Tag: birmingham (Page 17 of 87)

Soweto Kinch talks about taking The Flyover Show to South Africa on 31st March 2012

March 27, 2012 /

UK hip-hop artist Soweto Kinch will host a groundbreaking show featuring a diverse and brilliant line-up in Freedom Square on 31st March 2012. Among the artists that have confirmed their appearance at the Flyover Show are Tumi from Tumi and the Volume, Soweto Kinch and band, Feya Faku, ESKA, Jonzi D, Bokani Dyer, DJ Raiko, Yugen Blakrok, Gin-I Grindith, Robo The Technician, Hymphatic Thabs, and the Kliptown Youth Program Gumboot Dancers.

Kinch, one of the most exciting and versatile young musicians in both the British jazz and hip-hop scenes, will bring his iconic festival from the streets of Birmingham to the streets of the township he shares his name with – Soweto. The Flyover Show is Kinch’s project and has been a day-long, music and arts festival that has taken place for five years in its unusual setting beneath a flyover in Birmingham, UK.

The Birmingham festival has featured artists as diverse as Goldie, Akala and Omar and continues to build on its reputation, bringing world class entertainment to an often forgotten corner of Birmingham.

This year the show will not only take place in Birmingham, but in the historic Freedom Square – also known as the Walter Sisulu Square of dedication in Kliptown, Soweto.

“Freedom Square is in many ways the most natural place to extend the concept of The Flyover Show. I have both a deep artistic and personal connection to Johannesburg and I’m really excited about expanding this concept there,” said Kinch, who is also an award winning alto-saxophonist.

“As an area with rich historic and often unappreciated traditions it has much similarity with the areas in Birmingham where the show originated,” he added. Continue reading

The Flyover Show Freedom Square, Soweto, South Africa 31st March 2012 FREE 10am to 6pm

March 19, 2012 /

The Flyover Show FLYER FRONT 31st March 2012: Freedom Square, South Africa

In the days of early apartheid rule half a century ago, on 26 June 1955, over 3 000 representatives of resistance organisations made their way through police cordons to gather on a dusty square in Kliptown, Soweto, 40km south of Johannesburg.

This was the Congress of the People, who met to draw up the Freedom Charter, an alternative vision to the repressive policies of the apartheid state.

At the time, Nelson Mandela had to stay concealed to avoid the police. On the second day, the authorities broke up the gathering, but not before the charter was adopted as a guide document. It remains the cornerstone of African National Congress (ANC) policy to this day, and is seen by many as the foundation of South Africa’s 1996 Constitution.

That dusty field has now been declared a national heritage site, and on 26 June 2005 President Thabo Mbeki lit a flame of freedom in Kliptown to mark the opening of the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication – and 50 years of the Freedom Charter.

The Flyover Show 31st March 2012:

Hip-Hop artist and award winning alto-saxophonist, Soweto Kinch, will host a groundbreaking show featuring a diverse and brilliant line-up in the historic Freedom Square on 31st March 2012. Among the artists that have confirmed their appearance at the Flyover Show are Tumi from Tumi and the Volume, Soweto Kinch and band, Feya Faku, ESKA, Jonzi D, Bokani Dyer, DJ Raiko and the Kliptown Youth Program Gumboot Dancers. Continue reading

Destination Birmingham. Birmingham A Music City Scrutiny Report

February 28, 2012 /

In 2010 Birmingham’s Independent Music Industry was asked to answer 10 Questions.

In May 2011 UK Music published “Destination: Music” the first study of its kind to scope the economic contribution of music festivals and major concerts to tourism throughout the UK. You can read all about it at http://www.ukmusic.org/news/post/147-music-tourists-contribute-at-least-864m-a-year-to-the-uk-economy

After May 2011 Emma Williamson (Group Overview and Scrutiny Manager) & Baseema Begum (Research & Policy Officer) at the Scrutiny Office of Birmingham City Council got in touch. Emma & Baseema sent through several documents that asked a number of interesting questions. Rather than try to answer the questions on your behalf, The Music Network decided to pass the questions on to you direct.

In October 2011 The Music Network asked Another 10 Questions.

The Music Network hope the discussion will continue. We have collected together your opinions, consultation and research here in the Strategy category.

In February 2012 An email and Scrutiny Report Document was sent to us by Baseema Begum, Research & Policy Officer, Scrutiny Office, Birmingham City Council. The email read as follows: Continue reading

Mark from Iron Man Records on Funding Creativity, Birmingham and A Thousand Envelopes

February 26, 2012 /

Mark Sampson from Iron Man Records and Birmingham Music Network talks to Andy Ward and Pete Rhead at Musoplex about Funding Creativity, Birmingham and A Thousand Envelopes.

Mark is based in Birmingham, England and runs an independent record label called Iron Man Records. He set up the Birmingham Music Network in 2000, and organised gigs in Birmingham as Badger Promotions between 1992 and 2002. Mark spends much of his time helping musicians, and music based organisations, to deploy a more effective online strategy, and sometimes he gets asked to speak about social media and its use in promoting new music. Mark is a musician and currently plays in a band called Last Under The Sun, and another one called Police Bastard. Mark offers Tour Management and Driving for touring bands and has spent many hours driving musicians all over Europe. He has also done some lecturing at Birmingham City University as part of their Music Industry Skills degree course. Mark enjoys a good game of mental chess with local funding organisations who try and pocket most of the money intended for struggling local musicians and creatives and spends his time complaining about everything else. If something happens and you need help, you know where to find him.

Mark has worked with Seasick Steve, Anthrax, Mika, Killing Joke, House of Pain, Talib Kweli, Little Barrie, Congo Natty, Gorillaz, Brand New Heavies, The Enemy, Friendly Fires, Okkervil River, The Wild Mercury Sound, Sierra Maestra, Jay Reatard, The Nightingales, Ivo Papasov, Endbutt Lane, The Rakes, Crystal Castles, The Magistrates, Bullet for my Valentine, The Orb, Barry Adamson, Soulsavers, As I lay Dying, Roisin Murphy, Police Bastard, Dufus, Arrows, Taio Cruz, Ladytron, Son de la Frontera, Jeffrey Daniel, Johnny Foreigner, Xova, Johnny 2 Bad, The Moons, The Lines, Phantom Limb, and many others…..

If you have an opinion you want to share please email Andy Ward at Musoplex (mail@musoplex.com), He would be interested to film your thoughts and ideas too.

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