Author: birminghamreview

Words by Ceri Black / Pics by Jonathan Morgan

Having previously released only EP’s, Young Kato embark on their first tour to actively promote an album – their debut, Don’t Wait ‘til Tomorrow, is set for release on 3^rd May. And I, for one, don’t know what to expect from tonight’s gig.

Formed in 2011, Young Kato flew somewhat under the mainstream radar until an appearance on the ‘reality’ TV show Made in Chelsea – bringing them significant national exposure, and increasing popularity with a teenage fanbase. A twist of fate that could help explain the average age of the crowd at The Rainbow tonight.

Lead singer Tommy Wright confesses that they have always struggled with crowd numbers in Birmingham until tonight, and seems genuinely honoured to see a room (albeit a small one) filled with people.  However I question the validity (spending power, loyalty, longevity) of an audience so youthful, many of them have had to bring their parents to gain entry.

Thankfully, one song into the set I swiftly throw my cynicism away and decide to enjoy myself; opening with tracks ‘Ultraviolet’ and ‘Light It Up’, Young Kato play with a vibrant and colourful energy.

And despite the stage being hardly big enough to contain their six members, instruments and enough bouncing around to make me tired just watching them, Young Kato own it with the confidence of an accomplished band. Remember, as of tonight, these boys have yet to release an album – there’s a long way still to go for Young Kato.

But even in the face of a less than enthusiastic audience when new tracks such as ‘Stephanie’ are played, Young Kato produce almost perfect synth-pop that oozes with style and likability – leaving me curious and wanting to hear more.

And to end on as much of a guarantee as you can have, Young Kato round off tonight’s gig with a raucous and unrestrained delivery of their signature song ‘Drink Dance Play’ – a finale that has the whole room chanting the chorus along with them.

Despite the small stage, limited space and therefore questionable venue decision, Young Kato play with the assurance and boldness of a band that deserve a lot more recognition. Hopefully, their upcoming album will give these boys another justified break.

Don’t Wait ‘til Tomorrow is set for release on 3^rd May 2015. For more form Young Kato, visit http://www.youngkato.com/

For more from The Rainbow Venues, visit http://www.therainbowvenues.co.uk/

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

Words by Ed King / Pics by Rob Hadley – Indie Images

One Trick Pony Club is a curious name; the Moseley watering hole, that once had its staff dance on the bar to ‘YMCA’ at the end of each night, took a significant u-turn since last November.

And whilst change isn’t always progressive, or well executed, this M&B boozer mercifully shelved its shamrocks and joined the operator’s Castle Pub chain – bringing in a fresh decor, menu, ents calendar and (hopefully) crowd to the Alcester Road venue.

Music is back on the bill, but instead of the Ceol Castle castoffs and cover bands there is a bi-weekly Thursday night live music showcase curated by Killer Wave, followed by a weekend of DJ Collective bringing you ‘a sweet sweet selection of pretty much everything that’s good upon the ears.’

And so far, so good; acts from the ethereal electronica of I Am Anushka, to the… slightly louder Spit, Shake, Sisters have underpinned a grass roots line up that’s been pretty respectable. And it’s free, so stuff it – another cider please.

Tonight is a double bill from Midnight Bonfires and Byron Hare; the later just starting as I squeeze towards the back of the room and balance my pint on the condiments table. Playing on a small, open rostrum with their backs to the beer garden, Byron Hare kick off with some unashamed Blues Rock and vocals that could floor a rhino.

I look around and see the venue is open plan and a little divided, with one half feeling more inclined to drink than dance – whilst the other half crack on in true teenage house party style, loud and regardless. A mini gripe, and one not really to be helped, but Gripe No1. Or Gripe No ½. But the sound is good, the stage is close, and it’s reassuring to be watching live music in a Mosley venue not surrounded by kids or ketamine. Or both.

Byron Hare march through a confident set, stepping from prog Rock to California Pop to 60’s Psychedelia, ending up at what the closing hours of the Fillmore on a Tuesday would probably have been like. There are moments of Janis Joplin and Jefferson Airplane, with everything going smoothly until an overzelous cymbal drowns me out at the end of the set. Gripe No1 ½.

Jodie Ollis’s vocals are outstanding thoughout, with the whole band bringing something to their live performance I had not appreciated through their previous recordings – as much of a blessing/curse as this situation can be. But as musicians on stage go, this six piece homage to the Summer of Love are certainly worth a few Shekels – although perhaps lacking something that’ll pay more Sterling or Euro.

Then, as the once fragmented crowd turn en mass to the front, it’s Midnight Bonfires to the stage. I kid not, I’m at the bar during the changeover (with my back to the room) and when I turn around pint in hand, it’s like a small controlled evacuation has moved everyone 3metres to the right. So rounding us up to Gripe No3, if you’re actually in the venue – try and give all acts on stage some appreciation, or at least sideways attention. To the naughty step audience.

Midnight Bonfires open with ‘Fingertips’ and ‘Sibial’, jumping from light to dark and Pop to Punk undertones, before front man David Langley explains “it’s been a balmy night, on a wild breeze,” with cheeky irreverence. Are they happy? Do they need water? Whiskey? A hug? I honestly can’t tell.

Moving into ‘Even in the…’ with a slow, almost calypso rim tap rhythm, a few stalwart favourites get hung out next with ‘Lights Out’ and ‘Existence’. I am trying not to make anymore references that I’ll later regret , but there is homage in the air tonight and I’m beginning to choke. A bit. A swig of cider clears my throat. But I’m still waiting for the, as someone surmises for me later in the evening, that ‘shiver down the spine’.

Three tracks from their new Oxygen EP come next, with the soft and plucky ‘Dear Lady’ sitting very pretty next to a welcome resurgence of ‘Misbehave’; a cracking song, owned to the core, and a perfect showcase for the see saw of style and talent that this band exude.  The title track, ‘Oxygen’, follows – with its subtle staccato verse a little drowned out by THE CHATTER that has snuck off the naughty step to stand front, centre and with mouths in motion. Gripe No 4.

Midnight Bonfires close off their set with the cheeky and new song ‘Shiver Shiver’, before the chorus of ‘St James’ has me singing along despite having no idea of the words. A good thing, to everyone not standing next to me.

Then the night is over, curtain close; we file slowly, languidly onto the cold concrete of a pre midnight Moseley Village – just in time for Gripe No5 and my final whinge of the evening.

It’s a shame, nay travesty, that a venue situated so safely this dainty suburb, with its immediate neighbours either a 9-5 business, park or duel carriageway, is one of the ones not to have a later license. Moseley passed this precedent a while ago, with ‘societies’ and ‘associations’ now prepared to talk sensibly with licensees and promoters; there is some village momentum, and One Trick Pony Club should be a shoe in.

But I’m sure they’ll get round to it. There is a reassuring track record behind some of the new faces, and summer is coming. It would be good to see what more they can do.

M&B have invested in Moseley village and didn’t, that I know of, fight too contentiously for a later licence across the road – which is next to residents. So I say give One Trick Pony Club a fair crack at the whip.  After all, change is also inevitable.

For more on Midnight Bonfires, visit http://midnightbonfires.com/

For more on Byron Hare, visit http://byronhare.co.uk/

For more on One Trick Pony Club, visit http://www.onetrickponyclub.co.uk/

 

 

Words by Ed King / Pics by Ed Taylor – Digital Flow

To borrow my opening line from a song, there’s something happening here. And what it is still baffles the hell out of me. Bipolar Sunshine, the solo endeavour of Adio Marchant, has been around for a couple of years now – producing a handful of EPs and singles that, whilst genuinely fresh, often argue with each other. I’m still a little unsure.

In preparation for tonight’s gig I’ve spent the past week going over Bipolar Sunshine’s back catalogue and I am left with three solid holds: 1) the man can probably write a pop melody standing on his head, 2) I’m not comfortable calling his music ‘pop’, and 3) if the ex-Kid British front man ever wanted a season to showcase his solo album, this summer would be the one.

Outside of those somewhat weak conclusions, I am standing in an even thinner crowd at the Institute – having been moved from the Library (around 600cap) to the Temple (around 200cap) – to watch Adio Marchant’s new machine at work.

Team Sunshine have been on tour since 26^th March, visiting all the right places on what is certainly a showcase trail, and tonight it’s Birmingham’s turn. I’m keen to see Bipolar Sunshine play live; to help me sink my teeth into what has been an honestly tough chew all week. Not unpleasant by any stretch, just something…

The Temple is disappointingly sparse tonight; from the hit rate the preview generated I was expecting more people between me Bipolar Sunshine’s ‘biggest headline tour’ to date. But alas, we are small in numbers. Plus the changed stage is now so absurdly packed I fear for the life and limbs of a hard working tour manager – trapped in a dangerous game of cable hopscotch, just to keep bottled water on stage.

I rest at the back of the room (bar) to watch Shatter Effect climb a rung up the bill for the main support set – Cape Cub, the ongoing tour support, have seemingly come down with one excuse or another. I love watching this band do what they do, and they do it better each time, but it’s an odd marriage of acts – although I may have been the only audience member to notice. I even see dancing. Shatter Effect; keep them in mind.

Stage left, Bipolar Sunshine – as a collective term – are warming up, with the joviality and nervous excitement you’d expect in the wings of an arena. During the change over, producer and guitarist, Jazz Purple, is making the kind of noises that make me question if he’s preparing to perform or smash the place up. But perhaps I’ve been to too many raves in this venue during the mid 90’s; an impromptu hug and hi five tells me we’re probably all safe.

And despite a possibly disheartening turn out, Bipolar Sunshine (again as a collective term) are not letting us subdue – coming on stage with an immediate energy that drags the fragmented crowd to the front. As I watch the obviously eager audience, this starts to make more sense.

Adio Marchant bounces through ‘Drowning in Butterflies’, wearing an incongruous overcoat and shorts combo, as those in attendance dutifully sing along. One tall, awkward couple in front of me almost battle it out for some oddly personal trophy, as the rest of the crowd face forward and make all the right noises in all the right places.

Marchant is superbly professional, somehow managing to navigate the maze of cable and mic stands with an expressive frontman gait. His vocals are much stronger on stage too, dispelling any concerns raised by the sometimes distant voice on his first two EPs, whilst the three piece band around him fluctuate from Soul to Hip Hop to Breaks in an equally confident delivery.

But then Becher’s Brook arrives, with a cry for audience participation (despite being slightly drowned out by the band) coming from Marchant as he introduces ‘Deckchairs on the Moon’. I couldn’t hear which part of what chorus he was asking us to mirror, but seemingly I missed the meeting which told everyone else and the room responds to the extended microphone with eager aplomb.  Lip sync turns to singing, and the oddly competitive couple in front of me stare at each other with the earnest commitment of a disgraced preacher.

I confess, I’m still not personally sold on Bipolar Sunshine; my week of preparation, preview and now review leaving me still somewhat unsure. But, as I slide out of the Temple room once our ‘first three songs, no flash’ time has come up, I see a crowd comfortably, happily, pressed to the front and singing along.

And with seven tour dates, a festival season, and an album still to come this year, what ain’t exactly clear about Bipolar Sunshine will get enough chances to speak up. For what it’s worth.

Bipolar Sunshine comes to the Birmingham Institute on 8^th April, with support from Cape Cub & Shatter Effect. For more gig info & tickets, visit http://theinstitutebirmingham.com/listings/upcoming-events/16598/bipolar-sunshine-2/

For more on Bipolar Sunshine, visit http://bipolarsunshine.com/

For more from Shatter Effect, visit http://www.shattereffect.com/ 

For more from the Institute, visit http://theinstitutebirmingham.com/

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