Author: birminghamreview

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Osees Return To Birmingham To Kick Off European Tour 07/05/22

Writer Emily Doyle / Photographer Rob Hadley Indie Images 

Exactly six months after a sell out show at the exact same venue, Osees (formerly Oh Sees, Thee Oh Sees, The Ohsees, Orange County Sound, OCS, Orinoka Crash Suite…) return to The Crossing in Digbeth to begin their European tour.

Support comes from Wolverhampton’s God Damn, who are clearly thrilled to be sharing the stage. Through heavily distorted vocals, frontman Thom Edward shouts his praise for the Birmingham and Black Country psych and garage scene. Local gig regulars have seen God Damn evolve over the years, and tonight it feels like they’ve reached their final form.

Bludgeoning riffs backed by Hannah Al-Shemmeri’s squalling synths are the perfect warm up for the evening. After shushing the excitable crowd during the intro, Edward launches into ‘Shit Guitar’ and is met with a gleeful singalong to the chorus.

Osees start their set a little early after a brief line check, but everyone floods back in from the smoking area in time to hear the opening bars of ‘I Come from the Mountain’. Their high speed sound feels unhinged, barely held together by sheer momentum. Shrill guitar and whirling keys whip the crowd into a predictable frenzy.

Frontman John Dwyer is a joy to watch. He roams from the mic to the synthesiser, returning to unplug his guitar and hold the live jack against a ride cymbal, then busting out the squeaky toy for ‘The Daily Heavy’.

As the set progresses, the Osees reveal themselves to be a carefully constructed, well-oiled juggernaut. While each song crackles with chaotic energy, it always meets ground and there’s no doubt about where that happens.

Front and centre the whole time are drummers Dan Rincon and Paul Quattrone on matching gold and silver kits. They are hypnotic. Dripping with sweat as the set moves past the hour mark, Rincon and Quattrone remain perfectly in sync as Dwyer bounces around to stage right. Trading fills at the opening of ‘Jettisoned’ or wading through the sludge of ‘Toe Cutter-Thumb Buster’, the pair are enthralling.

Referring to the drummer as “the beating heart of the band” is a lazy music-journo cliche that the good people at Birmingham Review would never stoop to. But boy, if it’s ever been true, it’s tonight.

For more from the Osees (Oh Sees) visit their website: www.theeohsees.com 

For more from Midlands own God Damn take a look at: www.goddamntheband.com

To see what’s going on at The Crossing in Digbeth go to: www.thecrossingdigbeth.co.uk

 

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Sámi Artist Britta Marakatt-Labba Exhibits: Under the Vast Sky – At Ikon Gallery

Writer Harry Croxford / Photographer Erin Connolly

The Ikon Gallery in Brindley Place conducts the first UK exhibition of Sámi artist, Britta Marakatt-Labba: Under the Vast Sky.

From iconic embroidered pieces to more recent experiments with sculpture, each piece foregrounds the struggles, cosmic mythology, and voice of the Sámi as they navigate state authority, colonising industry, and now, climate change.

The Sámi are indigenous peoples whose population spreads through the combined northern territories of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. These nations, and their artificial borders, divide the cultural region known locally as Sápmi.

Historically suppressed by these states – first through religion, then through industrial expansion – over the past few decades, contemporary Sámi artists have sought to reclaim their narratives and identities. Clothing, arts, and cultural practices like reindeer herding, have been centred in attempts to express the meaning of what it means to be Sámi today.

One such artistic medium is the yoik: a traditional form of song performed by the Sámi.

The yoik is malleable, yet personal. An expression of a singer’s identity, it is a most distinctly Sámi form, popularised by contemporary artists and singers seeking to navigate traditional identities and contemporary forms.

In this way, the yoik becomes a model for the Sámi artist-activist Britta Marakatt-Labba. Working primarily with embroidery as her medium, her meticulous and careful practice bridges narrative with image and represents scenes from her own life and from Sámi experience.

Particular scenes open out onto the broader cultural story like the yoik, as Marakatt-Labba remarks in an interview with Berlin Art Link: “My work is like singing a Sámi yoik: there’s no beginning and no end. It’s like a circle”.

As you enter Ikon Gallery’s second floor, the site of Marakatt-Labba’s first UK exhibition, you witness this circle. Scenes plucked from Marakatt-Labba’s childhood conjoin with the mythologised and historical.

Here: trees, felled for lumber as Sámi look on. There, the traditional and protected practice of reindeer herding. Elsewhere, Sápmi land with the cosmos above and underworld below represented through vivid depth and colour. Everywhere: events in time where each work communicates with one another, forming a distinctive symbolic vocabulary.

In ‘Garjiat/The Crows’ (1981/2001) shapeless dark forms impose themselves from the top of the canvas. The gaze lowers, and these blots of mottled embroidery turn into crows. This murder transforms anew into the black uniforms of Norwegian police. They trudge through the snow to violently remove Sámi protestors encamped in their Lavvu – a traditional temporary dwelling.

This piece is a documentary-cum-mythological representation of an episode in the Álta conflict in the 1970s, where indigenous populations of the Sápmi confronted the expansion of both state and industry. Its namesake originates from the flashpoint surrounding the construction of a hydroelectric plant in Sápmi land.

Ancestors, for whom the Sámi are in constant communication, invoke the presence and force of history. The past as it persists in this way is invoked in ‘Historja/History’ (2003): presented via a video installation and preparatory watercolour, the viewer is exposed to the painstaking process of craft.

Here, historical events co-exist with mythology. By narrativizing this, and through this vividly constructed panorama of Sámi culture, Marakatt-Labba invites the viewer to consider what is lost, gained, and meaningful about the narratives we tell ourselves.

This exhibition extends beyond the embroidered form that Marakatt-Labba is most known for: we see preparatory watercolour sketches, installation pieces, and extending from her recent interest: sculpture. But as the yoik is indivisibly, distinctly, Sámi, so is Marakatt-Labba’s unique work. Something she implores us not to forget.

You can visit Britta Marakatt-Labba: Under the Vast Sky at Ikon Gallery, until 29 May 2022 – for more details visit: www.ikon-gallery.org/exhibition/britta-marakatt-labba

For more from the Ikon Gallery take a look at their website: www.ikon-gallery.org

For more on Britta Marakatt-Labba visit: www.brittaml.se

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Myles Newman Is The King Of The Hill At Kaleidoscope On 5 May

Writer Richard Bari / Photographer Miren Harris

Kaleidoscope locked, loaded, and hit the mark once again. The local promoters behind the monthly free event curated another wild night with a packed house, and a line-up worth their salt and much more.

The show kicks off with Sawel Underground. The sextet lays down a mix of numbers, all rooted in a variety of staple 60s sounds – ranging from Diddleyesque blues to drowsy psychedelia. Each member looks the part too, with half the band appearing as if they were pulled out of a trippy poster, and the other straight out of The Factory.

Next comes Sugarthief, bringing the arsenal of new material they’ve been cooking up. Having undergone a metamorphosis their sound has evolved at full tilt, but they still seamlessly blend their new songs with the old.

With recent influence from the likes of Scott-Heron, and certain exiles of Brazil, their songs come with a certain seriousness. Yet, their delivery conveys self-awareness, eliminating any chance of appearing out of touch.

Finally, long after sunset, the man of the hour, Myles Newman, graces the stage. Backed by an eclectic mix of local musicians, the supergroup around him helps bring his musical vision to a full-scale, live setting.

Myles has established himself through his method of recording everything himself, using analogue tape machines and equipment – a mode of operation which resulted in a signature lo-fi sound that can be heard on his nostalgia-inducing ‘Miss World’ and ‘Little Message’ singles.

This gig, however, is an opportunity to showcase cuts from his upcoming EP simply titled You and Me – which pushes the evolution of his sound tenfold. Despite dropping on 22 May, I was lucky to wrap my ears around the release a little earlier.

The only logical conclusion I could draw is that Myles is a chameleon of sound…

If ‘Miss World’ was a sweet bop with indie sentiments, songs like ‘Sophie’ and ‘You Know’ are the result of an intense period of absorbing as much Americana as possible, repackaging it and serving it up with wonderful authenticity.

The development is astounding; ‘Sophie’ could easily fall in with hitters from The Gilded Palace of Sin. With pedal steel licks, country style harmonies and lovely chorus breakdowns, Myles manages to revive cosmic, hippie country but here in the West Midlands.

Despite maintaining the same simplistic recording approach, the musical complexities and convictions are a testament to his abilities and observant ear.

But, how was this sound going to translate when a full band with three guitars and a rhythm section got to work with the songs?

Well, what ensues is a blend of soft rock soundscapes, wholesome antics, and a sleazy cover to wrap it all up.

The tunes are certainly delivered with a heavier hand, focusing more on groove which gives each number yet another dimension. The sound in The Night Owl is great, but hidden piano runs won’t stand out as they do on the record – aware of this, the band  focus more on rhythm, reeling and rocking.

Ed Quigley sways and bops while backing on guitar. Myles and his right-hand man, El Cid, share a microphone and take turns to solo. Members of the audience are drawn right in, their heads swaying in unison and nods are exchanged confirming approval.

The aforementioned singles and earlier releases like ‘Can’t Sleep Alone’ make the set too, receiving a warm welcome, solidifying that Myles has had something going on for a long time now. The audience hasn’t had their fill by the time the band announces the end of the set, they demand one more.

“You want one more? Alright.” Laying straight into Clapton’s ‘Cocaine’, they wrap the evening up with a bang.

One thing is loud and clear – Newman works in eras, and we are all ready to see where he takes us next.

To listen to Sawel Underground go to: www.open.spotify.com/artist/2swi0z5T7zaMptFj4ptZqf

To take a look at what Sugarthief are up to go to their website: www.sugarthief.co.uk

To listen to Myles Newman go to: www.open.spotify.com/artist/08MG8TyCUmstyoCAy12OG7

 You can also follow Kaleidoscope on Instagram to see their upcoming shows www.instagram.com/bhamkaleidoscope

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Andy Panayi Quartet Live At The Warehouse Café 04/05/22

Writer Henry Hanssen / Photographer Connor Pope

The dark and rainy springtime in Birmingham is slowly but surely ending. Overcast and subdued evenings of sitting inside the pub, wrapped in your favorite scarf and coat, are being replaced with relaxing in the beer garden, sipping on a refreshing pint. These seasonal changes mark the beginning of the best time of the year for local jazz gigs: summer.

Warehouse Jazz Sessions in Digbeth are a perfect example of this, and who better to bring the good vibes than tenor saxophone legend, Andy Panayi. On this occasion, Andy was playing with a brand new quartet composed of Josh Vadiveloo (bass), Kai Chareunsy (drums), and David Austin Grey (piano).

A palpable sense of excitement is created from the first tune, a rendition of Thelonious Monk’s ‘Evidence’. Within the first two minutes of his solo, Andy has the audience in a trance-like state, flying around his instrument with eagle-eyed precision.

Andy is clearly well-versed in the world of highly complex jazz harmony, and to hear that demonstrated within the parameters of such well-known jazz standards like ‘Evidence’ and ‘Good Bait’ is a truly wonderful thing.

The quartet are able to execute a challenging set of tunes with ease, weaving through different styles. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought they had been playing together for years.

One of the standout performances is their double time rendition of ‘Body and Soul’, in which Andy takes a lengthy and jaw-dropping solo on the soprano sax. Another is ‘These Foolish Things’ where anyone would be forgiven for mistaking it as a cut off a 1959 Blue Note classic.

The contribution of Andy’s band is not to be overlooked. These three musicians set such a dense foundation for Andy to work with. The chemistry between Vadiveloo and Chareunsy is formidable. The addition of David Austin Grey on piano is grand (if you’ll pardon the pun) his rhythmic, Bud Powell-esque improvisations have the audience hooked.

Hearing these four musicians play together felt more like listening to a single musical entity rather than an ensemble. Once again, Josh Vadiveloo has successfully brought an act who has turned the Warehouse café’s quiet and peaceful hue into a raucous and rowdy night of stunning jazz.

Should this act play again, I recommend experiencing (in my opinion) one of the finest new quartets in Birmingham for yourself.

For more from Andy Panayi take at look at his website: www.andypanayi.co.uk/ap

Details to the upcoming Warehouse Jazz Sessions can be found here: www.instagram.com/warehousejazzsessions

You can check what’s going on at The Warehouse Café here: www.thewarehousecafe.com

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Noisy Masters And Their Pastas At Muthers Studio

Writer Billy Beale / Lead photographer Joe Parkes – further images supplied by Freshlicker

Before attending the Fleshlicker show at Muthers in Digbeth, I had not seen a band play there before. Some live streamed shows gave me certain expectations of what the gig space would look and feel like, but we were instead ushered to a cramped rehearsal room.

I saw a catering-sized tray of spaghetti with a bag of vegan grated cheese next to it. “Oh sorry, is this the green room?” It is not. This is the venue. The noise and spaghetti share the space. They coexist here, in the carpet-walled room where a Matamp stack, proud and monolithic, will soon shake my ribcage.

Cutting an unassuming shape in a North Face hoodie, military-precision haircut and a smile on their face, Fleshlicker steps into the light and the noise begins. It does not stop. It’s the sound of one’s head being dragged through gravel inside the guts of a whale. Lit from below with a deep red, Fleshlicker turns their gaze to and from members of the audience, a game of eye-contact endurance of which they are the undisputed champion.

As they move around, the light catches and casts shadows over them, bathing their uncomfortable grins in terrifying drama.

Talking to Fleshlicker after their set, one gets a sense that the magician doesn’t want to explain the trick too much, but is interested in our responses. There’s some quirk of personality or sense of humour that, when nurtured correctly, creates a certain artist. The chaos priest, who stands at the Korg pulpit delivering a noisy gospel to an entranced congregation.

I cannot overstate how qualitatively unique it is to experience a quality amplifier and speaker rig working hard, rattling bones, alongside guilt free Italian cuisine. Where else can you safely feel the raw electricity moving enough air to divorce you from at least two of your senses, whilst feeding others?

Seek out your local noisemongers, bring earplugs, and apparently cutlery.

For more on Fleshlicker visit www.linktr.ee/fleshlicker

For more from Muthers Studios visit www.muthersstudio.co.uk/