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

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 28th 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.

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

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

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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ELEANOR’S PICK: Taking Back Sunday at Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18

Taking Back Sunday / Monster Energy Main Stage

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

Having released their 7th 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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ELEANOR’S PICK: Astroid Boys at Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18Astroid 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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ELEANOR’S PICK: As It Is at Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18

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

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

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 28th 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

THE GALLERY: Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

 

 

 

Words by Steve Crawford / Pics by Denise Wilson

Kushikatsu Records promised an eclectic evening tonight and so it proves to be, with three very different and distinct acts taking the stage in the smaller room at the Hare and Hounds.

The first act of the evening is Exotic Pets, a lo-fi indie garage punk trio consisting of two guitarists, Dave and Adam, backed by drummer, Becky. Although only forming a year or so ago they have already supported the likes of Ghosts of Dead Airplanes and Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam. It’s always gratifying to see a decent array of effects pedals with the guitar combination of Fender Jaguar / Fender Telecaster: we’re clearly in good, solid, garage indie territory.

Exotic Pets have a bright, single-coil, post-punk, unfussy sound, but with enough licks and flourishes to keep things interesting. The band’s first song, ‘Carrion’, is musically an upbeat cheery number, but this jauntiness belies the lyrically dark subject matter which drummer Becky delights in telling the audience about afterwards. Exotic Pets – supporting Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham ReviewAs far can be ascertained, Liverpudlian drummer Becky is de facto leader of Exotic Pets, and her engaging banter with fellow bandmates and the audience gives us an insight into the band’s relationships and dynamics.

In stark contrast to Becky’s affable chattiness, Adam remains stoically silent, acknowledging the next track with just a thumbs up, with Becky declaring this as, “the most Yorkshire thing I’ve ever seen you do”. There are some Yorkshire vs. Lancashire dynamics going on.

Exotic Pets’ standout track is ‘Meteor’, with Adam’s vocals enhanced by delay effect on the microphone, giving it a slight Joe Meek edge. However, the biggest response from the night comes for ‘Hot Boys on Campus’ and at the time of writing this is the only Exotic Pets track available to purchase from Bandcamp for a mere £1, or more should you wish. Exotic Pets are the least polished act of the evening, at the moment at least, but it really doesn’t lessen their performance and it’s obvious that they already have a loyal following. An EP is due out next year and I look forward to more adventures in the lives of the band.Einstellung – supporting Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

In complete contrast to Exotic Pets are Einstellung, reportedly playing live for the first time in about two years. Despite the Germanic sounding name, Einstellung are a four piece from Birmingham formed around 2004. The band are very open about their influences – given the name, plus the fact that their tracks can hit upwards of 15 minutes and all have German titles, then krautrock is one of the more obvious ones. With its members also citing Black Sabbath, My Bloody Valentine and Spiritualized as some of their favourite bands, Einstellung occupies an altogether darker and heavier sound than krautrock bands like Neu!, creating a sound that has been self-described as ‘powerkraut’.

Tonight they produce huge slabs of powerkraut, as wave after wave pummels the audience. One tune leads into another with no gaps in between. Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham ReviewWell, virtually no gaps: there’s a point near the end of the set when the briefest of pauses allows the audience members to show their appreciation.Einstellung are a real force to witness in a venue like the Hare and Hounds.

You may think that lengthy instrumentals could get tedious and are something to be endured, but this is not the case at all. Einstellung (and it’s tempting here to now refer to the band as The Mighty Einstellung) are mesmerising live. Tracks start slowly and fairly quietly, with heavy riffs that repeat and build into something quite hypnotic, gathering pace until they can’t be contained, eventually erupting into frantic, unrestrained crescendos. The final tune sees the guitars being throttled into amps to produce wails of feedback. It’s possibly the reason why earplugs were being handed out on the door.

Chatting afterwards to Steve Hough from the band, he is asked why the two year gap between playing live? “We’re lazy, we’re getting older and we have careers”. All of which is fair enough. But he does admit just how it enjoyable it was to get back on stage again. We can but hope that all members of Einstellung enjoyed themselves equally as much, or at least enough to want play live again and soon.Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

There’s no setlist, apparently there never is, much to the disappointment of my setlist-stealing friend who had managed to nab Exotic Pets’ one earlier. My friend works his magic again with tonight’s headline act and duly obtains said setlist from the stage (after band has finished playing, of course). It’s a wonderful looking document, but given that it’s written in Japanese not particularly useful for reviewing purposes.

Headliners, Touch My Secret, are the second trio of the evening but an altogether different beast to Exotic Pets and, indeed, Einstellung. Labelled as ‘J-Rock’, Touch My Secret inhabit a more traditional power-rock territory compared to fellow compatriot J-rockers Mutant Monster, who they supported at the Hare and Hounds last year.

Touch My Secret are fronted by Anne on guitar and vocals, Chloe on bass, and Louie on drums. But it’s a lone Louie who emerges from the crowd to take up the sticks behind his kit and proceeds to kick things off with a quite magnificent drum solo, heralding the other two members on stage to complete the line-up.

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham ReviewFrom the start it’s clear that the trio are tremendously talented musicians. Louie’s drumming is outstanding; all drummer jokes are null and void after this opening solo and he doesn’t let up for the rest of the night. Similarly, Anne and Chloe fly around their respective fretboards note perfect with absolute precision. Anne is an exceptionally adept guitarist, with impressive chops that range from chugging power chords, dexterous solos and Eddie Van Halen-style tapping techniques along the neck. She also has the rock star moves down to a tee: foot-on-monitor poses and white Les Paul-style guitar held triumphantly aloft.

It is impressive how three people can make such an immense and powerful noise, but Touch My Secret can and do, yet making it seem so effortless. A few songs under their belts and Anne, apologising for her poor English, but in pretty much perfect English, addresses the audience, “Maybe you can’t understand Japanese lyrics. But fuck it.” She then proceeds to fire up yet another colossal J-rock monster of a tune. She’s right. Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham ReviewIt doesn’t matter that the lyrics are largely in Japanese and it doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of watching such a high calibre band. Halfway through their set, Touch My Secret do break into English with a fine cover of Hole’s ‘Celebrity Skin’, one of the few times most of the audience can sing along.

Two songs before the end, one of Louie’s snare drums is killed in action; his drumming is too much for the poor snare to take, as he proudly displays the battered and ripped instrument to the crowd. There’s a quick interlude as the snare is replaced and for the first time tonight Touch My Secret come off the accelerator to play a slower, more melodic number. The final song finishes and its cheers and applause all round from the crowd, which is reportedly the biggest audience the band has had so far on this tour.

Touch My Secret are a winner tonight in Birmingham. The city’s growing taste for all things Japanese, along with the influence of Kushikatsu Records, hopefully means that more bands from the Far East will grace midlands venues in the near future.

 

 

 

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

For more on Touch My Secret, visit www.touchmysecret.com

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Einstellung – supporting Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Einstellung – supporting Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Einstellung – supporting Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

For more on Einstellung, visit www.einstellung.bandcamp.com

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Exotic Pets – supporting Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Exotic Pets – supporting Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Exotic Pets – supporting Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

Exotic Pets – supporting Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17 / Denise Wilson – Birmingham Review

For more on Exotic Pets, visit www.ex0ticpets.bandcamp.com

For more on Kushikatsu Records, visit www.facebook.com/kushikatsurecords

For more from the Hare and Hounds, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk

BPREVIEW: Touch My Secret @ Hare and Hounds 06.12.17

Words by Steve Crawford / Pics courtesy of Ikon Gallery

 

On Wednesday 6th December, Kushikatsu Records in collaboration with Orion Live present Japanese power-pop, power-rock trio Touch My Secret at the Hare and Hounds, as part of their December 2017 UK tour. Last seen at the venue as support act to all girl J-Punk group Mutant Monster in November 2016, Touch My Secret now return as headliners in their own right with support from Einstellung and Exotic Pets.

Doors open at 7:30pm, with tickets priced at £11.00 +bf. For direct gig info, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.

Kushikatsu Records are a Birmingham based label whose frequent trips to Japan have been spent emerged in the Japanese music scene seeking out bands such as Touch My Secret which they promote in the UK to ever growing and appreciative audiences.

The opening act for the evening are Birmingham’s Exotic Pets – a lo-fi, indie, garage trio and no strangers to the Hare and Hounds (and other local venues) having this year supported the likes of Ghosts of Dead Aeroplanes, Soeur and Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam. Their current single ‘Hot Boys on Campus’ is available as a download from Bandcamp.

Following Exotic Pets will be another Birmingham band, Einstellung – formed as an “outlet for its members to blend their record collections”, and a fusion that inspired the creation of what the band have called ‘Powerkraut’ (a name they originally gave to their studio). Citing influences from Neu!, My Bloody Valentine and Black Sabbath, their first release was a 28 minute single entitled ‘Sleep Easy Mr Parker’ in 2006 and have since released three albums: Wings of Desire, The Rest Are Thunder , All and Nothing. Described live as ‘repetitive, hypnotic with a pulsing beat… that climbs towards a thunderous noise freak out’… it might get loud? “Big earplugs!” we’re told by the band in a recent post. You have been warned.

Our headliners for the evening, Touch My Secret formed less than 3 years ago and played their first gig on the 5th March 2015 at the Shibuya Take Off 7 in Tokyo. Since then, the band have recorded and toured across Japan, China and the UK – but also gained a fan base from as far afield as Russia, Mexico and Brazil. Touch My Secret’s  debut album, nil, was released less than a year after the band formed – followed by their sophomore mini album, GET YOUR WORLD, which came out in April of this year, featuring the theme from the smartphone game ‘God Eater Online’.

Fronted by vocalist/guitarist Anne, with Chloe on bass and Louie on drums (who’s surnames are kept curiously clandestine) the musically-tight trio play a driven and dynamic guitar based rock with fast but melodic rock-pop hooks and licks. Touch My Secret should prove to be a potent and formidable act to experience live.

‘Revenge’ – Touch My Secret

For more on Touch My Secret, visit www.touchmysecret.com

For more on Einstellung, visit www.einstellung.bandcamp.com

For more on Exotic Pets, visit www.ex0ticpets.bandcamp.com

For more on Kushikatsu Records, visit www.kushikatsurecords.com

For more from the Hare and Hounds, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk