Brum Shots

Tonight is my first time attending an event put on by Sofar Sounds, a company started by a group of friends keen to experience live music in unusual and intimate settings. The location of each gig is kept secret from attendees until just a few days beforehand, and they rarely take place anywhere you’ve seen live music before.

The man next to me seems to be a seasoned veteran of Sofar. He tells me about previous shows he’s attended in cafes, rooftop bars, and even a skatepark! Tonight though, we are situated in The Old Print Works in Balsall Heath; a creative hub normally designated for printing, photography and various other crafts! The room has the feel of a school art room, with rows of chairs lay out and a performance area set up at the front. The room fills and the line grows for the makeshift bar in the corner.

Our host, Gaby, takes to the stage first. A local musician herself (check out Gaby Kettle), she radiates excitement for each of tonight’s acts. The first of the three is Kairi Twins (twins with the surname Kairi). The soulful duo silence the audience with beautifully harmonised vocals and intricate guitar melodies. The 20 minute set is mainly original songs, but the biggest surprise is the reveal thay they are dressed as scooby doo characters (to be fair you can see it once they mention it…)

Next up is Call Me Unique. Named so because every set she performs is completely unique. And in a mixture of skatting, loop pedals and flawless comedic timing, the set certainly feels different to anything I’ve seen before. Some tracks seem more readily prepared, and some apparently differ depending on whay her keyboardist is playing. The joyous set concludes with a completely improvised song featuring random words shouted out by audience members. These include ‘tupperware,’ ‘side chick’ and ‘spooky’ and to ger credit, the result is catchy enough for a full audience sing-a-long by the end (I’m still humming it on the bus home.)

The headline act for tonight is Brian Lightning. The face painted and eclecticly dress group take to the stage to cheers from familiar audience members. The unconventional appearance is reflected in their songs, written on topics such as remembering to tip the bar staff and their local pub/venue, Hare & Hounds Venue 2 (no mention of venue 1).

Their performance featured not only musical, but some magic and optical illusions – truly something to please everyone! The entire band demonstrate exceptional musicianship, truly capturing the unique style of the band. The stylish backing singers add a touch of glamour, their voices and dancing transporting us back to what feels like several decades ago.

Providing an upbeat and sometimes amusing end to an incredible event, Brian Lightning perform a solid set entirely of their own music. Before starting, they were described to us as ‘from the future.’ So here’s to hoping that the future brings more from this brilliant local group!