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I'd never been to the Red Lion folk club before, although I had heard lots of good things about it. My first impressions were excellent -- nice friendly pub with the club on Saturday nights in the upstairs room. The support act for the evening was Jon Boden , it says something when the support act has just won Folksinger of the Year in the national Radio 2 Folk Awards! |
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With a mammoth seven-band bill meaning an opening time of 5PM, you’d have been forgiven for assuming the only people populating the Academy at such an hour would be a motley rabble of schoolkids and bums. So arriving just in time to catch opening act Ingested take to the stage, I was taken aback to find that I’d be forced to take the de rigueur position for over-thirties (a group of which I’m not officially part of, but the average age of the audience dictated that I was part of the ‘elderly’ ten percent of the crowd) at the back of the venue, through necessity rather than choice given the surprising amount of people eagerly crammed into the front half. |
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The Hare & Hounds was packed out. Before the gig started the bars were full to the brim, with all tickets for tonight’s show sold out and a mad rush was on to get one of the ten or so tickets kept back for the door. Baroness have been gathering momentum and sizable column inches recently, and this jam-packed turnout was testament to their ascendancy. |
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When I first reached my seat in the NIA to see The Bootleg Beatles, I looked around and wondered whether I was at a pop concert or a night at the bingo. I was by far the youngest person in the audience and I looked around to see a brigade of elderly fans, all of whom seemed to be tucking into their individual dinner trays. This made me wonder about the night which lay in store, as I modestly consider myself to be the biggest Beatles fan in the world, I was unsure whether to expect a faithful rendition or a cheap parody, would it be a hollow spectacle or a true tribute to the greatness of the Beatles? |
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I must admit that since Birmingham promoter Carlo Salazzo has been putting on bands at The Hare And Hounds, the quality of its live music has improved dramatically. This is evident in tonight’s opening act, Brooklyn duo, Black Gold. |
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Wolverhampton born and bred Beverley Knight played at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham to a local audience. I had never seen Beverley perform before, nor really listened to any of her music, so, along with the two support acts, this was going to be an experience. Fear not, I am not one to shy away from anything new! |
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Tonight the Flapper plays host to a raucous threesome - we're denied the possibility of an awesome foursome due to first band, The James Cleaver Quintet filling their diesel car with petrol - there's no foreplay, instead its straight down to the hardcore action wth Outcry Collective. |
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It’s a bitterly cold night outside the Birmingham O2 Academy, and for a lucky few, this is the second time seeing Biffy Clyro in a few hours. The band played an acoustic set at HMV in the city centre at 5pm and the paper wristbands given to the 300 hardcore fans who queued all day to get them are now worn in the line snaking along the front of the venue like a badge of honour. |
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I must confess to going to see Andrea Bocelli with zero preconceptions. I knew he was an opera singer of international standing but was otherwise ignorant of his works. I didn't even realise he was blind until reading the program. I did, however, know he was incredibly popular by dint of his filling the National Indoor Arena to its 10,000 capacity with not inexpensive tickets so it was fair to say everyone else in the building knew his work intimately. |
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Canterbury started the evening off. They are a 5 piece British band, with dual lead vocals being provided from the guitarist and keyboard player. The guys had a very similar sound to the headliners Billy Talent. |
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Walking through the doors of the Wulfrun I heard Malefice kick off with their opening song a little ahead of the scheduled start time posted on the internet. I was eager to catch the whole set as I had been mightily impressed with them at another gig earlier in the year…..and I am glad to say they did not disappoint this evening. |
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It might be dull and dreary outside the Birmingham O2 Academy but a slice of Texan sunshine is here to warm everyone up in the shape of the Bowling For Soup “Party in your Pants Tour 2009”. |
