Candid Archives -

May 15, 2018May 15, 2018

THE GALLERY: Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18

Words by Lydia Fitzer / Pics by Paul Reynolds

Don’t you just love a bargain? On Saturday night, Birmingham was treated to a five-for-the-price-of-one indie extravaganza. This wasn’t a discount bin situation, though. This was more of a ‘Hotel Chocolat is having a sale’ experience. You want quality? You want creativity? You want it served in a charming venue locally owned by lovely people? Of course you do.

The Clause were the first band of the night, and for me they were the biggest highlight. Distinctive, original, playful, with a frontman of the old-school allure variety (otherwise known as Pearce McMenamin. No wonder there were so many girls in the audience). Their subject matter is heavy but relatable, and their sound is punchy as a boxer’s jab.

The Clause’s music is constructed masterfully enough that I’d assumed them to be older. Imagine my surprise when I realised they’re in their late teens. I actually couldn’t be happier. I mean, if they’re this good now, imagine how great they’ll be in a few years.

They opened with ‘Tokyo’ and tons of stage presence; it was a cracking performance of one of my favourite songs of theirs. I slightly regretted the absence of its voiceover opening, though. The recorded version starts with a tense instrumental build-up and a serious female newsreader voice: “A sudden epidemic originating in the Midlands is being described as the biggest nightlife craze seen in years… a craze called Tokyo.” Go listen to it right now. Feel the atmospheric awesomeness wash over you. You’re welcome.

My favourite moment of The Clause’s set was their performance of ‘In My Element’. It was all the more enjoyable because the song is unrecorded, meaning hearing it live was like unwrapping the first gift under the Christmas tree. The opening sound was a synth-style bass line – unusual for The Clause, I think. Then… what else but the Pink Panther theme?! Played by the effortlessly cool Liam Deakin (guitar) and Jonny Fyffe (bass, backing vocals) in an endlessly cool way. The melody morphed into one of their own creation; the crowd leapt, energised and enthralled, to a beat that would make any rinky-dink panther dance.

Next to the stage were Candid, opening with their oldest release ‘Moving On’. They filled the stage with confidence and beauty (check out the tresses on bassist Sam Baines), giving buckets of performance skill. Rob Latimer (vocals, guitar) channelled passion and force with an expression of sheer musical bliss. Dan Latimer (lead guitar) didn’t give as much movement as his brother Rob, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t delightful to watch – he played immaculately, and had a cheeky smile which was totally infectious.

Candid ended their set with ‘Lay Me Down’ – a rapid crashing instrumental with a vocal melody that you could sink into. The sound built into a tsunami before each chorus, sending the whole audience into a craze; they jumped, they moshed. Hyperactive teenagers hurled themselves onto the walls and ground, all spatial awareness shaken from their bodies (the gig was open to ages 14+). Rob opened his lips and unleashed the final note – an incredible thing which lasted for about ten years. The guy has a serious set of pipes.

The time had come to unveil the “top-secret supergroup” that Riscas had been toting on social media. Are you ready? “My name is Wolfgang Harte… and this is my band!” Hello and welcome to the Wolfgang experience. He opened with ‘Old Bird’, a song written for his mum, filling the room with a vibrating voice.

The stage was packed with talented instrumentalists. Harte mentioned that their first rehearsal together had been a mere four hours prior to the gig; they gave an impressive performance with this considered. I would say, though, that they hadn’t quite found their sound. Harte has a unique voice and it’ll take practice to shape the instrumental around him to best effect.

This is an exciting project with profoundness at its core. Wolfgang Harte started writing songs during a particularly difficult time in his life, and eventually realised that he wanted to start performing them. His friends agreed to help, et voilà! You might see the man popping up on the music scene in various cities through the rest of May – keep your eyes peeled.

As Paris Youth Foundation took the stage, a flock of fans waded to the front of the crowd to greet them. They opened with ‘If You Wanna’, one of their slightly older songs; it’s full of signature contrasting floaty and heavy layers. The most notable trait is Kevin Potter’s remarkably gentle voice. It’s soft as a pillow. Potter gave an intriguing performance style, unforced and unusual; at times he fluttered his palms like a bird in flight.

You could drift away into Paris Youth Foundation’s music. They produce a lot of arm-wavers, of which ‘London’ is probably the strongest. Even the most enthusiastic moshers of the crowd took a moment to sway in the sentiment. ‘London’ is an earnest love song. Hearing it feels like looking into the stars and searching for a lover’s face.

Potter made a start singing ‘Losing Your Love’, but barely uttered a syllable of the first verse. He didn’t need to – the crowd sang it on his behalf. With every chorus the front of the crowd crashed into a mosh pit (I mentioned that the gig was open to ages 14+ and the enthusiasm the younger crowd had for moshing was unbelievable. I never would’ve thought I’d see so many mosh pits outside of the metalcore scene). They finished off with ‘Missing the Mark’, featuring girls towering on their friends’ shoulders and even a spot of crowdsurfing.

Finally, it was time for Riscas. They strolled onto stage to the sound of lazy guitar and deafening applause, then sailed into ‘Talk Your Mind’. They bopped around the stage during the intro, and flew into the first verse with legs made of springs. Riscas have a layered sound that never stops for breath, and cruises like a cyclist in the summer.

George Maycock (vocals, guitar) worked the crowd into a frenzy – “Come on, come on, come on!” By the time they reached ‘Right Kinda Day’, the crowd was bursting with excitement like cola bubbles; what better mood to introduce their most popular song? ‘Panic Like Tom’ was their debut single, and had a big ol’ heap of success. It really is a work of brilliance. Listening to it makes me feel stretched across time.

Riscas ended their set with ’10:42’. Flashing lights let you know, in case you didn’t already, that this was A PARTAY! A horde of fans clambered onto stage and lived their best lives. The band released huge sliding riffs, building the biggest noise of the night; this was Riscas’ largest hometown gig so far, and those boys did Birmingham proud.

Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18 / Paul Reynolds

For more on Riscas, visit www.riscasofficial.com

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Paris Youth Foundation – supporting Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18 / Paul Reynolds

For more on Paris Youth Foundation, visit www.parisyouthfoundation.com

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Candid – supporting Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18 / Paul Reynolds

For more on Candid, visit www.facebook.com/candidcoventry

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The Clause – supporting Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18 / Paul Reynolds

For more on The Clause, visit www.soundcloud.com/theclause

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Wolfgang Harte – supporting Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18 / Paul Reynolds

For more from Hey Honey, visit www.facebook.com/HeyHoneyUK

For more from Sonic Gun, including further event listings, visit www.facebook.com/sonicgunconcerts

For more on The Castle & Falcon, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.castleandfalcon.com

May 9, 2018May 9, 2018

BPREVIEW: Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18

Words by Ed King

On Saturday 12^th May, Riscas headline at The Castle & Falcon – with support from Paris Youth Foundation, Candid and The Clause.

Doors open for The Castle & Falcon’s music venue from 7pm (the front bar is open for normal trading hours) with tickets priced at £7 (adv) plus booking fee – as presented by Hey Honey and Sonic Gun. Minimum age of entry is 14 years old, with all under 16s needing adult accompaniment. For direct gig information, including venue details and links to online ticket sales, click here.

**At the time of writing, there were only a few tickets remaining for Riscas at The Castle & Falcon on Saturday 12^th May. We predict a sell out, if indeed it hasn’t by the time we press ‘PUBLISH’. So you should get your ticket wriggle on if you want a place in this room**

Billed as their ‘biggest hometown show to date’, Riscas are back in Brum for another sell out gig after packing out venues across the UK. And why not? The endlessly bouncy punk-pop-indie-rock from this Birmingham four piece has been steadily grabbing the ears and attentions of audiences throughout the country, and dare say beyond.

A firm fixture on most crystal ball listicles, and being rubber stamped by BBC Introducing just over a year ago, Riscas have been surfing across the ‘ones to watch’ waters of the UK’s new music scene and working the live circuit like a Bob Dylan backing band. Seems to be paying off for them too.

Riscas’ debut single, ‘Panic Like Tom’, got ranked at No4 on the Spotify UK Viral Charts in March 2017, amassing a more than healthy 7 figure stream count in the year of its release. The band went on to be picked up by BBC Introducing and Radio 1 – being selected as the latter’s Intro Artist of the Week in March 2017 – before heading across the UK for sell out shows in Manchester, Birmingham and London.

Throw in a few festival slots, including Wytchwood and Live at Leeds, and that’s the story of how four spritely lads from The Midlands picked up some instruments and set out for stardom… another chapter before lights out? Rest your eyes then, on Saturday night I’ll tell you what happens when Riscas find themselves at The Castle & Falcon.

‘Talk Your Mind’ – Riscas

Riscas headline at The Castle & Falcon on Saturday 12^th May, with support from Paris Youth Foundation, Candid and The Clause – as presented by Hey Honey and Sonic Gun. For direct gig information, including venue details and links to online ticket sales, visit www.castleandfalcon.com/event/riscas-paris-youth-foundation-candid-clause

For more on Riscas, visit www.riscasofficial.com

For more on Paris Youth Foundation, visit www.parisyouthfoundation.com

For more on Candid, visit www.facebook.com/candidcoventry

For more on The Clause, visit www.soundcloud.com/theclause

For more from Hey Honey, visit www.facebook.com/HeyHoneyUK

For more from Sonic Gun, including further event listings, visit www.facebook.com/sonicgunconcerts

For more on The Castle & Falcon, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.castleandfalcon.com

January 29, 2018January 29, 2018

THE GALLERY: Riscas @ The Sunflower Lounge 19.01.18

Words by Molly Forsyth / Pics by Paul Reynolds

There is a particular charm to walking down the beaten stairs of a tucked away bar, having a cross marked on your wrist as you squeeze yourself and your Red Stripe can in amongst the crowd to see who are the bands that are getting people talking.

Tonight, Riscas and some excellently chosen guests are not only getting people talking, but screaming, bouncing from body-to-body like a game of pinball, and generally causing beautiful chaos with their rabble-rousing indie tunes in The Sunflower Lounge.

First up for the baying crowd is The Real Cool, receiving what I perceive to be the coolest reception of the evening (pun unintended); I will put that down to being first on stage. What follows is a set of well-crafted synth pop, complete with lilting melodies over percussion inspired by the tropicana trends of the early eighties.

A lot of modern bands prefer to emulate the minimal, colder sounds of electronica, but while The Real Cool definitely match that aesthetic, their music betrays them, instead embracing joy, fun and a dash of flamboyance, reminiscent of La Roux and Muna. My favourite song of the entire evening happens to be the band’s latest single, ‘Always Her’, a delicate, summer-friendly melody overlaid on crisp, punchy snares and hi-hats. I look forward to seeing more of this trio in the Birmingham scene.

Next up for the now warmed-up crowd are Candid. Hailing from Coventry, Candid carry the confidence of a band who know how to bring thier music to the stage. Ripping through riffs with increasing ferocity, they endeavour to meet the hunger of the crowd, as it becomes rowdier and rowdier. It takes a lot of resistance to not be taken in by their energy.

I only wish that some of the songs didn’t bleed so easily into others. There were times where I wasn’t sure where one song started and another began. Some of the more distinct rhythms get drowned in the guitars, and bringing in a better balance between their instruments (while keeping the same fervour in their performance) would help Candid greatly. ‘Lay Me Down’ is the band’s strongest offering of the night, while new song, the anthemic ‘Breathless’, should see them gain ground with new fans this year.

Before the headliners grace the stage, Spilt Milk Society offer what I believe to be the most attention-grabbing set of the evening. If you listen to Spilt Milk Society’s music regularly and have followed its progression, which has coincided with the development of a strong internet fanbase, you will take joy in hearing how the songwriting has improved. While it is a bittersweet set to witness – with both drummer and bassist departing after tonight’s gig – this is a band on the cusp of achieving sonic greatness.

Comparing earlier successes such as ‘She Tastes Like Summer’ through to most recent track ‘Amsterdam’, you can trace a band that has grown more and more experimental and aware of how to add nuance and intricacies to infectious melodies. Spilt Milk Society have said that there is plenty of “bangers and mash” to come. After tonight, I believe them wholeheartedly.

Finally, we are treated to a barnstorming headline set from Riscas – Kez Handley’s Hey Honey Management has created a monster, if tonight is anything to go by. Riscas deliver a truly frenetic set from start to finish, filling the relatively small quarters of The Sunflower Lounge with electricity – including a brilliant moment where the band’s frontman, George Maycock, escapes into the crowd to whip us further into hysteria.

Riscas have mastered the art of what I refer to as the ‘indie jangle’; the distinct ringing of a fastly-strummed guitar that makes you feel like you in the middle of August, dancing around with a flower crown perched on your head and overpriced Tuborg in hand.

New song ‘Right Kinda Day’ hits a sweet spot of gentle, twee charm with enough power to soar once the chorus hits, while the band’s biggest hit to date, ‘Panic Like Tom’, gets the crowd jumping. If Riscas don’t find themselves on a FIFA or Made In Chelsea soundtrack soon, I will be stunned.

Riscas @ The Sunflower Lounge 19.01.18 / Paul Reynolds – Birmingham Review

For more on Riscas, visit www.soundcloud.com/riscasuk

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Spilt Milk Society – supporting Riscas @ The Sunflower Lounge 19.01.18 / Paul Reynolds – Birmingham Review

For more on Spilt Milk Society, visit www.spiltmilksociety.co.uk

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Candid – supporting Riscas @ The Sunflower Lounge 19.01.18 / Paul Reynolds – Birmingham Review

For more on Candid, visit www.facebook.com/candidcoventry

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The Real Cool – supporting Riscas @ The Sunflower Lounge 19.01.18 / Paul Reynolds – Birmingham Review

For more on The Real Cool, visit www.therealcool.wixsite.com/therealcool

For more from The Sunflower Lounge, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.thesunflowerlounge.com

For more from Hey Honey Management, visit www.facebook.com/HeyHoneyUK

For more from Birmingham Promoters, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.birminghampromoters.com

January 16, 2018January 16, 2018

BPREVIEW: Riscas @ The Sunflower Lounge 19.01.18

Words by Molly Forsyth

On Friday 19^th January, Riscas will be playing at The Sunflower Lounge, with support from Spilt Milk Society, Candid and The Real Cool.

Tickets are priced at £6 (adv) plus a booking fee, as presented by Birmingham Promoters. For direct gig info, including online ticket sales, click here.

** This gig has been moved from Mama Roux’s to The Sunflower Lounge, and will now be an ages 18+ event. Original tickets remain valid. Alternatively, refunds are available from point of purchase**

On a self-proclaimed mission to make listeners smile and think of summer, Riscas’ blend of lilting tropical melodies and urgent post-punk hooks should help bring some warmth in this bitterly cold January.

Riscas have recently released ‘Talk Your Mind’, doubling down on their breakthrough three-minute hit, ‘Panic Like Tom’, which enjoyed support from BBC Introducing and made the Spotify Viral Tracks playlist. The young four-piece are looking ahead to a bright 2018, as regulars on the local music circuit it is recommended you catch them in Birmingham before bigger venues beckon. And The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham’s subterranean incubator for the-soon to-be-huge, would not be a bad place to tick off the ‘I saw them when’ bucket list.

Joining Riscas are a roster of fresh talent from across the West Midlands. This includes Spilt Milk Society, just as sprightly in sound with a truly diverse set of influences ranging from blues, electronica and hard rock. The band have been known to be against ‘sloppy indie’, so expect tight rhythmic work and sharp arpeggio melodies for a crisp sound that doesn’t linger or stop for breath. On the back of their debut EP released last year, Spilt Milk Society are currently dealing with changes as big as their ambitions, with founding bassist Adam Handford and drummer Chan Kathuria departing after this gig. From house parties to hallowed local stages in less than two years, expect to hear more from Spilt Milk Society this year, albeit not with their current line up.

Coventry’s Candid will also bring their sound to the stage for the evening. Currently promoting brand new track ‘Breathless’, Candid wear their inspirations on their sleeve. Clearly aspiring to reach the heights of bands such as Catfish and The Bottlemen and Blossoms, Candid have mastered the sound of straight-up indie rock direct from the garage. If their songs have anything to go by, they know exactly when to polish and when to leave it in its rawest form.

The line-up is rounded off by The Real Cool, a band in name as they are in nature. They err on slightly different influences to their three stage fellows, combining the new wave sounds of the Eighties with thoroughly modern production and sarcastic lines targeting their generation. And while they are as dedicated to sharp, minimal aesthetics and view style as equal to substance, their Wayback! EP shows they have carved their own niche within this genre.

‘Talk Your Mind’ – Riscas

For more on Riscas, visit www.soundcloud.com/riscasuk

For more on Spilt Milk Society, visit www.spiltmilksociety.co.uk

For more on Candid, visit www.facebook.com/candidcoventry

For more on The Real Cool, visit www/therealcool.wixsite.com/therealcool

For more from The Sunflower Lounge, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.thesunflowerlounge.com

For more from Birmingham Promoters, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.birminghampromoters.com

January 1, 2018January 8, 2018

ED’S PICK: January 2018

Words by Ed King

January 1^st… no finer day to cross off the calendar. But as the world crawls out of bed with hangovers and resolutions, Birmingham’s events diary looks forward to a pretty vibrant January. It seems the ‘quiet month’ is not so dormant this year. Which is a good thing, right? I mean, who needs to stay in and save money? Food and heating are for quitters.

Some pretty big gigs happening this month, with the rock powerhouse that is Paramore (ain’t alliteration ace) coming to the Genting Arena on Jan 14th. Tickets may be sold out by the time I finish this sentence, so you’d better act rápido por favor (just finished watching Narcos) if you want to catch them tour their fifth album, After Laughter, through the second city. On the Lord’s Day as well… dios nos perdone.

On the smaller stages in Birmingham, Surprise You’re Dead are tearing the city in two on 24^th Jan – as Ohio’s metalcore Miss May I come to Mamma Roux’s, whilst London’s pop punksters The Bottom Line are joined by Nottingham’s Lacey at The Asylum. In fact, overall it’s quite a strong start to 2018 from SYD as the Birmingham’s stalwart rock/punk promoters are also bringing Dead! to The Flapper on 31^st Jan and The Bronx to Mama Roux’s on 17^th Jan – although The Bronx gig has already sold out so check the relevant corners of t’interweb for returns.

Elsewhere in the land of live gigs, we have the rising stars Riscas headlining an uber line up at The Sunflower Lounge on 19^th Jan – with Spilt Milk Society, Candid and The Real Cool all in support. If this gig doesn’t sell out then I will 1) buy a hat, 2) eat my hat, 3) buy another hat. 2018 is set to be a big year for Riscas, we reckon, so catch them when and where you can. Then The Hunna return to the O2 Academy on 11^th Jan, whilst Setting Son Records present Average Sex and Semantics (one of our faves) at the Hare & Hounds on 24^th Jan.

Hot on the heels of their recent triumphant homecoming, KIOKO headline a stellar line up of local acts at The Crossing on 26^th Jan – with Namiwa Jazz, Zara Sykes, VITAL, Elektric, and revered local poet Kurly all performing as part of the Love Music Hate Racism event at the Milk Street venue. Trish Clowes presents her latest album, My Iris, with a new ensemble of the same name at Eastside Jazz Club on 25th Jan. Whilst those somewhat silent psychedelics, Moon Duo, come back to the Hare & Hounds on 30^th Jan courtesy of This Is Tmrw. Then there’s the gig I’m throwing my metaphor in the ring for – This is the Kit showcase their new album, Moonshine Freeze, at The Glee Club on 24^th Jan.

January also sees a strong line up of comedy in the city, kicking off with Tina T’urner Tea Lady Steamy Bingo at The Old Joint Stock on 5^th Jan. Tracey Collins will be bringing her ‘camp alter ego’ back to The Old Joint Stock in March, so if you miss your numbers this time around you can always try again in spring.

Stand up also starts strong at The Glee Club, with Andy Zaltzman bringing his Satirist for Hire tour to The Arcadian Centre venue on 19^th Jan – a week before Fern Brady’s debut Suffer Fools tour lands there on 26^th Jan. Quick tip, if either of these stand ups ask you to email in suggestions or comments… don’t. Or at least don’t sign your name. Or sit in the front row. You have been warned. Whilst over at the Town Hall, Ed Byrne brings his Spoiler Alert tour to Birmingham on 27^th Jan – a room big enough for some safe anonymity, for the audience at least.

Theatre stamps a reassuringly eclectic foot down on the first month of 2018, with Outer Circle Arts presenting The Death Show at The Rep Door on 26^th and 27^th Jan. Whilst a stone’s throw behind them in Hockley, Blue Orange Theatre present The Late Marilyn Monroe – running from 30^th Jan to 3^rd Feb. Then over at The Patrick Centre is the somewhat less self-explanatory Translunar Paradise – Ad Infinitum’s unspoken story ‘of life, death and enduring love’, presented at the Hurst Street venue for one night only on 31^st Jan.

Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet present Swan Lake, also for one night only, at the Symphony Hall on 7^th Jan. Whilst The Mockingbird continues to its mission to save The Custard Factory from the cultural abyss with a double screening of Clerks and the documentary behind Silent Bob’s directorial debut, Shooting Clerks, on 19th Jan. There will also be a Q&Q with the latter’s director, Christopher Downie, and some cast members at 9pm.

For more film, mac hosts Playback from 7^th to 24^th Jan – a touring and ‘interactive exhibition’ of over 200 short films from ‘krumping and parkour dance shorts, to an animated tale of teenage love that unearths our desire to be as cool as the zines we read’. Held in the arts centre’s First Floor Gallery, with free admission, Playback carries a Tubbs and Edward local angle too, as ‘some of the films were originally made in and around Birmingham, where young people based in the Midlands were given the support and funding to create a short film.’

Then rounding off Birmingham’s cultural cache for the New Year, The Chefs’ Forum present their ‘Pay What You Can’ lunch at University College Birmingham on 15^th Jan – a networking, trade and showcase event with four courses from some of the city’s top restaurants. Having launched its Midlands’ agenda at UCB back in February this… sorry, last year, The Chefs’ Forum is hosting their Jan ‘18 lunch to raise funds and awareness for its Educational Foundation which supports young chefs across the UK.

And with Louisa Ellis (The Wilderness), Mark Walsh (Opus Restaurant), Luke Tipping and Leo Kattou (Simpsons) and Olivier Briault (The Edgbaston Boutique Hotel) all chipping in a course, it should do just that. Although, the non-fixed donation approach is gratefully received in mid January.

Now if I can just find an energy provider with the same approach…

**Also straddling this month and the next are the two rescheduled Lady Gaga concerts, as the uber-star kicks off the UK leg of her Joanna World Tour at Arena Birmingham on 31^st January before returning to play the Genting Arena on 1^st February. Tickets to both arena shows are priced at £48.50 (+ fees), as presented by Live Nation UK.

In memoriam of her paternal auntie and namesake, Lady Gaga’s latest song, album and tour appear as personal an affair as you can offer when delivering it to millions of strangers. A curious dichotomy, but one Birmingham will get to see on stage first as the Live Nation machine sets down in our city before anywhere else in the UK. Kudos.

And with tickets being transferred from the previous dates in October 2017, it’s fair to say there may be a bit of a bun fight to get in to these gigs. No doubt it’ll be worth a few scuffed elbows though, but even if ‘I’m never going to know you now, I’m gonna love you any how’. OX Joanne.

For direct gig info, including venue details and online ticket sales, for Lady Gaga at Arena Birmingham on 31^st January, click here. For Lady Gaga at the Genting Arena on 1^st February, click here.’

Tickets for the originally scheduled Lada Gaga shows at the Genting Arena (12^th Oct ’17) at Arena Birmingham (15^th Oct ’17) can be transferred to the new dates. According to the venues’ websites, ‘if you cannot make the new date, refunds can be obtained at your point of purchase for a limited period’.**

Playback @ mac 7th to 24th Jan

For more on any of the events listed here, click on the highlighted hyperlink.

Ed King is Editor-in-Chief of Review Publishing, which issues both the Birmingham Review and Birmingham Preview titles.