Aatish Ramchurn Archives

January 29, 2018January 28, 2018

BPREVIEW: Dead! @ The Flapper 31.01.18

As part of their The Golden Age Live tour, Dead! will be playing at The Flapper on Wednesday 31st January. Main support for the night (and most of the tour) comes from London punk trio, Kenneths – with Birmingham based bands, A Promise to Forget and Blank Parody also playing at The Flapper.

Tickets are priced at £8 (adv) plus booking fee, as presented by Surprise You’re Dead! Music. Doors open at The Flapper from 7pm. For direct gig info, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.

London rock band, Dead!, are no strangers to Birmingham’s music scene, having previously played at Alfie Birds, Scruffy Murphy’s, Subside, and the O2 Institute where they recently supported Deaf Havana. Wednesday 31st January will see them tick off The Flapper from the list of stages they have played in Birmingham, bringing the threatened music venue their own flavour of the punk and indie sound.

Touring the UK relentlessly since 2012, band members Alex Mountford, Sam Matlock, Louis Matlock, and Sam Chappell all met in Southampton, initially booking local shows themselves. But as Dead! began reaching a wider audience, playing shows up and down the UK, their excessive touring schedule eventually paid off and their popularity rose.

Having signed to Infectious Music/BMG and Rise Records in the USA, not bad for a band who have been described as ‘everything that’s wrong with art’, Dead! are kicking off the New Year with another mammoth tour of the UK – on the road promoting their recently released debut album, The Golden Age of Not Even Trying.

Indeed, 2018 could be a great year for Dead! as they reach out to new audiences whilst reacquainting themselves with older ones. Especially as they’ve been tipped by Kerrang! Magazine as one of their Hottest Bands of 2018.

‘The Golden Age of Not Even Trying’ – Dead!

For more on Dead! visit www.theinternetisdead.co.uk

For more on Kenneths, visit www.musicglue.com/kenneths

For more on A Promise to Forget, visit www.facebook.com/apromisetoforget

For more on Blank Parody, visit www.blankparody.com

For more on The Flapper, visit www.theflapper.co.uk

For more on Surprise You’re Dead! Music, visit www.surpriseyouredeadmusic.co.uk

January 23, 2018

BPREVIEW: Miss May I @ Mama Roux’s 24.01.18

Words by Aatish Ramchurn

On Wednesday 24th January, Miss May I arrive at Mama Roux’s in Birmingham as part of their We Are Stronger Than Before UK tour.

The concert is presented by Surprise You’re Dead! Music with tickets priced at £12 (adv) plus booking fee. Doors open at Mama Roux’s from 7pm. For direct gig info, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.

Support acts for Miss May I in Birmingham, and the rest of the UK tour, include Texan metalcore band Fit for a King, Void of Vision from Australia, and Currents from Connecticut, USA.

Having previously supported Bullet for My Valentine and Killswitch Engage in 2013 and 2014, respectively, at the O2 Academy in Birmingham, Miss May I embark on their first headline tour of the UK in six years.

Miss May I originally formed in 2007 in Troy, Ohio. Almost a year after their formation, they signed to punk and metal label, Rise Records, and released their debut album Apologies for the Weak. The band would go on to release four more albums under Rise Records until they released their sixth and latest album, Shadows Inside, through SharpTone Records in 2017.

Throughout their 10 year career, Miss May I have managed to retain their original line up of Levi Benton on vocals, BJ Stead on lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist Justin Aufdemkampe, drummer Jerod Boyd, and Ryan Neff on bass. Although Neff briefly left Miss May I between 2007 – 2009, when he joined Cincinnati rockers Rose Funeral, and was replaced by Josh Gillespie during his absence.

As their upcoming UK tour is titled from the opening lyrics of Miss May I’s single ‘Lost In The Grey’, from their latest Shadows Inside album, it would be safe to assume that their setlist will heavily feature a lot of new tracks, as well as a few favourites from previous albums.

But whatever the main setlist, with a packed support lineup consisting of Fit for a King, Void of Vision, and Currents, metalcore fans of Birmingham should have enough to keep them occupied when Miss May I headline at Mama Roux’s on Wednesday 24th January.

‘Shadows Inside’ – Miss May I

For more on Miss May I, visit www.missmayimusic.com

For more on Fit for a King, visit www.fitforakingband.com

For more on Void of Vision, visit www.voidofvision.com

For more on Currents, visit www.currentsofficial.com

For more on Mama Roux’s, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.facebook.com/mamarouxs

For more on Surprise You’re Dead! Music, visit www.surpriseyouredeadmusic.co.uk

January 21, 2018

THE GALLERY: The Bronx @ Mama Roux’s 17.01.18

Words & pics by Aatish Ramchurn

Tuesday evening. My car headlights stop working on my drive home, and the surprise flakes falling late at night are sticking to the ground. I’m hoping that on Wednesday I don’t wake up to eight inches of snow, and I can find a garage to fit me in to fix my headlights. Thankfully, both of my wishes are granted, and I have no problem making my way to see The Bronx live in Birmingham.

Knowing that the night has sold out, I arrive early to Digbeth’s most quaintly-decorated venue, Mama Roux’s. Standing by the stage in a virtually empty room, I watch it gradually fill up, with those arriving the earliest heading straight upstairs to the balcony to get the best view.

Until this point, I was unaware of who the support act was going to be, or if there even was a support act. I’d only seen this gig promoted by Surprise You’re Dead! Music, as The Bronx playing their latest album, The Bronx V, ‘in its entirety’. I found it a little hard to believe that The Bronx would be playing two and a half hour sets up and down the country.

Not that I doubt that they could. They’ve been touring as both The Bronx and Mariachi El Bronx for 15 years, even playing as both bands on the same night. It was just a gut feeling that there had to be someone supporting them throughout this club venue tour.

As it turns out, Ming City Rockers, from Immingham, are supporting The Bronx on their UK album showcase gigs. The East Lincolnshire rockers capture the attention of the audience with their fast-paced, punk rock and roll sound, reminiscent of The Buzzcocks and MC5.

Although there’s no restriction on the amount of photos I can take of bands at Mama Roux’s, I decide to impose the three song rule on myself, just so I can enjoy the rest of Ming City Rocker’s short, but powerful set, along with the rest of the audience. If you like your bands fast, loud, and slightly obnoxious (I mean that in a good way), their album, Lemon, would be worth checking out.

As Ming City Rockers leave the stage, I feel naturally drawn into the dispersion of the room, until this thought suddenly dawned on me: ‘This floor will be packed with people nearer the time The Bronx are on, do I really want to move away from the stage?’

I position myself to the left, until I’m wedged between stage speakers and the rest of the front row. I’m aware I’m not going to be in this position for too long but I have a decent place to start shooting from before things get less than ideal.

With the instruments set up, and beers settled by each amplifier, The Bronx are warmly welcomed by the Birmingham crowd. Frontman, Matt Caughthran, edges closer to the audience, greeting them as if meeting an old friend, before the band explodes into The Bronx V from start to finish. With where I’m positioned, I take advantage of getting shots in the limited time Matt Caughthran spends on stage – he seems more comfortable out in the middle of the crowd.

I’d gone into this gig presuming that my biggest challenge would be trying to get focused pictures in the middle of a frantic mosh pit, with an onslaught of stage divers and a poorly-lit environment.

However, it was something else entirely. Whenever Matt Caughthran was down in the room, from where I was perched on the slightly poked out corner of a speaker to give me a higher vantage point, I found myself in a Where’s Wally? situation, as I was having trouble differentiating which out of the many bald, tattooed men present was The Bronx’s frontman. Following the trail of the microphone cable into the crowd didn’t help me find him either, as he’s quite short. There were times I’m sure I was focusing on the wrong person.

After playing their fifth, eponymous release from their record label, White Drugs, The Bronx ventured into more familiar territory, with fan favourites such as ‘White Guilt’, ‘Knifeman’, and set closer ‘History’s Stranglers’.

I know us concert photographers tend to prefer to shoot in the comfort of photo pits, away from people knocking our elbows in minimal space. But I have to admit, shooting a vibrant punk show in a packed out, intimate venue with poor lighting, not only provides a fun, yet frustrating challenge. It also gives you images that document the soul of punk rock in Birmingham.

The Bronx @ Mama Roux’s 17.01.18 / Aatish Ramchurn – Birmingham Review

For more on The Bronx, visit www.thebronxxx.com

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Ming City Rockers – supporting The Bronx @ Mama Roux’s 17.01.18 / Aatish Ramchurn – Birmingham Review

For more on Ming City Rockers, visit www.mingcityrockers.co.uk

For more on Mama Roux’s, Birmingham, including full events listings, visit www.facebook.com/mamarouxs

For more on Surprise You’re Dead! Music, visit www.surpriseyouredeadmusic.co.uk

January 16, 2018

BPREVIEW: The Bronx @ Mama Roux’s 17.01.18

Words by Aatish Ramchurn

On Wednesday 17th January 2018, Surprise Your Dead! Music present The Bronx at Mama Roux’s – where the band will be playing their latest album, The Bronx V.

Doors open at 7pm, with tickets priced at £17 (+bf) – but be warned, at the time of writing this event has already sold out so for direct gig info, click here.

To celebrate the release of their latest album, The Bronx will be playing The Bronx V ‘in its entirety’ in venues across the UK. The Southern Californian punks will arrive at Mama Roux’s on Wednesday 17th January, with the gig selling out just days after the Birmingham based promoters, Surprise You’re Dead! Music, released tickets.

Founded in 2002 by frontman Matt Caughthran, guitarist Joby J.Ford, bassist James Tweedy, and drummer Jorma Vik, The Bronx quickly attracted attention from major label, Island Def Jam Music Group, after just 12 shows. However, the band decided to put out their first few releases by forming their own label, White Drugs.

Their first major release came with their 2nd eponymous album (a title trend the band would continue) in 2006, when Ken Horne joined the band as their second guitarist. Subsequent albums would eventually be put out on White Drugs, including their 5th and latest album, The Bronx V, which was released in September 2017.

The Bronx last visited Birmingham as part of the Slam Dunk Festival 2017 at The Genting Arena, where they were joined by new drummer, David Hidalgo Jr.

When they’re not playing as a punk rock members of The Bronx also play as a mariachi band, Mariachi El Bronx, having three albums released under this name. But there will be no sign of any mariachi music at Mama Roux’s on the 17th January, as it will be pure, unadulterated punk rock coming from The Bronx as they perform their fifth album in this special showcase event.

For more on The Bronx, visit www.thebronxxx.com

For more on Mama Roux’s, Birmingham, including full events listings, visit www.facebook.com/mamarouxs

For more on Surprise You’re Dead! Music, visit www.surpriseyouredeadmusic.co.uk

December 31, 2017December 30, 2017

THE GALLERY: The Sunset Beach Hut @ Mama Roux’s 21.12.17

Words & pics by Aatish Ramchurn

There’s something of a relaxed atmosphere on this mild, winter solstice night in Birmingham, which sets the tone for my final visit of 2017 to Mama Roux’s.

In the past year I have become well acquainted with this homely, decorated venue, and experienced a variety of gigs here. Some were sold out and I could barely move; with others I had more freedom to roam around.

Tonight’s gig is the latter. So much so, I believe it is quietest I have ever seen Mama Roux’s. You’d have thought that a headline gig from Shrewsbury’s The Sunset Beach Hut with some local luminaries in support – as presented by Sonic Gun Concerts – would be a little more full of festive cheer. But I guess you can’t expect too much of a crowd for a line up of emerging bands, especially with Christmas Day just around the corner. It seems each act tonight has rely on the support of their friends and family.

Kicking off proceedings are Miss World, an acoustic duo that make some of us feel a little nostalgic with their stripped-down covers of 90s pop and RnB songs, along with a couple of Christmas songs because, why not? It’s Christmas after all. They’re an extremely talented duo and could well be one to watch out for – especially if they start producing more of their own material, something I’m sure Miss World are more than capable of.

With just a small amount of people watching Miss World, I have a virtually empty floor to roam around and take photos on, that is until Junior Weeb appear on stage. A recorded audio track of ‘Tony the Tiger’ introduces the band with many of their fans and friends now filling up the floor. This leaves me doing my usual crouching at the front, but the floor isn’t so busy that I have worry about me being in anybody’s way, and neither is anyone really in mine. I think crouching at the front of stage is something I’m so accustomed to it’s become of a photographic habit.

I remember seeing Junior Weeb over a year ago at The Rainbow, supporting Muncie Girls. Back then their style was a little more shoegaze, but they are a different band tonight. Much more of their set is filled with funky numbers and groovy baselines, so it is virtually impossible not to dance.

But as Junior Weeb leave the stage, so does their audience. The venue is now virtually empty again and I’m wondering what’s left for Quinn when they show up next. Turns out, they have their very own audience too. I’m not even sure where some of these people were before; I’ve been here almost two hours, and throughout that time I’ve not seen any of these faces. Maybe Quinn’s frontman, Sam Lambeth, made them magically appear somehow.

Quinn’s sound is very reminiscent of early 90s indie, with Lambeth vibrant on stage. After performing tracks from their debut EP, Seems Fine, Quinn end their set keeping to Christmas tradition with a cover of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas Time’.

As with Junior Weeb earlier, Quinn’s audience exit the room as the band do – leaving a barely there audience for The Sunset Beach Hut to perform in front of. I admire the headliner’s spirit to still play with passion, despite the lack of people, especially after having to travel from Shrewsbury.

It’s a shame that people don’t stick around to check out other bands who aren’t their friends, but such is the way, I guess. Although, an emptier floor does mean easier pictures for me to take.

Overall, it was great to see The Sunset Beach Hut tonight – performing alongside other young, talented acts emerging from the West Midlands. I hope they all gain more support as they and grow in 2018.

The Sunset Beach Hut @ Mama Roux’s 21.12.17 / Aatish Ramchurn – Birmingham Review

For more on The Sunset Beach Hut, visit www.thesunsetbeachhut.wixsite.com/sunsetbeachhut

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Quinn – supporting The Sunset Beach Hut @ Mama Roux’s 21.12.17 / Aatish Ramchurn – Birmingham Review

For more on Quinn, visit www.soundcloud.com/quinn

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Junior Weeb – supporting The Sunset Beach Hut @ Mama Roux’s 21.12.17 / Aatish Ramchurn – Birmingham Review

For more on Junior Weeb, visit www.soundcloud.com/juniorweeb

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Miss World – supporting The Sunset Beach Hut @ Mama Roux’s 21.12.17 / Aatish Ramchurn – Birmingham Review

For more on Miss World, visit www.facebook.com/misswworldband

For more from Sonic Gun Concerts, visit www.facebook.com/sonicgunconcerts

For more from Mama Roux’s, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.facebook.com/mamarouxs