I got the chance to chat with Alan Day from Four Year Strong before their sell-out show at the HMV Institute, we talked about the new album, touring and the fact that he’s not ashamed for people to know he loves Coldplay!

How’s it going?

It’s going good.

You had time to explore much of Birmingham today?

I went to that huge mall, it was big and the Ben Sherman store was going out of business so everything was on sale. I got some real good bargains.

Its your second show in the UK tonight, how did it go in Brighton last night?

It went great, it was our first time headlining in Brighton I’m pretty sure or at least in a very long time and it was amazing. Tonnes of kids and just people going crazy. I’ve heard that it’s hard to get kids to move around in Brighton but they were definitely moving around. It was a great show, definitely a great way to kick off the tour.

What are your favourite things about touring in the UK?

The shows are just amazing, the fans here are just so dedicated and they appreciate so much or seem to appreciate so much bands coming over here. It’s so much different then America, because bands are touring so often in America people take that for granted and they don’t always go to shows. There like ‘Oh, I’ll see them next time they’re around’ or ‘I saw them 2 months ago’ so when bands come here I feel like kids really appreciate it and kids come to the shows and go wild.

I saw you at Hevy last year, was that fun playing a headline show?

That was actually one of the funnest shows we’ve ever played because we were so, so tired. We hadn’t slept in like 45 hours because of flying, it was just crazy and we were so delusional from being so tired that we played really terribly but we had so much fun. The only reason it sucked was because we were so tired we had to be in the venue all day until we played which was at 9 o’clock at night.

Did you get to check out any bands?

Not all that many because we were trying to take naps in the dressing room because we were so tired and we had a lot of interviews and photo shoots to get through, it was a really busy day. But I walked around to catch a few bands when I could.

It was announced recently that you’re going to be supporting Blink-182 when they come over here in June, are you excited about that?

We are so excited about that, we’re playing here I think? The only 2 places we’re playing are Birmingham and London but it’s going to be amazing. We were supposed to do it with them last fall and it got postponed and now it’s a bummer because we would have been able to do the whole thing then, now we can only do 2 shows. That’s just cross that off the bucket list, play a show with Blink-182, play a show at the O2 Arena in London; it’s going to be amazing.

I imagine it could be quite nerve-wracking; do you get nervous before shows?

Not really, I get excited, I get anxious, I don’t think nervous is the word. I’m always really excited to go out and play.

Your latest album was a change in direction for you and divided a lot of fans, was the reaction something you expected?

In a way yes but I think more than anything we were ready for it. I think we expected it and if it were to happen we had braced ourselves. We knew we were doing something a little bit different but the thing is when we were making it we were keeping our fans in mind so much. Everything we were trying to do that was different we tried to keep our fans in mind and do it in a way that they would get or that they would like. So, it could have been worse! We tried to keep all the elements that we thought people really latched on to like the energy and the heaviness, all the elements we kind of carried along but showed them in a different light.

Have you started writing any new material or are just concentrating touring this album?

Yeah we are just going to tour, we haven’t started writing but we want to soon.

Your touring schedule is looking pretty heavy for the next couple of months, is it hard to balance home life and band life?

I’m so used to it I wouldn’t say it was hard but its definitely a bummer sometimes when you just want to be home. For instance I just moved into a new place a couple of months a go with my girlfriend and we moved into the apartment, 2 days after I left for tour. So she lived in the place by herself for a month and a half before I even lived there, so I was paying rent on this place I wasn’t even living there. It gets tough sometimes.

What are your favourite songs to play live off the new record?

The only ones we’ve played off the new record are ‘Stuck in the Middle’, ‘Just Drive’, ‘Sweet Kerosene’ and ‘Heaven Wasn’t Built to Hold Me’. I think out of them ‘Stuck in the Middle’, the kids seem to react really well to it.

Do you still like playing the older stuff?

I have fun doing everything we do, I mean if we were to play an old song and the crowd would not care about it then maybe I’d get bored but playing old songs and fans just explode with energy its all worth it.

There are quite a lot of band members in other bands that have side projects is something that any of you would consider doing?

Not really, I think it would be cool to do at some point. There are so many different types of music that I love other than what we do; I’m big into folk stuff and bluegrass so that’d be cool.

Do you think you’ll ever do another cover album like Explains it All?

There hasn’t been talk of it because when we did it didn’t really go over all that well and everyone wanted new, original material. We had a lot of fun doing it but I think we got that out of our system, I don’t think we need to do it but it was fun so I would do it again.

What were the highlights of 2011 for FYS?

Releasing our new record, a lot of that year was spent making the record, it was an amazing experience, we had so much fun and we learnt a lot.

What are your plans for 2012?

The band I’m really into right now is Balance and Composure, so good! We just did a few shows with them over the holidays and they are so good live and their new record is so good!

What were your favourite albums from last year?

Of last year? I don’t know, Mumford and Sons, I guess that was more 2010 but I love that band. Bon Iver is my favourite band of all time like 100%. I’ve seen him play 3 or 4 times, a couple of times to not that many people at all and then once in front of 2500 people, he’s kind of blown up now. It’s one of the best bands I’ve ever seen live, incredible and I just love that band.

Do you get the chance to go to any shows?

For a while I didn’t but I try to get to shows as often as I can, it just always ends up that I’m not home. I’m a huge Coldplay fan; like love them, they were playing in Boston but we were on tour. Same thing with the Foo Fighters, they’ll be playing in Boston and we’ll be on tour. I try to check out lots of things, I went to this cool bluegrass show last time I was at home over the holidays. That was a cool intimate show.

With the economy in a really bad way has that had an effect on the band?

There a lot of things that affect the band financially and I’m sure that’s one of them but I think the biggest one is that the music industry as a whole is collapsing because of illegal downloading and all that. No one buys records! Like when Lars from Metallica first tried to sue Napster back in the day everyone thought he was being greedy because people were downloading music and he saw it as stealing from him. At the time it was seen as greedy because he was already a millionaire but at this point in time its got so bad, its not even about making that extra million dollars its about making any money at all.
Even the record companies are collapsing because they have no money. I don’t know whether I support SOPA, I’m not in support of it but I’m in support of the idea of cracking down on illegal downloading because there’s got to be way to stop it. I know really there isn’t, for anyone that goes on the Internet there’s always going to be a hacker that’s twice as good and that’s going to find a new format of downloading. There’s got to be a way of cracking down on it in a more specific way, the problem with SOPA is that its so vague, its so broad, intellectual property theft but anything can be that such as sharing a picture on a blog. It’s too broad; hone that in to more specific things like just certain websites.
I am guilty of downloading because if its there you do it. There are no consequences, though I’m guilty of it if I wasn’t allowed to do it anymore, sure my life would be a little less convenient but I’d be more than willing to start paying for music again.

Do you think the rise of vinyl and records coming back will help?

It’s coming back in a big way but still doesn’t stop everyone downloading. I think the difference is the people that would have bought cd’s aren’t buying cd’s they’re buying the record because it’s more a collectors item. Your probably not even going to listen to it on a record player you’re going to put it on a shelf or hang it on your wall and download the record.

Thanks for Alan for taking the time to chat to Birmingham Live.

Hannah Sebestjanowicz

Tonight is an early start by most gig standards, the first band, Triggerfinger, take to the stage at 7.10 and having never heard of them before, impress. A three piece who remind me of Screaming Blue Messiahs, they play hard and fast and despite being suited and booted certainly crank out some powerful stuff. Due to the very early start they are playing to a near empty venue, which is a shame, but they have good tunes and are certainly worth another listen.

Next up are Clutch, and it’s clear there’s a number who have attended tonight just to see them. Clutch are difficult to describe, as they cover various genres, metal, blues, funk but they are awesome, and have an impressive set of riffs and songs, and in vocalist Neil Fallon they have an engaging frontman. I’ve since download their back catalogue and want to see them again. They even have their own separate merchandise stand selling everything from vinyl to hats!

The stage is cleared and at 9.15 we are asked “are you ready”, as the back curtain drops to reveal the ‘Thin Lizzy’ logo in LED’s. I’ve attended tonight with my brother, a Lizzy fan from back in the day, he last saw them at the Civic in 1976, and it’s good to see Scott Gorham and Brian Downey back on stage blasting out Lizzy hits. Obviously the untimely passing of Phil Lynott was a huge loss to music in general, not only Thin Lizzy, and tonight is testament to his writing as his songs truly stand the test of time.

Taking up vocals in the new line-up is Ricky Warwick, who I last saw in The Almighty, and I have to say he does a fantastic job. He’s a complete opposite to Phil, being loud, tattooed and dare I say brash at times, but it works, and the twin guitars is a unique sound of Thin Lizzy. The set features all the usual hits, but I have to admit my only disappointment is the lack of songs from the ‘Thunder and Lightning’ album, which was my first introduction to Thin Lizzy (previous attempts by my brother had fell on deaf ears).

The audience comprised largely of middle-aged folk, but those of a younger generation should check out Thin Lizzy. Yes the talisman may not be here in person, but his spirit lives on through glorious songs, and whilst they have a rock edge, the tenderness of “Still in love with you” is simply stunning.

A fantastic night, three great bands, one already legends and maybe another couple in the wings waiting.

Clutch setlist
Slow Hole To China
50 000 Unstoppable Watts
Struckdown
Cypress Grove
Mice & Gods
The Yeti
The Devil & Me
The Regulator
The Incomparable Mr.Flannery
Electric Worry

Thin Lizzy setlist
Are You Ready
Jailbreak
Bad Reputation
Don’t Believe A Word
Killer On The Loose
Dancing In The Moonlight
Massacre
Angel Of Death
Still In Love With You
Whiskey In The Jar
Sha La La
Suicide
Waiting For An Alibi
Cowboy Song
Boys Are Back In Town
Emerald
Rosalie
Black Rose

Review - Glenn Raybone
Photos - Katja Ogrin

Tonight’s show is sold-out, no surprise really when the line-up consists of Four Year Strong, pop-punk heroes A Loss For Words and Don Broco. On arrival to the venue I have a no crowd surfing flyer unceremoniously shoved into my hand and wondered if anyone would actually take any notice of it.

I only managed to catch the tail end of Don Broco’s set but what I heard was pretty impressive. Singer Rob has a serious set of lungs on him and his vocals were spot on. Don Broco for the first band on set the bar very high, inciting walls of death and circle pits which seemed to piss off the security staff as seconds after it had formed someone had run on stage and told Rob to get the crowd to stop! It was a very energetic and tight performance and warmed the crowd up nicely for the rest of the evening.

A Loss For Words are up next and their shiny pop-punk with its melodic hooks and slick vocals goes down well with the Birmingham crowd. They might not be as well known to some of the crowd as Don Broco but that didn’t stop the crowd moving. Lead singer Matty Arsenault with his back turned cap kept the energy up, bouncing around the stage and interacting with the crowd well. The highlight of the set though was when he shouted ‘Do you guys know the Jackson 5?’ as they headed in to an excellent cover of ‘I Want You Back’ with a pop-punk twist. That was definitely a song that every member of the crowd knew and they all sang along in unison, a great end to great set from the Boston boys.

With the crowd chanting for Four Year Strong the lights come up to reveal the four bearded members as they blast straight into the huge ‘What The Hell is a Gigawatt?’ From that moment on its safe to say that no attention was paid to the no crowd surfing requests as bodies fly over the barrier during the entire set! The dual vocal attack of Alan and the mighty man mountain that is Dan O’Connor is one reason why I love this band so much, their voices and styles just compliment each other so well. The band are relentless playing hit after hit including the huge ‘Tonight We Feel Alive (On a Saturday)’ with its massive chorus which the entire crowd sings along to and the bouncy ‘Prepare to Be Digitally Manipulated’ which has the crowd jumping up and down. It’s obvious tonight that the band is having as much fun on stage as the kids in the crowd.

I can’t complain about the set-list tonight, there’s a really good mix from all 3 albums and the songs off the new album sound great live and the fans know every word to the likes of ‘Sweet Kerosene’ and ‘Just Drive’. But as with every band its always the older favourites that everyone goes crazy for and that’s definitely the case tonight especially when their most well known hit ‘Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die’ gets played sending the crowd into a frenzy as they almost drown out the band with their singing and its huge breakdown which opens up a huge pit and more crowd surfers make their way over the barrier!

With chants for more FYS take to the stage for one last time playing ‘One Step at a Time’ and closing with the killer tune ‘Wasting Time (Eternal Summer)’ which is the perfect end to an amazing show and the crowd gives the four bearded heroes on stage the send off they deserve.

Like the new album or not you can’t deny that Four Year Strong are a formidable live act, this is the fourth time I’ve seen them and it was definitely the best show by far. The loss of Josh Lyford hasn’t affected them at all, the sheer energy on stage and the smiles plastered on their faces shows that being a four piece suits them just fine. If you think Four Year Strong have gone safe on their latest record then think again because they still kill it live.

Review - Hannah Sebestjanowicz
Photos - Steve Gerrard

Set List

What the Hell is a Gigawatt?
Stuck in the Middle
Tonight We Feel Alive (On a Saturday)
Prepare to Be Digitally Manipulated
Catastrophe
Heaven Wasn’t Built to Hold Me
Sweet Kerosene
Bada Bing! Wit’ a Pipe!
Enemy of the World
Maniac (R.O.D.)
Just Drive
It Must Really Suck to Be FourYear Strong Right Now
Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die
Encore:
One Step at a Time
Wasting Time (Eternal Summer)

I got the chance to catch up with Brian, guitarist for Death Metal types The Black Dahlia Murder prior to their headline show at the Birmingham Academy to chat about the new album, touring and how you shouldn’t mess with Kid Rock!

For the record could you state your name and role in The Black Dahlia Murder?

I’m Brain Eschbach and I play rhythm guitar in The Black Dahlia Murder.

Tonight will be your 6th show in the UK on this tour, how has it been going so far?

It’s been going pretty good, it’s the first chance over here in clubs playing stuff from our new album Ritual so its been a lot of fun and people seem to be taking to it rather nicely which we always appreciate.

There are 21 dates alone in the UK, is playing over here important for you as a band?

Its extensive we’re trying to hit all the little crannies that we can. We have a bit of a Black Dahlia following over here but we’re always looking for more people and I realise in these harsh economic times sometimes you can’t get in a car and drive 80km to go check out a show so that’s why we’re doing a little more of a extensive United Kingdom tour.

Fans certainly appreciate bands that play more than 4 dates in the UK.

Its hard, a lot of times when band are coming over to the continent of Europe in the first place they’re trying to hit as many places as they can. They’re trying to go as far as Poland to over here, they can only do so many dates here and there.

You played 2 shows at the Underworld in London were they special shows?

They were special, they were great, it was a good time in London that night and the next night. Sometimes if your on a bus and you can’t park outside so you’ve got to grab all of your stuff for the day then go to the club sometimes there’s nowhere to hang out but that wasn’t the case at the Underworld this time. We got to walk around and check out the markets and Camden which was cool.

Is it different playing shows over here compared to the US?

Not really, it’s the same sort of thing. There are a lot of dance party aftershows over here where I end up hearing a lot of stuff from the 90’s at those things, which is fine with me.

You released your 5th album last year which is a bit different from your previous releases is that something that you did consciously or that was just the way it worked out?

It’s not too weird, c’mon! There’s a couple of weird stuff that we actually played with a little bit before. We did the song Blood in the Ink which has a string section almost throughout the entire song which something we always kind of wanted to do being fans of bands like Dimmu who get to do all sorts of cool stuff like that. We tried to incorporate a couple of new things without going to far out of the Black Dahlia Murder box.

How have the new songs been going down live?

Great! We’re playing 7 or 8 new songs in the set, usually we don’t sneak in more than 3 or 4 maybe in the past just to try to keep playing the classics that people like. It’s worked out great, I haven’t had anyone come up to me and say you play to much stuff from Ritual yet. As soon as we get to Germany we’ll find out what people don’t like, they’ll come right up and tell you!

What are your personal favourites to play?

I really like playing On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood, it’s a cool one. Its kind of slower paced song for us, you get to really channel that old Morbid Angel sludge work.

So when you’re not touring or writing what do like to do to relax?

I sit on my couch a lot and watch a lot of TV, just garbage, total garbage that enhances my life in no way whatsoever but its nice to unplug once in a while. I also have 4 cats that I play with and I’ve got a moped that I ride around town when its nice and warm out.

The artwork for your new record is pretty cool and all the special deluxe editions, is the artwork important to the band?

I don’t think we’ll ever have someone else pick the art for us and show it to us, its always been very hands on. When we’re looking at the art we really scrutinise and Trevor usually finds the new guy de jour to work with.

You had the option of a Ouija board with this record.

It was available with a deluxe edition with a lot of other nerdy stuff like incense and coffin nails. I’m waiting for someone to tell me the talked to their grandmother or some ancestor that’s dead but I haven’t heard of it yet, that’d be cool.

You’ve worked a lot with Dan Mumford how did that come about?

As far as our t-shirts and such yeah. We had this fellow Karim who was doing most of our merchandising and he still does to an extent. He just saw some of Dan’s artwork online and we started up a relationship from there, we give him a couple of ideas and it works out. But trends do change and I’m sure people are going to start saying its not cool at some point, they’re wrong!

Are there any bands you would love to tour with that you have never gotten the chance to, past or present?

I would love to open for Motorhead that would be really cool for me. There’d be a lot of beer and leather-clad people which sounds like fun and of course Lemmy is God. It would be cool to share the stage with a deity. I’d love to tour with fucking NOFX! But I doubt that would ever happen; I would enjoy it greatly.

What were you favourite albums from last year?

From 2011? This is so hard, I don’t even know what albums actually come out in what year but the Obscura one I know came out in 2011 and that was awesome. The new Decapitated came out that was pretty rippy. I actually find out about a lot of music after the fact; ‘this is awesome, oh it came out 3 years ago and they already broke up!’

What’s the main goal as a band for 2012?

To open my eyes on December 22nd and see everything’s fine. That way we can make another album.

Are you writing now?

We haven’t really dove to far into the thing yet, just starting to riff around and stuff. Later on in the year it will become more of a pressing thought.

Do you enjoy the recording process?

I prefer playing but I do like writing a song. Once it gets to the recording process I can’t relax until it’s all done. That’s a gruelling 5 weeks there usually, you can’t work 24/7 but I’d like to.

With the current economic problems is it getting harder to be in a band?

We’ve been pretty lucky; our fan base pretty much supports us pretty well. I know for lots of bands its tough. Just looking at stuff like fuel costs that are rising and the percentage of people going to shows and buying merch and stuff is lower which is totally understandable. If all you can afford to do this week is come see the show we’re thankful. I know its having a big impact on a lot of the tours so hopefully someone’s going to invent something that everyone can go to work making, a new era.

Any festivals planned for the summer, I know there’s an announcement for Download tonight?

I’d be surprised, last time we were at Download I got us kicked out. Something about breaking a little refrigerator that was Kid Rocks. We were excused by the owner of the festival himself but maybe he’ll have us back I know he’s a good guy.

Do you get to see many bands now that you’re in a band?

The funny thing about being in a band and being out on the road a lot is you’ll come home and you’ll look in the weekly rag and you’ll see all these shows that are happening and your like ah that’s awesome, I’m going to go to that then you realise that I’m not going to be here. That happens a lot but whenever there’s something I really like at home and I am home I’ll go out. The last band I saw at home was Mastodon and Dillinger Escape Plan.

Thanks to Brian for taking the time do this interview for Birmingham Live.

Hannah Sebestjanowicz

Photos - Matthew Franklin

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. It’s a sound which is very 2012 despite the 80s synth sound adding a sense of nostalgia. And tonight M83 have as good as sold out Birmingham’s HMV Institute on this chilly Saturday evening.

Touring in support of sixth and most critically acclaimed album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, M83 take their audience on a 75 minute musical journey beginning with the aptly named Intro and ending with the thumping raveup of Couleurs. Some of the band’s mellower songs, which sound fantastic on record, lose something in a live environment and tonight it’s the more uplifting dance tunes, with waves of synths building to dramatic crescendos, that get the biggest response from the crowd.

A live drummer does a fine job of adding some genuine bombast to the music and, when Gonzalez throws on a guitar and steps away from his keyboards, M83’s rock influences come to the fore. Somewhat unexpectedly, Gonzalez at one point leaps into the audience and surfs the crowd as the band hammer out an electronic jam from the stage. Whereas many of his contemporaries like to remain anonymous behind racks of synthesizers, he seems determined to add some spectacle to the performance and it’s something that helps set M83 apart in a live setting.

The backdrop of shimmering stars and neon lightsticks suits the music well enough but I have to admit I was hoping for something a little more visually stimulating.

“Birmingham, I want to see you all try to dance” Gonzalez says before the anthemic Midnight City gives us the night’s true highlight. It’s a euphoric song and one that can be heard being sung long after the band has left the stage.

The encore of Skin Of The Night and the aforementioned Couleurs brings a club vibe to proceedings and I overhear more than one person claim it’s “the best encore I’ve seen for a long time”. By 9:45 it’s all over and a satisfied crowd make their way into the cold Birmingham night to continue their Saturday night.

Review & Photos - Steve Gerrard

Waiting in the day and recording at night, Christina Perri is the unlikely star to entertain the temple at the HMV institute tonight. The Philadelphian singer-songwriter shot to fame in 2010 with piano ballad “Jar Of Hearts.” Once used on “So You Think You Can Dance” it saw more than 100 000 downloads in just 2 weeks. Perri owes her success to this record and provided a heartfelt rendition of the song for her doting followers.

2011 brought impressive debut album “Love Strong.” Things seemed dubious for the 25 year old, could Perri really fill an album. The album is ballads galore but not just the “Jar Of Hearts” ballads, songs like “Mine” contained bouncy piano riffs and sturdy guitar solos, maybe with a hint of inspiration from her brother Nick Perri who previously played the guitar for bands like “Shine Down.” Bluebird” is another prevalent piece from the album. Christina can thank her ex for what he’s done because “If he were that special she wouldn’t have this song.”

Marcus Foster started the show, there are many male singer songwriters out there from the likes of Ed Sheeran to Michael Kiwanuka but Marcus would be filed with Ben Howard. It’s apparent that his influences come from Dylan and Van Morrison but maybe Foster trying to be too soulful is stopping him from achieving mainstream success. Cheer up and sing songs less like “I was broken” would be my advice to Foster. Marcus is an easy listening Maverick Sabre with plenty of talent.

Perri was looking for the “goose bump” effect with every ballad on the set list , she wanted the fans to feel the emotion, but unfortunately this emotion cannot make a song a decent tune. Her band already looked established and poised with a copious amount of talent yet lacked real depth. The show was mainly made up of ordinary songs trying to capture the effect “Jar Of Hearts” has like “The Lonely” but balanced out by bulky ballads like “Arms”. Perri is definitely not a one hit wonder, she is a female Bruno Mars but with tattoos and a drummer called Elmo. My personal pick of the night is the whole hearted “A Thousand Years: used on the Twilight soundtrack, (which I’m sure had nothing to do with support act Marcus Foster being good mates with Robert Pattison.) This boasted the singer’s compelling prowess.

Perri has proven that she has the talent and stage presence to sing rock and ballads. Christina was relaxed and really enjoying herself. Her success will continue as long as her songs keep on coming, it will be interesting to see if she can write anything else now she’s over he boyfriend. Hopefully the sappy piano ballads will disappear and we will see a different side to Christina.

Christina wasn’t foretelling with her set, the audience were jolting around until close. Christina returned for her encore to perform “Jar Of Hearts.” This was a wonderful way to end a momentous night. Lets see what Christina Perri can do with 2012, I look forward to her return.

Review - John Kirby
Photos - Ian Dunn

I never thought my first gig of 2012 would be a death metal show but I’m always open to new music so it was off to the Birmingham Academy to see The Black Dahlia Murder supported by Skeletonwitch and Fleshgod Apocalypse.

As far as extreme band names go Fleshgod Apocalyse will be somewhere up the top of that list! Taking to the Academy 3 stage in ripped up tuxedos covered in what I hope is fake blood and black face paint the Italian metallers put on a good show. There’s a fair bit of head banging both on stage and in the pit and with some interesting backing vocals from the guitarist they put on a good show to a decent sized crowd.

Skeletonwitch takes things a bit more seriously, fronted by the huge, bearded Ryan Knight they blast out a set of tight thrashy black metal. These guys certainly look the part what with the long hair and huge beards but there is no ritual slaughters on stage just 5 guys playing some very heavy music. To my untrained ears the songs all kind of blended into one but they got a good reaction from the crowd,

The Black Dahlia Murder are on the 6th date of their mammoth UK tour and spirits are still riding high. It’s a chance for them to play some new songs off their latest and critically acclaimed album Ritual for the first time in the UK. They come onstage to a deafening roar from the crowd and they proceeded to lay waste to the venue as their punishing black metal shakes the room and any cobwebs out of the audience members.

They are barely 2 songs in before Trevor has his shirt off, both him and Brian complaining that they are ‘too fat for this much light!’ Going from deep growls to high pitched yelps and waving his hands around like a conductor Trevor is one hell of an engaging front man plus he’s pretty funny as well. There’s a fair few new songs in the set including guitarist Brian’s favourite the slow burning On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood and the blistering Moonlight Equilibrium.

There are circle pits aplenty with Trevor demanding one for pretty much every song, which the devoted crowd are more than happy to do. There is some serious musicianship on display tonight whether its drummer Shannon Lucas’ blast beats, Ryan Williams’ serious bass lines or the technical ability of both Brian Eschbach and Ryan Knight all lead by the energetic and charismatic Strnad. Closing the set with one of their biggest hits Funeral Thirst it gives the crowd one last chance to let loose and give the band on stage the send off they deserve.

My eardrums have been brutally punished but in a good way, The Black Dahlia Murder sure know how to put on a show. I was familiar with about 2 songs before going but I was really getting into it by the end, they’re definitely a band I will go see again next time they hit Birmingham.

Review - Hannah Sebestjanowicz
Photos - Steve Gerrard

Blundering yet ever more confused in to the second decade of the third millennium we can, at least, allow ourselves a moment or two of sage reflection. Given that, Dave -’You’re all in this shit together’- Cameron’s emasculated poodle Brit grit spirit saw both cheese-eating surrender monkey Johnny Frog and the Euro-porn gluttonous Krauts given a right good bloody nose - why is it still legally sanctioned that Simon Cowell can sexually reproduce? Or that the BBC licence-payers’ money isn’t better spent providing ever further opportunities for Jeremy Clarkson to immerse his ego in the choking publicity of a carbon monoxide fume filled sink-estate lock-up?

Nevertheless, it is the season of goodwill and far be it from The Dirty Old Folkers‘ political agenda to assume the role of Marley’s ghost and skewer the conscience of a bonus bloated City trader or Middle-East junta tear-gas suppliers.

Oh, and by the way, if you’re savoring a respite from the season’s piped musak-cack in Sainsbury’s it’s because I collared a floor-manager and complained. He apologised if there was any inconvenience on my part and explained he had no input on the matter it being corporate policy. I pointed out to him that the same line of reasoning was prevalent at Lehman Brothers as they gainfully off-loaded sub-prime collateral debt obligations. He said he’d look in to it.

And so, in the spirit of ‘Inappropriate Folk’ alt.Yule-Tide seasonal bonhomie The Dirty Old Folkers, with their agit-prop urban altruism, robust political incorrectness and an ambiguous post-feminist agenda, presented their theatrically challenging take on Cinderella.

Although, as events unfolded alongside the ubiquitous panda/Death dumb-show, it was more a case of ‘In-to-Stella’ as their thespian aesthetic celebrated a frankly frightening Jason Ensa as a David Bowie thonged ginger-themed Fairy Godfather. You really didn’t want to be there. Now, my Panto-plot recall maybe a bit rusty but I certainly don’t recollect either Anita Harris or Bonnie Langford snorting a line of Colombian nose-candy as a pre-Ball aperitif. The Drag-on Ugly Sisters did things with radio mics they were never intended for. Cinders (the impossibly beautiful, Heaven-scented violinist, Hannah Lawson) transformed in to an X-Factor tone-deaf contestant from Hell whilst a not so innocent young Sol Caley, as Buttons, dis-communicated in obscene Spoonerisms. The rest of the cast must remain incognito for reasons legal, hygienic and just plain decency.

We had jolly holly-berried sing-alongs and raffle prizes generously donated by local businesses, all proceeds going to The Jerico Foundation based in Birmingham’s Balsall Heath and Nechells supporting the disadvantaged.

The evening closed with deliciously acidic, irony-laden, hoe-down Billy-Celt swing. Let’s just say a Tolkienesque parody of Bonus whores with Death & Panda having a ruck to a ‘War Pigs’ freeze-frame mime was enough to have made Gengis Khan (also featured) blush at the Health & Safety implications.

Setlist: Carols, men in tights, prizes, Coalition-baiting.

Review - John Kennedy
Photos - Wayne Fox

The O2 is sold out for local boys, The Wonder Stuff tonight, here to perform their album “Never Loved Elvis” on the 20th Anniversary of its release (well June 2011 would be..) on the Polydor label. But first up are The Levellers in support mode. The show is almost a re-run of the March 26th gig, except the bands swap the headline. In truth, the show is practically a double headline… the term “support” is meaningless for this gig.

The Levellers are warming up for Levelling The Land - Part II and Mark Chadwick, Jeremy Cunningham, Charlie Heather, Simon Friend, Jonathan Sevink and Matt Savage take over the stage, with a lively, animated show and switching playing positions during the set. The band looks like a travelling band of gypsies and play their own brand of folky, punk with some wild fiddle, which would be perfectly at home across the Irish Sea.

The set opens with “One Way” which is well received by the crowd. Sevink is particularly striking on stage with a tall hat and at times furious fiddle playing and so is Jeremy Cunningham on Bass Guitar, whose long dreadlocks are flailing around the stage as he plays.

Mark Chadwick says little during the set, but still gets the audience going, clapping and screaming and singing along to the set as they perform the majority of Levelling The Land. The band cover “Devil Went Down To Georgia” which the audience lap up and Sevink’s frenzied fiddle screams out the tune, whilst Chadwick makes horn shapes with his hands. The Levellers sound suits this track perfectly.
The band brings the set to a close with “Beautiful Day” with the audience shouting for more… Any other night, there’d be an encore, but not tonight as the set is cleared for The Wonder Stuff.
The Wonder Stuff (known as The Stuffies ”to their loyal following” formed 25 years ago in the Stourbridge area of the Black Country (not Birmingham, and definitely not Brummies!) at the Art College and numerous drinking dens in the town, alongside another local band Pop Will Eat Itself following the demise of the earlier incarnation From Eden. A number of successful albums later and some chart success (including with comedian Vic Reeves), the band split in 1994.

The original line-up has changed significantly, with a couple of the original members passing away. The remaining members of this line up were Miles Hunt and Malcolm Treece, but in the days before the show, even Treece departed the band, leaving Hunt as the only original member. Following this departure “long-time friend” of the band, Jesus Jones guitarist, Jerry de Borg is drafted in on stand-in duties. In addition to Hunt, the line-up includes Mark McCarthy, Hunt’s current collaborator fiddler Erica Nockalls and one time member of The Poppies drummer Fuzz Townsend.

The audience clap and cheer as the band take to the stage. Hunt with long curly hair, stripy jumper and a bottle of red in hand. Erica is sporting a bright orange wig and a dress that would grace an Alice in Wonderland set with the outfit completed with silver sparkly boots.

The band open with “Mission Drive”, then “Play” and “False Start” and rip through the album with the fans bouncing along. “Welcome to the Cheap Seats” and “Size of a Cow” follows then “Sleep Alone.” After “Donation” Hunt talks to the audience about people travelling to the show from as far afield as America and Spain and is grateful for it. “Maybe” is then followed by “Grotesque” with Hunt taking a moment to chat with the audience again. “ I’ve seen Def Leppard, but it wasn’t for me!” “Here Comes Everyone” is performed as a duet by Hunt and Nockalls with the band leaving the stage for a brief respite.

The band return for “Caught in my Shadow” which is dedicated to “Old friends, lost and those who wandered off, the song is about being friends…” “38 Line Poem” concludes the album set with Hunt declaring, “Open Season, we’re done with the Album! ”Room 512” is followed relentlessly by classic Stuffies tracks “Red Berry Joy Town” and “On the Ropes”, “Mother and I”, “Golden Green” and “Full of Life”. “Don’t Let Me Down, Gently” and “It’s Yer Money…” work the audience up to a frenzy and the set finishes with “Radio Ass Kiss” and “Poison.”

After a brief rest, the band return for the encore, Hunt now sporting a “Never Loved Elvis” T-shirt and kicking off with “Give, Give, Give….”, “Unbearable” and “Ten Trenches Deep” seeing Erica return to the stage following a costume change, the orange wig gone and her natural part shaved, part spiked blonde hair on show. The set closes and the band leave the stage after a marathon set, having boisterously played most of the 26 track set.

If you missed this show, you missed a treat, a lively enjoyable show and an exceptional bargain to boot. Two great bands, with over 40 tracks played for £20 quid! (plus booking fee!) If you are looking for the next opportunity for a Stuffies show, this may be in 2013 to coincide with the 20th Anniversary release of “Construction for the Modern Idiot” released in October 1993, unless there is a good reason for them to come out to play before.

Setlists

The Levellers
1. One Way
2. The Game
3. Far from Home
4. The Road
5. Sell Out
6. Truth Is
7. 15 Years
8. Boatmen
9. Devil Went Down To Georgia
10. Carry Me
11. Liberty
12. Dirty Davey
13. Riverflow
14. Cholera Well
15. Beautiful Day

The Wonder Stuff
1. Mission Drive
2. Play
3. False Start
4. Welcome to the Cheap Seats
5. The Size Of A Cow
6. Sleep Alone
7. Donation
8. Inertia
9. Maybe
10. Grotesque
11. Here Comes Everyone
12. Caught In My Shadow
13. 38 Line Poem
14. Room 512
15. Red Berry Joy Town
16. On The Ropes
17. Mother and I
18. Golden Green
19. Full Of Life
20. Don’t Let Me Down, Gently
21. It’s Yer Money I’m After, Baby
22. Radio Ass Kiss
23. Poison
Encore
24. Give, Give, Give Me More, More, More
25. Unbearable
26. Ten Trenches Deep

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Pictures and Review - Ken Harrison

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.

Support tonight comes from Tin Spirits, featuring former XTC guitarist Dave Gregory, who has also worked with Marillion’s Hogarth in his H-band. The set is eclectic bluesy prog rock and ends with XTC song ‘Senses Working Overtime.’ One of those moments, when you smile with nostalgia, the intro reminding you of times gone by. A friendly fan walks past and says “You liked that didn’t you…. you was singing along…”

Marillion’s career is in two parts. Formed in ‘79, Marillion with the big character that was Fish on vocals, they gained cult like success with their prog rock Peter Gabriel / Genesis inspired ‘Script for a Jester’s Tear’ and follow up ‘Fugazi’. Next up ‘Misplaced Childhood’ sold in bucket loads and contained the massive single ‘Kayleigh’ which spawned a generation of children named after it. By ‘88 Fish chose to go a separate way; at a time when the loss of the vocalist, could mean the end of a band. But that wasn’t going to be the end of Marillion. Steve Hogarth took over vocal duties, joining members Steve Rothey (lead guitar), Mark Kelly (keyboards), Pete Trewavas (bass) and Ian Mosely (drums) and twenty odd years on - part two are very successfully still going. This ‘new’ Marillion took a more independent rock sound, whilst taking the net revolution and interaction with their loyal fan base to the next level, years before other bands even thought of it. They pulled away from record labels and managers and crowd sourced funds to allow them to record and issue albums via their website, whilst regularly gigging. Tonight is their Christmas Party - a festive celebration for their fans…..

I ask an avid fan what they will be like tonight - “Absolutely fab” comes the reply, before they even come on. And so to a big cheer, spotlights circling the crowd, flashing red lights reflecting and dancing across the set backdrop; the crowd start double clapping and on comes Hogarth, followed by each member of the band. Set starts of with ‘Splintering Heart’ with full iconic Marillion sound. Hogarth plays a ‘cricket bat’ with sampler / keyboard embedded. He’s is truly charismatic, very engaging with the fans, his voice strong, totally complimenting the rest of the band - the days of ‘part one’ Marillion a long distant memory. “Thank you…. alright this is ‘Cover My Eyes.’” The audience clap - the sound in the Institute tonight is great - truly showing Marillion in their true musical rainbow colours.

Hogarth sits to play keyboards - “Oh that’s fucked…. slight technical hitch, that’s up the duff for the moment.…” But totally unfazed they simply switch songs, ‘Somewhere Else’ features a megaphone with a Clannad like swirling melody. Keyboard fixed we’re back on track - ‘Fantastic Place’ with a post song dedication to a fan in the audience. The set rolls on and, within the encore, a Christmas treat for fans, the usual ‘part one’ career song ‘Sugar Mice’ is replaced with that song - ‘Kayleigh.’

Marillion 2011 are a class act - truly professional, truly talented, playing songs listing towards prog rock but with no self-indulgence. They are open and very engaging with their fans - a true family beyond just of that of a band. Tonight there’s no restrictions on photos (quick thanks to Adam here!), no limitations placed on fans or those that review. Their fans are dedicated, some in festive spirit wearing Santa hats, and one woman in reindeer antlers and Christmas lights, and are a friendly bunch - great atmosphere. And a comment should go to the HMV Institute - great venue, fantastic sound system (you can clearly hear throughout the venue). Please get more bands on here. Bands - listen in - this is a great venue - go play here!!!!!

Dedicated fans know just how good Marillion are, and are truly loyal. A confession - I saw them twenty years ago, in their Fishy days and once after. And to see them in full glory, after all this time; tonight it was a joy. For those of you (who like me) may have lost touch, or who haven’t come across them, go and take a peak when they are next around. Musically very impressive, hugely enjoyable, they take you on a fantastic journey; their fans are a great bunch. Go. Enjoy. Support.

********
Setlist:
1.Splintering Heart
2. Cover My Eyes
3. King
4. Somewhere Else
5. Fantastic Place
6. You’re Gone
7. Man Of A Thousand Faces
8. This Strange Engine
9. Afraid Of Sunlight
10. Neverland

Encore:
10. The Invisible Man

Encore 2:
11. Kayleigh
12. Three Minute Boy

************
Listening:
Script For A Jester’s Tear [1983]
Fugazi [1984]
Misplaced Childhood [1985]
Somewhere Else [2007]
Less Is More [2009]

***************
Review - Zyllah Moranne-Brown
Pictures - Ken Harrison

Earlier this year I was in a pub in York just after a Morrissey gig. All the pubs were heaving so we were out on the pavement taking in the air and a pint, when there was a brief hubbub amongst the locals. Turning, we were met with a small group of blokes surrounding a lean, swarthy individual who looked vaguely familiar. As the conversation about a new tour and old band members getting together again progressed the penny dropped. The chap in question was Rick Witter of Shed Seven.

It seems obvious now but at the time he wasn’t that recognisable as the Rick Witter of fifteen years ago when the band were in their serious pomp with the release of A Maximum High. Although they were to carry on for another seven years, the late 90s proved indeed to be their high and unless you were a member of the Shed Heads they dropped out of sight quite quickly. Greying at the temples and looking a bit more drawn he needed a second look to confirm that it was him.

But put him on a stage and there is no doubt. The intervening years drop away quickly. Still lean, still constantly on the move, sometimes upright, sometimes hunched over, he is always on the balls of his feet as if waiting to dodge an opponent or make a quick get away if the crowd turn ugly. It was always his trade mark - slight, hyperactive man with a big voice.

There was no danger of ugliness tonight. The crowd were partisan in the extreme with more than a decent following from Yorkshire in the place. The result was a load of banter, particularly with two blokes in Ant and Dec masks, and one who called himself Cardy, as in the garment. Throughout the night Rick and Cardy would exchange “pleasantries”, with Rick eventually wearing Cardy’s striped cardy, which they threw on to the stage.

It wasn’t all one way with the gifts. There have only been two people in rock who have looked good with maracas; one of them is Bez and the other Rick Witter, but we only had a brief glimpse of the shakers as they quickly joined the returned cardy in the crowd, proving good souvenirs for someone.

And there is still the big voice, the outstanding feature on their A Maximum High album. This tour is all about this album and the 15th anniversary of it’s release. The anthems that made it such a success Getting Better, Going for Gold and On Standby were all on show.

Fellow Yorkshireman Chris Helme is another who had a brief tenure in the spotlight, joining John Squire in the Seahorses. Although there seemed to be a few in the crowd who turned up to specifically to see him in his solo guise, the highlights of his set were Seahorses favourites Love Is the Law and Blinded by the Sun - all good sing along stuff. He joined Shed Seven near the end of their set for High Hopes.

The encore of The Smiths’ Panic (spooky after the Morrissey connection) and Chasing Rainbows saw Rick Witter in the crowd handing the mic to all and sundry, although this seemed a bit staged with a member of the band’s entourage preparing to film this before it happened!

In a year of revivals and seemingly endless tourings of classic albums this could have been just another one. But the band mixed things up, treating the set list properly. Songs from A Maximum High were all there but there was none of the seminal album plus all the hits routine that has become the staple fare of these events.

It was an enjoyable night with a good crowd but I just got the feeling that Shed Seven had another couple of gears to shift. It wasn’t as if they were going through the motions, far from it, but neither did they bring the house down.

Set list:

Parallel Lines
Where Have You Been Tonight?
Bully Boy
Magic Streets
Devil In Your Shoes
Speakeasy
She Left Me On Friday
Ocean Pie
Ladyman
Falling From The Sky
Dolphin
Going For Gold
Out By My Side
Speakeasy
Disco Down
High Hopes (w/ Chris Helme)
Getting Better
—-
Panic
Chasing Rainbows

Photographs - Stephanie Colledge
Review - Ian Gelling

Another full venue marks the popularity of 29 year old Elliot Greaves, the rapper who couldn’t rap from Fulham was back with two sell out national tours and an arena tour next year. Elliott wants to “Give the people what they want” and it seems what the people want is uplifting rave music, which is exactly what he gives them, not pop music but darker styles as previewed in example’s third album “Playing In The Shadows” which debuted at Number 1 on the UK album charts with two number 1 singles.

Example’s all over the world with his punishing tour schedule, from Birmingham to Ibiza and it seems he can’t get enough of the performing. This is the second time Greaves will appear at the o2 academy this year. Like Professor Green who was only in Birmingham on Friday night the chart topping star is using different genres in his recent work. Example is keeping with the dance music but also looking into electronic genres working with the likes of Skream and Laidback Luke, working on dubstep and more hardcore club styles.

Before Example took to the stage the crowd were already enjoying the music picked presumably by the star, by the time he got to the stage a girl had collapsed and water was being given out by the gallon. The crowd were pumped, more so than for Chase And Status in October, which was unusual. Example started the show with hits from the 2010 album “Won’t Go Quietly” then moved on to his newer material. Highlights included “Watch The Sun Come Up” “Kickstarts” and the encore “Changed The Way You Kiss Me.” The set list was helpful as it gave the young generation gasping for air in the pit time to cool down-not every song was in need of a mosh pit. “Midnight Run” is already a firm favourite with the crowd.

Elliot was more serious on stage compared to last year’s visit and festival season earlier this year. His music however tells a different story. Greaves connects well with the crowd regardless of tempo or how mainstream the song is. Example is an intelligent showman and highly charismatic as seen on YouTube video “Example Does Stand up.”

With a 4th album reportedly on the way example can look forward to his Feb/March European tour. There’s no stopping the London based star it seems and he and his distinguished three piece band will then be on yet another UK arena tour. Hopefully with some special guests next time as twitter has led me to believe Example has close relations with some special people.

They were some festival moments as the crowd sang the words, smiles on faces hands in the air the night looked like it would never end. Example will be seeing us soon here in Birmingham and we cannot wait.

Review - John Kirby
Photos - Jordan Hughes