I’ve been writing my dissertation, so I’ve not written much about music goings on, instead I have lot’s of music related videos that I have collected.
Chapman stick man
Folk Music club
WinkBall man on Music and Video Platforms
there are still more to come, just waiting on them to upload….
I get a strange kind of enjoyment from this
17/03/2011 @ The Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath.
The DJ set that started of the night was something good to have a little dance or jig along to whilst awaiting the live band performance of Matthew Dear. The first time I’ve been to a gig on my own like this, so wasn’t really sure where to place myself other than my infamous choice of right at the front right by the speakers on the left hand side. Good choice for listening to this band play although obscuring my vision of the trumpet player and the drummer, left me wondering what it would be like to watch and hear Matthew Dear on his own. The band were made up of a trumpet player, bass player and a dude on the drums, they performed tracks that sounded pretty immense through the speaker on the left, my personal favorite being Monkey. With a robot style of vocals and electronic, rock / indie with a little trumpet sound coming together to fill the small room with chilled out noises. What I like about Matthew Dear is that the whole performance was about fifty seven times better than I was ever expecting, and the music that the band makes is not what anyone would expect when you say ‘have you heard of that Matthew Dear?’. Although they only lasted a little while on stage, the encore was the kind of sound that I will remember forever Slowdance, literally slow dancing to this track, everyone likes a catchy lyric or two.
(I think next time I go to a gig on my own I will drink a little less beer).
What a good tune, sounds even better when David ‘Ramjam’ Rodigan plays it.
Location Location Location – Is location of importance to make it big or just have a sustainable career in the music industry, either as an artist or a music business professional type?
Who could turn down a free seminar on music and the music industry? You don’t get much for nothing these days (along with a complementary punch record sweet), it took place on 9th March 2011 at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham. Organized by Punch Records – a well established record company in Digbeth, Birmingham with a focused debate on the issues of location and success within the music industry. The panelists were:
Lee Fisher (chair) – Access to Music Manager, Birmingham
RoxXxan – Birmingham born, London based Artist /Rapper
Trilla – Birmingham based Artist / MC
Ray Paul – Founder on 1Xtra / The Playmaker Group Creative Director
Lady Leshurr – Birmingham Based Artist (Rapper / MC / Singer / Songwriter / Dancer /Actress)
The main points made were:
The next Tuned On Seminar ‘Stream or Sell’ is going to take place on 13th April 2011 at 18.00 -19.00 in The Symphony Hall, with the following panelists: Matt Parsons from Ditto and Dave Adams from SoundCloud and others.
My latest project that I am endeavouring to ‘Project Manage’ as it seems is Collaboration X.
It has stemmed from the great passion to see changes in the way that music is produced, testing the limitations of what can be called ‘music’ and not just a noise. Having always been part of production projects working with a group of other likeminded troupers, I have finally had the chance to put my own ideas into practice as a curator of music. There have been quite a few challenges to overcome so far, like most projects, though I am hopeful that it will become a success with the right amount of time spent on it, so here is what it’s all about;
An online experimental music collaboration, creating new sounds with a group of musicians and producers will never meet throughout the collaboration process. The process involved is experimental in itself, after a few tried and tested ideas, the final idea should be ‘set in stone’. The local musicians will perform and record short samples of different music styles, patterns and sounds ready for local producers to create some unique and experimental pieces of music. The music that has been produced so far has been uploaded onto SoundCloud and Kompoz. The final aim is to sell the music for a music charity, Sound It Out, either through the use on online music stores or on Band Camp using the ‘pay want you want’ feature.
Here are some related links (undeniable spam)
http://collaborationx2011.wordpress.com/
Collaboration X, spread the word yo!
I’ve been a bit thin on the ground with my writing recently, so what better way to get back on the ball than with a good old opinionated piece on John Shuttleworth and other comedy genius’. A few weeks ago I noticed that John Shuttleworth was going to be performing at the THSH in Birmingham, with only three days to decide on whether or not I should go, I gave in just for the laugh. A Man With No More Rolls it was, supposedly a spelling mistake made by Johns friend/manager (no morals) a very apt title for a bundle of doughy one liners. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I had only witnessed a rather small performance when he found himself performing at Sidmouth Folk Festival in the summer of twenty ten. Although my fears became real, I seem to be slightly young for some of the comedy values, I was sometimes left a bit out of tune with the majority of laughs, even so, he still is very much a legend. To be able to make a living from very nearly filling out the whole venue, with just one witty man, a Yamaha keyboard and very few extra props; a skill that I desire to have, making money in the music industry. John has the unique creativity and imagination to make a catchy song about anything from cereal to cars, although these songs probably wouldn’t have the desired effect on the untrained ear of the mainstream music lover, thus being quickly dismissed for rubbish listening. It’s the music and comedy hybrids that grab my personal preference in the music industry, FOTC, Tim Vine, Weird Al Malkovich, Tim Minchin, and the others, I think this is the right direction to be heading in for my next venture in the tough world of music.
Pointless post of the day (this may become a regular trend).
Today in Birmingham it is rather windy and rainy, it could be mistaken for a winters day, or just a wet day. So on my trip into town earlier, I donned a nice warm winter coat with a hood, it’s a lovely coat. Though it has come to my attention, as illustrated by the following (not very good quality) photographs, that alot of people when shopping for thier winter coats don’t specify that it must have a hood. This argument is very pointless and one sided, but I feel that the hood is one of the most important specifications on my list that should be fulfilled before I make my purchase. The moral here, I think, is that you could save loads more money in this dreadful state of economic crisis by simply choosing a coat with a hood, and it would also mean that you can carry more important things, rather than faffing about with ya brolly in the rain.
Brolly Bin
Not made it to the Brolly Bin Brolly
Banana Brolly
So last Saturday 06/11/10 I ventured down into dark depths of Digbeth to witness the first Drop Beats Not Bombs in what seemed like an eternity, since the last one I attended was way back in 2009 I seem to remember, rather vaguely might I add. Though I was a little weary about attending this one, more so as the venue had made a change from the previous DBNB’s that I know so well, from closing off Adderley Street to closing off Floodgate Street, not a good sign when you plan on getting messy and losing much of your memory for the night ahead.
Anyway I marched on into the war complex like scene, with my troops in tail, and so the exploring commenced. The first sight to be taken in appeared familar, it was a warehouse otherwise known as Space 2, not too busy at this time about 11.30 of an evening. So onwards we went, across the bridge (not to desimilar to that of a draw bridge used for crossing a moat into the castle grounds) and found an array of white tents, the first Custom Made, to which I was certainly intrigued, we will be back… We continue to march through the tents noticing the very different dancing styles, from hardcore sweaty skanking to chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool, it was certainly an interesting sight. I noticed a bright pink light, as we ventured towards it there was a strong scent of what could be called paint, yes, it was a massive warehouse dedicated to the art of graffiti, pretty awesome vortex style stuff
. After much tent experimentation, and sampling the immense ska like band, Royal Gala, in the custom made tent, we desperately wanted to track down Ray Kieth, that’s right the dude from the 90’s, this was going to be the highlight of my evening or late night / early morning to be precise. This was a challenge if I’d ever seen one, eventually I stumbled across the great Boogie Dave, this king of Drop Beats Not Bombs, to which he pointed us in the right direction. Turns out our hatnavs had failed us and we had not noticed the very secret door, through the castle door, back over the draw bridge and to right it was. Leading to the familiar sight of the toilets at the Custard Factory, and there it was, the Medicine bar, and the swimming pool that is not for swimming in, no. Much of our time was spent here, we sampled the noises from Randall, Ray Kieth, Phase 2, PCM, and, Lion Fire, the dancing appeared to be a subtle mix of sweaty skanking and maxing relaxing. Not a minute too soon the daylight drew near and it was time to set off back to our humble abodes and reminisce once again on the very eclectic and wild night of the year that is Drop Beats Not Bombs. I live in the hope that soon it will claw back to the three day biyearly event that it once was, or even the exciting possibility of Summer Camp in 2011, for now though, I’m content with just one night in an eternity.
My first music review, and I don’t think I could big any artist up quite as much as this duo that I am about to attempt to recreate through words alone.
On the 06/10/10 The Hare and Hounds saw the last ever performance of the much loved Birmingham band Scarlot Harlots, who bought along some very young fans to bid them farewell. They were good for what they were I suppose, not really my cup of tea at this moment in time.
Really all I wanted to hear was the sound of the extravagant and elegant act Mount Kimbie, Dominic Maker and Kai Campos.
I’m telling you, you had to be there to understand how it felt.
How it felt to have such a sensational sound traveling right through the stomach and up into the heart and retreating slowly out of your wide opened stunned and amazed mouth. The bass was so intense although could be confused with that of a relaxing or soothing sound that I for one have never experienced (in a sober light anyway) before. Even if my ears were to have been blocked and I couldn’t here a thing, I believe I could have enjoyed that night just as much through the vibrations of the speakers alone. The sight that I could see was, in not many words, what I would consider art, music as an art form some may say. The duo had looks of severe concentration on their minds, added with the ease of artistic flow that came straight out into the sea of the audience with wide open minds.
Sounds of far distant echoes produced with only the darkness of a Tunnelvision, added riffs of a guitar, and the tapping of a drum, bought experimental, in my eyes, to the next level. I must admit I do appreciate experimental music far more greatly than I do a generic rock band, my expectations of the quality of sounds that form music have been much more than met by the music of Mount Kimbie.
I would hope that the opportunity will arise in no time at all to re kindell this musical fire that is left in me. Until my next worthy post, goodbye.
Helen Crothall 