INTERVIEW: Richard Franks – Counteract

INTERVIEW: Richard Franks - Counteract @ The Sunflower Lounge / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

Words by Ed King / Pics Rob Hadley

Interview conducted at The Sunflower Lounge on Saturday 22nd April.

Richard Franks started Counteract seven years ago. Seven years ago today in fact, on his birthday. Which along with World Earth Day, Record Store Day, and what seems to be the warm up for Pride marching past The Sunflower Lounge, makes April 22nd a pretty red letter date.

Having “kind of” studied journalism at Birmingham Metropolitan College and then again at University in London for “only a couple of months”, Richard Franks took his career into his own hands and out of the classroom. After scaling/banging heads against the brick wall of being an unknown freelancer, Franks picked up his ego, accepted his fate and did what all honourable men do in the face of professional adversity. He set up on his own.

Seven years later and Counteract is the leading online music magazine in Birmingham, with a monthly readership and reach that can impress and intimidate the publications around them. A regional reality I know only too well.

“I didn’t really do my A Levels,” admits Richard Franks, “and I started writing about music online pretty much straight away, as I left school at sixteen. So all I have are GCSEs and AS Levels; I’ve done all the things that I’ve done without the need for a degree. I made a lot of things up in terms of the way I do things; a lot of guess work. Like learning to make a website. It was never built on ‘I want to copy them’, I just thought right I want to make a website, Googled ‘how do you make a website’, then did it.”

INTERVIEW: Richard Franks - Counteract @ The Sunflower Lounge / Rob Hadley - Birmingham ReviewWorld’s largest library at our finger tips. But some publishing houses, especially those behind the mainstream broadsheets, still ask for a degree at interview – do you ever regret not having that piece of paper? “Not so much, because through the things I have done that’s how I’ve got other jobs. My employers always found it interesting that I’d started the website; it shows a self starting attitude, it shows you’re quite positive.”

“You’ve only got to look at what I’ve done to see that it is possible to do what you want to do,” continues Franks, as I ask the ‘any advice’ question no self respecting interviewer should ask, “to follow a path you know you want to follow. I’m very much an advocate that you don’t necessarily need education to do what you want to do. There are a lot of people I know – in bands or who write – where it’s gone from a hobby to their full time job. That in itself makes it clear you don’t need an education.” I’d argue this with some professions, but the national curriculum has never impinged on my working world. “Obviously there are pressures from all types of angles, from parents, from friends and from the general working life. But I think you’ve got to follow what you think is right and if you’re happy with what you’re doing then so be it.”

Are you happy with what you’re doing? “Yep, sure. I am. There was a time when perhaps I wasn’t, jumping from job to job, thinking how the hell do I make a career out of this? But over the past six months I feel firmly settled. I’m not saying that had I got a degree and then went and got a job I’d be any better or worse off, you don’t know do you. But I felt this way would develop; for different people it’s different things, isn’t it.”

INTERVIEW: Richard Franks - Counteract @ The Sunflower Lounge / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review“I don’t think qualifications are so important anymore,” Franks continues, as the afternoon bubble of tired shoppers begins to burst at the bar. “Especially the way online journalism and copywriting and those areas are developing. I think you’d be more likely to get a job now, in an online sector, probably if you have more experience than if you have a degree.” So imagine the scenario, two candidates walk into Counteract HQ for the same salaried position…

“It’s a bit of a double edged sword; how do you get experience if you’re not offered experience in the first place? That’s the kind of thing I struggled with so early on. I was sending reviews and my CV off to places like the NME and The Guardian, but I was either getting knocked back or I wasn’t getting a reply whatsoever. That hurt me, and because of that, I think, I’d be more inclined to give something to someone who didn’t have experience.”

At points, I couldn’t agree more (excluding surgeons, airline pilots…). There was a time whilst recruiting for an entry level position at a PR agency that I stopped interviewing graduates: a blanket ban on university brats. I ended up employing a woman who had worked in a clothes shop since she was sixteen, a few years later she became regional MD.

But I’m not here to pay lip service to the old guard approach of garrulous opinion (think Hunter S Thompson meets a Raymond Chandler character) it’s Counteract’s seventh birthday and the line up to their self promoted party is too strong to ignore, with The Mother’s Earth Jaws (special guests) @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham ReviewExperiment, The Hungry Ghosts and newcomers The Dream Collective all on the bill. There’s even a special guest: a bastard child of the B-Town “baby boom” who have been teased out with the Spielberg adage, ‘we’re going to need a bigger boat’.

Speaking of B Town…

Certain coattails are more fashionable than others and the toilet walls of this venue plot point various rising B Town balloons. But Counteract was one publication, one regional publication, one readable publication, which was there before any widespread interest. How did the national media land grab make you feel as a regional editor?

“I was glad at the time that they were getting the kind of publicity they were getting,” explains Richard Franks. “I know all of the bands that were in that circuit, one of them are playing tonight; Harry Koisser used to message me on Facebook asking, ‘we’ve got this new song, can you put it on Counteract?’ This was in 2011/2012, something like that. We always had that little personal relationship with the bands. But I think…” So often does this subject create an uncomfortable pause.

“The term itself, B Town, while it was good at the start it just became a bit of a joke. I don’t think people here, the people that were involved in the music scene here, liked it after a while. It became a parody of itself. And all the bands moved to London. So you’re talking about B Town, you’re talking about Birmingham, but Peace, Swim INTERVIEW: Richard Franks - Counteract @ The Sunflower Lounge / Rob Hadley - Birmingham ReviewDeep, Superfood all moved to London.” How does that make you feel, again as a regional editor – one who championed these artists when there was no NME in sight? “It annoys me but you know why they do, because there’s more there.”

What about the promoters and labels who are still in the city. Should they have picked the up mantle with a firmer grip? “It’s money isn’t it; it’s London. How do you compete with London? But the B Town thing I could talk about that for days. I’m happy it happened; I’m disappointed they all moved – because it killed it. But in the same way it spawned so many new bands that wouldn’t have ever thought about coming in to Birmingham. The shows were busier. It was like a baby boom, just in music.”

It is both ironic and encouraging that the seemingly impenetrable wall that once compelled Richard Franks to build Counteract, is now a less of an obstacle. Here we sit, discussing national interest subjects that were once kids reaching out through the Counteract Facebook page.

So now you’re captain of your own ship, with some significant landmarks behind you, what sends you out across the waters? “Seven years ago there wasn’t such an impetus on online content,” explains Franks, “places like Buzzfeed weren’t so prominent. Whereas now it’s a little bit different because I’ve got in my mind that I’m creating the content to try and reach as far as it can, that I have to write it for an online audience.”

The Dream Collective @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham ReviewExtrapolate that? “What I mean by ‘online audience’ is ‘user friendly’,” Franks continues, as The Sunflower Lounge moves into the DEFCON 3 of a Saturday afternoon. “So all the buzzwords you need to use to try and hit the search engines, all the techniques you need to use to improve your website’s visibility online. All these things are in my mind now. I guess for me there’s been a big change, because of the way the online market has developed.”

“In kind of a roundabout way of saying things, and this may sound a bit bad or naive of me, but it’s now less important for the journalistic quality of the writing as opposed to the way it’s presented on the website for search engine optimisation. In those seven years it’s developed quite a lot, to the point where I like publishing the posts more than I did seven years ago. One, I know they’re going to a good audience because we’ve built up this following on Facebook, Twitter, the mailing list and all those kind of things. And two, I know that when I’m publishing the posts more work has gone into it because you’re making sure it’s set up well for an online audience. It’s more technical now than it was seven years ago.”

I didn’t expect that. There are dangers, in my mind, with being over concerned about clicks, hits and page views; I think writer first, journalist second. An embarrassing attempt at designer third. But marketing comes with a paycheck. And I’ve been running PR campaigns for over tweThe Hungry Ghosts @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Reviewnty years. I start to stumble around a question I would want someone to ask with more confidence.

So… in your priority list, where does the quality of a… maybe that’s the wrong word, what about the story’s… “Integrity?” offers Richard Franks. That’s the word. Where does integrity come in? “Probably not as much as I’d like. But that’s down to two things, one me not having enough time, and two, that it takes more time to publish them – because of the SEO elements of the world. In terms of the integrity of the written content itself, it still ranks pretty high.”

As both an editor and a consumer I have my issues with overzealous content, I don’t believe it. And I’ve known writers jump from one ship to another over precisely this debate. But Richard Franks is in a different place, professionally speaking, and Counteract has its own approaches and agendas. As all publications should. What about straight out bad copy – have you ever not been able to publish someone’s work at Counteract?

“I’ve had to say to people (contributors) but sorry, this is not what we expect. And I never want to do that, I hate doing that, because I want to give everyone a chance. But if they’re rubbish writers, in a roundabout way, we have to be honest. So it’s not me saying the quality of the content, the written work, is not important. It’s just me saying when we publish it the quality of the written content, while it’s just a bit more important than SEO and making sure it’s set up right it’s still not miles ahead.”

The Mother’s Earth Experiment @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham ReviewThe upstairs at The Sunflower Lounge is starting to fill up; we’re pushing ‘high readiness’. And the background noise is putting a strain on my frighteningly fickle voice recorder. Plus the bands are staring to arrive now, DEFCON 4, and whilst The Mothers Earth Experiment have been wrestling with lights (and possibly lava lamps) for a few hours, there’s still some left to sound check.

As we end our interview, me putting down my pen to play ‘punter’ and Richard Franks dusting down the responsibilities of ‘promoter’, I wonder if it’s all worth it. I like Richard Franks. I wasn’t sure if we’d get on (I wasn’t even sure he’d agree to an interview) and God knows not every publication makes it to seven candles. Plus he’s given me some serious food for thought.

But the man is open, honest, and certainly knows his way around a search engine. Digital marketeers of the city beware. And whilst I disagree on some of his style sheet and publishing policies, I respect what he has achieved with Countertact. Seldom has any single person, any music journalist or publisher, done more to celebrate the music in this city; Richard Franks is to be applauded. But probably without him noticing to save an awkward moment for both of you; even whilst celebrating his publication’s seventh birthday, the biggest ego at this table is still most likely mine.

But will we be sitting here in three years time facing double figures? “The gigs are very time consuming,” Franks replies, “and I don’t like to say ‘never’… but for now it’s more important for my energy to go into the website.” Never indeed, Counteract is bringing Alex Ohm to The Victoria on 20th May – for all intents and purposes, the last in the publication’s recent flurry of live gigs.

“I’d like to get back to the place where I can give everyone a chance,” surmises Richard Franks. “The website is more important and I’m just too busy to reply to everyone right now. But never say never. Once you stop enjoying something, then stop doing it.”

I’ll make us both a note then, April 22nd 2020. Remember to buy a card, candles, a balloon in the shape of the number 10…

For more on Counteract, visit www.counteract.co

For more from The Sunflower Lounge, visit www.thesunflowerlounge.com 

THE GALLERY: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17

THE GALLERY: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

 

 

 

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

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

Words by Ed King / Pics by Rob Hadley

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE GALLERY: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

THE GALLERY: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

THE GALLERY: Ed & Charlie Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

THE GALLERY: Ed & Charlie Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

THE GALLERY: Ed Geater with Lady Sanity @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

THE GALLERY: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

 

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

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

THE GALLERY: Bear – supporting Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

THE GALLERY: Bear – supporting Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

THE GALLERY: Bear – supporting Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE GALLERY: Ed Geater – profile @ Hare & Hounds / Rob Hadley - Birmingham ReviewTHE GALLERY: Ed Geater – profile @ Hare & Hounds / Rob Hadley - Birmingham ReviewTHE GALLERY: Ed Geater – profile @ Hare & Hounds / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

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

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

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

https://flic.kr/s/aHskW7Sa7d

BREVIEW: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17

BREVIEW: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

 

 

 

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

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

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

Words by Damien Russell / Pics by Rob Hadley

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

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

BREVIEW: Amy Louise Ellis – supporting Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham ReviewAfter a short break, we are treated to a set from Dee Ajayi; a dynamic performer. Ajayi (and her guitarist, albeit no relation to the previous one) has a presence and smile that you can’t help but smile back at, performing with animation and enthusiasm. She touches on Soul, R‘n’B, Funk and treats us to the odd story of a past breakup, an unrequited love, and memories of her father. These glimpses into the personal moments that have inspired her music makes me feel we, as an audience, are being given a intimate peek into the life of Dee Ajayi.

BREVIEW: Dee Ajayi – supporting Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review(Side-tracking slightly, about halfway through Dee Ajayi’s performance a large group of people come in to the Hare and Hounds’ Venue 2 and make a racket an elephant would be proud of, yacking away and shouting bar orders. From this point on significant numbers of people were talking and generally being inconsiderate; all the performers did admirably to ignore them and put on the show they did. Kudos to those on stage. Taking inspiration from Dee Ajayi, I try to ignore them too.)

The next act on tonight, and final support, is Bear – another duo, but this time guitarist and beatboxer Gordon Begard and singer/rapper, Faye Smith. Standing at the back of the room as Bear start their set, I have no idea where all of the sounds are coming from. I’m sure there are only two of them on stage, but I could swear there was a whole band up there. Bear perform with great energy and make an impressive sound, performing with skill, passion and a whole lot BREVIEW: Bear – supporting Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Reviewof power. As they close their set, a bigger and more hyped up audience see them off with another strong reception.

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

As Ed Geater begins to play, a flood of influences run through my mind; all massive names. I can hear Massive Attack in the chilled out trippy vibe and steady pace. That leads me to thinking about Newton Faulkner, which I hear in the flowing intricate guitarBREVIEW: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review work (fantastic guitar work, I was very jealous). Then I start thinking about vocals and how there’s a little bit of Passenger in there, alongside some more mainstream sounds. All in all the mix is a deep, rich harmony that’s a little mesmeric, wrapping itself around you like a warm blanket.

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

BREVIEW: Ed & Charlie Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham ReviewYou can tell it’s a hometown show as Ed Geater gets his brother, Charlie, to join him on backing vocals for a song. There are a few other guest spots throughout his set including a collaboration with Lady Sanity, with each new sound on stage complimenting the often solo performer; it makes me wonder what Ed Geater would be like with a full group behind him. Geater’s sound is well developed and his songs are strong, but with the limits of the technology he’s using you could fall into traps at the start and end of each song, in turn losing some of the impact they bring.

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

For more on Ed Geater, visit www.edgeater.co.ukBREVIEW: Ed Geater with Lady Sanity @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

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

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

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

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

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

THE GALLERY: Counteract’s 7th Birthday @ The Sunflower Lounge 22.04.17

THE GALLERY: Counteract’s 7th Birthday @ The Sunflower Lounge 22.04.17

 

 

 

Words by Ed King / Pics by Rob Hadley

‘We’re going to need a bigger boat…’

You got that right. On Saturday 22nd, Counteract celebrated its seven years around the sun with a smorgasbord of bands at The Sunflower Lounge, playing to a packed out room with no extra wiggle in sight.

Stacking the bill were The Mother’s Earth Experiment, The Hungry Ghosts, The Dream Collective and special guests, Jaws – sneaking in as a surprise headline appearance. Rob Hadley was there to shoot an extended photo feature for THE GALLERY, whilst Ed King caught up with Counteract founder, editor-in-chief and overall Captain Ahab, Richard Franks, earlier in the day. See a selection of Rob’s shots below and watch out for Ed’s interview with Richard Franks, online in May.

A celebration of The Midland’s music scene, Counteract’s 7th birthday was an homage to the great, good, long, short and curlies of today’s regional live circuit. Coming back to blow out the candles with a publication that backed them from the beginning, Jaws were on ferocious form – sending a sea of bodies bouncing ever closer to The Sunflower’s ceiling. Some crowd surfers may have even made it.

The Mother’s Earth Experiment gave a blistering set of multi-percussion-precision-psych-rock (‘dem boys play tight) bathed in what can only be described as ‘death by lava lamp’, whilst The Hungry Ghosts played their first Birmingham gig with their new line up (and a few new songs) – cramming two extra bags of blood and bone onto The Sunflower’s already relatively cozy stage. The Dream Collective were fixed at the bow though – opening the birthday shenanigans with a pretty inter‘stellar’ live set. Right, now where’s that life preserver…

Check out a cherry picked buffet of Rob Hadley’s pics below, or click on the relevant links to see the Full Flickr of Pics. There’s some on our Instagram page too. Enjoy. We did. Happy birthday Counteract; rock on to a cake with eight candles.

Jaws (special guests) @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

Jaws (special guests) @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

Jaws (special guests) @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

Jaws (special guests) @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

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

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The Mother’s Earth Experiment @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

The Mother’s Earth Experiment @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

The Mother’s Earth Experiment @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

The Mother’s Earth Experiment @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

The Mother’s Earth Experiment @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

For more on The Mother’s Earth Experiment, visit www.themothersearthexperiment.bandcamp.com

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The Hungry Ghosts @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

The Hungry Ghosts @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

The Hungry Ghosts @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

The Hungry Ghosts @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

For more on The Hungry Ghosts, visit www.the-hungry-ghosts.bandcamp.com

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The Dream Collective @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review

The Dream Collective @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

The Dream Collective @ Counteract’s 7th Birthday 22.04.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

For more on The Dream Collective, visit www.soundcloud.com/the_dream_collective

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For more on Counteract, visit www.counteract.co

For more from The Sunflower Lounge, visit www.thesunflowerlounge.com

 

BREVIEW: Blossoms + Cabbage, Rory Wynne (NME Awards Tour) @ O2 Academy 24.03.17

BREVIEW: Blossoms (NME Awards Tour) @ O2 Academy 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

 

 

 

Words by Lucy Mounfield / Pics by Rob Hadley

The show started with Rory ‘this song’s all about how good I am’ Wynne’s brand of indie rock. Wynne’s persona is charming, in an arrogant sort of way, like a budget Mick Jagger.

The only issue being I don’t think he’s got sufficient calibre of music behind him for it to work; he talks the talk, but at this point I don’t think he quite walks the walk. Although his set was fun and the crowd (albeit a bit thin on the ground) enjoyed it.

Next up were Cabbage, a wholly different story. Fronted by Lee Broadbent, heroically hobbling around with an injured pelvis (I initially thought the funny walk was part of the act) prowling about chewing the scenery and spewing beer everywhere.

Additional vocals and fronting duties came from Joe Martin (also on guitar) who was leaping about the place and tearing himself out of his shirt as if it were a straight jacket. Cabbage stole the show here, opening with the ferocious ‘Uber Capitalist Death Trade’ and barely letting up the intensity until their set was, regrettably, over.

Cabbage perform a high-energy post-punk with lyrical content drawing in equal parts on the political and the absurd. Alongside Broadbent and Martin, Cabbage are completed by Eoghan Clifford on guitar, Stephen Evans on bass, and Asa Morley on drums.

BREVIEW: Rory Wynne – supporting Blossoms (NME Awards Tour) @ O2 Academy 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham ReviewThe aforementioned ‘Uber Capitalist Death Trade’ is a breakneck speed punk anthem with a righteous ‘three chords and the truth’ approach, while subsequent tracks slowed things down and brought in more keyboards, played by Broadbent. Another stand out track was ‘Dinner Lady’, played towards the end of their set, with Martin’s rap-punk slur reminiscent of Joe Strummer. This left Blossoms with a hard act to follow, since their more down-tempo sound never quite reaches the same intensity. It felt a bit like the climax of tonight’s show was in the middle.

Finally, after some interlude recorded music (which people were inexplicably singing along to), Blossoms came onto the stage. The O2 Academy main room was absolutely packed by this point; a huge crowd had turned out. Blossoms began with ‘Honey Sweet’ – the fourth track of their BREVIEW: Cabbage – supporting Blossoms (NME Awards Tour) @ O2 Academy 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Reviewnew LP, which was, like most of their tracks, a synth heavy mid-tempo affair with lots of chugging along on the guitars, topped off with Tom Ogden’s distinctive vocals. Charlie Salt’s bass is prominent and rather good on the funkier tracks like ‘Blow’, which Blossoms played towards the middle of their set.

Towards the end we had the acoustic ‘My Favourite Room’, along with some audience interaction – an intimate moment with Ogden alone on the stage, proving his abilities as a front man who can command and engage with an audience even in larger venues. However this section of the set ended with a medley of various cheesy songs (‘Last Christmas’?) which felt incongruous and like karaoke night down the pub. The audience loved it.

‘Cut Me and I’ll Bleed’ is one of the more interesting songs on Blossoms‘ debut/eponymous album, but played live it lost its psychedelic keyboard section under the wall of guitar and bass – although this might possibly have been the fault of the venue. Blossoms create a wall of sound composed out of the textures of the synths, guitars and bass; on record one can pick out the details, but live at the Blossoms (NME Awards Tour) @ O2 Academy 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham ReviewO2 Academy everything was a little too muddy for me. Cabbage were less susceptible to this, their sound more stripped down and in your face.

‘Charlemagne’ was the last track played, but the intensity produced by ‘Deep Grass’ (the second to last) was not followed through by such a well-known song. I particularly liked the jam section at the end of ‘Deep Grass’, it felt rhythmically interesting and you got the sense the band were enjoying themselves.

Interestingly, in terms of their music, Blossoms bear little or no resemblance to those mighty Mancunian bands to whom they have been compared: The Stone Roses and Oasis. Instead they came across as a kind of clean cut ‘mum friendly’ band performing a solid sort of indie rock. I feel the better moments were when they embraced the bassier, funkier aspects of their sound and they seemed to riff off one another – however these were the bits that seemed to bore the rest of the audience. Blossoms (NME Awards Tour) @ O2 Academy 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley - Birmingham Review

All in all, a good night. Blossoms, the main act, were certainly giving their fans a great time. But for me they were upstaged by the supporting act, Cabbage, whose frantic performance left little room to up the ante.

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For more on Blossoms, visit www.blossomsband.co.uk

For more on Cabbage, visit www.ahcabbage.bandcamp.com

For more on Rory Wynne, visit www.rorywynne.co.uk

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For more on the NME Awards Tour 2017, visit www.nme.com/awards/tour

For more from the O2 Academy, including full event listing and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2institutebirmingham

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