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Birmingham music

stuurt [Edit] [Delete] 49 replies 09:48 February 4th, 2010

Hello, I recently had cause to make the switch back to Birmingham for a bit and the music scene has been flourishing somewhat in my absence. As usual though, nobody seems to have got organised enough to point this out, so I thought I would.

Yes, this is a kind of JAG for my blog, but it's just a gateway for multiple bands and there's actually some really good stuff that should appeal to DiSers so please give it a look.

January Round-Up
---------------------------

BAND INTERVIEWS WITH:
OST
Tantrums
Kidnapper Bell
Benjamin Blower
The Arcadian Kicks
Ace Bushy Striptease
Goodnight Lenin

PROMOTER FOCUS PIECES ON:
Only After Dark
M4TP

FEATURES:
Blue Whale Recording Studios

http://www.scenenotheard.co.uk

---------------------------

Also, anyone in contact with JDTraynor? He seems to have disappeared offline since August.

Thanks folks x

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  • I haven't heard of any of them and I've lived here for years.

    Birmingham seems shit really. Full of NME style indie bands pretty much whne I've taken a chance on anything unknown. The glory days of Deadsunrising and mistress are gone!

    Everyone comes and see's their mates band and fucks off. The best attendance we've had lately was from Birmingham Uni Rock society of all placs. Bloody students!

    You could add though:

    Stinky wizzleteat
    Mills & Boon
    Mothertrucker
    Calvados Beam Trio
    The Hubble Constant
    Das bastard

    to name a few....

    moff | 4 Feb '10, 13:33 | X | ^ This | Reply

    • ^this to the 2nd bit

      Gigs always seem to be full of just students and the bands' friends. Also nobody who isn't in a band themselves seems to be at all aware of any local bands.

      froglet @moff | 4 Feb '10, 16:32 | X | ^ This | Reply

    • DSR

      I was in deadsunrising! (Hence my username) Who are you my good man?

      dsrBaker @moff | 5 Feb '10, 08:17 | X | ^ This | Reply

      • That

        was to moff

        dsrBaker @dsrBaker | 5 Feb '10, 08:18 | X | ^ This | Reply

        • YOU are the good man!

          haha, I am Tom. Play bass in Mothertrucker....go to a fair amount of gigs....who are you and do I know you!? What did you do in them!?

          moff @dsrBaker | 5 Feb '10, 10:04 | X | ^ This | Reply

          • Ah

            I am Daz Baker, I played lead for them for a while. I joined just before Duncan left and were with them until the end about two years later. I've known all those boys for years. I was in Solway Fifth with Labran and Nathan. We never crossed paths to be honest Tom but I've heard nothing but good things about your band. I do my D. Louis Baker stuff nowadays but I'm not very active as I'm settled down with a family now and spend more time looking after my little boy than playing my instruments...something I'd like to find more time for in the not too distant future.

            dsrBaker @moff | 5 Feb '10, 12:01 | X | ^ This | Reply

            • I see I see,

              No, I don't think we have crossed paths - although I think I know your face (ha!). I'll have a look out for you playing - put it up here if you do I'd like to see.

              Perhaps youc an help also.....Nathan promised me for years a 'lost' DSR recording I believe you had ready before you split? I really want it!!! I got the split both your bands did (which is ace by the way) but would be well chuffed to get hold of that.......don't suppose you have it?!!

              I'm glad you've only heard good stuff about the trucker also.cheers man!

              moff @dsrBaker | 9 Feb '10, 12:56 | X | ^ This | Reply

  • Where have you been if you've not heard of any of them??

    OST and Tantrums are both great (OST especially) and seem to be constantly gigging in and around Brum! I'd add the Dead Fish to the good list as well.

    I do agree that a lot of Brum gigs have the 'just-there-to-see-a-mates-band-then-fuck-off' problem, but I think that's a wider problem than Brum itself.

    DaveMK | 4 Feb '10, 13:41 | X | ^ This | Reply

  • I dunno,

    I go to a fair amount of gigs also so it's suprising. I;ll look into them though. I guess it's just the type of show that get me through the door means I may have missed them. Like the Paint it Black show last October was massively rammed, and I thought it would be dead. Burning Love had a reasonable turnout also which suprised me. Even the Capsule shows get a wide variety of attendences which is suprising as they are mostly bigish bands they put on.

    The 'scene' just seems massively fractured, more so than it was 10 years ago or so.

    moff | 4 Feb '10, 14:24 | X | ^ This | Reply

    • Judging by your recommendations

      the reason you might not know them is they're part of a different 'micro-scene' - they're all Capsule type bands really, aren't they? There's loads of other types of music going on elsewhere. The whole fragmented scene thing is one of the problems Brum has at the moment, and one of the reasons for the blog.

      stuurt @moff | 4 Feb '10, 16:14 | X | ^ This | Reply

      • Most of them cropped up beforehand, and only play rarely for capsule,

        if at all. I only went to 2 capsule shows last year and with the exception of Calvados new these bands aside from Capsule. But yea, I see your point. I wasn't having a pop either, it's a good thing the blog and good to see. It's just quite shit here considering it's the 2nd city an all. And as I said, last time I made a real good effort with bands around here they were just awful. Dire dire indie.

        moff @stuurt | 4 Feb '10, 17:03 | X | ^ This | Reply

        • yeah, no offence taken

          I agree there was definitely far too much rubbish dadrock type indie about when I left a couple of years back, and I imagine there's still is a fair batch, but as I say there seems to be a lot of good acts coming through just now that are in danger of being lost simply because of the scene (or lack thereof).

          stuurt @moff | 5 Feb '10, 11:29 | X | ^ This | Reply

        • Where

          would you place Birmingham in comparison to other cities in the UK? To an outsider it seems as if there isn't much happening in Birmingham besides the Capsule events. Most smaller cities like Nottingham, Leeds, Sheffield, etc, seem more interesting. Obviously Manchester and Glasgow are larger indie/underground 'centres'. Is Birm too close, geographically and culturally, to London?

          Helen_Fordsdale @moff | 10 Feb '10, 05:53 | X | ^ This | Reply

  • I put Ace Bushy Striptease on opening in Leicester in December

    and one person had turned up by the end of their set. (They are great, though)

    simon_t | 4 Feb '10, 16:49 | X | ^ This | Reply

  • This seems a relevant place to post this;

    if anyone wants cheap tickets to Fanfarlo, besnard lakes or kissaway trail, all in Birmingham in the next few weeks, we are doing the support slots for all three and have cost price tickets..

    In terms of the general discussion, i would argue that venues are the biggest problem. You need a good central venue that people enjoy being, and staying, in... and may even go to regardless of who is playing. This is absent, which is a shame as there are plenty of people doing good work for little gain in and around the city.

    MrBones | 5 Feb '10, 09:15 | X | ^ This | Reply

    • Manchester

      arguably (finally) has somewhere like that with the Deaf Institute, I'm more inclined to get to a gig early enough to see any unknown support bands if its taking place there. A pleasant environment/good selection of drinks/convenient location makes a pretty significant difference! I'd never have much interest in hanging around much in most venues. Glasgow used to have a similar hub in the form of Nice n Sleazys.

      Helen_Fordsdale @MrBones | 10 Feb '10, 06:03 | X | ^ This | Reply

  • Johnny Foreigner

    Tonite at The Hare & Hounds

    midnightpunk | 5 Feb '10, 09:32 | X | ^ This | Reply
    froglet this'd this

  • Birmingham can be awesome! You just have to look out for whats going on

    I'm from and used to promote gigs around there, its just hard to get stuff promoted and listed in any centralized way so small promoters who are putting on decent stuff get overlooked by anyone except their mates. Capsule being an exception and a totally awesome one.

    The other exception is Colour who have been putting on loads of ace things - predominantly at the Victoria and in conjunction with the Ikon.

    They have a solo set and book reading from Willy Vlautin from Richmond Fontaine in feburary and ex-hood dudes the declining winter a few days later.

    http://wearecolour.com

    cups | 5 Feb '10, 12:19 | X | ^ This | Reply

  • Along with Capsule

    This is Tomorrow are doing great things, always guaranteed a great line up and normally cheap entry prices. Operating from the Victoria and Island Bar its a central as you can get really so no excuse with location.

    Mr_Bump | 5 Feb '10, 12:30 | X | ^ This | Reply
    cups, lustforlife, and froglet this'd this

  • No mention for ColdRice yet?

    Shame on you all.

    http://www.coldrice.com/

    TheWza | 5 Feb '10, 12:59 | X | ^ This | Reply

  • Coldrice rule!!

    ..Ans thanks for the kind words Mr_Bump...

    Worth keeping an eye out for Greg Sunset Cinema Clubs solo stuff..Sounds pretty exiting so far..

    http://www.myspace.com/flamingoflame

    I shud also plug the fact that tonight at The Vic we have..

    CALORIES
    WILLIAM
    YOUVES

    All playing for £2!

    X

    thisistomorrowuk | 5 Feb '10, 13:41 | X | ^ This | Reply
    lustforlife this'd this

  • My Tuppence

    There's lots of good stuff, and lots of crap stuff. In the last week I've seen Nancy Elizabeth, Tara Chinn, Johnny Foreigner, These New Puritans, James Summerfield, Falling and Laughing, and Cast and Crew to mention a few. Healthy audience numbers at all. A good mix of home-grown talent who mainly play Birmingham, home-grown talent on tour, and visitors on tour.

    I'd agree to a certain extent that audiences just turn up and see their mate's bands play and then leave. These people aren't into music, they are into supporting friends activities. They'd just as much go and watch their mates do a sponsored run. Being a bit perverse, I'll usually stick around and watch all the bands playing, even if I really don't like the sound of them.

    At the gigs where there aren't many people in, it might be because venues are keen to have live music on every night of the week to get people in their pubs, and the promoters running these nights are all putting on the same bands, and there aren't enough bands or audiences to go round them all. Did I say 'might be'?

    BenCalvert | 9 Feb '10, 12:31 | X | ^ This | Reply

  • Reiterating what's been said

    there is plenty of good stuff happening around Birmingham, Friday night for example you had Johnny Foreigner at the Hare and Hounds, at the Victoria This is Tomorrow with Youves, William and Calories. I can't speak for the jo fo gig (but I assume it was busy) but the this is tomorrow gig had a healthy turnout with some excellent performances (though had to miss calories to get my train home, boo). The Rainbow puts on plenty of great gigs and have been for a good while, the flapper has also seems to be doing some good shows, the japandroids/place to bury strangers gig I attended there was real busy. Band wise the bands who I was seeing play in Brum regularly over the last 4/5 years most have either split, or mutated into new bands, but there seems to be some decent bands coming through

    lustforlife | 9 Feb '10, 14:26 | X | ^ This | Reply

  • bit of a JAG

    But there is goodness happening at the Flapper next Tuesday (16th).
    Soni-Quella, These Monsters and Io. Lots of heavy, posty, mathy rock for ya'll!
    x

    chipmunkfancier | 10 Feb '10, 09:49 | X | ^ This | Reply

  • Hello again

    Bad news this month for anyone who didn't hear about it yet was that Blakfish - http://www.myspace.com/blakfish - had to call it a day. But there's still lots of other stuff worth checking up on, for instance...

    February Round-Up
    ---------------------------

    BAND INTERVIEWS WITH:
    Soni~Quella (super-talented proggy rock/metal types)
    Arc Vel (ambient organic electronics a la Four Tet)
    Jodi Ann Bickley (quirky, lovely spoken word)
    Drongos For Europe (Birmingham punk veterans)
    The Shalfonts (Anglo-Norwegian indie recording project)
    Jo Hamilton (dreamy folk & world influenced pop)

    PROMOTER FOCUS PIECES ON:
    Broken Amp (acoustic nights)
    The Lunar Society (Folk)

    OTHER FEATURES:
    Get a Grip merch printers
    Brumcast online radio
    The Dark Blue Boogaloo (Stourbridge promoters)
    Jimmy Lynch Recommends...FACE / NO HASSEL

    http://www.scenenotheard.co.uk

    ---------------------------

    By the way, I am paying attention to all of the recommendations on here and will hopefully be able to pick up on them over the next few months.

    stuurt | 6 Mar '10, 14:38 | X | ^ This | Reply

  • There seem to be quite a few good gigs on in Brum

    And it would be super convenient for me if trains left Moor Street London-bound at some time after 11pm. But the last train to my station leaves at 9:14pm. Which is pointless.

    Also - can someone explain to me why, when I was hanging around Birmingham City Centre last Friday evening between about 7 and 8:30 to kill some time before my train, it seemed virtually deserted, apart from a few police who seemed inordinately keen on chatting with young Asian males?

    andrewk | 6 Mar '10, 15:41 | X | ^ This | Reply
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