SINGLE: ‘Lost’ – Fat Cat 20.09.19

Words by Nikki Ruijter / Photography by Matt Crockford

The crooner vocals have been traded in for the romanticisation of Birmingham, putting down the thesaurus of pet names and instead creating a narrative that embodies the sounds of the city in Fat Cat‘s latest single ‘Lost’.

The four-piece have moved from over-sexualised pop vibes to tight alternative rock. The song is a swirling ballad, ear-worming its way into your head, reminiscent of a late Kings of Leon belter; the chord progression through the lead guitar and a punchy chorus that repeats itself neatly cements the track as one to be remembered.

‘Lost’ stands apart from Fat Cat‘s previous releases in this way, it captures a story and the essence of a city they are a part of. ‘Lost’ is the tall, dark, mysterious man standing at the end of the bar, whereas ‘Corner Room, Change in Mind’ and ‘Josie Moon’ is the guy telling you to smile more.

The composition, narrative and overall sound of Fat Cat’s latest single marks an exciting maturing of the band. ‘Lost’ is a slick new offering from Fat Cat, showing they’ve found themselves as a group – stepping up for their growing following, proving they’ve got much more to give.

‘Lost’ – Fat Cat

‘Lost’ is released on Friday 20th September. For more on Fat Cat, visit www.facebook.com/thatfatcatband 

Fat Cat will be performing at The Victoria on the same Friday, alongside Bermuda, The Serpents, Afterglow and China Moon – as promoted by The Future Sound Project. For more gig information, click here to visit the Facebook event page.

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NOT NORMAL NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To learn more about the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here.

If you have been affected by any of the issues surrounding sexual violence – or if you want to report an act of sexual aggression, abuse or assault – click here for information via the ‘Help & Support’ page on the NOT NORMAL NOT OK website.

THE GALLERY: Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

 

 

 

Words by Eleanor Sutcliffe / Pics by Phil Drury

“Satisfying but damaging in the long run.”

This is how, on the walk to the O2 Academy, my friend described my life decisions. Worryingly, it applies to most aspects of myself – my career, university, my student diet (sorry mum). It also applies to my music taste. Once I discover a band I love I can very easily run their music into the ground by playing them on repeat, which is exactly what I did with Feeder’s Echo Park album after my dad played it to me when I was younger.

Sweet Little Machine – supporting Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham ReviewSince then, I’ve viewed the band rather like how you’d see your distant relatives – comforting and nostalgic to begin with, but monotonous when listened to for hours on end. However, when Feeder announced a Best Of tour it only seemed fair to drop in and see if, after all these years, they still knew how to fire up a crowd.

Walking up to O2 Academy, I was stunned to see there was no queue. Had we come on the wrong day? Was security being surprisingly efficient on this particular Wednesday evening? Peeking our heads through the doors, we were greeted with a sight that would make even the most seasoned performer feel queasy – a half empty main room.Sweet Little Machine – supporting Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review Undeterred, we grabbed a drink from the bar and wandered through the sparse crowd to catch the support act.

First on were Sweet Little Machine, who won their support slot through a competition with Kerrang! Unsurprising really, as they reminded me of a reincarnation of Green Day just with better hair. Their singer coaxed the room into multiple singalongs – hardly a laborious task, considering most of the songs sounded the same. And yet, their charming demeanour swayed both me and the crowd, with song titles such as ‘Dickwad Prickface’ resulting in inexplicable laughter.

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham ReviewIt’s clear to see that Feeder’s fanbase have not gone AWOL as we had predicted. On the contrary, as soon as Feeder took to the stage, the room suddenly swarmed with fans singing and dancing. Maybe booking 02 Academy’s main room wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

When Feeder announce a best of show, make yourselves comfortable – because you’re not leaving for a while. With a mammoth 24 song set you’re pretty much guaranteed to hear a song you know, even if you’re as forgetful and unobservant as I am.Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review Of course, signature songs such as ‘Buck Rogers’ and ‘Just the Way I’m Feeling’ went down a treat, but so did Feeder’s new material such as ‘Figure You Out’ which made it midway into the main set.

Visually the show was incredible too, with three large screens displaying various video clips that reminded me, nostalgically, of the kaleidoscope style clips I used to watch on Windows media player when I growing up. For a main room show, it was surprisingly personal too.Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review Feeder‘s frontman and singer, Grant Nicholas, let the crowd choose between ‘Crash’ and ‘Cement’, candidly explaining the stories behind some of the bands most famous songs, from the writing to memorable performances.

Finishing their encore with their now iconic track ‘Just A Day’, it was clear to see why Feeder are still as popular as they were back in the 90’s. With a room teeming with fans both young and old, their music is as addictive now as it ever was. Which means I’m back to playing Echo Park on repeat for the next six weeks. Again. 

 

 

 

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

For more on Feeder, visit www.feederweb.com

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Sweet Little Machine – supporting Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Sweet Little Machine – supporting Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Sweet Little Machine – supporting Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Sweet Little Machine – supporting Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Sweet Little Machine – supporting Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Sweet Little Machine – supporting Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Sweet Little Machine – supporting Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Sweet Little Machine – supporting Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Sweet Little Machine – supporting Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

For more on Sweet Little Machine, visit www.soundcloud.com/sweetlittlemachine

For more from Kilimanjaro Live, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.kilimanjarolive.co.uk

For more on the O2 Academy Birmingham, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham

 

BPREVIEW: All Time Low @ Genting Arena 15.03.18

All Time Low @ Genting Arena 15.03.18

Words by Eleanor Sutcliffe

All Time Low will be performing at the Genting Arena on the 15th March – opening the show by performing their sophomore album, So Wrong, It’s Right, in full. Support will be coming from Southampton based Creeper.

Doors open at the Genting Arena from 5pm (Forum Live) and 6pm (Arena Bowl), with All Time Low scheduled to perform from 8pm onwards. Tickets are currently on sale from £37.63 plus booking fees – as presented by SJM Concerts/Gigs and Tours. For direct gig information, including full showtimes, venue details, and online ticket sales, click here.

This will be the first UK tour for the Baltimore band since they released their latest album, Last Young Renegade, which scooped the Rock Sound Award for Album of the Year in 2017. A far cry from the more summer-y beats of So Wrong, It’s Right – their most recent LP explores a darker side to All Time Low’s style, winning over their fans with tracks such as ‘Dirty Laundry’.

It’s clear All Time Low have come a long way since releasing their debut studio album, The Party Scene, back in 2005. Their steady climb to pop-punk stardom has included performances at festivals such as Warped Tour, Reading and Leeds, plus more albums than you can shake a muddy greenfield stick at.

But the band’s last album did mark a significant shift as All Time Low left their long time label, Hopeless Records, to release Last Young Renegade through the Atlantic subsidiary, Fueled by Ramen. Their latest tour announcement hasn’t been without its obstacles either – with the withdrawal of Pierce The Veil as a co-headliner following allegations of sexual misconduct against the band’s drummer, Mike Fuentes, the status of the UK leg seemed in doubt.

But All Time Low soon rectified the situation by announcing that, as opposed to bringing in another headliner at such short notice, they would instead fill the time by performing their 2007 album So Wrong, It’s Right in full – alongside recruiting the support of ‘horror punk’ four piece, Creeper, on their UK dates.

And with popular tracks such as ‘Dear Maria, Count Me In’ and ‘Remembering Sunday’ hailing from the album in question, fans are in for a nostalgic treat at the Genting Arena and across the UK.

‘Dirty Laundry’ – All Time Low

For more on All Time Low, visit www.alltimelow.com

For more on Creeper, visit www.creepercult.com

For more from SJM Concerts/Gig and Tours, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.gigsandtours.com

For more from the Genting Arena, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.gentingarena.co.uk

BPREVIEW: Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18

Feeder @ O2 Academy 14.03.18

Words by Ed King

On Wednesday 14th March, Feeder perform at the O2 Academy Birmingham – with support from Sheffield’s ‘one to watch’ pop/punk four piece, Sweet Little Machine. Doors open at 7pm, with tickets priced at £31.45 – as presented by Kilimanjaro Live. For direct gig info, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here. 

Formed in 1994, as Seattle’s SubPop phenomena let go of the rock reigns, Feeder wasted little time in establishing themselves in the decade’s maelstrom of new music – garnering a demo based deal from the Chrysalis subsidiary, The Echo Label, in the same year they started. No stranger to the trials, tribulations, and changing hands of the live music circuit, all three original members had been working musicians before Feeder finally brought them together, with the artistry and ethics needed for a new band to be taken seriously.

But everything good starts with graft, and after a solid couple of years touring and releasing singles, Feeder got their debut Swim EP on shelf in 1996. The band’s follow up release and debut album, Polythene, was lauded by the rock press, with Metal Hammer giving it the No1 spot on their annual albums chart and Kerrang! likewise at No6.

Feeder’s balloon continued to rise as their sophomore LP, Yesterday Went Too Soon, entered the UK charts at No8 – with three of the album’s four singles breaking the Top 40 (‘Paperfaces’, the forth single, reached No41). Then in 2001, Feeder released Echo Park, with the band’s third studio album entering the UK charts at No5, reaching Gold status, and allaying any industry concerns about their pocket filling potential. Ah, the joys of creative cash flow…

But Feeder’s commercial zenith would also be their darkest time, as between the release of Echo Park and the band’s most commercially successful album, Comfort in Sound, drummer and founding member Jon Lee committed suicide. Mark Richardson took over the skins for Feeder in 2002, staying with them until reformation of Skunk Anansie in 2009 and handing his sticks to Solihull born Karl Brazil.

A workhorse of British rock, over their two decade and counting career Feeder have released 10 studio albums – their latest, Arrow, being morphed into a 41 track double LP, with a collection of what encompasses nearly all of the band’s singles.

Feeder are now bringing their new and old material to stages across the UK with The Best of Feeder Tour, landing at the O2 Academy Birmingham on 14th March. And if you needed it, here’s a refresher from both sides of this particular rock rainbow.

‘Just the Way I’m Feeling’ – Feeder (from Comfort in Sound 2001)

‘Veins’ – Feeder (from Arrow 2016)

Feeder bring The Best of Feeder Tour to the O2 Academy Birmingham on Wednesday 14th March, with support from Sweet Little Machine – as presented by Kilimanjaro Live. For direct gig info, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham/events/1021733/feeder-best-tour-tickets 

For more on Feeder, visit www.feederweb.com

For more on Sweet Little Machine, visit www.soundcloud.com/sweetlittlemachine

For more from Kilimanjaro Live, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.kilimanjarolive.co.uk

For more on the O2 Academy Birmingham, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham

THE GALLERY: Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

 

 

 

Words & pics by Eleanor Sutcliffe

First up at the O2 Academy tonight are Yonaka, who set the bar high for the evening ahead. Their set is simply flawless, with the Brighton based four piece delivering an eclectic mix of fiery vocals and hip-hop beats.

Singer, Theresa Jarvis, weaves her way across the stage in sky high platform black heels, as she belts out tracks from their Heavy EP – including ‘Gods and Lovers’ and ‘Run’. However it was their new track, ‘Fucking with the Boss’, that I find myself humming on the way home. Yonaka’s music is the perfect mix of heavy riffs, thunderous drums and tough vocals that will worm its way into your brain for weeks to come.

Yonaka – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham ReviewNext in support tonight is Man with a Mission, who stroll onto stage donning matching wolf masks before launching into their track ‘Emotions’. Lead singer, Tokyo Tanaka, flings himself back and forth across the O2 Academy to upbeat tracks such as ‘DANCE EVERYBODY’ and ‘Dead End in Tokyo’, before a very risky but ultimately successful cover of Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. Brave boys. Or wolves. Or space cadets, or whatever is actually under there.Man with a Mission – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Then it’s time for the ‘big show’…. The last time I saw Don Broco was across town at the O2 Institute 2, where the room physically shook from fans bouncing around in time to a pretty full on performance from the Bedford four piece. Magnify that feeling by ten, and that’s what tonight is like. Don Broco confidently steal the already quite valuable evening with an energetic, euphoric performance – one that quite simply blows most other live shows I’ve recently witnessed clean out of the water.

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham ReviewDebuting the tracks off their latest album, Technology, it’s clear Don Broco’s most recent release had gone down a treat with fans. Grimy tracks such as ‘Pretty’ and ‘Porkies’ result in the center of the O2 Academy’s main room morphing into a surging mass of bodies, as fans are catapulted into the arms of security. But it wasn’t just a walk through the Technology track list, as the band treat the fervent fans at their feet to a varied setlist that includes songs from as far back as ‘Priorities’ to the crowd favourite ‘Thug Workout’the latter of which results in me being dragged into the mosh pit. Fighting my way through a throng of sweaty bodies back to safety, I decide to brave the rest of the set from the sanctity of the balcony.

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham ReviewBut watching from above, it is clear to see why exactly Don Broco have managed to climb their ladder to success. Outside of an absurdly strong back and current catalogue (Technology‘s a good ‘un) their crowd interaction is top notch, with singer Rob Damiani checking in regularly to ensure everyone is surviving in the thriving circle pits forming across the room. At Birmingham Review we are asked to look for a counterpoint, to pick out the pros and cons of the evening and give a balanced report from every gig we cover. But sometimes it’s just not possible. Try as I might, I can’t pick a single fault in Don Broco’s performance tonight.

So suck it objectivity, you’re getting moshed aside for a bit of performance perfection. It’s got to happen sometime. And having seen Don Broco for the first time back in 2015, playing at the Cardiff Student Union as part of their Automatic tour, it’s heartwarming to watch a band go from such strength to strength.

 

 

 

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

For more on Don Broco, visit www.donbroco.com

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Man with a Mission – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Man with a Mission – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Man with a Mission – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Man with a Mission – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Man with a Mission – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Man with a Mission – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Man with a Mission – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

For more on Man with a Mission, visit www.mwamjapan.info

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Yonaka – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review 

Yonaka – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Yonaka – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Yonaka – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Yonaka – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Yonaka – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

Yonaka – supporting Don Broco @ O2 Academy 15.02.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe – Birmingham Review

For more on Yonaka, visit www.weareyonaka.com

For from Kilimanjaro Live, visit www.kilimanjarolive.co.uk

For more from the O2 Academy (Birmingham), including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham