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March 5, 2018

BPREVIEW: Plaid (live) @ Hare & Hounds 10.03.18

Words by Ed King

On Saturday 10^th March, Plaid… let me say that again, PLAID bring their live set to the Hare & Hounds (Kings Heath) – with support from Automaton, ADJ, Monoform (live) and Errorbeauty. Live visuals on the night will come from Plaid and Cromatouch.

Doors open to the Hare & Hounds main room at 9pm, with music going on until 3am. All Early Bird Tickets have flown the nest, but you can still get some Standard Tickets priced at £10 – as presented by Scratch Club. For direct event info, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.

There are certain words that will set a portion of the electronic dance music fraternity all aquiver. ‘Warp Records’ are two of them, ‘Plaid’ is another. So, when the three appear on a poster together some ambient/electronica heads begin desperately scratching the corners of their minds for a trace of serotonin. It’s a big deal. And rightly so, as The Black Dog spawned two-piece have been a further cornerstone of the electronica evolution for over two decades. Or, at least, the good bits. I don’t think they had much to do with Tony di Bart or the Vengaboys.

Plaid formed in the late 80’s – back when rock was still rife, pills were still good, and raves were still illegal. Ah, the glory days. Made up of two thirds of The Black Dog (Messers Handley and Turner), the splinter duo jumped around a few monikers ‘post Dog’ but settled on Plaid for the release of their debut album, Mbuki Mvuki, in 1991. It means ‘the desire to take your clothes off and run around’ in case you were wandering. Plaid’s latest album, The Digging Remedy, was released through Warp Records in June 2016 – check out the album’s opening track, ‘Do Matter’, featured below.

Already revered from the pioneering techno of The Black Dog, Handley and Turner were quick to carve out a new and equally as respected corner of electronica with Plaid. Their second album, Not for Threes, went on to be an established EDM classic – featuring the vocals of a then rising Icelandic balloon, Bjork, on ‘Lilith’. But, for me, it’s ‘Rakimou’ all the way; if you can listen to that track without feeling the glory of God/Shiva/Primark, or whatever you pray to, then you are quite simply dead inside. Click here and see if you’re still pumping blood.

But nine albums, countless festivals, and a seemingly endless international tour schedule later, and Plaid are still at the very respectable sharp end of electronica – whilst having also garnered remix requests from artists including Goldfrapp, Bjork, U.N.K.L.E., and even Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five.

So, the boys done good. And getting to see Plaid at such a superb suburban venue is somewhat of a Christmas come early situation. Just no more snow, please. Enough with the snow.

‘Do Matter’ – Plaid (from The Digging Remedy)

Plaid bring their live set to the Hare & Hounds on Saturday 10^th March – as presented by Scratch Club. For direct event information, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit http://bit.ly/2oRJuEF

For more on Plaid, visit www.plaid.co.uk

For more from Scratch Club, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.facebook.com/scratchclubbirmingham

For more on the Hare & Hounds (Kings Heath), including venue details and further event listings, visit www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk

March 4, 2018March 4, 2018

ED’S PICK: March ‘18

Words by Ed King

**Due to the severe weather conditions, some March editorial may be delayed. It has nothing to do with 1) hangovers, 2) gigs on a Sunday that cause hangovers, 3) each episode of The Deuce being 1hr long. It’s the snow… it’s all about the snow**

The BIG NEWS this month is that Rews are coming back to Birmingham, finishing of their England tour with a special gig at the Hare & Hounds on Thursday 22^nd March – joined by an awesome local line up, Tamworth’s garage rock two piece You Dirty Blue and Birmingham’s rising balloon punksters P.E.T.

Still out smashing holes in radio playlists and the right kind of ear drums across the country, Rews are back on the road (do they ever stop!?!?) with their debut album Pyro – a rock pop stonker which we thoroughly suggest you check out. Read my Birmingham Review of the ten track beast here, or cut out the middle person and just get yourself a copy. You can bill me if you’re unhappy.

But Rews are a step up live. And don’t just take my word for it, ask any of the following: Hew Edwards, Mark Radcliffe, John Kennedy, Scott Mills, Alice Levine, Dev, Greg James, Scott Mills, Clara Amfo, Adele Roberts… (and that’s just the beeb). Or anyone who’s seen them play. Or Google. It’s not a difficult cross reference.

Of course, the best way to know for absolute certainty is to come and see Rews at the Hare & Hounds on 22^nd March – for direct gig info and links to online ticket sales, click here. Or to can hop over to the Facebook event page for updates, info and links aplenty – click here.

WARNING – CONTAINS CIVIC PRIDE: Rews have bolted Birmingham onto their England tour dates because their last gig in the city was such a stormer – Birmingham loves Rews, and it seems there’s a little mutual flutter there too. So, come down to the Hare on 22^nd March, enjoy an awesome gig from Rews, You Dirty Blue and P.E.T, and stand on for your local live music scene. BRUMMIES UNITE.

And breathe…. There are other gigs this month, some pretty high profile shows too. In the land of five figure crowds, the Genting Arena hosts All Time Low (15^th Mar) and the resplendent resurfacing of Paloma Faith (21^st Mar). Whilst at Arena Birmingham we see some of America’s A-Lists rock with Fall Out Boy (27^th Mar) and 30 Seconds to Mars (29^th Mar). So, that’ll keep you busy. And a little broke.

N.B. Paul Weller was scheduled to play at the Genting Arena on 2nd March, but due to the school run slaying beast from the east (erm, the snow) this gig has been postponed. When we know more…

Editors play an ‘intimate’ gig at the Town Hall (4^th Mar) to showcase their new album, Violence. Whilst across town Hookworms headline at the Hare & Hounds (4^th Mar), and across the road Amit Dittani introduces his debut solo album, Santiago, at the Kitchen Garden Café (4^th Mar).

Elsewhere in the city, Ezio return to Birmingham but this time at the Kitchen Garden Cafe (7^th Mar), Astroid Boys tour their debut album, Broke, at The Asylum (1th Mar), Feeder take us on a retrospective love in at the O2 Academy (14^th Mar), Joan Baez celebrates the end of a near 60 year live career as her Fare Thee Well Tour comes to the Symphony Hall (14^th Mar), The Stranglers come to the O2 Academy (17^th Mar), ‘First Lady of Celtic Music’ and Clannad family member Moya Brennan plays at the Glee Club (20^th Mar), whilst Rae Morris brings a sneak peak of her sophomore album, Someone Out There, to the O2 Institute (21^st Mar). Phew… can anyone lend me a tenner?

And so exciting it gets it’s own paragraph, electronic music pioneers, Plaid, bring their AV tour to the Hare & Hounds on 10^th March. A pivotal piece in the EDM jigsaw, Plaid come back to Birmingham after their sell out gig in the city last year – if this show doesn’t pack out then there’s something inherently wrong with the world, so we would suggest getting your Warp loving wriggle on and buying a ticket or two quick smart. For direct gig info and online ticket sales, click here or on the relevant hyper link.

A little later in the month the same promoters, Scratch Club, are putting on a breaks, beats and hip hop free bash at One Trick Pony with Dr Syntax (The Mouse Outfit, Foreign Beggars) & Pete Cannon, joined by Birmingham’s own DMC champion Mr Switch (30^thMar). For free..!?!? Now that’s a good bloomin’ Friday.

Film is stomping is size 10s across the city too, a cheeky month before Flatpack #12, with a healthy collage of celluloid (well, probably digital now) coming to screens in a variety of Birmingham venues. Ruben Östlund’s takes a well-penned stab at the pretensions of class and art with The Square – on general UK release from 16^th March, before coming to The Electric (23^rd Mar) and mac (30^th Mar). Whilst mac programme a centennial celebration of Ingmar Burgman with The Seventh Seal (16^th Mar), The Touch (17^th Mar) and Persona (18^th Mar).

The Mockingbird hosts a Wes Anderson Marathon (18^th Mar) featuring The Royal Tenenbaums at 12noon, Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou at 2:30pm, Fantastic Mr Fox at 5:00pm and The Grand Budapest Hotel at 6:45pm. Bit of a welcome refresher course before Anderson’s latest (and animated) feature, Isle of Dogs, is out on general release from 30^th March – with two preview screenings at The Electric (25^th Mar) if you wanted to jump the gun a little.

The Mockingbird are also showing the eponymous biopic about the notorious fashion designer, Westwood, throughout the month. But we recommend you wait until 26^th March, so you can jump straight into Here to be Heard: The Story of The Slits – another biopic, but this time about an altogether more altogether slice of formative female punk.

On the city’s smaller silver screens this March, Neighbourhood present a series of comedy shorts at Artefact in Stirchley (21^st Mar) – with a pay as you feel fundraiser for SIFA Fireside, a Birmingham based organisation who support ‘those experiencing homelessness or who are vulnerably-housed.’ A great charity that deserves our cash and consideration; look outside, now pay what you feel.

Elsewhere, The Victoria welcomes the rescheduled Birmingham Horror Group: Mini-Movie Marathon (25^th Mar) which is also fundraising – this time ‘with proceeds from ticket sales going to the medical charity Diabetes UK’. Whilst the Kitchen Garden Café screen the Arnie body count craziness and all round awesome… Predator (20^th Mar) – which we are more than a little happy about. I’m off to buy a dog eared cigar, dog eared dog tags, and practice the film’s profound script such as, “if it bleeds we can kill it”. Powerful stuff Arn, Kierkegaard?

Treading the boards this month, Joe Black starts the UK run of his new show, Touch of Evil: A Celebration of Villainy in Song, with two nights at The Old Joint Stock (09-10^th Mar). The Birmingham REP stages fingersmiths’ rewrite of John Godber’s Up’n’Under (12-14^th Mar) – a play about pride and adversity (and rugby, to be fair) which has been adapted for all audiences ‘with a cast of Deaf and hearing actors using British Sign Language and spoken English’.

Overlapping a little bit, REP also present The Kite Runner (13-24^th Mar) performed in venue’s main theatre, coming to Birmingham after ‘an outstanding’ run in the West End. Then back in the ‘burbs, The Wardrobe Ensemble present their tale 90’s nostalgia and the Blair honeymoon – Education, Education, Education – at mac (20^th Mar).

On the more glamourous side of town, Alyssa Edwards’ The Secret Is Out Tour saunters over to the Glee Club (7^th Mar), before BCU’s Burlesque society present Dare to Desire at the Bierkeller (15^th Mar) and Scarlett Daggers brings The Gilded Merkin burlesque show back to the Glee Club (18^th Mar). Not far behind is Ben DeLaCreme, with her ‘terminally delightful’ show coming to the Glee Club (29^th Mar) – a day before Klub Kids present The Twisted Circus in all its glitz and glory at the O2 Academy (30^th Mar).

Comedy has a pretty decent crack of the whip in March too, kicking off with Russell Brand’s Re:Birth at Symphony Hall (8^th Mar) before the Glee Club takes the reigns until April, with Phil Wang (11^th Mar), John Robbins (21^st Mar) and Tiff Stevenson (23^rd Mar).

Outside of all that, if you’ve got any dry socks or shekles left, there’s A Notorious Odyssey at The Electric (24^th Mar) – as Birmingham’s 35 piece a cappella choir, notorious, take us on ‘a musical voyage where no audience has gone before’ performing ‘tunes from sc-fi films and TV, to music inspired by space and the future.’

Across town and the space-time continuum, Rupi Kaur presents an evening of performance poetry the Town Hall (24^th Mar) including work from her recently released second collection, The Sun and Her Flowers. Then just shy of a week later, Richard P Rogers rounds off the month with his Frank Cook and the Birmingham Scene exhibition at mac’s Community Gallery (30^th Mar) – a study of the titular Ladywood artist, as he worked his way from the north Birmingham back to backs to art school in London in the late 1960’s.

Right then, a fair amount happening in March – I’m off to do some diary/bank statement cross referencing. And maybe drink a glass of wine, or two. What day is it again…?

For more on any of the events listed here, click on the highlighted hyperlinks. Ed King is Editor-in-Chief of Review Publishing, which issues both the Birmingham Review and Birmingham Preview.

February 1, 2018February 2, 2018

ED’S PICK: February 2018

Words by Ed King

The shortest month of the year is here. Luckily it’s also the turning point, as life starts to push up through the thaw and Percy Thrower can start planning his planters. OK, bad example, but there’s a joke about daisies in the somewhere.

But luckily for us mortal coilers, the venues and promoters of this city are still packing a pretty heavy punch with February’s event calendar. If there truly is no rest for the wicked, then it seem incongruous that anyone got Christmas presents this year.

Comedy starts strong with the ‘queen of the acerbic broad smile’, or Katherine Ryan as she’s known in other publications, bringing her Glitter Room tour to the Symphony Hall (2^nd Feb) – a week before the Machynlleth Comedy Festival Showcase (9^th Feb) comes to mac with Joe Lycett, Tom Parry, Mike Bubbins, Rachel Parris and Danny Clives. Then it’s back to the Glee Club for a little end of the month self help, as Lloyd Griffiths (23^rd Feb) walks us through what it’s like to feel in:Undated in ‘a show about overcoming the overwhelming.’ I call them mornings, but we’ll see what he brings to the table.

Hurst Street is the home of dance this month, with Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella coming to the Hippodrome (6^th – 10^th Feb) whilst round the corner DanceXchange and Mark Bruce Company present a reworking of Macbeth (8^th-9^th Feb). And no doubt making St Valentine’s Day less of a massacre for many in this city, see what I did there, Birmingham Royal Ballet present The Sleeping Beauty back at the Hippodrome (13^th – 24^th Feb).

Music has everyone from the soon to be great to the already good coming through the city, kicking off with a cross city battle between Peach Club at The Sunflower Lounge (6^th Feb) and While She Sleeps at the O2 Institute (6^th Feb). A week later we have Iron & Wine at Symphony Hall (13^th Feb), followed by Bedford’s alt rockers Don Bronco at the O2 Academy (15^th Feb) as Dermot Kennedy plays the O2 Institute (15^th Feb). A day later there’s Mondo Royale spicing it up at the Actress & Bishop (16^th Feb) bringing a few different strands of your music rainbow across our city. In the days after that, we see Cabbage at the Castle & Falcon (17^th Feb), one not to be missed, The Ataris at The Asylum (17th Feb), Irit at the Glee Club (19^th Feb), Laura Misch at the Hare & Hounds (20^th Feb), Big Cat at the Indie Lounge in Selly Oak (23^rd Feb) and Puma Blue at The Sunflower Lounge (24^th Feb).

All the ‘big gigs’ this month are at the Genting Arena, in the shape of Imagine Dragons (24^th Feb) and the man himself, or one of them at least, Morrissey (27^th Feb). But there’s a few home grown releases this month worth saving your sheckles for too, as Amit Datani releases his debut solo album – Santiago (17^th Feb) and Table Scraps send another fuzz monster into the world with their latest long player – Autonomy (23^rd). Watch out for March’s listings for showcase gigs from both.

Exhibitions come from a multitude of angles this month, with the two blips on our radar being Factory Warhol at The Sunflower Lounge (10^th Feb) and The Dekkan Trap from Sahej Rahal in mac’s First Floor Gallery (17^th Feb) – with a few ancillary events to introduce both the artist and exhibition.

Some suitable love story based theatre starts treading the boards in this most Hallmark of months, with Penguins (1^st –10^th Feb) and Brief Encounter (2^nd– 17^th Feb) coming to the Birmingham REP, as The Last Five Years get played out at The Old Joint Stock (14^th – 18^th Feb). Then it’s the arguably less seductive A History of Heavy Metal with Andrew O’Neill & Band in mac’s Theatre (18^th Feb), before the award winning Mental has a three day at The Old Joint Stock (21^st – 23^rd Feb) and Terence Rattigan’s The Windslow Boy begins it’s run at REP (21^st Feb – 3^rd Mar). And for one night only each, LEFTY SCUM: Josie Long, Jonny & The Baptists and Grace Petrie present a mix bag of ‘Music! Comedy! Revolutionary socialism’ again in mac’s Theatre (27^th Feb) whilst back at The Old Joint Stock there is single An Act of Kindness (28^th Feb) to round off the month. But don’t worry, it’ll be back in March.

So, enough to keep you lovebirds busy this month – or to distract the kings and queens of singledom on that depressing light letter box day. But whether you face this world alone or together there’s always Fight Club for £1 at The Mockingbird Kitchen & Cinema (12^th Feb). Cheaper than a card, at least.

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.

October 27, 2017

BPREVIEW: Tropical Soundclash @ Hare & Hounds 28.10.17

Words by Charlotte Heap

Birmingham based DJ and producer, Sam Redmore, is collaborating with Spinx and The Mighty Magoo to present Tropical Sounclash at the Hare & Hounds on Saturady 28^th October.

Doors open at 9pm with music running until 2am. Entry is free before 10, with a pay on the door charge of £5 thereafter. For direct event info, including venue details, click here.

Many may be familiar with Sam Redmore’s eclectic style from his previous music event Freestyle, which spent many years as a familiar feature of the Birmingham music scene – starting at The Bull’s Head, before moving the Hare & Hounds in 2014. Since then, Redmore’s star has continued to rise, releasing music on 2 Dogs and Felt Tip, alongside remixing numerous artists including DJ Vadim.

Freestyle was a showcase event for local hip-hop luminaries, while Redmore’s remixes began to regularly feature on BBC 6 Music whilst the man behind them made increasingly frequent guest appearances on Craig Charles’ Funk & Soul show.

Birmingham Review interviewed Sam Redmore back in 2014, when Freestyle moved to the Hare & Hounds, where he discussed his desire to “support local artists, and the music scene in general”. Three years to the month later and Redmore clearly feels the time is now ripe for a new, fruitier fixture to the Hare’s already well-respected events calendar – adopting the name Tropical Soundclash.

To deliver this, Sam Redmore has reunited with co-host Spinx for the first time in over a year, an artist also known for his soulful and varied sets who is fresh from a summer schedule of festivals including Shambala, Green Man, Samphire and Glastonbury. The pair will be joined by the local percussionist Mighty Magoo, who will be playing on live percussion at the Tropical Soundclash events.

Neither Sam Redmore not Spinx are new to the world of music promotion, but Tropical Soundclash is a shift away from Freestyle’s familiar hip-hop focus which may surprise some of their more regular crowd.

Perhaps anticipating people’s curiosity, but also showing his flair for promotion, Redmore has put together a Spotify playlist to tempt the uncommitted – giving some weight to the promise that Tropical Soundclash will combine ‘afrobeat, highlife, samba, salsa and more with house, broken beat and bass’.

Sam Redmore’s Tropical Sounclash Spotify Playlist:

Tropical Soundclash comes to the Hare & Hounds on Saturday 28th October, running from 9pm to 2am. For more on Tropical Soundclash, including venue details, click here.

For more from Hare & Hounds, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk

September 13, 2017September 23, 2017

BPREVIEW: Beyond The Tracks – after parties, official/unofficial @ Various 15-16.09.17

Words by Damien Russell, Paul Gallear & Ed King

For the happy revellers of the Beyond The Tracks festival who are seeking more to finish off the night (be it Friday or Saturday), there are a number of opportunities to party harder and get more ‘bang’ for a buck (or ten).

There are the official after parties from the Beyond The Tracks team, alongside a few unofficial yet appealing enough alternatives to cater for the weekend long festival crowd. Read our BPREVIEWs below:

Oscillate Sound System @ Centrala 15.09.17

Inviting us to ‘regenerate’ after Beyond The Tracks’ space cadet Friday night, the Oscillate Sound System take over Centrala for an unofficial after party on 15^th September – the fledgling festival’s opening day.

Doors open at 11pm and close at 4pm, with tickets priced at £5. Not sure precisely who’s playing but you can bet there’ll be a DJ set from Messer Higher or Intelligence, you know from the Agency. And as far as my third eye can see it’s a pay on the door affair. Ah, life before Skiddle…

So, Oscillate..? By this point you’re either as unfazed as you were at word one, or you’re skipping down a serotonin sapped memory lane trying not to think of that song by Biosphere. La, la, la, the 90’s were a simple clubland love in with no scars… I don’t want to know what dream you had last night.

But if you need a helpful reminder (either way) Oscillate brought Orbital to Birmingham. So there’s that. And through their bi-weekly club nights at Bonds (as well as a few jaunts to the Dance Factory, Moseley Dance Club, some big-house-in-a-field-somewhere-in-I-think-maybe-Wales, and a disused gas container in Amsterdam) the Oscillate Sound System introduced a further litany of ambient/techno to the second city’s clubbers: Autechre, The Orb, Banco di Gia, Children of the Bong, Sun Electric, The Drum Club, APL, APL, did I mention APL..? I think they even booked Richard James a couple of times, not that that guarantees anything but God loves a trier.

It’s fair to say (and it’s been said by more than I) that Oscillate helped shape the dance music landscape of Birmingham in the 90’s, and left its left-of-centre fingerprints on the city’s club scene for some time to follow. You could argue that if they hadn’t someone else would have, but Scylla Magda and Bobby Bird were the ones that did – earning a dance music debt of gratitude that stands up over twenty years later.

Or to pinch a quote from The Observer in 1994: ‘To those in the know, including the 650 clubbers who frequent the club in Birmingham every other Friday night, Oscillate is the club of the moment, making waves far beyond the Midlands, and attracting clubbers from as far afield as London, Manchester and Edinburgh.’

Plus half of the head honchos at Oscillate are half of the head honchos in Higher Intelligence Agency (Bobby Bird) so all you need is Cheshire Cat and Sister Bliss to turn up and you’ve got most of Beyond The Tracks’ Friday night programme under one roof.

More a ‘second wind’ as opposed to ‘after’ party then… everyone back to Centrala on Friday 15^th September? Whatever the moniker it saves Shaun some tidying up.

For more on the Oscillate Sound System after party (unofficial) at Centrala on Friday 15^th September, click here.

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Way Beyond @ Suki10c 15.09.17

To continue the Friday night party directly after the festival’s opening day, Suki10c are hosting an unofficial first night continuance with ‘Way Beyond’, starting at 10pm and going right through to 4am. The event costs £6.00 including BF (booking fee, not boyfriend) on the mighty Skiddle or £8.00 on the door – showcasing sets from Earth is Flat, Bid, Skint Disco and Doktor Jekyll amongst others as yet unnamed.

Earth is Flat (or EiF) are two producers whose aim is ‘to make a non-generic style of music; using field recordings, traditional instruments and collaborating with people who share similar values’. They have shared the stage with artists such as Plaid, Kelli Ali, Luke Vibert, Coppe and Fungstorung and have performed in venues such as the Hare & Hounds, mac, and The Rainbow in Birmingham, as well as working down in the Big Smoke.

Bid is a DJ who started out in 2012, one who lucky revellers doing both ‘the main event’ and this after party will already have seen performing as part of the Leftfield Leftism 22 Tour. His debut release is due this year on the Download Generation label, showcasing his influential choice in the twisting and manipulation of breaks, beats and sounds.

Skint Disco is providing a DJ set in the form of Joe Reid – 28 year old producer from the Midlands, now residing in London. Skint Disco/Joe Reid has received props from major players such as Jam PRD, Wevaman, Hatcha, Funtcase, Kromestar,Seven, Bukez Finezt, Beezy, Enigma Dubz and Dubloadz all regularly throwing down his tracks. DJ slots all over the UK and gigs in Prague, Paris and Amsterdam have resulted in a mini-tour stateside with bookings in Seattle and Denver later in 2017.

The evening is supported by Doktah Jekyll, the resident DJ for Digbeth Dining Club and more, lining up a diverse sounding lineup of electronic music to see you through to the wee hours.

Even if some of the lineup are people whose stage names defy Google or any other form of research, this sounds like one of those events where those in the know will know to go, and those not in the know probably should be.

For more on the Way Beyond after party (unofficial) at Suki10c on Friday 15^th September, click here.

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Official Beyond The Tracks Friday night after party @ The Rainbow 15.09.17

Friday night’s official, ‘Moseley Folk approved’ after party is held at The Rainbow Venues’ Black Box. It will be starting at 11pm and the ‘you don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here’ is at 4am.

This official after party is brought to us by Procreation – the erstwhile progressive/tech house club night started by Beyond The Tracks promoter, Carl Phillips, back ‘in the day’ – in association with Ransom Note. The event will see DJ sets from A Guy Called Gerald, Bawrut and Timothy ‘Heretic’ Clerkin, in addition to Phil Hartnoll (one half of the Beyond The Tracks Friday night main stage headliners, Orbital).

Even if you’re not into your dance music, the name Orbital is still bound to ring a faint bell. Okay, that may be because they were named after the London Orbital (or M25 as we would more typically know it) but Orbital (aka brothers Paul and Phil Hartnoll) were renowned for their live improvisation, something of a rarity in the genre. But with five UK Silver records, one UK Gold record, four UK top 20 singles and even making it into the top 10 US Electronic Album Chart twice, it would be safe to say that improvisation or not Orbital’s music has appeal.

Perhaps the slightly less prolific of the brothers, Phil Hartnoll, has nevertheless taken his DJ sets to New Zealand, the US and around Europe. And that’s just this year. Now stepping straight from the Beyond The Tracks’ main stage, Phil Hartnoll will be hitting the decks at the Black Box in a rare UK solo show.

Joining Phil Hartnoll on the bill will be A Guy Called Gerald – a pioneer of the late 80’s UK Dance music explosion, whose website hails as ‘an iconic name in dance music’. But A Guy Called Gerald arguably kick started Europe’s acid house frenzy releasing the first UK acid house record, the ’88 classic ‘Voodoo Ray’ – following this with the iconic ‘Pacific State’, and laying down the blueprint for early jungle/drum’n’bass. And while not reaching the commercial heights of some of his contemporaries, the consistency and longevity of his releases demonstrate an acclaim that has endured for 30 years now.

Kicking it all off in 1987, A Guy Called Gerald had his ’own bedroom studio and was recording 90 minute tapes – probably one a week, so the equivalent of doing an album a week, everything from proto-acid sounds to experimental ambient fields’. And while his releases have slowed down somewhat over that last seven years, I hope that A Guy Called Gerald will bring the same energy of old to this 2017 live set. His 40 live show list for the year would imply that he will.

New kid on the block, the Madrid-based Italian Bawrut, will be preceding A Guy Called Gerald on the lineup – bringing his ‘wonderfully balanced line between classics and brand new tracks’. Bawrut’s 2016 release through Ransom Note has been hailed by Mixmag, DJ Mag, Test Pressing, and Data Transmission ‘as one of the freshest releases of 2016’.

Lastly, not least-ly, on is Timothy ‘Heretic’ Clerkin – one half of the amusingly named Eskimo Twins, who have been on the scene since 2009 releasing on Tusk Wax, My Favorite Robot & Relish, Throne of Blood and Ransom Note Records. Eskimo Twins formed around an appreciation of techno, classic house, indie, acid, and a lingering teenage love of metal – so those who know them will no doubt be wondering what Clerkin’s solo set may bring. One one way to find out; you know the drill

For more on the official Beyond The Tracks Friday night after party @ The Rainbow- Black Box, click here.

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Club L’Amour reunion @ Suki10c 16.09.17

The once haven for alternative shenanigans, described by Sam Lambeth as ‘an indie Byker Grove’, Club L’Amour comes back to the venue of its birth for a final, final hurrah on 16th September – giving the Saturday night noise monsters at Beyond The Tracks a comforting place to play until dawn. Well, 5am. Which is dawn enough for us.

There will be live sets from Riscas and Sugarthief, underpinned by DJ sets from the great, good, and garrulous who adorned the once Digbeth based indie night out. On the line up so far are MP3 jugglers: Kez Handley, Ben Clapton, Jack Parker, Arran Bick, Harley Cassiddy, Sam Lambeth, Tim Arstall, Tommy Greaves – with the ever inspiring ‘secret guests’ to kick it all off. TBC, I guess.

But following the fallout of a Saturday night festival line up that boasts Ocean Colour Scene, Maxïmo Park, The Coral, The Twang, Carl Barât and the Jackals, Jaws, Superfood this might be a more than appropriate place to greet the small hours.

Plus it’s a reunion, after Club L’Amour packed up its musical powder puff back in February this year. So what are you waiting for..? Oh yeah, there’s that festival thingy up the road to pop into beforehand… phew, and what a before party that’s going to be.

For more on the Club L’Amour after party (unofficial) at Suki10c on Friday 15^th September, click here.

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Official Beyond The Tracks – Saturday night after party @ O2 Institute 16.09.17

As if all this excitement on the Friday night wasn’t enough, there is another official after party on the Saturday night, post-festival, held at the O2 Institute in Digbeth – running from 11pm through to the wee hours of 3am. Mercifully a little earlier than the Friday night after parties, allowing us a little recovery before the final festival day.

Fresh from headlining Saturday night at Beyond The Tracks, Ocean Colour Scene’s Steve Cradock will take to the O2 Institute stage for a DJ set, alongside Paul Smith from Maxïmo Park. But kicking off the evening (morning…. depends when you get there) will be DJs Gav and Imran from Blast Off – a Wolverhampton institution which celebrated 20 years of clubbing in 2016 (despite ostensibly ending the indie club night in 2014, they have returned for numerous ‘one-off’ specials and Christmas/New Year shows. I suppose you can’t keep a good thing down).

Next up will be will be Dave Southam, a man made (in)famous as one of the DJs for Snobs, a well known Birmingham nightclub that promotes itself as offering ‘indie, rock’n’roll, alt pop and retro jams’.

It is clear then that the theme of this after party is the same as Saturday’s offering at the Beyond The Tracks festival itself: indie and lots of it. Kicking off at 11pm, festival goers will have plenty of time to cover the half-a-mile between Eastside Park and the O2 Institute when Beyond The Tracks finishes at 10:30. Tickets are £10 in advance, plus the usual booking fees.

For more on the official Beyond the Tracks Saturday night after party, click here.

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Beyond The Tracks comes to Eastside Park in Birmingham City Centre, running 15^th to 17^th September. Tickets for this event are £54.45 for individual day tickets, £145 for a weekend pass.

For more on Beyond The Tracks, including full festival details and online ticket sales, visit www.beyondthetracks.org