THE GALLERY: Dragpunk presents Drag Me to Hell! @ The Nightingale Club 12.10.18

THE GALLERY: Lilith – Drag Me to Hell! @ The Nightingale Club 12.10.18 / Sarah Maiden

 

 

 

Words by Anna Cash Davidson / Pics by Sarah Maiden

On Friday 12th October, Dragpunk hosted their Drag Me to Hell! show at The Nightingale Club, the oldest and most popular LGBTQ venue in Birmingham, running since 1969.

Dragpunk are a collective that ‘aim to promote LGBTQ art, awareness and confidence’ in Birmingham, bringing together drag (‘a creative art for anyone regardless of their gender, sexual identity and orientation’) and punk (‘an expressive, individual freedom that is anti-establishment and anti-mainstream society’). THE GALLERY: Cosmic Crum – Drag Me to Hell! @ The Nightingale Club 12.10.18 / Sarah MaidenThe show is hosted by Lilith and features the whole Dragpunk collective – Tacky Alex, Paul Aleksandr, Amber Cadaverous – with appearances from Cosmic Crum, Tanja McKenzie, Eva Serration, and special guest Ruby Wednesday.

The venue has limited seating capacity, so I take a standing position – managing to find a spot not obstructed from view by drag queens in 6-inch heels. The stage is decorated in full Halloween pantomime galore, littered with fake candles and furnished with red drapes, skulls and a crystal ball.THE GALLERY: Tacky Alex – Drag Me to Hell! @ The Nightingale Club 12.10.18 / Sarah Maiden As we wait for the 9:30 pm start time, eerie music plays in the background that takes me back to theme parks of my childhood, and this theatricality is only increased by the smoke machine that alerts us that the performance has begun.

Our host for the evening is Lilith, who stuns in a Gothic bride get-up, complete with a black veil, delivering us humorous one-liners throughout the evening, with her interjections providing a break from the intensity of some of the performances.THE GALLERY: Paul Aleksandr – Drag Me to Hell! @ The Nightingale Club 12.10.18 / Sarah Maiden The narrative of the performance follows Lilith summoning dead spirits with her crystal ball and there is everything you want from a Halloween drag show, with Frankenstein’s bride, Salem witch trials, Ouija boards and light dose of devil-worship.

Cosmic Crum bursts through the crowd and all I can see are the horns on his head until he reaches the stage, and the two men he has on a leash become visible. Crum pours blood on them and they lick it off each other, whilst ‘Seven Nation Army’ plays in the background.THE GALLERY: Tanja McKenzie – Drag Me to Hell! @ The Nightingale Club 12.10.18 / Sarah Maiden Tacky Alex brings some clownish joy to the stage, lip-syncing Tiny Tim’s ‘Living in the Sunlight’, whilst Paul Aleksandr gives us a dramatic rendition of Eurythmics ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These)’. “Wasn’t that intense?” quips Lilith during the interlude.

THE GALLERY: Eva Serration – Drag Me to Hell! @ The Nightingale Club 12.10.18 / Sarah MaidenPopular music plays a key part throughout the show tonight, with Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ and Kiss’ ‘I Was Made for Lovin’ You’ also featuring. Less popular numbers include a devil-worship song (with the lyrics ‘praise the devil’) in Tanja Mckenzie’s performance, with the Satanic as a clear running theme. Towards the end, Lilith uses a Ouija board to help her summon our final spirits for the evening.

THE GALLERY: Ruby Wednesday – Drag Me to Hell! @ The Nightingale Club 12.10.18 / Sarah MaidenStand-out performances include Eva Serration’s depiction of Frankenstein’s creature and bride told as a feminist revenge story, lip syncing to a speech from recent TV series Penny Dreadful“Never again will I kneel to any man. Now they shall kneel to me. As you do, monster,” we hear, before she rips off his head and her own white shapeless dress, revealing a red corset and fishnets as a sign of her new freedom.

The final performance of the evening is Ruby Wednesday, whose refreshing take on drag is particularly striking in a pinstripe suit, eyeliner, heels. and wigless – blurring the lines even further between gender. Ruby Wednesday ends the night with sparks flying, literally, sending us off with an angle grinder in an impressive display, in keeping with the drama of the evening.

Overall, it is an enjoyable night, bringing together people of all ages, genders and sexualities in an entertaining show, leaving us never quite knowing what to expect next. I think it’s time to start planning my Halloween costume…

 

 

 

Dragpunk presents Drag Me to Hell! @ The Nightingale Club 12.10.18 / Sarah Maiden

 

For more on the Dragpunk Collective, visit www.facebook.com/dragpunkcollective

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

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THE GALLERY: Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18

ROAM @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

 

 

 

Words & pics by Eleanor Sutcliffe

Ah, Slam Dunk… I arrive at the NEC camera in hand, with a carefully curated list of who I want to see. In 2017 I left the festival absolutely knackered from running in between stages, having seen maybe a third of the bands I planned to, and I vowed one year I would be better prepared. 2018 is not that year.

First is Nottingham based four-piece As December Falls, who were voted by members of the public to open the Rock Sound Breakout stage at Slam Dunk’s Birmingham date. I’m no stranger to the band’s material, having played their debut EP A Home in Your Head on repeat following its release; however it’s the first time I’ve managed to see them live and in color so to say.

As December Falls @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeTheir set is short but energetic, with singer Bethany Curtis pacing back and forth across the stage to ‘Capture’ and my personal favorite ‘Don’t Say a Word’. For a genre that is predominantly fronted by male singers, I’m happy to see a woman performing – but at the same time, I’m uncomfortable at the fact that it’s a defining feature of the band. They’re brilliant. Why should it matter that they’re female fronted? I mentally pocket the subject Stage openers Knuckle Puck – one of the handful of bands to attend Slam Dunk following the European touring festival Galaxy Camp. And I’m only in the photo pit for a few minutes until I’m taken out WWE style by a rogue crowd surfer; being kicked in the head while the band thrashed out ‘Pretense’ was not planned, but serves as a rather brash (and painful) reminder for me to be a little more cautious in the pit.

Dream State @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

I run back to the Rock Sound Breakout Stage to catch Dream State perform. Having met them on a recent acoustic tour supporting As It Is, I’ve more used to hearing their material stripped back to its bare bones and I’m eager to see how the full band would compare today. Heavier than what I had anticipated, Dream State are one of the more energetic bands of the day, with singer Charlotte Gilpin flinging herself into the crowd on more than one occasion. Stand out tracks include their single ‘In This Hell’, which sends the festival audience into a state of fury and has since made itself at home on my Spotify.

The Impericon Stage is housing a stellar lineup for the day; myself and some other photographers decide to head over to see Astroid Boys. Having performed numerous shows in Birmingham, I’m interested in seeing the and perform in front of a crowd of this size – the last time they did that in Birmingham was supporting Enter Shikari last November.

Astroid Boys @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Benji emerges with a child on his shoulders, who stares in what looks like bewildered fear at the crowd before racing to the side and being scooped up by who I presume is his father. Strangely, co-front man Traxx is nowhere to be seen, and we find out later that he has left the band. Nevertheless, the remaining members bring their fusion of hardcore and grime to the foyer of Genting Arena in full force, despite Benji’s vocal range being slightly stinted due to the band’s antics the night before in Leeds.

I retreat to the foyer balcony to catch the rest of Astroid Boys’ set and I am overjoyed when they play ‘Foreigners’. From this safer distance I spot a few of my friends throwing themselves into mosh pits below and question the overall safety of the day’s proceedings; this becomes a more serious matter after I am flattened for a second time in the photo pit while shooting The Devil Wears Prada by a crowd surfing fan, despite the efforts of security to catch him.

The Devil Wears Prada @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeI’m given a quick once over and when they’re happy no bones are broken, I’m bundled back out and forced to watch the rest of their set from the sound desk while nursing a rather impressive bump on my shin. And while as energetic as some of the other bands I have seen today, I feel The Devil Wears Prada’s set falls slightly flat due to parts of it sounding slightly out of time. However, this doesn’t put off the hoards of fans screaming along to tracks such as ‘Born to Lose’.

I decide to give hardcore a break and make my way to the Signature Brew Stage to watch Broadside. A friend of mine recently came off tour with the band and recommended I see them, and I’m pleasantly surprised. Their set is bouncy and fun, with singer Ollie Baxxter extending the mic out to the crowd numerous times to allow them to sing along.

The Signature Brew Stage delivers some of the best shows at Slam Dunk 2018 – whether it’s ROAM flinging inflatable pineapples onto the crowd to encourage crowd surfers and back flipping on stage, or Trash Boat descending into the masses for tracks like ‘Strangers’, the performances here are strong throughout the day.

As It Is @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeHeadliners As It Is deliver one of their best shows to date later on in the evening too, debuting their new darker aesthetic much to the joy of their fans. Their latest release, ‘Wounded World’, taken from their upcoming album The Great Depression, shows an exciting development in their sound and is a far cry from the pop-punk tones we grew accustomed to on their previous albums. It even features a breakdown and screaming, much to my inner angsty 14 year old’s delight.

Although the band’s new direction has caused somewhat of a rift in their fan base, with some keyboard warriors claiming it mirrors My Chemical Romance’s look that we all fell in love with back in 2006. Personally, I’m sold; I love the nostalgia of it. Give me a month and I’ll be backcombing my hair and smearing black eyeliner on my face all over again.

But let’s not forget our home talent, bought to Slam Dunk by Birmingham based acoustic artist Luke Rainsford. I try to be unbiased here as I work with Luke regularly, but he’s fucking brilliant.Luke Rainsford @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe His music is not for the faint of heart, with harrowing lyrics relating to sensitive subjects such as death, depression and anxiety, but that doesn’t put off the crowd gathered for his set on the Key Club Acoustic Stage. Watching the audience sing along in unison to tracks such as ‘Frame’, it’s heartwarming that the young artist I met supporting This Wild Life back in 2016 has garnered such a large local following.

Live, it’s a simple set up – no band or backing, just Rainsford with his guitar, which makes his performance all the more powerful. It’s the type of music you listen to alone, late at night, while contemplating your purpose in life. It’s gut-wrenching at times, but there’s comfort to be found in its honesty. Listen to ‘Sweet Briar’ if you don’t believe me.

By now it’s early evening and the crowds are starting to accumulate at the larger stages. I head back into the belly of the beast to see State Champs, who I last saw cause absolute carnage at their headline show at O2 Institute.State Champs @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe The crowd they’ve gathered at Slam Dunk shows their fan base is still growing, and again I dodge bodies that pour over the safety barrier while snapping photos of singer Derek DiScanio pacing across the stage with seemingly boundless energy.

Their old material is, as expected, wonderful – however their newer tracks feel slightly flat. I desperately want to like ‘Crystal Ball’, but I can’t help but feel it lacks the punch and angsty atmosphere that we were introduced to when the band dropped ‘Around the World and Back’. Musically, State Champs are nearly faultless today, but they pale in comparison to the subsequent performance by Sleeping with Sirens. Call me a sucker for showmanship, but if your guitarist can balance his instrument on a single hand then I’m sold.

Realising I should probably eat something before I pass-out, I head outside to the Fireball Stage in search of sustenance. I’m not a fan of this stage usually, however I find myself bobbing along to the likes of The Skints and Goldfinger with a group of fans in the arena. This is one of the beautiful parts of festivals – you can literally stumble across new music and fall in love instantly. Even if you have to trek for what feels like miles between stages.Sleeping with Sirens @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Which, on this somewhat spread out festival site, it probably is.

In case you haven’t gathered, I’m a sucker for bands with female artists in this genre. They’re few and far between, especially on the bigger stages, which is why I am hell-bent on seeing PVRIS perform back on the Jägermeister Stage during the evening line up. And despite what looks like some technical difficulties involving Lynn Gunn’s in-ears, their performance was everything you’d expect and a definite improvement on their last Birmingham show at the O2 Academy in November last year. PVRIS’s nine song set is a balanced mixture of material from both of their albums, opening with piano piece ‘Heaven’ and finishing with the much faster, heavier ‘My House’.

Unfortunately the headliners clash, resulting in a decision between Good Charlotte and Jimmy Eat World. I settle on the latter – reasoning that as I haven’t ventured out to the Monster Stage yet, I could do with a change of scene.

PVRIS @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Big mistake.

The Monster Stage was far.

Half an hour walk, to be precise. Which translates to a fifteen minute sprint.

For most of the bands, Slam Dunk works on what photographers tend to call an ‘open pit’ policy. This means you could go into any photo pit, at any time, and shoot the band performing. However, this rule does not apply to the headline acts and the photographers covering the festival are only allowed a more standard pit access to shoot the first three songs. This results in utter chaos, as fans and press alike rush over to the Monster Stage to try and catch the start of Jimmy Eat World’s performance.Jimmy Eat World @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe And being only human this serves as a major flaw for both myself and many other photographers, as despite our best efforts we arrive late for the headliner’s set, looking, and feeling, rather worse for wear.

Jimmy Eat World’s set up, however, is stunning – large, red streetlamps shine on the stage and I find I enjoy their set much more than I thought I might. Despite not being a huge Jimmy fan, I recognise tracks such as ‘Futures’ and cult classic ‘The Middle’. But it’s the crowd that make this performance so wonderful tonight; strangers hold hands and sing along to tracks together, while others dance with each other. In the end, I watch the fans more than I watch the band.

But this is what makes a festival, and this is certainly what makes Slam Dunk so special. And whilst I may not have been as prepared as I had hoped, leaving my body armour and roller skates at home, this is why we throw ourselves around a spread out site year after year, dusting ourselves off from mosh pit and crowd surfing related injuries. All good practice for Slam Dunk 2019.

 

 

 

Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Jimmy Eat World @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeJimmy Eat World @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe PVRIS @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe PVRIS @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Goldfinger @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Goldfinger @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Sleeping with Sirens @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Sleeping with Sirens @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe State Champs @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe State Champs @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Luke Rainsford @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe As It Is @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe As It Is @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Trash Boat @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Trash Boat @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe ROAM @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe ROAM @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Broadside @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Broadside @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe The Devil Wears Prada @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe The Devil Wears Prada @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Astroid Boys @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Astroid Boys @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Dream State @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Dream State @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Knuckle Puck @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe As December Falls @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe As December Falls @ Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

For direct information on Slam Dunk, visit www.slamdunkmusic.com

For from the Genting Arena, including full event listings and links to online ticket sales, visit www.gentingarena.co.uk

THE GALLERY: Birmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18

Birmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

 

 

 

Words by Ashleigh Goodwin / Pics by Eleanor Sutcliffe

Pride returned to the streets of Birmingham celebrating its 21st year, with 2018 being “the biggest Birmingham Gay Pride in our history” reaching ‘record ticket sales for an event that’s set to attract tens of thousands of people’. Birmingham Pride festival director, Lawrence Barton, noted, “it’s incredible to think how far Pride has come since 1997… it was on a single stage with only a few hundred guests”.

The two-day LGBTQ+ event was held over the late May Bank Holiday weekend and stretched across the whole second city; this years’ new additions included a street food court, a beer garden area, new locations for the dance arena and cabaret stage, and the introduction of a Future Stage for upcoming acts at The Nightingale Club.

Birmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeIn traditional Pride fashion, the festival kicked off with the carnival Parade with this year’s theme as ‘Be You’. Although the Parade didn’t start until around noon on Saturday 26th May, many people were packing into Victoria Square – where the Parade began – from much earlier to ensure a good view of the ‘best and most visible procession through the city ever’. Introduced by festival organisers and the Birmingham Lord Mayor, the Birmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade stretched from Victoria Square down New Street, the High Street, Carrs Lane, Smallbrook Queensway, and Hurst Street, before reaching the main Pride Festival site at the Gay Village in the Southside area of Birmingham.

Birmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeShops that lined the High Street hung out LGBTQ+ flags; Second Cup Coffee offered face-paint and glitter in the corner of its crowded coffee shop whilst people roamed up and down selling flags and whistles. As the start time grew closer, the High Street became a multi-coloured sea of glitter, leather and fishnet with people donning LGBTQ+ flags fashioned as capes or dresses. There was a tangible anticipation as a samba band filled the air to signify the start of the Parade, with a diverse array of floats and walking groups coming together in celebration and liberation; this year’s ‘Be You’ theme created an inclusive Parade that was both incredible and empowering to watch.

Corporate giants drove the route on double-decker buses or lorries covered with bunting, blasting upbeat music from their speakers as their staff danced to their hearts content. Amongst these were the likes of HSBC UK (the events’ leading sponsor for 2018), Virgin, Royal Mail, and BT.

Birmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Numerous organisations and charities were also walking the parade, such as African LGBTQ+ activists Out and Proud, Stonewall, and the social welfare charity Samaritans who held signs proudly above their heads reading ‘come out for LGBT’ and ‘I could finally be myself’.

Additionally, there were a range of societies representing minorities groups within the LGBTQ+ community, such as Unmuted – ‘a social and peer support network in Birmingham for people of colour who identify as LGBTQI’, and Bi Pride UK – an organisation that strives to ‘create spaces where people who experience attraction beyond gender can be freely visible and celebrate themselves and their identities’,Birmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe as well as Leicester based social enterprise Pride Without Borders who aim to provide support to those coming to the UK to ‘seek asylum specifically for their LGBT+ identity’.

The walking groups spanned a wide range of individuals, from teachers, doctors, dentists, older members of the LGBTQ+ community, to people living with HIV and those within a number of religious and/or faith groups. There was also a strong core the Birmingham LGBTQ+ community; local drag artists and performers danced atop The Village Inn and The Nightingale Club floats, whilst the Symphony Hall showcased their digital van with a newly commissioned video of the YouTube star the Shirtless Violinist performing on their stage.

Birmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

The whole ‘Be You’ Parade was sound-tracked by unrelenting cheering from attendees, with the atmosphere feeling full of camaraderie, joy and acceptance, welcoming whoever walked past. A couple drove by in an old-fashioned car wearing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle masks accompanied by two shirtless men clad in leather harnesses and short shorts, drag artists in the most elaborate and eye-catching costumes stopped by the barriers to pose for photos and chat, whilst the policemen observing the Parade joined in with their cheeks covered in multi-coloured paint whilst the blue light services in their full uniform (complete with multi-coloured leis and whistles) danced behind their vehicles as their sirens blared in time with the music.Birmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

However, it was the homemade signs that evoked possibly the most emotion and unity, reminding us all of the necessity of events like Pride. Amongst them were placards declaring ‘I deserve a great love story’, ‘love your neighbour as you love yourself’, ‘I have a beating heart, I’m multidimensional, I’m a fully-realised creation’, ‘Black queerness matters’ and ‘Black, queer and beautiful’, whilst one simply stated ‘change your perception towards the LGBTI community’. And a sign celebrating being ‘homosexu-whale’. Say it quickly.

Throughout all of this, I’m grateful to be from Birmingham – as cliché as it sounds. The sheer amount of diversity within the ‘Be You’ Parade alone (before we are even half-way into the main Pride celebrations) is empowering to say the least. The Parade is a testament to Birmingham’s cultural diversity, and although a time for celebration it also serves as a reminder that people are still tirelessly fighting each day for the simple right to exist as themselves. Yet it’s through events such as Birmingham Pride that equality, unity and freedom can be fought for and achieved for so many.

Although I’ve tried before and try again now to properly explain Birmingham Pride, my words always fall short; I think it’s something you have to experience. Barton, however, summarises by stating, “It’s a wonderful celebration of peoples’ right to be whoever they want to be. The parade for me is the most important part of the festival as it shows how we are proud to be a diverse and inclusive city”.

 

 

 

Birmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Birmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeBirmingham Pride ‘Be You’ Parade @ 26.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

For more on Birmingham Pride, visit www.birminghampride.com

Despite wanting to detail all the organisations, societies and companies who participated in Pride this year, the list is too extensive. However, for a list of all LGBTQ+ services within Birmingham visit, www.blgbt.org/directory 

THE GALLERY: RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18

 

 

 

Words & pics by Eleanor Sutcliffe

It’s 8pm on a Sunday evening and Ashleigh and I are soaked. We’ve worked Birmingham Pride for two days and have just traipsed our way through monsoon rain to the doors of the Symphony Hall for RuPaul’s Werq The World Tour.

Having decided to wear slightly fancier clothing than our usual jeans and t-shirt ensemble for tonight’s occasion, I’m regretting my decision already – dresses were not made with practicality in mind, and this combined with the thunderous weather (and being forced to run in heels) has left us both looking, and feeling, worse for wear.

Lady Bunny - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeIt gets even worse as we descend into the foyer too. Fans are dressed up to the nines in their best clothing, with platform thigh high boots and latex bodysuits seemingly the norm. We didn’t expect anything less, mind – when you’re coming to a show that features some of the biggest names in drag, it’s a given that fans will don themselves in outfits as outlandish as the performance we’re about to witness. Wrestling our way to our seats, we settle in and prepare ourselves for the evening ahead.

The lights go down and a quartet of male dancers make their way onto the stage. On swans Lady Bunny, who opens the show by lip-syncing to Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’ to a backdrop of lightning – fitting, considering the weather we traipsed through to get to the show. A departure board flashes up and one by one, each queen does a single lap of the stage before disappearing backstage. They are all present and correct, with each queen garnering more support than the last.

Detox - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Detox flings flowers out to the crowd before swearing at the front row before sauntering off, much to the attendee’s delight. The furor is deafening as Latrice waltzes her way on stage, who laughs and smiles as fans screech and click their fingers back and forth. Finally, they all reappear and dance along to a heavy pop track, the choreography for which Lady Bunny claims is inspired by “the hashish we got from Amsterdam”.

And so begins the show – first up is Kennedy Davenport, who sashays onstage to an upbeat instrumental dance track seemingly inspired by the Rio carnival. Dressed in a black ruffled cloak, this is soon cast away to reveal a fringed green, yellow and blue bodysuit. Her performance includes all the signature drag dance moves includes the painful looking ‘death drop’ (if you don’t know what this is, Google away). The sheer energy that Davenport brings to the stage is incredibly impressive – I’m sweltering under the lights just taking her photo, so how she manages to leap back and forth is beyond me. The crowd’s response is one of sheer delight and Davenport takes a bow before running offstage.

Kennedy Davenport - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeNext, a Seoul backdrop appears as Kim Chi slowly makes her way on stage accompanies by and eerie piano instrumental. The screen shows a dark pink sea and moon which, coupled with her short white skirt and blonde wig, gives away the Sailor Moon inspiration behind the performance. As the backing dancers mimic each character from the anime, Chi twirls out of her costume to reveal a sparkling white ballgown, before launching into a lip sync routine to the Sailor Moon theme tune, which is edited to include a heavy bass line. Though she struggles to lip sync along to the track, she more than makes up for it in after the performance when talking to Lady Bunny.

Forever the comedy queen, Chi claims her favorite part about Drag Race was “free catering” and how the most important lesson she learnt was that life isn’t always about winning – “it’s about losing to black people occasionally”. Kim Chi - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffePersonally, I’ve never felt incredibly comfortable with drag humour as it can seem rather crass and humiliating to me on occasion, however the comments go down a storm with the room so who am I to judge?

To break up the performance, Lady Bunny announces a game rather inventively named ‘Wig in a Box’. The rules are simple – four members of the audience will be selected and will delve into a large cardboard box, emerging with a rather beaten up wig. The aim of the game is to lip-sync along to the accompanying track, and whoever’s performance is best, wins.

Despite my best endeavors to coax fellow writer, Ashleigh, up on stage, she’s not having it in the slightest, and I personally cannot think of anything worse than stepping out onto the Symphony Hall stage only to publicly humiliate myself for the slight chance of winning a free T shirt. Four individuals are selected and make their way on stage, which angers a woman at the back who feels the need to collapse in the aisle while belting out ‘It Should Have Been Me’ by Yvonne Fair. She is gently escorted back to her seat under the seething comments of Lady Bunny, who claims “bitch, I don’t come to your job at Mcdonalds and tell you what to do”. The crowd goes wild. I begin to re-evaluate my life choices.

Lady Bunny's 'Wig in a Box' - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeI am in no place to judge here either, as each competitor who forced their head into one of those wigs clearly has way more balls than I ever will. However, it is the young man who has to lip-sync to P!nk’s ‘So What’ who has me in stitches.

After cowering in his seat momentarily, he soon launches into a full routine which includes a cartwheel, handsprings, a border line striptease and a death drop that has me flinching in pain. Finishing by grinding on his chair to the cacophony of applause, even Lady Bunny seems to be impressed, or concerned, I’m not sure which one. She crowns him the winner and flings him an official Werq the World t-shirt before carrying on with the show.

Sharon Needles - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeNext is Sharon Needles, who Lady Bunny welcomes by claiming she “puts the gore in gorgeous”. Her style of drag has always been a favourite of mine, as she goes against the grain and puts a horror spin on the art form. Entering the stage clad in a black veil and dress, she stands still as a dancer in a latex devil mask twirls around her, accompanied by text that says, ‘enough of that, let the sacrifice begin’.

‘Marry the Night’ by Lady Gaga soon starts blaring out of the speakers and the veil is cast away in favour of a black latex bodysuit. The lip sync soon morphs into her own 2017 release ‘Black Licorice’, and the screen behind shows images of a rabbit decomposing as she dances across the stage. Closing her performance with the phrase “Happy Halloween, hail Satan, being gay is punk and kill your parents”, Needles strolls off stage without a care in the world as the crowd descends into ecstasy behind her.

Detox - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeThe following performance is most definitely NSFW; Detox has always been known for her rather outlandish antics, however she truly goes to town tonight. Sporting a long black coat and lip-syncing along to what we think is ‘S.E.X’ by Madonna, she reveals a red latex corset and kinky boots as her outfit of choice, accompanied by a long, latex ponytail reminiscent of a whip.

Her dancers are soon stripped down to red latex pants the size of postage stamps as she grinds on each one in turn, much to the joy of the crowd and the embarrassment of the parents present. After attaching a rope to the collars of each dancer she has them walk around her like puppies, further hinting at the dominatrix influences on her performance. It’s clearly the fan’s favourite so far, as a woman runs down the aisle to stuff notes of money into Detox’s thong.

Valentina - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeLady Bunny appears again, this time to perform a rather controversial ditty that mocks each of the major drag queens we have seen throughout RuPaul. Again, this is not my humour, however the crowd seemingly lap it up, squealing at the controversy it may cause. But the whole thing seems shallow and crass to me, with most of the comments focusing on the looks, sizes, or nationalities of the queens. For a show which prides itself in being inclusive to all forms of drag, I find myself uncomfortable during this performance. I occupy myself cleaning my camera lens until the next act comes on.

Violet Chachki - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeAll it takes is the signature twang of a Spanish guitar for me to know that Valentina is soon to perform. Her lip sync and dancing is second to none, however I cannot help but feel fans are growing slightly bored of the continuous references to her nationality. She is an incredibly skilled and talented performer, and I feel she could expand on this considerably if the company were more willing to look outside the box. Regardless, Valentina‘s performance is amazing as per usual, and I marvel at the grace and elegance she brings to the stage. The mariachi style dance goes down a storm with the crowd too, with fans at the front nearly in tears.

Violet Chachki - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeAh, Violet Chachki… If I have a soft spot for any queen, it’s her. Descending upon the blue lit stage in a typical sequined burlesque gown, the aesthetics of her performance are simply stunning. Coupled with her cabaret style dancing and aerial skills, her show tonight is truly breathtaking.Casting the gown aside for a sequined leotard, she hops into the aerial hoop with more grace than I could ever possess, which is then hoisted into the rafters of the Symphony Hall. Spinning and twirling at a speed that would make me vomit on the crowd, Chachki goes through several daring moves, each one riskier than the last. The variety breaks up the night well, and she receives ecstatic applause from the crowd.

And finally, Latrice Royale, saving the best until last. She is introduced clad in theatrical regal gown complete with the biggest ruffled collar I’ve ever seen in my life. Her performance is based around her latest single ‘Excuse the Beauty’, which has the entire audience up out of their seats for the first time this evening. Latrice Royale RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeShe is flung a white and mint flag by one of the dancers which she incorporates into her routine, hurling and spinning it though the air like a baton twirler. Clearly the crowd favourite, fans are in tears at this point, screaming their praise as Royale bows and exits the stage.

As Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ pulses from the speakers, each of the queens emerges from backstage donning silver sequined outfits to take their final bow. At this point, fans begin the crowd the aisles, desperate to make their way to the stage to sing their praises. Even the queens seem slightly surprised at the sheer support that is being shown, as the shake hands with fans and blow kisses.

As we leave the Symphony Hall, I’m slightly speechless. It’s rare I leave a show surprised – on the contrary, I’m usually picking flaws from the moment I’m back out on the street. However, the atmosphere is electric and seeing fans this excited at the performances they have just witnessed warms my soul slightly. I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting for the response from an audience, even to such a high profile to a drag show, to be this strong. But it is. And I love it.

 

 

 

RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Violet Chachki - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Violet Chachki - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Violet Chachki - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Valentina - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Valentina - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Valentina - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Sharon Needles - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Sharon Needles - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Kim Chi - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Kim Chi - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Kim Chi - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeKennedy Davenport - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Kennedy Davenport - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Kennedy Davenport - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Detox - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeDetox - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeDetox - RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World Tour @ Symphony Hall 27.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

For more on RuPaul’s Werq the World Tour, visit www.vossevents.com/events/werq-the-world 

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

THE GALLERY: Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18

Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury

 

 

 

Words by Ashleigh Goodwin / Pics by Phil Drury

It’s Thursday night and our three day summer is still going strong. Approaching The Sunflower Lounge, you can see it has already built up a sizeable crowd that spills onto the streets outside, all of whom are enjoying drinks and cigarettes before the show begins downstairs.The crowd is awash with Dr Martens, plaid shirts and corduroy, singing along to various snippets of whatever is playing inside – speakers blaring into the road, through windows open to accommodate the hot weather.

The basement, however, is quiet upon entry. But as Birmingham based ‘psych-soaked four-piece’ Brain Food take to the stage people begin to file through the doors, dutifully taking their spot in front of the stage. The room becomes busy, with it getting so packed near the back that at one point I look like the final member of the most mismatched family trio; my bag and shoulders squashed together between an older man and a younger girl. People greet each other between songs, half jumping on their friends in hugs and adoringly ruffling their hair with one hand whilst sipping their beer in the other. One audience member reenacts the most vicious ‘Charlie Brown’ dance move I’ve ever seen repeatedly throughout the set, whilst bobbing his head to the thick bass lines as they go.

Brain Food – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil DruryA smooth “howdy” from lead singer Liam Mckeown reverberates through the room and does nothing to calm the raucous crowd. Their setlist – which includes ‘Mindwinder’, a new single yet to be released from their forthcoming EP ‘Get One On’ – is a pleasant haze of swirling chord combinations and fuzzy riffs from rhythm guitarist Jakob Cusp and bassist Wills Carrot, against the smooth swagger of Liam’s vocals and Connor Doyle’s percussion. Brain Food provided the perfect opener for the evening by kicking it off with enthusiasm and getting the crowd going in such a short space of time.

Brain Food – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil DruryThe second band of the night are The Hungry Ghosts, and people begin to swarm in throughout the first song after their toilet, drink and cigarette breaks. Having only seen ‘The Ghosts’ once before from the back of a busy crowd, only now was I able to appreciate the enticing appeal of the five-piece. Their sound is hard to pin-down, and as they play favourites such as the effortlessly cool ‘Amerika’, ‘Lazaro’ and ‘Hummingbird’, I realised the full rock and roll sounding guitars mixed with the distinctive vocals and controlled screams of frontman Joe Joseph can only really be summerised by their self-description of ‘slaughterhouse blues and trash country’.

The Hungry Ghosts – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil DruryI try many variations to describe this in my notes, crossing out each one in frustration as this description is the only one that seems apt for their unique sound, which manages to incorporate elements of rock, punk, blues and psychedelia into one performance. The Hungry Ghosts give an unpredictable yet tight set, presumably due to their confidence and familiarity with the stage; each member puts on a solid performance, showing what a well oiled machine The Hungry Ghosts are without ever coming off as too polished, flat or boring.

The Hungry Ghosts – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil DruryAdditionally, frontman Joe Joseph seems to possess a magnetism only present in a very small percentage of performers; he knows exactly what he is doing as he commands the small stage of The Sunflower Lounge. From his precise movements and calculated mannerisms, to his addressing of the audience as “brothers and sisters”, Joseph draws you into the performance and really helps solidify the bands overall image and presentation.

The Hungry Ghosts – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil DruryThe Hungry Ghosts exhibit a theatrical and artistic nature that encompasses everything they do; from their stylised ‘Amerika’ video, to their carefully designed merch of stickers, t-shirts and badges which are set up in a battered suitcase to the left of the stage. This naturally extends to their performance and does make them mesmerising to watch, it makes you want to take note of what is being performed and it boats an indescribable allure. These factors, combined with the fact I had to cut out many notes to make this a somewhat readable size, are what made The Hungry Ghosts, for me, the highlight of the evening.

Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil DruryAfter The Hungry Ghosts, people stream in and out of the basement and rotate between the bar, smoking area and toilets upstairs, meaning the crowd has dwindled in numbers slightly. But when Black Sabbath’s ‘Iron Man’ fills the room, the remaining audience members eagerly chorus the opening guitar whilst throwing their heads forward to the rhythm. The track is cut short for Captain Süün’s arrival to the stage, as they introduce themselves with a chaotic medley guitars and feedback before diving straight into their set.

Two songs in and lead vocalist Dan Brown asks into the crowd if they can borrow one of The Hungry Ghost’s guitars as there is a problem with Harri Newman’s, the band’s lead guitarist. A couple of minutes later and Billy OIllis swerves through the crowd and props his guitar on the speaker. A tense couple of seconds follow as Newman fiddles with the straps and dials on the body; you can tell there is an impending verse he needs to complete, and with what seems like barely a second to spare he nails it by launching into the riff with a satisfying vengeance.

Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil DrurySmall but dedicated pits form from the second song onwards, growing when the four-piece play their EP’s title track ‘Beach Burrito’. Captain Süün sound completely on form, with their live performance lifting the sound of the more subdued, relaxed recording on the EP. The energy displayed by the four-piece and voraciousness of the guitars gives a wild and unexpected layer to their entire set, which the crowd pick up on as pits continue throughout the show.

Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil DruryThis culminates in the last song, with the front section of the room throwing themselves into one another as red lights and mind-bending guitars fill the venue – a crowd member goes flying across the floor and people scramble to help them up instantaneously before carrying on in earnest. Not a soul is deterred from giving it their all as people fly into the speakers lining the front of the stage, and frontman Dan Brown has to prop his foot on one to ensure it doesn’t continue its journey across the floor.Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury

Even from my position on the stairs the joy is infectious, and I can hear the shouts of enthusiasm and laughter from the crowd below. The previous two bands look on from the crowd, moving along with the beat whilst some are even part of the pit, whilst Brain Food’s lead singer, Liam Mckeown, unabashedly dances on the stairs.

The crowd are a real highlight of the Captain Süün gig tonight, with the headline set  definitely the most interactive and responsive they’ve been all evening. And when time is finally called on the evening, people snake out with sweat soaked faces and huge grins and make their way to the bar upstairs – riding the high of Captain Süün for at least a little while longer.

 

 

 

Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury

Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury

Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil DruryCaptain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil DruryCaptain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil DruryCaptain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury

For more on Captain Süün, visit www.facebook.com/captainsuun

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The Hungry Ghosts – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury

The Hungry Ghosts – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury The Hungry Ghosts – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury The Hungry Ghosts – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury The Hungry Ghosts – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury The Hungry Ghosts – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury The Hungry Ghosts – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury

For more on The Hungry Ghosts, visit www.thehungryghosts.co.uk

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Brain Food – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury

Brain Food – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury Brain Food – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury Brain Food – supporting Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18 / Phil Drury

For more on Brain Food, visit www.facebook.com/brainfoodofficial

For more from The Sunflower Lounge, including full event listings and venue details, visit www.thesunflowerlounge.com