Sonic Gun Concerts Archives -

August 17, 2018

BPREVIEW: Sonic Gun Weekender @ The Castle & Falcon 17-19.08.18

Words by Ed King

Sonic Gun are hold a mammoth weekend live music event at The Castle & Falcon – running from Friday 17^th to Sunday 19^th August. And although we’re only giving you a few hours notice… it’s been one of ‘those’ weeks, we still think it’s something worth SHOUTING ABOUT.

Doors open at 6:30pm on Friday, with bands playing from 3:30pm on Saturday and 3pm on Sunday. Tickets are a very kind £15 for the whole kit and caboodle, with individual day tickets also available for £8. Minimum age of entry is 14 years, with anyone under 16 needing a card carrying adult to pop along with them.

For direct information check out the Sonic Gun Weekender Facebook Event Page here, or go to the Castle & Falcon website here.

So, who’s on..? As if getting to spend the weekend in a pub watching live music for £15 wasn’t a compelling enough reason to drag yourself off the sofa. The whole line up is featured on the poster above and looks like a bit of a plate spinning/band booking miracle, especially considering you’ve got Project Soundlounge on one side of this event and the August Bank Holiday weekend on the other.

But hyperbole aside, some of the cream from Birmingham’s live circuit crop are playing at the Sonic Gun Weekender – with each day top, tailed, and stuffed like a pimento olive with bands well worth the daily door charge alone.

On Friday, the somewhat now past ‘rising balloon’ Riscas are headlining a bill, with local pop-rockers The Assist and Spilt Milk Society confidently chasing the top spot. Also appearing on this local yokel Friday night line up are Social State and Echo Beach – the one’s from Shrewsbury, not Liverpool or Quebec. There will also be a DJ set from one side of the main B Town see-saw, Swim Deep.

Saturday sees those cool kids Ivory Wave (…slow editorial hand clap) bring some multifaceted early 90’s indie to the top of the bill. A real Birmingham success story in the making, in my mind Ivory Wave just need to be locked in a room with Andrew Weatherall and given a good old shake. But for now you can watch them share their space with Sugarthief, The Cosmics, Violet, and a smattering of others including Cave Girl – who we are a little keen to see live, loud, and in the flesh. And completing my lazy metaphor, Peace will be delivering a Saturday night DJ set.

Then rounding off a pretty full weekend by any normal human standards, that rockabilly rockstar Harry Jordan will be headlining the Sunday setlists. Joining Jordan in a somewhat eclectic goodbye will be a bite of rhythm and blues from The Surrenders and The Good Water, with the rougher raucous coming from Bad Girlfriend, Kick the Clown (best band name ever) and one of our favourites at Birmingham Review, P.E.T. Paper Buoys will be DJing for the final day, sans wordplay.

There will also be beer from Dig Brew, who (after some extensive research) serve the city’s best rocket fuel in a glass by far, and food from The House of Hen – who we haven’t researched but we’re educated guessing serve chicken. Or houses.

But check out the banner above or visit the Sonic Gun Weekender Facebook Event Page for more details. Or just buy a weekend ticket and throw yourself in eyes wide shut – at £15 for a three day line up you can’t go wrong really.

The Sonic Gun Weekender comes to The Castle & Falcon – running from Friday 17^th to Sunday 19^th August. For direct event info and links to online ticket sales, click here.

For more from Sonic Gun, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.facebook.com/sonicgunconcerts

For more on The Castle & Falcon, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.castleandfalcon.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 sign up to NOT NORMAL – NOT OK, click here. To know more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK sticker campaign, click here.

May 15, 2018May 15, 2018

THE GALLERY: Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18

Words by Lydia Fitzer / Pics by Paul Reynolds

Don’t you just love a bargain? On Saturday night, Birmingham was treated to a five-for-the-price-of-one indie extravaganza. This wasn’t a discount bin situation, though. This was more of a ‘Hotel Chocolat is having a sale’ experience. You want quality? You want creativity? You want it served in a charming venue locally owned by lovely people? Of course you do.

The Clause were the first band of the night, and for me they were the biggest highlight. Distinctive, original, playful, with a frontman of the old-school allure variety (otherwise known as Pearce McMenamin. No wonder there were so many girls in the audience). Their subject matter is heavy but relatable, and their sound is punchy as a boxer’s jab.

The Clause’s music is constructed masterfully enough that I’d assumed them to be older. Imagine my surprise when I realised they’re in their late teens. I actually couldn’t be happier. I mean, if they’re this good now, imagine how great they’ll be in a few years.

They opened with ‘Tokyo’ and tons of stage presence; it was a cracking performance of one of my favourite songs of theirs. I slightly regretted the absence of its voiceover opening, though. The recorded version starts with a tense instrumental build-up and a serious female newsreader voice: “A sudden epidemic originating in the Midlands is being described as the biggest nightlife craze seen in years… a craze called Tokyo.” Go listen to it right now. Feel the atmospheric awesomeness wash over you. You’re welcome.

My favourite moment of The Clause’s set was their performance of ‘In My Element’. It was all the more enjoyable because the song is unrecorded, meaning hearing it live was like unwrapping the first gift under the Christmas tree. The opening sound was a synth-style bass line – unusual for The Clause, I think. Then… what else but the Pink Panther theme?! Played by the effortlessly cool Liam Deakin (guitar) and Jonny Fyffe (bass, backing vocals) in an endlessly cool way. The melody morphed into one of their own creation; the crowd leapt, energised and enthralled, to a beat that would make any rinky-dink panther dance.

Next to the stage were Candid, opening with their oldest release ‘Moving On’. They filled the stage with confidence and beauty (check out the tresses on bassist Sam Baines), giving buckets of performance skill. Rob Latimer (vocals, guitar) channelled passion and force with an expression of sheer musical bliss. Dan Latimer (lead guitar) didn’t give as much movement as his brother Rob, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t delightful to watch – he played immaculately, and had a cheeky smile which was totally infectious.

Candid ended their set with ‘Lay Me Down’ – a rapid crashing instrumental with a vocal melody that you could sink into. The sound built into a tsunami before each chorus, sending the whole audience into a craze; they jumped, they moshed. Hyperactive teenagers hurled themselves onto the walls and ground, all spatial awareness shaken from their bodies (the gig was open to ages 14+). Rob opened his lips and unleashed the final note – an incredible thing which lasted for about ten years. The guy has a serious set of pipes.

The time had come to unveil the “top-secret supergroup” that Riscas had been toting on social media. Are you ready? “My name is Wolfgang Harte… and this is my band!” Hello and welcome to the Wolfgang experience. He opened with ‘Old Bird’, a song written for his mum, filling the room with a vibrating voice.

The stage was packed with talented instrumentalists. Harte mentioned that their first rehearsal together had been a mere four hours prior to the gig; they gave an impressive performance with this considered. I would say, though, that they hadn’t quite found their sound. Harte has a unique voice and it’ll take practice to shape the instrumental around him to best effect.

This is an exciting project with profoundness at its core. Wolfgang Harte started writing songs during a particularly difficult time in his life, and eventually realised that he wanted to start performing them. His friends agreed to help, et voilà! You might see the man popping up on the music scene in various cities through the rest of May – keep your eyes peeled.

As Paris Youth Foundation took the stage, a flock of fans waded to the front of the crowd to greet them. They opened with ‘If You Wanna’, one of their slightly older songs; it’s full of signature contrasting floaty and heavy layers. The most notable trait is Kevin Potter’s remarkably gentle voice. It’s soft as a pillow. Potter gave an intriguing performance style, unforced and unusual; at times he fluttered his palms like a bird in flight.

You could drift away into Paris Youth Foundation’s music. They produce a lot of arm-wavers, of which ‘London’ is probably the strongest. Even the most enthusiastic moshers of the crowd took a moment to sway in the sentiment. ‘London’ is an earnest love song. Hearing it feels like looking into the stars and searching for a lover’s face.

Potter made a start singing ‘Losing Your Love’, but barely uttered a syllable of the first verse. He didn’t need to – the crowd sang it on his behalf. With every chorus the front of the crowd crashed into a mosh pit (I mentioned that the gig was open to ages 14+ and the enthusiasm the younger crowd had for moshing was unbelievable. I never would’ve thought I’d see so many mosh pits outside of the metalcore scene). They finished off with ‘Missing the Mark’, featuring girls towering on their friends’ shoulders and even a spot of crowdsurfing.

Finally, it was time for Riscas. They strolled onto stage to the sound of lazy guitar and deafening applause, then sailed into ‘Talk Your Mind’. They bopped around the stage during the intro, and flew into the first verse with legs made of springs. Riscas have a layered sound that never stops for breath, and cruises like a cyclist in the summer.

George Maycock (vocals, guitar) worked the crowd into a frenzy – “Come on, come on, come on!” By the time they reached ‘Right Kinda Day’, the crowd was bursting with excitement like cola bubbles; what better mood to introduce their most popular song? ‘Panic Like Tom’ was their debut single, and had a big ol’ heap of success. It really is a work of brilliance. Listening to it makes me feel stretched across time.

Riscas ended their set with ’10:42’. Flashing lights let you know, in case you didn’t already, that this was A PARTAY! A horde of fans clambered onto stage and lived their best lives. The band released huge sliding riffs, building the biggest noise of the night; this was Riscas’ largest hometown gig so far, and those boys did Birmingham proud.

Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18 / Paul Reynolds

For more on Riscas, visit www.riscasofficial.com

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Paris Youth Foundation – supporting Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18 / Paul Reynolds

For more on Paris Youth Foundation, visit www.parisyouthfoundation.com

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Candid – supporting Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18 / Paul Reynolds

For more on Candid, visit www.facebook.com/candidcoventry

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The Clause – supporting Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18 / Paul Reynolds

For more on The Clause, visit www.soundcloud.com/theclause

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Wolfgang Harte – supporting Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18 / Paul Reynolds

For more from Hey Honey, visit www.facebook.com/HeyHoneyUK

For more from Sonic Gun, including further event listings, visit www.facebook.com/sonicgunconcerts

For more on The Castle & Falcon, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.castleandfalcon.com

May 9, 2018May 9, 2018

BPREVIEW: Riscas @ The Castle & Falcon 12.05.18

Words by Ed King

On Saturday 12^th May, Riscas headline at The Castle & Falcon – with support from Paris Youth Foundation, Candid and The Clause.

Doors open for The Castle & Falcon’s music venue from 7pm (the front bar is open for normal trading hours) with tickets priced at £7 (adv) plus booking fee – as presented by Hey Honey and Sonic Gun. Minimum age of entry is 14 years old, with all under 16s needing adult accompaniment. For direct gig information, including venue details and links to online ticket sales, click here.

**At the time of writing, there were only a few tickets remaining for Riscas at The Castle & Falcon on Saturday 12^th May. We predict a sell out, if indeed it hasn’t by the time we press ‘PUBLISH’. So you should get your ticket wriggle on if you want a place in this room**

Billed as their ‘biggest hometown show to date’, Riscas are back in Brum for another sell out gig after packing out venues across the UK. And why not? The endlessly bouncy punk-pop-indie-rock from this Birmingham four piece has been steadily grabbing the ears and attentions of audiences throughout the country, and dare say beyond.

A firm fixture on most crystal ball listicles, and being rubber stamped by BBC Introducing just over a year ago, Riscas have been surfing across the ‘ones to watch’ waters of the UK’s new music scene and working the live circuit like a Bob Dylan backing band. Seems to be paying off for them too.

Riscas’ debut single, ‘Panic Like Tom’, got ranked at No4 on the Spotify UK Viral Charts in March 2017, amassing a more than healthy 7 figure stream count in the year of its release. The band went on to be picked up by BBC Introducing and Radio 1 – being selected as the latter’s Intro Artist of the Week in March 2017 – before heading across the UK for sell out shows in Manchester, Birmingham and London.

Throw in a few festival slots, including Wytchwood and Live at Leeds, and that’s the story of how four spritely lads from The Midlands picked up some instruments and set out for stardom… another chapter before lights out? Rest your eyes then, on Saturday night I’ll tell you what happens when Riscas find themselves at The Castle & Falcon.

‘Talk Your Mind’ – Riscas

Riscas headline at The Castle & Falcon on Saturday 12^th May, with support from Paris Youth Foundation, Candid and The Clause – as presented by Hey Honey and Sonic Gun. For direct gig information, including venue details and links to online ticket sales, visit www.castleandfalcon.com/event/riscas-paris-youth-foundation-candid-clause

For more on Riscas, visit www.riscasofficial.com

For more on Paris Youth Foundation, visit www.parisyouthfoundation.com

For more on Candid, visit www.facebook.com/candidcoventry

For more on The Clause, visit www.soundcloud.com/theclause

For more from Hey Honey, visit www.facebook.com/HeyHoneyUK

For more from Sonic Gun, including further event listings, visit www.facebook.com/sonicgunconcerts

For more on The Castle & Falcon, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.castleandfalcon.com

December 31, 2017December 30, 2017

THE GALLERY: The Sunset Beach Hut @ Mama Roux’s 21.12.17

Words & pics by Aatish Ramchurn

There’s something of a relaxed atmosphere on this mild, winter solstice night in Birmingham, which sets the tone for my final visit of 2017 to Mama Roux’s.

In the past year I have become well acquainted with this homely, decorated venue, and experienced a variety of gigs here. Some were sold out and I could barely move; with others I had more freedom to roam around.

Tonight’s gig is the latter. So much so, I believe it is quietest I have ever seen Mama Roux’s. You’d have thought that a headline gig from Shrewsbury’s The Sunset Beach Hut with some local luminaries in support – as presented by Sonic Gun Concerts – would be a little more full of festive cheer. But I guess you can’t expect too much of a crowd for a line up of emerging bands, especially with Christmas Day just around the corner. It seems each act tonight has rely on the support of their friends and family.

Kicking off proceedings are Miss World, an acoustic duo that make some of us feel a little nostalgic with their stripped-down covers of 90s pop and RnB songs, along with a couple of Christmas songs because, why not? It’s Christmas after all. They’re an extremely talented duo and could well be one to watch out for – especially if they start producing more of their own material, something I’m sure Miss World are more than capable of.

With just a small amount of people watching Miss World, I have a virtually empty floor to roam around and take photos on, that is until Junior Weeb appear on stage. A recorded audio track of ‘Tony the Tiger’ introduces the band with many of their fans and friends now filling up the floor. This leaves me doing my usual crouching at the front, but the floor isn’t so busy that I have worry about me being in anybody’s way, and neither is anyone really in mine. I think crouching at the front of stage is something I’m so accustomed to it’s become of a photographic habit.

I remember seeing Junior Weeb over a year ago at The Rainbow, supporting Muncie Girls. Back then their style was a little more shoegaze, but they are a different band tonight. Much more of their set is filled with funky numbers and groovy baselines, so it is virtually impossible not to dance.

But as Junior Weeb leave the stage, so does their audience. The venue is now virtually empty again and I’m wondering what’s left for Quinn when they show up next. Turns out, they have their very own audience too. I’m not even sure where some of these people were before; I’ve been here almost two hours, and throughout that time I’ve not seen any of these faces. Maybe Quinn’s frontman, Sam Lambeth, made them magically appear somehow.

Quinn’s sound is very reminiscent of early 90s indie, with Lambeth vibrant on stage. After performing tracks from their debut EP, Seems Fine, Quinn end their set keeping to Christmas tradition with a cover of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas Time’.

As with Junior Weeb earlier, Quinn’s audience exit the room as the band do – leaving a barely there audience for The Sunset Beach Hut to perform in front of. I admire the headliner’s spirit to still play with passion, despite the lack of people, especially after having to travel from Shrewsbury.

It’s a shame that people don’t stick around to check out other bands who aren’t their friends, but such is the way, I guess. Although, an emptier floor does mean easier pictures for me to take.

Overall, it was great to see The Sunset Beach Hut tonight – performing alongside other young, talented acts emerging from the West Midlands. I hope they all gain more support as they and grow in 2018.

The Sunset Beach Hut @ Mama Roux’s 21.12.17 / Aatish Ramchurn – Birmingham Review

For more on The Sunset Beach Hut, visit www.thesunsetbeachhut.wixsite.com/sunsetbeachhut

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Quinn – supporting The Sunset Beach Hut @ Mama Roux’s 21.12.17 / Aatish Ramchurn – Birmingham Review

For more on Quinn, visit www.soundcloud.com/quinn

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Junior Weeb – supporting The Sunset Beach Hut @ Mama Roux’s 21.12.17 / Aatish Ramchurn – Birmingham Review

For more on Junior Weeb, visit www.soundcloud.com/juniorweeb

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Miss World – supporting The Sunset Beach Hut @ Mama Roux’s 21.12.17 / Aatish Ramchurn – Birmingham Review

For more on Miss World, visit www.facebook.com/misswworldband

For more from Sonic Gun Concerts, visit www.facebook.com/sonicgunconcerts

For more from Mama Roux’s, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.facebook.com/mamarouxs

December 20, 2017

BPREVIEW: The Sunset Beach Hut @ Mama Roux’s 21.12.17

Words by Aatish Ramchurn

On Thursday 21st December, Sonic Gun Concerts present indie/pop act The Sunset Beach Hut at Mama Roux’s in Digbeth, with support from Quinn, Junior Weeb and Miss World. Doors open from 7pm, with tickets priced at £6.60 (inc bf) – for direct gig info and links to online ticket sales, click here.

Sonic Gun Concerts showcase their penultimate gig of 2017 with The Sunset Beach Hut headlining an evening of emerging talent within the West Midlands indie/alternative scene.

Starting the evening will be acoustic duo, Miss World. Having made their online debut in September this year Miss World are the night’s new kids on the block, albeit one who have already had a headline performance at the O2 Institute in October. With the promise of a mix of their own material and “classic bangers”, it will be interesting to see what has so quickly captured the interest of local promoters.

Next up are Junior Weeb, an indie/alternative quartet from Droitwich who have previously shared stages with Muncie Girls and The Americas, as well as being part of the line up at this year’s Worcester Music Festival. Junior Weeb were also in Baddies Boogie Top 20 Tracks of 2016, playing as the headlining act for the local indie promoter’s 2nd Magic Garden Records Night at the O2 Institute 3. So, a busy 18 months then. And with the promise of new material being recorded, Junior Weeb are likely to have a few fresh songs to add into their now seasoned set and should be an exciting addition to the lineup.

Described in our Birmingham Review of their September gig with Semantics as looking ‘like a fresher’s party at five in the morning’ but ‘with languid melodies disguised by fast paced distortion and an unashamed rock outlook on life’, the main support comes from Quinn – who will performing tracks from their debut EP, Seems Fine. Gaining acclaim with their ‘superstar in the making’ frontman Sam Lambeth, Quinn are band that offer a show that ‘sparkles from head to toe’ so let’s see how they shine on 21^st December.

Having spent 2017 billed in The Catapult Club lineups, and supporting La Dharma at The Flapper in August, Benjamin Thomas, Aphra Smith and Matty George – otherwise known as The Sunset Beach Hut – are our headliners, with their unique blend of lo-fi, indie/pop.

It’s been a steady year for the Shrewsbury based trio, focusing on new material and recording with a few performances keeping their live set polished – a move that seems to be paying off as the band move from support to headliner, as well as recently having BBC Introducing airplay.

The Sunset Beach Hut come across as a band that are dedicated but cautious and it will be interesting to see how much they ‘let go’ in a live setting. Although, personally, I’m also hoping to establish if their name is a reference to the surreal 90’s US soap opera. Guess we’ll find out at Mama Roux’s.

On Thursday 21st December, Sonic Gun Concerts present The Sunset Beach Hut at Mama Roux – with support from Miss World, Junior Weeb, Quinn. For direct event info and links to online ticket sales, click here.

For more from The Sunset Beach Hut, visit www.thesunsetbeachhut.wixsite.com/sunsetbeachhut

For more from Quinn, visit www.facebook.com/quinnrocks

For more from Junior Weeb, visit www.soundcloud.com/juniorweeb

For more from Miss World, visit www.facebook.com/misswworldband

For more on Mama Roux’s, venue details and further event listings, visit www.facebook.com/mamarouxs

For more from Sonic Gun Concerts, visit www.facebook.com/sonicgunconcerts