Author: birminghamreview

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INTERVIEW: Ben Lewis, ‘Who Do You Love – The King Adora Story’

Interview by Ed King

Cast your mind back to the heyday of Brum’s Indie scene; The Hummingbird, Plastic Factory, Doc Martins from the Rag. And of course, The Jug of Ale.

But floating out of the flotsam and jetsam rose King Adora; you remember, pouty-face-big-hair? No? Well you should if you were old or sober enough.

Soaking up a sizable chunk of the local limelight, King Adora looked like they might get somewhere; with an album in the charts, a cache of label interest, ferociously loyal fans, and enough swagger to actually pull it off.

But like many before and after them (Cooler than Jesus, Blowfly, Honeyman…) King Adora’s rise was meteoric but short lived. Splitting up in 2005 the Birmingham four piece went their separate ways, reforming for only two ‘reunion’ gigs in 2010.

Then seven years later the Birmingham Review receives a press release, saying ‘KING ADORA ARE BACK’.

Really???

No, they’re not.

What’s actually happening are the first screenings of ‘Who Do You Love – The King Adora Story’, a self financed documentary by Ben Lewis; named after King Adora’s second/last album, and covering the band’s rise, fall and subsequent (albeit short, short lived) reunion.

So my second question also came in one word. Why?

“It started off as a pet project,” tells Lewis, “I’d spent a lot of time working at Apple and wanted to get back into making films.

I’d followed King Adora when they toured up in Scotland, where I was living at the time, and wanted to interview the guys; plus the other characters that’d played a part in their journey.”

A close friend of Martyn Nelson, King Adora’s lead guitarist, Ben Lewis had a comfortable link to the band. And with a background in film production, alongside half a decade training people for Apple’s video applications, he wanted “to start making some of this stuff I had all these ideas for.”

So, armed with a salary, over 100 hours of stock footage, and a “romanticised way of film making”, Ben Lewis put the King Adora story into production in 2010.

“What you have (with King Adora) are these four guys who have tasted success – but essentially lost it,” says Lewis, “and I wanted to show how that affected them.

But I also wanted to cover other themes that the band experienced in the music business at that itime. This was really pre social media; MySpace was only in its infancy, and the industry was in flux. Artist development was a becoming thing of the past.”

But King Adora split up in 2005, playing only a further two gigs in 2010. How do you effectively document such a retrospective topic?

“I was present throughout that process, so when the idea came about (for the two ‘reunion’ shows in 2010), I filmed the gigs and got vox pops form the fans,” explains Lewis. “Plus the band had often filmed their own concerts, so I got a hell of a lot of archive from King Adora tours of the UK and Japan.”

And how accessible were ‘the other characters’, the extras that ‘played a part in their journey?’

“The fans were easy enough to find,” says Lewis,” and Steve Lamacq, who had pushed Kind Adora in their early years, was happy to appear on camera.”

Anyone say no? “There were people I wanted, but just couldn’t get;

their sound engineer who used to tour with them, and I wanted to interview some of the music video directors but I couldn’t track them down.

Getting in touch with John Cornfield at Sawmill Studios also took a long time to arrange.”

Filmed on Red and 5D Mark II cameras, ‘Who Do You Love – The King Adora Story’ follows in the footsteps of Jason Reitman’s award winning independent ‘Juno’, and Steven Soderburgh’s last three releases: ‘Magic Mike’, ‘Haywire’ and ‘Contagion’. And at times, during the two year production process, Ben Lewis’ self financed documentary cost him around ₤1000 a day.

Ironically documenting a band surfing the break before the digital music wave, ‘Who Do You Love’ is facing similar commercial contentions.

Online broadcasters, such as YouTube and Vimeo, have established a quick, easy and free world of angry kittens, old TV shows and bedroom recordings. And film making ‘aint cheap – not if you do it well. So, as an independent production, how can you afford it?

“In my last few months at Apple I was spending my wages hiring Red cameras, Zeiss primes and other equipment. And I called in a lot of favours,” including the time of cinematographer Laura Howie (Aardman, Curse of the Were Rabbit, Fantastic Mr Fox).

“Now it’s completed, we’re hosting a series of screenings and will be looking at releasing a DVD. There will probably be an online release too, and I’m currently looking into iTunes and other distributors.”

‘Who Do You Love – The King Adora Story’ is also fundraising online, through Indiegogo http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/225131

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‘Who Do You Love – The King Adora Story’ will first be screened at the Hare & Hounds (Oct 24th), with subsequent screenings at Muthers Studio (Oct 27th) and the Worcestershire Film Festival (Nov 3rd).

For more information, and to buy tickets for each event, visit www.kingadora.com

‘Who Do You Love’ is released through Siwel Productions – www.siwelproductions.co.uk

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OPINION: To B or not to B?

By ViX (Victoria Perks)

Ed’s Note – A few months ago, Victoria Perks wrote the following opinion piece; after seeing some of the bands mentioned at One Beat Sunday. I held the article, wanting to find another hook to hang it on.

On Sat Oct 13th, The Independent ran a story, by Alison King, on ‘B Town’ – http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/forget-madchester-its-all-about-the-btown-scene-8207631.html

King’s story is arguably questionable, but the reaction to it has prompted the posting of Victoria’s article. With a cap doff to Lyle Bignon and a salute to Ms Perk’s patience. 

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What does the term ‘B-Town’ mean to you? Anything? Nothing?

Well, word ‘on the street’ is that B-Town is the moniker given to the hip, happening new music scene in, and hailing from, Birmingham. (C’mon guys, get with it)

Curious, but suspicious of a southern conspiracy, I question whether this term was coined by London and/or the NME, to pigeonhole up ‘n’ coming Birmingham artists as a fad – one which could be quickly forgotten.

On the contrary, local bands, Peace and Troumaca, are the most likely suspects responsible for the resurgence of this term, since it is by no means new or unique to Brum anyway (See http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com).

The consensus of opinion is that bands such as Peace, Swim Deep, Troumaca, Xova, The Musgraves, The Carpels, Poppy & the Jezebels, Tempting Rosie, Jaws, Victories at Sea and The Twang are THE bands to see right now, and could all stand under the banner of B-Town. Stylistically we are predominantly talking indie, lo-fi, electronica, ska, reggae, rock and a blend of these genres.

But is this B-Town? The tag has arguably negative connotations, of B-list, second rate, second place… or am I just being overly sensitive? I mean, we are the SECOND city; despite what megalomaniac musical centres such as Manchester and Liverpool may think of us, our city and our music scene.

And second to our country’s capital isn’t exactly a bad place to be, is it? Can we afford to turn our noses up at a hard-earned, well-deserved silver medal? Personally, I’m not in favour of cutting off my nose to spite my face.

So, to B or not to B? That was the original question.

I say go with it; embrace it; take ownership; jump on board and ring the bell. However crass it may seem, fact is that something easily labelled and packaged is easily sold. It’s OUR city, it’s OUR music and it’s high time Birmingham was not only remembered for its vast and varied musical heritage, but also repeatedly recognised for its constant and consistent creativity.

After all, a band by any other name would smell as sweet. And whoever created the name, WE create the music. That’s what really matters.

**ViX’S NOTE – Thanks to all these guys for being splendiferous sounding boards for the above article:

AUTONOMY CENTRAL, ONE BEAT RECORDS, BIRMINGHAM PROMOTERS, GOTHAM RECORDS/BTMG, RADIO TO GO.**

For more on ViX (Victoria Perks) visit www.facebook.com/vixvox or www.vix.uk.com

 

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THEATRE / REVIEW: Not Known At This Address @ MAC, Oct 3rd

By Cesilia Oriana Trecaquista

I arrive at the Midlands Arts Centre  to find the place busier than I had had seen it in some time; the bar and surrounding areas were full of loud, overzealous drama students that seemed to be fighting to be heard over each other. This continued as we entered into the sold out theatre.

Unsure of what to expect from Tin Box Theatres’ production of ‘Not Known At This Address’; the promotional posters and flyers gave very little away (ED – as well as a frustratingly uninformative video trailer), the initial set consisted of lots of boxes of varying sizes; all laid out on a simply, but effectively, lit stage.

We are introduced to Martin, a post office worker, who quickly reveals himself as a kleptomaniac loner who ‘collects’ handwritten letters in his makeshift sorting office at home.  Martin enjoys the nostalgia of a handwritten letter and romanticises about the content.

The melancholy story retrospectively describes both the sadness of others through their correspondence, and Martin’s lost love. It plays out through a series of monologues given by the cast, who are concealed behind masks and the many boxes on stage.

Live music came from another cast member; who sang and played beautiful, original compositions. Obscured by a box, mask or the darkness of a partially unlit stage, her pitch perfect tones made it hard to decipher whether it was live or pre-recorded.

The story ends rather abruptly and ambiguously, posing questions and leaving myself and the two loud drama students sat beside me wanting more.

But the simplicity of the stage set up, and the small but perfectly sufficient cast (who all added to the production, the collaborator I spoke to having made some of the masks) fully engrossed me in the storytelling; leaving me needing nothing more than what was provided.

Tin Box Theatre tour ‘Not Known At This Address’ later this year. For more information about this production, and the wider company, visit http://www.tinboxtheatre.co.uk/

 For more on MAC, visit http://www.macarts.co.uk/

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Ed’s… Highlights, Oct ’12

 

Blah, blah, blah, October. Loose segue, leaves falling. Harvest reference. Bountiful, thankful, yada yada yada; a cornucopia of concerts.

Starting with you-can-take-the-girl-out-of-Wolves, Carina Round (H&H, 3rd); touring her new album ‘Tigermending’.

Then the slightly sharper tongued Azealia Banks (HMV Institute, 5th) raps one end of the rainbow, whilst Vatican wet dream – The Vienna Boys Choir, sing the other (Town Hall, 5th); before the man with the ever growing mantelpiece, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, comes to town (N.I.A., 7th).

Pre J-Pop alt rock trio Shonen Knife (Glee Club, 8th) kitsch it up, a day before We Are Augustines (BBallroom, 9th) and the only man in rock with meth amphetamine and hair insurance, Slash (N.I.A., 9th).

Michelle Shocked reminds me of just how old I am (H&H, 10th) before Waldo’s harbinger of postal love doom, John Cale (HMV Institute, 11th), is on the road with an autumn release.

Also touring a new L.P. (apologies if you were born post 1990) are UK Hip Hop ‘n’ Dubsteppers, Foreign Beggars (O2 Academy 2, 11th), whilst the Womble following Katie Melua (Symphony Hall, 12th) brings the closest thing to boring back to Birmingham.

In a front man fight for your right to (anachronistically) party, we have The Stranglers’ Hugh Cornwell in one corner (O2 Academy, 13th) and The Kinks‘ Ray Davies in the other (Symphony Hall, 13th); whilst young contender Bloc Party staggers back from the ropes (O2 Academy, 15th).

For a few more juicy berries, pick out: Kathryn Williams (Glee Club, 16th), Newton Faulkner (O2 Academy, 18th), Rick Astley (O2 Academy 2, 18th), Toy (HMV Institute, 20th), Delilah (HMV Institute, 21st), The Twilight Sad (H&H, 22nd), Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (HMV Institute, 24th), Seth Lakeman (Town Hall, 25th), Joan Armatrading (Symphony Hall, 26th), Goodnight Lenin – with Arcane Fire & Dry the River (HMV Institute, 30th), Tyler Hilton (O2 Academy 2, 30th), Tom McRae (Glee Club, 30th) & Muse (LG Arena, 30th).

And just in time for Halloween, we have Toyah – retouring/performing ‘The Changeling’ (BBallroom, 31st). Plus The Killers, with support from Tegan & Sara (LG Arena, 31st).

Erm… bright orange hair, Brandon Flowers, something about pumpkins? Enjoy.

You can follow Ed King at www.twitter.com/edking2210

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REVIEW: Rachel Sermanni @ The Glee Club, Sept 27th

Words by Holly Pyke / Pics by Cesilia Oriana Trecaquista

Similar to previous reviews I have seen, Rachel Sermanni opened her gig at The Glee Club rather awkwardly.

She appeared uncomfortable and nervous, which immediately put my back up as I always assume this to be audience manipulation. My plummeting expectations for the night were extremely short lived however, as by half way through the opening song I had (grudgingly) decided that I actually quite liked her.

In fact, I think I was initially rather unreasonable as, although having performed various festival circuits, Sermanni is still a very new act at the tender age of 20.

Only playing to a small audience (being in The Glee Club’ Studio) there was no support act; and to her credit, Sermanni enthralled us from the moment she started. All signs of nerves disappeared well before ‘Breathe Easy’, and the audience were left transfixed throughout the entirety of the set.

The evening started bang on time; the sound, lighting and general atmosphere were without fault and complimentary. Sermanni’s performance was excellent, and (as it transpires) she is an extremely engaging performer; interspersing her haunting, darkly melodic songs with witty and entertaining dialogue.

The set comprised of songs from her debut album ‘Under Mountains’ (check out ‘Under Mountains’ Birmingham Review) such as ‘Bones’, ‘Sleep’ and ‘Eggshells,’ all of which were delivered beautifully and with impeccable skill.  The expectant audience culminating in an animated encore demand, which included ‘Song to a Fox’ and enthusiastic applause.

The change in mood and tempo between ‘Breathe Easy’, ‘Sea Oh See’ and ‘The Fog’ rendered the set with depth, colour and a sense of being pulled along a swirling fairytale journey. However at another point during the evening it became difficult to tell whether she was repeating an earlier song, as the sound was so similar.

Recorded versions of her album tracks maintain greater individuality, but due to the stripped back live performance  – where there was nothing on stage but Sermanni and her guitar, it would be unreasonable to expect total distinction.

And with a voice and charm as hypnotic as hers, I really don’t think it matters.

For more info on Rachel Sermanni, including her debut album ‘Under Mountains’, visit http://www.rachelsermanni.net/

For details on other gigs at The Glee Club, visit http://www.glee.co.uk/birmingham-music