Category: The Cuff

Pics by Katie Foulkes

With a twelve band line up, that sounds like the foot notes of Patrick Bateman’s sketch pad, the Headbangers Balls UK 2013 tour came to end last weekend.

Crashing into the walls of the Rainbow Warehouse on Sat 17^th August, this twelve date UK tour began just over a month before in Cardiff.

Organised by Reign of Fury, the partly Midlands based thrash Metal band, the Headbangers Balls tour raised funds and awareness to tackle testicular cancer; something Reign of Fury vocalist, Bison Steed, has been clear of since he was diagnosed and treated for the cancer back in 2008.

Testicular cancer can be a serious killer amongst men of all ages, with a high risk of spreading if not caught early. For more information on testicular cancer please consult your GP or a healthcare professional, although a lot of initial information can be found online – http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-help/type/testicular-cancer/

The Headbangers Balls – Tour Finale, held at the Rainbow Warehouse on Saturday Aug 17^th, featured: Beholder, I am I, Reign of Fury, Hanging Doll, Bull-Riff Stamped, Sates Panic, A Thousand Enemies, Zocalo, Incinery, Blackballed, Fury, Under Blackened Skies.

Over 60 bands played as part of the Headbangers Balls 2013 tour, which visited twelve UK cities from Glasgow to Plymouth.

Katie Foulkes was at the Headbangers Balls – Tour Finale for a Birmingham 10 Word Review

10 WORD REVIEW

Zocalo / Pete & Sarah – “It’s just a family of like minded people coming together for a great cause and a great time.”

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Joe & Heidi – “We’ve had a really good day and everyone’s so friendly.”

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TBFM Online Radio‘s DJ Squatter – “I became a DJ because of this tour”

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For more on the Headbangers’ Balls, visit http://www.headbangersballs.co.uk

For more on Reign of Fury, visit http://www.reignoffury.co.uk/

For more on the Rainbow Venues, visit http://www.therainbowvenues.co.uk

Saturday Aug 3^rd sees the launch of Snapshots of Mumbai– the exhibition at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, running until August 31^st. Entry is free.

Part of a wider body of work on the South Asian megacity, Snapshots of Mumbai– the exhibition will display twelve original images with supporting narrative; exploring the nuances, idiosyncrasies and identities of Mumbai.

From the stoic battle between majesty and history, as depicted in ‘A Ferocious Standoff’ the exhibition’s lead image of the Taj Hotel and Gateway of India, to the humour, beauty and utter confusion that floods through a city of over 25million people, Snapshots of Mumbai – the exhibition is the first public display from the project.

Previously at Bilston Art Gallery, the 12 images now at Wolverhampton are set to tour both the UK and South India in 2014.

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A Ferocious Standoff

‘The Gateway of India, squaring off against the Taj Palace & Tower. A ferocious standoff. 

In one corner – the ostentatious ownership of the jewel in the Crown; in the other – India’s proud reclamation. Both beautiful, both ornate, both a lavish insult to the poverty at their feet.

Nowhere in Mumbai am I more reminded of home.’

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Created by local writer Ed King, Snapshots of Mumbai was a reaction to the global attention Mumbai received after the 2008 terror attacks and the release of Danny Boyle’s film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.

Having lived in India for several years, King was keen to present a wider city than the “headlines and hyperbole.”

“I felt Mumbai was being missed,” explains King, “lost behind press shots and news releases. And the response from domestic India was a mix of sadness, pride and frustration.

I often say trying to sum up Mumbai is like trying to find the end of a circle, it’s too big for one story, but the narrow representation it received after the 2008 attacks and ‘Slumdog’ compelled me to add mine to the pile. Plus it reminds a conveniently forgetful Britain just how linked it is to India.”

Originally an 800 word feature, Snapshots of Mumbai expanded when photographer Paul Ward came to take pictures of the city in 2010.

“Paul’s work was so powerful,” explains King, “that the images took on a life of their own. He had never been to Mumbai before and within 48 hours was knee deep in both the slums and banking districts.

We started working on ‘the book’, but it became clear that Paul’s photography needed its own platform too. So we collated ‘the exhibition’ and I added supporting narrative to each image which reflects the wider project.”

Snapshots of Mumbai – the exhibition runs from Aug 3^rd to 31^st and is free to enter. Snapshots of Mumbai – the book set for release later this year.

For more information, and samples of the project’s wider portfolio, visit http://www.snapshotsofmumbai.com/

Words by John Noblet / Pics by Jonathan Morgan

The combination of one man and an acoustic guitar can be an unadulterated recipe for boredom, especially if the man in question is playing a ‘rarities’ set.

Luckily, tonight, that man is Miles Hunt, leader of reformed Black Country indie disco faves The Wonder Stuff. The Hare & Hounds’ audience look unlikely to know all of the songs in Hunt‘s set, but this doesn’t seem to matter; his sweary stage banter and passionate delivery should keep everyone interested.

Hunt’s solo songs display the same qualities that made so many people love The Wonder Stuff in the first place, namely a cynicism equals truth approach to lyrics and some killer hooks (so good, in fact, that I am Googling the songs as I procrastinate my way through this review).

Hunt ends the set with a choice of singalong, which pleases his audience greatly. Bravo, Miles.

The contrast between the first and second set of the evening makes it seem like we’ve suddenly been transported to a different venue.

I sense the sea change before Erica Nockalls and her band even play a note; Erica wears a pink tutu and has neon ribbons tied to her mic stand in a fashion reminiscent of nu-rave. Her guitarist has a Ramones style fashion sense, and the synthy-noises give way to an opener that is described in my notes as ‘futuristic Baroque new wave’.

Nockalls’ set includes influences from all over the rock spectrum (grunge, punk, metal), filling out her songs with quick blasts of violin, (and boy, can she play the violin) in between commanding vocals.

As a front woman, she has developed an impressive approach of her own in the tradition of legends like Joan Jett and Garbage’s Shirley Manson, but injected with a firm sense of her own personality.

However, I have to admit that Erica Nockalls didn’t steal my heart away, even though she held my attention. I think she’s yet to write the song that will get her the mainstream attention her sound seems to be aiming for, though there is undoubtedly an audience for her out there.

But the unexpected treat of the evening is an impromptu solo set from She Makes War.

The crowd looked slightly shocked to see SMW closing the night with a set of haunting lullabies backed with intricate loops, but she has an impressive talent for engaging her audience, especially considering how introspective her music can be.

During her third song she builds a loop made entirely of her own harmonised vocals and then leaves the stage armed with a megaphone to sing the lead vocal as she walks through the crowd. It’s a simple idea, brilliantly executed.

There’s a quiet but solid confidence to her stage presence which makes her performance both charming and compelling.

The set ends with SMW precariously but triumphantly balanced in front of a monitor, strumming a turquoise ukulele with the audience singing and clapping along in joyous wonder.

Expect great things from this woman.

For more on Erica Nockalls, visit http://www.ericanockalls.com/

For more on Miles Hunt (et all), visit http://www.thewonderstuff.com/

For more on She Makes War, visit http://shemakeswar.com/

For further gigs at the Hare & Hounds, visit http://hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk/

Words by Matthew Osborne

The final day of the Mostly Jazz Festival was significantly calmer and less messy than the one preceding it.

On a personal level, I was a lot more sober; with the rest of the steadily gathering crowd also nursing bad heads from the Craig Charles after party at The Hare & Hounds.

The bands that played throughout the afternoon lent themselves to the casual mood, and there was a sense that after an evening of Funk, the mostly Jazz part of the festival had returned.

Bands like Gogo Penguin, Richard Foote’s Young Pilgrims and The Anthony Marsden Band lent eclecticism and a more international flavour to proceedings – enjoying them all, on the hillside, in the fine weather, was easy.

Things began to heat up as word began to spread that Andy Murray had finally ended our 37 years of Wimbledon misery. No doubt sensing a change of mood, Soul II Soul took to the main stage to make a party. I could only remember Back to Life from their heyday, but the set they played leading up to it was bass heavy, groovy and immense fun. People quickly found their dancing feet inspired by a trio of fantastically choreographed backing singers, a lively MC from round these parts and of course the hugely affable Jazzie B.

Immediately after Soul II Soul dropped their smash hit, Lokkhi Terra took to The Yardbird stage and began a musical journey across the globe. From South American Rumbas to Indian Folk via New Orleans, Cuba, Africa and Europe, the collective of international musicians led by Kishon Khan played a fantastic set – hindered only by the sudden mass exit about halfway through, when Nile Rodgers began tuning his guitar on the neighbouring stage.

I made sure I gave Lokkhi Terra my full attention as I have an understanding of how crushing it can be to play to tiny audiences; although I have never known the demoralising kick in the face of having half of my audience leave instantly, without explanation and at the same time.

If I have one criticism to level at Moseley Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival, it would be that putting both stages right next to each other is unfair on the bands, particularly those who aren’t international mega stars.

That is my only criticism and in the interests of fairness I have aired it. However, all of that counted for nothing when Nile Rodgers finally led Chic out onto the stage, dressed in Heavenly white from top to toe.

Launching straight into Everybody Dance to an elated reception, the band ripped through hit after disco hit. The set list was mouthwatering. I had no idea how many Chic songs I knew, and was even more surprised at how many incredible records Rodgers has had a hand in.

Not only did we get Diana Ross’ I’m Coming Out and Upside Down, Madonna’s Like A Virgin, Sister Sledge’s Lost in Music and of course, Chic’s own Le Freak, we were also treated to my personal highlight of the festival, delivered via a very charismatic drummer. After much talk about how, when he dropped the next tune, “Everything is gonna go off,” he strapped on a head mic, thumped his drums and sang “Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh” and suddenly we were bouncing to Bowie’s Let’s Dance, which he sang to us with an exquisite Bowie impression. Dutifully, we sang it back at him in kind.

I was amazed at how much I had enjoyed their set. I never saw myself as a disco fan, and anybody who knows me will know how difficult it is to get me up onto a wedding dance floor, but it turns out that I love it, I love disco. Either that or I have been picked up by the early eddies of a disco revival wave which must surely be coming to break forcefully over the singles charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

It is a surprising development in my musical history, this sudden fascination, but it is exciting to have found something again that encourages my feet to move, to groove even. Disco is the sort of craze that I wouldn’t mind seeing dragged out of the nostalgia cupboard. Anything that we can do right now to find some positivity, some romance, or even some escapism, cannot be a bad thing.

6,000 people who saw Chic with me last Sunday would definitely agree. Those in most enthusiastic agreement would be those members of the crowd who were lucky enough to get up on stage to dance their way to the set’s finale alongside the rest of Chic. It was a wonderful sight, accompanied by wonderful sounds, and couldn’t have closed the festival in a more deserved way.

Though still a small festival, Mostly Jazz is making big ripples, dragging people in from all across the country.

Moseley village was beside itself with excitement all weekend, and when people look back and reflect on the summer of 2013, those lucky enough to have been there will remember with a grin that they were dancing with thousands of happy people in Moseley Park when the summer truly began.

For more on Lokkhi Terra, visit https://myspace.com/lokkhiterrakishonkhan

For more on Soul II Soul, visit http://www.soul2soul.co.uk

For more on Nile Rogers & Chic, visit http://nilerodgers.com 

For more on Mostly Jazz, visit http://mostlyjazz.co.uk/

Words by Matthew Osborne

The Mostly Jazz Festival kicked off on the long anticipated weekend of 2013 when summer finally decided to join us. There were excited rumblings all across the city, and I was spurred into good spirits by a hearty British Lions win against Australia early in the morning.

I say good spirits, it was mostly lager, and a lot had been drunk when my girlfriend, Heather, and I began the long walk to Moseley from Selly Oak; the unforgiving heat sapping every morsel of my energy, leaving me a sweaty, panting mess by the time we reached the festival. Although the on site beer tent offered a fine array of good ales (I noticed as I flailed around the sizeable crowd) so I solidered through and bought myself and Heather another drink.

This was typically bad festival decision making, so we stumbled down to the lake where you could watch the time-telling dandelion seeds float on the gently rising water vapour. Luckily this proved a good vantage point to catch a couple of the main stage acts lending themselves to the summery vibe, and it also gave me a good chance to people watch for a while.

The general make-up of the festival goers was not dictated by a particular type, and young kids dressed in the latest festival range from H&M were grooving alongside ageing couples who looked like they were surprised to have stumbled into a roaring orgy of revelry during their countryside stroll.

Alongside the, without fail, groups of middle aged professionals decked out in full disco/Hawaiian beach wear catastrophes. Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival’s message was clear; Come One, Come All. And the people had responded.

After more drinking, and a little rest after the irresistible groove of the Craig Charles Fantasy Funk Band (starring many legendary funk players voted for by listeners of his BBC 6 Music show, whose names I was too drunk or not lucid enough to take note of), I had pulled myself together enough to join the varied and colourful crowd gathered by the main stage, ready to stomp along to the peculiarly white funk of The Blockheads.

Minus Ian Dury, the fact that these guys are still touring has often been overlooked; but his replacement, Derek the Draw, cut an eccentric figure and proved more than capable of filling some big Doc Martens. And if he wasn’t enough, then the gurning sex-face of bassist Norman Watt-Roy proved as endlessly entertaining as his playful bass lines.

Handing over to The Yardbird stage The Blockheads gave way to Craig Charles, whose enthusiastic funk/soul DJ set received an invigorating reception from the crowd; all hyped up by both timeless tunes and the huge bouncing balloons that threatened to explode at any second and soak them with who-knows-what gungy liquid.

The night finished with Candi Staton, whom I knew little of and expected even less from. But Ms Staton did, however, provide a good set with more familiar tunes than I was anticipating – among them the 90’s dance floor smash You Got the Love, a rousing version of In the Ghetto, and of course the disco classic, Young Hearts Run Free.

And despite my head finally being up to speed with my proceedings, my feet had now begun to give out; plus I still had a long, long walk between Candi Staton and my bed.

I grabbed Heather and we began to stumble home, resolving to come back and conquer Sunday for more Birmingham Review fodder. To be continued…

For more on Candi Staton, visit http://www.candi-staton.com/

For more on The Blockheads, visit http://www.theblockheads.com/

For more on Craig Charles’ Funk & Soul Show, visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0072ky7

For more on Mostly Jazz, visit http://mostlyjazz.co.uk/