|
There’s something big happening at the Academy tonight. Not every gig would you expect to see three identical Austrian registered double-decker tour buses, two identical Swiss registered container trucks and a cherry picker parked at the rear of the venue. Anyone would have thought there was an American Idol performing… |
|
Paint in your mind’s eye a late Monday night in Digbeth where, above the Custard Factory, appears the dazzling ‘Birmingham Live’ website logo laser projected on to low scurrying clouds. Message urgent: reviewer needed for The Imagined Village at the Town Hall this Thursday. Now, Watson, pay close attention. From this message we can begin to construct a working hypothesis. We know, do we not, that the gig being at said Town Hall, by its very nature, will be imbued with some cultural cache? |
|
Given the strength of the lineup this year, the Taste of Chaos is particularly tasty; four top quality bands playing a fantastic selection of metal – what more could you ask for? |
|
If an artist is going to tour why co-headline? As excellent as both these gentlemen and their support were on the night it still leaves the questions of why? and what for? If the idea tonight was to give two sets of musicians' fans just a taster of the others output then it was objective achieved because it felt as if we didn't get enough of either Ian Broudie or James Walsh in the end. |
|
Jeff Beck seems quite laid back and unassuming for a guitar god, but despite this and against the wealth of talent in his band, he cuts an imposing figure and you know that this is his show. Even the stage lay out seemed to emphasise this with bass drums and keyboards laid out in a rhythm section format very much to the right of the stage leaving a wide open space for the guitarist to exploit. |
|
The fifth date on Fightstar's tour for their new album, Be Human, tonight the Academy 2 is sold out and it shows. There are people spilling across the merch area and the top bar, turning the top floor of the venue into a sweatbox and one wonders why the band isn't playing downstairs in the bigger room. When the pit opens it eats any remaining space quicker than an illicit midnight supper disappears at fat camp, shoving people out into the surrounds. |
|
You can't argue the fact that the Give It A Name tours certainly give new bands some much-needed exposure, and bring some different experiences to the audience. Tonight's lineup - VersaEmerge, Lights, Whole Wheat Bread and In This Moment - couldn't be more diverse, which as far as I'm concerned can only be a good thing. |
|
Sanctorum started tonight’s metal bash off with some hard-hitting roaring thrash. For an opening act they got a really good reception from the crowd. There were a lot of heads nodding and impressed faces, and the occasional two-man mosh pit throughout their fast paced performance. Their intricate guitar solos were impressive and the vocal roars were cutting. |
|
I can’t help but wonder what it’s like to go from playing to the Hollywood elite at the Oscars to a bunch of rowdy Brummies at the 02 Academy in Birmingham? My guess is that the latter is more enjoyable. There’s no question that John Legend is a music heavy-weight. He’s a platinum selling artist, weighed down with celebrity friends and a six time Grammy award winner. It’s no wonder the gig was a sell out, he could probably have packed out the NEC, but the choice of venue was a definite bonus for his fans who got to see the soul star in a more intimate location. |
|
The support act for tonight's gig is a local band called The Toy Hearts. They are essentially a family band who play a mixture of Bluegrass and Swing, and have a monthly residency at The Kitchen Garden Cafe in King's Heath. It isn't often that I enjoy a support act, but this is one of those rare events... |
|
The great thing about an Emma Scott presents gig is that your more than likely to have a good night's entertainment. This was certainly the case as I attended the Academy 2 to see Innerpartysystem. Unfortunately I arrived slightly late so I missed the first few songs of opening band My Passion. But what I did see was Day of The Bees - by this time the following fans were moshing at the front frantically as singer Laurence Rene stalked his was way across the stage with his post new romantic look. Next song Hot In The Dolls House, followed by Thanks For Nothing. The music is full of energy and gets the feet moving and the adrenaline running nearly as fast as the eyeliner, as the band close with Never Everland. My only regret about My Passion is that I missed the first 3 songs because I’m pretty sure they will be someone else’s passion as well. |
|
In Case Of Fire played a short but sweet set, kick starting the night with their heavy rock. While they were a little lacking in energy, the power of the three-piece really shone through, the single guitar cutting through the mix in a way that the later bands really needed. While the songs are little formulaic the short set meant that there was nothing that could really displease. I get the feeling that next time they play in Birmingham a lot more people will know the words. Perhaps in a year or so these guys will be huge, but for now you can tell their a new band. |
