Robot vs Dinosaur returns & other events in Feb.
I’ve been dragging my feet all of January waiting for these blogs to write themselves but sadly it doesn’t work like that. I think a good post to get back into the swing of things might be to run through a few events which I would like to be at in the next month.
The big news which is jumping up and down and shouting hurrah at me is that Robot vs Dinosaur returns on Friday 15th Feb in the upstairs room at Island Bar. Robot vs Dinosaur if you’ve not come across it is a decent electronica night which started a few months after the Autumn Store two years ago (though it’s not yet found a long term home) and they play music which exists in the other, non-indiepop, side of my record collection. Stuff like - Aphex, Venetian Snares, Stereolab, Hood, Luke Vibert, Squarepusher… you get the bleepy picture.
It’s £3 in and they’ve got two live bands on too - Plant43 and QXTC.
I still have dreams of an Robot vs Dinosaur vs Autumn Store event, tentatively called ‘Mechakitten’ or ‘Catzilla’ in my head.
There are two Autumn Stores in Feb at the Sunflower Lounge in Feb, so I’m very certain that I have to go to them.
The first is a school night gig on Thursday 7th Feb with Liechtenstein (from Sweden), Betty and the Id (from Kings Heath), and Horowitz (from Stoke). In my head Betty and the Id are the perfect local band to go with these two and the line up should work really well together. This’ll finish fairly soon after the bands. (£3 in, doors 8.30)
Then we’ve got a weekend gig on Saturday 16th Feb with Strange Idols, The Sequins and The Voluntary Butler Scheme. This’ll be followed by the usual indiepop DJing into the early hours too (£4 in, doors 8.30)
A few more decent gigs too and sadly there’s one of Birmingham’s legendary gig clashes going on on the 1st of Feb -
444 Club have the knack of putting together good line ups with bands who complement each other very well, and mainly using local bands at that. They’ve pieced together another well considered line up on the 1st of Feb with KateGoes, Vix and the Kix and Bom and His Magic Drumstick (I thought And What Will Be Left Of Them would be playing this too but they don’t seem to be listed any more), but Sugarfoot Stomp will be DJing as an added bonus.
Sadly, this goes head to head with Tropical Hotdog which this time features the increasingly melodic and brilliant Sunset Cinema Club, goFASTER from Liverpool, and The Voluntary Butler Scheme (again)
Even sadder is that I’m not around to attend either.
Former Autumn Store opener Ben Calvert plays at Saturday Night at The Queens on the 2nd of Feb and I’ll be off there for proper beer in glasses with handles.
Oh, one last thing for Swedish pop obsessives such as myself - Billie the Vision and The Dancers are supporting Seasick Steve this Saturday at the BarAcademy.
And that’s all the weather for now.
