As the original frontman of one of the planet’s most popular rock bands, who have recently celebrated their 20th anniversary, you’d think Eddie Vedder might appreciate some time off in between filling arenas with Pearl Jam. Yet here he is, filling venues as a solo artist (this is the first of two sold out nights [...]
Tag Archives: support
Madonna + Alesso @ The NIA, Birmingham – 19th July 2012
So into the city and a torrential downpour as the British summer flatly refuses to appear. And, as I arrive at the NIA, throngs of excited fans take photos by posters and fan club signs – we’re here to see the self-styled controversial Queen of Pop – Madonna is in town as part of her [...]
Editors + Victories at Sea + Swim Deep @ HMV Institute, Birmingham – 27th June 2012
I always seem to get a sense of anticipation when Editors do a “hometown” gig. They seem to up their game in front of the Birmingham crowd and tonight was no exception. This was the second of two (sold out) nights that were the only UK dates that they were playing this year. It was [...]
Nicki Minaj + Stooshe @ Birmingham NIA – 26th June 2012
For a debut UK performance, a show like the one witnessed tonight was, to put it bluntly, slightly disheartening. It wasn’t just the fact that the artist had never headlined in the UK before, but the fact that tonight it was time for “I’m a bad bitch, I’m a c***”, megastar Miss Onika Tanya Maraj or [...]
Chris Cornell @ Birmingham Symphony Hall – 19th June 2012
The opening act for tonight’s performance is Welshman Paul Freeman, who has recently toured with Roger Daltrey and had his music used a number of television shows, so I am interested to see what he brings to this support slot. He enters the stage and draws attention to the fact that England are playing Ukraine, [...]
Blink 182 + All American Rejects @ Birmingham LG Arena – 16th June 2012
It’s been a long time since the split but thank god fate brought the guys back together as Blink 182 (the soundtrack to my childhood) were in Birmingham in the LG Arena tonight. The sixth studio album without help of an outside record producer “Neighborhoods” is nothing to write home about but it is the [...]
Elton John + 2Cellos @ Birmingham LG Arena – 15th June 2012
After a massive queue at the Box Office and a ticket mix up which was kindly sorted out by the lovely Jill, I finally make it into the arena to hear some of the support act, 2Cellos. This isn’t a clever name; the band consists of two cellists, from Zagreb, who play arrangements of popular [...]
Gary Numan + Officers @ HMV Institute, Birmingham – 31st May 2012
Numan’s career’s seen as many ups and downs as one of his flying displays (he was, by all accounts, one of the best aerobatic pilots around), from slightly scary synthpop pioneer through to, well, slightly scary industrial rock god. Back in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s he fell seriously out of favour and by [...]
The Horrors + Bo Ningen + Toy @ HMV Institute, Birmingham – 18th May 2012
The night didn’t start as I’d hoped. I got to the Institute a bit late, but was still confident I’d be in time to catch the second support, the mighty Bo Ningen. These Japanese freak-out merchants have been taking their retro-metal racket around the country with the Horrors and I was very happy when [...]
Lostprophets + Modestep @ O2 Academy, Birmingham – 23rd April 2012
Four-piece dubstep outfit Modestep were reduced to two for tonight’s show due to injured drummer Matt Curtis, so brothers Josh and Tony Friend took to the stage for a DJ set rather than the live performance intended. They played an onslaught of heavy bass, and a varying paced mixture of old and new chart-topping dance [...]
