The Hunna will be stopping in Birmingham as part of their second major UK tour on Thursday 11th January, performing at the O2 Academy. Support comes from Coasts and Night Riots.
**There are limited tickets remaining for The Hunna’s O2 Academy Birmingham show at time of writing, so fans should act quickly to enjoy the band before bigger venues beckon.**
The Hertfordshire four-piece will be gracing the O2 Academy stage in support of their upcoming sophomore album, Dare, set for release in May 2018. Boasting a potent blend of Instagram-friendly swagger, hometown pride, and riffs with the lick and spit of ‘noughties’ indie spirit that many considered long gone, The Hunna look set to take 2018 by storm and build on their current success.
Upon the release of their debut single, ‘Bonfire’, in 2015, the band have enjoyed a rapid rise to popularity within the UK indie scene, charting in the UK Top 20 with their 2016 debut album, 100. They have become firm festival favourites along their journey – opened shirts, scuffed Dr Martens and bed-headed charm standing out against the preened, Athleisure look of their contemporary male acts. With their live show integral to their growth thus far, The Hunna could be further set to trouble international waters with their second release.
Joining The Hunna will be their High Tide label-mates Coasts. The Bristol based alternative outfit err on the cooler, minimalist side of indie rock, with comparisons to established acts such as Foals and Two Door Cinema Club. Earning major exposure thanks to BBC Radio 1 and E4’s Made In Chelsea putting 2014 single ‘Oceans’ on rotation, Coasts are playing in support of their second release, This Life Vol. 1. The band have already embarked on their own solo tour and are another name to look out for in the coming years.
Alongside Coasts, The Hunna will also be joined by US rockers Night Riots. Bringing the post-punk sound up to date for this generation, the Californian five-piece are more likely to show you the West Coast dusk rather than its famed sunshine. Still basking in the glow of reviews for second album, Love Gloom, in 2016, the band have steadily developed their reputation for a rapturous live show, notable for their emotive hooks and hypnotic basslines. Not to leave out, of course, their hints of modern power-pop vigour at the core of songs such as ‘Contagious’ and ‘Fangs’.
With a trio of acts that are each building a strong reputation for good live shows and memorable performances, the 11th January at the O2 Academy in Birmingham looks set to be all killer, no filler.
It often feels like there is a momentary hush over the city as we pick ourselves up off 2017’s floor and stumble into 2018. We could spend this transitional time recovering from the short-lived break, however mac is offering an alternative – welcoming in the New Year with Playback, ‘an interactive exhibition showcasing over 200 short films made by young artist filmmakers from across the country’.
Playback runs in mac’s First Floor Gallery from 7th to 24th January, open 11am-5pm from Tuesdays to Sundays. Admission to Playback is free. For direct info, including venue details and the wider facilities available at mac, click here.
Playback is a joint initiative funded by Arts Council England and the exhibition’s creator, Random Acts – a Channel 4 spawned endevour which launched in March 2017 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. Playback aims to shine a spotlight on new work by providing support, funding and exhibition opportunities to ‘young artist filmmakers from across the country’. With some of these ‘remarkable and award-winning shorts’ being made within ‘in and around Birmingham’, Playback promises visitors ‘the chance to see the people, places and creativity of your city onscreen.’
The exhibition allows you to explore the bodies of work at your own pace, using interactive touch screens, and features genres including spoken word, comedy and drama. As mac’s website states, the films being exhibited at Playback ‘span a range of art forms and topics – from krumping and parkour dance shorts, to an animated tale of teenage love that unearths our desire to be as cool as the zines we read.’
Birmingham’s prominence continues to grow around the many aspects of film, with the city seeing an influx of location shooting on its streets as well as increasing ties to organisations such as the British Film Institute and Marv Films. Added to this, the number of ways to access film in Birmingham has grown significantly within the past few years, with cinemas such as The Electric, The Mockingbird and Everyman supporting independent, current and cult productions through their programmes. Events such as the Flatpack Film Festival and the Birmingham Film Festival have become annual platforms for filmmakers, often bolstered by a rolling calendar of events to celebrate and support initiative new works, such as those programmed by Flatpack: Assemble.
Playback has the potential to fit nicely between these established city operators, by providing support to independent artists with the ‘festival feel’ offered by the variety and quantity of pieces exhibited. It could be that Playback’s ‘USP’ is that it allows a more open and customer driven experience as you are free to examine whatever you choose, whenever you choose.
Additionally, there are multiple Playback events to be held at mac Birmingham throughout January – including animation, film making workshops, and a live spoken word event.
Playback – coming to mac’s First Floor Gallery 04-24.01.18
On Sunday 14th January, Paramore come to the Genting Arena in Birmingham – performing one of only five dates on their UK tour, with support from Philadelphia’s mewithoutYou.
Doors for the Genting Arena open at 6pm, with mewithoutYou on stage at 7:30pm and Paramore kicking off their headline set at 8:45pm. Standard tickets are priced between £34.24 – £48.93 (inc fees) depending on positioning within the arena.
Amplify Hospitality tickets are also available for £135 (inc fees) which offer a variety of perks – including VIP check in, access to the private lounge, alongside complimentary drinks and dinner. As promoted by SJM Concerts, for full gig details on Paramore at the Genting Arena and links to all available tickets, click here.
*At the time of writing no more standing tickets were available. Extra arena tickets have been released by the promoters, but this gig is looking like a sell out so you might want to move a little quicker than usual.*
Paramore have been on the road with their new album, After Laughter, since summer last year – playing six UK and Ireland dates in 2017, including one night at the Royal Albert Hall (…just, imagine, that one). The Tennessee now trio then embarked on an extensive Tour Two of North America and Canada, from September to October, before confirming their Tour Three return to Europe with gigs in Spain, France and the UK from 7th to 20th Jan. To stay up to date with all Paramore tour details, direct from the band, click here.
Released in May 2017, via the Warner subsidiary – Fueled by Ramen, After Laughter is the fifth studio album from Paramore. After Laughter also sees the return of Zac Farro, one of the band’s original members, who announced in Feb 2017 that he was back with Paramore to record and tour their new album.
Once again produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen and Taylor York (who worked together on the band’s previous and eponymous album)After Laughter has received widespread acclaim from fans and the music press alike, with Rolling Stone surmising it as ‘a gorgeously produced, hook-studded record with cocked-eyebrow trepidation adding a jittery edge.’ Indeed, it is the bittersweet lyrics from Hayley Williams that seem to be gathering the most attention from After Laughter, with some uncomfortable scars seemingly part of the creative force behind the band’s latest LP. And after a quick Google search through some bizarrely bitter statements and retrospective foot stamping, you can understand why.
But for the fans it’s business as usual, with renewed fervor at Zac Farro’s return and a sell out show zeal supporting Paramore’s latest road trip. After Laughter’s lead single, ‘Hard Times’, reached No6 on the Billboard Hot Rock Charts across the pond and was officially certified ‘Silver’ by British Recorded Music Industry (that’s selling over 200k copies, to you and me).
Subsequent singles ‘Told You So’ and ‘Fake Happy’ both beat a Billboard Hot Rock Top 40, whilst the album itself climbed even higher – reaching No1 on the same US chart and No4 on the UK’s Official Album Chart.
So it seems you can’t keep a good thing down after all, no matter how publicly some corners of the world might try to – ‘and I bet everybody here is just as insincere’. Well, quite.
January 1st… no finer day to cross off the calendar. But as the world crawls out of bed with hangovers and resolutions, Birmingham’s events diary looks forward to a pretty vibrant January. It seems the ‘quiet month’ is not so dormant this year. Which is a good thing, right? I mean, who needs to stay in and save money? Food and heating are for quitters.
January also sees a strong line up of comedy in the city, kicking off with Tina T’urner Tea Lady Steamy Bingo at The Old Joint Stock on 5th Jan. Tracey Collins will be bringing her ‘camp alter ego’ back to The Old Joint Stock in March, so if you miss your numbers this time around you can always try again in spring.
For more film, mac hosts Playback from 7th to 24th Jan – a touring and ‘interactive exhibition’ of over 200 short films from ‘krumping and parkour dance shorts, to an animated tale of teenage love that unearths our desire to be as cool as the zines we read’. Held in the arts centre’s First Floor Gallery, with free admission, Playback carries a Tubbs and Edward local angle too, as ‘some of the films were originally made in and around Birmingham, where young people based in the Midlands were given the support and funding to create a short film.’
Then rounding off Birmingham’s cultural cache for the New Year, The Chefs’ Forum present their ‘Pay What You Can’ lunch at University College Birmingham on 15th Jan – a networking, trade and showcase event with four courses from some of the city’s top restaurants. Having launched its Midlands’ agenda at UCB back in February this… sorry, last year, The Chefs’ Forum is hosting their Jan ‘18 lunch to raise funds and awareness for its Educational Foundation which supports young chefs across the UK.
And with Louisa Ellis (The Wilderness), Mark Walsh (Opus Restaurant), Luke Tipping and Leo Kattou (Simpsons) and Olivier Briault (The Edgbaston Boutique Hotel) all chipping in a course, it should do just that. Although, the non-fixed donation approach is gratefully received in mid January.
Now if I can just find an energy provider with the same approach…
In memoriam of her paternal auntie and namesake, Lady Gaga’s latest song, album and tour appear as personal an affair as you can offer when delivering it to millions of strangers. A curious dichotomy, but one Birmingham will get to see on stage first as the Live Nation machine sets down in our city before anywhere else in the UK. Kudos.
And with tickets being transferred from the previous dates in October 2017, it’s fair to say there may be a bit of a bun fight to get in to these gigs. No doubt it’ll be worth a few scuffed elbows though, but even if ‘I’m never going to know you now, I’m gonna love you any how’. OX Joanne.
Tickets for the originally scheduled Lada Gaga shows at the Genting Arena (12th Oct ’17) at Arena Birmingham (15th Oct ’17) can be transferred to the new dates. According to the venues’ websites, ‘if you cannot make the new date, refunds can be obtained at your point of purchase for a limited period’.**
Playback @ mac 7th to 24th Jan
For more on any of the events listed here, click on the highlighted hyperlink.
Ed King is Editor-in-Chief of Review Publishing, which issues both the Birmingham Review and Birmingham Preview titles.
Damien’s pick… On the 23rd of December at 8pm, the doors will open on an evening of style and substance rarely found in this time of often unchallenged expectation. Not only is it a performance by the striking talent that is Johnny Kowalski and the Sexy Weirdos, but it is the band’s only ‘home’ date on their European English tour and the latest installment in their notorious warehouse parties.
For more on this secret Xmas shindig, including online ticket sales – priced at £6 (adv) and £8 (otd), click here.
Luckily for us, on top of Birmingham Review having supported JKATSW since their first release, through to this current one and no doubt beyond, we also have the pleasure of having Johnny Kowalski himself as part of our contributing staff. As such, who better to introduce this unusual evening than it’s organiser and star performer? I give you; the lesser hatted JK….
Words by Johnny Kowalski
So, it’s nearly Christmas kids. This weekend will see dozens, if not hundreds, of Christmas parties across the city. Some of them will be intimate gatherings in flats or front rooms; some will have celebrity headliners, fireworks and thousands of paying guests. Which begs the question, why come to ours?
Well, I genuinely believe that ours will be the most fun. Or at least, it’s going to be as fun as we can possibly make it. Maybe seeing three of the Midlands’ best underground live acts whilst surrounded by a boisterous cross section of some of the best freaks and vagabonds I’ve ever met isn’t your idea of fun, but I deeply recommend you try it.
First, a word on the venue – the location of which can only be found out via direct contact with the Sexy Weirdos Facebook page. We’re leading you to a specially modified warehouse space that straddles the line between professionally kitted out club and nineties rave space. The reason why we, and other bands, do things like this is despite their best efforts sometimes even the best venues can end up falling flat on atmosphere. Sometimes you need to go off the beaten track to do something special. And our hardcore fans will assure you that you can trust us to deliver.
And so, to the bands. Kidderminster’s The Stiff Joints represent an anomaly to the mainstream scene – a band that has huge grass roots support playing up and down the country to thousands of people every year, yet has zero traction in the music press because they unashamedly embrace ska. If you come to see them, you will dance. You will smile. You will sing along to songs you’ve only just heard. This is all you need to know so make sure you’re there early to see their set, or risk looking like a massive tit.
Bedrock Bullets provided one of my favourite moments at a gig this year when one of their sets in Kings Heath ended with a double bass being thrown around the stage. At one point I thought the guy was actually going to throw his double bass at the audience. At a time in music when the words ‘rock and roll’ seem to be associated with timid, uptight people, this behaviour filled me with joyous wonder. Every great rock and roll band needs a great front person and Bedrock Bullets have theirs in the charming and talented Julie Bedwell.
And then there’s us – Johnny Kowalski and the Sexy Weirdos, playing a mix of traditional numbers and a host of original songs drawn from our three album back catalogue. There will, of course, be something of an emphasis on tracks from our latest release, European English. If you haven’t seen us before, expect a wide palette of high octane grooves, manic fiddle lines, a demented peacock of a singer who alternates between yelling and trying to sing, and a bass player that seems to be trapped in a Wurzel Gummidge version of Iron Maiden. Oh, and a closing medley that segues Steppenwolf, Hendrix, Boney M and even ‘Ride of the Valkyries’.
Closing the night are DJ Tenov, seen this year at Bearded Theory and Horsedrawn, and local legend DJ Christie. Both have been given a loose brief to play disco but will almost certainly drift off into other genres as the dawn approaches.
Or you could just go to Wetherspoons with the people from work. The choice is yours.
‘Megahorse’ – Johnny Kowalski & the Sexy Weirdos (taken from European English)
Johnny Kowalski and the Sexy Weirdos host their Xmas Party as a secret location on Saturday 23rd December. For more on the event, including online ticket sales, click here.
Upon the release of their debut single, ‘Bonfire’, in 2015, the band have enjoyed a rapid rise to popularity within the UK indie scene, charting in the UK Top 20 with their 2016 debut album, 100. They have become firm festival favourites along their journey – opened shirts, scuffed Dr Martens and bed-headed charm standing out against the preened, Athleisure look of their contemporary male acts. With their live show integral to their growth thus far, The Hunna could be further set to trouble international waters with their second release.
Alongside Coasts, The Hunna will also be joined by US rockers Night Riots. Bringing the post-punk sound up to date for this generation, the Californian five-piece are more likely to show you the West Coast dusk rather than its famed sunshine. Still basking in the glow of reviews for second album, Love Gloom, in 2016, the band have steadily developed their reputation for a rapturous live show, notable for their emotive hooks and hypnotic basslines. Not to leave out, of course, their hints of modern power-pop vigour at the core of songs such as ‘Contagious’ and ‘Fangs’.
Birmingham’s prominence continues to grow around the many aspects of film, with the city seeing an influx of location shooting on its streets as well as increasing ties to organisations such as the 
For more on any of the events listed here, click on the highlighted hyperlink. 
