BR Content Archives - Page 159 of 191 -

July 4, 2014

PREVIEW: Jayne Powell + Rachael and Friend @ Ort Café, Fri 4th July

Playing at Ort Café tonight, Jayne Powell returns after a self confessed & productive hiatus – with support from Rachael and Friend. Doors open at 8:30pm with a £4 entry.

Birmingham based Jayne Powell has played at and played with, a respectable portfolio – but has been off the gig circuit for a few years ‘working on new material’ and ‘setting up her power trio’. Previously surrounded by either more or less, the most pertinent result of this shift is her new Late One EP, whose title track marches out bluesy Americana and steady punch riffs; a solid build, break, keys, confident lament, with invitations to “run away”. Roy Orbison would be proud.

What else is on the Late One EP, we’re not sure – with the sweepingly clandestine approach to online marketing alive and well here. Too. So I guess you’ll have to go to Ort Café tonight and find out.

But we can tell you (or reiterate to you) Jayne Powell ‘returns with a more gutsy edge to her songwriting and live performances’. Plus she sings like Aimee Mann, which is no bad thing. But for something altogether more representative or retrospective there’s enough on Jayne Powell’s Soundcloud page to keep you busy all lunchtime.

Rachael and Friend support, with their ‘acoustic folk boy girl minimal ukulele Greenville’ as defined by the almighty #. But with a new six track release to play and sell, The One Take, you’ll no doubt get more to sink your lexicon into. Plus they’ve travelled a long way (from South Carolina) to kick of their 15 date UK tour at Ort Café tonight. And if it’s your birthday…

Rachael and Friend are new to Birmingham Review, and a Google search with ‘Rachael’ and ‘Friend’ doesn’t bring up much that’s helpful – other than ‘Rachael Gallman and Jaron Ferrer are the best of friends.’ Sounds like one of the more frustrating outcomes of my formative years. But The One Take is a fruitful endevour; tight with vocals, creatively paced, and lining up enough melodies to keep the cursor hovering over repeat.

Alongside the return of Jayne Powell to a Birmingham stage, tonight at Ort Cafe is not a bad idea for a Friday night live.

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Jayne Powell plays at Ort Café tonight, with support from Rachael and Friend. For more info, on tonight and other events, visit http://ortcafe.co.uk/whats-on/

For more on Jayne Powell, visit http://jaynepowell.co.uk/ or https://soundcloud.com/jayne-powell

For more on Rachael and Friend, visit http://rachaelandfriend.bandcamp.com/

July 2, 2014July 2, 2014

BPREVIEW: Show Boat @ Hippodrome, 2nd – 5th July

Show Boat comes to the Birmingham Hippodrome, performed by Cape Town Opera (CTO) & Philharmonic Orchestra, running from Tuesday 2nd to Saturday 5th July.

Coming to Birmingham as part of a month long UK tour, organised in conjunction with Wales Millennium Centre, Cape Town Opera have performed their production of Show Boat across Europe and South Africa since 2005.

Embarking on its UK debut, CTO will tour Show Boat for one month – opening at the Birmingham Hippodrome, then moving on to Manchester, Cardiff and closing in Dublin.

Based on Edna Furber’s 1926 novel of the same name, Show Boat was the first interracial musical to be staged on Broadway. With music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, the musical Show Boat premiered at the Zeigfield Theare in New York on December 27, 1927.

Spanning 40 years, Show Boat tells the story of the cast and crew from the Cotton Blossom – the eponymous show boat on the Mississippi River. Covering interracial marriage, the breakdown of family, US segregation laws, bigotry, jealousy, alongside a host of social concerns, Show Boat is a prolific text and redefining production – especially at the time it was first written and subsequently performed. The score contains several well remembered songs, including “Ol’ Man River”, “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” and “After the Ball”.

First performed by Cape Town Opera in 2005, Show Boat has been toured by the company across Europe and South Africa.

Show Boat Director, Janice Honeyman, says “Together with Porgy and Bess this (Show Boat) is possibly the classic musical that has the most telling reverberations for the South African situation. It deals with the have and have nots, the arrogance of the advantaged and their ignorance regarding poverty and racial discrimination.

There is the hope of change all the way through. But ultimately, as has been the case throughout history, while change is advantageous to some, for those most in need it is ultimately unfelt.”

To watch the official trailer for Cape Town Opera‘s production of Show Boat – click on the image below:

Show Boat opens at the Birmingham Hippodrome tonight (Tues 2nd July) and runs until Saturday 5th July – for info & tickets, visit http://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/WhatsOn_focus.asp?showId=1828

For further information on Cape Town Opera’s production of Show Boat, visit http://ctoshowboat.com/

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For further information on Cape Town Opera, visit http://capetownopera.co.za/

For further listings on the Birmingham Hippodrome, including full event listings, visit http://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/

May 4, 2014

REVIEW: Rae Morris @ Institute, Tues 29th Apr

Words by Jay Airey / Pics by Lucy Heath

Entry to The Institute was easy; name on the door, two press tickets and a pleasant ‘have a good evening’ from security as we make our way upstairs to The Temple room. Life isn’t always so simple.

I immediately spot Cannon Street sitting at a table, and excitedly learn they are here as support. I worked with the pair at the Moseley Folk Festival in 2011, as a steward, and my ‘+1’ had seen them perform at the 2013 event. Both on stage and off they are brilliant, but their vocal harmonies and connection whilst performing is and are beautiful.

From a rather muted applause after their opener, at the end of a five song set the terrific twosome reached enthusing acclaim. Matt Sheehan follows as Rae Morris’s main support; classic man-with-guitar, singing strong with a good range and playing with aplomb.

The Temple is the smaller of The Institute’s rooms and can create a pleasant and intimate environment; the low stage, coupled with Rae Morris‘s decision to sit on a low stool (presenting herself at audience head-height) helps to maintain this ambiance tonight.

Rae Morris’s first song produces an attractive echo between her lead voice and the voice of the drummer – almost as if her line is being sung back a few moments later. It’s an impressive technique and one that makes her opening track a ‘stand-out’ moment for me. Diminutive and a little shy, Morris’s voice carries her as a powerful and stronger force than she might first appear.

Rae Morris’s band – a drummer, keyboard player (synthesizer heavily in play and an excellent accompaniment) and guitarist (playing guitar, bass & double bass) sing well together; some excellent harmonies, with the guitarist providing superb support to the lower tones of the keyboards.

Smiles are exchanged between the two, bringing a harmony that emits a sense of the band, in its entirety, having fun. Morris too throws an indirect gaze and regular smiles back out at the crowd, helping The Institute‘s smaller room warm to what’s happening on stage.

‘Way Back When’, the track that first brought Rae Morris onto Birmingham Review’s radar, brings an edgy and emotional feel early in the set – also an excellent showcase of Morris’s talent for whistling.

Throughout her set Rae Morris’s voice provides a varied range, often betraying the soft and breathy characteristics her speaking voice carries. When engaging the audience, between tracks, Morris is softly spoken – before the strength and emotion of her vocals delivers sophistication arguably beyond her years. There is also an occasional inflection which evokes a fleeting similarity (to me) to Edie Brickell.

But what is missing for me is the interaction between Rae Morris and her band, who are instrumental (excuse the pun) to her performance. Rae Morris is an accomplished pianist with a sophisticated singing voice, but when performing alone can miss a certain distinction between songs.

Each individual band member is worthy of a mention tonight, and I especially feel drummer’s contribution is unmissable – who does get singled out for applause as Morris leaves the stage.

But perhaps life on the road, with a band in tow (Rae Morris is no stranger to live solo performances), requires some getting to know you time. After all tonight is only gig two on the first of Rae Morris’s headline tour. And as I say, life isn’t always so simple.

For more on Rae Morris, visit http://www.raemorris.co.uk

For further listings from The Institute, visit http://mamacolive.com/theinstitute/listings

April 28, 2014

PREVIEW: Rae Morris @ Institute, Tues 29th Apr

Back in Birmingham on a headline tour, Rae Morris performs in The Institute’s Temple venue on Tuesday 29^th April.

Penning emotive keys driven melodies, owned by subtle yet soaring vocals, Rae Morris has been gathering momentum since being picked up by BBC Introducing in 2011 – with notable performances at the Reading & Leeds Festivals in the same year.

Last in this city with Bombay Bicycle Club, on the O2 Academy stage in March this year, Morris has chalked up some impressive supports in Birmingham – previously playing with Tom Odell and Lianne Le Havas.

But it was on the North East gig circuit that the fledgling performer cut her teeth, arming her promising musical precocity with a tough live gig skin. Not an easy trick, especially for a one-person-one-piano singer/songwriter.

The release of Don’t Go in March 2012, Rae Morris’s debut single, gave her growing online audience something to take home; with her following three track EP, Grow, released 8 months later – including the addictively acoustic Way Back When.

As album demands grew (and grow) Atlantic Records, whom Morris signed with in Oct 2011, began the precarious balance of creative space Vs public demand. The ‘first taster’ came at the start of 2014, in the form of a slickly packaged free download single called Skin. Read the Birmingham Review here.

On April 28^th the Blackpool born vocal/pianist embarks on a headline tour – visiting 8 UK cities from Sheffield to Brighton and squeezing in a few festivals en route. Birmingham is the 2^nd stop for Rae Morris; preceding the release of Do You Even Know? on May 6^th – the first commercial single from her forthcoming album.

To watch the official video for Do You Even Know? click here or on the image below.

Rae Morris performs in The Institute’s Temple venue on Tuesday 29^th April. For gig information and tickets, visit http://mamacolive.com/theinstitute/listings/general/16447/rae-morris-special-guests

For more on Rae Morris, visit http://www.raemorris.co.uk

For further listings from The Institute, visit http://mamacolive.com/theinstitute/listings

March 31, 2014

P/REVIEW: Johnny Kowalski & the Sexy Weirdos – Kill the Beast (album launch) @ Hare & Hounds, Fri 4th Apr

This Friday (April 4^th) Birmingham’s own sexy/weird Gypsy Punksters come to the Hare & Hounds, with the first taste of their second studio album, Kill the Beast.

Scheduled for release on May 7^th, Kill the Beast is a 10 track/35min follow up to Victory for the Monsters – Johnny Kowalski & the Sexy Weirdos’ debut LP, released in October 2012.

Produced by Gavin Monaghan, at his Wolverhampton based Magic Garden Studios, Kill the Beast ‘takes its influences from disparate cultures and movements’ to produce ‘a surprisingly cohesive set of songs, all infused with the trademark Weirdo energy’. And if you’ve been to one of their live gigs you’ll have a fair idea what this could involve.

Kicking off with Gypsy strings, alongside the eponymous lead singer’s deep billy goat vocals, Kill the Beast doesn’t waste much time in establishing its sexy, weird sound – before neatly flaunting other influences and genres.

With their fervent ‘Carnival Punk’ never far behind, expect strains of Ska, Reggae, Soul or broader Rock & Roll as Johnny Kowalski & the Sexy Weirdos ‘cover a startling amount of ground on this, their sleek second album.’

But is you need a more visual (and possibly shorter) introduction – click here or on the image below:

Pre-promotion for the album has/will include a fair amount of road testing across a variety of UK and European stages, as well as a reassuringly raucous video shoot for ‘Tequila Song’ – a Portman Group challenging, Two Tone homage to a night that doesn’t sound too far removed from the truth.

But for the first live showcase of Johnny Kowalski & the Sexy Weirdos’ second album, Kill the Beast, you’ll have to be at the Hare & Hounds (Kings Heath) on Friday April 4^th. Support comes from Culture Dub Orchestra, The Harlaquin Dynamite Marching Band and a DJ set from Will Itsasecret.

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For more gig info & tickets, visit http://hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk/event-listings/event/?eventID=10030535

For more on Johnny Kowlaski & the Sexy Weirdos, visit http://www.sexyweirdos.co.uk

For further listing from the Hare & Hounds, visit http://hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk/event-listings