Phil Drury Archives - Page 3 of 3 -

January 7, 2018January 7, 2018

BPREVIEW: The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18

The Hunna will be stopping in Birmingham as part of their second major UK tour on Thursday 11th January, performing at the O2 Academy. Support comes from Coasts and Night Riots.

Doors open at 7pm and the tickets are priced at £24.15 excluding booking fees – as presented by High Tide Recordings and Academy Music Group. For direct gig info, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.

**There are limited tickets remaining for The Hunna’s O2 Academy Birmingham show at time of writing, so fans should act quickly to enjoy the band before bigger venues beckon.**

The Hertfordshire four-piece will be gracing the O2 Academy stage in support of their upcoming sophomore album, Dare, set for release in May 2018. Boasting a potent blend of Instagram-friendly swagger, hometown pride, and riffs with the lick and spit of ‘noughties’ indie spirit that many considered long gone, The Hunna look set to take 2018 by storm and build on their current success.

Upon the release of their debut single, ‘Bonfire’, in 2015, the band have enjoyed a rapid rise to popularity within the UK indie scene, charting in the UK Top 20 with their 2016 debut album, 100. They have become firm festival favourites along their journey – opened shirts, scuffed Dr Martens and bed-headed charm standing out against the preened, Athleisure look of their contemporary male acts. With their live show integral to their growth thus far, The Hunna could be further set to trouble international waters with their second release.

Joining The Hunna will be their High Tide label-mates Coasts. The Bristol based alternative outfit err on the cooler, minimalist side of indie rock, with comparisons to established acts such as Foals and Two Door Cinema Club. Earning major exposure thanks to BBC Radio 1 and E4’s Made In Chelsea putting 2014 single ‘Oceans’ on rotation, Coasts are playing in support of their second release, This Life Vol. 1. The band have already embarked on their own solo tour and are another name to look out for in the coming years.

Alongside Coasts, The Hunna will also be joined by US rockers Night Riots. Bringing the post-punk sound up to date for this generation, the Californian five-piece are more likely to show you the West Coast dusk rather than its famed sunshine. Still basking in the glow of reviews for second album, Love Gloom, in 2016, the band have steadily developed their reputation for a rapturous live show, notable for their emotive hooks and hypnotic basslines. Not to leave out, of course, their hints of modern power-pop vigour at the core of songs such as ‘Contagious’ and ‘Fangs’.

With a trio of acts that are each building a strong reputation for good live shows and memorable performances, the 11th January at the O2 Academy in Birmingham looks set to be all killer, no filler.

‘Dare’ – The Hunna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NiUO4BaweQ

For more on The Hunna visit www.thehunna.com

For more on Coasts, visit www.coastscoastscoasts.tumblr.com

For more on Night Riots, visit www.nightriots.com

For more from High Tide Recordings, visit www.hightiderecordings.com

For more from O2 Academy, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham

December 7, 2017December 7, 2017

THE GALLERY: Jaws @ O2 Institute 01.12.17

Words by Ashleigh Goodwin / Pics by Phil Drury

After shuffling to the O2 Institute wrapped in my coat and pushing my face into my scarf, I want nothing more than to sit down by a fire and not move for a few hours.

However, upon entering the venue it’s hard not to adopt the enthusiasm from those also attending the Jaws homecoming tonight; it’s infectious, and as large groups of people snake round the walls for the cloakroom and the merch desk there is definitely an air of excitement (and a bit of pre-emptive screaming).

Heading upstairs, South Londoners Social Contract (described by Jaws as “a bloody great new band”) are starting up and have already attracted a decent cluster. People are scattered around, looking appreciatively at the stage, and throughout their set the room begins to fill up with groups at the back making space for dancing whilst flinging their arms around each other and jumping in unison.

Social Contract deliver a really interesting set, incorporating pop, grunge and a danc-ier edge when performing their debut single, ‘Citizen’, which was released earlier this year. The atmospheric pink lights that stream from the stage only solidify their calm and cool performance, whilst singer Josh drawls “yeah, what’s good?” Although their catalogue of releases is small online, I’d definitely check this band out if you’re a fan of Foals or Bombay Bicycle Club.

Marsicians are the second support, and the crowd responds instantly – if you had no knowledge of the tonight’s show you’d think they were the headlines. Self-described ‘upbeat indie meets dirty pop’, Marsicians perform a strong set giving a slightly Circa Waves vibe and on certain tracks, such as ‘Arms of Another’, James Newbigging’s vocals bare similarity to Matt Healy of The 1975. The set includes tracks such as the insanely catchy ‘Too Good’ and ‘Throw Ourselves In’, all of which incorporate memorable guitar riffs or choruses as well as a feel good vibe – making them translate extremely well in a live space.

The aura from the band is something really special too, they look so completely in their element and I didn’t expect to get so into it, which left me wishing I’d checked Marsicians out prior to tonight. Between the overall chaotic crowd and the flying pints (that didn’t seem to faze them) Marsicians wind down with their last song of the set, ‘Absense’ – an atmospheric slow burn that ends in a medley of guitars. And as cliché as it sounds, you can feel the emotion radiating from the stage and it leaves the crowd completely hyped.

Throngs of people now move around the venue, calculating how and where to get the best view for Jaws. Following this I find my way to the balcony, which is pretty much deserted as the floor below is full of bodies pressed together. The crowd sing enthusiastically to Nirvana and The Darkness in the changeover but surprisingly, the biggest reaction is when Skepta’s ‘That’s Not Me’ begins, with a large bulk of the crowd instantly pushing, shoving and manically jumping around. This preludes Jaws, as the lights fade and people instantly take to their mates shoulders despite the O2 Institute security gesturing for them to get down. Jaws’ sign at the back of the stage lights up and the crowd absolutely lose it as the Birmingham born band now take to the stage.

The opening, swirling, guitar riff to ‘Surround You’ starts and people sing along to the beat whilst the crowd go crazy – pushing and swaying relentlessly, as lead singer Connor Schofield greets the audience with “what you saying Birmingham, we good?” By the time Jaws perform their third song, ‘Think Too Much, Feel Too Little’, from their debut album Be Slowly, it’s hard to tear my eyes away from the crowd; it’s like watching something on fast forward, the atmosphere is electric and when an adventurous audience member jumps on stage mid-set, the trio don’t falter once as the guy bounces and sings all whilst getting escorted off by security.

Through ‘Work It Out’ and ‘What We Haven’t Got Yet’ – from Jaws’ Simplicity album (released early November), pits are created before the songs even start; people sway on their mates shoulders, beer, jackets and even a shoe at one point fly through the air. Schofield relays “you guys have a lot of energy, thanks!” before inviting the crowd to sing through tracks such as ‘17’ after announcing “my voice is fucked, sing along”.

Schofield proclaims, “I don’t know what to say, this is amazing, thanks…it’s nice to be here”, and the trio finish with ‘Be Slowly’, before the lights to down and Jaws disappear off stage after a completely mesmeric set, which of course is met by the “we want more” chant. Before there is time to process, inflatable beach balls are thrown into the audience from the balcony, welcoming Jaws back to the stage as they launch into ‘Donut’ with Schofield saying “let’s enjoy the rest of the evening together” before completing a four-strong encore. Jaws finish on ‘Gold’; the crowd finish with the momentum that they have somehow sustained throughout the whole set.

Seeing Jaws headline in such a large venue as the O2 Institute really does solidify the idea of supporting local acts; tonight you can feel a sense of pride, seeing this Birmingham born band receive such an amazing reception. Their two albums are strong standalones, but whether it’s due to the energetic crowd or just the gig atmosphere that gives their songs a fuller sound, Jaws should definitely be caught live if you ever have the chance.

As tonight’s opening band Social Contract said in their set, “it’s the last day of the Jaws tour…it’s been a fucking great time, we had a blast”, and you only have to look at the crowd streaming out of the O2 Institute at the end of the night to know they did too.

Jaws @ O2 Institute 01.12.17 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

For more from Jaws, visit www.jawsjawsjaws.co.uk

__________

Marsicians – supporting Jaws @ O2 Institute 01.12.17 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

For more from Marsicians, visit www.marsicans.co.uk

For more on Social Contract, visit www.soundcloud.com/socialcontractband

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

For more on the O2 Institute, including venue details, event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2institutebirmingham

November 3, 2017November 14, 2017

BREVIEW: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ O2 Academy 28.10.17

Words by Molly Forsyth / Pics Phil Drury

Beaten leather jackets, faded skinny jeans, slightly greying hair and classic rock band tees… a seasoned crowd of music fans are with me at the O2 Academy to see Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BMRC).

Formed in 1998, the San Francisco trio have anchored themselves as one of the Noughties’ most memorable rock bands, with a die-hard fanbase to boot. Traversing classic hard rock, blues, post punk and anything else from the grimier underbelly of rock, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are a band who are proud to stick to their guns. While their contemporaries favoured disco beats and New Romantic candour back in 2005, they couldn’t cut through BRMC’s distortion and bluster. This is probably why the band are still going strong and touring in support of their upcoming eighth studio album, Wrong Creatures.

With their history in mind, it makes perfect sense for the opening act to be Restavrant, a rare breed of a band borne from the Los Angeles scene by two blues fanatics hailing from the Deep South. Restavrant come to Birmingham trucker capped, plaid clad and ready to bring the Texan heat to the stage. From the first song, the energy borders on dangerous when drummer Tyler Whiteside’s makeshift cymbals splinter from his strikes. What follows is an intoxicating blend of DIY punk and old school blues, but far more earnest than you would come to expect from an LA scene of poseur rock.

The creativity of Restavrant shines brightest for their half hour in the spotlight. Self-taught and unrestricted by traditional rock band set-ups, neither band member sticks to the beaten path in their playing techniques. Guitarist, Troy Murrah, is incapable of playing in a traditional style for more than two minutes, attacking the fretboard from almost every angle physically possible and showing the diversity of 16-bar blues with every song. Whiteside’s unorthodox kit, complete with an electronic pad, a suitcase for a kick drum and various other scraps of metal as percussion, is a perfect example of how this band infuse their Southern roots into their craft.

There isn’t much room for any respite or reflection in this stormer of a set, but Restavrant aren’t pretending to strive for anything beyond purely guttural rock, nor would you want them to. In a genre currently suffering under the rise of hip-hop and a trend towards minimalism and softness, Restavrant show determination to bring rock n’ roll back to its former glory, even if only for half an hour.

What follows from the main act of the evening doesn’t really match the pace or excitement that Restavrant incite within the crowd. I’m not expecting Black Rebel Motorcycle Club to have a full-throttle set for 90-plus minutes, but the 24-song set starts to drag from ‘Beat The Devil’s Tattoo’ onwards. I don’t want to suggest an experienced live band could sound amateurish, but it wouldn’t be unfair to suspect that tonight Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are suffering from sound engineering problems. There’s no emphasis on any harsh or soft moments, or indeed barely any change in dynamic at all from song to song. The guitars start to bleed into a drone that is hard to distinguish, save a few recognisable riffs; the issue is so prevalent that I didn’t realise they were covering Tom Petty’s ‘It’s Good to Be King’ until around a minute into the track.

Sound issues aside, I get the feeling that BRMC are aware of their longevity and find comfort in it rather than a challenge. There is definite fan service being paid, with the hardcore faction of the crowd clearly enjoying every second. For anyone else with a slightly more casual appreciation however, it’s a tough set to sink into. As a band famed for their live abilities, tonight Black Rebel Motorcycle Club aren’t quite delivering what they are known for during a live show. They remain mostly static, crowd interaction is minimal, and any playfulness with songs they’ve been entertaining with for years is hard to come by.

Drummer, Leah Shapiro, holds the fort perfectly as the rhythmic core of the group but seems almost bored of her role, rarely breaking away from the studio versions even though she definitely has scope and ability to. The stark, primary-colour lighting and moody smoke effects are reminiscent of early Interpol shows done as a gimmick. All in all, the set is unfortunately nondescript.

Their two biggest singles to date – ‘Spread Your Love’ and ‘Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll’ – are unsurprisingly left till last. Frustratingly, it’s only now that the band come alive; a few plastic pint cups start to bounce off the crowd’s increasing undulation. Levon Been shows a little rowdiness and whips up the front row into a frenzy. After an hour of sleepwalking through their hits, all of a sudden it starts to resemble a rock show, albeit too late for me.

But there are brief moments of magic from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club tonight. ‘Ain’t No Easy Way’, ‘Stop’ and ‘666 Conducer’ are able to break through the onset ennui. Peter Heyes’ solo take on ‘Devil’s Waitin’’ is also impressive.

I leave the O2 Academy with no less respect for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club but a little deflated, having been pumped up with high expectations. I will make sure I give Wrong Creatures a listen upon its release, and my lingering hope is that the next time BRMC make a live outing the quality of the performance matches the undeniable quality of their back-catalogue.

Restavrant – supporting Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ O2 Academy 28.10.17 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

For more on Restavrant, visit www.restavrant.bandcamp.com

________

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ O2 Academy 28.10.17 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

For more on Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, visit www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com

For more from the O2 Academy Birmingham, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham

For more from SJM Concerts/Gigs and Tours, visit www.gigsandtours.com

October 18, 2017October 17, 2017

BPREVIEW: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ O2 Academy 28.10.17

Words by Ed King / Pic by Tessa Angus

On Saturday 28^th October, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club ride through Birmingham – coming to the O2 Academy as part of their nine date UK tour (plus one in Dublin).

Doors open at 7pm, with tickets priced at £28.65 (including booking fee) – as presented by SJM Concerts/Gigs and Tours. For direct gig info, including venue details and online tickets sales, click here.

Responsible for one of the best debut albums ever… yep, I went there… Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have been tearing up the asphalt on both sides of the pond (and beyond) since 1998. Some call them ‘shoegaze’, some all them ‘grunge’, some call them ‘garage rock’, but Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have a distinctive twisted metal sound that they can comfortable call their own. ‘Fucking awesome’ is where I personally land, but with well over 200,000 words in the English language I’m sure you can come up with a more erudite description. Or you could just listen.

Globetrotting with a new album in the wings, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are coming to Birmingham to push their impending new album – Wrong Creatures, which will, apparently, possibly, be with us just after Christmas.

But having waited half a decade since their last LP, the 12 track monster that is Specter at the Feast, a few months here or there won’t bite down too hard. At least I’ll have something to spend those iTunes vouchers on, that will no doubt appear in some relative’s Hallmark hug this December (…other online music downloads are available).

Having recorded and released on their own imprint since 2008 (starting with the download only The Effects of 333) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have been able to reinvent and reiterate all the cogs in their machine, drifting from the Native American rhythms of ‘Beat the Devil’s Tattoo’, passing through the dark rock heart of ‘War Machine’ and ‘Teenage Disease’, to stand still at the morbid curiosity of ‘Fire Walker’. Awesome. Relentless. Lots of other words; 24rs spent ploughing through this band’s back catalogue would not be a day wasted. Even if you’re wasted.

Now there’s another album in the offing too, and whilst we don’t know much about Wrong Creatures here’s a little taste of what’s to come… and yeah, that’ll do. The rest we’ll get to see/hear coming off stage at the O2 Academy on Say 28th October.

‘Little Thing Gone Wild’ – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

For more on Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, visit www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com

For more from the O2 Academy Birmingham, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham

For more from SJM Concerts/Gigs and Tours, visit www.gigsandtours.com

September 4, 2017September 3, 2017

THE GALLERY: Parquet Courts @ O2 Institute 31.08.17

Words by Helen Knott / Pics by Phil Drury

A lot of bands don’t have one talented frontman, so it seems almost greedy of Parquet Courts to have two.

Andrew Savage is the first to grab your attention, his stern intensity giving him a commanding presence. But mirroring Savage just across the stage is Austin Brown, providing light to counteract Savage’s darkness, jollying things along with the audience and impressing with his laid back vocals.

Parquet Courts begin with a breathless series of songs from their most recent record Human Performance. In chugging opener, ‘Dust’, Brown playfully sings the refrain, “dust is everywhere… sweep!” – an anthem for neat freaks. Human Performance’s title track sees Savage at his most vulnerable, narrating a relationship from beginning to end, crooning verses alternated with howling choruses. The lyrics are gorgeous and it’s quite simply their best song.

A languid version of ‘Captive of the Sun’ is missing the zip (and rapping abilities) of recent collaborator Bun B, but ‘Berlin Got Blurry’ is dependably catchy, with Savage’s delivery reminiscent of the Hold Steady’s Craig Finn. That’s definitely a compliment.

The second half of the set draws more from the band’s older material. Short, punky songs like ‘Light Up Gold II’ are ideal for moshing, but lack the subtleties of some of their better songs. The set ends back where we started, with a track from Human Performance; ‘One Man, No City’ moves from a lo-fi vibe to heavy rock drums and squealing guitars, then seamlessly back again.

It’s a fitting close for tonight’s Parquet Court‘s gig, showcasing the best aspects of one of the most compelling bands, and two of the best frontmen, around.

Ed’s note… Check out some of Phil Drury’s shots of both Parquet Court and their support act, Ultimate Painting. Some real beauts below, but click here for the Full Flickr of Pics or on the relevant links.

Parquet Courts @ O2 Institute 31.08.17/ Phil Drury – Birmingham Review