Birmingham Archives - Page 4 of 25 -

October 30, 2019November 1, 2019

BPREVIEW: Reginald D. Hunter – Just the Tonic Comedy Club @ Rosies Nightclub 01.11.19

Words by Charlotte Heap / Pic courtesy of Just the Tonic Comedy Club

On Friday 1^st November, Reginald D. Hunter is headlining Just the Tonic Comedy Club special at Rosies Nightclub on Broad Street – with support acts Simon Wozniak, Darius Davies, and Thomas Green completing the line up.

Doors open at 6.30pm, with tickets priced at £15 (£12.50 concessions) – as promoted by the nationwide Just the Tonic Comedy Club. For more event information, including venue details and links to online ticket sales, visit www.justthetonic.com/birmingham-comedy/shows/friday-1-nov-2019/

Just the Tonic Comedy Club was founded in 1994 by Darrell Martin, a stand up in his own right, and has been running at venues across the UK ever since – ‘consistently boasting the most interesting line ups in the country’, according to The Times. According to Just the Tonic’s website. Promoting a show every Saturday at Rosies Birmingham, Just the Tonic has brought some well known faces from the comedy circuit to the second city, including Ross Noble, Milton Jones, and now Reginald D. Hunter – with Stuart Lee describing the club as ‘a really valuable part of the UK comedy scene’ in a 2010 interview.

An American who has made the UK his home for the last two decades, Reginad D. Hunter is known for his acerbic wit delivered in honey tones; tackling subjects like race and sexuality in his sweet smooth South Georgia drawl, his comedy can be controversial but is always cleverly articulated and dispensed with conviction. Hunter is by far one of the most familiar faces, and voices, on the comedy circuit in the UK today.

A television regular, Hunter has become a staple on panel shows such as Have I Got News for You, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and QI. He’s also branched out into documentary making: Reginald D. Hunter’s Songs of the South and its equally successful follow up Reginald D. Hunter’s Songs of the Border explored the growth of American music on BBC2.

Having been first nominated for Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer in 2002 for his debut solo show I am What I am, Hunter has enjoyed that comedy rarity of both critical and commercial success – so much so that his stand-up has become almost secondary to his television career, although he still tours regularly.

Just the Tonic Comedy Club brings Birmingham comedy fans the chance to see some of the circuits best loved acts perform in an intimate setting on Broad Street: less arena tour, more old school stand-up show.

Reginal D. Hunter performs at Rosie’s Nightclub on Friday 1^st November, supported by stand up comedians Simon Wozniak, Darius Davies, and Thomas Green – as promoted by Just the Tonic Comedy Club. For more event information, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.justthetonic.com/birmingham-comedy/shows/friday-1-nov-2019/

For more on Reginal D. Hunter, visit www.reginalddhunter.co.uk

For more from Just the Tonic Comedy Club (Birmingham), including further event listings and online ticket sales, visitwww.justthetonic.com/birmingham-comedy

For more on Rosies Nightclub (Birmingham), including venue details and further event listings, visit www.rosiesclubs.co.uk/birmingham

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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.

September 30, 2019September 30, 2019

SINGLE: Living it Up – The NU 30.09.19

Words by Charlie Culverhouse / Pics courtesy of The NU

‘Living it Up’ follows The NU’s debut EP Keep It A Secret and cements him in his mix of electronic and pop-rock genre. The new single sounds more evolved compared to his first EP which makes complete sense for a newer artist such as The NU – to have your sound this polished less than a year into your career is pretty impressive.

Finding another artist who sounds anything like The NU is pretty impossible – I couldn’t think of anyone. It’s refreshing to hear someone trying to create something new rather than playing into a genre they know is popular; The NU sounds passionate and hungry to create.

The ending feels very ethereal, the soft rain sound underneath the melody relaxes the mind and contrasts the main chunk of the song while still complimenting it. The transition into the ending is seamless and comes off audibly pleasing – in simple terms it’s extremely satisfying to listen to.

I also have to mention the production quality of the single. Comparing the previous EP release to this new single, the sound quality has improved immensely. From the sound of the guitar tones to the overall production value of the single, everything sounds more like The NU – like he has found his sound.

‘Living it Up’ – The NU

The NU release ‘Living it Up’ on Monday 30^th September, available through all the usual online outlets. For more on The NU, visit www.facebook.com/wearetheNU

The NU will also be performing at NUSTOCK, alongside Jumanji, Echo Gecco, and Pomelo Fellows – at Mama Roux’s on Wednesday 2^nd October. For more direct gig info and links to online ticket, click here.

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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.

July 25, 2019March 29, 2022

INTERVIEW: The Cosmics

Interview by Abi Whistance/To the Local – Pic by Jessica H Ingram Photography

In June 2019, The Cosmics released their self-titled debut EP – a six track eponymous monster of noise rock, twisted indie, a splodge of Mazzy Star and some of the fastest guitar feet in the Midlands. We salute you and your ten toes Mr Boyle (the one standing up).

Celebrating with an out of town gig at Hackney’s The Old Blue Last on the BIG DAY itself, The Cosmics had previously introduced their new material with a launch party for the EP’s lead single, ‘Trust is Blind’, at The Sunflower Lounge back in November 2018.

A step away from the DIY garage rock that they started with, through singles such as their 2016 debut ‘Johnny’, the gig was a chance for their home town crowd to get a live look at The Cosmics’ new material – to read Ed King’s Birmingham Review of ‘Trust is Blind’, click here.

But never ones to rest of their laurels for too long, The Cosmics laid out a diary chock full of dates across the UK and Europe to promote their EP – bouncing around from Birmingham, Manchester, Brighton, London, Belgium and Paris until July this year.

And as their latest single, ‘Eyes’, grabs the attention of Radio 1, The Cosmics are coming back to Blighty to support Table Scraps at the Hare & Hounds on Friday, 26 July – with local prog/psych rockers, Nosuch, also performing.

Abi Whistance and To the Local (with Birmingham Review holding the camera case) caught up with The Cosmics the last time they were at the Hare & Hounds, supporting Feels, in June – grabbing a few words with the Birmingham three piece before the headed out on stage. Watch the full interview below.

Interview with The Cosmics @ Hare & Hounds 30.06.19

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRYdhr2KRzo

The Cosmics’ debut, self-titled EP is out now – available to stream through Spotify, with limited edition vinyl available through The Cosmics’ social media. For more on The Cosmics, visit www.facebook.com/thecosmicsband

July 19, 2019July 19, 2019

INTERVIEW: The Assist

Words by Ed King

“For me, this song was just about portraying a message that if you want to achieve something then it’s just a dream away.”

On Saturday 6^th July, The Assist celebrated the launch of their new single, ‘It’s Just a Dream Away’, with a special headline show at The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham – alongside George Pannell and Flake as support.

Launching their debut Lost EP back in August 2018, it’s been quite a year for Midlands indie pop rockers – with a steady flow of gigs across the UK underpinning an evolving sound and the singles to prove it.

There’s also been bit of a musical milestone abroad, as The Assist were invited on a six date tour across Russia with The Twang and Riscas – including a chance for the Walsall four piece to play a headline set at the Ural Night Music Festival in front of 12,000 strong audience.

Released on Friday 5^th July, ‘It’s Just a Dream Away’ has already been picking up a fair amount of momentum and attention – to listen to ‘It’s Just a Dream Away’ click on the single artwork to your left, or the following highlighted links to stream it via Spotify or The Assist’s Soundcloud page.

And with The Assist‘s Lost EP finding a respectable place in both Spotify’s United Kingdom Top 50 and iTunes’ Top 10 Indie charts, alongside another track from their back catalogue lined up for the Made in Chelsea soundtrack, it’s not bad going for a band that once off the cuff described themselves as ‘council pop-rap-rock’.

There are plans already underway to release second EP, with another festival also in the offing – this time a little closer to home, when The Assist will stand at the top of the Smirnoff Presents Saturday night bill at Sheffield’s three day Tramlines music event on 20^th July.

So, it looks set to be another busy 12months for The Assist – but don’t just take out word for it…

Ed King caught up with The Assist lead singer, Mikey Stanton, a few hours before their single launch party at The Sunflower Lounge on Saturday 6^th July – click on the video link below to see the full interview with Birmingham Review.

Interview with Mikey Stanton from The Assist @ The Sunflower Lounge 06.07.19

The Assist released their latest single, ‘It’s Just a Dream Away’, on Friday 5^th July – available to stream through Spotify, the band’s social media and Soundcloud page. For more on The Assist, visit www.facebook.com/TheAssistBand

The Assist headline the Smirnoff Presents Saturday stage Club Totem on 20^th July, as part of this year’s Tramlines festival in Sheffield. For direct gig info, click here to visit the Facebook event page.

For more from Hey Honey, visit www.hey-honey.co.uk
For more on The Sunflower Lounge, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.thesunflowerlounge.com

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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.

July 5, 2019July 5, 2019

BPREVIEW: The Assist – single launch party @ The Sunflower Lounge 06.07.19

Words by Ed King / Pics courtesy of Hey Honey

On Saturday 6^th July, The Assist celebrate the launch of their new single, ‘It’s Just a Dream Away’, with a special headline show at The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham – support comes from George Pannell and Flake.

Doors open 7:30pm, with tickets are priced at £7 (+bf) – as presented by Hey Honey. For direct gig info and links to online ticket sales, visit the Facebook event page by clicking here.

It’s been a busy 12months for The Assist. Since launching their debut Lost EP back in August 2018, the self-described ‘council pop-rap-rock’ four piece have been popping up all over the world – from the Made in Chelsea soundtrack to a it six date tour across Russia, it seems everybody wants a piece. Not bad for four lads from Walsall, who once told Clash Magazine they formed because they ‘felt we could do something better than the bands all the girls at school were talking about.’ And so, they did.

But alongside The Assist’s seemingly Faustian pack with the Devil of pop-rock melodies, beginning with the seductively bouncy croon of ‘Tell Her How You Feel’ back in 2016 and cemented with follow up singles ‘Wonderful’ and ‘Give it to Me’, their growing success comes down to graft. I guess being cherry picked by This Feeling to be the king-making promoter’s Band of the Month back in Feb 2017 would have helped add some national attention to the mix, but that kind of industry recognition doesn’t come without some serious groundwork.

Since forming in 2014, The Assist have thrown themselves into a touring schedule that would make many lesser rock-Gods-in-waiting curl up into the foetal position in the middle of the M1 – but one that has seen them appear alongside a staggering line up of luminaries, including the Happy Mondays, Blossoms, Black Honey, Ratboy and The Twang. And whilst most musical bucket lists would be pretty ticked off with those stage sharing credentials, The Assist’s list of accolades are only just beginning.

More on that later, as Birmingham Review will be catching up with The Assist to get all this from the horse’s mouth. Watch this space. But right now, there’s a more pressing matter than a litany of pats on the back and biography soundbites. On Friday 5^th July, The Assist release their latest single – a 3min summer anthem that has FESTIVAL FEVER written all over it, ‘It’s Just a Dream Away’.

Vocalist, Mike Stanton, is arguably on his finest form yet – belting out the titular aspiration with a glorious Midlands twang. But with a tinge of Madchester also lurking in the background, this tempered pop rock power punch could be the ‘breakthrough single’ that every band considers selling a soul for. And with both the great and good of Radio 6 and a growing global fanbase behind them, the world is quite literally becoming more and more their playground.

But there’s still time to catch them without having to spend a month’s rent with Aeroflot (we told you they just toured Russia, right…?) as The Assist will be basking in some closer to home glory with a special launch party gig at The Sunflower Lounge on Saturday 6^th July. Tickets may have sold out, we’re not 100% sure, but they probably will if they haven’t already. We’re suggesting investing in an advance ticket or two, click here for more details.

And if they have gone, gone, gone… then in the words of the late great Mr Bullseye himself, let’s have a look at what you would’ve won.

‘Just a Dream Away’ – The Assist

The Assist comes to The Sunflower Lounge on Saturday 6^th July, celebrating the launch of their new single, ‘It’s Just a Dream Away’, with support from George Pannell and Flake – as presented by Hey Honey. For direct gig info and links to online ticket sales, visit the Facebook event page by clicking here.

For more on The Assist, visit www.facebook.com/TheAssistBand

For more on George Pannell, visit www.facebook.com/georgepann74
For more on Flake, visit www.facebook.com/flakebrum

For more from Hey Honey, visit www.hey-honey.co.uk

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

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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.