Author: birminghamreview

Words by Jay Airey

Slagerij, the only support act for tonight, are a three piece Punk/Ska band with a cheeky sense of humour.

In an atmospheric start, Slagerij burst onto the stage with a fantastic show of energy; the O2 Academy crowd quickly warming to them. And although there are no more than a couple of dancers throughout their set, towards the end a cover of ‘(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)’ goes down well enough.

In the time between the support and main act, the crowd seems to triple in size; there is a growing sense of anticipation. And although missing the original front man, Jello, today’s incarnation of the Dead Kennedys can still justify the name – with East Bay Ray and Klaus Flouride both present, and Ron ‘Skip’ Greer fitting in well on vocals.

Dead Kennedys come to the stage without as much ‘in your face’ as Slagerij, but certainly with their own style – kicking off tonight’s set with their cover of ‘Rawhide’. Punk enough. And by the time we hit the third song, ‘Jock-o-Rama’, the link with the crowd is complete – even after a short speech on the superiority of American over English football.

By now the pit has gotten into full swing, literally. As befitting the occasion there are more fists than elbows being used, and the temperature in the small room at the O2 Academy is rising. The age gap between those old fans watching and the new fans dancing (with their aforementioned fists in the aforementioned pit) is clear, although there are still a few originals getting respectably stuck in.

‘Kill the Poor’ is followed by a version of ‘MTV Get off the Air’ that has been updated for the Internet age, to ‘MP3 Get off the Web’. But I can’t help thinking a complaint about the royalty free exchange of music is a little controversial, considering the band’s Punk origins and the meaning behind the original song.

Then back to the high energy classics with ‘Too Drunk to Fuck’, accompanied by a 500ml bottle of water sprayed into the crowd from ‘Skip’… nice touch. Harmless, but adding a little sense of danger.

“I need a break, I’m too old for Punk Rock…unfortunately, so are you!” was the next introduction from the Dead Kennedys‘ current vocalist; it is true that many here are revisiting their youth, on stage and off. And no doubt a number of those in the O2 Academy tonight who used to shave their heads for style, no longer need to do that quite so often.

‘Nazi Punks Fuck Off’ includes some audience participation; after a short training session, we join in by singing the second half of the song title when prompted. Then a final favourite is squeezed in before Dead Kennedys leave the stage, ‘California – Uber Alles’ also has the crowd singing loudly.

Then, as expected, after a few minutes the band return togive us more; a version of ‘Bleed For Me’ that includes snippets of ‘Shake it Off’ and ‘Viva Las Vegas’. This is quickly segued into the anticipated (couldn’t imagine it would not feature tonight) ‘Holiday in Cambodia’, before a second, unexpected, return to the stage adds ‘Chemical Warfare’ (with a few bars of “Sweet Home Alabama”) to the list.

Dead Kennedys (with whomever screaming down the mic) gave Birmingham an excellent show tonight. For me, it was a chance to relive my 1980s. For the 17 year old that was with me, it was an introduction to an important Punk band he’d previously only heard about.

For more from Dead Kennedys, visit http://www.deadkennedys.com/

For further listing from the O2 Academy Birmingham, visit http://www.o2academybirmingham.co.uk/

Words by Olly MacNamee

It has been far too long since NOFX brought their Punk-Rock cavalcade into town, but with two dates this weekend at the O2 Academy (B’ham), Sat 27th and Sun 28th June, they’re making up for their much lamented Birmingham absence.

Touring with both Alkaline Trio and Lagwagon, NOFX have lined up two different sets for their O2 Academy weekend – seeing them play their seminal Punk in Drublic album in its entirety at the Sunday night show. A welcome choice no doubt, given this raucous and rowdy album has been NOFX’s most commercially successful to date, garnering their one and only gold record by 2000.

But also given that NOFX are their own bosses, recording and releasing through Fat Mike’s own Fat Wreck Chords label, I don’t think they’re in it too much for the accolades.

NOFX seem more in it for the party, often encouraging their fans to join in too; which usually means being comically lubricated, and equally jovial with one another on-stage as they are with the audience. So come prepared.

Also on the bill are NOFX stable mates, the mighty Lagwagon, alongside Illinois’s Alkaline Trio – collectively producing a Punk/Rock line-up that’s going to be hard to beat any time soon.

With ten albums behind them, Lagwagon have an impressive back catalogue to call upon, and like NOFX ignored the lure of major record labels back in the 90’s. When bands like Green Day (and Punk/Rock in general) enjoyed some more mainstream attention, Lagwagon chose Fat Wreck Chords to call their home – itself an off shoot from Brett Gurewitz’s Epitaph Records, who signed Alkaline Trio.

So this coming weekend at the O2 Academy seems to be a family affair of sorts, with our Brummie audience of nieces and nephews coming out to see their cool uncles from out of town. But be warned, if you are coming to this Punk/Rock knees up you may want to snap up a ticket sooner rather than later.

At the time of writing, the Sat 27^th June show has already sold out – something that, in a Punk/Rock career spanning over three decades, cannot be said about any of the three bands on the O2 Academy‘s weekend line up.

NOFX come to the O2 Academy on Sat 27^th & Sun 28^th June – with support from Alkaline Trio + Lagwagon. For further gig info & tickets, visit http://www.o2academybirmingham.co.uk/event/75692/nofx-and-alkaline-trio-tickets

For more on NOFX, visit http://www.nofxofficialwebsite.com/

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For more on Alkaline Trio, visit http://alkalinetrio.com/

For more on Lagwagan, visit http://lagwagon.com/

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For further listings from the O2 Academy (B‘ham), visit http://www.o2academybirmingham.co.uk/

On Friday 26^th June, Free School bring their live set to the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath, headlining a bevy of support from Hoopla Blue, The Grafham Water Sailing Club, Field Harmonics + DJ sets from Golden Trash & This is Tmrw.

Doors open at 8pm with entrance at £5 + booking fee (advance).

For more gig info & online tickets, click here

Free School come to the Hare & Hounds, promoted by This Is Tmrw, to launch their new single. No, album.

Hang on (furious typing… send… wait… ping…)

Single; the latest ‘insidiously groovy’ release from the Birmingham producers, called ‘Love Calling’ – featuring vocals/spoken word from Tomlin Mystic.

Plus if you get there early (first 25 through the door) you’ll get a free promotional copy of ‘Love Calling’, complete with a Sam Redmore remix of ‘Don’t Make Your Life So Hard’.

But everyone (early, online or off) can get a snifter of ‘Love Calling’ now, so don’t stress your Friday night boots too much – if you’re working late, or just a little end of week lethargic.

Although you know what… F*ck me sideways with a sandwich, have a look/listen to this. It just might be worth that extra bit of effort:

Love Calling – Free School

Free School, aka producer/DJs Steve Alcock and Andy Porteous, have been churning out their ‘cosmic delights’ on Tirk Records since 2011 – with ‘Love Calling’ coming out on Static Caravan Records.

A pretty healthy badge for the Birmingham music scene (well part of it, at least), Free School have been keeping the blissed out Balearic alive – releasing their debut album, Tender Administration, in 2012, following a couple of pretty heavyweight EPs. Plus they are the only artists (that we know of) to enjoy the introduction ‘wearing rubber lamb masks’.

Regular DJs as well, Free School have not been too shy along the halls of clubland either – supporting a healthy list of peers including Andrew Weatherall, Ulrich Schnauss and even Editors.

And having played festivals from Digbeth to Croatia, Free School’s immediate summer diary will also see them join the fierce Friday night lineup at the Mostly Jazz, Soul & Funk Festival.

N.B. There’s also a possible Free School Saturday night slot at the Rave Against Racism event on 27^th June –  although the line up and layout for this event has recently changed, so please cross reference with the Rave Against Racism promoters.

But headlining a lineup that would be worth double the current asking price, with live support from Hoopla Blue, The Grafham Water Sailing Club, Field Harmonics + DJ sets from Golden Trash & This is Tmrw, Free School come to the Hare & Hounds on Friday 26^th June – launching their new single, ‘Love Calling’ (above).

For further gig info, including online tickets, visit http://hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk/event-listings/event/?eventID=10035463

For more on Free School, visit https://soundcloud.com/free-school

For further listing from the Hare & Hounds, visit http://hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk/

For more from This is Tmrw, visit http://thisistmrw.co.uk/

Words by Olly MacNamee / Pics courtesy of Mostly Jazz Festival

Running from 10-12^th July, Mostly Jazz , Funk & Soul Festival returns to Moseley Park in Birmingham. Advance purchase/adult day tickets are priced at £49, with a full weekend pass costing £94.

Concessions are available for families and children – for further event info, click here

**At the time of writing Saturday 11th July is already sold out, and it’s likely Friday will go the same way soon. You may want to take that into account as you read through this preview.

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Moseley’s hummus eating, salad tossing denizens could be in for a shock at this year’s Mostly Jazz & Soul Festival, as Public Enemy, still rap’s most politically ferocious and relevant group some 25 years or so on, descend onto the peaceful suburban tranquility of Moseley Park – for the opening night headline set on Friday 10th July.

Public Enemy replace the previously announced Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, but I doubt anyone will be too upset, considering the quality of their replacements; maybe just the neighbours. And with a back catalogue as long as Flavour Flav’s arrest record, they will no doubt bring the noise and then some.

Also along for the ride are fun-loving rap outfit The Pharcyde, Soul-Jazz artist Gregory Porter, the fabulous and fun brass band ensemble The Hackney Colliery Band (who’s Prodigy Medley is a good indication of what they’re all about) and a man who represents every genre in event’s the title, Roy Ayers.

There are some local talents too, such as Free School – who are launching their new single, ‘Love Calling’, a week before at the Hare & Hounds. Mental note, the Hare & Hounds will be hosting a number of after show parties across the festival weekend – starting with The Nextmen on July 10th.

Doing double duty will be the ever-popular Craig Charles, spinning the wheels of steel both at the festival on the Saturday (possibly the reason for the sell-out, one imagines) and then carrying on the party at the Moseley Dance Centre with a Northern Soul all-nighter.

Alongside this pretty remarkable lineup is a plethora of stalls and vendors – selling the usual festival fair, as well as providing plenty for the kids to do. Watch out for the Kids’ Jazz Workshop on Sunday 12^th July hosted by trumpet player Matt Gough; ideal for 3-8 year-olds.

For a festival that only started in 2010, Mostly Jazz has cemented itself onto the city’s summer calendar – attracting a lot of both home grown attention and that from further afield. In a nutshell, it’s likely to sell out.

So what are you waiting for? If you don’t believe the hype, you may well miss out. You haven’t been warned.

Mostly Jazz, Soul & Funk 2015 – official trailer

Mostly Jazz Festival 2015 will be held on Moseley Park, Birmingham, from 10-12^th June.

For more about the Mostly Jazz Festival, including full line up and programme details, online tickets & directions, visit http://mostlyjazz.co.uk/