Ed King Archives - Page 23 of 34 -

February 28, 2018

THE GALLERY: Average Sex @ Hare & Hounds 25.01.18

Words by Ed King / Pics by Martin O’Callaghan

Sunday, a day so hard to sell even God has to pass the hat. But Setting Son are unperturbed, as the local record label and promotions company present the London based pop/punksters, Average Sex, after having to reschedule the gig from a previously booked date back in January. And gaw’d bless them for it.

Average Sex were last in the city for The Hungry Ghosts’ ‘Amerika/Lazaro’ single launch party at Centrala – a cracking night, swirling in a maelstrom of DIY, inappropriate nakedness, steel blues, garage rock, endless cider, and a middle finger to the EHO smoke machine. Lots of fun.

But tonight Average Sex are headlining the bill, replete with their new bassist and The Hungry Ghosts and Miles Cocker in support. As far as I can see there’s no smoke machine, and I’m not taking any layers of clothing off, but with such a promising line up I reckon there’s still some fun to be had. And cider. There’s always cider.

Nestled into the ‘second room’ at the Hare & Hounds (which I curiously prefer to the main stage) a comfortable crowd and sense of camaraderie huddle together, braving the tail end of their collective hangovers and an absurd cold snap that just won’t quit.

First up is Miles Cocker, the dark fringe lyricist and ex-Horror Show front man/Youth Man bassist, who is on stage for the “first time I’ve played an acoustic guitar in public”. But like the bastard child of Kelly Jones and Kristin Hersh (now there’s a hangover), Cocker oozes snakeskin confidence – proffering an onslaught of melody and more sentences to make this writer a bit green round the gills. “Exercise me, circumcise me, drill three holes and crucify me,” awesome stuff.

A cat call to “all our brothers and sisters” announces The Hungry Ghosts are on stage next, as the man so good they named him twice waves a mic in the air and rests his other hand on the keyboard which is now front and centre to their set.

Opening with ‘Amerika’, the jangly opiate journey across an imagined West Coast, The Ghosts are on top form tonight – tight and slick, especially for a Sunday, and sounding ‘more Donington’ than I have heard them in a while, according to my notes. ‘Death Rattle Blues’ swaggers off stage second, before one of my favourite from the famished phantoms, ‘Super King King’, struts its predatory blues across the room.

(Note to self: loud public exclamations about a song with your surname in the title might appear a touch narcissistic, and I am too perfect for narcissism. But here’s some proof that it’s not just a tenuous link I’m applauding. And that I repeat myself.)

And now it’s time for the big show… as the slightly tweaked Average Sex take their places on stage, with Laetitia Bocquet’s broad smile and self-expressions filling the rest of the room. Dragging yourself to The Midlands on a Sunday could threaten the pilot light of many an out of town band, but not tonight.

Opening with ‘Hey Boy’, there seems to be no stumbling or blocks in the new path of Average Sex – with a confident punk pop sound bouncing off stage. Immediate and together, you can see the professional sheen on a band who have been taken under the OGenesis wings and recently toured with The Charlatans. ‘Sociopath’ is next, which could have been written about the man standing to my left, before The Las-esque sound (and dubious set list spelling) of ‘Come Over’ are thrown off stage in short succession.

Far from embedding a new member, and having to say goodbye to an old one, Average Sex appear as close as a rock band should be without drawing tabloid attention. Chat and banter roll around the stage and into the crowd, with a couple of publicly endearing moments between Bocquet and her band mates. Average Sex feel like they have spent many van rides and hotel rooms together, with most of them surviving to tell the tale. But its infectious, and by the time the heavy riffs and distorted love laden lyrics of ‘Ice Cream’ are rattling around the room most of the bodies within it are following suit.

Rounding off with two more relatively recently released tracks, the darkly declarative ‘Ugly Strangers’ and perfectly tilted set closer ‘We’re Done’, the polished sharp edge of this well-rehearsed anarchy is off stage without an encore. Mind you, the downstairs bar has closed (so no more cider) and all that’s left are the tight stares of bar staff who want to call it a week.

Always good to see such a commanding line up, whatever day you can squeeze it into your schedule, and I leave the Hare & Hounds both a little Sunday blissed and full satiated. Not bad for the end of a weekend.

But it would be good to see more from Setting Son, if they have the inclination, as every time they promote a gig I end up with more in my earphones than I had before going in. And as much as I love the creative corner of Centrala, if you can keep them walking (stumbling) distance to my house then I won’t be arguing. Now all we need is a well penned joke about it being cold but still wanting to by ‘Ice Cream’. A man walks into a gelateria with his earphones in…

Average Sex @ Hare & Hounds 25.01.18 / Martin O’Callaghan – Birmingham Review

For more on Average Sex, visit www.facebook.com/averagesex

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The Hungry Ghosts – supporting Average Sex @ Hare & Hounds 25.01.18 / Martin O’Callaghan – Birmingham Review

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

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Miles Cocker – supporting Average Sex @ Hare & Hounds 25.01.18 / Martin O’Callaghan – Birmingham Review

For more on Miles Cocker, visit www.soundcloud.com/miles-cocker

For more from the Hare & Hounds (Kings Heath), including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk

For more on Setting Son Records, visit www.facebook.com/settingsonrecords

February 23, 2018

ALBUM: Autonomy – Table Scraps 23.02.18

Words by Ed King / Lead pic by Meg Lavender

Reasons to be cheerful: 1) Winter has fucked off, 2) Winter II has also fucked off, 3) It’s Friday, 4) Table Scraps’ new album, Autonomy, has been set free into the wild.

I’m feeling a little spring in my step, pun intended, so the ten-track-quick-hit-monster that is Autonomy could not have come at a better time. Just when I’m starting to plan my Fear & Loathing summer road trips, Table Scraps have come along with the perfect soundtrack to a bit of windows down anarchy.

Opening with ‘Sick of Me’ (which has a gloriously literal video – see below) the repeated riffs and dual vocals punch through with simplicity and style. Ain’t alliteration ace..? Garage rock as its most gorgeous, the 2 ¼ min opener sets us up for the slightly faster and drum punched ‘Always Right’, before a little dark self (kinda/sorta) deprecation with ‘I’m a Failure’. “I hate everything I do”… surely not. “And it’s all because of you”. Fair enough.

It’s difficult not to review this album track by track, but if you can listen to ‘Takin’ Out the Trash’ without thinking of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club with elephantiasis of the kahunas… awesome stuff. Then just past the midway point we get the album’s lead single, ‘My Obsession’, which Birmingham Review saw smash itself into the world at the Hare & Hounds back in April 2017. ‘Fierce and threatening, in a good way, like some clever simile involving Christian Slater and a Magnum .44’ were the words I used then, and I’m sticking with ‘em.

And whilst the first half of Autonomy was full of summer fun and ferocity, like Day #3 of a barbecue hosted by The Beach Boys and the Ramones, the latter half turns a little more dark and twisted. As David Lynch gatecrashes with “some special meat for the flames… sshhh, just eat”.

‘Frankenstein’ leads the charge with some oil drum vocals and good ol’ fashion twisted blues rock, before one of my favourites, ‘Treat Me Like Shit’, stomps out with a heavy drum spinal chord and guitar lead skin from the off. I’m pretty sure there’s a Theremin in there too, but I can’t be certain. ‘More Than You Need Me’ pulls the foot off the gas a tiny, weeny, little bit, but makes up for any perceived loss by stretching it across the longest song on the album – before Autonomy comes to a close with the lighter, almost jangly, ‘Do It All Over Again’. Which is ironically what I did. And again…

A pretty ball out of the park release from one of Birmingham’s best bands (any beyond, but fuck it – a bit of civic pride), Autonomy is a step up from an outfit that didn’t have much room to maneuver in that direction to begin with. And if you didn’t know, Table Scraps will be unleashing this particular beast at an album launch party at the Hare & Hounds on 2^nd March – presented by This Is Tmrw, with support from Yo No Se, The Hungry Ghosts, Captain Süün and a DJ set from Black Mekon.

Otherwise, or even as well as, go out and get yourself a copy of this album – for the tiny rays of sunshine expected this year WILL MEAN LITTLE without it. Fast, ferocious, fun fun FUN, Autonomy is full of summer smashing rock and roll goodness. TVs and toll booths beware.

‘Sick of Me’ – Table Scraps

Table Scraps release their latest album, Autonomy, on Friday 23^rd February – with a nationwide tour, kicking off at the Foodhall in Sheffield (23^rd Feb) and coming to the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath, Birmingham (2^nd Mar). For direct info on the Autonomy album launch party at the Hare and Hounds, click here.

For more on Table Scraps, including full tour dates and online purchase points for Autonomy, visit www.table-scraps.bandcamp.com

For more from This is Tmrw, visit www.thisistmrw.co.uk

For more from the Hare & Hounds (Kings Heath), including full event listing and online ticket sales, visit www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk

February 23, 2018February 27, 2018

BPREVIEW: Average Sex @ Hare & Hounds 24.01.18

Words by Ed King

On Sunday 25^th January, Average Sex play at the Hare & Hounds (Kings Heath) with support from The Hungry Ghosts and Miles Cocker.

Doors open at 7:30pm, with tickets priced at £5 – as presented by Setting Son Records. For direct gig info, including links to online tickets sales, click here.

Hot on the heels of their tour with The Charlatans (…mic, drop) Average Sex are coming back to the Midlands for a headline show at the Hare & Hounds – ticking off the Birmingham box that was sadly missed on their winter support tour. Gaw’d bless ‘em.

And whilst they spent last December playing with the Tim Burgess’ indie pop flower/powerhouse, Average Sex have also not long released their debut Ice Cream EP – out on Burgess’ own OGenesis Recordings. Lead single, ‘Ugly Strangers’, is a cathartic (we hope) look at drink, denial and the dark corners that our minds try and run from – reported penned by vocalist Laetitia Bocquet during her evening escapes at a pub in Dalston. Whilst the other three tracks cover the familiar themes of love, unrequited love, break up (falling out of love) and licking someone’s face (kinda, sorta love). Job done, we reckon.

Fun and a little ferocious, the last time Birmingham Review saw Average Sex was at the Hungry Ghosts’ ‘Amerika/Lazaro’ single launch at Centrala, and to quote The Four Seasons… Now sharing a stage with the famished phantoms once again, albeit the other way round, we’re pretty confident this gig will be well worth your five British pounds.

But if you needed more (you cultural capitalists) then Setting Son have also thrown Miles Cocker into the mix, who can usually be found ripping an eardrum or two with the wonderful and loud (or even wonderfully loud) Youth Man. Last seen, by Birmingham Review, flying solo at the uber-muso-glorious-smorgasbord that is All Years Leaving, Senor Cocker may be a tad calmer on his own. Only a tad mind, this ‘aint a Magic FM roadshow quite yet. But in whatever form this stalwart of the local stages and scene is always worth a stop, look and listen – so get there early, you know the drill people.

But we’ll stretch our editorial neck a little further along the line and say: expect fuzz. All round, really. And with a line-up of bouncy garage punk, slaughterhouse blues, and lyrics explaining how to stretch your bread budget, this can’t be too bad an idea for a Sunday.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Dalston…

‘Ugly Strangers’ – Average Sex

Average Sex play at the Hare & Hounds (Kings Heath) on Thursday 25^th February, with support from The Hungry Ghosts and Miles Cocker – as presented by Setting Son Records. For direct event info and links to online ticket sales, click here.

For more on Average Sex, visit www.facebook.com/averagesex

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

For more on Miles Cocker, visit www.soundcloud.com/miles-cocker

For more from the Hare & Hounds (Kings Heath), including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk

For more on Setting Son Records, visit www.facebook.com/settingsonrecords

February 3, 2018

BREVIEW: Katherine Ryan – Glitter Room @ Symphony Hall 02.02.18

Words by Ed King

We filed slowly, languidly into the hall. The auditorium was vast… But not silent, which is an immediate win for a Birmingham crowd.

I love my home city, but it can be a tough cookie for any touring artist – from the Insane Clown Posse to Ani DiFranco, you just can’t be sure when it come to a Birmingham gig. And I have never seen comedy at the Symphony Hall; a huge room, indeed a ‘vast auditorium’, one a friend astutely described as “the 1980’s trying to do the 1950’s”.

But if tonight isn’t sold out, then it’s a damn near close. All I can count are the empty chairs stuck in traffic or cursing an AWOL babysitter. Booking Joe Lycett as support was a bold local move too. So bold it could have even backfired, as Lycett takes to the intimidating plateau that is the Symphony Hall stage (without a orchestra on it at least) and makes it as cosy as your living room. Cosier, in fact, like the living room of a good friend but one who won’t expect you to clean up afterwards. Or a total stranger’s when you’ve drunk too much to care.

Taking us to the interval and in some case to our seats, as with the unlucky couple that arrive a little late (once the show had started, once the stand up comedy show had started, once the stand up comedy show had started in front of thousands of people that can see you’re in the wrong aisle) Lycett confidently segues from jokes of civic humour to the best use for an Amazon Alexa. Extreme, funny, and extremely funny, the now Kings Heathen is about to embark on his I’m About to Lose Control and I think Joe Lycett (nice) tour, kicking off the day before Valentines. Definitely one to watch out for, and then watch. If you can. It’s pretty much sold out too.

Sauntering onto the big and empty Symphony Hall stage, “it’s a long walk…”, Katherine Ryan looks resplendent in pink silk (I think) with red frills. Or her Vagina Trousers, as we are quickly informed. So there’s an image that will never leave my mind. Assured, tempered by a tour that’s been running since September, and all the qualities that a stand up Faust would be picking his scabs to sign, seal and deliver, Ryan opens with jokes about relationships, the ending of relationships, and moving six thousand miles away with your fingers crossed – an oddly narcissistic approach to putting your emotional cards on the table. Immediately engaging, Ryan turns what could have been trite into fresh and personal material, inviting us into walk though the weird worlds we all inhabit (even if some of us aren’t totally aware of our terrain). Honest, the fun side of frustrated, and cut to perfection; I will never look at a dolphin in quite the same way again.

From jibes about her “ineffectual butler” daughter, be it stalking Anna Kendrick or learning the difference between “day wine and night wine”, to an accentuated recount of when her family came over from the “trashy part” of Canada to see her small London freehold, Ryan has a firm grip on her delivery. Its gut wrenching; at one point I honestly feel the cartilage between my ribs ask me to stop. But by the time my favourite line of the night is uttered, namely that the Frank Sinatra standard ‘My Way’ is the “anthem of a cunt”, it’s clear there is to be little respite. And I will love that sentence until the day that I die.

But Ryan’s wrath is anything than just pure self deprecation, as everyone from her school gate peers – the bake sale obsessed Julie (who I swear is a more fertile version of my step mother) to the Lycra obsessed husband who would get “hate fucked” back in his box, get an astute poke in the ribs. And if you’ve ever spent “two Christmases” traversing a bitter and empty motorway…

Celebrity culture is also in range, as public domain miscreants – from R Kelly to the misogynists of musical theatre – receive a taste of the lash. But don’t worry, an escape to any would be sexual predator is offered; just “don’t fuck vulnerable women”, as the chant that never was (but should have been) rings around the back rows of the West End.

There is even a little time for some proxy president poking, filtered through the plight of “the world’s most unlucky gold digger” Melania Trump. And despite the clear attack at the abject horror that currently sits in The White House, this once again over used subject is the conduit for another piece of acerbic genius – namely that the maligned First Lady is only “one line of coke and an aggressive hand job” away from inheritance and freedom. We can but hope. Or perhaps even help, to a point. I know a guy with some cracking Colombian flake…

Katherine Ryan’s Glitter Room is on tour across the UK until the 24^th March 2018. For more on Katherine Ryan, including full tour dates and online ticket sales, visit www.katherineryan.co.uk

For more on Joe Lycett, visit www.joelycettcomedy.co.uk

For more from Live Nation UK, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.livenation.co.uk

For more from both the Symphony and Town Halls, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.thsh.co.uk

February 2, 2018February 2, 2018

BPREVIEW: Trudy and the Romance @ Castle & Falcon 03.02.18

Words by Ed King

On Saturday 3^rd February, Trudy and the Romance play at the Castle & Falcon in Balsall Heath, with support from Quinn, Deaf Balloons and P.E.T

Doors open at 7pm, with tickets priced at £7 (plus bf) – as presented by Birmingham Promoters. For direct gig info, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.

*This gig has been rescheduled from 14^th November 2017, with original tickets still valid. For more information please visit the Birmingham Promoters event page, click here*

Combining their ‘whip-smart imagination and tongues firmly lodged in cheeks’ with ‘a veritable witch’s brew of lovelorn sea shanties and mutant rockabilly pop’ (just an awesome description) Trudy and the Romance hark back to the bygone days of Teddy Boy cool but with a post millennium pop edge. Coming to Birmingham from their home town of Liverpool, Trudy and the Romance play one of their first 2018 dates at the Castle & Falcon before heading over to Manchester in April.

Formed in late 2014, Trudy and the Romance’s recent Junkyard Jazz EP has been picking up momentum and music press adulation since its release in November 2017, with DIY Mag citing the 5 track extended play as ‘a new record of crackers.’ We’d be happy with that. Their ashtrays are pretty awesome too.

Supported by the Sam Lambeth fronted Quinn, always worth a looksie, Trudy and the Romance will be further joined on stage by Wolverhampton’s Deaf Balloons and Birmingham’s ‘Grrl punk band’ P.E.T – the latter we hear strange and curious things about, but have yet to see strut their loud and hopefully funky stuff on stage. One for the shopping list though.

‘Is There a Place I Can Go’ (live) – Trudy and the Romance

Trudy and the Romance play at the Castle & Falcon on Saturday 3^rd February – with support from Quinn, Deaf Balloons and P.E.T. For direct gig info, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.castleandfalcon.com/event/trudy-romance-quinn

For more on Trudy and the Romance, visit www.trudymylove.com

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

For more on Deaf Balloons, visit www.deafballoons.bandcamp.com

For more on P.E.T, visit www.facebook.com/petbanduk

For more from the Castle & Falcon, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.castleandfalcon.com

For more from Birmingham Promoters, visit www.birminghampromoters.com