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September 29, 2017

BREVIEW: Cult Figure: Kenneth Williams @ The Old Joint Stock Theatre 26.09.17

What does it mean to be a cult figure? Is it simply someone who is popular with a loyal, but limited, group of people, or does it have connotations of an almost unhealthy devotion?

Cult Figure: Kenneth Williams feels like the work of a fan, someone with a real reverence for Kenneth Williams. Painstakingly pieced together from diary entries, personal letters and radio performances, writer and performer Colin Elmer successfully captures the spirit of Williams’ singular persona. The piece is funny, fast-paced and enjoyable. This is particularly true in a first half that focuses on Williams’ early life as a child living above his father’s hairdressers and his stint in the forces during World War II.

The stories about Williams’ war years provided real insights into the life of a soldier and the work of the Combined Forces Entertainment, the group that travelled around, providing entertainment for the troops. Indeed, Williams lived through a fascinating era of history, and I would have enjoyed more exploration of the context that he was living and working in. Issues such as the illegality of homosexuality for much of Williams’ life undoubtedly impacted him and his work, but were barely touched upon.

Elmer instead focused on performing numerous extracts from Williams’ radio career, using skits from Hancock’s Half Hour, Round the Horne and Just a Minute to trace his evolution from a bit part actor, to an innovative comedian, to a TV and radio personality. This generally worked well and allowed Elmer’s real strength – that is, his well-observed impersonation of Williams – to take centre stage. Elmer’s voice, subtle mannerisms and easy charm resulted in a number audience members commenting in the interval: “I think it’s really him!”

The second half of the show was largely structured in a chat show format, with Elmer feeding audience members pre-prepared questions. This felt a little forced; just a device to allow Elmer to cover some big moments in Williams’ life, including celebrity-themed anecdotes and oddly, the Carry On films (which were rather rushed over, considering that they’re probably Williams’ best known work).

It didn’t help that Elmer was occasionally tripping over his very detailed, very precise script. This section may have worked better if it actually gave The Old Joint Stock audience the opportunity to ask their own questions. They were clearly a knowledgeable bunch and it would have freshened things up to see Elmer thinking on his feet.

Ultimately, the show felt rather one-dimensional. There was no sense of the darkness that haunted Williams, eventually leading him to die from an overdose. Williams’ mother, who he had a close relationship with throughout his life (she even lived next door), was strangely absent. Big and complex questions about Williams’ private life and professional legacy were untouched.

Cult Figure: Kenneth Williams clearly didn’t have ambitions above providing a nostalgic and fun reproduction of the best bits of Williams’ career for the comedian’s devoted following. It certainly succeeded in this: the production comes from a place of great affection and is beautifully performed, but it’s not going to win the cult figure Kenneth Williams any new fans.

For more on Cult Figure: Kenneth Williams, visit www.oldjointstock.co.uk/whats-on/cult-figure

For more from Old Joint Stock Theatre, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.oldjointstock.co.uk

September 29, 2017October 1, 2017

BREVIEW: The Black Angels @ O2 Institute 26.09.17

Words by Emily Doyle / Pics by Rob Hadley

London’s self-described ‘sunshine doom’ 5-piece, Mass Datura, serve up a set of melodic prog to begin the evening. But thanks to a surprisingly long queue for entry at the O2 Institute, complete with drug dog patrols outside the venue, their early set is enjoyed by a smaller audience than they deserved.

And while the violin and keys are a little low in the mix, they craft some interesting textures – providing some excellent fodder to ease the crowd into the evening of psych to come (Mass Datura’s debut LP Sentimental Breakdown is out now on All Types of Slime Records, should you want to fall a little deeper down the rabbit hole).

A Place to Bury Strangers slink onto the stage next, in an unassuming manner; they seem satisfied in the knowledge that the majority of the crowd (this reviewer included) have no idea what is to come. The term ‘wall of noise’ is thrown around all too lightly but in this case it is appropriate; intense strobe lighting marks the start of their set, at 8pm sharp, and does not relent throughout the opening track. Within minutes, some audience members are forced to shield their eyes.

Lia Simone Braswell is one of those rare drummer-come-front person characters. Her kit occupies the front and centre of the stage, a vocal mic arched above her. She is a powerhouse. To her left is Oliver Ackermann of Death By Audio fame, whose distorted vocals cut through the maelstrom; to her right is Dion Lunadon, who indulges in some bass guitar abuse to rival the Clash’s Paul Simonon – trusting his bass into the crowd while Ackermann holds his guitar aloft, and the noise fades.

Braswell produces an autoharp. She proceeds to play a haunting tune, accompanied by delicate vocals, while Lunadon and Ackermann tune up. A Place to Bury Strangers launch back into the howling punk-rock of 2009’s ‘I Lived My Life to Stand in the Shadow Of Your Heart’ with renewed energy. In my notepad, I write the word ‘onslaught’ a total of three times at different points during their set.

The lights dim and A Place to Bury Strangers appear to leave the stage, so the crowd migrates towards the bar to refuel before the headline act. Without warning, a driving electronic beat starts up and multi-coloured lasers erupt from a small circle over by the bar; Ackermann has wheeled a flight case into the crowd and the performance continues. Braswell’s aggressive dancing keeps us just far enough back while Lunadon climbs on top of the case, bass guitar in hand. After this extended jam, A Place to Bury Strangers dissolve into the audience once more… The room awaits The Black Angels.

‘Currency’, the opening track from The Black Angels‘ 2017 album, Death Song, is greeted by cheers. The driving two note riff cuts through the O2 Institute’s main room, with what appears to be Beelzebub’s teletext projected onto the back of the stage. The Black Angels exude a quiet, stoic confidence; a stark contrast to the territorial noise-rock of A Place to Bury Strangers. Alex Mass’s shamanic vocals are hypnotic, a perfect counterpoint to the grinding drums from Stephanie Bailey.

2010’s juddering ‘Bad Vibrations’ lulls the crowd into a comfortable, woozy sway. Everything about The Black Angels’ performance is equally comforting and uneasy; each track is full of the warm, swirling psychedelia of their forebears, but also buzzes with a hint of discord. On stage the band are relaxed, but choose to keep their distance with a complete absence of dialogue.

The crowd responds with an equally subdued manner; one girl dares to climb onto a friends shoulders to sway along to ‘You On The Run’ and is met by a surprising amount of disapproving British frowns. The Black Angels certainly aren’t in Texas anymore.

After an encore culminating in their breakthrough hit, ‘Young Mean Dead’, the audience files out of the O2 Institute. On my way out the door I run into Martin of Tamworth two-piece You Dirty Blue, eyeing the Death By Audio pedals on A Place to Bury Strangers’ merch stand (I later learn that grinders emblazoned with the slogan ‘Listen To The Black Angels’ were also on offer). On reflection, we both agree that although The Black Angels were as excellent as you would expect, it was A Place to Bury Strangers that were the band of the night.

Mass Datura – supporting The Black Angels @ O2 Institute 26.09.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

For more on Mass Datura, visit www.soundcloud.com/mass-datura

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A Place to Bury Strangers – supporting The Black Angels @ O2 Institute 26.09.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

For more on A Place to Bury Strangers, visit www.aplacetoburystrangers.com

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The Black Angels @ O2 Institute 26.09.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

For more on The Black Angels, visit www.theblackangels.com

For more from the O2 Institute, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2institutebirmingham

For more from Kilimanjaro Live, visit www.kilimanjarolive.co.uk

For more from This Is Tmrw, visit www.thisistmrw.co.uk

September 28, 2017

BPREVIEW: KRS-One @ Hawker Yard 01.10.19

Words by Aatish Ramchurn

On Sunday 1st October 2017, KRS-One and DJ Predetor Pr!me come to Hawker Yard in Birmingham – with main support from Trademark Blud, Tricksta, Maxi Zee and Omen. Also on the night will be sets from DJ Jam Fu, DJ 6’5, Dek One and DJ Silence.

Doors at Hawker Yard open at 6pm. Early bird tickets are priced at £12.50, with standard release tickets priced at £15 – as presented by Mostly Jazz and Break Mission. For direct event info and links to online ticket sales, click here.

With a career spanning over three decades, Lawrence ‘Kris’ Parker, better known to the world as KRS-One, will be bringing his current six date tour of the UK to a close when he comes to Hawker Yard on Sunday 1st October.

Having kicked off at The Jazz Cafe in London on 23^rd Sept, KRS-One will be moving out to mainland Europe for several dates across October, before returning to the UK for a final showcase/lecture at The Moustache Bar in London as part of Black History Month.

Since his last visit to Birmingham at the O2 Institute last year, KRS-One released his latest album, The World Is MIND, in May 2017 – out through R.A.M.P. Agency. Parker‘s 13^th solo album (19 including those released under Boogie Down Productions) The World Is MIND marks a career in hip hop spanning over 35 years, one that began in earnest with the release of Criminal Minded in 1987.

Pushing on with Boogie Down Productions after the fatal shooting of Scott La Rock, before going solo in the early 90s, KRS-One is often cited as one of the more influential figures in the hip hop scene. Evolving his style, moving away from the more hardcore and gangster rap, incorporating elements of Jamaican dancehall, KRS-One has also been politically active and community focused since the late 80’s.

Following the death of DJ Scott La Rock (who had been mediating between a local gang and the third member of Boogie Down Productions, D Nice) KRS-One formed the Stop the Violence Movement in 1989, aiming to challenge the aggression and internal feuds within the hip hop community.

On Sunday 1^st October, KRS-One and DJ Predetor Pr!me will be headlining a night of hip hop and breaks at Hawker Yard – hosted by Mostly Jazz and break dance crew, Break Mission.

The night will start from 6pm, where resident DJs of Feel the Vibe (a monthly event at Hawker Yard) in association with Break Mission will warm up the event, before support acts Maxi Zee, Trademark Blud, Tricksta and Omen hit the stage. For direct gig info and link to online ticket sales, click here.

‘Show Respect’ / KRS-One

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KRS-One @ Hawker Yard 01.10.17 (official trailer)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPKLe2rS3Rk

For more on KRS-One, visit www.krs-one.com

For more on Hawker Yard, including full event listings, visit www.hawkeryard.com

For more on Mostly Jazz, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.mostlyjazz.co.uk

For more on Break Mission, visit www.breakmission.org

September 28, 2017September 27, 2017

BREVIEW: Mayday Parade – A Lesson in Romantics 10th Anniversary Tour @ O2 Institute 23.09.17

Words & by pics by Eleanor Sutcliffe

Whenever I’m asked to name my top five albums, Mayday Parade’s A Lesson in Romantics always manages to sneak itself onto the list. Whether it’s upbeat pop rock anthems such as ‘Black Cat’ or the drawling melancholy vocals of ‘Miserable At Best’, I’ve always had a soft spot for the album and would frequently listen to it when scoping out new bands became cumbersome. So when I heard that they would be playing a 10 year anniversary tour in celebration of its release, I felt compelled to attend.

First up at the O2 Institute were All Get Out – fronted by singer songwriter, Nathan Hussey. They opened strong, but soon bubbled down to a rather average performance. Musically you cannot fault them – tracks such as ‘Room to Talk’ were stellar and have crept their way onto my Spotify playlist. And their newest release, ‘Nobody Likes a Quitter’, is both half an hour of musical genius and something I cannot recommend enough. Sadly their support set just didn’t reflect this, but if you’re in a gig for the music and that only then these guys are for you.

I last saw With Confidence at this year’s Slam Dunk festival where they delivered a stellar show, and their support at the Mayday Parade gig is no exception. Hailing from Australia, the four piece owned the stage and easily won over the room with their opening song ‘Voldemort’ from their debut album Better Weather.

Their songs are short, loud and to the point – they came to play and that they did. Much of the crowd seemed to already be a fan, with individuals singing along word for word and flinging gifts on to the stage, one of which was a t-shirt consisting of numerous photos of guitarist Luke Rocket’s face. As a band gaining momentum fast, I’m excited to see what the future holds for the four of With Confidence.

Mayday Parade got off to a slightly shaky start, with front man Derek Sanders struggling slightly to keep up with the tempo of ‘Jamie All Over’. Nothing infuriates me more than someone singing offbeat, however the band soon enough redeemed themselves, following up with a flawless run through of each track on A Lesson in Romantics.

Songs like ‘Jersey’ and ‘When I Get Home, You’re So Dead’ were met with a cacophony of applause from the O2 Institute’s packed out main room. Soon enough, as Sanders sat down with a keyboard and belted out the hit song ‘Miserable At Best’, the crowd was reduced to a weeping mess (although with lyrics along the lines of ‘I can live without you but without you I’ll be miserable at best’ this came as no surprise).

Performing against a backdrop of the album artwork, and with the stage stripped back to its bare bones, Mayday Parade were free to let loose. It’s refreshing to watch a band with so much raw energy perform their songs as good as they did ten years ago.

And yet there was still room for surprises, as Sanders appeared onstage with an acoustic guitar and covered Something Corporate’s ‘Punk Rock Princess’ – a surprising choice that paid off well with the crowd. Following this was their song ‘Terrible Things’, which is the type of track you’d listen to on repeat while crying in your room as a teenager. I loved it.

Mayday Parade wrapped up the show with ‘Three Cheers for Five Years’ from their debut Tales Told By Dead Friends EP, ‘Kids in Love’ from their sophomore album Anywhere But Here, and ‘Oh Well, Oh Well’ from their third self-titled album. I was impressed at how well thought out the set was; album shows can be a tad predictable at times, so a set that included extra material without distracting from the main purpose of the gig was a plus.

Overall, Mayday Parade’s A Lesson in Romantics 10^th anniversary celebration show was everything I’d expected and more. Some albums simply never go out of style, and thank God this is one of them.

All Get Out – supporting Mayday Parade @ O2 Institute 23.09.17 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

For more from All Get Out, visit www.allgetoutmusic.com

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With Confidence – supporting Mayday Parade @ O2 Institute 23.09.17 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

For more on With Confidence, visit www.withconfidenceband.com

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Mayday Parade @ O2 Institute 23.09.17 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

For more on Mayday Parade, visit www.maydayparade.com

For more from O2 Institute, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2institutebirmingham

For more from SJM Concerts/Gigs and Tours, visit www.gigsandtours.com

September 27, 2017

BPREVIEW: Absurdly Fabulous: The Improvised Episode @ mac 29.09.17

Words by Charlotte Heap

Foghorn Unscripted, Birmingham’s own improvised comedy group, present another feature length show – Absurdly Fabulous: The Improvised Episode, performed for one night only at mac’s Hexagon Theatre on Friday 29^th September.

Doors open at 7.30pm, with tickets priced at £8 (£6 concessions). For direct event info, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.

Billed as ‘the episode they never made’, the mac audience can expect a re-imagining of beloved 90s satirical sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (Ab Fab to its friends). Foghorn Unscripted, a group of local ‘improv’ comedians and professional actors established in 2011, bases all of its performances on audience suggestion and their own imaginations. Given the raucous nature of the source material, fans should no doubt prepare themselves for some silliness (and presumably, more audience participation than usual).

It’s difficult, however, to imagine where Foghorn Unscripted may take the already established personas like Eddie and Patsy. Such familiar and favourite characters can be tricky to emulate, especially while bringing new laughs, and theatre productions such as this can depend as much on the audience’s appetite for absurdity as the actors’ talent.

Having run for more than 20 years, first aired in 1992 (as well as a recent feature-length film released in 2016) Absolutely Fabulous’s catchphrases and jokes will need a fresh approach from Foghorn Unscripted.

Like the TV programme, Absurdly Fabulous: The Improvised Episode promises to bring ‘debauchery, fashion and celebrity’. With a running time of 105 minutes, there’ll need to be some clever and surprising comedy to keep the audience on side. And for this lifelong Ab Fab fan, it’s fingers crossed that Foghorn Unscripted’s homage to Jennifer Saunders’ writing will be fittingly funny.

Forghorn Unscripted present Absurdly Fabulous: The Improvised Episode – performed in mac’s Hexagon Theatre on Friday 29^th September. For direct event info, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.

For more on Foghorn Unscripted, visit www.foghornunscripted.com

For more from mac, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.macbirmingham.co.uk