BPREVIEW: Club Integral – Seikou Susso, Howie Reeve, Kamura Obsura, Dorcha @ The Edge 07.10.16

Club Integral – Seikou Susso, Howie Reeve, Kamura Obsura, Dorcha @ The Edge 07.10.16Words by Ed King

Tonight, on Friday 7th October, Club Integral launches its Birmingham ‘branch’ at The Edge/Friction Arts, 79-81 Cheapside, B12 0QH.

‘Home to the uncategorisable’, Club Integral was has been promoting an eclectic line up of ‘left field music and performance’ since 2010.  With regular club nights, a radio show and their own imprint – Divine Records – the London based collective have celebrated and championed a wide range of acts, many of whom may not be the first on a commercial promoters speed-dial but well worth some attention.main-with-web-colour-bcg-lr

Hosted as part of October’s Digbeth First Friday – the monthly portfolio of events promoting the cultural city fringe – Club Integral launches in Birmingham from 8pm on Friday 7th October.

Tickets are priced at £4 online/advance and £5 on the door, with Ubuntu Food serving ‘the finest South African eats’ at the event.

For direct event info on Club Integral’s Birmingham debut at The Edge, including links to online tickets sales, click here.

Performing at Club Integral (B’ham) will be Seikou Susso, a traditional Kora player from Gambia in North West Africa. Having moved to the UK in 1991, Seikou Susso has found an active place for his performances in the festival and live music scene – playing both as a solo artist and with his own ensemble, the Allah Lake Afro Mandinka band. For more on Seikou Susso, clcik here.

Also performing in Birmingham on Oct 7th will be Howie Reeve, a Glasgow based solo artist who has previously appeared at the Club Integral London showcases. A solo, acoustic bass player… I’ll just let that sink in, Howie Reeve has been taking his original music and astute lyrics across the world – including a recently crowd funded tour of Japan. For more on Howie Reeves, click here.

Next on the bill is Kamura Obsura, another left-of-centre musical artist who has been part of the Club Integral gigs darn sarf. Born from the wonderful brain of Japanese punkster, Atsuko Kamura, Kamura Obscura also features Robert Storey (guitar) and Natalie Mason (Viola, Accordion) – a trio that ‘explores vocal experimentation, composition and improvisation incorporating enka, chanson and Japanese punk into original multi-instrumental music.’ And whilst I consider myself a versatile writer… for more on Kamura Obscura click here.

Rounding off Club Integral’s Birmingham debut is one of our own and one of our best, Dorcha. A self described ‘song experiment’, Dorcha is the Anna Palmer led ensemble that followed her I Am Anushka solo work. Brave, brash, a little like Kristin Hersh meets The Cinematic Orchestra at the bottom of a box of mushrooms, Dorcha are always worth a stop, look, listen.

Down-scaling for the Club Integral Birmingham debut, three of the band will be https://twitter.com/art_on_the_edgeperforming ‘something ever so different from our usual NOISEY show’ in a more ‘stripped back, intimate set; so close, we’ll be sat on your laps’. Better iron my slacks then… For more on Dorcha, click here (for the ‘look’) and here (for the ‘listen’).

Club Integral launches in Birmingham on Friday 7th October at The Edge/Friction Arts, 79-81 Cheapside, Digbeth, B12 0QH – as part of October’s Digbeth First Friday. For direct gig info and links to online tickets, click here.

For more on Club Integral, visit www.clubintegral.wordpress.com

For more from The Edge/Friction Arts, visit www.frictionarts.com

For more on Digbeth First Friday, visit www.digbethfirstfriday.com

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