BPreviews Archives - Page 7 of 69 -

July 30, 2018July 30, 2018

BPREVIEW: Iron Maiden @ Genting Arena 07.08.18

Words by Ed King

On Tuesday 7^th August, Iron Maiden bring their Legacy of the Beast World Tour to the Genting Arena with support from Killswitch Engage – as presented by Live Nation UK.

Doors open at the Genting Arena from 7:30pm, with tickets ranging from £48.50/60 plus booking and administrative fees – although prices vary depending on positioning within the arena and ticket outlet.

For direct gig information, including venue details and online sales through The Ticket Factory, click here. For tickets direct from Live Nation, click here. For tickets from Ticketmaster, click here.

Iron Maiden are, quite simply, one of the most successful bands on the planet. And their 40 year stamp of authority on the heavy metal scene is unrivalled, starting out with the release of their eponymous debut in 1980 and still breaking new ground (and sales figures) with their latest studio LP, The Book of Souls, released in 2015.

Seriously, try and name another metal outfit that survived for so long and has even grown its sales/fanbase decade after decade. You can’t. Because they don’t exist. Love ‘em, fear ‘em, blame ‘em for the satanic betrayal of the American dream (we’re pointing at you, The Moral Majority) Iron Maiden are a phenomenal success story.

But what makes their latest, arena packing, sell out, world tour such a litany of red letter dates is that it technically shouldn’t be happening – Iron Maiden founder and bassist, Steve Harris, had gone on record saying the band wouldn’t release more that 15 studio albums. The Book of Souls was No16; for all intents and purposes, Iron Maiden should have hung up their plectrums, mics and drumsticks back in 2015.

But as Harris told The Guardian during Iron Maiden’s first Indian concert, at the Bangalore Palace Grounds in 2007, ‘we do think about some kind of half-retirement… But it seems the world won’t let us.’ And why wouldn’t you carry on, when you’re band is still breaking new markets across the globe and your last studio album (and let’s just clarify the trajectory again, your sixteenth studio album) reached No1 in 24 countries.

Iron Maiden have been on the road with their Legacy of the Beast World Tour since May 2018, scheduled to play six dates in the UK from Belfast (2nd Aug) to London (10/11^th Aug). According to the band’s longstanding manager, Rod Smallwood, fans can expect a “history/hits” set list with “both new material and the older favourites” getting performed from Iron Maiden’s extensive portfolio. Even Eddie, the band’s longstanding mascot, is dusting off some of his former glories – with the tour poster presenting him as from his Piece of Mind (1983) and Somewhere in Time (1986) days.

As Smallwood continues, “we decided to base the theme around the Legacy of the Beast name… giving us scope to get creative and have some fun, especially with Eddie! We’re working on a number of different stage sets, all in keeping with the Maiden tradition and we hope to give our fans a fantastic experience when they come to see this very special show.”

‘Speed of Light’ – Iron Maiden (from The Book of Souls)

Iron Maiden bring their Legacy of the Beast World Tour to the Genting Arena on Tuesday 7^th August, with support from Killswitch Engage. For direct show information, including venue details and online sales through The Ticket Factory, visit www.gentingarena.co.uk/whats-on/iron-maiden

For more on Iron Maiden, visit www.ironmaiden.com

For more on Killswitch Engage, visit www.killswitchengage.com

For more from Live Nation UK, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.livenation.co.uk

For more on the Genting Arena, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.gentingarena.co.uk

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NOT NORMAL – NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To sign up to NOT NORMAL – NOT OK, click here. To know more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK sticker campaign, click here.

July 25, 2018July 25, 2018

BPREVIEW: Blame It On Bianca Del Rio @ Symphony Hall 30.07.18

Words by Ashleigh Goodwin

Following her sell out Not Today Satan tour in 2016/7 , Bianca Del Rio is back at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall with her Blame It On Bianca stand-up comedy show on Monday 30^th July.

The evening’s entertainment starts in the Symphony Hall Foyer & Café Bar from 6pm with a live performance from Soprano Alexandra Bork and pianist Nick Bonadies, followed by a ‘pre-show party’ with DJ Lady Miss Ikea at 7pm. The main Blame It On Bianca show is scheduled to start at 8.30pm.

The event is strictly 16+ and is currently sold out, with no further tickets planned for release at the time of writing. For direct show information, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.

Bianca Del Rio is primarily known as the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6, with her outspoken nature, caustic comedy, and razor-sharp wit quickly making her a firm fan favorite. Del Rio was further voted as the viewers’ favorite winner from Drag Race Seasons 1-6 in a poll conducted by Logo TV, the then broadcaster of the RuPaul show.

Bianca Del Rio solidified her competency and professionalism as a performer through iconic RuPaul challenges such as ‘The Snatch Game’ and the ‘Queens of Comedy’, with the show’s titular host saying of her stand up routine in the latter that not only did she “kill it,” she “murdered it”. This should give you a hint of the possible hilarity/havoc on its way to the Symphony Hall stage.

To open the night, FLUID Festival are presenting free pre-show entertainment ‘as part of Symphony Hall’s foyer events programme’ before the Blame It On Bianca Del Rio show. Soprano Alexandra Bork and pianist Nick Bonadies will be performing from 6pm, whose collaboration ‘focuses on opera’s heart-shatteringly high-diva moments to cabaret classics… and smashes down walls between classical concert halls and queer performance spaces. ’

Additionally, ‘international dance music DJ’ Lady Miss Ikea will be appearing from 7pm, playing a mixture of ‘the most glamorous deep, house, disco and wildest pop’ and getting the audience ready for the “clown in a gown” Del Rio.

And whilst self-proclaimed, “clown in a gown” only touches the surface of Bianca Del Rio, with costume designing, three stand-up comedy tours, numerous theatre performances, and film roles all under her belt. Del Rio was also the ‘first contestant in the shows’ history’ of the phenomenally popular RuPaul’s Drag Race ‘to make it through the entire competition without every placing in the bottom three for a challenge’ – with Del Rio’s ‘go hard or go home’ ethos also taking her recent Blame It On tour across Australia, Asia, South America, North America and mainland Europe before landing in the UK.

Not a bad list of accolades, let’s just hope she’s got some energy left. For as the queen of insult comedy has said of Monday’s event: “I hope you’re ready for some filthy, nasty, hateful humor because I’m coming to Birmingham with a brand-new comedy show”. Symphony Hall front row, you have been warned.

Bianca Del Rio brings her Blame It On stand up show to the Symphony Hall on Monday 30th July 2018. There will be pre-show entertainment from soprano Alexandra Bork and pianist Nick Bonadies, as well as a set from DJ Lady Miss Ikea in the Symphony Hall Foyer & Café Bar. For direct show information, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.thsh.co.uk/event/blame-it-on-bianca-del-rio

For more on Bianca Del Rio, visit www.thebiancadelrio.com

For more from the Town & Symphony Halls, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.thsh.co.uk

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NOT NORMAL – NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To sign up to NOT NORMAL – NOT OK, click here. To know more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK sticker campaign, click here.

July 25, 2018

BPREVIEW: DJ Format & DJ Pogo – The Brum Do Over BBQ @ The Hawker Yard 28.07.18

Words by Ed King

On Saturday 28^th July, DJ Format and DJ Pogo headline a day of hip hop, breaks, summer beats, break dancing, and sizzling snacks at The Brum Do Over BBQ – as presented by Scratch Club, Breakfest, and The Yardbird.

Hosted by The Hawker Yard, doors open to the The Brum Do Over BBQ from 2pm, with the event running until midnight.

Entry is free, gratis, zip, nada, zilch… leaving some room in the pocket for whatever’s looking good on the grill and the cocktails that should be floating around somewhere. It is officially summer, after all.

Coming up from Brighton, DJ Format is a stalwart of UK hip hop – cutting his teeth with Jurassic 5 and DJ Shadow back in the early noughties, then stamping his authority with his revered debut album, Music for the Mature B-Boy (2003), and ‘tougher sound’ sophomore, If You Can’t Join ‘Em… Beat ‘Em (2005). DJ Format’s latest LP, Still Hungry, was recorded alongside MC Abdominal and released on AFF Records in 2017.

Travelling from a little further afield, DJ Pogo is one of the founders of DMC Brazil – setting up the South American arm of the DJ competition after being crowned the UK Champion in 1997. An ambassador for the Brazilian turntable movement, DJ Pogo also has a strong name on the UK scene as the man behind remixes and productions for UK rap troupes such as London Posse, Demon, and Monie Love.

For direct event information about the The Brum Do Over BBQ at The Hawker Yard on Saturday 28^th July, check out the Facebook Event Page by clicking here.

So why a ‘do over?’ We get the BBQ bit, but as the event itself declares ‘the do over is a chance to do something over and over again to right a wrong or make something better.’ The key to this is the promoter collaboration; skip back to the first line of this BPREVIEW and say those words out loud. If you’re of a certain age, stage, or sensibility you’ll get this straight away. But if you’re not, allow me to furnish you with a little of Birmingham’s cultural back catalogue.

Before the centre of town was permanently ‘under construction’, and the revolving glass doors of Paradise Forum were still turning (and stalling, and stalling again) there’s was a feisty little independent music venue called The Yardbird. A proper meeting place for artists and performers, The Yardbird had jazz, funk, hip hop, and roots running through it’s small yet well endorsed veins – seeing the rise of DJs like five times World DMC Mixing Champion Mr Switch nestled alongside the great, good, and going to be huge from the jazz fraternity at Birmingham Conservatoire.

As eclectic as Birmingham can be, The Yardbird was quite simply a home away from home for many musicians and music lovers alike. Then one Tuesday evening a new hip hop, freestyle, and breaks night opened called Scratch Club… eight years later and the event packed around 200 people into The Yardbird every fortnight without fail. Until The Yardbird closed, and a sigh was heard echoing round the city.

It sounds romantic, sure, but just mention a few of these names to certain people in certain corners of this city and see their reaction. The Yardbird was one of those ‘special places’ for many people in Birmingham, with the regular success of Scratch Club born from an open mic/open door policy and supported by a venue whose firm drive was the music.

And now the partners that brought that touch of magic to our city’s soundscape are back – taking over The Hawker Yard on Saturday 28th July, with DJ Format and DJ Pogo headlining a crew of DJs and dancers including DJ Mushroom (Breakfest), Automoton (Scratch Club), Ill Boogs & Rob Life (Breakin Bread), DJ Silence/Tha Tarmac Nomad (Break Mission), DJ Junk (Second to None) and the man who opened, owned, and ran The Yardbird – Ollie Lloyd.

“A ‘do over’ is actually an American expression, it literally means to do something again,” explains Tom Dunstan – aka Automaton, and the promoter of Birmingham’s Scratch Club. “Sometimes it’s to right a wrong, sometimes to do something better than you have in the past, however, in this case, it’s to work in collaboration with Breakfest, Scratch Club and The Yardbird.

Historically, we’ve each helped one other out from time to time and collaborated at music and dance events. But this is the first time all three of our brands have stood up together to do something like this.

In a music scene that can be divided at the best of times, we’re genuinely bringing this show to Brum in the spirit of unity. It’s being held in an independently owned, off grid venue; it’s entirely a not-for profit music showcase and, therefore, completely free to attend. I hope it’s the first of many.”

And I’m sure many would agree. But the bricks and mortar that bound you all together shut around three years ago; despite being the hottest British summer on recent records, what’s the impetus for a ‘do over’ now?

“Well, some might say that there is a rare planetary alignment of the hip hop and funk planets over Birmingham on Saturday the 28th of July,” explains Ollie Lloyd, who opened The Yardbird back in 2007, “but I’d suggest it’s more the case that everyone on the bill has a long standing relationship with Darren (DJ Mushroom) and also many of the DJ’s have roots in the Midlands so I’m sure there will be a few family catch ups on Saturday.

What started off as Mushroom looking for a venue to put on DJ Pogo, whilst he is visiting the UK from Brazil, grew into something bigger and funkier than was ever planned. It’s not often you see a line up in Birmingham with the calibre of DJ’s that this session offers, but luckily everyone involved was available and happy to contribute their records and skills for what promises to be a legendary meeting of musical minds and sounds.

As owner of now-closed The Yardbird Jazz Club, I had the pleasure of hosting Format, Pogo, and Rob Life over the years, all DJ’s that have instant power and musical charisma over a dance floor and created some of my favourite memories at the venue. Darren is a good friend of mine, someone that I met through his involvement as main organiser of the Breakfest B-Boy events that used to be held nationwide. Tom (Dunstan/Automaton) is an old friend who launched Scratch Club at the bird, which ran with us for many years. Not forgetting DJ Junk, legendary Bournemouth based producer and b-boy (Second 2 None Crew) and Ill Boogs, heavy weight funk/breaks producer (and b-boy too) on the Breakin’ Bread label .

It’s a nice feeling to work with a collection of Birmingham promoters (and friends) to pull together an event that is just for two things – the music and the people. Our gift to Brum is the perfect line up in the coolest outdoor space, absolutely free, and packing in 10 hours of the slickest funk, soul, hip hop and breaks known to man.”

DJ Format & DJ Pogo headline The Brum Do Over BBQ at The Hawker Yard on Saturday 28^th July, in a collaborative event from Scratch Club, Breakfest and The Yardbird. Entry is free, with a range of food and drinks available on site all day. For direct event information, visit the Facebook Event Page by clicking here.

For more from Scratch Club, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.facebook.com/scratchclubbirmingham

For more on The Hawker Yard, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.hawkeryard.com

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NOT NORMAL – NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To sign up to NOT NORMAL – NOT OK, click here. To know more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK sticker campaign, click here.

July 18, 2018

BPREVIEW: Opulence Presents: Mother’s Meeting – featuring Virgin Xtravaganzah, Mickey Taylor, Twiggy @ The Nightingale Club 20.07.18

Words by Eleanor Sutcliffe

On Friday 20^th July, Opulence Presents: Mother’s Meeting – featuring Virgin Xtravaganzah, Mickey Taylor, and Twiggy at The Nightingale Club in Birmingham. Doors are open from 9pm, and whilst all Early Bird tickets have sold out you can still get advance tickets for £6 – click here for online ticket sales.

N.B. A limited number of tickets will be also available on the door for £7, but these cannot be reserved and are expected to go early. For direct event information visit the Opulence Presents: Mother’s Meeting Facebook Event Page by clicking here.

Opulence are one of Birmingham’s leading drag collectives, who strive to host fun and safe events for Birmingham’s ever growing drag scene. Their debut Mother’s Meeting at Jesters Bar back in April was a rousing success, and this month’s event looks to be even bigger –with Opulence moving the event to the larger Nightingale Club, and three artists schedules to perform as well as Opulence’s resident drag queens.

First up is Virgin Xtravaganzah, a London based queen who has been coined the ‘Mother of Gawd’. Mixing high fashion imagery, comedy and witty song parodies, Xtravaganzah is no stranger to the stage having performed at The Underbelly Festival and can be found hosting London’s infamous Torture Garden fetish parties.

Not exactly where you’d expect to find the Holy Mother, however Xtravaganzah’s interpretation of the Virgin Mary couldn’t be further from what we’re used to – think latex, leather corsets and towering heels as opposed to linen robes and rosary beads.

Next is Mickey Taylor, a singer songwriter who to date has two solo albums and an international tour under his belt. His music is ethereal, dance type tracks – for fans of artists such as Halsey, Lana Del Ray and Troye Sivan.

Taylor has an impressive fan base, having built his reputation through the adult entertainment industry and scooping numerous awards at the British Prowler Porn Awards. His latest album, Midnight Palace, shows a much more refined style in comparison to his gay-pop debut, Puppets Lament, back in 2016.

Finally, Birmingham’s very own lip-sync darling, Twiggy, will also be featured at Mother’s Meeting; Twiggy is one of the Midlands’ best-known drag artists, having honed their craft as a performer back in the 1980s.

Describing their life as “one long fancy dress party”, Twiggy’s signature outrageous club kid style (and headdress) has made them a cult figure of the UK’s drag scene, whilst also becoming the glamorous face of many Birmingham clubs from Miss Moneypenny’s to S.L.A.G. and Sundissential. Having performed at Birmingham’s very first Pride back in 1982, Twiggy is seen as one of the founding mothers of Brum’s gay village and drag scene.

With three headliners plus Opulence’s very own drag entourage, expect to see the likes of Yshee Black, Nora Virus, Elliot Barnicle, and drag duo Cocktail Sausage (Petite and Pork Pie) also grace the stage throughout the night.

Opulence Presents: Mother’s Meeting at The Nightingale Club on Friday 20^th July – featuring Virgin Xtravaganzah, Mickey Taylor, and Twiggy. For direct information, including links to online ticket sales, click here.

For more on Virgin Xtravaganzah, visit www.virginxtravaganzah.com

For more on Mickey Taylor, visit www.misfitarmy.com

For more on Twiggy, visit www.instagram.com/twiggybirmingham

For more on Opulence, visit www.facebook.com/opulencebirmingham

For more from The Nightingale Club, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.nightingaleclub.co.uk

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NOT NORMAL – NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To sign up to NOT NORMAL – NOT OK, click here. To know more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK sticker campaign, click here.

July 12, 2018July 12, 2018

BPREVIEW: The Mothers Earth Experiment @ The Dark Horse 13.07.18

Words by Ed King

On Friday 13^th July, The Mothers Earth Experiment play a free entry gig at The Dark Horse in Moseley – with support from The Taboo Club.

Doors open upstairs at ‘the horse’ from 8pm, with tickets costing NOTHING AT ALL YOU LUCKY MUSIC LOVING BAST*RDS – as presented by Sonic Gun. For direct information, visit the Facebook Event Page by clicking here.

They say Friday 13^th is an auspicious day (“they talk a lot, don’t they…”) and The Mothers Earth Experiment are channelling whatever from wherever to feed the collective unconscious with some musical manna this weekend.

Always worth a stop, look and listen, The Mothers Earth Experiment have been pumping out their jazz, funk, and lava lamp tinged psych rock for a handful of years now. One of the more musically proficient bands we’ve come across on Brum’s live circuit, The Mothers Earth Experiment are a tight and intelligent six piece delivering ‘detailed sonic tapestries of dense psychedelic atmospheres and emotive melodies’ with a social-political message never too far behind. Committed to the cause of music. Plus, they’re lovely people. And the world needs lovely people.

But this weekend, The Mothers Earth Experiment are being extra good to us all. First up, they’re throwing a free gig. So no bank balances will suffer if you want to go out and get your psych rock wiggle on this weekend. Bless you gents.

Second up, The Mothers Earth Experiment are gifting ten free copies of their debut album as part of the promo for the gig – leaving a round of drinks and a lift home as the only acts of generosity left to give. To win a copy, all you’ve got to do is share their Facebook post about it – click here – and the winners will be announced via the band’s social media, with CDs ready for collection at The Dark Horse.

Sounds simple enough. But to celebrate the arrival of POTUS to the UK, The Mothers Earth Experience have tailored their competition to honour the illustrious floppy wig wearing war mongering celebrity obsessed egotistical megalomaniac. In the band’s own words:

‘And if you want a really big chance of winning something, remember I personally will buy something special for the person with the best plaque, t-shirt, sign etc that tells Donald Trump where to fucking go.’

The Mothers Earth Experiment were also quick to get behind the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, which got launched this week to ‘encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.’ In an act of on and off stage solidarity, the band will be handing out NOT NORMAL – NOT OK stickers at their gig on Friday 13^th July, asking people to wear one whilst at the venue and ‘show the perpetrators of sexual assault, violence, and misconduct that their actions will not be tolerated.’

“We at The Mothers Earth Experiment have been angered and horrified to hear of stories of sexual assault in the local scene. We’re getting behind the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign to try and bring light to these horrific abuses of power – from danceflooor to dressing room. On Friday 13th July our gig coincides with Donald Trump arriving in the UK; a physical reminder that the very top echelons of society can still get away with “grabbing them by the pussy”.

We want to end this and although we may not be able to get Trump yet, we can sure as hell sort out our scene with enough support. So to all the people who have ever been taken advantage of, to all the people who have seen the other side of their friends, to all those who’ve been abused by someone with power over them, we can and will make a difference.”

Also appearing on the bill are The Taboo Club, the recently formed phoenix from the flames of the band Semantics – playing their first gig in their fresh new form. The Taboo Club has Joshua Rochelle-Bates and Rob Lilley at the helm, from the aforementioned, but also boasts an eclectic line up of solid sounds and musicians from across the musical spectrum – expect guitar, bass, sax, keys, and soaring walls of sonic bliss from a deluge of influences. But here a quick hello from the band themselves:

“The Taboo Club have a lot of respect for The Mothers Earth Experiment, having known them on the local circuit for some time now, and we couldn’t think of anyone more fitting to support for our first gig. It’s really exciting to be playing live after having worked so hard as a new band.

We can’t wait for people to hear The Taboo Club too. It’s an ensemble of expressive and tight musicians playing amalgamations of different genres – songs that command attention but welcome intimacy. The sound is informed and shaped by our individual contributions, but with a jazz chemistry and other familiar yet strange things.”

It’s pretty stuff awesome too. Birmingham Review was privy to some rehearsals and we liked it so much we’ve booked The Taboo Club to play our next showcase gig – held at The Victoria on Saturday 29th September.

Tickets for The Taboo Club Showcase Gig with Birmingham Review are not on sale yet, but we’ve had a fair few people ask for reserves already (honestly, just shy of a quarter of the room so far) so jump over to the Facebook Event Page and stick your hand in the air.

Meanwhile, back in a warm and fuzzy corner of space somewhere near the third rock from the sun…

‘Cool Down Mama’ – The Mothers Earth Experiment

The Mothers Earth Experiment play a free gig at The Dark Horse on Friday 13^th July, with support from The Taboo Club – as presented by Sonic Gun. For direct gig information, visit the Facebook Event Page by clicking here.

For more on The Mothers Earth Experiment, visit www.themothersearthexperiment.wordpress.com

For more on The Taboo Club, visit www.facebook.com/TheTabooClubUK

The Taboo Club Showcase Gig with Birmingham Review will be held at The Victoria on Saturday 29^th September. To find out more, and to be on the waiting list for when tickets are released, visit the Facebook Event Page by clicking here.

For more from Sonic Gun, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.facebook.com/sonicgunconcerts

For more on The Dark Horse, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.darkhorsemoseley.co.uk

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NOT NORMAL – NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, click here. To know more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK sticker campaign, click here.