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May 4, 2017May 4, 2017

BPREVIEW: Call Me Unique’s Urban Gypsy II EP – launch night @ Mama Roux’s 05.05.17

Words by Ed King

On Friday 5^th May, Call Me Unique will launch her new Urban Gypsy II EP at Mama Roux’s.

Doors open at 8:30pm, with kicking out time bang on the witching hour. Entry is a curious ‘Pay as You Feel’, but it would be worth saving some shekles for a copy of the Urban Gypsy II EP itself which will be on sale for the first time on Friday. Plus there’s a bar and Digbeth Dining Club… For more direct gig info, click here.

That being said, you’re going to get more artists on stage than is probably good for you – so throwing some money at the rider bill might be a considerate gesture. Joining Call Me Unique will be Ed Geater, Leanne Louise, Malik MD7, Lady Sanity, Trademark Blud, Boy October (Christian Deveaux), RTKal, Keziasoul, Affie Jam, Juggernaut, Simon Jnr. Plus ‘a few surprises’, which could well be the fire department turning up to make sure there’s still room on stage.

It’s a local luminary love in, celebrating a new body of work from Call Me Unique getting its first on stage outing. And why not, damn it. Birmingham Review was there for the Urban Gypsy I EP launch in 2014 where the same good vibes and good will PACKED OUT The Yardbird on a cold Monday in January, and we’ve have been chomping at several bits for the past… three years, three months and eight days to hear the follow up. There’s an album lurking in the background somewhere too; big things this year, as the girl with the guitar grows ever closer to a more mature spotlight.

Urban Gypsy I was a storming EP; you can read my BREVIEW of the release here and the BREVIEW of The Yardbird launch party here. Its only misstep was not having an album to back it up. Time past, creative frustrations grew, Call Me Unique started building a significant fan base in mainland Europe and I honestly didn’t know if we’d get our second pound of flesh from this artist.

Then, eventually, a ZIP file of Urban Gypsy II lands in my inbox; I’ll admit more than a few nails didn’t make it that morning.

Produced by Ed Geater, Call Me Unique’s Urban Gypsy II EP is a ‘richer landscape’ than its predecessor, with 6 tracks (including the beautiful ‘Dreamers’ intro) of honest intent. Moments more ‘dark and brooding’, then mournful, are followed by a playful lilt and, ultimately, hope; there’s a definite step up in both the confidence and sound of this EP.

The content has matured too, with Call Me Unique shining a unashamed light on some deeply personal subject matter: domestic violence, ‘a son who never got to breathe’, love, the betrayal of love, fickleness, friendship, the fight for mental health, and above all a woman’s strength to stay in the game and smile whilst winning it. It’s beautiful, worth the wait, and as I said in my BREVIEW of the lead single ‘Shoulda’, brings a ‘proud treble clef tear to my eye’. Birmingham has some incredible talent at the moment, with Call Me Unique and her peers that appear on this EP being amongst the top strata. Proud is the word.

Ed Geater, a man whose name has been on this site a few times recently, has also mastered the production (if you’ll excuse the wording). Proving to be just as talented behind the glass as his is on stage, Geater’s work on Call Me Unique’s Urban Gypsy II EP is exactly what you’d want from a producer – pulling the strong strands from an artist, getting them to own their own, then tying them together for the world to understand.

But you’ll get to see/hear for yourself soon enough. So hold on until the end of the week, get yourself to Mama Roux’s or the various online outlets, check out Urban Gypsy II, then watch all those eager years and crossed fingers start to fade… fade… fade… Just add album.

Call Me Unique’s Urban Gypsy II EP – launch night @ Mama Roux’s 05.05.17

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Call Me Unique launches her Urban Gypsy II EP at Mama Roux’s on Friday 5^th May – for direct gig info, click here. For more on Call Me Unique, visit www.callmeunique.com

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For more from Mama Roux’s, including a full events programme and online ticket sales, visit www.therainbowvenues.co.uk/venues/mama-rouxs

May 2, 2017

THE GALLERY: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17

*Ed’s note… To catch Ed Geater on stage again, he will performing with Call Me Unique on Friday 5^th May – as part of her Urban Gypsy II EP launch party at Mama Roux’s. For direct gig info, click here.

To read our Birmingham Review of ‘Shoulda’, the debut single from Urban Gypsy II produced by Ed Geater, click here.

Words by Ed King / Pics by Rob Hadley

On March 24th, Ed Geater brought the final show of his UK tour to the Hare & Hounds – playing to a packed out Venue 2. On stage support (there was a fair amount off stage too) came from Amy Louise Ellis, Dee Ajayi and Bear – aka Gordon Begard and Faye Smith. Guest appearances were not in short supply either, with Lady Sanity and even Ed Geater’s brother, Charlie, joining him on stage.

Birmingham Review had caught up with Ed Geater before he set our across the UK; to read Giles Logan’s interview click here.

A high octane local love in, with a range of genres covered and crossed over, it was a fitting end to Ed Geater’s first multi date headline endevour. Or ‘tour’, as it’s known in the trade. Well supported by the music scene he constantly champions, the Hare & Hounds homecoming was a well endorsed affair; a strong start to a promising year.

But 2017 is not all about the live circuit, a place talented troubadours can get lost in, with Ed Geater popping up on a few credit notes – on 5th May Call Me Unique’s Urban Gypsy II EP is released, as produced by Ed Geater. Then on 16th June Ed Geater and Lady Sanity release their collaborative single, ‘Found a Place’, two weeks after a showcase gig featuring both artists at mac on 2nd June.

“I’m so excited to be releasing ‘Found A Place’ with Lady Sanity,” explains Ed Geater. She really is one of Birmingham’s most exciting talents right now, and the combination of our different styles has sparked something original and fresh. I’m looking forward to what will be a special night at mac. I remember going there as a child and seeing all sorts of creative, exciting things going on, so to be playing a headline show there with great support gives me a very warm feeling.” A rising balloon, both on stage and behind the glass; this could be a big year for Team Geater.

For direct gig info & tickets for Ed Geater, Lady Sanity and Andrew Souter at mac on 2nd June, click here.

But first things first; Rob Hadley was at Ed Geater’s homecoming show at the Hare & Hounds – shooting an extended photo feature to go into THE GALLERY, for Birmingham Review. See a selection of Rob Hadley’s shots below or click on the Full Flickr of Pics links. Check out the Birmingham Review Instagram page too.

N.B. Rob also shot a series of profile pics with Ed Geater, to run alongside his interview with Giles Logan. There’s a triptych of portrait shots at the end of this GALLERY, but to view the Full Flickr of Ed Geater Profile Pics click here.

A special thanks to the Hare & Hounds for letting us take over their top office for the interview shoot – awesome setting too, loving the records.

Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

For more on Ed Geater, visit www.edgeater.co.uk

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Bear – supporting Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

For more on Bear, visit www.soundcloud.com/bearmusic1

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Dee Ajayi – supporting Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

For more on Dee Ajayi, visit www.soundcloud.com/dee_ajayi

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Amy Louise Ellis – supporting Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

For more on Amy Louise Ellis, visit www.facebook.com/AmyLouiseElliis

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Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

To see the Full Flickr of Profile Pics, click here. For more on Ed Geater, visit www.edgeater.co.uk

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

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

May 2, 2017

BREVIEW: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17

*Ed’s note… due to some appalling diary manoeuvres on my part, our post-gig Ed Geater content is woefully late. Apologies to all involved, on stage and off. But if you want to check Ed Geater out live he’ll be performing with Call Me Unique on Friday 5^th May – as part of her Urban Gypsy II EP launch party at Mama Roux’s. For direct gig info, click here.

Ed Geater produced Call Me Unique’s latest release; to read our Birmingham Review of ‘Shoulda’, the debut single from Urban Gypsy II, click here.

Ed Geater will also be performing at mac for the first time on June 2^nd, joined by Lady Sanity and Andrew Souter. For direct gig info, including full venue details and online ticket sales, click here. Ed Geater and Lady Sanity release ‘Found a Place’ on 16th June, click here for direct news and online orders.

Words by Damien Russell / Pics by Rob Hadley

With a background in rock and blues, I walk into the Hare and Hounds on Friday night with little to no idea what to expect. I’ve read a few bits about Ed Geater, and having been about a bit I’ve seen singer/songwriters with loop pedals before and even the odd beatboxer. That said it’s still a rare thing to see anyone using a loop pedal, singing, playing guitar and beatboxing all at once. Definitely intriguing.

I head upstairs to the soft strains of Amy Louise Ellis, a gentle welcome to the venue. Walking in there’s a reasonable sized crowd, listening intently, quietly and they kindly part ways to let me and my friend get to the bar. Ellis (and her guitarist) has a soft breathy voice that reminds me in some way of the theatre; something about the tone, I think, and the way she applies her range. She moves through her set in a slightly shy, understated way and leaves to a strong applause.

After a short break, we are treated to a set from Dee Ajayi; a dynamic performer. Ajayi (and her guitarist, albeit no relation to the previous one) has a presence and smile that you can’t help but smile back at, performing with animation and enthusiasm. She touches on Soul, R‘n’B, Funk and treats us to the odd story of a past breakup, an unrequited love, and memories of her father. These glimpses into the personal moments that have inspired her music makes me feel we, as an audience, are being given a intimate peek into the life of Dee Ajayi.

(Side-tracking slightly, about halfway through Dee Ajayi’s performance a large group of people come in to the Hare and Hounds’ Venue 2 and make a racket an elephant would be proud of, yacking away and shouting bar orders. From this point on significant numbers of people were talking and generally being inconsiderate; all the performers did admirably to ignore them and put on the show they did. Kudos to those on stage. Taking inspiration from Dee Ajayi, I try to ignore them too.)

The next act on tonight, and final support, is Bear – another duo, but this time guitarist and beatboxer Gordon Begard and singer/rapper, Faye Smith. Standing at the back of the room as Bear start their set, I have no idea where all of the sounds are coming from. I’m sure there are only two of them on stage, but I could swear there was a whole band up there. Bear perform with great energy and make an impressive sound, performing with skill, passion and a whole lot of power. As they close their set, a bigger and more hyped up audience see them off with another strong reception.

Our headliner takes the stage now, and I’m reminded that I still don’t know what to expect from Ed Geater. I’ve seen soft acoustic, funky soulful acoustic, heavy rap/hip hop acoustic… tonight could be leading up to just about anything.

As Ed Geater begins to play, a flood of influences run through my mind; all massive names. I can hear Massive Attack in the chilled out trippy vibe and steady pace. That leads me to thinking about Newton Faulkner, which I hear in the flowing intricate guitar work (fantastic guitar work, I was very jealous). Then I start thinking about vocals and how there’s a little bit of Passenger in there, alongside some more mainstream sounds. All in all the mix is a deep, rich harmony that’s a little mesmeric, wrapping itself around you like a warm blanket.

The songs start in the way that a lot of performers using loop effects songs start, and there is a bit of time ‘building’ before we really get into it. But from there Geater shows he’s at the top of his game as everything flows smoothly from section to section, making, as with Bear, a sound that far outweighs the rather understated figure on stage.

You can tell it’s a hometown show as Ed Geater gets his brother, Charlie, to join him on backing vocals for a song. There are a few other guest spots throughout his set including a collaboration with Lady Sanity, with each new sound on stage complimenting the often solo performer; it makes me wonder what Ed Geater would be like with a full group behind him. Geater’s sound is well developed and his songs are strong, but with the limits of the technology he’s using you could fall into traps at the start and end of each song, in turn losing some of the impact they bring.

But for tonight, with the set highlights for me coming in the form of ‘Gracia’ and ‘Symmetry’, I don’t feel like any of us in this Hare and Hounds crowd could ask for a better Friday night vibe.

For more on Ed Geater, visit www.edgeater.co.uk

For more on Amy Louise Ellis, visit www.facebook.com/AmyLouiseElliis

For more on Dee Ajayi, visit www.soundcloud.com/dee_ajayi

For more on Bear, visit www.soundcloud.com/fayesound

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

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

April 7, 2017April 7, 2017

BREVIEW: ‘Shoulda’ – Call Me Unique

Words by Ed King

It’s been a few years since Call Me Unique released her Urban Gypsy EP – the sterling 7 track mark in the sand that got crossed fingers everywhere twitching for an album. But the world is not fairy-tale with lottery ticket trees, and life got in the way. Relationship, representation, repatriation… radio silence.

But today, Friday 7^th April, in the year of our lord 2017, Call Me Unique has released ‘Shoulda’ – the first single off her upcoming Urban Gypsy II EP, set for release on 5^th May. Hallelujah. And the big question lurking behind every word is… was it worth the wait?

Yes, is the short answer. But ‘I’ll tell you why’ is where it gets interesting. And as the 4min self declaration of self determination unfolds, you’ll probably get spikes down your spine to illustrate my point. Honesty. Ah… that seven letter word that Call Me Unique has had in bucket loads ever since we first heard her perform ‘The Wife’ on Radio WM. But ‘Shoulda’ is something different, something visceral; it’s tough about being tough. It’s about fuck you and survival, and just typing these words brings a proud treble clef tear to my eye. Go and listen to it and you’ll see/hear what I mean.

Dark and brooding, in all the best ways you can be, ‘Shoulda’ opens with echoed effects and muffled kick drums, before Unique’s tempered vocals set a steady pace and start telling their story. The tone is similar to Urban Gypsy I but there’s a richer landscape. Unique’s lyrics have matured in three years too – whatever girl was behind the raw six string wonders that first introduced us to this artist, now stands as a woman who doesn’t need to shout to be heard.

The pace, alongside the lyrics, is another step up. There’s a control to it, a bravery; even when the rap gets delivered there is no edge of ego. Everything in this track has its place because that’s how it works. Because that’s what she came here to say. Confidence.

A lot of this, I suspect, has come from the production partnership with Ed Geater who has stepped behind the glass for Urban Gypsy II. Geater has done the job a producer should do – find the power in an artist, bring it out of them and onto a record. You get the sense the rest of the EP is going to have some colourful twists in it too.

But these plaudits have been heard before and Call Me Unique is arguably not where she should or deserves to be. Yet. The quality and evolution of ‘Shoulda’ sets a solid precedent, but it needs to be followed with an EP and album that will confidently dust off the cobwebs. This should, no ‘a’, be a strong year for Call Me Unique. Next stop May 5^th.

‘Shoulda’ – Call Me Unique

For more on Call Me Unique, visit www.callmeunique.com

March 23, 2017March 22, 2017

BPREVIEW: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17

Words by Ed King / Pics by Rob Hadley

On Friday 24^th March, Ed Geater performs at the Hare & Hounds (Kings Heath) with support from Bear + Dee Ajayi + Amy Louise Ellis.

Doors open at 7:30pm with tickets priced at £6 (+bf) – as presented by Birmingham Promoters. For direct gig info and online ticket sales, click here.

Birmingham Review first saw Ed Geater just over two years ago, playing at the Sun at the Station in a showcase organised by Call Me Unique. On as a support act, Ed Geater left ‘possibly the biggest impression on me’ and Birmingham Review has been keeping a sly corner of an eye on him ever since.

A maelstrom of styles and influences, brought together with a soft confidence that pulls you into the stage, Ed Geater is worth a stop, look and listen no matter what your iTunes account says. And despite being a ‘lone singer/songwriter… a formula that, whilst arguably ubiquitous, is one less people can pull off than they realise’, Ed Geater imprinted himself on our minds with ‘enough loops, beat boxing and overall originality to make me keep one eye on the future listings’. I’m using hyper links and avoiding pigeon holes.

Now Ed Geater is on the road with his first headline tour, visiting the venues and motorway hard shoulders of fair Albion as he enjoys (we hope, anyway) an increasingly exciting 2017. Big things on the horizon.

To read more about the wonderful world of Ed Geater, check out Giles Logan’s interview with Ed Geater for Birmingham Review – click here.

But 24^th March is the homecoming show, so we’re saving all our cider shekels and garrulous commentary for the Hare & Hounds. The support lineup is strong too – with some tickling voices from Birmingham’s musical underbelly coming out to shout. Ed Geater is a vocal champion of the local music scene and has handpicked the varied artists with a keen eye and interest. Getting there early might not be a bad idea.

But if a picture speaks a thousand words a music video must be an unabridged version of War and Peace in Latin, so here’s a couple of MPEG tomes to save me having to describe anything further.

And if you still can’t land on an adjective… a crisp tenner will get you watching it live with a drink in your hand. Problem, solved.

Don’t Think – Ed Geater

Symmetry (Live Session) – Ed Geater

Ed Geater performs at the Hare & Hounds (Kings Heath) on Friday 24^th March, with support from Bear + Dee Ajayi + Amy Louise Ellis – as presented Birmingham Promoters. For direct gig info and online tickets sales, click here.

For more on Ed Geater, visit www.edgeater.co.uk

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

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