY 7 SURFER BLOOD, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham RIHANNA, LG Arena, Birmingham MAGPIE’S NEST, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath SICUM, THE HOLD UP, FANS OF FAYE, The Public, West Bromwich
MONDAY, MAY 10 PARACHUTE, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham BOYZ II MEN, O2 Academy, Birmingham FAUST, Rainbow Warehouse, Digbeth CHAOS ACOUSTIC CLUB, The Victoria, Birmingham FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton WOODEN SHJIPS, Little Civic, Wolverhampton ED KEERAN, Kasbah, Coventry
SATURDAY, MAY 8 TEN SECOND EPIC, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham KILL HANNAH, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham SHADY BARD, The Flapper, Birmingham AIR FORMATION, INSECT GUIDE, The Victoria, Birmingham THE FUTUREHEADS,
TUESDAY, MAY 11 THE FALL, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham GOGOL BORDELLO, O2 Academy, Birmingham
BEST COAST, Hare & Hounds, Digbeth FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton BAND OF SKULLS, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton WEDNESDAY, MAY 12 THE BIG PINK, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham THE SHOES, BEWITCHED HANDS, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham I SET MY FRIENDS ON FIRE, The Flapper, Birmingham MR HUDSON, TINIE TEMPAH, TENNY TEN, Rainbow Warehouse, Digbeth MARINA & THE DIAMONDS, Glee Club, Birmingham GRAILS, WINDSCALE, MOTHERTRUCKER, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath TREMBLING BELLS, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath BARNESY, NEIL WARD, Bulls Head, Moseley THURSDAY, MAY 13 BATUSIS, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham FRANCIS ROSSI, Town Hall, Birmingham JAMIE CULLUM, ELIZA DOOLITTLE,
Symphony Hall, Birmingham STORNOWAY, MR BONES & THE DREAMERS, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath SHAPPI KHORSANDI, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton
& Hounds, Kings Heath DELPHIC, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton DREADZONE, Little Civic, Wolverhampton PROFESSOR GREEN, Kasbah, Coventry
SUNDAY, MAY 16 FRIDAY, MAY 14 WESTLIFE, LG MICHAEL BUBLE, LG Arena, Birmingham Arena, Birmingham BRIAN ELI ‘PAPERBOY JONESTOWN REED’ & THE TRUE MASSACRE, LOVES, O2 Academy O2 Academy 2, 2, Birmingham Birmingham THE GODFATHERS, I AM GHOST, O2 Academy 3, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham Birmingham ALI CAMPBELL, O2 DINOSAUR JR, Academy, Birmingham BUILT TO SPILL, O2 THE Academy, Birmingham CORRESPONDENTS REAL ESTATE, Hare Hare & Hounds, & Hounds, Kings Kings Heath Heath TIM AND SAMS JOHNNY FLYNN TIM AND THE SAM & THE SUSSEX BAND WITH TIM WIT, Glee Club, AND SAM, The Birmingham Flapper, Birmingham HIP PARADE, Sound DIANA VICKERS, Bar, Birmingham Wulfrun Hall, ERLAND AND Wolverhampton THE CARNIVAL, PARADOXIC, Little The Slade Rooms, Civic, Wolverhampton Wolverhampton VAULT OF EAGLES, The Public, West MONDAY, MAY 17 Bromwich PEGGY SUE, BOAT TO ROW, JAMES SATURDAY, MAY 15 REA, The Yardbird, THE PIPETTES, Birmingham O2 Academy 2, DETROIT SOCIAL Birmingham CLUB, O2 Academy 2, PENNYWISE, O2 Birmingham Academy, Birmingham WESTLIFE, LG REAL ESTATE, Hare Arena, Birmingham
DEAD AND DIVINE, The Flapper, Birmingham TUESDAY, MAY 18 BRITISH SEA POWER, Glee Club, Birmingham THE CASTING OUT, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath ERIC CLAPTON & STEVE WINWOOD, LG Arena, Birmingham SARAH MACDOUGALL & TIM TWEEDALE, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Kings Heath WEDNESDAY, MAY 19 ALICIA KEYS, The NIA, Birmingham JACE EVERETT, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath LOUISIANA RED, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton THURSDAY, MAY 20 WAX FANG, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath CHROME HOOF, BO NINGEN, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath EMAROSA, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham RAY DAVIES, Symphony Hall, Birmingham THIS TOWN NEEDS GUNS, The Flapper, Birmingham
PETER HAMMILL, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton
GENERIC ERIC, Little Civic, Wolverhampton
FRIDAY, MAY 21 ALKALINE TRIO, O2 Academy, Birmingham EXAMPLE, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham (SOLD OUT) THE BEAT, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham NOMADIC WONDER CLUB, Island Bar, Birmingham LOST PROPHETS, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton YOUR BIGGEST FANCLUB, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton SETH LAKEMAN, Kasbah, Coventry
SUNDAY, MAY 23 LIGHTS, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham GROWNS UPS, The Flapper, Birmingham FM, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham DEFCON, The Asylum 2, Birmingham RICHARD JAMES, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath ROD STEWART, The NIA, Birmingham MARK KNOPFLER, LG Arena, Birmingham
SATURDAY, MAY 22 INGRID MICHAELSON, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham FUZZBOX, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham SIAN ALICE GROUP, The Flapper, Birmingham ROD STEWART, The NIA, Birmingham IDIOSYNC, DIALS, THE SPG, The Rainbow, Digbeth WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, TWEAK BIRD, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath
MONDAY, MAY 24 UNDERGROUND HEROES, The Flapper, Birmingham JOHN MAYER, LG Arena, Birmingham ASAF AVIDAN & THE MOJOS, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham CROWDED HOUSE, Symphony Hall, Birmingham TUESDAY, MAY 25 CROWDED HOUSE, Symphony Hall, Birmingham CHIDDY BANG, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham NELL BRYDEN, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath WEDNESDAY, MAY 26 THE ROCKET
SUMMER, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham JIM BOB (CARTER USM), Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE, GUM TAKES TOOTH, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath PENDULUM, O2 Academy, Birmingham LAFARO, The Flapper, Birmingham JUSTIN CURRIE & TOMMY REILLY, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton THURSDAY, MAY 27 FRANK TURNER, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham DAN SARTAIN, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath GOLDHEART ASSEMBLY, Glee Club, Birmingham CASIO KIDS, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath FAITHLESS, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton FRIDAY, MAY 28 LADY GAGA, LG Arena, Birmingham SWANTON BOMBS, The Flapper, Birmingham BROKEN WITT REBELS, Island Bar, Birmingham INME, Little Civic, Wolverhampton LONG ROAD GHOSTS, Kasbah,
Coventry INSOMNICIDE, The Public, West Bromwich SATURDAY, MAY 29 SLAYER, O2 Academy, Birmingham MAYER HAWTHORNE, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham THE PRIESTS, Symphony Hall, Birmingham ACE BUSHY STRIPTEASE, SAVANT, ARC VEL (Matinee), Island Bar, Birmingham STEVE HARLEY & COCKNEY REBEL, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton DEMENTIA, Little Civic, Wolverhampton DELAYS, Kasbah, Coventry SUNDAY, MAY 30 YOU SAY PARTY WE SAY DIE, The Flapper, Birmingham ADRENALINE, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton MONDAY, MAY 31 RX BANDITS WITH MONEEN, O2 Academy 3, Birmingham DEAD MEADOW, EINSTELLUNG, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath HEART IN HAND, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton
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