Radio Black Forest is a monthly event in Birmingham that hopes to showcase the unusual, esoteric and hypnotic. Expect DJ and live sets from top artists ranging from lounge to the baroque, mambo to minimal techno, folk to post-rock. More information can be obtained by e-mailing winter.fire@live.com.
There is a series of webcasts that run parallel with the night and downloads are now available from rbf.podomatic.com.
personnel:
andrew haze
kate wilkins
dave mccabe
ben waddington
Coming soon...
Future shows
(current and past events listed below)
AMODALI OCT 24TH(IMPORTANT!!POSTPONED!!)
GOODIEPAL + THEE MOTHS DATE TBC
(DETAILS OF THESE SHOWS
WILL BE AVAILABLE NEAR TIME OF EACH EVENT)
OCTOBER 5TH
DARSOMBRA(OHIO)
THE FLAPPER
KINGSTON ROW
CAMBRIAN WHARF
£4.00 ENTRY
Darsombra is the solo experimental outing of Baltimore's Brian Daniloski. Daniloski has been a member of Meatjack, Trephine and Ala Muerte among others. Darsombra is best described as equal parts doom, psychedelic experimentation and modern classical. Crushing hums and lulling drones laid out by an arsenal of guitars (standard 6-string, baritone and 8-string bass) provide the foundation as Daniloski layers on ethereal soundscapes, sculpted feedback and manipulated field recordings. From powerful and doom-drenched to minimal and shimmering, darsombra finds the balance between beauty and darkness.
BLEEDING HEART NARRATIVE
Bleeding Heart Narrative is the solo project of Oliver Barrett, comprised principally of haunting cellos, repeating piano melodies, hushed vocals and layers of otherworldly sounds.
THE ANCHOR EXCHANGE
New post rock electronica culled from the backstreets of digbeth is sure to appeal to fans of tortoise , pivot etc..
SEPTEMBER 18TH
SOUND BAR
CORPORATION ST
BIRMINGHAM
Doors 8pm
£5 entry
EVOL
EVOL is a computer music cell started in 1996. At the core of theproject is Roc Jiménez de Cisneros, a musician and composer living andworking in Barcelona. Occasional EVOL members and/or collaboratorsinclude Aarhus-based sound artist Rubén Patiño, Danish composer andmulti-instrumentist Jakob Draminsky Højmark, English sound artist JoeGilmore, Spanish writer and sound artist Anna María Ramos, English video artist Andy Davies, and Scottish sound artist Joel Ongthorne.Their work has been released on internationally acclaimed recordlabels such as Mego, Entr'acte, Lucky Kitchen, Diskono, Scarcelight,Antifrost, fals.ch or their own ALKU. In 2003 the group started a series of electroacoustic pieces entitled'Punani' which addresses some of the main aspects of their work,namely: algorithmic composition, noise, psychedelia, systemtrajectories and the musical application of fractal geometry and othermathematical phenomena, somewhere in between Denis Smalley's conceptof "spectromorphology" and what Agostino Di Scipio called "functionaliteration synthesis". The series has six parts so far. Future releasesof the Punani series will appear on Entr'acte (UK), Presto!? (Italy),Raw Special Effects (USA), Interstice (UK), and ALKU (ES) Recent works include "A Very Short Proof Of Foresters Rigidity Result"(a generative audio piece by Mark Fell & Roc Jiménez de Cisneros forMatthew Ritchie's The Morning Line anti-pavillion as part of the 3rdInternational Art Biennial of Seville), "Punani Rubberist" (CD onLondon-based label Entr'acte), and a trilogy of cassette releases incollaboraton with Mark Fell, released on ALKU. Roc was recently aresident at the Music Research Centre in the University of York in theNew Aesthetics in Computer Music Research Programme. He also teachesPure Data programming and generative music in Barcelona.
JOE GILMORE
Joe Gilmore is a multidisciplinary artist and graphic designer. His work has been published internationally on various music labels including 12k and LINE (NYC), Cut (Zürich), Alku (Barcelona), Melange (Sendai), Entr'acte (London) and Leonardo Music Journal (San Francisco). He was co-creator of rand()%, an automated internet radio station, which streamed realtime generative music. His work has been exhibited at various digital art festivals and galleries including Lovebytes (Sheffield), VIPER International Festival for Film and New Media (Basel), Sonar (Barcelona), The Media Centre (Huddersfield), Exit Art (New York), Leeds City Art Gallery (Leeds), Ear to the Earth (New York), Aurora (Norwich) and ZKM (Zentrum fur Kunst und Medienteknologie, Karlsruhe). He has performed festivals and art spaces in Europe, USA and Japan. Joe has given talks and presentations about his work at galleries and festivals including Sonar (Barcelona), Cut & Splice (London), Dorkbot / Read_Me Software Art Festival (Åarhus), Sonic Acts (Amsterdam), Ultrasound (Huddersfield) and Lovebytes (Sheffield).
LEE GAMBLE
Lee Gamble, a founding member of the UK-based Cyrk collective, explores abstraction through extreme sibilant frequencies and digital noise. His CD '80mm O!I!O (Part 1)' was published by the London-based Entr'acte label in 2006, 80mm2 is forthcoming.
Tenniscoats is a Japanese pop band with two members, Saya & Takashi Ueno, but they often have guest musicians (and non-musicians) playing and performing with them. For example, Secai, LSD March, Eddie Marcon, Popo, Saibou Bungaku, Tetsuya Umeda, Kazumi Nikaido, etc. Saya and Ueno has also performed in many other underground bands, such as Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Cacoy, Puka Puka Brians, Yumbo and others. Saya and Ueno have also released solo works.
In December, 2008, Saya collaborated with Satomi of Deerhoof on a one-off project called OneOne. The album was released on P-vine (Japan) and Aquarius Records (USA).
In 2009, Ueno began the psych-folk group, Kasumi Trio. The other members are Shinsuke Michishita (from LSD March), Ikuro Takahashi (from Fushitsusha, Nagisa ni te).
Hailing from the leafy thickets of the outskirts of warwickshire, arc vels one man show has live instrumentation meeting electronica. Crisp and organic, vels influences stem from Flying lotus to Tortoise.His first gig in a while after a string of dates last year, vel will be showcasing new material at this show.
Tickets £6.00 available from Wegottickets.com ,Swordfish and polar bear
Currently resident in Melbourne, Australia, The Balky Mule is the alias of Sam Jones, a highly talented, self-taught multi-instrumentalist, who over the past decade or more has been a key member of the vibrant Bristol post-rock scene, playing in numerous bands, both live or on records, including Movietone and Crescent (alongside his bandleader brother, Matt), Flying Saucer Attack, Minotaur Shock, and Third Eye Foundation. During this time The Balky Mules’ home-recorded releases have been confined to a handful of compilation tracks, remixes and tapes swapped among friends.
For his first solo set back in 2000, Sam was booked to open for Pram at the legendary Cube Cinema in Bristol. In a worrying stroke of luck for a first gig, the venue burned down the night before, cancelling his debut. The Cube recovered from the damage and the show with Pram was later rescheduled, with a line-up extended to include his brother Matt and Kate from Crescent and Movietone. Sporadic live shows in the years since have veered between analogue synth solos and songs sung to the accompaniment of Tom Cops’ (of My Two Toms) banjo, plotting a course between electronic instrumentals and acoustic songs. Other treasured helpers have included Francois Marry, George McKenzie, Naoto Kawate and Peter Emptage.
The name The Balky Mule encompasses all of Sam’s varied recordings over the last ten years. The majority of his output has been CD-Rs on request and tapes swapped among friends, although he has also recorded a handful of remixes (of Pram and Vase tracks) and songs for compilations, including one of his first ever tracks making an appearance on FatCat’s 2001 compilation, ‘No watches. No maps’, which comprised material sent in to the label as demos.
The Balky Mule’s debut self-titled album was released in a small edition on Sam and his brother’s own Archipelago label in 2000. Self-recorded either side of a move between the UK and Australia, The Balky Mule’s new album ‘The Length of the Rail’ is set for release on FatCat in March 2009
Walt Shaw is a painter, percussionist and performance artist, whose CV is filled with experimental and contemporary theatre, music and dance collaborations. He has performed in music and theatre throughout the UK and Europe over the past 20 years. He has a special interest in the creation of home-built instruments and recently delivered workshops on this theme with Orphy Robinson. Graham Foster is a musician and performer in physical theatre playing upright bass, stick and samplers / electronics in his work. He has been a member of BET4 Artists for over 10 years, involved in shows in the UK and Europe. In addition to live work he records, re-mixes and produces CDs of the groups output. Walt and Graham formed Mahood in late 2005 after working together in the BET4 Artists collective for over 15 years in performance art, music theatre, dance and a number of experimental musical projects. Unlike almost any other band playing in this genre, Mahood incorporate physical performance in their sets as they create sounds and improvise physical actions as an integral part of each show. This builds on Walt and Graham’s long time involvement in music-theatre and live art events and results in unique performances.
Walt and Graham formed Mahood in late 2005 after working together in the BET4 Artists collective for over 15 years in performance art, music theatre, dance and a number of experimental musical projects. Unlike almost any other band playing in this genre, Mahood incorporate physical performance in their sets as they create sounds and improvise physical actions as an integral part of each show. This builds on Walt and Graham’s long time involvement in music-theatre and live art events and results in unique performances.
TICKETS FOR THIS SHOW 6.50 FROM SWORDFISH AND POLAR BEAR RECS. AVAILABLE FROM 3.4.09
Featured in the April edition of WIRE magazine, and having supported Einsturzende Neubauten on their last tour and touring in support of their Blixa Bargeld Produced debut lp, Radio Black Forest proudly presents WHITE!..
White was formed by Shou Wang and Shenggy in January 2006, and has quickly become one of the most acclaimed outfits in the Beijing new music scene. White's sound is ever evolving, spiralling outwards from cosmic industrial.
Shou Wang is a founder member of the Chinese new music movement 'No Beijing' and is the guitarist / vocalist for Beijing noise band Carsick Cars. He is at the very heart of the new generation of Chinese avant-garde musicians, in 2006 flying to New York to take part in Glenn Branca's famous No.13 recording "Hallucination City" for 100 guitarists. In 2005 he formed White No.1, a septet that paid tribute to the early work of Glenn Branca, and White 2R, in which he played keyboards. Finally this year he and Shenggy formed White.
Shenggy has been deeply immersed in Beijing's music scene since 1998, participating in the vibrant explosion it has undergone in recent years. Until 2006, she was the drummer in Beijing indie/rock legends Hang On The Box, but since 2003, her work has increasingly demonstrated her own unique form of cosmic industrial noise.
DREAM DREAMS THE DREAMER
Main project of artist and musician Matt Snowden. Sustained sounds from voice and other sources touch infinity through layers of detailed music.
Quiet restrained calm, transcendent extreme distortion and intensely physical rhythms happen in a form free from obvious styles such as noise, contemporary classical, punk, avant doom or other.
TICKETS FOR THIS SHOW 6.50 FROM SWORDFISH AND POLAR BEAR RECS. AVAILABLE FROM 3.4.09
SonVer started life late in 2003, when Jo Quail [cellos, programming] and Ben McLees [guitar, programming, samples] recorded 'Until The Stones Melt' as an experiment/side project away from their band Earth Loop Recall.
As well as being ELR'S keyboardist, Jo has also played cello with a number of bands and artists, including Rose McDowall, Hush The Many, Black Eyed Peas and Digitonal.
Prior to being ELR's lead singer and guitarist, Ben played guitar in late 1990's alternative band The Zero Club. Ben also plays bass in alternative band I Am Immune.
The soundtrack feel to SonVer's music has led to work/collaborations with UK film production companies, and SonVer's live show often incorporates both still and movie projection created by filmmaker Simon Bryant.
In 2005, SonVer released their self-titled debut album, and followed up the release with a series of live dates, including Ashton Court Festival in Bristol, WGT in Leipzig and Fimbulvetr in Edinburgh.
In spring 2007 the "Vigil EP" was released, and shortly afterwards SonVer expanded to a 4-piece with Alistair Richardson on drums and Ruban Byrne on guitar & bass joining Jo and Ben.
2008 saw the release of an untitled split compilation with friends Rose Mcdowall & Naevus, a collborative EP with the belgian act Elephant Leaf ("3 Songs EP") and the second LP by SonVer ("Luz Del Abyss").
"My approach to the music I make is centred around mistakes - both accidental and intentional - and trying to record as 'naturally' as possible."
Bleeding Heart Narrative is the solo project of Oliver Barrett, comprised principally of haunting cellos, repeating piano melodies, hushed vocals and layers of otherworldly sounds.For recent live shows, Bleeding Heart Narrative has recruited various contributors, sometimes expanding up to eight players, including cellos, viola, drums, guitar, bass and a more prominent use of vocals.Note: For the Birmingham show bleeding heart narrative will perform as a five piece. TICKETS £6.00 ADV. AVAILABLE FORM SWORDFISH AND POLAR BEAR RECS FROM 27.2.09>
Diva Abrasiva was created to find a thread through electroacoustic, contemporary music, noise, free jazz, sound arts, live improvisation, ambient and more. "Free Jazz Noise with hint of industrial post-doom" was how the band was described on the poster for their first gig.
Lin -
Sound Artist, Sound Designer, Acoustician, Practicer.
Lin moved to Edinburgh after gaining his Master of arts in Sonic Arts, SARC.
He came from China, grown up with cooling towers and humming of high voltage transformers in power factories; went to university studying electronics engineering and playing death metal. And afterward moved to Sweden for two years(via Gävle, Stockholm, Göteborg, Umeå) where he enjoyed a lot. Currently in Edinburgh, beside the music activities, he is doing research in physical modeling sound synthesis, academically tutoring in general physics, music acoustics and supercollider. Work on few projects with experimental side music, and freelance sound design for short films. Meanwhile, he started a organization based around regular events called Grind Sight Open Eye, dedicated to experimental sound and vision, promoting experimental, avant-garde and improvisational music.
Matt -
Trained in double-bass performance and studied composition with Joseph 'Butch' Rovan at Florida State University, USA. Member of a free-form, improvisational group 'The Organ Triumphant', along with Loren Boyer (now with Horse Sinister ) and Nate Hill (The GREATEST Artist of All Time; http://stoproadkill.org/). Played with the (now defunct?) New World Ensemble under Ethan Schaffner and Elisabeth King. Dormant for years concentrating on the work as Particle physicist , re-emerging under the partnership of Diva Abrasiva.
Nick -
Guitarist and Experimental particle physicist. Played in the (largely) instrumental rock band Leda Atomica with Anton and Johnny Hunter for over ten years, who are currently on hiatus due to geographical issues. Now playing in Diva Abrasiva, which allows full and free exploration of improvisational and extended guitar techniques that came to the fore in Leda Atomica's later music.
Daniel -
Experimental musician, percussionist, photographer. Daniel, as active player, also plays in a few other projects, including Mustletusk , an Edinburgh based Noise Rock heavy power unit. His photo works is available here .
Jamie -
Drummer and percussionist in numerous rock, noise and experimental projects in Austin, TX, Los Angeles, CA, and Washington, D.C. He released a noise tape with No Little Kindness (now Jubilee Singers) through Poo-Bah Records, in Pasadena, CA, and appears on a song with Ancient Mariner on a Thor's Rubber Hammer sampler. Most recently he toured North America and Europe as the drummer for Bodies of Water. Jamie also researches the intersection of religious and social theory.
November 27th 2008
Flapper and Firkin Cambrian Wharf Kingston Row Birmingham
In conjunction with rising force Milton Keynes based Fractured Spaces , Radio Black Forest presents the viscerally beautiful sounds Of Aidan Baker...
Aidan Baker is a canadian musician + writer currently based in toronto. he performs as a solo artist + with the groups nadja + arc. a classically trained multi-instrumentalist, his primary instrument is the electric guitar with which he creates music ranging from experimental/drone to ambient post-rock to contemporary classical. he has released numerous albums on labels from around the world + has authored several books of prose/poetry.
Aidans guitar stylings are influenced by established artists such as kevin sheilds to local Birmingham noise legend Justin Broadrick .
Tickets £6.00 available from Swordfish, Polar Bear and Jibbering recs. (available from 17.10.08)
Flapper and Firkin
Cambrian Wharf
Kingston Row
Birmingham
Naevus was formed in London in 1998 by Lloyd James (voice, guitar, other sounds) and Joanne Owen (bass, other sounds). Associated with the 'neo folk' scene, Naevus are musically far more diverse and their mixture of psychedelia, punk and folk brings recollections of bands such as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Swans and Luxuria to name but a few ... This will be Naevus's first show in Birmingham...Tickets £6.00 available from Swordfish,Polar Bear and Jibbering records.(from 15.11.08)
Previously billed under the name 'Psychiatric Challenge', this name should give an indication of the nature of the Warrington Duo of Ian Simpson ( prepared lapsteel / electronics)and Harry Gallimore ( electronics) all out uncomprising sonic assaults. Having played alongside many luminaries, inc. Nurse with wound collaborator Colin Potter, and supporting Sun Ra's Arkestra this November ,this december Fonik will be bringing their psychedelic terrorism to Birmingham....
Z'EV aka Steffan Weisser needs no introduction to those in the know...Poet, dancer and author, Z'ev has been ploughing his percussive furrow since the late sixties. From supporting Bauhaus in the early eighties to having worked with people such as Stephen o’ Malley and John Cage, Z’ev’s career has been prolific and diverse. The generation of atonal Atmospherics alternating with dynamic percussion forms the core of Z’ev's show. Doctored instruments and found scrapyard ephemera are used to create and invoke ethereal spaces into which the audience is thrust with their minds wide open. Although tempting to use extravagant metaphors, Z'ev’s sonic excursions can be explained simply in two words: Elemental Music. Tickets:£5.50 available from Swordfish and Jibbering Records.
UK act Satori began life in the late 80s (Dave Kirby and Rob Maycock). After Maycock's departure, head of Cold Spring records Justin Mitchell joined in early 1994. Satori disbanded in 1996. A decade later Mitchell resurrected the project with Neil Chaney (Pessary). Satori toured Japan with fellow Brits Sutcliffe Jügend in April 2007.
Self proclaimed 'fortean electronics', Satori's music is a post-modern audio-visual soundtrack to the unconscious,using sound as a medium to recreate Threshold states experienced in altered states of consciousness.
Dogma Chase (JP) released the LP version of 'Kanashibari' in spring 2008, (to be followed by the CD version on Cold Spring).
Famous with working with such luminaries as Current 93/Death in June, and enjoying chart success with the pop group Strawberry Switchblade, and lesser known for her contributions to other bands inc. Primal Scream, Psychic TV and even Bronski Beat (!) Rose's music is an eclectic hybrid of lush pagan folk melodies contrasted with pop music sensibility and tainted with an unusual ambience. For some, Rose is synonymous with some of the eighties most controversial and provocative bands, and was ploughing her furrow long before the neo-folk label reared its head!
Supported By: Gemma Quarterman
Like a calm sea about to break into a storm at any moment, local songstress Gemma Quartermans dark, brooding folk alternates between giddy ecstasy and agonising sobriety. Raw and unflinching, Gemmas music presents beauty found in the darkest of places brought to light by way of turbulent catharsis. This will be one of Gemmas first gigs in a while and she will be showcasing new material and will have an all new band to back her up.
DO YOU HAVE A TALENT? CAN YOU SING, DANCE OR RAP? ORMAYBE YOU'RE IN A BAND OR DANCE GROUP? For The Chance To Win £5000PRIZE and Get The Chance To Preform Call The Office To Book An AuditionFor More In Formation Call 0121 622 -4869 or email wehavetalent@live.co.uk
Online Now!
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many regards & lauter schreie der stellar fusion,
jaan
