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October 29, 2015November 17, 2015

BREVIEW: Storms @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.10.15

Saturday 24^th October saw Storms perform at The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham, with support from Lois & The Love.

I was somewhat apprehensive about this gig review; it was my first for Birmingham Review, and I was going alone after a long shift at work. I was expecting to feel tired throughout.

On arrival I saw The Sunflower Lounge had attracted quite a large audience, who all seemed to really get into the bands; we were set for a high energy show. Although saying that, the night felt cut somewhat short due to the fact there were only two bands playing. And considering I was waiting longer for Lois & The Love to start than the time their performance actually lasted, I was a left little bit disappointed.

However Lois & The Love are clearly a confident bunch who have an amazing stage presence. The eponymous lead singer was your typical Rock Chick; despite having laryngitis, as well as going out the night before, she put on an amazing show. Her sketchy, self described “crack whore” voice was a fitting accompaniment to the band’s edgy instrumentals and synthetic Grunge vibe.

Storms performance was lively too; energetic and charismatic. They are a band well suited to The Sunflower Lounge, due to their Rock & Roll appearance and Geek Rock sound. But one thing that stood out about Storms was the contrast of voices between the two lead singers – with George Runciman’s somewhat Americanised vocals accompanying the more grizzly and coarse of his band mate’s.

Furthermore, the distorted guitar in many of their tracks created a crooked, yet well polished sound that worked well throughout their set. I particularly enjoyed the performances of their released tracks, including ‘Girl’ and ‘Shame’, with ‘Special’ also performed a little louder and heavier than the others.

However outside of these better known tracks the other songs in their set felt more like fillers, with no hard hitting beat or anything outstanding. On one hand this meant I enjoyed the songs I knew more, relishing that little extra edge. But on the other hand, it left me feeling a little bit distracted elsewhere in their set. However I may be alone in that opinion as band members from Lois & The Love boldly, flamboyantly, comically danced away at the front of the crowd for the majority of Storms’ set.

Overall, Storms delivered songs with a Grunge/Rock & Roll vibe that show that this band is capable of great music – just not consistently throughout their set, this gig. And as for my concerns over flagging energy levels…

For more on Storms, visit http://stormsband.com/

For more from Lois & The Love, visit http://loisandthelove.com/

For more from The Sunflower Lounge, visit http://thesunflowerlounge.com/

For more form Birmingham Promoters, visit http://birminghampromoters.com/

October 29, 2015November 17, 2015

BPREVIEW: Killing Joke @ O2 Institute 31.10.15

Words by Olly MacNamee

Influential of so many bands since their formation back in 1978, such as The Foo Fighters, Metallica and Soundgarden, the mighty Killing Joke are back on the road – touring their latest studio album, Pylon.

Released on 23^rd October, via Spinefarm UK (the Finnish born Universal Music Group subsidiary), Pylon is Killing Joke’s 16^th studio album in a career spanning over 35 years – produced in the UK & Prague by Killing Joke and Tom Dalgety (Royal Blood, Smoke Faeries, Grave Pleasures).

Then on 31^stOctober (and I couldn’t think of a better date) Killing Joke play the O2 Institute in Digbeth, with support from Asylums. Doors open at 6pm with tickets priced at £22.50 – as presented by Kilimanjaro Live. For direct gig info & online tickets, click here.

With a well documented history of employing shock tactics, startling stagecraft and thrilling theatrics to grab you by the throat and/or balls, I for one look forward to seeing what Killing Joke will have to offer on this unholiest of evenings.

I still remember my first infectious introduction to Killing Joke, watching them at the much-lamented Phoenix Festival back in the mid-90s. It was a Sunday afternoon at dusk, and Jaz Coleman & Co performed along with fire breathers, acrobats and other Cirque De Soleil types against a backdrop not too far removed from the fiery finale of The Whicker Man, the sun drowsily dropping in the west as fire and fake blood illuminated their demonic, dusky denouement.

I can’t even remember who topped the festival bill that day, but I remember Killing Joke. And like a fat boy in Dunkin’ Donuts, I was hooked. Hopelessly. And albeit an experience of the band that had been held outdoors, I cannot believe for one minute that Killing Joke won’t have something up their sleeves come All Hallows’ Eve.

Listening to Pylon, it’s pleasing to hear that Killing Joke’s ferocity remains achingly clear; their sound is still one of rude riffs, tension and conflict – all held together with a more haunting Coleman on lead vocals. The third LP featuring the band’s original and still living members, starting with the recording/release of Absolute Dissent in 2008, Pylon stands as testimony to Killing Joke’s “Heavy and uncompromising, bleak dystopian lyrics,” as Martin ‘Youth’ Glover puts it.

Something that bodes well for the UK leg of their tour, as the tight, high production quality, and recognisable Killing Joke sound, struts and spits from each one of this 10 track album. Or fifteen if you buy ‘Deluxe’.

Their trick? Sounding as fresh and edgy as ever. Although, when all the UK has to offer the world’s musical currency is the likes of Sam Smith and Rita Ora..?

Their treat? Landing at the O2 Institute in Digbeth on the most heathen of evenings. While the Roman Empire and their Catholic Church may have hijacked all other pagan celebrations, dressing them up as Bible based bullsh*t, Halloween is still the night that lets the freaks come out and play.

‘Euphoria’ – Killing Joke (second release from Pylon – out now)

Killing Joke play at the O2 Institute on 31^st October, with support from Asylums – as presented by Kilimanjaro Live. For direct gig info, visit http://o2institutebirmingham.co.uk/listings/upcoming-events/21991/killing-joke/

For more on Killing Joke, http://www.killingjoke.com/

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For more from the O2 Institute, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit http://o2institutebirmingham.co.uk/

For more from Kilimanjaro Live, visit http://www.kilimanjarolive.co.uk/ or http://myticket.co.uk/ for tickets sales

October 27, 2015November 17, 2015

BPREVIEW: Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin perform Dawn of the Dead score live – special screening @ Boxxed 29.10.15

Words by Ed King / Poster courtesy of Lunar Festival & The Electric Cinema

‘When there’s no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth…’

On Thursday 29^th October, Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin will perform their brooding score to Dawn of the Dead live – during a special screening of George A. Romero’s zombie classic at Boxxed on Floodgate St.

Doors open at 7:30pm, with tickets are priced at £20 (+booking fee). For direct event information, click here

A collaboration between Lunar Festival and The Electric Cinema, the Dawn of the Dead screening on Thurs 29^th Oct is a rare (and possibly emotionally scaring) chance to see a cornerstone of celluloid horror in its full gory glory.

The follow up to Night of the Living Dead, and co-written by the Italian master of ‘giallo’ horror Dario Argento, Dawn of the Dead sees the zombie attack intensify to epidemic proportions – with both flesh and flesh eaters plotting their fights for survival in an abandoned (kinda, sorta) shopping mall.

Mainly well received after its 1978/9 releases, Dawn of the Dead is known for its gruesome body count and relentless gore – courtesy of Tom Savini, who would go on to pave Jason’s streets with blood in the debut Friday the 13^th film.

But there is a deeper social commentary that carries Dawn of the Dead above the splatter, with the seemingly sterile setting for the zombie army being chosen from “some kind of instinct, memory, what they used to do; this was an important place in their lives.” When free will is destroyed, and a blinkered society is only driven by craven lust and insatiable hunger, our only place of refuge will be the world of consumerism. Or to bring it into more immediate terms, when the gates of hell open most of us will run to the Bull Ring.

Largely accredited with supporting the zombie sequel’s success, the original Goblin soundtrack cemented itself in the conscious of a global film audience – bringing a brooding futility to the plight of the film’s rooftop stranded protagonists. Not to mention an edge of menace the world’s slowest predator, dead or undead.

Having enjoyed previous success writing scores for Dario Argento, Goblin’s dark accompaniment to Dawn of the Dead would, however, mark the end of the band’s somewhat stellar soundtrack career. Although Goblin’s Dawn of the Dead score would leave a bloody mark on the cinema wall arguably comparable to that of Bernard Herrmann; a success that would bolster a generation of audio/visual nightmares from John Carpenter to Ennio Morricone, the latter having also cut his bloody cloth with Dario Argento.

Part of the original triptych, Claudio Simonetti founded Goblin along with Massimo Morante and Fabio Pignatelli during the release of their debut soundtrack for Argento’s 1975 film, Profondo Rosso.

Ditching their less gruesome moniker, Cherry Five, to clarify simultaneous releases between the two groups, Goblin was to be the ensemble’s biggest commercial success – selling over a million copies of the Profondo Rosso soundtrack worldwide.

Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin is led by the Goblin founding member and musicians from his 1999 formed heavy metal group, Daemonia. Known for covering Goblin scores, alongside writing and performing their own original material, Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin had previously cancelled their 2014 tour of Dawn of the Dead performances.

Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin did perform on the opening day of the 2015 Lunar Festival, in June earlier this year.

And if you need a little more rotting meat on the bone, here’s our Graham with a quick reminder – introducing ‘the most intensely shocking motion picture for all time’:

On Thursday 29^th October, Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin will perform their score to Dawn of the Dead live, during a special screening of the zombie horror classic. For further details, visit http://www.theelectric.co.uk/programme.php?film=1255

For more on Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin, https://www.facebook.com/Goblin-Claudio-Simonettis-608532229212354/

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For more from Lunar Festival, visit http://lunarfestival.co.uk/

For more from The Electric Cinema, visit https://www.theelectric.co.uk/

For more on Boxxed, visit http://www.boxxed.co.uk/

October 25, 2015November 17, 2015

ALBUM: Freedom – The Black Tambourines

Words by Ed King / Album cover courtesy of Easy Action

Pics lifted from The Black Tambourines’ Facebook page

Honestly, I’d forgotten about Garage Rock. Like the boots of teen angst it had been stacked and shelved; only to be dusted off once a summer, to make feel better about not going out three nights in a row.

I’m older. I listen to classical piano. The Hummingbird shut down a long time ago and I haven’t worn a band t-shirt since Ned’s Atomic Dustbin. Plus I’d spent most of the last decade living in a country where the only Garage Rock was underneath the removed wheels of a car (…sting) so what the hell, I would always have The White Stripes.

Then in 2015 a couple of things came my way. Firstly, a local band called The Hungry Ghosts. This is not their review so I’ll leave the one standing. Secondly, the chance to review The Sonics. The actual Sonics (minus and Andy Parypa and Bob Bennett) who sounded as sharp as they were in the day of Etiquette Records.

Now, and (again) I’ll be honest it’s a surprise, we have The Black Tambourines – brought to my rather lackluster attention by local promoters, Killer Wave. Would I like to review this band, playing at The Sunflower Lounge on 25^th Oct? They have a new album out too – might want to check it out. Fair enough…

So following that extended pre-amble, here’s the world shortest review. Fu*k me.

Freedom, the second album from Falmouth four piece, The Black Tambourines, is a spectacular affair. Raw, honest; it makes me want to smash up the room with a smile on my face.

From the confident and brash, beat, beat, riff of the opening track, ‘I Wanna Stay Away’ – which finishes as unapologetic as it begins, to Starla-esqe meltdown in the album’s final two minutes, this is half an hour (and 47secs) of my life I’ll likely live on repeat. ‘Ride Hard, Crash Hard’. Without pause.

But there’s more to this LP than confidence; Freedom is crafted raw expression, recorded in a DIY honored tradition and served in tempting 2-3minutes slices. This is not a fluke, this is not a fad, this is fu*king awesome. A platitude I can’t imagine the band behind it would bother to care about, but one that will hopefully compel some attention.

Sam Stacpoole’s vocals slide from the distorted scream of ‘No Action’, the first single released, to the laconic drawl of ‘Cool Out’ – knowing when to dominate and when to support. There’s melody throughout too, something pretenders to this crown of raw thorns can too easily forget, with the ferocity Freedom so immediately owns casually stepping back for the spiky storytelling of tracks such as ‘She Don’t Want’, ‘LA’ and ‘Look Down’.

It is at this point I could drown in comparisons, but I’ll settle on 1 ½ to make my point. Think The Velvet Underground (‘I’m Waiting for the/my Man’ not ‘Pale Blue Eyes’) if they got Per Almqvist in to sing a few numbers.

But honestly, for the last time, you don’t have to believe what you read – you can stream the beast for free through BEAT Magazine’s online extension (alongside a sneaky self analysis of each track by TBTs).

But don’t be a twat, if you like it then buy it. And on that unwavering condition here’s the relevant link: http://www.thebeatjuice.com/trax/2015/08/28/11361/get-free-with-our-stream-of-the-black-tambourines-new-album-freedom/

And here’s the one you’ll be looking for after Track #11 has finished: http://easyaction.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=368&search=The+Black+Tambourines

GIG INFO: The Black Tambourines will be playing at The Sunflower Lounge on Sunday 25^th October with support from The Red Cords + The Terror Watts – as presented by Killer Wave & PNKSLM. For direct gig details visit https://www.facebook.com/events/427296080793442/

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Freedom by The Black Tambourines was released on 4^th September through Easy Action Records, for online purchasing direct from the label, click here

For more on The Black Tambourines, visit http://theblacktambourines.bandcamp.com/

October 24, 2015November 17, 2015

BPREVIEW: The Black Tambourines @ The Sunflower Lounge 25.10.15

Words by Ed King / Pic courtesy of Killer Wave

On Sunday (yes, The Lord’s day) 25^th October, The Black Tambourines come to The Sunflower Lounge – with support from The Red Cords + The Terror Watts. And that’s a whole lotta prefix.

Gig doors open at 8pm, with tickets priced at £5 (advance) – as presented by Killer Wave & PNKSLM. The Sunflower Lounge’s upstairs bar will be open as per usual (free/normal trading hours) with a satisfying range of hearty post-brunch munch and peculiar fruit ciders. Blackberry… kinda works though.

So. I have to admit, this is not the usual BPREVIEW. Firstly it’s two days late. No huge surprise there, but after working (not a euphemism) like a fool/dog I slept for significant double figures and missed two, yes two, of my own deadlines. Ah… to be an editor. And to sleep, perchance to dream…

The Black Tambourines are a four piece Garage Rock outfit from Falmouth. They released their five track Chica EP in 2007 and their self titled debut album in 2013 – both on the Bristol/London Indie, Art is Hard Records. Prior to that were the self released Happy Birthday and Hombre EPs – still available through The Black Tambourines’ Bandcamp page.

Their eleven track sophomore, Freedom, came out in September this year via Easy Action. As DIY as you’d want from Garage Rock, and as disturbingly/perfectly addictive/raw as you’d be able to comfortably snuggle up to – Freedom is a solid second album. Plus the initial singles, ‘No Action’ and ‘She Don’t Mind’, picked up steam and platitudes in some positive places. Life for The Black Tambourines, and sales, may be rosier this time around.

Garage Rock was something I put down with my youth, along with petty theft, Valentine’s Day and guilty masturbation. But seeing as it was my birthday this week I thought I’d get a bit nostalgic (keep your mind on the music people) and when Killer Wave suggested we cover, pre & post gig, The Black Tambourines I thought ‘good timing’.

I also thought I should get someone other than me to actually write BREVIEW; if you’ve ever seen me drunk on a Sunday you’ll understand why. So our freshest face, aka Emily, has dutifully stepped into the fray. Although she’s working over the weekend and covering two gigs in a row for us, so ‘fresh’ may not be the ‘f’ word she had in mind when I asked her.

So, again. Why the pre amble? What happened to the facts & figures approach I usually ask for with a BPREVIEW? ‘Keep it open people, this is not an opinion piece’. Well, quite simply, I listen to The Black Tambourines’ second album, Freedom. I will be typing an album review after I’m done here.

Sufficed to say if you have some free time on Sunday 25^th October (or the ability to prioritise) and a spare five pound note, it might not be a bad idea to saunter along to The Sunflower Lounge.

I’m now off pen said album review, have a 10pm breakfast, open that bottle of rum (a boy’s gotta sleep) and stick my head out of a window. Enjoy.

The Black Tambourines come to The Sunflower Lounge on Sunday 25^th October, with support from The Red Cords + The Terror Watts – as presented by Killer Wave & PNKSLM. For direct gig details visit https://www.facebook.com/events/427296080793442/

For more on The Black Tambourines, visit http://theblacktambourines.bandcamp.com/

For more from The Sunflower Lounge, visit http://thesunflowerlounge.com/

For more from Killer Wave, visit https://www.facebook.com/kllrwv?fref=ts

For more from PNKSLM, visit http://www.pnkslm.com/