Infadels @ Birmingham Barfly, 16/3/08

It speaks well of a band when, with the venue just over half full, the band’s appearance causes everyone in the crowd to huddle down the front with not a single straggler left propping up the walls. Before being assigned to cover this gig I knew two things about The Infadels – their dance/rock songs often sounded better after being given some remix treatment and they’ve got a reputation (and have won awards) for putting on a heck of a show. Read the rest of this entry »

Foals / Youthmovies @ Birmingham Academy 2, 12/3/08

As support bands go you can’t ask for much more than what Youthmovies provided. Revealed later on to be Foals’ favourite band, they were a diverting hotch potch of styles and genres. Their set included some Money Mark-stle keyboards, the guitarist abandoning his guitar to be a second drummer and an LCD Soundystem-esque finale. A few of the crowd bounced about enthusiastically in thanks. I’d probably not go out of my way to see them again but in terms of a warm-up they hit the spot. Read the rest of this entry »

Duffy @ Birmingham Glee Club, 11/3/08

The (really quite good whoever it was) DJ was playing Aretha when I arrived at the Glee Club. I took that to be significant before remembering that no, Adele’s the new Aretha, Duffy’s the new Dusty. Of course. Whether or not she’s worthy of such praise, well, that was what I was there to make my mind up on. Read the rest of this entry »

Envy & Other Sins @ Birmingham Bar Academy, 7/3/08

You may remember mobileAct unsigned as T4′s awful indie-X-Factor show with an amusing twist. The twist being that it managed to be more embarrassing for the presenters (hello Alex James, Jo Whiley and Simon Gavin) than for the acts involved. The eventual winners were the Birmingham-based Envy & Other Sins; a likeable quartet of Victoriana-clad gents and the evening’s headliners. Read the rest of this entry »

The Levellers / Alabama 3 / Three Daft Monkeys @ Wolverhampton Civic, 6/3/08

I’m writing this resigned to the fact that The Levellers have their dyed-in-the-wool, knee-jerk detractors (see inevitable comments below). However, judging by the look of the crowd there were many there in Wolverhampton who, like myself, quite enjoyed their albums when we were younger and ten years on have found they can still remember all the words. Incidentally the number of crusty-style dreads in the crowd was exactly equal to the number of conservative older ladies with silk neckerchiefs – two. Figure that into your stereotype. Read the rest of this entry »

Laura Marling / Johnny Flynn / Jay Jay Pistolet @ Birmingham Glee Club, 5/5/08

The Glee Club was humming when I arrived, most likely caused by a reportedly excellent set by Jay Jay Pistolet which I’d just missed. The merchandise table was certainly doing a brisk trade with his stack of 7″ promos disappearing quickly. “Very like Bright Eyes” was one approving verdict so I’d urge you to check his MySpace, as will I. Read the rest of this entry »

MGMT / Virgin Passages @ Birmingham Bar Academy, 3/3/08

My CDX Tips for 2008 are all doing pretty well save for one. I backed Yeasayer to make a splash over here after checking out their debut album and the wad of positive reviews that accompanied it. However, now they’re over here and touring no-one’s paying much attention to them. Their support act on their last US tour, MGMT, on the other hand are generating a right royal buzz with ‘Time To Pretend’ all over daytime radio. Read the rest of this entry »

Tina Dico / Ain @ Birmingham Glee Club, 2/3/08

In a recent album review Ain was described as commanding attention by ‘being the quietest person in the room’. However, the ever polite Glee Club audience was silent and still threatened to drown him out. Ain is the archetypal shy, mumbling, floppy-haired singer/songwriter and has produced a decent album of textured subtlety but I found that most of this was lost in a rather too apologetic performance.

With exactly the same stage set-up – a mic and two guitars – Tina Dico made an entirely different impression. Of course, being thoroughly beautiful (if tall, musical, stereotypically Scandinavian girls are your type) doesn’t hurt to make a few jaws go slack around the room, but it was her breezy confidence and strong voice that helped her take the evening by the scruff of the neck.

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Sarabeth Tucek, Doug Walker @ Birmingham Glee Club, 27/02/08

Doug Walker is being groomed for stardom, that much is clear.  The story goes that he spent a morning handing out demos to Radio 1 staff one morning and Chris Moyles took one and ended up giving him 30 minutes of airtime that very morning.  A major label deal followed.

The thing is, would you take an endorsement from Moyles?  Quite.  Doug’s a very likeable character but his songs, with names like ‘Shine’, ‘Shed A Little Light’ and ‘Stay With You’ are blandly aspirational MOR.  The cynic in me says that he’d appeal to the core Radio 2/Radio 6 market of slightly older listeners who, crucially, still pay for CDs.

His frequent banter with the crowd seemed to be fueled by nervousness but there was also the puppyish enthusiasm of someone who isn’t yet used to their growing status.  Unfortunately, his attempts to rope his band into the fun were met with dead-eyed disdain from his charmless bassist.

So Doug Walker wasn’t quite my cuppa.  Even so I certainly don’t begrudge him his likely success, it’s just no coincidence that the better songwriters carry a few scars.  Doug’s smoothed-out sound gave me no edges to get any purchase on.

I knew little of Sarabeth Tucek before this show.  All I was aware of was that she sang on a Brian Jonestown Massacre album (she was in the documentary Dig!) and she was slated by Bob Dylan fans after having the temerity to accept an invitation to open for him.  I took both to be good endorsements (seriously, have you ever met a die-hard Dylan fan you didn’t want to punch?).

She was a very different proposition to her support act.  Whereas Doug took advantage of the intimate confines of the venue to fill it with lively sound, Sarabeth reined things in, almost making you lean forward a little to listen.  Whereas Doug chatted effusively between songs, Sarabeth gave the odd sharp smile.

Her songs were slow-paced, with the consistent elements of her soft, smokey yet precise voice and the excellent riffing of the tall, bearded guitarist with salon-fresh hair by her side.  She also seemed to act the songs out in her head if the changing look in her eyes was anything to go by – in fact there was something very compelling about those eyes.

Truth be told, I’d had a long day, I was tired and if I’d had the choice I wouldn’t have chosen to go and catch some live music.  As it happens, Sarabeth provided an excellent soundtrack to feeling a little weary.  She ran through most of her self-titled debut album with the better songs such as ‘Holy Smoke’ and ‘Something For You’ translating best to the stage.  For an encore she performed a Neil Young cover – his country-rock material providing a good comparison to her own material.

Mainstream success doesn’t seem as likely for Sarabeth as it does for Doug.  Both performers have a traditional and unadventurous style but I much preferred Sarabeth’s ability to conjure an atmosphere, even if it’s mostly downbeat, over Doug’s greeting card sentiments.  Sarabeth Tuck won’t change your life but I found an evening in her company very pleasant indeed.

Eels @ Birmingham Town Hall, 26 February 2008

Birmingham’s Town Hall, modelled on a Roman temple, first opened in 1834 and closed in 1996 for a £35 million refurbishment, only re-opening last year.  The original 6,000 pipe organ remains in place and towers over the end of the hall where the stage is located.  It takes a certain calibre of artist to belong there.

Mark Oliver Everett (‘E’) fits the description of ‘a certain calibre of artist’ and it’s not just the organ that loomed over his performance.  The various tragedies that have befallen the singer have shaped his songs and his performance is one of a man who has spent a long time rolling with some heavy punches.

Ironically, given his apparent detachment from family life when he was alive, E’s support act was his own father.  That is there was a showing of E’s recent BBC4 documentary ‘Parrallel Worlds, Parallel Lives’ on the subject of his father; the quantum physicist who developed the theory of parallel universes that has become a sci-fi staple.

E has been a prolific songwriter and, despite the recent release of a greatest hits package, the setlist drew material from all over.  ‘It’s A Motherfucker’, ‘Strawberry Blonde’ and ‘I Like Birds’ making early appearances.

The evening started gently with E alone at guitar, then piano.  As the songs built he was joined by the very able Jeffrey ‘The Chet’ Lyster who played guitar and drums, triggered loops and samples, bowed a saw and tapped out melodies on a xylophone.  E is no musical slouch and the pair showed their party trick of swapping places on the drums during ‘Flyswatter’ without missing a beat.

This lead to an aggressive ‘Nococaine For The Soul’, E shouting the words along to his heavier percussive style.  On the subject of vocals, E’s should stand as a lesson to every technically proficient but vapid X-Factor wannabe.  Although his range lies between hoarse and gruff he shows that a karaoke singer’s warbling is no substitute for feeling.

E cuts an odd figure.  Hiding behind his beard with his cap pulled low, his slight figure hunched, you’d take him for shy but the touches of broad cabaret would suggest otherwise.  Firstly there’s the mysterious, booming, paternal ‘voice from the speakers’.  Mid-set we were treated to comedy readings from fanmail and previous gig reviews.  The Chet also read from E’s autobiography; first the passage relating E’s arrival in Hollywood, then the story of an encounter with his spiritualist landlady shortly after his sister’s suicide.

‘Elizabeth On The Bathroom Floor’, ‘My Beloved Monster’ and ‘Bus Stop Boxer’ provided further highlights and the night closed with two, single song encores, the first being a remarkable cover of Only Fools Rush In – E alone at the piano, digging at unintended meanings.

A note to all performers, however – commenting knowingly on the pantomime of planned encores does not excuse them.  You either play the game or you don’t.  By the time E left the stage for good the audience, previously keen to provide an ovation, were wary of being played with.  As a result E robbed himself of final acclaim and we were robbed of our chance to show our true gratitude for an excellent evening.

This review appears on Culturedeluxe.