Category: Opinion

I am many things. Short, hairy. Occasionally right. But I have never been narrow minded with music, as my September highlights should demonstrate.

At one end of the September spectrum is the Moseley Folk Festival. I don’t need to harp on about it, if you’re reading this mag you’re probably standing next to one of their banners. This year’s line up includes Billy Bragg, The Bees, Badly Drawn Boy, Bellvue Rendezvue, Ben Calvert and assorted acts that don’t begin with the letter ‘B’. Long may this festival reign, and to those who quibble at the entry price I suggest you try booking this line up for only 2,000 people.

One day and a million miles away, Public Enemy come to the HMV Institute to perform their seminal album, ‘Fear of a Black Planet’. A HUGE release back in 1990 and one that’s as relevant today. Especially today. This is a rare opportunity to see a cornerstone of Hip Hop performed live on stage. And wait, I think I hear something..? The shuffle of Camp Hill alumni heading to Digbeth, whispering in hushed yet fervent tones ‘fight the power’ as they park the Audi under a prominent street light (you couldn’t give me lift could you?).

Elsewhere across the city… skip to the end… Carleen Anderson at The Glee Club on Sept 18^th. Pitch perfect soul, the front woman of the Young Disciples (and briefly the Brand New Heavies) has recorded with artists from Paul Weller to Guru, before focusing on her solo career here in the UK. An actual talent. It’s always a gift to have her play in the city

Apart from all that there’s; Dolly Parton (LG Arena, Sept 2^nd), Van Morrison (Symphony Hall, Sept 2^nd), Esther Miller (Jam House, Sept 20^th), Jazzie B (Hare & Hounds, Sept 10^th) and dear-god-what-fresh-hell… Mr Big (O2 Academy, Sept 18^th). Enjoy.

Follow Ed King at www.twitter.com/edking2210

Undoubtedly the most (insert superlative) thing happening this month is the Flyover Show on Sat Aug 20^th. But, as we’re fortunate enough to live in an unelected democracy, let’s look at what else is going on. Won’t take long. Musically speaking August’s the most boring month of the year to date.

Although… as I recant quicker than Andy Coulson in front of a tape recorder, the Raghu Dixit Project play the HMV on Aug 3^rd. One of India’s most delectable exports and definitely worth a taste.

The O2 has Bruno Mars on Aug 18^th and the least attractive Corr sister on Aug 23^rd. But I don’t get out of bed for anything less than Andrea. Or into, if the chance should arise.

Locally it’s back to our green and pleasant roots, with the Prince hosting another Traditional Music Session on Aug 17^th and the Celtic Clan’s debut at the Kitchen Garden Café on Aug 21^st, playing a ‘mixture of fantastic harmony vocals and live instruments.’ Vocals and instruments..? Cutting edge stuff, perhaps it’ll catch on. Otherwise it’s Mr Scruff at the H&H on Aug 26^th or Shambala, which is B13 in a field.

So… the Flyover Show. Basically a BIG FREE PARTY underneath the Hockley Flyover. Clue’s in the title right? I went last year and was truly (again insert superlative).

On stage are Goldie, Goldie’s Band (from the telly like), Omar ‘There’s-nothing-like-this-is-not-my-only-song’ Lye Fook, Akala – a MOBO lauded UK rapper actually worth listening to, Jazz Warrior Julian Joseph and Soweto Kinch, who’s address book is what allows this to happen.

Loads of fun, loads of music and the occasional plate of chicken. All for free. Apart from the chicken. Now where’s Hockley again..?

Follow Ed King at www.twitter.com/edking2210  

At the risk of repeating myself (…as if I ever) everything’s going festivaltastic. From Lichfield to Harborne; balloons are being blown, tumbolas are being tumbled, main stages are being wired to the mains and revellers of all ages, shapes and economic sizes are getting frisky in wellies. Or Birkenstocks, if you’re on the Art Trail in Eastnor.

But look… outside the Harris fencing, some escaped musicians playing regular gigs. Quick, stop them before Vince Powers wakes up.

Headbanging rocker and rumoured Marilyn Manson muse, James Taylor, is bringing his cutting edge nu-punk to the LG Arena on July 9^th. As Bill Hicks once explained, that man has a lot of the 70’s pent up frustration to answer for. American college rock trio Blink 182 follow him less than a week later on July 15^th, bringing their three ages of man tattoos and safe bad boy punk tantrums to the arenas of Birmingham. So lock up your daughters. Or not. My 5 year old niece would fancy her chances in a straight fight with the drummer.

In the city’s other big rooms, the HMV Institute presents the ethereally sexy Alexis Jordan on July 2^nd, with the O2 Academy answering back in the form of trailer park debutant Ke$ha on July 3^rd. Neither artist is the cancer cure of music, but dear god Ke$ha… there has to be an easier way.

On a more intimate note Lucy Wainwright Roche brings her accoustic American folk to the Glee Club on July 17^th. The third in the Wainwright trilogy, Lucy only joined the family business full time in 2007 after being a school teacher. You can kind of see it too, and she’s definitely well worth a ticket to listen to as well.

Closer to B13, 6 piece a cappella advert sensation The Magnets play a special concert at the MAC on July 8^th. Birmingham 13 covered this in our last issue, so I won’t repeat… hold on, anyway, it’ll be a lot of fun and all the ticket money goes to the Teenage Cancer Trust. So go or be guilty.

And now, with the will power of a recovering alcoholic I avoid the Hare & Hounds listings to tackle the beginning of festival season head on. First off, Birmingham has two major Jazz festivals happening this month, rather curiously at the same time. Mostly Jazz takes over Moseley Park from 1^st – 3^rd July, bringing a bounty of artists including the Cinematic Orchestra, Alice Russell and the legendary Booker T, whilst the 27^th Birmingham International Jazz Festival takes over a splattering of city centre venues from July 1^st – 10^th. I could double my word count listing the acts appearing throughout the BIJF, but here’s some names a Brummie might recognise; King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys, The Notebenders, Steve Ajao and Andy Hamilton.

If Jazz is not you’re thing then there are alternatives, namely the Latin American Festival in Victoria Square on July 4^th, the National Youth Music Organisations festival at the Town Hall on July 11^th and the Birmingham Belly Dancing festival at the Dance XChange on July 23^rd. Although really these are just one day events, but if you want a festival in the proper sense of the word…

Global Gathering is back at Long Marston Airfield on July 29^th – 30^th. What started as a one night 15,000 person rave in a field is now a monster of a festival. Pendulum, Tinie Tempah, Underworld, Case & Status, the list is pretty much endless. Plus at £99 for a weekend ticket it’s not a bad bullet to bite. Enjoy.

As we roll midway through our nation’s most esoteric of concepts, the official British Summer Time, there’s a few things you can count on. Rain. 20% off at Millets, and extortionate festivals. But if you don’t want to remortgage a kidney for good tunes this June, here’s some of our city’s more accessible ear candy.

The big venue battle continues in town, with the O2 Academy hosting Adam Ant-and-his-ridiculously-long-named-band-album-and-tour on June 1^st, and the HMV Institute promoting Jamie Woon’s Birmingham debut on June 4^th. The only other, vaguely, slightly, kind of, interesting Academy offers are well enunciated pop punk protégés, Futures, on June 5^th and the man who busted Busted, Charlie Simpson, on July 1^st. But it’s a decisive win, again, for the HMV Institute, with the Wu-Tang Clan on June 13^th, Gomez on June 20^th and Fat Freddie’s Drop on June 21^st.

The LG Arena boasts a dinosaur line up this month, with Journey, Foreigner and Styx all on the same June 5^th bill. The 80’s pop pension support package, or ‘Here & Now Tour’ as it’s promoters call it, is on June 24th, with Boy George, Jason Donovan, Belinda Carlise and other artists you’d find on a Now That’s What I Call Music cassette compilation all sharing the stage. But the big room highlight is not one, but two nights of Neil Diamond on June 28^th and 30^th. No jokes about this gig. Diamond’s fans may be easily startled, but they’ll be back… and in greater numbers. 

Over at the NIA Paul Simon plays a ferociously expensive gig on June 30^th, but the real point of interest is Roger Waters’ new version of ‘The Wall Live’ on June 28^th. It’s the first time in 20 years ‘The Wall’ has been toured, and celebrates the 30^th anniversary of the seminal Pink Floyd album. And with the average NIA ticket this month costing £55-65, maybe it’ll even make some money this time around?

Back in more familiar postcodes the Hare & Hounds has some of the best people to ever pick up an acoustic guitar on stage this month, with Carina Round and Vijay Kishore both performing on June 8^th. If you do nothing else this month, go to this gig. It’s really that simple.

Then on June 8^th, dolphin tear jerker Martyn Joseph will be touring his new album, ‘Under Lemonade Skies’. Joseph is the reason I fell for UK folk, after seeing him support Mary Black at the Town Hall in the early 90’s. So to all of my teenage romances, its his fault, now’s your chance.

Elsewhere within a stones throw, The Cross start a series of summer parties on June 10^th with DJ Shaun Williams, the man basically responsible for the Rum Runner legacy. The Kitchen Garden Café goes middle class music mad with the Birmingham Chinese Chamber Trio on June 1^st, whilst MAC hosts the phenomenal Rich Batsford on June 11^th.

But by far the most exciting thing on Brum’s immediate music calendar is the Mostly Jazz Festival, happening in our very own Moseley Park from 1^st – 3^rd July. Booker T, Alice Russell, Andy Hamilton & The Blue Notes, Gilles Peterson, Matthew Herbert Big Band, Dele Sosimi, Manouche… the list goes on. Although it’ll be watching Milestones perform Davis’ classic ‘Kind Of Blue’ on Sat June 2^nd or the Cinematic Orchestra on Fri June 1^st that’ll make me sob like a child. And all for considerably less money than a discounted 4-man tent. In a word, magic.

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