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June 21, 2016

BPREVIEW: Melvins @ The Rainbow 22.06.16

Words by Ed King / Pic & artwork by Mackie Osborne

On Weds 22^nd June, the Melvins come to The Rainbow – as presented by Surprise You’re Dead Music. Doors open at 7pm with tickets priced at £22 + booking fee. For direct event info & online tickets sales, click here.

On the road ‘to promote their new record, but mostly because touring is a way of life for them’, the Melvins stop off in Birmingham as part of a 17 date European zig zag across June. And with two studio albums to shout about – Three Men and a Baby (No23, released on 1^st April) and Basses Loaded (No24, released on 6^th June) you could argue their press release was being… modest, about the band’s touring agenda. Although 100 dates from March to October is pretty ‘way of life’ as you’re going to get.

Formed in 1983 in Montesana, Washington – ‘a small town, much smaller than anyone could imagine’, Melvins grew up, in and around the North West grunge scene that still leaves its imprint today. Although with a style sliding from post punk frenzy through to a black metal molasses (often compared to Black Sabbath), the Melvins weren’t a direct composite of the shifting Sup Pop landscape that surrounded them. Three Men and a Baby, which was initially started in 1993 with Mike Kunka from godheadSilo, is the Melvins’ only release on the black & white branded Washington based label.

Basses Loaded, released on the Melvins’ relatively longstanding label – the Mike Patton & Greg Werckman owned Ipecac Recordings, is a riff munching march through the murky mires of ROCK. ‘Beer Hippie’ Is an Iron Man lament behind a voice decoder, ‘Hideous Woman’ is a punchy West Coast foot stamp, with ‘War Pussy’ heralding all the Donnington mosh pit madness you’ve come to grow, love and fear over the decades. There’s even an accordion in there.

And with a Spinal Tap-esque approach to bass players, with six notable guests featuring across the LP, Basses Loaded holds a bevy of sounds and influences to music porn yourself stupid over. Plus it’s a lot, A LOT, of fun. Garage bands of Birmingham take note.

‘Hideous Woman’ by Melvins – from Basses Loaded

Melvins play at The Rainbow on Weds 22^nd June. For direct gig info & online ticket sales, visit www.therainbowvenues.co.uk/events/the-melvins

For more on the Melvins, visit www.themelvins.net

For more from The Rainbow, visit www.therainbowvenues.co.uk

June 20, 2016

BPREVIEW: BE Festival @ REP 21-25.06

Words by Ed King

With absurdly pertinent timing, BE Festival throws open the doors of the Birmingham REP for its seventh year – bringing Birmingham just under a week’s worth of ‘head spinning performances from Europe’s four corners’.

Held from 21^st – 25^th June, the festival’s week long tickets are priced at £100 (£60 without dinner) or individual day/evening tickets at £22 (£14 without dinner) – giving you access to all studio shows. Extra tickets for Things Easily Forgotten (held at a ‘secret location’ from 22^nd – 25^th Jun) and Early Ideas (held at The Door on 25^th Jun) can be bought separately for £5 each.

For direct info on Be Festival, including online tickets sales, visit www.befestival.org

Welcoming 24 visiting companies to the city, presenting an eclectic programme of theatre, dance, comedy and performing arts, BE 2016 also offers a series of workshops, panel discussions and installations – many exploring the festival’s overarching theme of democracy.

Opening the festival on Tues 21^st June is Piccole Donne, an hour long ‘evolution’ from Italy’s TiDA Théâtre Danse – as three ‘future brides’ explore the ‘process that women must undertake to liberate themselves from oppressive societal forces’. Thurs 23^rd Jun welcomes Bristol’s ‘purveyors of fine comic theatre’ – Publick Transport, presenting their ‘irreverent and possibly the most out of the ordinary adaptation’ of West Riding’s famous literary sisters in We Are Brontë.

Then as part of BE Festival’s final day of programming, Barcelona’s Cris Blanco performs her one woman show, The Vortex Agitator – taking the audience through an intimate investigation of cinema as the play’s protagonist tries to recreate the hubris of Hollywood from her home.

Also watch out for An Wei Lu Li’s ‘colossal human figure covering the surface of Centenary Square’, as the city (that’s you and I) chips away at the static façade of modern society with its feet.

And if that’s wasn’t enough for your cross continent cultural palate, there’s also live music, DJs, plus the return of BE Festival’s ‘famous’ interval dinner – throwing audience and actors together each night on the main stage.

Food, art and politics… what could possibly go wrong? Pass the salad MrGreenaway; are you voting for Brexit?

BE Festival 2016 – official trailer

(might not give you too much about the broader festival programme, but worth 1m 17sec of your world)

https://vimeo.com/161470698

BE Festival comes to REP and various city centre venues from 21^st – 25^th June. For direct info, including online tickets sales, visit www.befestival.org

For more from REP, visit www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

June 17, 2016

BPREVIEW: City of Colours @ Digbeth (various) 18-19.06.16

Words by Sam Marshall / Pics courtesy of City of Colours

On the 18^th& 19^thof June, Birmingham will once again host the City of Colours street art festival – taking over walls, venues and municipal spaces across Digbeth.

This year’s free two day event will feature over 120 artists, a tapestry of music, workshops and street art – all programmed with the aim of promoting ‘unity, diversity and freedom of expression and to make a difference to our community through collaboration and co-operation’.

City of Colours is the brain child of Karl Paragreen and Becci Wright, who have been hosting the event since its conception in 2014; it is because of the success of the first single day festival two years ago that the event now spreads over a whole weekend. God bless public demand.

The team organising City of Colours is ‘is an urban arts company with a community interest mission to provide an accessible platform for artists of all levels and backgrounds’ with an aim to ‘educate, influence and inspire marginalised groups’. Working alongside Karl and Becci is an ensemble as diverse as the art they promote; you can see their hand prints across the cultural calendar of the city in projects such as the Digbeth Dining Club, Big Centre TV, and Hip-Hop Heals.

Music is also a significant part of the City of Colours festival, with sounds across the weekend from Scratch Club, Jam Hott, Ragtime Records and a selection of other home grown talent, including Call Me Unique – running alongside all the visual artists.

And although City of Colours has no over big ‘P’ political motive, it arguably echoes Naomi Klein’s No Logo and its battle cry to reclaim the streets. The glossy hue of spray paint, the ridges of heartfelt brush and the colour of over 100 images put up across the city’s walls reflecting Birmingham’s cross section of communities. And it’s free; Ms Klein would be proud.

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For more on City of Colours, visit www.cityofcolours.co.uk

June 13, 2016

BPREVIEW: Ben Folds @ Symphony Hall 13.06

Words by Helen Knott

Ben Folds Five brightened up the mid 90’s with their goofy, piano-led pop – initially forming in 1993, initially disbanding in 2000, and releasing seven albums across their entire career. The naughties weren’t the end for Ben Folds Five, with the ebb and flow of reunions bringing the North Carolina trio (the name has more to do with alliteration than an actual number count) onto record store shelves and festival bills until 2013.

But in the midst of all this, in 2000 after the first break up, band leader Ben Folds struck out on his own – carving a pretty successful solo career, releasing six solo albums and collaborating with artists as diverse as Weird Al Yankovic, William Shatner, Regina Spektor Amanda Palmer and author Nick Hornby.

It’s fair to say that Folds has had a varied career; he’s scraped the very depths of celeb culture as a judge on US talent show The Sing Off, and soared to the heights of classical music composition, writing a piano concerto for Nashville Symphony Orchestra.

And its classical music that’s the focus in this Symphony Hall show, as Ben Folds is joined by New York based yMusic chamber ensemble, to perform tracks from his 2015 album So There. As well as his piano concerto the album includes eight new songs written with yMusic.

But be warned, Ben Fold’s Live on Myspace concert hosted everything from an orchestra of classical guitars to a pretend suicide attempt practical joke. So expect lyrics about aging, failed relationships (having been married four times) and above all, that irreverent sense of humour that endeared him to us in the first place.

Ben Folds & yMusic – Meet the Band

For more on Ben Folds, visit www.benfolds.com

For more on the yMusic ensemble, visit www.ymusicensemble.com

For more from Birmingham’s Town & Symphony Halls, visit www.thsh.co.uk

May 16, 2016

SWINGAMAJIG REVIEW 2016: Available from 13th June

Swingamajig Review 2016 , our 32 page souvenir with extended coverage from this year’s Swingamajig Festival, will be on shelf from the 13th June.

Priced at £5+p&p, you can pick up a copy direct from us at Birmingham Review or over the counter at venues/outlets across the city.

To keep up to date with where, when, even why you can get your hands on the Swingamajig Review 2016 – click here.

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Over the past fortnight, the Swingamajig Review 2016 editorial team has been pooling its words, pics, memories & hazy/dubious recollections – compiling a compendium of decadent debauchery from May 1^st. There have been laughs, there have been tears, there was one moment of serious confusion, but we’ve got a stonker of a souvenir from Swingamajig 2016 for you.

Just like being back there again (except with a mug of tea and a comfy seat) the Swingamajig Review 2016 is a perfect little keepsake from one of the most fun events on the city’s calendar. So if you were at Swingamajig 2016, or even if you weren’t but wanted to, you should really treat yourself to a copy – for proof, posterity and every reason in between. Remember the glitz, remember the glamour; remember how freakin’ cold was it on the roof terrace at 4am!?!?!

But honestly, I’m not sure how some of us made it home. You know that moment when you wake up on a strange sofa, in a strange room, in a strange house, with a peacock feather stuck to your… anyway, times that by a gazillion; let’s just say you all had a LOT OF FUN. Naughty monkeys.

N.B If you came to see us at the Swingamajig Review tent to have your moment of madness captured on camera, please check out our profile pics – click here. All should have been emailed out safely by now to the email addresses we took down at the event, but if you’re on here and you’ve still not got yours then give us a shout.

A 32 PAGE SWINGAMAJIG REVIEW, FOR ONLY FIVE ENGLISH POUNDS STERLING!?!?! WHAT A BARGAIN, I hear you cry… But in the interests of a healthy free market here’s a quick breakdown of what’s inside.

Read Helen Knott’s full festival Swingamajig 2016 feature, traversing the burlesque shows and Balkan jazz mosh pits (…not for the weak footed) of this year’s event.

Follow Kimberley Owen as she stalks the dappers & flappers to bring you a special fashion feature from Birmingham’s best-dressed-fest.

Whilst Ed King enjoys chai, rum and the occasional almond biscuit with The Destroyers; well, some of them anyway (it was a small tent).

There are also interviews with the glamorous gals from The Tootsie Rollers, Bristol’s ‘definitive party band’ The Rin Tins, The ‘Queen of Queerlesque’ Rubyyy Jones, and ‘Suffolk’s premier international Electro Swing artist’ Tallulah Goodtimes. Plus the extended Swingamajig Review 2016 – Picture Gallery, bang in the middle of it all. Not bad for a fiver.

We’ll be drip feeding you tantalizing morsels of the Swingamajig Review 2016 souvenir over the coming weeks – before we shamelessly try and make some money and put the damn thing on sale.

But we’re a little itchy in the content trigger finger department, so click here to read our Q&D (quick & dirty) vox pop with The Rin Tins – a band so lovely I’m honestly exploring adoption.

Swingamajig Review 2016 will be available from 13th June. For updates, offers, more info & pre orders – click here.

For more on the Swingamajig Festival, visit http://swingamajig.co.uk/