Howby bab,
Our next show will be a special ‘Farewell To The Flapper’ event in Birmingham on Wednesday 6th June – it will one of the last shows taking place in this much-loved Brum venue before the march of progress turns it into flats. Hey ho.
Support on the night comes James Summerfield, Ben Calvert and The Swifts, and Chris Tye, who together are worth the entry fee alone. Then we tread the boards, and may even dust off some songs from our former lives as 1990s/2000s indie kids. It’s be emotional.
The show is being put on by Birmingham Promoters, and full info below is taken from their event page.
Tickets are £7 and available here.
In the meantime, you can broadcast your intention/hope of attending to friends and family by clicking the relevant buttons over on the Facebook event page
See you there, kids.
Full details…
Independent Country are a 6-piece band from Birmingham, UK, who play Country versions of classic Indie tunes.
Our debut LP, “TrailerParkLife”, was released in December 2016 and features new versions of songs by Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, New Order, Teenage Fanclub, and others. Jim Reid from The Jesus and Mary Chain recently described our version of ‘Blues From A Gun’ as ‘the best thing I have EVER heard’.
Our 2nd album, “The True Adventures of Independent Country” will be released in summer 2018. It will feature songs by Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, The Smiths, Inspiral Carpets, Spiritualized, and more.
Since our debut live show in the summer of 2016 we’ve played festivals all over the UK and have supported artists such as Karl Blau, Cale Tyson, and The Surfing Magazines. With a repertoire of over 40 songs – and counting – we can play either full-band sets that’ll tear the house down on a drunken Friday night, or else a laid-back acoustic show that will provide the ideal soundtrack to a regretful, hungover Sunday.
Independent Country Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp
Wath the video to ‘Blues Like A Gun’ here:
Chris Tye is a singer-songwriter who makes beautiful harmonic pop music with roots in a folk and jazz tradition. He is a sublime guitar player with a complex sense of rhythm, and a talented and ambitious composer and arranger of his music. But perhaps what strikes the listener first is his hugely distinctive voice, expressive and versatile, veering from melancholy to ecstasy, which at times recalls such important musical influences as Nick Drake, John Martyn, Grizzly Bear, The Beatles and Paul Simon.
After early releases Somewhere Down the Line(Headwrecker Records) and Matchbox Stand he released his ambitious debut album The Paper Grenade in November 2014: urban folk music on a huge canvas, intimate, anthemic and built for the big stage.
Chris is well-known on the Birmingham’s revitalised music scene, where he collaborates with diverse artists including Sam Redmore and Michael Clarke, and he has played to full venues across the country as a headline act as well as supported artists including Amy Winehouse, Fionn Regan and Ben Howard.
Chris Tye Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Watch the video for ‘Vicious Words’ below:
Ben Calvert & The Swifts
While making experimental theatre at Dartington College of Arts, Ben picked up a guitar and started writing his own songs immediately. Influenced by British folk, early 90’s Indie and US Psychedelia, audiences and reviewers alike have been charmed by his understated lo-fi post-folk sound that has melodic, narrative, songwriting at the core.
Having played a show at Union Chapel in November 2013, Ben took a year-long hiatus to write. The single The Sea, The Sea marked his return. The single was self-recorded and self-produced by Ben in his home studio and was mastered by Pete Maher. (Paul Weller, Damien Rice, Beady Eye) Within five minutes of the track being uploaded to BBC Introducing, it was playlisted for the following Friday.
‘This ghostly single makes a beautiful introduction. If you like Bon Iver, Midlake or Fleet Foxes then this was made for you.’ Brum Notes
Ben’s spent the last four years writing, recording and occasionally playing his songs at poetry nights in London houses. As well as returning to stage acting. There are new songs aplenty, including an EP that’s been recorded and mastered and all ready for release on vinyl in 2018.
Ben Calvert Links: Website | Bandcamp | Youtube
Watch the video to ‘Bright Lights’ here:
The Birmingham-born alt-country singer-songwriter James Summerfield played with John Peel favourites Buick 6 (later The Toques) throughout the mid- 2000’s which saw them collaborate with Julian Wilson (Grand Drive), Simon Alpin(the late Willard Grant Conspiracy) and Neil Coddling(Suede). Since going solo James has released 6 studio albums, toured twice with pal Scott Matthews, collaborated with Rankin Roger (The Beat) and the late Paul Murphy(The Destroyers).
“Paced like Gillian Welch at her Bible-black best” – Uncut
“One of the finest exponents of moss-hung backwoods Americana you’ll find in the UK” – The Scotsman
James Summerfield Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Watch the video to ‘Nightingale’ here: