January 17th, 2010 §
Calling all Birmingham beat makers – CDR Knowledge – Beat Innervisions Birmingham comes to the Ikon Gallery next week on
Thursday 21st January. Featuring production insights from:
Morgan Zarate (Spacek)
Soundspecies (burntprogress)
And a discussion with Burnt Progress/CDR big man Tony Nwachukwu and the producers on the bill; Spacek’s Morgan Zarate and Soundspecies.
Folks will be able to gain insights into how Logic Pro was used to craft and develop one of their standout tracks. Furthermore have a chance to get to grips with Logic Pro 9 supported by CWPro and CDR community members and observe CDR community members build a track from scratch on the night!
Running Order:
7.00pm – Working Logic – Production demonstrations / Track productions (until 9.30pm)
8.00pm – Introduction
8.15pm – Soundspecies
9.00pm – Morgan Zarate
9.40pm – ‘Open CDR’ – Tracks produced during this session played – LOUD!
10.00pm – END
To register peep here.
January 13th, 2010 §
The project is aimed at diverse young people aged 16 -19 from inner city Birmingham (some of whom are not in education, employment and training) but who have some interest/ability in the arts. The project will focus on ideas of guerrilla craft, DIY Craft and Craftivism – with a view to developing a young people led craft collective which will then organise a series of interventions throughout the city.
More info here.
December 17th, 2009 §
Here is a collection of alternative Christmas gifts available from creative folks in and around Birmingham. Firstly a Christmas type mix of records from me. Feel free to wang this mix on whilst wrapping your presents or mulling your pies… enjoy!
At the top of the page we have the infamous Spinwell Bobble Beanie – which had almost sold out from this Birmingham based cycle blog, before the delivery had even arrived. Thankfully some are still available and now in stock ready for Christmas, very reasonably priced at £15 a pop. You will look hot when you are cold.
Spinwell Projects No.1 will be the Spinwell Bobble Beanie. Limited to 30 pieces and available in two colour options – Red/Grey/White and Grey/Red/White ( unfortunately not the colour pictured, this is my special sample! ).
Current State is the work of Birmingham based designer and illustrator Jane Anderson. Current State do lovely bold prints and are often feature in Fused Magazine. You can purchase postcards and Eco bags from Studio 4 Gallery aka The Framers along with a whole bunch of other stylish prints, postcards, bags and stickers from other artists and designers. Picture of Current State’s Eco Bag below - online shop and information here.
Mouldy Loaf is an independent company and brand which stocks the best in men’s and women’s wares. We have created an innovative and alternative brand which provides a great change to mainstream, high street fashion.
I say amen to that! Mouldy Loaf also run We Create* in Oasis Market. To go peep their wares just head down to the Custard Factory or look online here.
From mouldy bread to tasty and mouldy (if you so please) cheese! I love cheese and I love this shop! Newly opened in Kings Heath with a tasty collection of cheese, deli goodies and chutneys.
Capeling and Co is a specialist cheese shop and delicatessen on York Road, Kings Heath. We sell a large range of artisan cheeses, charcuterie, olives, antipasti, chutneys, vinegars, oils and lots more!
You can find out more here and become a fan on facebook. Support your local independent cheese retailer!
Merry Christmas!
Best Believe xx
November 27th, 2009 §
For those unfamiliar with Louis Den Beat Battles it’s an online community of hiphop beatmakers and producers taking part in weekly beat making challenges run from our myspace, our Beat Cypher nights are an extension of this taking beat making to the live platform with invited producers coming to showcase their material and emcees / vocalists sharing the stage performing special versions of their tracks over the nights producers.
The next Louis Den features Budge, Chemo, Sleaze Da Don, Ghosttown, Wizard and Birmingham favorite Juice Aleem and will be hosted at their new home Sound Bar, 250 Corporation St on 10th December from 9pm and is only 4 pounds before 10pm.
The online beat community Louis Den Beat Battles returns with another installment of the “Beat Cypher” night; the aim of “Louis Den Beat Cypher” is to showcase the production element of hip-hop in a live setting, the main focus will be on the 4 profiled producers of the night as well as live PA’s from artists.
November 18th, 2009 §
The closing party to Capsule’s 10th birthday celebrations is on Saturday 19th December at Vivid on Heath Mill Lane in Digbeth. This party will see a gathering of some of Birmingham’s most exciting experimental live acts including the fabulous Modified Toy Orchestra plus someone called Stinky Wizzleteat and others – all paying tribute to the ten years of exciting, genre pushing music that Capsule have produced and provided a stage for. You can get more info here and tickets from here. See you down the front.
November 13th, 2009 §
Pioneering typographer, sleeve designer and artist Swifty will be setting up shop at the Sauce Gallery in Birmingham’s Custard Factory from Saturday 12th December. Everything from originals and one off prints to T-shirts, skateboards and stickers will be for sale in The Swifty Pop Shop.
The Pop Shop, which is being brought to Birmingham by Sauce Gallery and Punch Records, will feature Swifty’s Newsagents installation. This life size shop front was partly inspired by Peter Blake’s ‘Toy Shop’ and the artist’s fond memories of a local village newsagent in Lancashire. The Shop will also be home to the A-Z of Swifty Show, including pieces based around everything from Action Man to Zebedee from the Magic Roundabout.
The Pop Shop is the latest branch of Swifty’s expansive career. Having studied design at Manchester Polytechnic, at the age of 21 he trained under Neville Brody at The Face magazine. His work at The Face and later led him to be recognised as one of the top new talents in the specialist world of typography.
In 1989 he joined the team at Straight No Chaser, a publication aimed at the jazz, jive and soul community. As art editor he drove the creative style that went on to embody the magazine as a whole. At the same time he established his own font company, Swifty Typograpfix, and spread himself between the magazine and producing fonts, record sleeves, club flyer designs and many other sidelines. Swifty dominated the scene, being the designer of choice for nearly every acid jazz label.
Punch Director Ammo Talwar said:
“Swifty is a design legend whose work cuts across all typography boundaries. Bringing the Pop Shop to Birmingham is a real scoop for the city, and will give visitors a rare opportunity to see many of Swifty’s personal projects first hand.”
The Pop Shop will be open to the public at the Sauce Gallery, 5 The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Digbeth from 11th December to 10th January 2009. For more information visit www.punch-records.co.uk
November 5th, 2009 §
Inclusion Inspires – music making a difference a free conference delivered by MusicLeader West Midlands, Youth Music and Symphony Hall on Monday 16th November.
For teachers and musicians leading music with young people who have special needs, physical and learning disabilities.
Learn about the best techniques and technologies, share skills and stories and try out the Patrick Music and Multimedia Studio and its equipment. For anyone working with music in school, mainstream or special, youth clubs, health settings, support groups.
This event is free to attend.
For further information contact 0121 236 7978 or west-midlands@musicleader.net
Visit this site for more information…
November 4th, 2009 §
Here are a bunch of fireworks displays in and around Birmingham over the next few days. I suggest that you check the details yourself before heading out as some of the events are ticket only. Be careful with them sparklers too and although it may be fashionable to wear 80s clobber these days – please remember the danger of wearing man made fabrics, most especially ’shell suits’ around gun powder and naked flames. It may also be useful to remember the Swine Flu pandemic when bobbing for apples with strangers.
Pype Hayes Park, Birmingham / Fireworks Spectacular / Thursday 5 November
A traditional bonfire night including a spectacular fireworks display and a great fun fair. Visitors are advised not to bring their own fireworks / sparklers. More information
Tamworth Castle Grounds – Bonfire Night Celebrations / Saturday 7th November / More info
The firework show will be put together again by the award winning Dragon Fireworks who wowed the crowds last year, alongside the fireworks, the fair will be in town and there will be numerous entertainers walking around the crowd including jugglers and fire eaters as well as a treasure hunt for the kids.
Ironbridge Gorge Museums – Fireworks Night / Saturday 7th November / More info
Blists Hill Victorian Town will open its doors on the evening of Saturday 07 November for a spectacular Family Fireworks Extravaganza. Visitors will be able to enter Blists Hill at 6pm on the evening of the fireworks event to see the streets illuminated by gaslight as they would have been in the 19th century. The town’s shops, cottages and workshops will be open for visitors to enter and talk to the ‘resident’ Victorians, dressed in the costume of the day, who will answer questions about life in the late 1800s.
Kings Heath Sports Club – Fireworks Extravaganza / Sunday 8th November / More info
Gates open at 5pm at the cricket ground, located on Alcester Road South, with a fun fair, live music from Birmingham Conservatoire musicians, a licensed bar plus other refreshments and food and a variety of stalls to keep everyone occupied until the launch at 7pm.
The fireworks display is again being conducted by the West Midlands’ award-winning Jubilee Fireworks, who currently have two British titles to their name and were the first UK company to win the world championships.
November 2nd, 2009 §
Birmingham Jazz are bringing Portico Quartet to the 2nd city this Saturday 7th November to play at the CBSO Centre, Berkeley Street, Birmingham at 8pm.
Birmingham Jazz is a Development Agency which represents Contemporary Jazz in Birmingham, promoting over 100 events throughout the year plus gaining recognition for their packed education programme and significant audience development activity.
Saturday’s gig sees them bring another heavy hitter from the Contemporary Jazz scene to brum in the form of East London ‘it’ boys – Portico Quartet.
” Floating somewhere between jazz and modern classical music, this young
group make a strikingly original sound. “
The Times
Portico Quartet are Jack Wyllie (sax and loops), Milo Fitzpatrick (double
bass), Nick Mulvey (Hang) and Duncan Bellamy (drums and Hang), four young musicians from East London who started a band together after the chance purchase of a ‘hang’ at a music festival in 2005.
In just a few years Portico Quartet’s hypnotic music has taken them from busking on London’s South Bank, to a Mercury Prize nomination, to performing at the Royal Opera House (with support from Wiley and Chipmunk) on September 5th and recording at Abbey Road with producer John Leckie. Famed as a nurturer of young bands (Stone Roses, Radio Head etc), Leckie has brought a powerful clarity to the band’s music and the new album Isla is a darker, more mature, expansive statement than their debut, Knee-Deep In The North Sea. However, it is still very much a Portico Quartet album.
This Birmingham date is part of a UK Album Tour and includes support from fellow Mercury Music Prize nominee Sweet Billy Pilgrim. This gig will be tremendous and should not be missed. To book tickets and get more info check here.
For more information on the infallible Birmingham Jazz check here.
November 2nd, 2009 §
Grand Union is a new artist-led initiative that supports the development of artists and curators within Birmingham. It aims to establish and nurture dialogue between contemporary visual artists and facilitate links between local, national and international art organisations.
On Friday 6th November at Fazeley Studios in Digbeths, Grand Union will host an artists’ publishing fair (12pm – 9pm), including stall holders such as Via Vaudeville, Ellie Harrison, Milk Two Sugars, Public Works, BAZ, Serena Korda, Caitlin Griffiths, Pest Publications, 4hb, [insertspace], Leisure Centre and a performance by The Artists’ Association of Autonomous Book Arts & Magazines (A.A.A.B.A.M.).
A.A.A.B.A.M. representative Calum F. Kerr will present A.A.A.B.A.M. RESTORED: That Was 2004. This Is Now. He’ll be wearing The Book Coat, a portable garment containing over 50 individual artist books.
Performance times Friday 6th November, 2-5pm and 6-9pm.
For more info check here.
Grand Union will celebrate their opening with a new publication, with contributions from group members Helen Brown, Ian England, Mark Essen, Cheryl Jones, Karin Kihlberg & Reuben Henry, Charlie Levine, Alex Lockett, David Miller, Harminder Singh Judge, Joanna Spencer, Matt Westbrook, and Stuart Whipps.
The publication will be available at Grand Union, alongside a reading room full of artists’ books’ and independent publishing.
Grand Union is a not-for-profit organisation supported by the Arts Council and Birmingham City Council.
