Issue 1 by Soundcheck Magazine

issue 1 â&#x20AC;˘ january 2010

soundcheck w o l v e r h a m p t o n

them is me: the second coming

athlete

placebo

kasabian

bloc

party

little

boots

moreâ&#x20AC;Ś

editor: contact:

glenn rossington editor@wlv-soundcheck.com

design:

gr creative

advertising: contact:

kate farrell kate@wlv-soundcheck.com

writing:

glenn rossington kate farrell glenn rossington jon hancock

photos:

published by: gr creative

contributions: article and photo contributions are welcome. prints and transparencies are sent at the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s risk and although ever care is taken, soundcheck accepts no responsibility for loss or damage. please email photos to editor@glennrossington. co.uk (all images must be at least 300dpi) or post them to our address

legal bit: copyright ÂŠ2009 soundcheck. all rights reserved. nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission from soundcheck. information on events, products, reviews and anything else does not nessicarily imply recommendations by soundcheck. we have done our utmost to make sure all the content in this magazine is correct and accurate, but would emphasise the we, soundcheck, accept no responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. all opinions expressed in this magazine are that of the individual contributor and are not nessicarily shared by soundcheck magazine 02

contents

news

05 07 - 09

features 10 12 - 13 14 - 15 16 - 17

editor’s thoughts music, art & food news

top 10’s of 2009 student’s guide to… them is me athlete

spot light on 18 - 19 20 - 21 22 - 23

reviews 24 25

new albums new singles

live music 26 - 27 28 - 29 30 31 32 33

kasabian athlete placebo them is me little boots bloc party

galleries food cinema 03

editor’s thoughts

The initial concept for this magazine started way back in August/September last year during the midst of our nation’s recession, and subsequently after i lost my last job. Looking for something to do one night, i realised it was increasingly difficult (even with the internet) to find something going on that was just a bit more than ‘going out for a beer’. The only thing we had as a city was the weekly guide in the Express & Star and the occasional copy of Ryan’s Gig Guide. There is a very big music scene in Wolves at the moment, and as we start 2010 in glorious style, we have our newest venue just opened on Broad Street - The Little Civic or as it is now known ‘The Slade Rooms’. Kicking off with the annual ‘Battle of The Bands’ and already we’ve had one of the hottest acts of 2010 play just this last week - Delphic. Lined up throughout the first months we will also see the likes of Evile, Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls, Nik Kershaw, Mark Morriss and local act Liberation Works grace the stage alongside comedians such as Chris Addison and Lucy Porter. Accompanying this we have just learned that The Varsity bar has upgraded their sound system in the gig venue upstairs and have already lined up the amazing Vortex to play in early February. Loose Lucie’s has opened in North Street and is slowly gaining a reputation for having up and coming local acts. If music is not your scene, there are plenty of bars and clubs within the city to keep you entertained! 90’s nostalgia bar Babylon has entertainment every night of the week for Britpop lovers (highly recommended) and with great cocktails too! Our very own Oceana again has various theme nights throughout the week and guestlist places are available via their facebook pages. Great if you are on a shoestring budget at the moment! There are many many other venues around the city and we will be running a feature in every issue gathering the best highlights for the coming weeks and will show you where the best offers are to be found. If the nightlife is not your scene, there are great restaurants scattered around, each with fascinating offers to temp you in. Whether you are a student or a professional, whatever your walk of

life you will have your favourites, but we hope to introduce you to new favourites too! Keep an eye on our pricebusting reviews in each issue detailing the best of Wolverhampton food. Not forgetting the art lovers amongst us, we are looking at our local galleries and detailling what is showing at the moment in our spotlight feature, this month starting with the main Wolverhampton Art Gallery in Lichﬁeld Street. But coupling with this, who (besides the few in the know) knew that there is now another art gallery based at the old Low Level Station in Corn Hill? As of September last year The Volte Gallery opened it’s doors so we will be introducing you to that in a future issue. So there is actually a hell of alot going on in this city and it is time we pulled all the infrmation into one single area. Now as a ‘people’s magazine’ we would like you to get involved with us too. We will welcome ideas from you for features and one off stories which highlight the goings on in and around the Wolverhamptn & West Midlands areas, all you need to do is send us a quick email with your ideas and we will take it from there! There was an article just before Christmas that declared Wolverhampton as ‘The 5th worst place to live in the World!’… I disagree strongly and so do over 4,400 people on Facebook! Lets pull together and prove once and for all that we do not deserve this title! So as a magazine we are aiming to bring you the local highlights in all forms of art and social medias, aswell as food and art highlights. We have some pretty ambitious plans for long term, but in hindsight, the aim is to get this up and running and connect with you all ﬁrst. Please spread the news of us if you have not done so already and if you wish to volunteer your work to us, look for our contact details in the magazine or on our website/ facebook/twitter pages. It has been a pleasure, and will never be a chore!

Glenn Rossington Glenn Rossington (Editor) 05

Need artwork or promotional shots for your band? Want a new look for your business? Contact me now for a trip in the right direction! www.glennrossington.co.uk 06

gr creative design & photography

News : News : News

A round up of all things musical, artistic, food and fashionable… Victorian Community Panel

Wolverhampton Arts and Museum Service’s Victorian Community Panel have launched an exciting new project to help capture the stories of Wolverhampton’s very own transport history.

Lasan Win The F Word Birmingham’s leading indian restaurant, Lasan, has been crowned the top Restaurant as part of Gordon Ramsay’s search for the UK’s Best Local Restaurants. Viewers of the channel 4 hit show saw Head Chef, Aktar Islam, wow the show’s critical diners with his contemporary Indian cuisine and received an overall 76 out of 100 guests choosing to pay for their meal. Jabbar Khan, Director of the Lasan Restaurant Group, said: “As one of the world’s most respected chefs, it’s wonderful to be recognised by Gordon Ramsay for our innovative Indian cuisine. To sample the menu for yourself pay them a visit via: www.lasangroup.com for details.

Through a project that will focus on the ‘Sunbeam’ company as its theme, they are holding an exhibition at the gallery in summer 2010. This exhibition will creatively bring to life the human stories and legacies tied up in Sunbeam and Wolverhampton’s transport history. To do this they will need your help... • Did anyone in your family work for Sunbeam? • Do/did you own a Sunbeam bicycle, car or motorbike? • Do you own any Sunbeam memorabilia? • Do you have any memories, stories or memorabilia related to the city’s Victorian transport heritage? If so, they want to hear from you. They want your recollections, experiences and objects to help us build a better picture of the Sunbeam stories in Wolverhampton. Contact: Odira Morewabone at the gallery or via www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk if you think you can help at all. Closing date is Friday 5th February.

Winter Film & Video Programme Wolverhampton Art Gallery presents a season of exhibitions showcasing the best in Film and Video Art. Featuring ﬁlms which explore the strange to the sublime, from the emotional landscapes of Balnakiel to the haunting footage of a maverick Glaswegian psychoanalyst in what you see is where you’re at.

POP ART: Jann Hawarth Wolverhampton Art Gallery is starting off the New Year with a line-up of exciting events for artists and art-lovers. To celebrate the ‘Pop: Jann Haworth’ exhibition, which runs until 10 April 2010, the gallery is hosting a series of events that will explore the work of one of the world’s most prolific pop artists. Her first solo show in the UK since 1972, Jann Haworth’s ‘Pop’ exhibition features a collection of her work from the early 1960s through to the present day. The floor-based installation includes her iconic 3D still-life piece Doughnuts, Coffee Cups & Comics (1962) and celebrated works such as Frank (1963), a life-size sculpture restored expressly for the Wolverhampton show. The exhibition also includes the Old Lady (1962), which featured on the cover of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper LP, which was designed by Haworth with her then husband Peter Blake. Wolverhampton is celebrating the fantastic exhibition with the following events.

Explore everyday American life in Midwest, take a glance through the artist’s window in Holylands and meet the Syrian housewife who claims to bear the stigmata wounds of Christ’s cruciﬁxion in The Gates of Damascus.

January

In a wide range of ﬁlm making styles: home movies, news media, black and white archive footage, TV documentary and mainstream cinema, this season of exhibitions challenges preconceptions of Film & Video Art and celebrates this rich and diverse medium.

3rd - “Animation Workshop: Part 1” 6th - “Adult Felting Workshops” 17th - “Animation Workshop: Part 2”

The installation runs from 6th January until 6th June 2010, admission is free

For more details, please visit the gallery or it’s website.

30th - “Pop: Jann Haworth – Guided Talk”

February

News : News : News A round up of all things musical, artistic, food and fashionable… Ocean Colour Scene: Touring on Saturday Ocean Colour Scene have revealed tour plans in support of their new album ‘Saturday’. Preceeded by single ‘Magic Carpet Days’, the album is out in January. Starting with an intimate sold out launch gig at the 250 capacity Rainbow pub in Digbeth on 25th January the rest of the tour is now onsale. Tickets are available now from the usual outlets priced £20.

FEBRUARY 2nd - Oxford O2 Academy 3rd - Bournemouth O2 Academy 5th - Derby Assembly Rooms 6th - Liverpool O2 Academy 7th - Coventry Kasbah 9th - Shefﬁeld O2 Academy 10th - Middlesborough Empire 11th - Glenrothes Rothes Hall 13th - Wick Assembly Rooms

14th - Inverness Ironworks 15th - Aberdeen Music Hall 17th - Edinburgh Picture House 19th - Stirling Albert Hall 20th - Montrose Town Hall 22nd -Bradford St George’s Hall 23rd - Blackburn King Georges Hall

24th 26th 27th 28th -

Stoke Victoria Hall Reading Hexagon Loughborough University Cambridge Corn Exchange

MARCH

2nd - Lincoln Engine Shed 3rd - Cardiff Coal Exchange 4th - St Albans The Alban Arena

Ash: A-Birmingham

Hot on the heels of their A-Z tour last year, Ash have kicked off 2010 by announcing a small tour for April/May and play the region’s ‘Irish Centre’ based in the Birmingham.

April The Vortex has Opened!

Up and coming Manchester group ‘The Vortex’ have announced a one off gig at the city’s Varsity venue on Friday 5th February. Tickets will be available on the door. The group who feature ‘Bonehead’ formerly of Britpop giants Oasis are receiving hefty airplay amongst the student network at the moment. Catch this band while you still have the opportunity to see them intimately!

19th 20th 21st 23rd 24th 25th 27th 28th 30th -

Southampton - University Cambridge - Junction Norwich - Waterfront Birmingham - Irish Centre Leeds - Metropolitan University Newcastle - O2 Academy Glasgow - O2 ABC Manchester - Academy 2 Bristol - O2 Academy

May

1st - Brighton - Concorde 2 2nd - Oxford - O2 Academy Buy Tickets 4th - London - Electric Ballroom Tickets are on sale now priced £15

The Ting Tings Name New Album The Ting Tings have revealed that they plan to name their forthcoming second album ‘Kunst’. Katie White and Jules De Martino’s next effort, which they have been recording in Berlin, is set for release later this year – with the pair saying that the title was inspired by a massage parlour near their studio. “Just round the corner to our studio there’s a massage parlour, it’s called Massage Kunst,” De Martino explained. “It’s massage art, basically [“kunst” is German for “art”]. We took a picture of that and sent it to our label, saying this is the title of the album. They went berserk.” The pair said that song titles set for the ﬁnal tracklisting of the follow-up to their 2008 debut ‘We Started Nothing’ include ‘Help’ and ‘Hands’. Live dates should be announced shortly in support of the record’s release.

Feeder : Renegades

Feeder have announced details of a tour of intimate UK venues to take place this month and next. The band, will also release a new EP ‘Renegades’ to coincide. Full dates are:

January 25th 26th 28th 29th -

Glasgow King Tuts Manchester Ruby Lounge Birmingham Academy 3 London Water Rats

February

4th - London Lexington 8th - London Hoxton Bar & Grill Tickets for the gigs are on sale now exclusively via www.feederweb.com

Paul Weller Wakes The Nation

The ‘Modfather’ Paul Weller is set to release his new album this spring titled ‘Wake Up The Nation’. His first effort following 2008’s critically acclaimed ‘22 Dreams’. The album is set to feature ‘Wake Up The Nation’, ‘Pieces Of A Dream’, ‘No More Tears Left To Cry’, ‘Andromeda’, ‘She Speaks’, ‘Moonshine’, “Aim High’ and recent free download single ‘7 & 3 Is The Striker’s Name’. The album is also set to include his first recording with former ‘The Jam’ bandmate Bruce Foxton on ‘Fast Car / Slow Traffic’, thus ending over 18 years worth of not talking. Paul has also announced plans for a remix version of the album before the end of the year. More details to follow. Paul Weller is also on duet vocals with Amy MacDonald on her 2nd album, also due to be released this year.

Ellie Goulding Wins New Music 2010 Herefordshire based singer songwriter Ellie Goulding has been announced as the winner of the BBC’s 2010 New Music award. The singer-songwriter won the award ahead of Delphic and Marina And The Diamonds, who were also shortlisted. Goulding won the award after votes from a panel of music industry and media experts were clocked up. Ellie has also revealed that her debut album will be titled ‘Lights’ and will include the singles ‘Under The Sheets’ and ‘Starry Eyed’. Other titles include ‘Wish I Satyed’, ‘Guns And Horses’, ‘The Writer’ and ‘Every Time You Go’. Single ‘Starry Eyes’ is out on 22nd February. The full list of 15 acts nominated by the BBC were: Daisy Dares You / Delphic / Devlin / The Drums / Everything Everything / Giggs Gold Panda / Ellie Goulding / Hurts / Joy Orbison / Marina and the Diamonds / Owl City / Rox / Stornoway / Two Door Cinema Club Previous winners of the notorious prize include Little Boots, Florence & The Machine, and Duffy and The Ting Tings.

The Hot Rats : Album Details Supergrass duo Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey have revealed details of their side project’s debut album. Formed last summer, The Hot Rats also features Radiohead Producer wizard Nigal Goodrich. Debut album ‘Turn Ons’ is out on 1st February, and it’s 12 song tracklist is made up entirely of cover songs that have inspired Supergrass throughout the years. The duo are currently touring through Japan, before moving onto USA and Canada. They will then return to the UK to complete recording sessions on the 7th

The Best of the Rest •

50 Cent wants to open a chain of British Pubs across America with Vinnie Jones

•

Jamie Cullum married long term girlfriend Sophie Dhal in a small ceremony in the New Forest National Park on 9th January

•

Former Sugababe Mutya Buena launched an attack on former bandmate Heidi Range via twitter

•

Cheryl Cole labelled Lily Allen a “little girl” after hearing that she has been slagging her off to the press again

•

The Fratelli’s bassist Barry Lawler says he’s unsure of the band’s future following the launch of frontman Jon Lawler’s side project Codeine Velvet Club

•

Mika says he puts veal in his stage shoes to stop him getting blisters

Supergrass record ‘Release The Drones’ Scheduled for release in the Autumn.

The Hot Rats tracklist is: I Cant Stand It / Big Sky / The Crystal Ship / (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) / Damaged Goods / Love Is The Drug / Bike / Pump It Up / The Lovecats / Queen Bitch / E.M.I. / Up The Junction

Local Music News Ben Drummond & Vodaphone

Local Wolverhampton born musician Ben Drummond has just been announced as this years winner of the Annual Vodaphone ‘One’s To Watch’ competition. Announced via his Twitter & Facebook accounts, he his also playing at his monthly Acoustic Sessions at Birmingham’s JamHouse in St. Paul’s Square on 26th January. Entry is free. www.myspace.com/bendrummondmusic

Liberation Works Incomplete

Birmingham based group Liberatin Works have announced details of their second E.P and a launch show to coincide. ‘The Incomplete Works E.P’ showcases their Rock ‘n’ Country routes further and will no doubt gain new followers. They play Wolverhampton’s Little Civic on Friday 2nd April, tickets are priced at £5 available from usual outlets. 09

Soundcheck’s Top 10’s of 2009

A round up of some of our favourite things in 2009. They are in no particular order, and will form the basis of our annual awards to be held each December

Albums

Gigs in Wolverhampton

Blockbuster Films

• Manic Street Preachers - Journal For

• Blur - Civic Hall

• Up

• Madness - Civic Hall

• Transformers 2 - Revenge of The Fallen

• Stereophonics - Civic Hall

• Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince

• Athlete - Wulfrun Hall

• Frost / Nixon

• Florence & The Machine - Lungs

• ZZ Top - Civic Hall

• Avatar

• Cerys Matthews - Don’t Look Down

• Paul Weller - Civic Hall

• Star Trek

• Carina Round - Things You Should

• Manic Street Preachers - Civic Hall

• The Boat That Rocked

• Graham Coxon - Civic Hall Bar

• Nine

• Lady Gaga - The Fame

• Kasabian - Civic Hall

• Watchmen

• The Big Pink - A Brief History Of Love

• The Specials - Civic Hall

• This Side of The Truth

Singles & Downloads

Pubs & Clubs

Restaurants

• Dizzee Rascal - Bonkers

• Alchemy

• Made In Thai

• Doves - Winter Hill

• HogsHead

• The Spice Avenue

• Ash - Arcadia

• Oceana

• Cataldo’s

• Lady Gaga - Poker Face

• The Royal London

• The Imperial

• Bell X1 - The Great Defector

• The Litten Tree

• The Bilash

• Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling

• Yates’s

• Nando’s

• Florence & The Machine - Rabbit Heart

• Babylon

• Bella

• Calvin Harris - I’m Not Alone

• The Cuban Exchange

• Zorba’s Dance Studio

• Jamie T - Sticks ‘N’ Stones

• Walkabout

• Chiquito’s

• Lily Allen - The Fear

• The Quadrant Lounge

• Ristorante Romagne

Plague Lovers • Super Furry Animals - Dark Days / Light Years

Know E.P

• The Horrors - Primary Colours • Mr Hudson - Straight No Chaser • La Roux - La Roux

01.02.2010 Includes the singles ‘Magic Carpet Days’ & ‘Mrs Maylie’

The Black Country The rough student’s guide to…

If this is your ﬁrst year in the city of Wolverhampton, then you will slowly start to realise that it is an underrated city. Students in both the second and third years will be raving about places from Oceana and The Cuban Exchange, to Chapel Ash, Tettenhall and Bentley Bridge. But for many , some of the key spots are situated outside the borders of Wolves itself. The ‘Black Country’ is something you will all probably have heard mentioned at some point, yet you will be unfamiliar with. It covers the main boroughs of Sandwell & Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton. If you do decide to venture into the area, one key note might be to check the various online dictionaries for a break down of the unique dialect hidden away. It even has it’s own YouTube channel, and numerous hit ‘take-off’ T-shirts being sold worldwide based on it’s unique mispronunciations of everyday words. The unofﬁcial ‘Capital’ of the black country is situated 7 miles away in Dudley. Aswell as having a High Street that resembles something you would see in a movie, It has a well known haunted hotel, a zoo and a castle! Next door to the zoo & castle is a celebrity building in it’s own right. The world famous JB’s. Over the years it has played host to many bands including Oasis, Blur 12

and Radiohead. Should the planned revamp of the zoo take place however, JB’s will become nothing but local legend, as it will be knocked down. If you are studying History, no visit to Dudley would be complete without a trip to the famous ‘Black Country Living Museum’. Or if you prefer to spend your student loan, the region’s own shopping centre: Merry Hill is but 5 minutes beyond. Take a trip direct over the Black Country Route and you will end up in Walsall. A vibrant and vastly redeveloping town which boasts a fantastic modern Art Gallery. Walsall also boasts a hive of trendy bars hidden away including the well known ‘Wharf Bar’ situated as the name suggests, at Walsall’s canal wharf. On arriving back into Wolverhampton, there are little things you may not notice ordinarily. The Chubb Buildings boast some of the regions top creative centres, on top of the Lighthouse Independent cinema which doubles as a nightclub and an art gallery. The old Great Western Low Level train station is a hive of redevelopment and currently boasts an Art Gallery, Bars and a Hotel. So get yer Yam Yam on & explore to our Black Country!

THEM IS ME

DID YOU BRING MUSIC TODAY? Words by: Glenn Rossington

Back in 2003 I had just left Uni and had been out celebrating with a few friends (as you do). We were out in a bar in Wolverhampton and all of a sudden, ‘our anthem’ came on. It was ‘Place Your Hands’ by Reef. We decided to have a bit of a ‘mosh around’ and still to this day the song fills me with happy memories of the era and way back into school life. Literally the next day after our night on the town, I heard the devastating news that Reef had split up. After a few years of relaxation, surfing along with rumours and ‘will they/won’t they’ reunion tales, Jack Bessant and Gary Stringer confirmed to the world that they have moved on and are playing a comeback gig with their brand new band in Cornwall. Joining Jack and Gary were Nathan ‘Tugg’ Curran on Drums (previously played drums for Reef and Basement Jaxx) and Jonas Jalhay (previously played with Lady Sovereign) on guitar. Their first gig as Them Is Me was on the 14th September 2007 at the Sandsifter Bar at Gwithian, just outside Hayle in Cornwall. Quite apt for Jack and Gary, who were often optimized with the ‘Surf Rock’ tag in Reef. Initial reactions amongst fans at the gig were that they had their groove back, surf tunes with a harder and rockier edge than Reef ever had. Seemingly wanting to shake off the past and concentrate with the new direction. After that first gig, more gigs were announced around Devon and Cornwall to road test more material with view to making demos and securing a record deal. After these initial dates, Them Is Me retreated to Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire to record demos, which later formed their debut LP. Some songs were uploaded to their Myspace page and within a few weeks, their demo ‘Sick of You’ was voted as the ‘Best Unsigned Track’ on Zane Lowe’s Rock show on Radio One.

a small tour of the UK to promote it. Reviews and fans grew large in numbers and they were slowly gaining a reputation as being one of the best new live acts around. They played the Download festival, numerous supporting slots and showcase shows for Birmingham’s Kerrang fm. Never one to shy away from hard work, Them Is Me started demos for their follow up record. After demoing a wealth of new material they again announced a tiny tour to test it on the fans. Again reports from these gigs confirm they are growing into a more polished sound, yet still retain the edginess of the debut. Gary and Jack decided to test more new material out at a few acoustic shows at the beginning of 2009. These grew in number as they gained confidence doing them and culminated in a string of dates at Newquay’s Koola Bar. 5 acoustic demos by the duo were recorded at Garston HQ Studios and can now be heard on their myspace page. On the back of this new found confidence in the acoustic material, Jack and Gary returned to the Them Is Me camp and announced some dates in September which sold out almost instantaneously. Wiping the slate clean and putting on shows of epic rock proportions, they again grabbed the reputation of putting on a fantastic show. In Stratford, Jack was even playing from the top of the bar whilst drinks were still being served! On the back of this more dates were confirmed, the last of the year, including the one in Birmingham. These are confirmed to be the last of the year and the last opportunity to see the guys in a small and intimate venue. Reports suggest that this time next year they could be selling out larger venues the size of the Academy 2 or even the Wulfrun Hall here in Wolverhampton. So for a band that has come from nowhere they are surely gaining a reputation for one of the hardest working rock bands around at the moment. Catch them at the Flapper & Firkin behind the NIA on Saturday 28th November while you can. For tickets, check: www.glasswerk.co.uk

Official website: www.themisme.com After playing their debut gig in London and receiving mouthwatering reviews, they once again retreated to Rockfield to continue recording the album. As soon as the album was confirmed as complete, they set about

Also follow the band at: Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/themismeofﬁcial Twitter: http://twitter.com/stringerbessant 15

athlete

Athlete are a band who seemed to verge on the brink of super-stardom to then be cruelly dropped by their record label. Where most bands would drift into obscurity, Athlete took time out to record their fourth album ‘Black Swan Effect’ and to come back all guns blazing. We take a few moments out to chat with keyboard player Tim Wanstall How does it feel to have ‘Wires’ nominated for song of the decade by Absolute Radio? It’s amazing, especially as this song was just a tune that us and our friends knew. I don’t think we really expected it to become this popular! Beyond The Neighbourhood (their last album) was quite a sidestep for you guys, but Black Swan is really more of a traditional album really Is there any reason why you went back to this style? Well after the split with EMI we had to use our own studio, which we had luckily already paid for and built, so we didn’t have that much to work with. So little in fact that when we did that American tour a while back, Stephen just couldn’t afford to come so we had to play everything acoustically. It was really hard, but we really got to know what songs worked best for the crowds. When ‘Tourist’ was released, you played here in Wolverhampton and the gig was featured heavily in the press, so do you feel any kind of connection with here because of that? I’d say so, yeah. There really was quite the buzz over Tourist because of that gig (which was nothing short of a very large conﬁdence booster), plus I love the football team badge you’ve got here! How has the tour gone so far? Is it great to be back playing the more intimate venues or do you prefer the larger venues? Well this is only a mini-tour so to speak so there are more of the smaller venues. I’d say between 2000-2500 is the ideal sized audience for me. Big enough to make some serious noise but small enough not to completely daunt you. Have you guys started thinking about your next album? Not at the moment, no. But we’re going to set aside a week or two in January for us to sit in the studio and just explore a bit and see if we ﬁnd a direction to go in. How long is it going to be until you start playing at Wembley? * laughs * Well maybe if we’re lucky enough to support Muse then maybe we’ll visit Wembley. Who knows? What’s your favourite athlete song or album? Well I can give you a favourite song for each album if you want? I’d

say for our first record Westside is one of my favourites because it’s filled with memories of when we were more a bunch of mates than a band and we were just starting to get quite a few label offers and Westside was on the demo CD we handed out. Also it’s always well-received when we play it. For the second record it would have to be Wires for a similar reason to why I like Westside, its full of memories and it was just unbelievable to hear this tune that we knew become a song that everyone loved, it was amazing. For the third record it would have to be Airport Disco because I just like the parts that I play in it. I’ve been campaigning to play it more often in sets. The guitars in it are very, very good. And for Black Swan it would be The Getaway, again because I like the parts I play in it and because it is generally really good! What was your funniest ever gig and why? One fun night was at Fort William right on the foot of Ben Nevis, In the daytime there were old people outside playing bowls and enjoying an afternoon ale. When the evening came and we were going to play our gig, all of the reasonably young people turned up (probably just because there was something going on, I don’t think many of them had heard of Athlete). There were a bunch of people at the front of the crowd drinking cocktails out of jugs with straws, and this one woman kept leaning over and pressing the keys as I was trying to play. And by the end of the night she typed a message onto her phone consisting of ‘Hi, I’m sorry that I keep pressing the keys. I love you’ and then just showed it to me while I was playing. Was quite funny! What’s your favourite place to tour to? For me it would have to be America. I wasn’t too bothered about going there at first but now I’ve been I really enjoy it. There doesn’t seem to be quite the cynicism that you sometimes find over here. And because it’s so big, we had to sometimes drive like 10-12 hours during the night to get to gigs and it just had a bigger impact on me because of that. You just don’t get the same feeling over here because everything’s so close together. What’s the strangest thing a fan has thrown to you? Erm... well during our tour in Japan this woman in the crowd handed to us a set of 4 Japanese fans. And on each separate fan there were small Lego-style pictures of us on them! It was just incredible because the amount of time and attention to detail that would have been needed to make them just seems amazing. Thank you for your time Tim and enjoy the gig! Thank you for having me! words by james robbins

Spot Light: Galleries Wolverhampton Central

The two-storey building of Wolverhampton Art Gallery was designed

The Pop Art Gallery

by prominent Birmingham architect Julius Chatwin (1829-1907). It was

This is a retro-themed, interactive space which allows visitors to

built of limestone from Bath, Somerset, with six red granite columns

explore the world of pop art with its vibrant mix of popular culture,

indicating the main entrance. The decorative scultural frieze on the

social commentary, nostalgia, kitsch and celebrity. The contents

facade is composed of sixteen characters representing the Arts

of the Gallery changes approximately every six months to reﬂect a

and Crafts, including sculpture, painting, architecture, pottery, glass

different theme found within the pop art movement. The display has

blowing, and wrought-iron work. It is a Grade II* listed building. In 2006-

contained works by inﬂuential pop artists Andy Warhol, Peter Blake,

2007 the building was refurbished, partly modernized and extended to

Roy Lichtenstein and David Hockney.

create additional exhibition spaces.

The Northern Ireland Collection Permanent Displays

The permanent display of the Northern Ireland Collection considers

A selection of objects from the collection are on permanent show in

the role of visual artists in depicting and presenting the country’s

several display rooms.

contested past and future. Highlights from Wolverhampton Art Gallery collection are shown alongside borrowed exhibits that offer different

The Georgian Room

perspectives on the history of the conﬂict and its resolution.

Selected paintings by the 18th century artists from the Gallery collection include the ‘Portrait of the Lee Family’ by Joseph Highmore,

The Makers Dozen Studios

‘David Garrick in ‘The Provoked Wife’ by Johann Zoffany, ‘Portrait

The Makers Dozen Studios is a complex of workshop spaces for artists

of Erasmus Darwin’ (1792) by Joseph Wright of Derby, ‘Apotheosis of

and makers in the West Midlands. It reﬂects the fact that for several

Penelope Boothby’ by Henry Fuseli, ‘Arrival of Louis XVIII at Calais’ by

decades following the founding of the gallery, Wolverhampton’s

Wolverhampton-born Edward Bird. In addition, portrait miniatures,

School of Art and Art Gallery were under the same roof. The studios

Bilston enamels depicting famous actors of the era, and some examples

are based on Wulfruna Street and are adjoined by the new extension

of the 18th century Eastern and British ceramics are on display.

at the gallery uniting the studios with the original Victorian building.

The Victorian Room

Current Exhibitions: • New Film and Video (12th December 2009 - 6th March 2010)

The display in the two Victorian Rooms present British 19th century art in its relation with wider world. It includes landscapes by Henry Mark

Now Showing celebrates the important media of ﬁlm and video, demonstrating how it

Anthony, David Cox, James Baker Pyne, David Roberts, narrative paintings by the Cranbrook Colony artists, religious paintings by

POP Jann Haworth (26th October 2009 - 10th April 2010)

Pre-Raphaelite artist Frederic Shields, japanned ware by local

Jann Haworth’s sewn cloth soft sculptures refer to typically American Pop themes such

manufacturers which were shown at The Great Exhibition, examples of

as fast food, ﬁlm stars, cheerleaders, cowboys and comics.

local Myatt pottery, and Eastern objects - Chinese ceramics and mirror

has become signiﬁcantly utilised by artists over the past decade.

•

Sleepless by Vered Lahav (10th October 2009 - 23rd January 2010)

paintings, Japanese woodblock prints, Indian pottery and weapons,

Jann Haworth’s sewn cloth soft sculptures refer to typically American Pop themes such

Persian metalware - collected by local people.

as fast food, ﬁlm stars, cheerleaders, cowboys and comics.

Spot Light: Food Made In Thai A: 24 Darlington Street, WV1 4HW

£ £ £ £ £

The Hogshead A: 186 Stafford Street, WV1 1NA

£ £ £ £ £

T: 01902 312 512

T: 01902 717 955

This is one of the many hidden gem’s situated in Wolverhampton City

The Hogshead is your typical City Centre Student based bar. Very comfy

Centre and offers quality service, with top class cuisine. They also offer

and recently redeveloped, the staff are friendly and professional.

a wholly authentic experience and cater for a wide variety of food lovers.

There is a wide variety of food and offers for selection. There is a generous selection of 2 meals for £5.99 and occasionally value meals

The menu now encompasses a take-away selection and caters for

for £1.99 (Currently Bangers & Mash). There are plenty of other meals

both vegetarians and non vegetarians. There is a huge variety of Set

available all for under £10 if none of the offers grab your attention.

meals to cushion against the huge selection of everyday meals. The bar also has a beer garden / smoking area which is great during Made in Thai is also one of the few oriental restaurants in the city that

the summer in particular. There are also Pool tables and sport events

offer a Lunch Time menu. The Express meals starts from £4 and Set

are on the big screen fairly regularly.

Lunch menu from £6.50 for 2 courses. For the evening session, the general meals are good value for money and range from £3.95 - £15

They cater well for the student market and have various drinks offers

for each item.

available throughout the year, aswell as a student night on a Monday evening which includes live music and guitar hero.

The service from entrance is of a high standard and they will do

anything to please and make your meal enjoyable. High class value

Overall a very well established and professional bar and very easy on

for a very reasonable price.

the pocket money.

The Imperial A: School Street, WV1 4LF

£ £ £ £ £

Fox & Anchor A: Brewood Road, Cross Green, WV10 7PW

£ £ £ £ £

T: 01902 429816

T: 01902 798 796

The Imperial was the ﬁrst Oreintal Buffet bar in the city, and has now

Of all the pubs in Cross Green, The Fox and Anchor is one of the best

been well established for over 10 years. Situated under the Beatties

places to enjoy the crackle of a real ﬁre, a fulﬁlling winter meal and

Car Park and near to the market, it is ideally suited for a quiet night

the treasured company of family and friends. Soak up the warmest of

out.

welcomes and explore some of the most popular pub food menus in Black Country.

There is always a large variety of food available and is constantly refreshed so that there is no worry of anything running out. With around

The pub is well known for it’s locally sourced food and the menu offers

50 varieties of curry, rice, noodles and meats available 7 days a week,

a standard affair. The quality of the food is exceptional and again they

there is never anything missing. There is also a wide variety of puddings

cater for all tastes and cover both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

on offer for those after dinner sweet teeth. There is a patio area at the rear of the building which is situated next A bar is also very well stocked up and offers everything you can think

to the canal. This is ideal for summer walks along the towpath and

of from soft drinks to alcohol and spirits. They also cater for Birthday

regularly sees boats anchor up for a bit of dinner.

parties and large number bookings. Another string to the Fox’s bow is that it has a healthy selection of Ale’s, With ample parking available both above the restaurant and in other

both local and national selections.

car parks near, it is easy to get to. It is always worth booking in advance as they can get quite busy.

Overall a very nice pub well worth a sample.

Spot Light: Cinema Here in Wolverhampton we have 3 cinemas, 2 national chains and 1 independant. Here we will list what is currently showing and (In the case of The Lighthouse independant cinema) what is coming over the next few weeks. Please check with the institute itself or it’s website to ﬁnd detailed timings and prices etc…

The Chubb Buildings, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1HT

Bentley Bridge Leisure Park, Wednesﬁeld Way, WV11 1TZ

Bentley Mill Way, Walsall, West Midlands, WS2 0LE

T: 01902 716055 W: www.light-house.co.uk

T: 0871 200 2000 W: www.cineworld.co.uk

T: 0871 220 1000 W: www.showcasecinemas.co.uk

Currently Showing

Me & Orson Welles Glorious 39

(12A) (12A)

Coming Soon Nine Bunny & The Bull USA OK (Full Metal Jacket) Sherlock Holmes The Road

(12A) (15) (18) (12A) (15)

3 Idiots All About Steve Alvin & The Chipmunks 2 Avatar (3D) Brothers Daybreakers Did You Hear About The Morgans? It’s Complicated Ninja Assassin Sherlock Holmes St. Trinnians 2 The Book of Eli The Boys Are Back Toy Story 2 (3D) Up In The Air Veer

(12A) (12A) (U) (12A) (15) (15) (PG) (15) (18) (12A) (PG) (15) (12A) (U) (15) (TBC)

Alvin and The Chipmunks 2 Avatar 3D Book of Eli Daybreakers Did You Hear About the Morgans? It’s Complicated Ninja Assassin Sherlock Holmes St Trinian’s 2 Toy Story 2 (3D) Twilight Saga: New Moon

If you go to see ﬁlms regularly? Do you fancy writing a review for us? If so email: editor@wlv-soundcheck.com for further details 22

(U) (12A) (15) (15) (PG) (15) (18) (12A) (PG) (U) (12A)

Album Reviews Delphic - Acolyte

(Polydor) When considering the standard of their two previous singles and their auspicious live reputation, Acolyte would have been a disappointment if it wasn’t, at the very least, a solid indiedance album. The many highlights include ‘This Momentary’, ‘Red Lights’, ‘Halcyon’ and the stunning title track. There is alot of pressure on them to deliver now, but with their reputation only getting better, they can relax now.

Lost Prophets The Betrayed

(Visible Noise) Welsh anarchists Lostprophets inadvertently earned themselves the detrimental “emo” tag with their last album but have returned this year to rectify their image. They have taken a step back to their routes and tracks like ‘Next Stop Atro City’ and ‘Dstryer/Dstyer’ scream nu-metal. The recent fans will feel happy with the ‘run of the mill tracks’ like ‘Streets of Nowhere’. A mixed bag of tunes in reﬂection.

Eels -End Times

(V2) Misery isn’t just Mark Everett’s bread and butter as a writer -- it’s his breakfast, lunch, dinner and nightcap. But don’t believe him this time; “End Times” is a kind of breakup album with Everett’s youth that’s both shimmering yet emotionally ransacked, and an affecting entry to his long catalogue. Everett might not go looking for misery anymore, but it always has a way of ﬁnding him. Thankfully, he’s still making the best of it. 24

Hadouken! - For The Masses

(Surface Noise) From what’s been released as a teaser sample for the record and the recent singles, this album should shape up to be a belter. The epic ‘Turn The Lights Out’ is one of the highlights from the ﬁrst listen. The only issue is the songs fail to make a lasting impression. Their debut record bought rave reviews and it looks like they could suffer from ‘second album syndrome’. Time will tell but this is a good launching block.

David Bowie - A Reality Tour

(Colombia) Finally released on cd, this classic dvd performance includes 3 bonus tracks not originally released. Bowie’s ‘Reality Tour’ was his most successful since the days of Ziggy and showcases his whole back catalogue. Some of the many highlights are ‘Changes’, “China Girl’, ‘Heroes’, ‘Hello Spaceboy’ and the classic ‘Rebel Rebel’. A must for all fans and those who are new & curious about the legend.

Laura Veirs - July Flame (Bella Union) This is the seventh album from this mildmannered native of Portland, Oregon. She’s avoided the lure of a speed metal reinvention and stuck to her amiable brand of charming folk songs. Musically it’s quite a sombre affair, but it’s Laura’s compassionate voice that keeps the ﬁre burning and the heart beating. It is a calm, yet conﬁdent affair. It doesn’t push too hard, just plays it simple and heartfelt.

Ocean Colour Scene - Saturday

(Cooking Vinyl) Local boys OCS have been brandished with some harsh reviews over the last 10 years, but if there is a god, this album will see them back in the limelight. ‘Saturday’ ﬁnds them in upbeat mood. The likes of ‘100 Floors of Perception’, “Mrs Maylie’ and the brilliant ‘Postal’ will bring the mosh pits back at gigs with loud screetching guitars and pounding drums. For once they sound refreshed and mean business. Brilliant.

Massive Attack - Helligoland

(Virgin) Bristol legends return with the eagerly awaited follow up to ‘100th Broken Window’ and are in vibrant form. The triphop’s 5th album sees an array of guests including Guy Garvey, Damon Albarn & Martina Topley-Bird amongst others. This is an intense body of work that needs a few plays, but soon grows on you. They take their time in releasing records, but ‘Heligoland’ has been worth this wait.

Fyfe Dangerﬁeld Fly Yellow Moon

(Polydor) Mostly recorded in one happy bundle at the end of 2008, Opener When You Walk in the Room storms in with fuzzy bashed drums and a screech. Dangerﬁeld’s still the romantic – “I want you endlessly” – he just demonstrates it with vamping Supergrass piano and Tom Waits clanks. It’s a cracker, but hardly sets the tone. It’s an album in love with life, and one that is a dilligent treat for all.

Single Reviews Ash - Ichiban

(Atomic Heart) Ash kick of 2010 with a 3 minute slice of pop/punk perfection. When the A-Z series was announced many dismissed the idea, but so far it has been a massive triumph. ‘Ichiban’ has a cheeky undertone and bounces from speaker to speaker. This should be a hit and I predict will be a fan favourite for a few years to come. The screetching guitar solo sounds fresh. It brings to mind those perfect summers as cheeky scamps.

Chipmunk - Look For Me

(Columbia) The Chip Diddy Chip man himself is back with the next single from his debut album ‘I Am…’ This equals in merit the skill and urban funk that ‘Diamond Rings’ brought us. With Taley Riley backing him up, it adds an air of froughtness to the song and helps to dismiss it from the route of ‘pop’ which the record label appear to be trying to send him down. Will not be as big as his previous singles, but still alot to offer.

David Gray - Full Steam

(Polydor/Mercer St) On paper, a collaboration with Annie Lennox and David Gray should not work. But on record their voices compliment each other very well and makes you wonder why they have never done this before. Mr Gray seems to be stepping away from the ‘sound’ that gained him fame in favour of his more mysterious back catalogue. Not an instant classic, but a great track for a night in. 24

Wiley - Take That

(Universal) Wiley has been described as the saviour of UK Hiphop. This could actually live up to the suggestion with its screaming funky bass and electro pulastions. The only problem is it sounds very much like Dizzee’s ‘Bonkers’ with a club mix thrown in for good measure. No doubt it will be huge over in Ibiza and in the clubbing scene. As for being the saviour? For the time being it still remains in Dizzee’s hands im afraid.

Codine Velvet Club - Hollywood

(Island) When Jon Lawler announced he was working on a solo record, Fratellis fans were astounded. But this is one of the results. It is a slice of 60’s inspired soul that mixes with the sound Phil Spector aspired to. Joining him on vocals is the relatively unknown Lou Hickey whose vocals add another layer to the overall sound. A perfect pop single, but a good step aside from the Fratellis sound.

Ocean Colour Scene - Magic Carpet Days

(Cooking Vinyl) Magic Carpet Days sees the brummie boys return to ﬁne pop form. Although not as instant as the likes of ‘I Just Need Myself’ or ‘Hundred Mile High City’, it is a very catch number that brushes along with the same summer breeze that ‘The Circle’ and ‘ Proﬁt In Peace’ gave us. This is sure to be a festival classic, and well deserved to bring them back into the limelight.

Delphic - Doubt

(Polydor) Delphic are riding the crest of a wave at the moment. They have released their critically acclaimed debut, put on spectacular shows and released this as a single. The synth sound is making a comeback and Delphic know how to craft a pop song out of it. This won’t catapult them to the top just yet, but is a great stepping stone towards the acclaimation they deserve.

Biffy Clyro - Many of Horror

(14th Floor) Now on the umpteenth single from the substandard ‘Only Revolutions’ album. Biffy are here in vibrant move and going for the ‘romantic’ angle with a video to match. The only problem being they sound tired and bored. Gone are the rauchous days of yore and they have given in to commercialism. The song itself would be a hit by any new band, but for Biffy they’ve done it better before.

Ash - Spaceshot

(Atomic Heart) Following hot on the heels of ‘Ichiban’ is the self proclaimed ‘biggie’ in the Ash camp. ‘Spaceshot’ echoes the lyrical content of earlier hits. ‘I want to get out’ sings Tim over a funked up electro riff. A slightly different sound to what we are used to from Ash, but sounds incredible. ‘Spaceshot, we’re outta control, we’re outta control, the time is right’. These lyrics could almost be used as a political statement. Pure genius. 25

kasabian birmingham nia 2009.11.19 Kasabian have had what can only be described as a ‘roller coaster’ few years. Their debut was greeted with such enthusiasm that it almost spiralled them into a ‘one-hit wonder’ band. But second album ‘Empire’ kicked all the doubters out of the water. The latest album ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’ has cemented them as one of the biggest bands the UK currently has to offer. Singles ‘Fire’ and ‘Where Did All The Love Go?’ Have seen them rise into festival anthems over the summer, and provided the band with singalongs that Coldplay would be envious of. So it is apt that after a year working their way back up from obscurity, they are playing a sold out NIA in Birmingham. A venue I saw them in over the summer of 2004 supporting The Who (then 2 days later, played a very empty mid-afternoon slot at the Coventry Godiva Festival!)

Pictures: J.Hancock & Review: G.Rossington

Support duties tonight come from the excellent Reverend & The Makers. Kicking proceedings off with ‘Silence Is Talking’, The ‘Rev’ John McClure has the crowd lapping up every word and eating out of the palm of his hand. A perfect set before the might Kasabian grace us with their presence. After a set which also includes the single ‘Heavyweight Champion of The World’, the crowd are clearly up for a night of air punching anthems.

The stage is cleared and a fought 45 minutes to set the stage up pass. You know that a band is on the verge of ‘making it’ when the instruments and mic stands get a cheer when the roadies bring them on and set them up! But eventually the lights fade and the screams from the crowd get wilder. A recording of a man shouting and screaming strain over the PA system as 3 men in white coats parade the stage, spreading essence into the audience. The P.A. recording stops and a heavy baseline start up. The words ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’ appear over the stage. As soon as the last word is highlighted kasabian are in place on stage and kick into B-side from the ‘Underdog E.P’; ‘Julie & The Mothman’. It is hard to work out why this was not included on the album, but midway through, frontman Tom Meighan addresses

A 7 minute romp through funk & soul

imaginations when it comes to singles. The last group to do this was Oasis back in 1994-96. Kasabian’s rise is certainly miming the Gallagher brother’s rise and it’s easy to see why Kasabian get lumped in with them in comparison. ‘Club Foot’ is chosen tonight as the set closer and one of the biggest singalongs of the night by far. The band stand and look at their audience before sauntering off smiling, seeming pleased with themselves.

the crowd and gets a screaming arms stretching out response from the front rows. The opening song ends up being a 7 minute romp through funk and soul. This then slides straight into ‘Underdog’. Taking a moment to kick in, the heavy pulsating bass plays out for a minute before Serge’s guitar riff kicks in and the vocals pick up. They are out to impress tonight. But with an arena full of die hard fans, it almost seems hard to understand why. But then again, it emphasises their talent to play their gigs like it’s be the last one they ever do. A commitment hard to come by in most bands these days.

As great traditions go, we are treated to an encore tonight. They come back on and launch into ‘Vlad The Impaler’. The song sounds gloriously loud tonight. Tom is storming back and forth over the stage, leaning over towards the front rows. As it fades out they go straight into the epic ‘Stuntman’. After a futile rendition Tom and Serge address the crowd to thank them for coming and being ‘truly amazing’. The ﬁnal strains of ‘L.S.F (Lost Souls Forever)’ closes the set tonight and sees the fans arms aloft and singing along word for word. It shows what a catapult this song is when the fans are still singing the chorus refrain as they pour out of the arena long after the band have ﬁnished.

Further into the set, it seems unstoppable of hits,, they ﬁre one after the other, just showing how many hits they’ve had in a short space of time. The likes of ‘Shoot The Runner’, ‘Cutt Off’, ‘Thick As Thieves’ and the epic ‘Empire’ remind us that they have captured the people’s

With a band on ﬁre like this, it is easy to see how they have made the big leagues so quickly. Some doubted whether they could play the arena circuit so soon, but on this evidence, they are here to stay. 27

athlete wolverhampton wulfrun hall 2009.12.10 It’s a bitter night, with frost and fog forecast, in fact the weather-girl has suggested to stay at home unless necessary. Stay at home and miss Athlete? No chance! Athlete are a band who have not had the recognition they deserve, much like Elbow prior to their Mercury Music Award. (Of course they did receive an Ivor Novello Award for the beautiful ‘Wires’ but apart from that they seem to miss the radar). Tonight is the last night of a tour to promote the Black Swan album, released after they had split with their record label. The sound is clear, the lyrics poignant, and everyone is enjoying themselves.

Pictures & Review: G.Rossington

Before the lights go down, there is an air of anticipation around, and also one of excitement. I’ve not felt this at a gig for quite a while and it is refreshingly exciting again! Opening with ‘El Salvador’ from the ‘Vehicles and Animals’ album the set picks on all albums. The awesome and often overlooked single ‘Hurricane’ comes next and sees Joel put down the guitar and swing around the stage like a troubadour, feeding off the outstretched arms of the front rows. Smiling gleefully and spinning around he seems happy, and it’s good to see. Recent single ‘Superhuman Touch’ completes the opening trilogy, and sounds immense live. It takes on a new sound altogether and proves that even without the backing of a major label, they can still ﬁre out the singles, and they are still as awesome as ever.

The stunning ‘tourist’ is next. From my vantage point I can see a small boy placed on someone’s shoulders and he begins to make his way from the back of the venue, right down to the front. As the song ends, Joel puts down his guitar and approaches him. Joel then asks for a round of applause for the “small boy down here who was in the video for that song, and we’ve not seen him since then”. He then reaches over and shakes the small boy by the hand to an echo of applause, cheers and ‘aaaahs’. Joel also comments on the size of his towel tonight, which he opens to reveal a bath sheet, “I’m not going to sweat

Athlete deserve to be massive that much”. He speaks with the crowd like they’re an old friend in the pub, having a drink and he genuinely seems a good down-to-earth bloke. New single ‘Black Swan Song’ is followed by the gorgeous ‘24 Hours’. As the latter ends, someone near the front calls out a line of ‘Beautiful’. Joel looks as if he’s smiling at the girl as he starts to strum his guitar and sings the opening line of the ‘requested’ song. The band slowly realise what is happening and one by one pick up and play along. If it was on the actual setlist, then it was done with such accuracy that it made us believe it was more of a spontaneous performance. Sheer brilliance. Joel tells us that it is his sister’s birthday, Kate, and also a roadie called Rabbit, who is led centre stage before the crowd sing ‘Happy Birthday’

to them both. The crowd is lit up but as Joel says “don’t put the lights up ‘cause you won’t see her in here”. ‘You Got The Style’ comes next as a tribute to both Kate and Rabbit. The set comes to a close with magical performances of ‘Westside’ and ‘The Getaway’. The crowd are clearly wanting more as the chants and hand claps start up even before the band has left the stage. The encore is pure genius ’Rubik’s Cube’, ‘Wires’, Half Light’ , three complete classics. They were justiﬁed in having the Ivor Novello for Wires, it’s a stunning track that should be on everyone’s ipod and it is sung by the whole crowd word for word. In fact the crowd sing-a-long with every track, almost festival style and it’s the most receptive crowd I’ve seen in the Wulfrun for many years I’ve already said that Athlete are incredibly underrated, and this performance was referenced by one person on leaving the venue as being like ‘seeing Elbow before they went away and came back with their big one’ (The Seldom Seen Kid) - and I would have to agree, there was an air of magic around tonight. Outside the temperature has indeed dropped but no-one has noticed. What a simply brilliant show. Athlete deserve to be massive. 29

placebo birmingham lg arena 2009.12.08 Placebo’s night is kicked off with them appearing on the giant screens as people enter the venue. They tell us that they are showcasing independent short ﬁlms between support acts which are available to buy for charity from the merchandise stall. Proof that despite their ‘hard’ outer shell, they are genuine people in the real world. Silversun Pickups and The Horrors are tonight’s opening act. Praise for both, but a personal highlight for myself goes out to The Horrors for putting on a great performance.

Pictures & Review: G.Rossington

Placebo are renowned for their high octane performances and tonight is no disappointment. A giant screen covers the stage with ‘Battle For The Sun’s’ LP cover projected on. As it drops to give way to the band, ﬁrst notice is the string orchestra accompanying them! Not something you would associate with the kings of Moody Rock. Kicking off with ‘For What It’s Worth’ they seem in playful mood and Brian is smiling and pointing into the crowd inbetween guitar strums. ‘Ashtray Heart’ and ‘Battle For The Sun’ complete the opening trio, the opening bars of the former ﬁnd Brian standing toes curled on the very edge of the stage as the crowd reach to get nearer to their leader. He acknowledges us and tells us that it’s great to be back in Birmingham.

‘Every You & Every Me’, ‘The Never-Ending Why’ and the glorious ‘Meds’ are highlights of the main set, and in the encore we are treated to venomous versions of ‘Special K’ and ‘The Bitter End’. The band are clearly on a high and loving the reception as Brian claps his hands and mutters thank you before walking off. Our patience is worth while as we are treated to an extra encore. Ending the 3 song 2nd encore with ‘Taste In Men’ is pure genius. Although this was a smaller academy show tonight, They put on a show as if they had sold out the entire arena. They played for their fans, they played as if it was the last show they’d ever play.

The Black Fangs and Rase tonight offer their support, and win over an army of new fans. Beefy ‘rock by numbers’ riffs interspersed with heavy baselines shake the foundations of the cavern-like venue. But people are here for one reason only… Them Is Me’s ﬁrst Birmingham gig in nearly 12 months. Just after 9.20 they take to the stage and launch into the superb ‘Burning Through Black’ from the self titled debut album of 2008. Gary Stringer seems in a playful mood tonight, and is smiling broadly towards the army of cheering fans. Tonight though, they are on a mission, the band have been in the studio and are testing some new songs out in the live arena. From ﬁrst hearing, the likes of ‘Heavy Rain’, ‘Bite Your Lip’ and ‘All Alone’ offer up a greater depth to their sound. It seem’s like Jack Bessant’s bass has been cranked up to ‘11’ (as Spinal Tap once said) but similarly Jonas Jalhay’s guitar is squealing on every note to compliment every pluck of the bass. Gary’s vocals however are sublime. Sounding the best they have in years proves that the forthcoming second album should be one that could possibly break them into the mainstream.

Pictures & Review: G.Rossington

On a cold and rainy night in central Birmingham, the Flapper & Firkin is the place to be. It is compact and heaving with a mixture of Reef fans, Rockers and casuals.

We also get versions of debut album songs such as ‘The Skull Behind’ and ‘Moving Up’. The gentleness of “Let The Sun’ suddenly explodes into a roaring beast. “Caveman Love’ works so much better in the live arena proving endlessly that they are hard working and growing in conﬁdence with each show. The highlights cliche as it sounds, remain for the encore. Epic new track ‘Cross The Valley’ kicks us off, and again proves these guys have a stunning new record ready to unleash. This could be a massive hit for them with the right promotion behind them. To close us off though, the brilliant “They Wont Be There For You’ gets the whole venue moshing as Gary jumps into the crowd and hugs fans as he sings. This is the deﬁnition of fans and artists in complete unity. Simply brilliant Catch them if you can cos they wont be playing intimate venues much longer!

them is me

birmingham ﬂapper & ﬁrkin 2009.11.28

little boots wolverhampton wulfrun hall 2009.10.30 Little Boots is tonight all but drawing a close to her small tour of the UK. After winning the BBC’s New Talent 2009 competition back in January, her only live dates so far have been at the summer’s festivals. Tonight sees the penultimate night of the tour and also the night before Halloween. In superior style to match, things are not going well. Stage times are delayed by 30 minutes and the venue has to extend the curfew to match. Any other night it wouldn’t matter, but they have to clear it for the nightclub in here after.

Pictures & Review: G.Rossington

Support tonight comes from Eric Hassle, and Ellie Goulding. The latter being the more talented of the two and certainly gained more of a reaction from the crowd. (A few days after this show Ellie Goulding recorded her debut on Jools Holland’s ‘Later…’)

So on to Little Boots. The lights go down and her band walk on stage yet she is no where to be seen. As the opening song ‘Ghosts’ gains vocals, the other photographers and I soon realise she is under a cape on the keyboards at the rear of the stage. ‘Earthquake’ starts up next and she makes her way to the front of the stage and loses the cloak. The crowd scream as she reveals herself and begins to embrace the front rows. Amidst the hype, her vocals are not coming across as strong. Surprisingly early in the set (4th) we get ‘New In Town’. By now she seems more conﬁdent and her vocals are getting stronger. Album tracks ‘Hearts Collide’ and ‘Click’ beef up the setlist but you can’t help but feel that something is missing. The classic ‘Remedy’ closes the main part of the set in great style and leaves the crowd hungry for more. As she returns to the stage there is a sigh of relief. The awesome ‘Stuck On Repeat’ closes the act. Final thoughts seem to suggest that she certainly puts on a good show but she needs more conﬁdence. Well worth seeing next time!

After a short break and roadies clearing the stage, the crowd were starting to get a little restless. From what I’d heard about previous dates, the band were on form and crowds were getting wilder. By the time the lights went down around 5 minutes late, there were literally screams from the front rows as Kele and Co. entered.

Pictures & Review: G.Rossington

This was my first time in the brand new o2 Academy in Birmingham, and a fine way to experience it. Support act for the night are Grammatics. They kick off and the sound is muddy and vocals are lost. They know it too, indicating to the technician in the middle of the floor to up his vocals. Admittedly I had lost interest, the songs had the same kind of chord structure and just faded into each other. They did play a decent 40 minutes and have the potential to be good if they just relax and get the sound sorted out.

Kicking off with ‘Halo’ they proceeded with energy of a band just starting out. It’s as if they had everything, but yet nothing to prove. After a fraught ﬁrst few minutes, Kele takes time out to remove his cap and to acknowledge the crowd. He laughs and jokes and tells us that ‘this is the one date I’ve really been looking forward too!’ Which causes the crowd to cheer gleefully. They slide straight into an epic ‘Mercury’ with Kele jumping down into the crowd to embrace patient the fans. ‘Hunting For Witches’, ‘Banquet’, ‘Blue Light’ and ‘Talons’ pad out the set to make it even more enjoyable. Kele introduces the next song as ‘an old disco number’ and the band break in to ‘One More Chance’. It gets one of the biggest cheers of the night from the audience. They end the main set on another single, the brilliant ‘The Prayer’. We are soon treated to a 4 song encore, starting with ‘Ares’ and ‘Like Eating Glass’. Kele can’t stop praising the audience and thanks them again as they launch into ‘Flux’. The closer tonight is the awesome fan favourite ‘Helicopter’. As the song ends, the house lights go up and the crowd go mental. The band stand observing them all before bowing and walking off waving and smiling, genuinely enjoying the experience. With current doubt over the band’s future, I am so glad I was there!

bloc party

birmingham academy 2009.10.15

WM Events Guide This is a small round up of music events happening in the city over the next few weeks. If you have any gigs you wish to promote in these pages, please end us the details asap so i can print them in the next issue. Email: gigs@wlv-soundcheck

January 24th 24/th 25th 25th 26th 26th 27th 27th 28th 28th 28th 29th 29th 29th30th 30th 30th 30th 30th 30th 30th 30th 30th 31st -

The Doors Alive Delta Maid Evile Reel Big Fish Sleeping Beauty Real Estate Iglu & Hartly Holly Williams Tna Wrestling Hardcore Superstar Bullet Emilie Autumn Marduk Zico Chain + To The Bones Municipal Waste Kerrang! 2010 All Time Low The Blackout Young Guns My Passion Miles Hunt The Circus Of Horrors Aurora Plastic Monster Buffy Saint-marie

February 01st 01st 02nd 03rd 03rd 04th 04th 04th 05th 05th 05th 06th 06th 07th 07th 34

Decapitated Nancy Elizabeth These New Puritans Rammstein Dan Smith Bonecrusher Festival Etienne De Crecy Peter Von Poehl Jls Adam Green Johnny Foreigner Jo CaulďŹ eld Blaze Bayley Chris Addison Ocean Colour Scene

Birmingham O2 Academy 3 Birmingham Hare & Hounds Wolverhampton Little Civic Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham Hippodrome Birmingham Hare & Hounds Birmingham O2 Academy 3 Birmingham Garden Cafe Coventry Sky Dome Birmingham Rainbow Birmingham Rainbow Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Birmingham Asylum Birmingham Flapper & Firkin Birmingham O2 Academy 2 Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham O2 Academy Wolverhampton Little Civic Wolverhampton Civic Hall Birmingham Flapper & Firkin Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall

Birmingham O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Hare & Hounds Birmingham Hare & Hounds Birmingham Lg Arena Birmingham Hare & Hounds Birmingham O2 Academy 2 Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham Hare & Hounds Birmingham Lg Arena Birmingham O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Hare & Hounds Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Dudley Jbs Warwick Arts Centre Coventry Kasbah

07th 08th 09th 09th 09th 09th 10th 10th 10th 10th 11th 11th 11th 11th 12th 12th 13th 13th 13th 13th 13th 14th 14th 14th 15th 15th 15th 15th 15th 16th 16th 16th 16th 16th 16th 17th 17th 17th 17th 18th 18th 18th -

The Low Anthem Hot Club De Paris Lamb Of God Job For A Cowboy Swan Lake Cobra Starship Vampire Weekend Fightstar Fanfarlo Los Bastardos Jimmy Greaves Shockwaves Nme Tour Doll And The Kicks Twisted Wheel Lee Mack Chipmunk Lee Mack Kelly Clarkson Sunshine Underground Cosmo Jarvis Imogen Heap Tinchy Stryder Band Of Skulls Musiq Soulchild The Chippendales Traces Booty Luv Francis Dunnery Cherry Poppin Daddies Traces Midlake Saving Aimee Mastodon Yeasayer These Monsters Traces Lostprophets The X Factor Fear Factory The Rumble Strips The X Factor Derek Acorah

Birmingham O2 Academy 2 Birmingham The Rainbow Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham Hippodrome Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Birmingham O2 Academy Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Birmingham Hare & Hounds Birmingham O2 Academy 3 Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham Hare & Hounds Birmingham O2 Academy 3 Alexandra Theatre Birmingham O2 Academy Warwick Arts Centre Birmingham O2 Academy Coventry Kasbah Coventry Kasbah Birmingham O2 Academy 2 Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham Hare & Hounds Alexandra Theatre Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Birmingham Hippodrome Coventry Kasbah Kitchen Garden Cafe Birmingham O2 Academy 3 Birmingham Hippodrome Birmingham Town Hall Birmingham O2 Academy 3 Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Birmingham O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Flapper & Firkin Birmingham Hippodrome Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham Lg Arena Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Birmingham O2 Academy 2 Birmingham Lg Arena Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall

19th 19th 20th 20th 20th 20th 21st 21st 21st 22nd 23rd 23rd 24th 24th 25th 25th 26th 27th 27th 27th 27th 27th 27th -

The X Factor Europe Elvis Presley In Concert Hot Chip Finley Quaye Hot Chip Machine Head Owl City Blonde Louis So Many Dynamos Chipmunk Kassidy Overkill Danny Connors Mika King Charles Tim Vine Twisted Wheel Rhodesrock Reunion Letz Zep Limehouse Lizzy Are You Experienced Swimming

Birmingham Lg Arena Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham Lg Arena Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham The Rainbow Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham O2 Academy 3 Birmingham Flapper & Firkin Coventry The Copper Rooms Birmingham Hare & Hounds Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Birmingham Hare & Hounds Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham Hare & Hounds Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Coventry Kasbah Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall Birmingham Flapper & Firkin

Box OfďŹ ce Details

To book tickets for any of the shows above, please use the following direct numbers, or contact them via the web Wolverhampton Civic Hall Birmingham Flapper & Firkin Birmingham Hare & Hounds Birmingham 02 Academy Birmingham LG Arena Birmingham Asylum Birmingham Rainbow Birmingham Kitchen Garden Cafe Coventry Kasbah Coventry Warwick Arts Centre Dudley JBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

01902 552 121 0121 236 2421 07761 125200 0844 4772000 0844 338 0338 0121 233 1109 0121 772 8174 0121 443 4725 024 7655 4473 024 7652 4524 01384 253597 35

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