October 2010

october 2010

free

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

WIN:

meet the black country’s latest rock heroes:

the lines

Tickets to the Hare & Hounds P5

THE CHARLATANS:

Returning to their Midlands roots P12

FASHION SPECIAL:

Autumn/Winter style guide p20

SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL:

Our guide to the essential acts P14

PLUS: DAN LE SAC VS SCROOBIUS PIP / SHADY BARD / 22-20s / OLD SCHOOL TIE MOSELEY FOLK FESTIVAL IN PICTURES / FULL GIG GUIDE FOR OCTOBER

Brum Notes Magazine: Issue 13, October 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: Chris Moriarty Contributors Words: Ben Russell, Ross Cotton, Tom Pell, Daron Billings, Katie Fox, Ben Thomas, Lorraine Teare, Matt Beck, Matt Higgs Pictures: Wayne Fox, Gobinder Jhitta, Mark Salmon Design: Ryan Killeen, Andy Aitken, Sleepy Design 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.

Fans soak up the final rays of summer at Moseley Folk Festival. For more pictures and review turn to page 16. Photo courtesy of Wayne Fox.

contents P4-5

NEWS

P20-21 AUTUMN/WINTER

STYLE GUIDE

P5 COMPETITION P22-23 FOOD & DRINK P7

SHADY BARD P28-30 GIG GUIDE

P8 22-20s

OLD SCHOOL TIE P9

DAN LE SAC VS SCROOBIUS PIP

P10-11 THE LINES P12-13 THE CHARLATANS

Twitter @BrumNotesMag Facebook search ‘Brum Notes Magazine’

P14-15 SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL

www.brumnotes.com

P16-19 LIVE REVIEWS

Pulled Apart By Horses, live at The Flapper, p19.

Photo by Mark Salmon

page four

news

SPECIAL DELIVERY FOR TOM PEEL EP RELEASE Fans who ordered Birmingham songwriter Tom Peel’s latest EP were treated to a special delivery from DIY record label Speech Fewapy Records.

Dedicated couriers took to their bicycles to hand deliver limited edition copies of the record to the first 20 people to order it last month, as well as rewarding them with invites

to the exclusive launch party and first dibs on the one-off design Tom Peel t-shirts.

The cyclists were sent across the city on September 11 to deliver the record TrippleClick It, which was formally released on September 13.

It was the latest cyber-stunt form the label, which has also run similar contests through social networking site Foursquare.

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Europe-wide music talent search contest Surface Unsigned Festival has announced a new name and details for next year.

It will now be known as Surface Festival - The International Festival for New Music, dropping the word ‘unsigned’ to bring it more in line with today’s musical landscape.

Festival managing director Jay Mitchell said the decision to relaunch was driven by bands themselves. “More and more bands from small independent record labels and self-releasing bands were enquiring to take part,” he said.

“Unsigned bands already involved in the festival commented that they didn’t feel that the word ‘unsigned’ was relevant in today’s industry.

“Bands aren’t necessarily looking to get signed anymore, more and more bands are moving away from the restrictions of a record label; they want to do their own thing.

“The way bands have driven things has made us rethink the way the festival works. It’s not about unsigned bands anymore, but about discovering new music.”

In 2011 the Surface Festival will host 500 shows across 14 cities in the UK and Europe, including Birmingham, London, Manchester, Glasgow, Barcelona and Budapest, with £100,000 of prizes up for grabs. For more information and to sign up visit www.surfacefestival.com.

IN BRIEF: Birmingham Comedy Festival takes place this month at venues across the city from October 1-10. For full programme see www. bhamcomfest.co.uk.

Brummie noise merchants Shapes have announced a UK tour, remix release and hotly anticipated debut full-length album. The Pasture, The Oil Remixes is out on October 4 and will be followed by a debut LP early next year. They play The Flapper on October 8 and 20.

The Flapper hosts its annual Halloween spectacular on October 30, with fancy dress, DJs and late night partying until 3am. Entry is free.

COMPETITION> Win! Tickets for Norman Jay and easy star all-stars at the hare & hounds Royally-endorsed DJ Norman Jay and modern reggae pioneers Easy Star All-Stars head up a stellar line-up of musical talent appearing at the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath this month, as promoters Leftfoot continue their 10th anniversary celebrations.

Pioneering DJ Norman Jay, awarded an MBE for his services to music, is a Leftfoot favourite and will be back at the Kings Heath High Street venue on October 29, when he will be joined on the night by experimental singer Andreya Triana performing a live set. Tickets are £10 in advance from www.theticketsellers.co.uk.

On October 16, acclaimed collective Easy Star All-Stars, alongside special guest Cas Haley, will unleash their own unique brand of modern reggae and unusual takes on classic tracks ranging from Radiohead to The Beatles.

Tickets are £16 in advance from www.theticketsellers. co.uk.

For your chance to win a pair of tickets to each show just tell us how many years Leftfoot have been running shows in Birmingham. Answers by Oct 14 to competitions@brumnotes.com.

IN BRIEF: A new social enterprise store aimed at showcasing the work of West Midlands artists will open its doors this month. The We Are Birmingham shop will open in Dale End on October 30 anyone interested in selling their work is invited to get in touch. The store follows on from the success of the Created in Birmingham pop-up shop at the Bullring earlier this year. Interested artists should email artists@ wearebham.com.

OxjamBrum take over six of Birmingham’s finest venues on October 16 to showcase some of the city’s top musical talent. More than 30 artists will perform at The Victoria, Island Bar, The Yardbird, The Flapper, The Prince of Wales and Cafe Blend.

Tickets and details at www.oxjambrum.org.uk.

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OUT OF DARKNESS...

Birmingham’s own melodramatic postrock story-tellers SHADY BARD return this month with their long-awaited second album, Trials. After a rollercoaster six years which has seen them soundtrack an MTV climate change campaign and win fans across the world after featuring on US medical drama and musical barometer Grey’s Anatomy, as well as battling the changing landscape of the music industry, they have emerged with a darkly delicate album telling the story of a village ravaged by fire.

“I think it’s important to write from experience,” explains founding frontman Lawrence Becko. “The stories on this album were heavily influenced by the massive forest fires a few years ago in Greece, where I grew up. It was suspected that they were started by arsonists trying to clear the land to build on it - that set me off and the narrative unfolded from there about a village beset by all these natural disasters and the lives of everyone in it. The music developed alongside the stories, almost like a film soundtrack.”

A somewhat unique approach to songwriting in days of identikit acts and radio-friendly songwriting-by-numbers used by many to forge a career. But it is this authenticity and personal approach

which has earned Shady Bard their own loyal following, despite the changes both internally and externally since forming six years ago.

“It’s funny to think we’re ‘veterans’ but we’ve had our fair share of battles. Lots of things have changed...people have come and gone. The band itself has changed there’s six of us now and for the first time, we’ve probably got enough people on deck to fully realise the sounds we make on record.

“We’re older and wiser too, less wideeyed. A massive change came for us when our music started getting used on television in the US. Suddenly we were getting emails from north America, South Africa, Australia. The whole thing put us

in a position to record and release the new album.

“The music industry has really changed too. There are less promoters, less labels so it’s harder to reach an audience. People say the internet has made it easier to do that, but sometimes it feels like people are more spread out and fragmented.”

But not deterred by the changing musical landscape, Shady Bard have remained fiercely determined to carve their own path following up their Static Caravanreleased debut album From the Ground Up by forming their own label their own label Forest Industries as the vehicle for Trials.

“I’d say we’ve always taken a DIY approach which has meant being in control of our music and how it’s released. It’s something we’ve done from day one.”

Trials is released on October 11.

Shady Bard headline The Flapper, Birmingham, on October 23.

BACK FROM THE BRINK 22-20s emerged on a wave of hype through supercool Heavenly Records, unleashing their acclaimed eponymous debut in 2004 before imploding shortly afterwards amidst claims of musical differences and a lack of musical freedom . Now after reuniting two years ago and following a frantic US tour, they are back on home soil and more focused than ever.

“It feels great to be back,” says bassist Glen Bartup, “the US is an entertaining place to tour, I hadn’t expected to enjoy it so much.”

The US tour van has become “dangerously like home” for the Lincolnshire band, whose second album has been picked up by US label TBD but as yet there is nothing in place for a UK release. “The first few labels we spoke to in the UK were wary of our history and keen on us changing our name, something which, even with our mixed feelings towards our past, struck us as a little false seeing as we were essentially the same band. If we could get something going in the UK again we would love that but the main thing for us is that we can continue touring and writing. If it doesn’t happen on this record then hopefully it will happen on the next one.”

But whatever happens, their own second coming already feels like a liberation for a band who struggled with the hype and industry demands at a young age.

“There were no great musical differences between us at the time [of the split], we all agreed that we were shit. We had a lot of hype before we’d ever done anything to justify it. We only had three songs we liked,” explains Glen.

“This time around no-one expects anything of us, very few people are even looking. I think we’re grateful for the chance to try and quietly go away and make something to force people to pay attention rather than feel we need to shy away from it.

“We’ve been surprised by the level of support from people in England on things like Facebook. We were surprised anyone even remembered us really. As much as I’ve enjoyed the last five months or so I’d be really disappointed if we weren’t able to make an impression at home.”

22-20s play the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, Oct 19.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Adopted Brummies Old School Tie have always done things their own way. With one album in the bag, their very own festival in native Wiltshire now a sell-out addition to the summer schedule and a relentless approach to live appearances, they are now ready to unleash their own brand of electronica fused post-dance with album number two, So Many Souls, a record laced with as much energy and ambition as the band themselves.

“People always say ‘you guys are really DIY aren’t you?’,” explains Old School Tie’s James Cameron, although he is quick to point out it is not the romance of doing it themselves that prompts this direction.

“That approach has always been through necessity, we would have loved someone to put our new album So Many Souls out but in the current climate you have to do things yourself otherwise you’d spend years waiting and waiting, maybe without reward.”

Full length debut Mystery Sound Playground showcased their fusion of dance ethics and indie melodic sensibilities, but James admits their follow-up record is a more developed offering.

“Well it’s two years on, so tastes and styles have changed. We have become more aware about song writing, and that’s been the focus, to develop the song as a whole, be more critical and to condense ideas and make them more direct, less meandering,” he continues.

“We spent a lot of time demoing and experimenting with structures and arrangements. This time we recorded it and produced it ourselves as we feel we represent our sound the best. This time we also worked with Lorne Ashley from Liverpool group Picture Book in developing the electronic side to our sound. We are really chuffed with the results, its taken a while but we have invested a lot of time in this one.”

Old School Tie play the HMV Institute, Digbeth, on October 15 with Ozric Tentacles.

So Many Souls is released on October 16.

K L A T Y

P P HA

As dance-folk hybrids dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip prepare to hit the road for their biggest UK tour to date, Ben Russell catches up with main man dan to talk spending too much time in a van, festivals, solo projects and being a geek.

The band, if that is the right word, came to people’s attention three years ago with the hip-hop/electronic/ spoken word Thou Shalt Always Kill.

The 2008 album Angles followed and since then the pair have been kept busy either on the road or in the recording studio.

Not that they are complaining, as laptop musician dan (who deliberately, if not slightly annoyingly, goes intentionally lower case with his name) explains.

“We’re both looking forward to this tour, we love going on the road - it’s dope. Of course it can get tiring, and to be honest a lot of my time is actually spent in a van looking at the back of Pip’s head.

“And yes, we still use a van.

A lot of people think because we had a bit of success with the first album that we’re rich or something but we’re not. However, I love it, I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Their second album, Logic Of Chance, was released in May and was followed by a sold-out UK tour as well as festival slots at Glastonbury, RockNess, Wireless and Bestival among others.

“Following the release of Logic Of Chance it has been so busy for us,” he continues. “We did about 30 festivals this summer which was pretty crazy and we got

to visit places like Romania and Slovakia.

“Unfortunately that meant more time in the van but we had a blast and that is what it’s all about. I just want to get good music out there and play good shows.”

Despite their busy schedule, dan revealed his hopes to unleash a third album before too long, alongside solo offerings from both members of the duo.

“Hopefully we’ll have a new record out by the end of the next year which I’m looking forward to. In the meantime though, Pip has his own solo project coming up and I’m always doing solo stuff.

“Pip is a lot more organised but with me there are always plans to do solo stuff, however with me if it happens, it happens.

“I’m much more of a geek.

I enjoy playing with the latest bits of tech changing little bits here and there, to be honest the stuff no one ever hears but it makes me happy, ” he insists.

dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip are at the HMV Institute, Digbeth, on October 16.

Visit www.hmvinstitute.com for details.

Fresh from a sell-out night at The Lexington in London, THE LINES stopped off to chat about an impending hometown headline gig at Wolverhampton’s 1,100 capacity Wulfrun Hall before they fly off to tour New York. Safe to say, it’s not going badly for four lads from the West Midlands, as Tom Pell finds out.

Alex Ohm (vocals and guitar), Dean Bate (guitar), Dave ‘Paddy’ O’Connor (drums) and Danny Pease (bass) make up the band, whose debut vinyl Domino Effect teased and tempted the UK market when it was released in 2008. Now, with an increasing word of mouth reputation and youth on their side, The Lines are back with new, anthemic, euphoric, ballsy single, Glorious Aftermath, ahead of the release of their debut album on October 11.

Earlier this year, actual Robert Plant offered the opinion that, “…there aren’t really many good bands coming out of Wolverhampton, just one great band called The Lines” which, apart from the damning representation of the Wolverhampton music scene which we’ll gloss over, was rather nice. And it’s not just him. The Lines have been described as answers to bands as big as The Verve and Arctic Monkeys, something the boys are quick to dispel.

As Paddy says: “We just do songs that we enjoy, we’re not trying to sound like anyone. A girl told me last week we were like the Kooks, but I think that was just my hair.”

Words: Tom Pell Design: Sleepy.me.uk Photo: Gobinder Jhitta

Pigeonholed they can’t be, as Alex is keen to point out. “Recently, supporting different bands, we just totally change what sort of songs we play to suit the audience. Somedays you’re up for it, and some days you just feel a bit down. So it’s nice to have a mixture.”

See uplifting, poppy, Glorious Aftermath; swirling, foot stomping Circles, or borderline ballad Rivers for more details.

With varied songs comes a varied audience, none more so than a particular fan who keeps popping up around the country. Always right at the front, in the zone, Paddy explains: “He looks about 60, but he absolutely loves it. Just loves music, but he looks like he’s off his face.

He got up on stage once, just raving away at me. Then I spoke to him afterwards, and he was just like, ‘Cheers guys.’ Totally sober. He’s a really nice guy. We call him King Ken.” Live, a confidence and a swagger can be seen from the band as they play, and also in their music videos. Frontman Alex isn’t afraid to belt out lyrics straight to the camera, using close-ups and stares, giving intensity to the songs. “That hour you’re on stage, you’re proud of what you’re doing, and proud that people are there,” he explains. They believe in what they’re doing, and in person, are just four nice lads. Though they may be rising above their own hype, don’t let yourself ignore it.

“That hour you’re on stage, you’re proud of what you’re doing, and proud that people are there”

The Lines headline the Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, on October 8.

Their debut album is out on October 11 on Amboy Road Records.

Visit www.wearethelines.com for details.

They were synonymous with the baggy, ‘Madchester’ sound of the early 90s despite being formed in the Midlands, topped the charts at the height of in the mid-90s and developed a country-style twang on the excellent Us and Us Only in the late 90s. THE CHARLATANS have never been a band that fitted neatly into people’s perceptions, defiantly independent in their approach and always striving to create something new. Now, 22 years after playing their first ever gig in Walsall, THE CHARLATANS are back with album number 11 and are on the road again, as determined as ever to continue to create, as Chris Moriarty finds out.

Jon Brookes, drummer with The Charlatans, suffered a brain tumour after collapsing on stage in the USA, shortly after this interview was carried out. At the time of going to press Jon had undergone what was described as a successful operation and is now recovering. He will be replaced temporarily for the UK tour by The Verve drummer Pete Salisbury.

Brum Notes Magazine would like to join fans in wishing Jon a speedy recovery.

Empty, derelict and earmarked for demolition after being labelled an 1960s eyesore, what was once known as The Overstrand is now little more than a disused, elevated walkway spanning Walsall’s pedestrianised market area.

But there is at least one man who does not want to see this seemingly anonymous shell of a building from being razed to the ground. For Jon Brookes, drummer with The Charlatans since day one, it is a venue which will always hold a special place in his heart. The former nightclub and restaurant hosted the first ever gig by the band, who would go on to become one of the most important of their generation, and was once the focal point of Walsall’s music scene.

But for Jon, this willingness to demolish what should be an icon of a strong musical tradition is symptomatic of a widespread apathy towards promoting Midlands music which often sees the region overlooked on the musical map, despite its undisputed contribution over the years. It was partially this attitude and lack of a galvanised musical identity which contributed to The Charlatans relocating to the north-west, the home of frontman Tim Burgess, where they became swept up in the fervour of the more heralded Manchester music scene. As Jon is keen to point out, contrary to popular belief, the band were formed in the West Midlands and the majority of the members hail from the Black Country despite their close connections with the Manchester sound.

“To be fair, more astute journalists have always pointed out that three fifths of the band come from the Black Country, including myself - I was born and bred in Wednesbury,” says Jon. “We played our first ever gig in Walsall at The Overstrand. It has been voted one of the biggest eyesores in the Midlands and that’s where we played our first gig and it would be good if we could hold on to places like that. A lot of bands played there initially.”

But for The Charlatans, ambitious from the very start, they were quick to see the excitement that was building around many of their contemporaries in Manchester.

“We hooked up with the Stone Roses really and there was a scene already going there, they were doing the same sort of things we wanted to do and we got sucked into that vortex of Manchester.”

For Jon, now living in the relative greenery of Staffordshire, it is not a lack of talent that has seen the Midlands passed over in recent years as a major player in producing groundbreaking music, but more a lack of a figurehead to shout about the area’s achievements - something which Manchester has never been short of.

“We do struggle in Birmingham and the Midlands - we suffer a little bit from Aston Villa syndrome, the most unfashionable club in the Premier League.

“Birmingham has to look back at what it has achieved in the past; Birmingham, the Black Country and Stourbridge as well, there is a lot to celebrate.

“If it wasn’t for Black Sabbath there wouldn’t have been any Nirvana for example.

I don’t think Birmingham does urban music as well as Manchester. It’s got an industrial vibe and that rubs off on its music scene, whereas in Birmingham it tends to be a bit more Irish maybe, a bit more melodic.

“In Manchester, Tony Wilson had a lot to do with that and pulled it all together. It was all very factious but Factory Records galvanised everything and became a figurehead and put a really good spin on it.

“People in Manchester were always very aware that three fifths of the band were from the Black Country and they used to have a bit of fun with it.

“I think what we’ve got to do in this area is create the scene on our own doorstep, a bit like Pop Will Eat Itself and Ned’s Atomic Dustbin did - Stourbridge was always kicking off when they were around. We’ve just got to learn to make the most of it, not just in Birmingham but in the Midlands in general.”

Now spread far and wide, between England, Ireland and the USA, life in The Charlatans is now somewhat different to the early days of living out of each other’s pockets, but that hasn’t stopped them doing what they do best when they get together. Nor does it turn into a reminiscing session when they do reunite.

“We are very functional,” explains Jon. “We don’t get together and be philosophical, we get together and be productive.

“We have fun together still but we don’t really hang out anymore.

“We’ve had our moments, we’ve come close to meltdown and I’m sure there will be more moments but you get used to people’s idiosyncratic behaviour.”

Despite all their years together, unlike some other bands of a similar age, The Charlatans have never rested on the laurels of their back catalogue when it comes to touring.

They are a band constantly evolving and always looking to create new music to record and bring to the live arena.

“It’s great on the tour, it’s a challenge to try and put together a record and give that record an identity and a life and once you’ve created that you’ve got to think about getting the live sound right.

“The concern is always whether people buy tickets and watch you play once you’ve made that commitment to tour.

“It’s kind of nerve-wracking but it is part of the whole cycle

really. I get apprehensive really more than nervous.

“But I think what we worry about is, ‘are we asking too much of the fans?’ We’ve made very contrasting sounding records and we worry whether we’re asking too much, we worry if people are thinking we’ve changed too much. But people are more open-minded and it is nice to have a band willing to push the boundaries and sound like they are grasping for something.

“We’ve done 11 albums and the majority of them have been in the past 10 years. We’ve never even thought about where the peak is, we’ve never really stopped.

“Some bands see splitting up as a career opportunity so they can get back together again, but we don’t see it like that we see it as being creative as the best way to prolong your career.”

Over the years The Charlatans are a band who have seen more than their fair share of turbulent times and tragedy, not least the death of founder member Rob Collins following a car accident during the recording of their fifth album in 1996.

But for Jon, whose youngest daughter was later born on Rob’s birthday, the former keyboardist and his legacy still plays an important part in the band members’ lives.

“More than anything he was a mate. We started the band together and it happened for us. “We’re toured America a lot but when we first got there with Rob we stood there in Times Square and couldn’t believe it. It was always our dream to play in America and we did those things we always dreamed off and we did them together. He got to the promised land.”

For the rest of the band, they have never given up on living the dream and don’t show any signs of stopping soon.

The Charlatans play the O2 Academy, Birmingham, on October 23. New album Who We Touch is out now.

SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL Furious death metal, shuddering dubstep, industrial electronica and psychedelic folk - it’s fair to say Birmingham’s Supersonic Festival is one of the most adventurously eclectic events on the musical calendar. But eclectic doesn’t have to mean inaccessible and the three-day spectacle offers something for all genres of music, film and art lovers alike. From pioneers to new talents, here’s out guide to some of the acts to catch this year. Words by Ben Thomas.

Factory Floor Factory Floor are the latest talent to come out of east London. They play vintage analogue equipment and tape loops to create abrasive electronic music, layered in feedback, with insistent Krautrock bass lines and obligatory Ian Curtis post-punk vocals. Not many bands manage to combine noise guitar and dance beats, but Factory Floor make XTRMTRera Primal Scream sound like Shed 7. They’re all the best bits of Sonic Youth and Throbbing Gristle, with Giorgio Moroder disco electronics and Kraftwerk beats, an inspired combination.

Good if you like: Fuck Buttons, Joy Division & looking solemn

swans Along with Sonic Youth and The Contortions, Swans were part of the big bang of experimental music coming from New York’s No Wave scene at the beginning of the 1980s. But Swans tapped into an indust trial, stark brutality tha was completely their own. Making deafens reverb, t ‘goth’) noise: cavernou ing waves of gothic (no als. At voc & s multilayered guitar enormous drums and asive, inv h suc at y pla they would their early live shows uld pass wo mbers of the audience immersive volumes me . some good music out. That’s the sign of le and rock, Throbbing Grist ise No e: Good if you lik sheer volume KING MIDAS SOUND Kevin Martin (otherwise known as The Bug), poet Roger Robinson and singer Kiki Hitomi make up King Midas Sound. Their debut LP Waiting For You, released on Kode9’s dubstep label-du-jour Hyperdub, manages to blend Tricky, Mezzanine-era Massive Attack and the more desolate corners of Burial, creating music with a grounding in dub and dancehall, with lyrics steeped in the grit and danger of city living. They’re awesome live; Roger Robinson looks like a 1920s travelling blues artist, Hitomi jumps around all over the stage and Kevin Martin creates sheer walls of noise and bass. Everything is turned up to 11; the distortion will shatter the expectations of those expecting polite down tempo trip-hop.

Good if you like: Burial, Joker and dancing in a filthy manner

HALLOGALLO: Michael Rother & Friends Present The Music Of NEU!

Michael Rother played in an early incarnation of Kraftwerk and was a founding member of the bands NEU! and Harmonia, where he played alongside Brian Eno. NEU! are one Krautrock’s most prominent acts and their influence has spanned several generations with everyone from Bowie to Devo to Stereolab citing their influence. Despite releasing their last record in 1975 they still sound familiar (think The Horrors & LCD Soundsystem) and relevant today. Following Hallogallo’s ATP show earlier this year, Pitchfork exclaimed, “the band tapped into that thing NEU! could do so well, sounding both heavy and expansive, like a large mass gliding over the earth while a few inches off the ground,” which basically means they were awesome.

Good if you like: Kraftwerk, LCD Soundsystem & Faust

DEVIL MAN Since dubstep died in 2007 when Burial released Untrue everyone has been wondering what would happen next and this sounds like its been plucked right out of the future. A collaboration between DJ Scotch Egg and Gorgonn, this is dub from outer space. Scotch Egg plays his bass with the same manic ferocity as he does his Gameboy, so don’t go expecting a moody, hoods-up show, turn that frown upside down and embrace the new.

Good if you like: Gaslamp Killer, Aphex Twin and tons of bass GODFLESH Godflesh are regarded as the pioneers of industrial metal, combining heavy guitars with drum loops and effects. There’s a range of influences, from Black Sabbath and early Swans to Killing Joke and Throbbing Gristle.

Much has been made of the influence Birmingham itself has had on their sound, with their on their metal on metal piston-like rhythms, overworked electronics and growled soundbite lyrics. Supersonic will not only be their hometown show, it’s also their first in the UK for over 10 years.

Good if you like: Birmingham metal, drum machines and historic gigs napalm death In 1987 Birmingham’s Napalm Death released Scum, pushing the envelope of metal to such extremes they created an entirely new sub-genre, ‘Grindcore.’

Initially inspired by the early wave of punk bands, Crass, D.R.I. and Discharge, they play a mutation of metal and UK hardcore/punk. Simply, it’s super fast, loud music, No track lasts longer than two minutes and they’re in the Guinness Book of Records for the shortest recorded song ever; You Suffer clocks in at precisely 1.316 seconds.

Good if you like: Grindcore and moshpits

cloaks Cloaks emerge from the darker more industrial-edged corner of the UK dubstep scene, drawing influence from the sounds of industrial bands like Suicide as much as modern bass music. Cloaks appearances are rare but Steve Cloaks is coming along to do an exclusive DJ set just for Supersonic. Steve also runs the label 3by3, making Supersonic a kind of 3by3 AGM as Cloaks, Dead Fader and Devil Man will all be in full force over the weekend.

Good if you like: Suicide, Distance and the noisier side of dubstep

VOICE OF THE SEVEN THUNDERS Voice of the Seven Woods have become Voice of the Seven Thunders, which suggests a heavier direction in sound; thunderous you might even say. This brand of folk is as full and immersive as you get. Now under their new guise, that psychedelic folk sound is leaning more towards all out psychedelic rock, exploring new ways to take you far out.

Good if you like: White Hills, Alexander Tucker and 70s psych fukpig Uh-oh, is that Satan doing vocals? This is pure sonic sadism, like the lord of Hades has risen up and is flying all over the city deciding which souls to steal while simultaneously crushing gigantic buildings, like it’s no big deal. Influenced by the likes of Extreme Noise Terror, Gorgoroth, Disgust and Mayhem, it’s a sound worth getting excited about and, yes, it is unholy. Fukpig are also another Birmingham band and if you’ve been paying attention you’ll have noticed the emerging pattern – Birmingham is the home of metal.

Good if you like: Napalm Death, black metal and getting well pumped up JAMES BLACKSHAW Supersonic isn’t just about 30Hz bass frequencies and shredding guitar, for example, there’s James Blackshaw. It’s not fitting to describe him as a mere guitarist; he’s more a one man symphony, combining piano, violin, drums and 12 string guitar. Think of him as a composer who plays all his own instruments. To steal a quote, Michael Gira out of Swans: “He lays out patterns and shapes that subtly shift over time and lead you to a deeply satisfying mental state. Recently, driving around with the car stereo blasting his music I found myself inexplicably weeping.” An intriguing endorsement.

Good if you like: Peter Broderick, Max Richters and Devendra Banhart Supersonic Festival takes place at the Custard Factory, Digbeth, from October 22-24. www.supersonicfestival.com

page sixteen

live

MOSELEY FOLK FESTIVAL Moseley Park, Birmingham September 3-5 Sun, cider and cover versions of punk classics played on a ukulele. You can’t beat it can you, eh? Now firmly established as a festival season highlight, Moseley Folk once again pulled together a bill stuffed full of folk’s legends and rising stars together with a number of more commercial big name acts.

Blessed with unseasonably warm weather Day One was pretty much owned by local boy Fyfe Dangerfield. Almost literally playing in his back garden (he lived just down the road for many years) he dipped in to his increasingly rich solo and Guillemots back catalogues as well as finding time for a crowd pleasing rendition of that “track off the telly”. Turin Brakes impressed with a meatier live performance than their records suggest before Neil Hannon (aka The Divine Comedy) tickled the ivories with a hits heavy set (minus, incredibly given the fact that it was a Friday night, Something For The Weekend) as well as some new tracks like...ahem...The Complete Banker, proving that this is one comedy still well worth watching.

As the scrumpy flowed and the sun blazed on, Day Two saw a confident set from folk pin up Johnny Flynn (let’s face it you would, wouldn’t you?), before a true legend of the American folk scene, ‘Spider’ John Koerner (touring the UK for the first time in 30 years) showed us all why he inspired Dylan so much back in the 60s. After a slow start The Low Anthem delivered one of the songs of the day in

Whiskey, Cigarettes and Wild, Wild Women before Goodnight Lenin once again justified the buzz that’s building around them. The day drew to a close with the hurdy gurdy man himself, Jamaica’s very own Donovan. He is Jamaican isn’t he? That would explain all the “Yeah mons” that peppered the show. Either that or he smoked way too much weed back in the 60s. You’ve got to love him though and you can’t argue with the songs. Catch The Wind, Jennifer Juniper, Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch, Mellow Yellow and, of course, his signature tune The Hurdy Gurdy Man, all of which were cheerfully delivered to an eager/slightly tipsy capacity crowd.

Renbourn and The Rainbow Chasers (featuring one of the fathers of the 60s folk revival, Ashley Hutchings) provided the authentic folk fix, before the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain plucked an eclectic selection of pop and rock classics from the archives. Ever wanted to know what a George Formby fronted Sex Pistols might’ve sounded like? Plucking awesome.

Words by Daron Billings

Day Three and not even the rain could dampen Sam Walter’s stunning performance at the frankly unholy hour of 11am. A more passionate interpreter of traditional folk songs you’re unlikely to hear. Ever. How do you follow that? The Destroyers of course, Birmingham’s very own genre-defying musical whirlwind, a fusion of gypsy jazz, folk and performance art populated by everlasting mice, mad scientists and a bloody big hole in the universe. Top that GaGa. Martin Simpson, John All photos courtesy of Wayne Fox. Clockwise from left, Fyfe Dangerfield; The Divine Comedy; the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, The Destroyers; the crowd soaking up the sun on Day One. © 2010 Wayne Fox

MODIFIED TOY ORCHESTRA Town Hall, Birmingham September 8 Suited up with matching outfits head to toe, the circuit benders immediately ignited their visual aesthetics with Kraftwerk-esque incision.

Performing Great Kings Fall for the first time in the UK, the audience were certainly in for a treat.

A robust sound of toy guns, beeps and playtime began to fill the Town Hall, as the live performance en-

hanced the MTO experience a hundred times better than on CD. Leaving fans entranced and transfixed, each member’s timing and precision created such a wonderful, incomparable sound, backed up with projective visual beauty.

The space age Earth One brought a vibrant story of a green to a grey world, as the toys swirl into a darker, more serious twist, surrounding the effects of humanity.

With slower, hypnotic, deep drum beats, clanging toy sounds and

swooping industrial noises, MTO provide a meaningful, earth-changing realisation behind their usual, quirky and fun-filled exterior, revealing a completely different and unique side to the orchestra.

Leader Brian Duffy’s humour and constant interaction with his fans gives a homely and warm feeling inside.

With a rocket that can count up to ten in different languages, a toy guitar, a Speak and Spell and a creepy-looking Hula Barbie, no other orchestra comes close. Words by Ross Cotton.

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page nineteen FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton September 18 As FLC emerge to a backdrop of an American cityscape the crowd erupts. FLC have always had a great British following and tonight that following is loving every second, Korean Bodega receives great support as the charismatic Huey breaks into the song. Mister Sun, one of the newer singles is given a great airing proving that while they have the classics that keep the audiences coming to their shows, FLC still have plenty more to offer the music world.

As the synonymous Pulp Fiction samples of Scooby Snacks ring out the crowd go wild, given a particularly rocky rendition as every lyric is sung back.

Often finishing with a guitar solo and regularly applauding the crowd, Huey is obviously loving every second of the show.

FLC showcase their full range of style, mixing hip

hop and rock, heavy or chilled, all with an energy and endearing charm.

The crowd equally are in fine voice for the classic finisher - “Stick ‘em up punk its the Fun Lovin’ Criminals.”

Words by Matt Higgs. Photo by Mark Salmon.

MGMT O2 Academy, Birmingham September 23 Gone are the flute-featuring, hippy-dippy days that helped MGMT become a household name.

Now, instead of dressing-gown get-ups and bare chests, there are smart shirts, waistcoats and pointed boots. Not what you’d expect from a band that were so close to bringing back the Summer Of Love.

The newer songs off current album Celebration reflect this more grown up and serious MGMT but the lack of pop hooks fail to go down well with the young and sweaty crowd.

There are a lot of people who are enjoying the gig but there are even more that remain undecided.

Those songs, once described as “Flight of the Conchords attempting a Seventies concept album” struggle in a live setting and for anyone not familiar with the album large parts could be confused for a slurry of noise and nothing else.

Never is this more obvious when the band delve into their first album Oracular Spectacular and play the brilliantly catchy Kids which gets the loudest applause of the night by far.

Other favourite and zeitgeist anthem Time To Pretend, which introduced the band to the world, also gets a rapturous applause.

Words by Ben Russell.

PULLED APART BY HORSES The Flapper, Birmingham September 23 Melodic noise, an energetic performance and a sweaty crowd - we can safely say that Pulled Apart By Horses have proved that, once again, they know how to deliver. Here is a band that would never stand back and play half-heartedly. If they’re not bounding about on stage, they’ll be found among the crowd, guitars thrashing and belting out the noise. Tonight was no exception. Powerful vocals and guitar work filled the room, accompanied with a

stage presence so lively that it made for an impressive performance. Blasting out songs such as E=MC Hammer, High Five Swan Dive Nose Dive and Back To The Fuck Yeah, they managed to whip fans into a frenzy. I Punched A Lion In The Throat provided one of the biggest crowd cheers of the night, shortly before an appreciative crowd and band joined together in a hefty stage invasion for the finale. High fives all round.

Words by Lorraine Teare. Photo

by Mark Salmon.

page twenty

As the nights draw in and the weather gets colder, don’t let it get you down, just think of it as an excuse to wrap yourself up in even more stylish threads. In the first of our new monthly Style features, Katie Fox looks at the key trends this autumn and winter.

MEN/WOMEN:

Knitwear

This season, the bulkier the better. More is definitely more, with texture and volume being key to the knitwear trend. Think outside the box; cardigans or jumpers are fair game but why not try a cape or a shawl? It’s all about the layering so go overboard - you won’t be getting chilly this winter. And girls, if you’re worried about looking like a woolly sack, a skinny, loosely knotted waist belt will add some shape - top marks if you can tie it in a bow like those at Prada. Look out for the chunkiest knits and score extra points for Nordic and Fair Isle patterns as seen at D&G. Knitwear should be fun; dig through your cupboards and scout out charity shops for the most over-the-top, tasteless designs. That reindeer jumper your Gran knitted you when you were eight years old isn’t looking so passé now.

Fairisle mini dress, £95, People Tree, (www.peopletree. co.uk); hooded wool cardigan, £90, Suit @ Autograph (Ethel St, Birmingham); fairisle print cape, £32, Topshop (Bullring, Birmingham; Dudley St, Wolverhampton)

style

Fur

Faux fur trim denim jacket, £115, Levi’s @ House of Fraser (Corporation St, Birmingham); Karl Donoghue lambskin earmuffs, £86, Selfridges & Co (Bullring, Birmingham); Brown Shearling Aviator Jacket £35, George @ Asda

Autumn has given rise to all things furry. Among the increasing list of designers opting for real fur in their designs this season, Chanel showed that faux can be fabulous in their snow storm-themed runway. As Karl Lagerfeld’s sasquatch-esque models proved, there’s no such thing as a fur overload and nothing will keep you warmer this winter than a fur coat (faux or the real deal). These can be pricey, but opting for a vintage coat will save you money and is kind to the environment too. For a more subtle look, try the season’s stand-out piece, the insanely popular aviator-style shearling jacket. Burberry Prorsum’s coveted jackets are flying off the shelves, but fortunately there are some great high street alternatives.

Camel

Camel is undoubtedly the colour of the season. The beauty of this shade is that it goes with just about anything; in particular, camel looks great with blacks, greys and navy. The staple piece of autumn is surely the camel coat. This garment was seen all over the Autumn/Winter shows, most notably from Gucci, Lanvin and Chloe.

Camel is classic and sophisticated - but it’s not for everyone. If drowning in a sea of beige is your nightmare, a refreshing paradox is the mini-trend of OTT colour. Bold colours broke every faux-pas in the book at this season’s shows by both clashing and being, seemingly, too closely matched. Colour addicts, fill your boots.

Belted camel coat, £55, Tu @ Sainsbury’s; Skinny chinos, £26, Topman; Camel cashmere scarf, £78, Lyle & Scott @ House of Fraser

LACE & VELVET

Last year, we were inundated with body con and thigh high boots; but with the abundance of chunky knits and yeti-style dressing this season, it seems that looking sultry may be an unachievable feat. Fortunately, autumn collections usually make good use of luxe fabrics and this season is no exception. Lace and velvet were the biggest hits, and made appearances in collections from the likes of Christopher Kane, Ralph Lauren and Alexander Wang. Chances are, you’ve already got some lace in your wardrobe from the spring/summer season; gone is romanticism - now’s the time to toughen-up lace with black leather. As for velvet, look out for pieces in dark red, vampy hues to add a pop of colour. There’s hope yet for looking hot this winter, no matter what the weather does.

LEOPARD PRINT

Animal prints are huge this season, and leopard is the print-du-jour. Leopard print was walked down the runways of Gucci, D&G and Moschino to name just a few. Leopard print coats in particular are big news and have been sported by the likes of Kate Moss and Alexa Chung. If head-to-toe leopard print conjures up images of Bet Lynch in her heyday, add small touches like a bag or belt for a subtle nod towards the trend. Leopard and black are a classic combination you can’t go wrong with and if possible, steer away from anything tight and spandex- Scary Spice isn’t what we’re aiming for.

Lace cross back dress, £39.99, Miso @ Republic; navy velvet shift dress, £130, Linea @ House of Fraser

WOMEN:

Lucky leopard heel, £64.99, River Island; snow leopard beret, £17, Accesorize; fast leopard print coat, £120, French Connection;

MEN:

Country

Fashion has gone all outdoorsy this season. Tweed, checked and quilted jackets were all over the catwalks and the high street is awash with affordable copycat styles. If unleashing your inner farmer isn’t something you’re prepared to do, t-shirts featuring animal designs, particularly horses, are an easy way to incorBlue military porate the trend. The piece to buy now is a classic, t-shirt, £18, Topcountry-style coat. A Barbour Heritage waxed jacket is man; military coat, £75, Bur- the ultimate; but if your wallet doesn’t stretch that far, the high street has come up with the goods, stockton (bottom) ing loads of similar styles to the iconic English brand.

If you want the real thing on a budget, many vintage shops stock Barbour jackets at reasonable prices. (left) Distressed Heritage Bedale Jacket in Olive, £229, Barbour @ A Too Menswear (Ethel St, Birmingham)

Military

The military trend has stood the test of time and is here to stay for the season. Last year, the style had a strong presence and flamboyant military-inspired pieces tied in with the popular 80s fashion revival. This time around however, military becomes more historical. This season’s style harks back to the 40s and 50s, the time of the Second World War and post-war period. The emphasis is on uniformity, quality and clean tailoring. Grey, navy and of course army green are the colours to be seen in and details to look out for are brass buttons and epaulettes. Many designers’ collections drew military inspiration, with Christopher Bailey for Burberry Prorsum being the pick of the bunch.

page twenty-two

food & drink drink of the month: the margarita

We celebrate the opening of South American bar and cantina BODEGA in Bennetts Hill, the latest welcome addition to Birmingham’s food and drink scene, with a closer look at one of their classic cocktails - the Margarita. Bodega manager Steve Bould and Matt Marriott, bar manager at sister bar Island, talk us through this most famous of Latin drinks.

If there is one cocktail more associated with Mexico than any other it is the Margarita. It is one of the youngest classic cocktails, although it is known to have originated between the mid 1930s and early 40s, and there are a great many stories surrounding its creation. Understandably most of these involve someone called Margarita.

orange liqueur and lemon juice. In Mexico however, the lemon juice would frequently be swapped for lime due to the abundance of the latter in Central America. It would then only be a small jump to swap the brandy for tequila and you have a Margarita. Why the name? Simply that margarita is the Spanish word for a daisy.

One of my favourites centres around The Foreign Club in Tijuana in the 30s. A bar tender there was completely besotted with a young dancer by the name of Margarita Cansino and created the drink in an attempt to woo her. Whilst it is unknown whether he was successful, we do know that Cansino later moved to Hollywood and changed her name to Rita Hayworth and became one of the all-time stars of the silver screen.

Whilst a Margarita should always consist of the same key ingredients, the ratio between the three frequently changes from bar to bar, from person to person. It’s a drink that you can easily fiddle with to get just the right flavour for your palette. Too sharp? Simply reduce the lime content.

Not enough tequila coming through? Add more tequila!

Personally I favour the official IBA (International Bartender’s Association) recipe:

Romantic as this story is, I feel the true explanation is a lot more mundane.

One of the most popular cocktails of that era was the Brandy Daisy, a mix of Brandy,

Ingredients 35ml Tequila 20ml Cointreau 15ml freshly squeezed lime juice Method Shake with ice and strain into a chilled and salt rimmed Margarita glass (if not available substitute with a Martini glass). To rim the glass, run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and twist in a saucer of salt.

The idea of the salt rim sounds odd to many people, and indeed it is optional, but I highly recommend it. It serves to increase the depth of flavour, especially of the Tequila. The salt is applied to the rim rather being added to the drink itself as the texture it gives is also very important.

REVIEWS LASAN James St, Birmingham

Food:

Service:

Atmosphere:

Value:

After what felt like an eternity talking about going, we finally made it down to Birmingham’s prized Indian restaurant on a cold, wet Wednesday. Not surprisingly, the place was packed out, as has been the case since winning the title of Best Local Restaurant in Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word.

For starters we shared a mixed platter featuring a selection of tandoori fish, meat and potato cakes. The tandoori salmon was cooked beautifully and delicately crumbled in the mouth, yet was never overwhelmed by the spices, while the potato cakes were bursting with flavour and the alluring aromas of coriander.

The mains followed, with

BODEGA Bennetts Hill, Birmingham

slow-cooked lamb cooked in garlic, ginger and mustard, a dish in which great ingredients and simplicity shone. The perfectly cooked king prawn curry had the perfect balance between heat and flavour.

If there is one criticism to level at Lasan, it would be a lack of imagination on the drinks front, with just a handful of beers available and a wine list that didn’t inspire much excitement.

Other than that, I honestly believe this was one of the best curries I have ever eaten in Birmingham and although pricier than your average balti joint, this isn’t your typical Indian restaurant and I wouldn’t think twice about spending the money again. Believe the hype.

Matt Beck

Food:

Service:

Atmosphere:

Value:

It seems a bit mean, reviewing a restaurant on opening night. No time to test the water, no chance to build up an atmosphere, iron out the teething problems. Luckily for Bodega, no such problems seemed apparent.

The staff were all eager to please, yet relaxed and not over-the-top. The bright decor still had that new sheen and there was a buzz of intrigue from customers around the bar. First impressions, this is a venue built to thrive on its atmosphere, the hum of conversation, the informal seating arrangements and the varied menu are all perfectly set up for a laid-back, sociable eating experience.

Whether it’s grab-it-with-yourhands ‘street food’ - burritos, tacos and the staples you would expect in a South

Overall:

Overall:

American themed eatery - or the larger sharer platters and mix and match mains, even the menu is designed around the concept of kicking back and tucking in. Luckily, this laid-back approach has clearly not seeped through into the kitchen. The menu has clearly been carefully researched and lovingly prepared.

The snacks and starters were everything you would expect in decent bar bites, with the breaded, cheese-filled jalapeños giving a tasty kick to start things off, while the batatas fritas (sweet potato fries) an unusual but welcome accompaniment to the mains. The main courses themselves mains were generously portioned and indulgently rich. The pork belly was perfectly cooked, succulent on the inside and crisp and flavoursome on the outside, while the vast dish of Brazilian fish stew, made with a variety of fresh fish, was hearty, filling and tasty but mild.

Bodega is not a place to go just once; with such an intriguing menu and inviting atmosphere you’ll want to keep coming back to work your way through the whole thing.

Chris Moriarty

this month we shall be...

Checking out Café Ikon’s tapas Wednesdays with live music from Destroyer’s guitarist Jamie Fekete (Oozells Square, Brindleyplace, Birmingham, 0121 248 3226 • Visiting LOVES RESTAURANT to celebrate their first birthday (The Glasshouse, Canal Square, Birmingham, 0121 454 5151 • Hitting Urban Coffee Company for their speciality coffee roasts, buy one get one free at selected times during the day (Church St, Birmingham) • Tucking into Soul Food Project’s two-forone jambalayas, available every Tuesday all day and night (Hare & Hounds, High St, Kings Heath)

THE ADAM & EVE Bradford St, Digbeth, Birmingham B12 0JD october LISTINGS:

Friday 1st: Whomanity ft. Mad Max, Waydubz, Double H, Selecta Didi and special guest JUGGLA. Support from latino favorites Frutloka! FREE ENTRY Sat 2nd: The Restarts, R.A.M.M.A.N, Meathook. FREE ENTRY Sunday 3rd: Silent Filter presents: New Killer shoes + Vault of Eagles + Mr. Shankly + Becky Rose + Rivardo Thompson. FREE ENTRY Monday 4th: Broken Amp acoustic evening. Breaking acoustic music in the Midlands. Carlsberg, VS, Glass wine only £1.50. FREE ENTRY Wednesday 6th: Laughing In The Face Of + friends.

Thursday 7th: Silent Filter presents: Red Lips Waiting + Pale Horse, Pale Rider + Gwyn Ashton + Sicky + Andy Jones.

Saturday 9th: Dirty Sessions 3 - John Vickery live sets ft Nike & rap duo DNS. DJs till 4am. FREE ENTRY Monday 11th: Broken Amp acoustic evening. Breaking acoustic music in the Midlands. Carlsberg, VS, Glass wine only £1.50. FREE ENTRY Thursday 14th: Loop Promotions presents: Kanada + Mudball + The E-Go’s + LYC Saturday 16th: Logistix presents Old Skool Hip-Hop, Reggae, Funk, Soul and Broken Beats. DJs, Percussion and Vocals.

Sunday 17th: Open Xpress poetry afternoon. Hosted by the infamous Big Bren.

Everyone welcome.

Monday 18th: Broken Amp acoustic evening. Breaking acoustic music in the Midlands. Carlsberg, VS, Glass wine only £1.50. FREE ENTRY Thursday 21st: Fingers Crossed Comedy Night & Live Music. FREE ENTRY

Accommodation available, 7 newly decorated en-suite rooms only £20. Ring for details - 0121 693 1500. www.theadam.co.uk Friday 22nd: The Void presents: Fighting Fiction + Our Time Down Here (signed Indie/Rock).

Saturday 23rd: Mr Shankly + friends.

Monday 25th: Broken Amp acoustic evening. Breaking acoustic music in the Midlands. Carlsberg, VS, Glass wine only £1.50. FREE ENTRY Tuesday 26th: Famine + Crossbreaker + No Reality + Turnball ACs + Thawed Uut. FREE ENTRY Wednesday 27th: Jackpike + Undue Rock + tbc. FREE ENTRY, DRINKS PROMOS. Thursday 28th: The Oohz + Paper Shapes + tbc. FREE ENTRY, DRINKS PROMOS. FRIDAY 29TH: The Steve Gibbons Band. FULL LIVE BAND, DJs TILL 4AM. £5 Saturday 30th: THE HALLOWEEN HANGOVER ft THE HEELS + GRAHAM PARSNIP LIQUIDISER TORTURE THINK TANK & VERY SPECIAL GUESTS. SKAry BBQ, BEST COSTUME AWARD, FREE ENTRY Sunday 31st: Silent Filter acoustic night THE ALL NEW ADAM & EVE HAPPY HOUR !!

MON-THURS 4PM-7.30PM FRIDAY AFTER WORK CLUB 4-9.00PM CARLING, STRONGBOW AND CARLSBERG £2.00 FREE POOL TABLE FREE SPICY FOOD EVERY FRIDAY !!!

page twenty-eight

gig guide Want your gig or club night listed in our monthly guide?

Send details to: info@brumnotes.com All details correct at time of going to press.

Check with venues before setting out.

While every effort will be made to ensure the accuracy of listings, Brum Notes Magazine will not be held liable for any errors or losses incurred from errors which may materialise.

Friday, Oct 1 Architects O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Sandi Thom The Library At Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham Whomanity The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham Norma Jean O2 Academy 2 Birmingham O Children The Flapper Birmingham COHERE Actress & Bishop Birmingham THE UPPERS The Sunflower Lounge Birmingham BRIGHT LIGHTS Island Birmingham Saturday, Oct 2 The Restarts The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham Mavrickz O2 Academy 3 Birmingham Islet The Flapper Birmingham The Sweet Robin 2 Wolverhampton Sound Of Guns Kas-

VENUE DIRECTORY BIRMINGHAM: O2 Academy, Horsefair, Bristol St B1, 0844 4772000; HMV Institute, High St, Digbeth B5, 0844 2485037; NIA, King Edwards Rd B1, 0121 7804141; LG Arena, NEC, Solihull B40, 0121 7804141; The Flapper, Kingston Row B1, 0121 2362421; The Victoria, John Bright St B1, 0121 6339439; Sound Bar, Corporation St B4, 0121 2362220; Hare & Hounds, High St, Kings Heath B14, 0121 4442081; The Actress & Bishop, Ludgate Hill B3, 0121 2367426; The Sunflower Lounge, Smallbrook Queensway B5, 0121 6327656; Symphony Hall, Broad St B1, 0121 7803333; Town Hall, Victoria Sq B3, 0121 7803333; Kitchen Garden Cafe, York Road, Kings Heath B14, 0121 4434725; Alexandra Theatre, Station St B1, 0844 8472302; Bulls Head, St Marys Row, Moseley B13, 0121 2567777; Island Bar, Suffolk St B1, 0121 6325296; The Jam House, St Pauls Sq B3, 0121 2003030; The Asylum, Hampton St, Hockley B19, 0121 2331109; The Rainbow, High St, Digbeth B12, 0121 7728174; Adam & Eve, Bradford St, Digbeth B12, 0121 6931500; Poppyred, The Arcadian, Hurst St B5, 0121 6871200; The Yardbird, Paradise Place B3, 0121 2122524; The Glee Club, The Arcadian, Hurst St B5, 0871 4720400; MAC, Cannon Hill Park B12, 0121 4463232; WOLVERHAMPTON: Civic Hall/Wulfrun Hall, North St WV1, 01902 552122; ; The Slade Rooms, Broad St WV1, 01902 552122; Alchemy Bar, North St WV1, 01902 711998; 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 76524524. bah Coventry Spectrum Hmv Institute Birmingham Mouse On The Keys The Public West Bromwich Islet The Flapper Birmingham BANG BANG ROMEO Actress & Bishop Birmingham GRASS WIDOW Island Birmingham BITE THE KERB Scruffy Murphys Birmingham Sunday, Oct 3 NEW KILLER SHOES The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham Burton C Bell The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton The Magic Numbers The Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton Tiffany Page The Flapper Birmingham Monday, Oct 4 Focus Robin 2 Bilston, Wolverhampton

Chimaira The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton Tuesday, Oct 5 Kelis Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham Jurassic 5’s Akil The MC Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Sivert Hoyem O2 Academy 3 Birmingham Advantage The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton BEYOND PERCEPTION Scruffy Murphys Birmingham Wednesday, Oct 6 Kate Nash Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham LAUGH IN THE FACE OF The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham TRENCHES Wagon & Horses Digbeth, Birmingham Mount Kimbie/Scarlet Harlots Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham TERRATHORN Asylum

2 Birmingham Thursday, Oct 7 Hurts Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham RED LIPS WAITING The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham Young Guns The Copper Room, Warwick Uni Coventry Alan Pownall Hare & Hounds Birmingham Paul Mccaffrey The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton MEZZOTONIC Town Hall West Bromwich THIRD WAY FORWARD O2 Academy 3 Birmingham YOUR TRUTH BE VALIANT Actress & Bishop Birmingham DAVID R BLACK Asylum 2 Birmingham Friday, Oct 8 Crystal Fighters The Temple @ Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham

Jean Michel Jarre National Indoor Arena Birmingham Mitch Benn The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton Marionette The Asylum Birmingham Cherry Ghost O2 Academy 3 Birmingham Tim And Sams Tim And Sam BanD With Tim And Sam O2 Academy 3 Birmingham The Lines Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton Eliza Doolittle O2 Academy 2 Birmingham THE CARPELS Island Birmingham OPEN TO FIRE Actress & Bishop Birmingham SOLDIER The Sunflower Lounge Birmingham MARIONETTE Asylum 2 Birmingham WRECKHEAD Scruffy Murphys Birmingham Saturday, Oct 9 Yoso The Temple @ Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham JOHN VICKERY The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham Michael Buble National Indoor Arena Birmingham Doll And The Kicks The Flapper Birmingham Korn The Civic Hall Wolverhampton Example O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Twisted Wheel Kasbah Coventry You And What Army The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton HEADTRAP Actress & Bishop Birmingham EXIT CALM The Victoria Birmingham SKALDIC CURSE Asylum 2 Birmingham FURYON Scruffy Murphys Birmingham

Sunday, Oct 10 Dinosaur PileUp Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Level 42 Symphony Hall Birmingham Michael Buble National Indoor Arena Birmingham Professor Green O2 Academy Birmingham Imelda May Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton Yuck The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton Meltdown Fest 2010 The Asylum Birmingham The Scholars O2 Academy 3 Birmingham EAT IT UP The Victoria Birmingham Monday, Oct 11 Republica Robin 2 Bilston, Wolverhampton Stiff Little Fingers Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham Red Sparowes Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Crystal Castles Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton Attack Attack! O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Tuesday, Oct 12 Midge Ure Robin 2 Bilston, Wolverhampton Fenech Soler The Temple @ Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham Archie Bronson Outfit Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Ian Hunter Birmingham Town Hall Birmingham Mark Chadwick The Glee Club Birmingham Kassidy The Flapper Birmingham Wednesday, Oct 13 Bowling For Soup O2 Academy Birmingham

Sparrow And The Workshop O2 Academy 3 Birmingham Thursday, Oct 14 Arrested Development The Library At Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham KANADA The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham Easy Star AllStars Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Groove Armada O2 Academy Birmingham The Mobo Tour O2 Academy 2 Birmingham FURTHEST FROM ITHACA O2 Academy 3 Birmingham BIRTHRITE Actress & Bishop Birmingham WARLORD Scruffy Murphys Birmingham Friday, Oct 15 Ozric Tentacles, OLD SCHOOL TIE The Library At Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham KEVIN JAMES HADLEY Wagon & Horses Digbeth, Birmingham Bryan Adams Alexandra Theatre Birmingham Y&T O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Alestorm The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton BLACK MARKET EMPIRE O2 Academy 3 Birmingham THE MUSGRAVES Actress & Bishop Birmingham HEADTRAP The Sunflower Lounge Birmingham WHITE ROSE Asylum 2 Birmingham OBSIDIAN RAIN Scruffy Murphys Birmingham Saturday, Oct 16 Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham

The Cat Empire O2 Academy Birmingham My Passion O2 Academy 3 Birmingham Tigertailz The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton I Blame Coco Kasbah Coventry OXJAM FESTIVAL Various venues Birmingham Sunday, Oct 17 The Boxer Rebellion Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham James Summerfield Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Jeff Beck Symphony Hall Birmingham Meltdown Fest 2010 The Asylum Birmingham Isolated Atoms The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton Guns n Roses LG Arena Birmingham Monday, Oct 18 The Reverend Peytons Big Damn Band Robin 2 Bilston, Wolverhampton Joshua Radin Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton Badly Drawn Boy Town Hall Birmingham Brandon Flowers O2 Academy Birmingham Random Hand The Flapper Birmingham 4 OR 5 MAGICIANS The Victoria Birmingham Tuesday, Oct 19 Tinie Tempah Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham 22-20S Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Anais Mitchell Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham

PORT-ROYAL The Victoria Birmingham Wednesday, Oct 20 Beardyman The Library At Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham The Jim Jones Revue O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Ellen & The Escapades Hare & Hounds Birmingham Train O2 Academy Birmingham THE SUNSHINE GETAWAY Asylum 2 Birmingham Thursday, Oct 21 Ian Parker Robin 2 Bilston, Wolverhampton The Anderson & Wakeman Project The Civic Hall Wolverhampton Gyles Brandreth Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton BOLSHIE O2 Academy 3 Birmingham BAD APES Asylum 2 Birmingham BEARFIGHT Scruffy Murphys Birmingham Friday, Oct 22 Supersonic Festival Custard Factory Digbeth, Birmingham Maceo Parker The Temple @ Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham FIGHTING FICTION The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham Plan B O2 Academy Birmingham Hot Hot Heat O2 Academy 3 Birmingham MIVVI Actress & Bishop Birmingham SICUM The Sunflower Lounge Birmingham CEDAR HOUSE BAND Island Birmingham RAMESSES Asylum 2 Birmingham

Saturday, Oct 23 The Beat Robin 2 Bilston, Wolverhampton Supersonic Festival Custard Factory Digbeth, Birmingham Krs-One The Library At Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham MR SHANKLY & FRIENDS The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham CHRIS BOWSHER Wagon & Horses Digbeth, Birmingham Marina & The Diamonds Town Hall Birmingham Joe Satriani Symphony Hall Birmingham Sarah Millican The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton The Charlatans O2 Academy Birmingham Catfish Keith The Public West Bromwich ONE TON BULLET Actress & Bishop Birmingham JACKDAW4 Asylum 2 Birmingham Sunday, Oct 24 Supersonic Festival Custard Factory Digbeth, Birmingham Agnes Milewski Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham The Gaslight Anthem The Civic Hall Wolverhampton Canterbury Kasbah Coventry Forever Never O2 Academy 3 Birmingham Kt Tunstall Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton Monday, Oct 25 Alter Bridge O2 Academy Birmingham Feeder Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton Attack! Attack! O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Carl Barat The Slade

Rooms Wolverhampton Pull In Emergency O2 Academy 3 Birmingham GUN OUTFIT The Victoria Birmingham KELLERMENSCH Asylum 2 Birmingham Tuesday, Oct 26 FAMINE The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham Magic Kids Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Manic Street Preachers O2 Academy Birmingham Against Me! Kasbah Coventry One Night Only O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Ub40 Symphony Hall Birmingham Wednesday, Oct 27 The Psychedelic Furs Hmv Institute Digbeth, Birmingham JACKPIKE The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham Darwin Deez Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Twenty Twenty O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Ub40 The Civic Hall Wolverhampton The Strange Death Of Liberal England The Flapper Birmingham Thursday, Oct 28 THE BALSALL HEATHENS Wagon & Horses Digbeth, Birmingham iLIKETRAINS Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Greg Davies The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton Dillinger Escape Plan O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Nils Lofgren Birmingham Town Hall Birmingham

Darwin Deez Kasbah Coventry Amy Macdonald O2 Academy Birmingham Avenged Sevenfold National Indoor Arena Birmingham Egyptian Hip Hop The Flapper Birmingham Friday, Oct 29 THE STEVE GIBBONS BAND The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham Andreya Triana/ Norman Jay Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham The Return O2 Academy 3 Birmingham KAID Actress & Bishop Birmingham CROOKED DAWN The Sunflower Lounge Birmingham Saturday, Oct 30 THE HEELS The Adam & Eve Digbeth, Birmingham BETTY & THE ID Wagon & Horses Digbeth, Birmingham Seth Lakeman Town Hall Birmingham Micah P Hinson O2 Academy 3 Birmingham The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton (Silver) Souvenirs The Flapper Birmingham

BY DEVICES Actress & Bishop Birmingham Sunday, Oct 31 Youngblood Brass Band Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, Birmingham Lissie O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Love Amongst Ruin The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton The Have Nots The Flapper Birmingham