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Pinning down the sound of M83 (named after a spiral galaxy, Messier 83) is not an easy task. Mostly electronic, Anthony Gonzalez’ influences range from the epicness of Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine to the soundscapes of Sigur Ros and the Cocteau Twins. And yet, Gonzalez’ first musical hero, Jean Michel Jarre, is still very much apparent. |
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Tonight, out in a bitterly cold Birmingham, we should be in for a festive treat. In the lovely HMV Institute with a band who refuses to go away and have created their very own special independent path - Marillion as part of their handful of UK dates for their Christmas Tour 2011. |
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Take yourselves back to '92, when life, just maybe, was a little more carefree. We have all grown up since then, as part of life's journey - as have these guys - tonight in a rather chilly Christmassy Birmingham, we're here to tune into Evan Dando and The Lemonheads, playing 'It's A Shame About Ray' in its entirety. Plus lots more. |
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The NIA is possibly one of the worse venues to drive to, and given the pre-Christmas traffic slightly worse than normal. The nearby multi-story car-park is also inadequate for the size of the venue, but having located a space the charges are also custom made for punter rip-off. |
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Due to the ridiculously early start to the show, 6.30, I miss the majority of Steel Panther’s set; but then again I have been subjected to their spoof hair metal act on more than one occasion and do tend to get bored after a couple of songs. |
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Over the past few years Machine Head have clawed their way back into the realms of metal royalty, thanks mainly to the phenomenal 2007 album, The Blackening, which saw the band receive its first Grammy nomination. After 20 years together it seems the band are finally getting the recognition they deserve, and this arena tour sees them playing their biggest headlining gigs yet. |
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Having been hustled and bustled from one queue to the next outside the LG ARENA I arrived just in time to hear the last half of the Heart Wrenching Pixie Lott's opening rendition of ‘Mama Do’. |
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Band reformations and seminal album tours are a well rehearsed theme for reviews on Birmingham Live!. But there comes a time when a band cannot merely hang ten on a wave of nostalgia and have to come up with the goods in the form of some new material. The question is will new songs appeal to the stalwart fans and will they fit in with the old favourites? |
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Is post hardcore (for the tidy purposes of this review let’s make the sweeping generalisation that all of tonight’s band were/are post hardcore) the new jazz? I only ask ‘cos there was plenty of head nodding and beard stroking going on this evening and, like jazz, the music itself has a similar level of complexity that you either get or...well...don’t. |
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Tonight, the HMV Library seems at tipping point, for the arrival of Metronomy but it's first Hearts to grace the stage. |
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Peter Gene Hernandez (Bruno Mars) was in Birmingham at the o2 academy. The chart topping 25 year old wowed the audience with his catchy co-written hooks and funky choreography. Influenced by Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson yet incorporating reggae and Mo town in his music Bruno Mars offers a variety. |
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Arcadian Kicks’ opener ‘Your Blood’ had sonic slabs of monolithic splendour fusing in to psyche-shifting dreamscapes driven by brain-skewering keyboards. Meanwhile, guitarist, Thomas Halloway’s Sigour Ros-like volcanic effects, were joy to behold. |
