live music venues

December 7, 2018February 27, 2019

THE GALLERY: Bare Bones @ Café Artum 01.12.18

Words by Emily Doyle / Pics by Ed King

Café Artum, a vinyl-filled setting nestled at the far end of Corporation Street, is busier than usual on this Saturday afternoon.

“This one’s for my mum, over there. This is the first time she’s ever seen me play, today” says Liám Mckeown, taking his seat in front of the window. The room grows quiet. At the back of the cafe, one guy listens to a record on headphones, seemingly oblivious.

Mckeown builds up loops of rhythm guitar before layering effortless lead over the top. Best known for his role in local psych-rock outfit Brain Food, solo he conjures up a much more mellow sound. His singer-songwriter vibe verges on jazzy at points, but always has a psychedelic tinge.

Mckeown covers Neil Young’s 1972 release ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’ – it’s ambitious but heartfelt; the audience listens in stillness as the X51 bus rolls past the window behind him. The set also features stripped back versions of Brain Food songs, including ‘Lemon & Lime’ from the band’s debut EP Get One On. These feel more vocal-led than the rest of Mckeown’s performance and round off the set nicely.

The first full band of the bill, Handwaxx, have made only minor concessions to Bare Bones’ advertised ‘raw, stripped back’ ethos. New member Will Sutton, having been recruited to the group just a month ago, has traded out his Vox Phantom for an acoustic guitar, but otherwise the only thing especially stripped back about the outfit’s sound is the lack of a proper PA.

Handwaxx describe themselves as ‘psychedelic indie pop’, which seems like a fair label. Their sound blends a brit-poppish sensibility with a sprinkling of dreamy shoegaze, backed up by impressive lead guitar work from Ryan Baynham. Their set reaches a high point with the last two songs, which move in a more Morricone-esque direction. Handwaxx’s reverb drenched surfy sound is perfect for brightening up a gloomy Saturday afternoon.

The promo material for Bare Bones argued that The Mighty Young ‘could probably still melt your face off with an acoustic set’, but it’s clear we won’t find out about that today, as the only acoustic instrument on stage is the drum kit. This is loud, raucous garage rock ‘n’ roll from one of Birmingham’s trusty trios, and there’s not a Cajon in sight.

The Mighty Young have always embraced a stripped back, DIY ethos with their sound, though. Reminiscent of The White Stripes, their straight-to-the-point performance and songwriting are a joy, unphased by some minor technical hitches.

A jubilant sing-a-long cover of Lou Reed’s ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ provides the soundtrack as one of the bar staff weaves through the dense crowd, putting tealights out on the tables – it’s grown dark out. A passerby outside stops by the window to listen, intrigued. A few younger audience members, who’ve got another ten years to wait before they can get in to any other Mighty Young shows, are growing a little restless, but the rest of the crowd are fully engaged.

As six o’ clock approaches and the trio draw things to a close with a slow, bluesy ballad; it’s clear that this inaugural Bare Bones session was a success. And although perhaps not as ‘stripped back’ as originally intended, neither the performers nor the audience seemed to mind. Watching the punters filter back out into the cold and on to the next stop on their Saturday nights, there’s a sense that things are only just beginning.

THE GALLERY: Bare Bones – with The Mighty Young, Handwaxx, Liám Mckeown @ Café Artum 01.12.18 / Ed King

Gallery not found.

For more on Liám Mckeown/Brain Food, visit www.facebook.com/brainfoodofficial

For more on Handwaxx, visit www.soundcloud.com/handwaxx

For more on The Mighty Young, visit www.facebook.com/ruttingdevil

For more on further events from Bare Bones, visit www.facebook.com/whiskpresents

For more on Café Artum, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.cafeartum.co.uk

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NOT NORMAL – NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To learn more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, click here.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this feature – or if you want to report an act of sexual aggression, abuse, or assault – click here for information via the ‘Help & Support’ page on the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK website.

December 4, 2018February 27, 2019

BREVIEW: Katie Melua @ Symphony Hall 30.11.18

Words by Ed King / Pics from Symphony Hall by Dave Cox – courtesy of the Express & Star. Pics from Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre by Allan Jones – courtesy of Republic Media

So, I have this thing about honesty. It’s a rule and a burden. Yet it’s also a freedom, if you can understand why. One that keeps us in bed with the truth and one that’s behind anything I put into the public domain. I also have this thing about framing techniques.

Katie Melua is in Birmingham tonight, stopping of on her European tour to play to a sold out Symphony Hall crowd (no mean feat) with a set that promises tracks from her latest album, In Winter – joined live on stage by the Gori Women’s Choir, who were a home grown backbone to her 2016 release. That in itself carries a high expectation; the Gori Women’s Choir’s three albums are all quite powerful collections (thank you Spotify) and tonight’s marriage of a strong vocal ensemble with an acoustic lead are a tempting hook to this little fish.

But my interest has been further piqued by the lack of a Mike Batt signature anywhere on the paperwork. Locked into an arguably suffocating six album deal whilst still in her late teens, I’m curious to see a Melua set without Orinoco waiting in the wings – although I suspect there will still be a few laments about to two wheeled statistics and borderline personality disorders.

As we file slowly, languidly, into the hall, the stage is set simply for Melua and her band. Large screen backdrops host a medley of soft illustrations, pastels, and swirling patterns of light against water – eight mics, for the sixteen extra mouths that will fall in and out across the evening, stand ready and waiting stage right. We are poised for a dimple yet elegant display.

Melua’s opening number is sung solo (in what I assume to be as Georgian) and begins the evening with something seemingly untouchable, yet once embraced – as music can allow you to close your eyes and accept without shame, query or question – quite beautiful.

Her immediate follow up, ‘Plane Song’, brings in her younger brother on guitar accompaniment – layering a subtle red brick onto the Cyrillic foundations. And by the time we are halfway through ‘Nine Million Bicycles’, I am yearning for the return of a language that I don’t understand. Melua, even from this immediate dissection, offers a much firmer delivery when her performance is less obvious. To a solely English speaker, at least.

A curiously saccharine cover of ‘Just Like Heaven’ gets served up next, giving Robert Smith a sugar coating that was endearing but perhaps misjudged, before the Gori Women’s Choir return for another homage – this time to the prickly Christmas tree of Joni Mitchell’s ‘River’. Now there’s a moment when every evening finds its point, and when the words that were first delivered in 1971 – exorcising Mitchell’s broken heart – are reissued by nearly 50 years later, I can’t move my attention away from the following:

“I’m going to make a lot of money and quit this crazy scene”.

Katie Melua is a widely respected artist, with both a strong international fan base and public appearance track record. She has travelled the world and the world has travelled behind her. But I have not, with tonight being my first encounter of seeing this artist on stage. And when I’m watching a seasoned performer, walk with well rehearsed blocking around a stage set designed for a cause, planting every note with the precision of a LAMDA exam distinction, I clap with only half of my heart. No matter how surprising or wonderful the occasion has turned out to be.

But here, echoing the words of a woman who will always be remembered for brave intent and anti-establishment honesty, I want to stand in ovation and solidarity. Bill Hicks wanted his rock stars dead, and I’m not Bill Hicks (and Katie Melua is not a ‘rock star’) but the request is the same. And when it is answered, in whatever language, with whatever accompaniment, the more visceral response is quite a spectacle.

I wasn’t sure how much of this evening I’d enjoy, it had been a long day in a longer week, and when the Gori Women’s Choir sang I simply acquiesced and stopped thinking. But Katie Melua is a much more impressive artist than I had I walked into this room believing, and with all the set’s manicures, pop infused covers, and platinum achieving polish, the most glorious of moments were the ones from an older heart.

I surmise, as such: discernible talent deserves the rawest and most truthful of edges, for else what are we but obligation or ego? So let go. More. Scream if you have to, with a yawp or elocution. But give this world what you want it to see and trust in this, anyone who challenges a truthful intent is simply not worth appeasing. What’s left is heartfelt and an honest delight.

For more on Katie Melua, visit www.katiemelua.com

For more on the Gori Women’s Choir, visit www.facebook.com/GoriWomensChoir

For more from the Town & Symphony Halls, including venues details and full event programmes, visit www.thsh.co.uk

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NOT NORMAL – NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To learn more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, click here.

November 30, 2018June 24, 2019

SINGLE: ‘Trust is Blind’ – The Cosmics

Words by Ed King / Pics by Psychedelic Eye – courtesy of The Cosmics

On Friday 30^th November, The Cosmics release ‘Trust is Blind’ – the lead single from their forthcoming debut EP.

Now anything coming from The Cosmics is a reason to sit up and pay attention, with the Birmingham based three piece being easily, confidently, absolutely one of the best live acts to come from The Midlands right now. And I’m a professional cynic.

But the feisty garage rock that The Cosmics have been boot kicking off stage and across t’interweb, since the gloriously sharp and short ‘Johnny’ in 2016, has taken a back seat here – giving way to what the press release calls ‘a delicate, heartfelt break up ballad developing into feisty ‘fuck you’ noise rock with honest lyrics’. And you know what… it’s dayum good.

Honestly, when first I sat down to review ‘Trust is Blind’ I had to check I wasn’t listing to Mazzy Star. Which is often a strong possibility at my desk. And a strong plus. But the opening soft riff, giving way to Erin Grace sounding as Hope Sandoval as you’re going to get (without actually being Hope Sandoval) is a page straight from the guitar led low-fi bible.

But then, just over a minute and a half into this nearly four minute single, all hell breaks loose. To use another very commendable comparison – ‘Starla’ by Smashing Pumpkins. And that is again A O fucking K with me (they swore first). The tempered and teased out beginning, which is delivered with aplomb (not everyone in the genre can – yes, I’m talking to you Low) bends over and gets royally shafted by a visceral account of love, trust, betrayal and how “you really messed up my mind, truth is blunt, trust is blind”. At least I thinks that’s what Grace is singing, but the ferocious cacophony is an unassailable sonic stamp on just how shitty/shifting/capicious love can be.

(N.B. HEALTH WARNING / Gig going public and venue owners beware, when this glorious monster gets played live you may witness the first recorded flight from a Marshall amp – possibly followed by a few bodies and bar stalls for good measure.)

But if you click on the single cover artwork you can have a listen to ‘Trust is Blind’, in all its spellbinding softness and rock and roll glory, and can make up your own minds. This is either going to work for you or it’s not. Although you may be in the wrong room if you start turning your proboscis towards the sky.

All I can do is sign off with my own two cents, ‘Trust is Blind’ is an absurdly exciting move from a band who already have that live music mojo pulsing though their veins – paving the way for an EP I will be shoving aside the elderly to get my hands on first. In short, me like. More please. Lots, lots more.

The Cosmics release their latest single, ‘Trust is Blind’, on Friday 30^th November. For more on The Cosmics, visit www.facebook.com/thecosmicsband / To listen to ‘Trust is Blind’ via Spotify, click here

The Cosmics also headline a single launch gig at The Sunflower Lounge on the same night, with Thee MVPS, Paper Buoys, and Mutes also on the bill. For direct gig information, including venue details and links to online ticket sales, visit the Facebook event page – click here.

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

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NOT NORMAL – NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To learn more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, click here.

November 28, 2018

BPREVIEW: Bare Bones – with The Mighty Young, Handwaxx, Liám Mckeown @ Café Artum 01.12.18

Words by Ed King / Artwork by Rocío Álvarez Osuna

On Saturday 1^st December, the inaugural Bare Bones comes to Café Artum – with acoustic sets from The Mighty Young, Handwaxx, and Liám Mckeown.

The event runs from 3pm until 6pm, with three live sets alongside music from Carlton Wainwright on the wheels of steel. Or, you know, the CDs of chaos. Mix tapes of mayhem. The idiosyncrasies of an iPod shuffle…? Whatever the kids are spinning these days.

What we can be sure of is Bare Bones will cost you all of £3 sterling to enter – as presented by The Whisk. Spaces will be limited at Café Artum, with advance tickets available online via Skiddle, click here. Or for more direct event information visit the Bare Bones Facebook event page, click here.

Now this is a good idea… As the Bare Bones promo rhetoric states, ‘expect to see your favourite local artists perform raw, stripped back, great music with no frills’ performing in ‘a bare minimum set up and a super intimate venue’.

It actually says all that the other way around, but the idea of getting some good ol’ garage rock, indie, and six stringed psychedelia played ‘stripped back’ and ‘raw’ absolutely works for – us regardless of what order the words are in. Plus it’s cheap as chips. In fact, it’s cheaper than chips – it’s cheap as a bag of potatoes and a saucepan of cooking oil that will one day become chips. And we like that too.

The Mighty Young are a familiar favourite on the local live circuit, with their barrage of blues and garage rock making a lot of lovely noise in venues across the city for a few years now. ‘Aint alliteration ace… But always a good night out (or in, if you’re throwing a wildly adventurous house party) it will be a rare delight to watch what unfurls when The Mighty Young have to perform sitting down sans distortion pedal. Our money is on ‘quietly kicking ass’. For more on The Mighty Young, visit www.facebook.com/ruttingdevil

Handwaxx are at the somewhat more swirly colours end of the rock rainbow, with a wah wah here and a… you get the idea. But the Birmingham three piece have been making some pretty noticeable sonic waves recently, and as the Bare Bones Facebook event page says ‘don’t miss your chance check them out in a completely different perspective’ – pun intended, we very much hope. For more on Hardwaxx, visit www.soundcloud.com/handwaxx

And last but by no means least is Liám Mckeown, better known (perhaps, who knows what he does in his spare time) as the centre piece of Brain Food – Birmingham’s delectable ‘swirling psych-soaked four piece’. We like Brain Food a lot, on stage and off, and their commitment to the local music scene is a heart warming addition to the city’s cultural cache.

No idea what Mr Mckeown will be doing flying solo, but we want to find out and suggest you should too. And in the absence of a Liam Mckeown specific URL, for more on Brain Food visit www.facebook.com/brainfoodofficial

Bare Bones presents its first afternoon of ‘stripped back’ acoustic sets at Café Artum on Saturday 1^st December, running from 3pm top 6pm. For more information and links to online ticket sales, visit the Bare Bones Facebook event page – click here.

For more on Café Artum, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.cafeartum.co.uk

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NOT NORMAL – NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To learn more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, click here.

November 27, 2018

THE GALLERY: REWS @ The Flapper 17.11.18

On Saturday 17th November, REWS came back to Birmingham, rounding off their five date UK tour at The Flapper in Birmingham – with local support from MeMe Detroit, alongside Marshall Records label mate Thousand Thoughts.

Now it’s no secret that both Birmingham and Birmingham Review love REWS, with the alt-rock duo having had some stellar sell out shows in this city over the past year; needless to say we were a little ‘Christmas come early’. But this evening was another step up, with REWS playing to their biggest headline crowd in the city to date – packing the rafters at the iconic canal side music venue, with barely enough room left to swing/swig a shot of rum. Or see, if you’re a under 6ft…

Luckily some of us were born with the gift of height and managed to get through the crowds – to check out the full Flicker of pics from Phil Drury, of all bands on the bill, click here.

And although he had to shoot off back to the provinces before the headline act, Callum Lees managed to snap up some extra shots of the support acts – for the full Flicker of his pics, click here.

We also had a new reporter in the crowd, to give you a fresh narrative thread to hold on to whilst you peruse THE GALLERY – so dust off your best Meryl Streep internal monologue, sit back, reminisce or relive, and welcome Emma Curzon to Casa Review de la Brummagem. Ah, those misty water coloured memories… come back and see us soon REWS.

Words by Emma Curzon / Pics by Phil Drury & Callum Lees

In an atrocious betrayal of student-kind, I must admit I’m not overly acquainted with the world of alt-rock. I was given, however, a very promising introduction into it on Saturday 17^th November. The gig was headlined by London/Belfast duo REWS and hosted by Birmingham Review/Metropolis Music, at the cosy-yet-mysterious canal side pub The Flapper.

The line-up held solid performances throughout the night – although I was never quite enraptured by Thousand Thoughts, who opened the evening. They were good, but not spectacular. Still, I was genuinely touched by ‘Be Frank’ – a more tender, sedate number pleading to the addressee to open up about their mental health struggles.

The recently renamed four piece are a new signing to Marshall Records – becoming label mates and tour support for the night’s headliners – and are arguably still finding their feet. No doubt we’ll get to see them again next time they pass through the city. Plus, as mentioned, I’m not the biggest devotee of alt-rock… so mix these words well before baking and add just a pinch of salt.

Next up, local support MeMe Detroit (plus her band) gave the room a huge energy boost – at one point, we are ordered to “sing your fucking hearts out”. Amen to that.

On the cusp of releasing her Life in the Now EP, MeMe Detroit gave a commendable performance – one both heartfelt and dynamic (my personal highlight was the refrain of ‘Love Transcends All Again’) – and threw herself into it with much head-banging and dancing, at one point taking her guitar for a quick dash through the audience.

However, the best was definitely saved for last. With their slick onstage outfits, REWS’ would not have looked out of place alongside the cast of a Disney Channel musical – but once they started it became obvious: Shauna Tohill and Collette Williams most certainly did not come to just play at being rock stars.

Williams played the drums with the poise and precision of a concert pianist, but still positively exploding with enthusiasm and vigour. Meanwhile Tohill’s skill, and more importantly her passion, shone through in every note – as she threw her whole body into her performance, making it even more of a joy to watch.

Their opening songs probably showed this to the greatest effect and were my favourite part of the entire night. The audience appeared to agree – many were clearly veteran fans and sang along with great enthusiasm, the sudden energy boost as obvious as it was catching. The best was one of their oldest tracks but most recent single, ‘Can You Feel It?’ – a straight and simple rock anthem with frequent repetition, but of joyous, inspiring lyrics telling us to “Dance like no-one’s watching” and creating a rousing crowd-pleaser full of infectious joie-de-vivre.

Other well recognised tracks from the REWS repertoire, such ‘Death Yawn’ and ‘Shake Shake’, got a similarly ferocious response. Although a few of the set’s latter (and possibly newer?) songs didn’t land quite as well, missing some of the intensity that made the more well-versed numbers so enjoyable. REWS did, however, throw in a cover of 4 Non Blonde’s ‘What’s Up?’ that pushed the room to an almost health and safety challenging fever pitch – a new set addition Williams had alluded to in a recent interview with Birmingham Review.

So, my verdict: I’m still wouldn’t call myself an alt-rock aficionado, but if I was ever to have an introduction to the genre this was a good night for it. And I’d love to see REWS perform again, considering the band have ended their last two UK tours in Birmingham there’s a fingers crossed chance we may all get to as well. I’d better brush up, now where’s that’s copy of Kerrang! gone…

REWS – with support from MeMe Detroit + Thousand Thoughts @ The Flapper 17.11.18 / Phil Drury & Callum Lees

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For more on REWS, visit www.rewsmusic.com

For more on MeMe Detroit, visit www.memedetroit.com

For more on Thousand Thoughts, visit www.facebook.com/TThoughtsMusic

For from The Flapper, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.theflapper.co.uk

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NOT NORMAL – NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To learn more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK campaign, click here.