Three Chords and the Truth UK

Just over two years ago, Ben Folke Thomas played the Kitchen Garden in the dark shadow of the referendum result. A little concern was apparent from an artist brimming with principles of unity, comradeship and compassion, all framed by a progressive outlook. Fully understandable as this Swede has made England his second home for a number of years as he strived to forge a successful career. Now with a pivotal moment of the fiasco approaching, Ben once again trod the floors of the very same venue and could not resist a little jibe of the ‘B’ word at the end as funds might be required shortly to purchase a visa. Whatever the outcome and destiny of this Shakespearean tragedy, it is a travesty if freedom to live and work across virtual borders curtails and the music scene loses larger than life characters like Ben Folke Thomas. On a brighter note, we can gladly report that Ben was on prime form for this show, maybe still on a high twenty-four hours on from his album release, but f...

Juanita @ the Cuban Embassy sounds quite exotic, well at least Hispanic or Latino. When you translate it to an exiled Aussie indie-rocker in the upstairs room of a suburban Birmingham pub, you get more than a hint of reality. From either perspective, Juanita Stein is well on the way to establishing herself as a respected solo artist and seizes a vast array of opportunities to shore up her fan base. The Bulls Head (the Cuban Embassy in a former life) in Moseley is a long way from some of the platforms she has paraded on during a twenty-year career, but connecting with fifty-plus fans in an intimate setting can still present rewards in a different way. There are three likely entry points into the work of Juanita Stein. Many are likely to have lived and breathed her exploits as the front person of indie rock band Howling Bells, which brushed with the big time before settling at a level just below the household names with whom they were associated. In recent times, Stein has returne...

Lynne Hanson is the type of artist bestowed with gratitude and one never to lose sight of purpose and direction. Connecting with her audience appears to be a source of inspiration and it is easily transparent to see how bonds are forged. Drawing influence from country, folk, rock and blues has provided a solid base for this Canadian to dig deep into her song writing well and fulfil a desire to make music a viable source of living. Mutual benefits are aplenty when the fruits of Lynne Hanson’s ambitions pour out on stage and she aligns herself with a cast perfectly adept at playing the crucial support role. Therefore, for the second successive year it was a European excursion for Lynne Hanson and the Good Intentions, and a first visit to Thimblemill Library in the heart of the West Midlands. Before we dive into the detail of this successful gig, it is worth paying Lynne credit for the superb work she has recently done with fellow Canadian Lynn Miles. Indeed it was only around eight m...

Hare and Hounds to Symphony Hall to Academy is an upwards journey in terms of capacity, and one taken by First Aid Kit on their visits to Birmingham over the last eight years. Whether you consider the last two a progression is down to preference, but the numbers do not lie. The S ö derberg sisters are certainly operating on a higher plane than when they brought the Stay Gold tour to the city in 2015. Sold out signs have flashed above First Aid Kit shows right across this UK segment of the Ruins World Tour and it would have been rude for Birmingham not to oblige. Inviting The Staves along to open the shows was also a smart move. This must have been a record for sisterly siblings on one night, further compounded when all five assembled around the single mic for a song during the main set. Harmonies ruled the roost for most of the evening and shining evidence radiated from the stage as to why First Aid Kit are currently riding on one enormous crest of a wave. Moving into the realms of s...

They may have been treading familiar ground, but any traces of complacency burnt away on a mild Bonfire night. Earlier this year Kim Richey and Ben Glover played their own shows at the Kitchen Garden in Birmingham. Any lingering doubts about the viability of re-booking so soon withered away as a healthy turnout instantly switched on to the fact that they made a wise Monday evening choice. From the opening bars of each performer’s first song, defining molds were set. ‘ Thorn in My Heart’ oozes the absolute class that has kept Kim Richey at the heart of definitive Nashville song writing for well over two decades, while the gritty underbelly of ‘Catbird Seat’ shines a fascinating light on Ben Glover’s increasing eminence of being an acclaimed source of deep rooted songs without compromise. Comparisons and contrasts ran amok during this near two-hour show, which steered clear of a formulaic slant that can prevail when two independents collude. Harmonies, support vocals, joint playing, ...

Photo by Robin Gillanders It was music fit for the lavish setting. By her own admission, Karine Polwart has not made many visits to the West Midlands to play shows in the past, so the opportunity to bring her current tour to Birmingham Town Hall was too good to turn down. It does not matter where your prior appreciation or awareness of her music sits on the barometer; by the end of the show, you attain the status of a fully-fledged knowledgeable fan. Not only is Karine Polwart the source of many wondrous songs, the background and inspiration to them is enchanting, enlightening and dealt with heaps of guile and craft. Adeptly assisted by a band comprising of her brother Steven on guitars and multi-instrumentalist Inge Thomson, the trio glided through two precious sets full of new songs, older numbers and the odd surprise. At the heart of the content are myths, observations and personal experiences from their Scottish home, a land that has placed Karine Polwart at the heart of t...

“I traded my youth, for three chords and the truth,” cries BJ Barham midway through his fiery response to a Southern Baptist upbringing. ‘ Crooked + Straight’ may have taken a generation to burst out, but it goes a long way to defining the state of defiance and retribution flowing through an American Aquarium live show. 2018 is brewing up to be a landmark year for this band operating out of Raleigh North Carolina. A brand new album titled THINGS CHANGE (and the home of the aforementioned track) has emerged from a revolutionary all-change in personnel and a raft of dates both at home and abroad has followed to re-enforce them as one of the best US touring bands currently stepping foot on British soil. While the entity of American Aquarium is a wholly owned subsidiary of BJ Barham – the songwriter, musician, performer and inspiration - such an assertion is a little disingenuous to the stellar line up of crack musicians assembled for this latest re-incarnation of the band. Ace pedal s...