pop Archives - Page 2 of 3 -

January 29, 2020January 29, 2020

BPREVIEW: REWS + Novacub, [SKETCH] @ O2 Institute 3 – 21.03.20

Words by Ed King / Pics courtesy of REWS – Marshall Records

On Saturday 21^st March, REWS come back to Birmingham – bringing The Phoenix Tour to the O2 Institute 3.

REWS will be joined by their travelling companions and Bloc Party splinter group Novacub, performing alongside local support band [SKETCH] – hot off the heels of a sell out show supporting The Pagans S.O.H. and Kioko. But more on these little beauties a little later…

Minimum age of entry to the REWS 21^st March show is 14 years old, with the O2 Institute opening the top floor venue doors from 7pm. Tickets are priced at £10 (+ booking fee) – as promoted by Metropolis Music and Birmingham Review. For more gig info and links to online ticket sales, click here to visit the Facebook event page.

** Birmingham Review will donate £1 from all tickets sold through Review Publishing to the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign – challenging sexual violence in the music industry. From dance floor to dressing room, everyone deserves a safe place to play. Click here for tickets: www.reviewpublishing.net/product/rews-novacub-sketch-o2-institute-21-03-20**

REWS, or ‘the mighty REWS’ as we have begun calling this band, were last in Birmingham supporting The Darkness – playing to a packed out arena at the O2 Academy just before Christmas. Before that, the mighty REWS (…told you) were supporting Halestorm, again at the O2 Academy, as the North American rock giants stomped their sell out tour across the UK in September 2018.

Now REWS are back in Birmingham for one of the final few dates on The Phoenix Tour, which founder and frontwoman Shauna Tohill explains is: “celebrating rebirth and change, which seems quite apt, given that we are all going through dark times at the moment. I’m hoping it will inspire people to keep positive, be confident and change for the better. Expect new tunes, a new band and a safe space to immerse yourself. See you at the front!”

Led by N. Irish musician and songwriter Shauna Tohill, REWS somewhat exploded onto the UK’s live circuit a few years ago – releasing their first album, Pyro, in November 2017. Chocked with ‘wall to wall bangers’ (which is you’ve ever been to a REWS gig is a pretty appropriate metaphor) this ambitious debut featured previously released singles such as ‘Miss You in the Dark‘, ‘Shine’, ‘Your Tears’, and Birmingham Review favourite ‘Can You Feel It?’

A monster of an album, with an infectious onslaught of high energy alt-rock/pop, the onlything better than listening to a copy of Pyro is when REWS play it live. But don’t take our word for it, as this 10 track line in the sand won REWS a bevy of Radio 1 airtime and a spot on the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury 2018 – with plaudits across the BBC and Pilton festival alike, including Mark Radcliffe’s clarion call: “Stupendous – if you get a chance, go and see them. Go.” A sentiment we whole heartedly agree with.

REWS were also the inaugural UK signing to Marshall Records, when the ionic rock music brand formed it’s own record label in 2017 – opening up territories across the globe and seeing this ferocious high rising balloon travel even further.

And it’s been strength to strength for REWS ever since (albeit with some lineup changes at the tail end of 2018, turning the two piece into a three piece) as the act once nominated for Planet Rock’s ‘Best New Band 2017’ are now back on the road and releasing some of their best new music to date. Which considering their back catalogue is a hard bubble to burst, with only the inevitable ‘…album two’ question left hanging in the air.

But again, don’t take our word for it – to check out REWS’ latest single, ‘Birdsong’, click on the airtwork above or the video below. And if after listening to it you think all the hype is hyperbole, then you’re either a cynic by default or clinically dead on the inside. And that’s as objective as I can get.

Then again, you might just want a little more proof. Perhaps in a live setting, for example. Which is fair enough… I suppose. Did we mention REWS come to the O2 Institute 3 on Saturday 21^st March?

‘Birdsong’ – REWS

REWS perform at the O2 Institute 3 on Saturday 21^st March, with support from Novacub and [SKETCH] – as promoted by Metropolis Music and Birmingham Review, with support from the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign. For more gig info and links to online ticket sales, click here to visit the Facebook event page.

**Birmingham Review will donate £1 from all tickets sold through Review Publishing to the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign – click here for tickets: www.reviewpublishing.net/rews-novacub-sketch-o2-institute-21-03-20/**

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For more on REWS, visit www.rewsmusic.com

For more on Novacub, visit www.wearenovacub.com
For more on [SKETCH], visit www.sketchband.com

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

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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 aggression in the music industry and beyond – from dance floor to dressing room, everyone deserves a safe place to play.

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 issues surrounding sexual violence – 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.

January 22, 2020

BPREVIEW: Action 4 M.E. Fundraiser @ Actress & Bishop 27.01.20

Words by Ed King

Genevieve Miles will perform as part of a special line up at the Action 4 M.E. Fundraiser gig – to be held at the Actress & Bishop on Monday 27^th January. Also appearing will be Rhianna Keane, Echo Gecco, PJJ and Mr. K.

Entry to the gig is free, but with a suggested donation of £3 – or whatever you have left after the weekend (fiscally speaking). All proceeds go to the Action for M.E. national charity, which campaigns across the UK ‘to end the ignorance, injustice and neglect faced by people with M.E.’

Doors open for the Action 4 M.E. Fundraiser gig from 7pm, held upstairs at the Actress & Bishop. For more direct gig information, click here to visit the Action 4 M.E. Fundraiser Facebook event page.

In a healthy hodge podge of approach and style, this Action 4 M.E. Fundraiser gig brings an evening of live music and spoken word, embacing genres from neo-soul to indie pop. You might even find a little space disco in there… trust us, you’ll know it when you hear it.

But organised by Genevieve Miles, who’s sophomore Libra Rising EP was released in May 2019, the evening is being organised ‘to raise money and awareness’ to hep sufferers of M.E. – challenging the stigma of the debilitating disorder and helping to support the patient founded Action for M.E. charity.

Miles has suffered with M.E. since she was 14 years old, with the disorder altering the path of the formative years most of us take for granted. But through her music she was able to find both a platform of expression and the personal drive to challenge her M.E. head on, committing to performances even though ‘sometimes it was so refreshing and enjoyable, other times it was painful and really just horrible.’

In an article written for the Action for M.E. website, Miles explains: ‘I definitely feel like I missed out on a proper teenage experience. I remember in school thinking I would never get a relieved ‘Friday feeling’ again because Friday just meant a weekend of being wiped out stuck in the house before somehow dragging myself out for lessons again on the Monday.’

An often misunderstood disorder, M.E. can be hard to diagnose and as of yet has no cure – only the treatment of symptoms. But the Action 4 M.E. Fundraiser gig is hoping to help change and challenge this, as Miles continues: ‘I’ve recruited some of my favourite Birmingham artists for a gig to raise money and awareness for M.E. It feels so good to be organising this gig, it gave me a confidence to be more open about my experience of M.E. with my friends. I’ve always found it really hard to explain because there are so many different symptoms; I rarely explained to my friends how I felt, so this new confidence is freeing.’

But keen to keep music also at the core of this event, Genevieve Miles has programmed an eclectic line up from the local live music scene. Rhianna Keane will be bringing her neo-soul and R’nB vibes to the evening, whilst Echo Gecco will be wrapping their finely stitched blanket of prog, rock and jazz tinged genres around the crowd.

PJJ will be spicing things up/sleazing things down with a little bit of the aforementioned space disco, as Mr. K delivers a set of ‘genre-bending spoken word music that engages and impacts.’ And last but not least is Genevieve Miles, who will be performing her plucky-in-the-face-of-adversity indie pop.

But if our oh-so-clever descriptions aren’t grabbing you, never fear… there’s a handy Spotify playlist to help promote the show. Stop, look, and listen below:

Genevieve Miles will perform as part of the Action 4 M.E. Fundraiser at the Actress & Bishop on Monday 27^th January – alongside Rhianna Keane, Echo Gecco, PJJ, and Mr K. For direct gig info and links to online ticket sales, click here to visit the Facebook event page.

For more on Genevieve Miles, visit www.genevievemiles.com

For more from Action for M.E., visit www.actionforme.org.uk

For more on the Actress & Bishop, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.theactressandbishop.co.uk

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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.

September 30, 2019September 30, 2019

SINGLE: Living it Up – The NU 30.09.19

Words by Charlie Culverhouse / Pics courtesy of The NU

‘Living it Up’ follows The NU’s debut EP Keep It A Secret and cements him in his mix of electronic and pop-rock genre. The new single sounds more evolved compared to his first EP which makes complete sense for a newer artist such as The NU – to have your sound this polished less than a year into your career is pretty impressive.

Finding another artist who sounds anything like The NU is pretty impossible – I couldn’t think of anyone. It’s refreshing to hear someone trying to create something new rather than playing into a genre they know is popular; The NU sounds passionate and hungry to create.

The ending feels very ethereal, the soft rain sound underneath the melody relaxes the mind and contrasts the main chunk of the song while still complimenting it. The transition into the ending is seamless and comes off audibly pleasing – in simple terms it’s extremely satisfying to listen to.

I also have to mention the production quality of the single. Comparing the previous EP release to this new single, the sound quality has improved immensely. From the sound of the guitar tones to the overall production value of the single, everything sounds more like The NU – like he has found his sound.

‘Living it Up’ – The NU

The NU release ‘Living it Up’ on Monday 30^th September, available through all the usual online outlets. For more on The NU, visit www.facebook.com/wearetheNU

The NU will also be performing at NUSTOCK, alongside Jumanji, Echo Gecco, and Pomelo Fellows – at Mama Roux’s on Wednesday 2^nd October. For more direct gig info and links to online ticket, click here.

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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 surrounding sexual violence – 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.

May 22, 2018May 25, 2018

ELEANOR’S PICK: Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18

Words by Eleanor Sutcliffe

Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) comes to the NEC in Birmingham on 28^th May. For a direct event information, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.gentingarena.co.uk/whats-on/slam-dunk-festival

As one of the most anticipated dates in the UK pop punk calendar, it’s safe to say Slam Dunk Festival are taking no prisoners with this year’s line up. With a bevy of bands and artists descending upon the NEC in just under a week’s time, I took it upon myself to comb through the roster and select a number that I personally love.

Holding Absence / Rock Sound Breakout Stage

Birmingham favourites, Holding Absence, are set to make their Slam Dunk debut this year on the Rock Sound Breakout Stage. Having recently announced the departure of guitarist Feisal El-Khazragi, it will be one of their first performances without him in their line up. But with Holding Absence recently nominated for Best British Breakthrough Band at the 2018 Heavy Metal Awards, plus playing a string of dates supporting Being as an Ocean across Europe in June, they’re certainly not letting El-Khazragi’s departure slow them down.

Represented by Sharptone Records – who bought us the likes of Don Broco, Miss May I and We Came As Romans – the Cardiff based band also recently toured and released a co-EP with Loathe titled This Is As One, which earned them numerous positive reviews from critics for tracks such as ‘Saint Cecilia’.

Holding Absence perform at 3:30pm on the Rock Sound Breakout Stage. For more on Holding Absence, visit www.holdingabsence.com

‘Saint Cecilia’ – Holding Absence

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PVRIS / Jägermeister Main Stage

Having recently performed at Coachella, PVRIS will be returning to Birmingham hot off the heels of the American leg of their All We Know of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell tour – promoting their latest album of the same name.

Lynn Gunn’s dreamy vocals, combined with the band’s heavy rock influences, have earned them a dedicated fanbase and won them Rock Sound’s Artist of the Year Award back in 2017. Here’s hoping PVRIS also perform some tracks from their debut album, White Noise, with songs such as ‘St. Patrick’ and ‘My House’ being on my personal wish list.

PVRIS perform at 8:15 pm on the Jägermeister Main Stage. For more on PVRIS, visit www.pvris.com

‘Anyone Else’ – PVRIS

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Taking Back Sunday / Monster Energy Main Stage

Returning to Slam Dunk for the 3^rd time, Taking Back Sunday were in the first wave of bands to be confirmed to at perform this year’s festival.

Having released their 7^th album, Tidal Waves, in September 2016, and parting ways with their original guitarist Eddie Rayes last month, it will be interesting to see if we get to hear any new material from the group. Although I’m hoping to hear classic tracks such as ‘You’re So Last Summer’ and ‘MakeDamnSure’ as well as songs such as ‘You Can’t Look Back’ from their latest album live.

Taking Back Sunday perform at 8:05pm on the Monster Energy Main Stage. For more on Taking Back Sunday, visit www.takingbacksunday.com

‘You’re So Last Summer’ – Taking Back Sunday

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Astroid Boys / Impericon Stage

The Impericon stage will be hosting hardcore grime band Astroid Boys, who have always delivered impressive shows in Birmingham. Growing steadily since their formation back in 2012, they were bought to my attention after being featured in BBC Radio 4’s documentary Operation Grime, which tailed them on a tour across the UK.

Astroid Boys‘ music is not for the faint hearted – expect brutal lyrics addressing issues such as racism, mashed with hardcore and grime influences to create a sound you probably have never heard before… but will just as probably want to listen to again.

Astroid Boys perform at 2:20 pm on the Impericon Stage. For more on Astroid Boys, visit www.astroid-boys.com

‘Foreigners’ – Astroid Boys

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As It Is / Signature Brew Stage

Announcing the August release of their latest album, The Great Depression, only a few days ago, Brighton based As It Is will be headlining the Signature Brew stage this year.

A band who’ve amassed a dedicated fan base with tracks such as ‘Dial Tones’ and ‘Hey Rachel’, their material is catchy, easy to listen to and fun – however it’s unfair to assume they lack a more serious side. Their latest release, ‘The Wounded World’, delves into a much darker side of their ever-expanding noise, having been cited by the band as a ‘new era’ of their music which expands on ‘the societal romanticisation of depression’ and ‘the disrepair of present-day human connection’.

As ever with this band, though, As It Is approach their subject with the respect and sensitivity it warrants – referencing their new material as a means for them to work to create a positive change for mental health.

As It Is perform at 8:30pm on the Signature Brew Stage. For more from As It Is, visit www.asitisofficial.bandcamp.com

‘The Wounded World’ – As It Is

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Luke Rainsford / The Key Club Acoustic Stage

The Key Club Acoustic Stage is hosting a stellar line up of bands and artists, including Birmingham’s Luke Rainsford – combining upbeat guitar with gut wrenching vocals, making music that is hard hitting but a real treat to listen to.

Having toured the UK extensively since the release of I Feel At Home With You in February 2017, and having recently released his latest EP, I Just Don’t Deserve To Be Loved, in April 2018, Rainsford’s music deals with difficult issues such as loss, bereavement, low self esteem and mental health. Good, honest stuff.

Luke Rainsford performs at 4:15 pm on The Key Club Acoustic Stage. For more on Luke Rainsford, visit www.lukerainsford.bandcamp.com

‘Home Safe’ – Luke Rainsford

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltnvyxgWovs

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Stand Atlantic / Rock Sound Breakout Stage

Australian trio, Stand Atlantic, will also be making their Slam Dunk debut this year, having recently toured with other performers such as ROAM and Knuckle Puck. With their latest EP, Sidewinder, reaching an impressive #10 on Rock Sound’s Top 50 Albums of 2017, and having been cited by Kerrang! as one of the hottest bands of 2018, Stand Atlantic are proving they’re a force to be reckoned with.

Claiming influences from Blink-182 to The 1975, they’re certainly considered a mixed bag musically too – but in the best possible way. Trust me. Go and listen to ‘Coffee at Midnight’. You can thank me later.

Stand Atlantic perform at 6:00 pm on the Rock Sound Breakout Stage. For more on Stand Atlantic, visit www.facebook.com/StandAtlantic

‘Coffee at Midnight’ – Stand Atlantic

Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) comes to the NEC in Birmingham on 28^th May. For direct information on Slam Dunk Festival 2018, including details on all the events happening across the UK, visit www.slamdunkmusic.com

For a direct info and online ticket sales for Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands), visit www.gentingarena.co.uk/whats-on/slam-dunk-festival

For more from the Genting Arena, including full events listing and venue details, visit www.gentingarena.co.uk

March 26, 2018March 27, 2018

BREVIEW: Paloma Faith @ Genting Arena 21.03.18

Words & pics by Eleanor Sutcliffe

I never thought I’d witness a Genting Arena steward dance. Yet here I was, an hour into Paloma Faith’s show, watching a red-haired stewardess shimmy down the central aisle to the bemusement of the surrounding crowd.

Call it cliché, but it was unavoidable – the atmosphere of the evening was intoxicating, and it was all down to Paloma Faith’s incredible performance.

As the lights went down and the stage glowed an ominous red, Faith appeared and strode down the opposite staircase to where the four other photographers and I had been placed. Cue an awkward minute or so of camera clutching as we waited for Faith to safely descend in a pair of mammoth white heels, microphone in hand, as she sang the title track from her latest album The Architect. The stage resembled something out of a post-apocalyptic Sci Fi film, with holographic geometric platforms housing her band whom she referred to as “the dream team”.

One thing I was taken aback by was just how fond I grew of Paloma Faith as the performance went on. Between songs, she touched on numerous subjects such as childbirth, self-love, politics and war, with the charm and finesse only the Hackney-born singer could possess. Not pedantic or patronising (as some artists can be on these subjects) but delivered heartfelt and in all honesty, even hilarious at times.

Faith is not one to skirt around details either, as she recounted her hopes for a relaxed home birth before “it all went to shit, and I became a well of pus – Beyoncé didn’t have that, surely”. These witty anecdotes grounded the evening’s performance, leaving the audience cheering for more.

And what a performance it was. Faith’s set list contained a whole host of tracks, both old and new. Songs such as ‘Crybaby’ and ‘My Body’ proved to be hits with the crowd, who were beginning to rise from their seats and dance along. Watching two women leap up and run down the main aisle whilst being chased by security, during ‘Warrior’, was a true highlight to the evening, especially when Faith actively encouraged their behaviour.

Her slower songs proved to hit a poignant note with the crowd too. Faith’s duet of ‘I’ll Be Gentle’ with her guitarist, BB Bones, left my jaw slack in awe, as did her rendition of ‘Picking up the Pieces’.

Although Faith is working hard to craft herself a new niche in today’s music scene, she hasn’t strayed too far from her former work – a refreshing change from the numerous artists that attempt to reinvent themselves every few years.

But that’s the beauty of a Paloma Faith show, the dynamic is simply ever changing – from clambering onto a grand piano to mournfully sing ‘Just Be’, to knee sliding along the stage during Sigala’s hit single ‘Changing’, you never quite know what you’re going to get. Apart from a bloody good show; that’s a given.

For more on Paloma Faith, visit www.palomafaith.com

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

For more form the Genting Arena, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.gentingarena.co.uk