Ashleigh Goodwin Archives

June 6, 2018June 6, 2018

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.

It 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 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.

Next, 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”. Personally, 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.

I 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.

Next 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.

The 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.

Lady 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.

All 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.

Ah, 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. She 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

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

June 2, 2018

THE GALLERY: Captain Süün @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18

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.

A 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.

The 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’.

I 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.

Additionally, 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 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.

After 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.

Small 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.

This 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.

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

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

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

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

June 1, 2018July 17, 2018

BREVIEW: My Friend Dahmer 01.06.18

Words by Ashleigh Goodwin

When asking the ‘average’ person what their interests are, we’ve all heard the standard pastimes rattled off: socialising with friends and family, sporting activities, travelling, having a pint at the pub… And as I enter into the world of professionalism and small talk, I’ve realised this is a safe, relatable, and most importantly a socially acceptable list to recount in those awkward moments of introduction.

But it was after I inadvertently blurted out that my main interest were “serial killers”, with wide eyes and possibly over enthusiastic tone, in a work conference icebreaker not so long ago that I felt the pang of peer review and social acceptance. I don’t necessarily mean this is a bad interest, as I know many people who share it, but at the end of it all aren’t we all trying to fit in?

Due to this fascination, I’ve amassed bits of knowledge on Jeffrey Dahmer over the years from various sources: podcasts, autobiographies, biographies, films, interviews and documentaries. So, when I was offered the chance to sneak a first peak at the new biopic on the serial killer, My Friend Dahmer, I was genuinely overjoyed – jumping on a train from Bristol back to Birmingham to make the advanced screening at The Electric Cinema, as organised by Film Hub Midlands.

My Friend Dahmer is based on the 2012 graphic novel/memoir by American cartoonist John ‘Derf’ Backderf. Derf was an acquaintance of Jeffrey Dahmer’s throughout their time at Eastview Junior High and Revere High School from 1968 to 1978. The film adaptation doesn’t show this entire timeline or solely focus on Backderf’s friendship with Dahmer, like the graphic novel, but rather follows Dahmer throughout his four years in high school, charting his binge-drinking, the separation of his parents, his fascination for dead animal experimentation, and his desperate cries for attention to gain acceptance amongst his peers. The film shows Dharmer’s life up to the time just before his first human murder, two weeks after his graduation, ending with him picking up his first victim – hitchhiker Steven Mark Hicks.

My Friend Dahmer is also presented through the eyes of Dahmer himself, as opposed to the singular perspective of Derf in his graphic novel. Director and screenwriter, Marc Meyers, explains this switch was because “we’re all most interested in the life and descent of Jeff Dahmer. It’s the mix of Jeff’s school and home life that is the most compelling and important part of the story“.

Meyers does a great job with this film, carefully executing a cautionary tale that could have easily descended into the common pitfalls of the serial killer genre, such as glamorisation, dramatisation and desensitisation. Yet the way he captures Dahmer’s declining psyche, using subtle editing throughout the film, at times feels nothing short of masterful.

Meyers utilises all available factors, such as sound, the transition between frames, and the use of both establishing and close up shots, to create a deliberate and careful portrayal of Dahmer’s chaotic decent to the point of no return. I’ll admit, however, on occasion at the beginning the film felt slow and I was initially frustrated we were getting a lacklustre portrayal of the situation. But as My Friend Dahmer enters into its second half you realise this is a deliberate move to show the progression of Dahmer’s character and how he eventually gets to the point that he does.

During his school life, Dahmer was notorious for regularly faking seizures and mimicking cerebral palsy through speech impediments and certain ticks, in a bid to attraction attention from his peers. This worked too, as Derf and his classmates formed a “Dahmer Fan Club” due to how entertaining and interesting the found their ‘friend’ Jeffrey.

Derf, along with other peers, paid Dahmer to do “his act” at Summit Mall one afternoon; Derf has stated the event went down as “legendary”, as Jeffrey Dahmer spent around two hours terrorising shoppers by shouting in their faces, flinging their food trays from tables, and faking seizures in the middle of the complex. I felt this scene did a great job of summarising the tragedy that was Dahmer’s teenage years; the disconnect he had from everyone, his desperate need to fit in, and how he ultimately was nothing more than comical fodder amongst his peers.

Meyers could have easily set this up as a purley comical scene, but uses it as a pivotal point within the film to show the severity of Dahmer’s rapidly declining grasp of normalcy. Again, the editing is great here and shows the raw emotion by using a series of close-up frames that focus solely on a tormented looking Dahmer. Quick fades and dissolves are then used to fit the crescendo of a piano instrumental in the background, effectively building the emotion of the narrative and conveying an increasing despair without any dialogue.

However, the main highlight of the film is indisputably Ross Lynch’s performance as the younger Jeffrey Dahmer. Lynch was previously known for his work on the Disney Channel, and this departure makes his delivery even more surreal whilst showcasing the wider berth of his acting skills. Lynch manages to pin-point Dahmer’s character, not only in his immediate appearance (Lynch is virtually unrecognisable with his mop like hair and large glasses) but in his slouched posture, his introverted mannerisms, and most strikingly his facial expressions and eye contact which convey emotion in each scene without saying a word.

Meyers also finds balance in his execution of Dahmer’s character, showing the stereotypically introverted and sinister Dahmer but also his collected and composed nature in a very self-aware way. This is reflected in the story of how Dahmer called the President’s office on a school trip to Washington and arranged a meeting with his friends and Vice-President Walter Mondale. Lynch re-enacts this with a great calmness and slight arrogance – the more confident side of Dahmer gives the character further depth and an indication of his multifaceted personality, which became a vital part of the man in later life.

Lynch’s performance is also made so captivating because many of the experiences and situations Dahmer faced through adolescence are those that can be commonplace for any teenager, such as loneliness, negligence and the struggle for acceptance. This humanises Lynch’s character, as it isn’t hard to relate certain aspects of his demeanour to someone you know. Backderf even stated that Lynch’s portrayal of Dahmer will “make viewers uncomfortable because it’s so familiar.”

My main gripe, however, is that I feel My Friend Dahmer portrays the ‘Dahmer Fan Club’ to be more compassionate than was perhaps strictly true – especially judging by Derf’s own account in his graphic novel, which repeatedly stated that generally they excluded Dahmer, didn’t give him much concern, and pretty much kept him around for entertainment.

However, in the film there are a handful of scenes where members of the group question if it’s “mean how [we] treat Dahmer” and later on that they should “leave him alone”. None of this is reflected in Derf’s original recount and feels as though it has been thrown in to the film to make his peers appear more sympathetic, or to make them seem more like invested acquaintances than they were.

This is demonstrated most prominently within the penultimate scene between Dahmer and Derf in the car outside Jeffrey’s house; Derf, after disassociating himself from Dahmer due to his overbearing weirdness, hesitantly discusses heading off to college and Dahmer’s future plans. At this point in Derf’s graphic novel I was practically begging for someone to ask Dahmer ‘are you okay?’, but it never came. By introducing the disjointed, flippant interests in Dahmer’s welfare at this stage in the film adaptation it felt unnecessary, disingenuous, and took away the severity of hopelessness and isolation of the central character.

Although also towards the end of the film the narrative shows Dahmer’s former friends and his parents all leaving him, instilling the audience with a heart-sinking feeling as we expect the inevitable. The scene where Dahmer’s mother, Joyce, leaves with his brother, David, is done in such a blasé way it almost becomes comical, with Meyers using this to encapsulate the tragedy of Dahmer’s teenage relationships and how utterly alone he really was. After Joyce leaves, the scene is deathly quiet as Dahmer falls to the floor and cries. You can see the angst and conflict in Lynch’s face, so much so you could arguably mark the point where all hope is lost for Jeffrey Dahmer.

There is a further absence of any full discussion about Dahmer’s struggle with his sexuality. There are a couple of scenes in My Friend Dahmer that hint towards this inner conflict, but this could have been expanded on rather than being just an undertone as it is such a vital part in the killer’s motives and central to the whole character of Jeffrey Dahmer.

I also have a feeling the film may hold more appeal to those with a pre-existing interest in Dahmer. For those with little interest in the notorious serial killer, it may seem slow paced and potentially anticlimactic and we don’t see any of what Dahmer is most known for, so I would recommend reading Derf’s graphic novel for a bit of background.

This being said, My Friend Dahmer carries a lot for all film lovers to enjoy, such as the aforementioned performance from Lynch and the evident craft put into each scene; the colour pallet for the film is really enjoyable, recreating the era through a sepia quality and giving a portrayal of Ohio within the late-sixties that feels authentic and rich.

Overall, Meyers presents an honest look at Jeffery Dahmer’s unsettling and upsetting childhood. The film neither excuses nor sympathises with his actions, but still shows the extent to which Dahmer’s traumas and inner demons grew through the negligence of those around him, and eventually consumed him, in a process that is both fascinating and heart-wrenching to watch.

My Fiend Dahmer offers its audience a glimpse into the serial killer’s adolescence without assigning blame on certain events or situations that lead to his fate. But rather the narrative explores the factors that shaped Dahmer into the individual he became, without trying to answer the ‘nature Vs nurture’ debate – a conversation arguably best left to both the audience and wider society. Something to remember during that uncomfortable small talk at the office Christmas party.

My Friend Dahmer – official trailer

My Friend Dahmer is out in general release from Friday 1^st June – coming to both independent and mainstream cinemas across the UK. For more on My Friend Dahmer, visit www.filmrise.com/film/my-friend-dahmer

May 23, 2018May 23, 2018

BPREVIEW: Captain Süün + The Hungry Ghosts, Brain Food @ The Sunflower Lounge 24.05.18

Words by Ashleigh Goodwin

On Thursday 24th May, The Sunflower Lounge welcomes psychedelic quartet Captain Süün – with support from Birmingham’s ‘trash country’ The Hungry Ghosts, and ‘swirling psych-soaked four-piece’ Brain Food.

The Sunflower Lounge opens its doors at 7.30pm, with the event having an age restriction of 18+ as presented by Red Dawn Events. At the time of writing all limited/discount advance tickets have sold out, but you can still buy a special offer pair of tickets for £9 or general admission singles for £6 – both including booking fee. For direct gig information, including venue details and links to all online ticket sales, click here.

Bristolian garage psych band, Captain Süün, have worked tirelessly since their formation in 2016 – playing numerous shows over the past couple of years, alongside truly creative artists from across the UK such as The Wytches, Cegvera and Yo No Se.

Having signed to Stolen Body Records after ‘a raucous set at Bristol Psych Fest’s’ in 2017 the band are now releasing their Beach Burrito EP, with The Sunflower Lounge gig the first of three dates to support the launch. Captain Süün’s official release show for their Beach Burrito EP is being held on Friday 25^th May at The Trap in their hometown, where The Hungry Ghosts will once again be joining them on stage.

But no strangers to the second city, their refined and crafted sound has already made ‘a mark upon the Birmingham music scene with many local acts pledging their love for Captain Süün’ – boasting an infectious formula of skillful songwriting, warm fuzz, and a mixture of droning, brooding riffs and surf guitars.

And the future is seemingly bright for the four-piece beyond the UK too, as Captain Süün embark on a European tour next month to promote their Beach Burrito EP – before returning to their hometown in July to once again play at Bristol’s Psych Fest, alongside Night Beats and the French trio Dusty Mush.

Second on the bill are self-professed ‘slaughterhouse blues’ five-piece, The Hungry Ghosts, bringing the main support of the night. The last time The Hungry Ghosts joined Captain Süün in Birmingham was when the two bands completed the line up for Table Scraps’ Autonomy album release party at the Hare & Hounds back in March, as presented by This Is Tmrw.

The Hungry Ghosts’ completely identifiable sound combines contemporary rock and blues, against an alternative country and western background – no small feat, but one done to captivating effect. Drawing from an array of genres and inspirations The Hungry Ghosts deliver a truly distinctive body of work, which makes for not only a dynamic live performance but a hypnotic one too. But after the release of their double A-side, ‘Lazaro/Amerkia’, back in July 2017 – through Brum based record label Setting Son Records – the band have been busy playing shows across the UK, and of course in Birmingham.

Brain Food we’re a little less clued up on, but have been instructed on good authority that the ‘progressive psychedelia’ Birmingham based four piece ‘should be taken as part of a balanced diet, and is made using one part Liam Mckeown (Vox, Lead Guitar), one part Jakob Cusp (Rhythm Guitar), one part Wills Carrot (Bass), and one part Connor Doyle (Drums).’ Sounds promising, and possibly good for your digestion, but one we’ll have to get back to you about after having seen them on stage.

Meanwhile, back in the West Country…

‘Beach Burritio’ – Captain Süün

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ut0vvLc-uE

Captain Süün perform at The Sunflower Lounge on Thursday 24^th May, with support from The Hungry Ghosts and Brain Food – as presented by Red Dawn Events. For direct gig information, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.thesunflowerlounge.com/event/captain-suun-the-hungry-ghosts

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

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

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

May 22, 2018May 25, 2018

ELEANOR’S PICK: Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18

Words by Eleanor Sutcliffe

Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) comes to the NEC in Birmingham on 28^th May. For a direct event information, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.gentingarena.co.uk/whats-on/slam-dunk-festival

As one of the most anticipated dates in the UK pop punk calendar, it’s safe to say Slam Dunk Festival are taking no prisoners with this year’s line up. With a bevy of bands and artists descending upon the NEC in just under a week’s time, I took it upon myself to comb through the roster and select a number that I personally love.

Holding Absence / Rock Sound Breakout Stage

Birmingham favourites, Holding Absence, are set to make their Slam Dunk debut this year on the Rock Sound Breakout Stage. Having recently announced the departure of guitarist Feisal El-Khazragi, it will be one of their first performances without him in their line up. But with Holding Absence recently nominated for Best British Breakthrough Band at the 2018 Heavy Metal Awards, plus playing a string of dates supporting Being as an Ocean across Europe in June, they’re certainly not letting El-Khazragi’s departure slow them down.

Represented by Sharptone Records – who bought us the likes of Don Broco, Miss May I and We Came As Romans – the Cardiff based band also recently toured and released a co-EP with Loathe titled This Is As One, which earned them numerous positive reviews from critics for tracks such as ‘Saint Cecilia’.

Holding Absence perform at 3:30pm on the Rock Sound Breakout Stage. For more on Holding Absence, visit www.holdingabsence.com

‘Saint Cecilia’ – Holding Absence

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PVRIS / Jägermeister Main Stage

Having recently performed at Coachella, PVRIS will be returning to Birmingham hot off the heels of the American leg of their All We Know of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell tour – promoting their latest album of the same name.

Lynn Gunn’s dreamy vocals, combined with the band’s heavy rock influences, have earned them a dedicated fanbase and won them Rock Sound’s Artist of the Year Award back in 2017. Here’s hoping PVRIS also perform some tracks from their debut album, White Noise, with songs such as ‘St. Patrick’ and ‘My House’ being on my personal wish list.

PVRIS perform at 8:15 pm on the Jägermeister Main Stage. For more on PVRIS, visit www.pvris.com

‘Anyone Else’ – PVRIS

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Taking Back Sunday / Monster Energy Main Stage

Returning to Slam Dunk for the 3^rd time, Taking Back Sunday were in the first wave of bands to be confirmed to at perform this year’s festival.

Having released their 7^th album, Tidal Waves, in September 2016, and parting ways with their original guitarist Eddie Rayes last month, it will be interesting to see if we get to hear any new material from the group. Although I’m hoping to hear classic tracks such as ‘You’re So Last Summer’ and ‘MakeDamnSure’ as well as songs such as ‘You Can’t Look Back’ from their latest album live.

Taking Back Sunday perform at 8:05pm on the Monster Energy Main Stage. For more on Taking Back Sunday, visit www.takingbacksunday.com

‘You’re So Last Summer’ – Taking Back Sunday

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Astroid Boys / Impericon Stage

The Impericon stage will be hosting hardcore grime band Astroid Boys, who have always delivered impressive shows in Birmingham. Growing steadily since their formation back in 2012, they were bought to my attention after being featured in BBC Radio 4’s documentary Operation Grime, which tailed them on a tour across the UK.

Astroid Boys‘ music is not for the faint hearted – expect brutal lyrics addressing issues such as racism, mashed with hardcore and grime influences to create a sound you probably have never heard before… but will just as probably want to listen to again.

Astroid Boys perform at 2:20 pm on the Impericon Stage. For more on Astroid Boys, visit www.astroid-boys.com

‘Foreigners’ – Astroid Boys

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As It Is / Signature Brew Stage

Announcing the August release of their latest album, The Great Depression, only a few days ago, Brighton based As It Is will be headlining the Signature Brew stage this year.

A band who’ve amassed a dedicated fan base with tracks such as ‘Dial Tones’ and ‘Hey Rachel’, their material is catchy, easy to listen to and fun – however it’s unfair to assume they lack a more serious side. Their latest release, ‘The Wounded World’, delves into a much darker side of their ever-expanding noise, having been cited by the band as a ‘new era’ of their music which expands on ‘the societal romanticisation of depression’ and ‘the disrepair of present-day human connection’.

As ever with this band, though, As It Is approach their subject with the respect and sensitivity it warrants – referencing their new material as a means for them to work to create a positive change for mental health.

As It Is perform at 8:30pm on the Signature Brew Stage. For more from As It Is, visit www.asitisofficial.bandcamp.com

‘The Wounded World’ – As It Is

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Luke Rainsford / The Key Club Acoustic Stage

The Key Club Acoustic Stage is hosting a stellar line up of bands and artists, including Birmingham’s Luke Rainsford – combining upbeat guitar with gut wrenching vocals, making music that is hard hitting but a real treat to listen to.

Having toured the UK extensively since the release of I Feel At Home With You in February 2017, and having recently released his latest EP, I Just Don’t Deserve To Be Loved, in April 2018, Rainsford’s music deals with difficult issues such as loss, bereavement, low self esteem and mental health. Good, honest stuff.

Luke Rainsford performs at 4:15 pm on The Key Club Acoustic Stage. For more on Luke Rainsford, visit www.lukerainsford.bandcamp.com

‘Home Safe’ – Luke Rainsford

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltnvyxgWovs

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Stand Atlantic / Rock Sound Breakout Stage

Australian trio, Stand Atlantic, will also be making their Slam Dunk debut this year, having recently toured with other performers such as ROAM and Knuckle Puck. With their latest EP, Sidewinder, reaching an impressive #10 on Rock Sound’s Top 50 Albums of 2017, and having been cited by Kerrang! as one of the hottest bands of 2018, Stand Atlantic are proving they’re a force to be reckoned with.

Claiming influences from Blink-182 to The 1975, they’re certainly considered a mixed bag musically too – but in the best possible way. Trust me. Go and listen to ‘Coffee at Midnight’. You can thank me later.

Stand Atlantic perform at 6:00 pm on the Rock Sound Breakout Stage. For more on Stand Atlantic, visit www.facebook.com/StandAtlantic

‘Coffee at Midnight’ – Stand Atlantic

Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) comes to the NEC in Birmingham on 28^th May. For direct information on Slam Dunk Festival 2018, including details on all the events happening across the UK, visit www.slamdunkmusic.com

For a direct info and online ticket sales for Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands), visit www.gentingarena.co.uk/whats-on/slam-dunk-festival

For more from the Genting Arena, including full events listing and venue details, visit www.gentingarena.co.uk