New company aims to promote good live music in Birmingham

Mar 18 2008 Submitted by Richard Kikonyogo

GOOD live music can be rather hard to find at the best of times. Often, it is a case of accidentally stumbling upon it, than of knowing where it is and when to go. That is, unless you are prepared to pay a lot of money.

As luck would have it though, two MySpace hippies, Hillary Plummer, a full time carer, and Mike Wheeler, a Post Doctorate geneticist at the University of Warwick, are doing their bit to make the location and availability of good live music a greater certainty in Birmingham.

Together, they have formed a not for profit promotions company, Freakin Legend, that aims to give local bands a chance to be heard and to network with other locals acts of a similar ilk.

Every second Friday, at The Island Bar in Birmingham city centre, Freakin Legend Promotions, is showcasing three local bands and one out of town band.

Bands here are finding it very hard to break out of the Birmingham and Black country area. By hosting one out of town band with the local bands, we are hoping that the local bands will be able to make connections with their contemporaries from around the country, explained Hillary Plummer when asked why she and Wheeler had decided to go ahead with the venture.

Friday March 14th was the first band showcase for Freakin Legend, and it was, considering the awful weather that seems to have dampened moods across the city, a great success.

With roughly 60 people in the upstairs events room at the Island Bar, what began as idle chatter on myspace, became a worthy reality.

Of the four bands that played, two were excellent, one fabulous and one, slightly overwhelmed.

Pick of the night was the not so out of town punk rock band, Pressure, from Derby, whose front man and songwriter Ben Liverman executed the lovable nutter routine to perfection.

With a tight sound that is reminiscent of Madness and Billy Idol, and catchy lyrics that are easy to grasp if verging on the barmy, 'Are you gonna get abducted today?' as but one intriguing example.

Pressure impressed with their enthusiasm, professionalism, humility and excellent musicality

"For us, success tonight means filling up our mailing list," said Liverman, before he went on stage.

The band, which already has two CDs recorded, is hoping to get a music video aired on television in the near future.

The Arcadian Kicks, were another excellent act. Incredibly, the five of them are still only eighteen, yet have developed a 60s retro sound that is on its way, surely, to greater things.

Heavily influenced by Led Zeplin, early Fleetwood Mac, Cajun Dance Party and New Young Pony Club.

The Arcadian Kicks did demonstrate an impressive ability to imitate, yet, when in the classic Zeppelin mould, sounded ordinary, and understandably, slightly out of their depth.

However, when they throw off the shackles of classic form and go with their youthful instinct, their natural sound is like charm to a snake.

Of the five youngsters, it was the bass guitarist who exuded a cool beyond his years, and the incredibly long legged female saxophonist and keyboard player, whose hard stare suggests that she can handle anything.

The lead singer, Becky Wilson, has a great look with potentially a very big voice in her, but thus far remains a tad serious and constricted in her movements, whilst the guitarist, whose baby face reminds you that this a very young outfit, might think about losing the floppy act, which seems as much out of shyness as it is affectation.

The band, co managed by Jan Light and Jon Brooks, the drummer from the Charlatans, has a confirmed television appearance on the Rock world Channel, where they will be appearing with Supergrass on Def Disco, a program put together by Alan Magee who manages Oasis, according to Brooks.

More spectacular still for them, is confirmation that they will be playing at the Isle of Wight Festival in the summer.

"The vision is that we have a record out by the end of year. I do see the band on a major record label, because their sound is very international," said Brooks, who himself worked in sales and promotions with Virgin Records for twelve years.

Without wanting to sound too forward, Brooks did indicate that The Arcadian Kicks have generated some tentative interest from Island records.

The first band of the evening, The Ganders, were the most accomplished musically and dived straight into some wicked, 70s style rock, which, as a three piece, they pulled off rather well.

Visually, they were also the most authentically rock 'n' roll, with a broody lead singer who looks like a young Neil Young, complete with impressive side burns, a lanky, thin, vaguely androgynous bass guitarist, who provided a touch of Satan,  and a curly, blonde Beach Boy drummer, whose gesticular antics were as annoying as they were unavoidable; a bit hyper and a bit up himself, which, as far as these things go, is an essentially good thing.

The Ganders, who set a great tone for the rest of the evening, were a little let down by a lack of vocal clarity.

Too many of their lyrics are lost in the volume and whilst gifted musicians, they did not really advance their own unique identity outside of their chosen genre. They need to write memorable songs, to give their impressive musicality and visual appeal lasting resonance.

Finally, My Secret Life, another three piece, brought the evening to a close. Unfortunately for them, they had three pretty hard acts to follow, and with the event drawing to a close, found much of the excitement drained by the time they got on stage.

It is a courtesy that the promoters will have to better enforce, that all the bands who play, and their supporters, should remain until the evening is over, if this enterprise is really going to achieve a break from the ego driven, selfish, prima madonna mentality that is rife amongst musicians.

We both go around a lot and love live music. We know the circuit well and are very familiar with the local scenes. We've looked very carefully at the bands which we have themed to make sure that they play well together.

It is also intended to create a sense of togetherness amongst the bands and their followers, says Hillary Plummer.

The only band with a truly Indie sound, (perhaps a mismatch) My Secret Life, despite great vocals from the lead singer, were a little too ordinary and too expected.

One or two of their songs sounded inspired, especially when the chorus pedal was deployed, but ultimately, they stayed, almost stoically, in the land of simplicity.

Whilst all three preceding bands had some razor edge, My Secret Life remained, to their detriment, safe. In true Indie mould, the bass guitarist would have been quite happy to play his instrument round his ankles, so hunched over in a low self worth pose was he.

Even their dress was ordinary, jeans and T shirts, without any sense of occasion to it. In short, they expected too much interpretation from the audience, which is always looking to a band to feed them responses.

This is why image, however artificially it may be crafted, is so often the separating factor between those who fly and those who don't. It would be good to see My Secret Life again, when they are perhaps better placed and themed, and when they become more bold and definite about how they want an audience to feel about them.

Yet this is exactly what the promoters intended, that these events be not only a night for bands to play, but also to learn from each other. We are the man and woman from the street. This venture is all about the bands.

All the proceeds will go to the bands which is different from other promoters who are only interested in money, said Mike Wheele

Both Plummer and Wheeler individually manage bands outside of this venture and are dedicated to helping mould and facilitate emerging talent in the Indie music world.

This first showcase proved once again, that good live music, especially in this age, like any other, is not just a matter of sound, but guts, energy, deliberation, and ultimately, spectacle.

We got all three in varying doses, from a great selection of bands in various developmental stages, all for £3. Freakin Legend has set itself a high operational standard, to the great benefit of the live music scene in Birmingham.

"If doing this constitutes a midlife crisis, then bring it on," said a very contented Wheeler at the end of the night