Nearly five years ago, a group of friends and I decided to take some initiative and create for ourselves the kind of organisation and event that we would most want to be a part of. The result is Project X Presents – a Birmingham based creative network producing events once or twice a year which aim to fuse many different strands of creative endeavour into one cohesive whole.
So what is a network anyway? In our case, a free association of individuals bonded by two essential qualities – an interest in creativity and a friendly, open minded attitude. We realised that between ourselves and our immediate friends we have between us a tremendous variety of interests and an urge to be together and be creative. Weekly meetings began and continue still, the network steadily grew. Our fifth event – Xhibition, comes up this Saturday in Moseley.
…be at Gigbeth tonight, but I’ve got to go to a birthday party the other end of the world instead. Humph.
If I could, I’d be checking out The Destroyers (amusingly described as “Oompah oompah oompah oompah oompah oompah pah, OY! x 1m” by one unconverted soul), the Sugar Hill Gang and the 4Talent stage.
In fact, 4Talent can have an extra plug because not only are they hosting the stage debut of CiB-founder Pete Ashton and friends, including this chap:
but they’re also giving away USB wristbands to the first 100 people through the door. They’ve been preloaded with videos, MP3s and a podcast from the acts they’ll be featuring on the night. If you need to know more, here’s what the 4Talent wristbands contain.
Another big weekend with something for everybody (unless you happen to hate animation, music and design in equal measure, in which case you can just do one) with:
Plus+ International Design Expo
Flip Animation Festival
Gigbeth
Plus+ kicked off today at Fazeley Studios, Digbeth. I’m heading over in a bit and am not really sure what to expect other than the much-discussed tart cards. I suppose I’m looking forward to catching a talk or two and just having a mooch about.
Flip is over in Wolverhampton at the Light House and consists of three days of animation goodness – screenings, portfolio dissections, talks and all sorts, with a closing party hosted by Colour.
Gigbeth kicks off with the conference tomorrow and carries on through to Saturday evening. There’s loads of info out there for anyone wanting to look. May I direct you to:
Plus+ International Design Expo – schedule
Listings of all the events are up online. Read what’s going on, become intruiged, buy a ticket. Or don’t – maybe design’s not your thing
Gavin Strange at the Apple Store
Gavin Strange, founder of JamFactory and designer of graphics for skateboard decks and toys, will be showcasing his work at the Apple Store. November 4, 5pm
Gigbeth Conference – Delegate tickets
They’re available now and will set you back £100 plus VAT. Sessions include Fyfe Dangerfield interviewed by Janice Long and talks from Marc Jaffrey (Music Manifesto), Maggie Crowe (BPI and Governor of the BRIT School), Rich Castillo (A&R for Shalit Global) and Alexis Grower (International music lawyer)
Gigbeth looks to be coming together quite nicely. There are some well recognised names signed up (Sugarhill Gang, Young Knives, Guillemots, Stanton Warriors, Kano, Fabio and so on) along with some good localness too (Einstellung, The Destroyers and a who’s who of local promoters organising their own nights).
For a second year, Jon at B:iNS has braved the Gigbeth MySpace Marathon, checking out each band that’s playing
From watching the interview below, it seems that although the music part of the festival serves as the shop window, the Gigbeth Conference is a bigger thing than many of us will appreciate
Incidentally, rather than churning out press releases, the Gigbeth blog is an engaging and lively thing written by a few people (I think – who writes each post is a bit of a mystery)
Last, and certainly not least, our Frankie sat down with Gigbeth’s organiser, Clare Edwards, for a natter about how the festival and conference started, what it’s all about and this year’s most exciting acts:
Gigbeth – What’s On
The schedule for Gigbeth is coming together. Young Knives, Guillemots, The Destroyers, Sugarhill Gang and Einstellung are down so far with more to come
Light House October Highlights
Featuring independent film releases and new photography exhibition ‘Imagined Lines’cib by Matthew Hammond
Curates Egg Autumn Programme
Here’s the Curates Eggs’ latest mailout. All sorts of things going on including some stuff for the Birmingham Comedy Festival. There’s also some recommendations for other peoples events, which is always good to see
The Bad One review
Whatsonstage Midlands reviews Women & Theatre’s latest play… and they like it
Clusta Brand Cool Brands
“CoolBrands, the annual survey of the UK’s coolest brands, appointed Clusta to overhaul the brand identity for its 2008/09 programme”
Another Byte Of Banality: Turn It up Sonny…
Looking for used Soundsystems, PAs, Speakers, Amps, Microphones and other audio miscellany? Mark 19 October in your diary as the date of ‘Urban Village’ Dave’s Used Pro Audio Fair at the Custard Factory
Homer Creative
“a creative communications agency” who seem to do any number of related things including graphic design, web design, writing, editing, art direction, photography, etc and so on. They designed the cover for Gaynor Arnold’s Booker longlisted ‘Girl In A Blue Dress’ too
Frankie Ward interviews Mary Wakelam of Birmingham Jazz and they discuss winning her BBC bursary, her new band Maylight, Rush Hour Blues, bringing jazz into Birmingham’s music venues, Gigbeth and resonance events:
Tomorrow I’ll be offering some tickets for the next resonance events shindig at the Town Hall. There might be a question from the interview, so take notes.
Coming up from Birmingham Jazz:
Wednesday 24th September
Jazz Club with Maylight at The Rainbow, Digbeth (£3)
Thursday 25th September
Sara Colman Album Launch at The Glee Club (£8/£6)
Tuesday 30th September
James Bashford Quintet at The Jam House (free)
Friday 3rd October resonance events presents The Heritage Orchestra (playing the music of Amon Tobin) the Lizzy Parks Band, DJ Cro plus guests
The Town Hall at 7.30pm, live music starts at 9pm (£15.00)
Friday 3rd October
Rush Hour Blues – Mike Hatton’s MHJQ in the Symphony Hall Foyer (Free)
If you’ve not come across them before, there are other CiB interviews on Vimeo with the likes of Capsule, 7 Inch Cinema and Ditto Music with more to come.
Music Network meeting Thursday 31 July 4pm at The TIC
“The Birmingham branch of Musicians Union will be supplying luxury chocolate biscuits and good coffee for all. There’s food and drink afterwards supplied by the creative networks lot too. Come and talk about what you’re up to and meet some new people”
Rosie Kay Dance Company at the Edinburgh Fringe
Rosie has been invited to show Double Points: K at the festival but could do with some support to help make it happen. Here’s the justgiving page set up for that purpose
Birmingham fails to make cultural top 10
Paul Groves doesn’t know what to make of what purports to be a list of the UK’s ‘most cultured local authority areas’. Neither do I. Birmingham comes in 14th behind a slew of London authorities and Manchester
Baron Davenport’s Charity require someone to copy a (bronze?) bust
If you can help, or if you know someone who can, then contact Marlene Keenan at mkeenan@barondavenportscharity.org or on 0121 236 8004
Moseley Folk Festival 2008
“Moseley Folk Festival is again looking for smiley, happy people to help
out at the festival”. Details via the link and/or email nicola@moseleyfolk.co.uk
Unfortunately the Gigbeth website & blog are having a few issues at the moment so, in case you can’t go there directly, here’s the announcement:
Well ladies, gents and those who merely resemble humans, I am pleased and rather smug to let you know that in November you’ll have the opportunity to ‘hear the rhythm of the boogiddy beat’ live when The Sugarhill Gang perform at Saturday night’s Gigbeth!
Tickets will go on sale in August and we can expect to see a few more acts announced soon too. If you want to get involved with the Gigbeth street team CiB’s Frankie Ward is organising the street team so if you want to get involved with that give her a shout at frankiepromotes[@]gmail.com or via the Gigbeth Facebook group.
Custard Factory – new website
The new internet home for the Custard Factory went live yesterday. There are many bits to finish off and some bugs to iron out but it looks to be an improvement on the previous incarnation.
What is Submerged Magazine?
Submerged is being developed by Emma Wooley and cover electronic music and feature reviews on galleries, art centres, pubs, clubs and venues in the Birmingham area
BBC WM Introducing – Bands wanted: Gigbeth 2008
Frankie has a piece on the BBC’s website about this year’s Gigbeth. If anyone wants to help out with street-teaming for the festival then get in touch with her
but she’s a girl… » Happiness lecture
“I attended the Baggs Memorial Lecture on Happiness at the University of Birmingham on Monday, which this year was given by the Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion”
Planning has started for this year’s Gigbeth festival taking place 6-8 November 2008 and coinciding, as ever, with Music Live at the NEC and the Gigbeth Conference.
The website has been launched and, although it’s too early to expect much information to be up there for punters, if you want to perform or volunteer at Gigbeth then the contact details are there for you.
For now, and pleasingly for me, the site has launched the Gigbeth blog to which CiB’s very own Frankie Ward will be contributing over the summer and as the festival comes together. Go and say hi if you’ve got a sec.
