NEEDS SOMETHING WITH A LITTLE MORE KICK...PLUTONIUM!

60 Seconds with Rolo Tomassi!

leej0rdan — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:45:25 +0000

We caught up with Rolo Tomassi after their Flapper gig and this is what they had to say….

So you have just finished a pretty big European and UK tour with Trash Talk and Throats – how has it all gone?

Yeah it was incredible…I don’t think we have had a tour where we have gotten on so well with the line up. We knew Throats cus we had toured with them before and we met Trash Talk at South By South West and kept in touch and when we heard they were touring at the same time we were like ‘lets get together’. It was amazing – between us we had such good fun, such good energy.

So what’s next on the agenda?

Well, we are shooting the video for the next single Party Wounds on Saturday and that’s going to be released in the next couple of weeks. Then we are on tour with Biffy Clyro which is cool because they actually asked for us, it’s so flattering…and then we are doing some festivals like Slamdunk and Download. Our album Cosmology comes out at the end of May so we have to get that right as well.

You guys are going to be pretty busy then?

Yeah we pretty much have the rest of the year mapped out with festivals and stuff. We know what we wanna do like touring America, Japan and Australia again so we gotta make it happen. We wanna do a headline tour end of this year or beginning of next.

No time off then in the near future?

Well we have loads to do like finish the art work on the album and make sure the release goes well. We don’t really want any time off as this is what we wanna do. We took two months off after recording the album and it took four months of this year to get back fully back into it. Having the tour being like 22 days full on without any days off is what we needed to find ourselves again it was fantastic.

Cosmology is out on the 24^th May

By Lee Hall

Review: Tenny Ten, Tinie Tempah and Mr Hudson @ The Rainbow Warehouse 12th May 2010

leej0rdan — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:10:36 +0000

One of the biggest nights of the year thus far for the Rainbow Warehouse, took place on Wednesday with a host of talent nurtured in Birmingham invading the stage. Former Handsworth resident Mr Hudson, along with Wolverhampton’s own rising star Tenny Ten and newly crowned number one artist Tinie Tempah, brought some flavour to mid week Birmingham.

Tenny Ten

Making significant waves in the urban Hip Hop scene, Tenny has received massive noise from Radio one and has been endorsed by some of the most influential people in the British music industry, including Tim Westwood and Zane Lowe, as THE one to watch in 2010.

In the midst of an impressive crowd the atmosphere is electric, as a combination of friends and family and intrigued music lovers gather, unsuspecting of the spectacle about to unfold. You would be forgiven for thinking that, being the opening act of a homecoming gig on what is reputedly his biggest tour to date, the 24 year old may be a little nervous. If he is – it never shows.

After a prolonged intro from DJ Springa, Tenny bursts onto the stage with his trademark flair and charisma and it’s not long before the showman makes his mark. Mid way through the song he cuts the DJ off addressing the crowd ‘I need you with me on this guys…I can’t do it without you – make some noise!’ The crowd oblige with an impressive backlash of cheers and the fist track kicks back in. He’s joined on stage by partner in rhyme Bigg Wayne and the two provide a well rehearsed, multi-layered performance, part hip hop gig – part soap opera.

Dubbed a lyrical genius and modern day poet, Tenny manages to silence critics who would seek to diminish the abilities of hip hop artists. His rhymes are flawless and eloquent borrowing from all facets of life from the Iraq war to 19th century texts, he seamlessly incorporates them all. His song about the diamond trade in Sierra Leone slows down his performance showcasing his lyrical abilities and moral fibre. ‘Jump Jump’ depicting someone on the verge of suicide, displays a rare social awareness. Standing on the very edge of the stage the theatre begins with Big Wayne attempting to coax Tenny from the brink. The theatrics are excellent and the multiple layers of the performance mesmerise the audience.

It’s not all serious, as Tenny is infinitely capable of rousing the crowd from the depths of despair to the heights of excitement. Dropping soon to be released single Swaggnificent (20th June 2010) the flair returns and the crowd return to their thumping, jumping best. One to watch is an understatement, if you don’t know Tenny Ten yet, we guarantee by the end of the summer he’ll be all anyone is talking about.

Tinie Tempah

Needing little introduction of late, Tinie is touring off the back of his number one single ‘Pass Out’ and throughout May is flittering up and down the UK with Mr Hudson and Rihanna. Another of the new breed of Urban/grime stars emerging in the scene, Tinie was picked as one of MTV’s Top Ten to watch for the year and seems intent on proving their prediction right.

Tinie embodies once more the intellectual nature and showmanship of today’s performers. His rhymes flow effortlessly and his concentration and engagement with the crowd is commendable.
What Tinie offers is something with a twist, Hip Hop with a healthy dose of guitars. He manages to traverse the sticky ground between two different mediums, incorporating a variety of sounds in his music. It works supremely well and advances the efforts of Jay-Z and Linkin Park to close the gaps between the genres, in the process re-defining perceptions of what the Hip Hop can be.

The performance is energetic and he feeds off the crowd darting from side to side making good use of and the occasional joke, of the post that features front and centre of the Rainbow stage. The reception is indicative of his recent success and in some respects, his is the most difficult performance of the evening as he is not a local like the other acts, and has to live up to the hype that comes with being no.1.

Undoubtedly the crowd pleaser of the evening was no.1 track Pass Out, which has been a phenomenal success of late. For us, new track Frisky (released 6th June) was that little bit special and will undoubtedly be a contender for the summer anthem of 2010.

Mr Hudson

The Handsworth hero took to the stage arms open, to embrace what is effectively his hometown crowd. The biggest artist to have performed for Birmingham Promoters to date, Hudson spent most of his life in the Handsworth area and seemingly was intent in giving the crowd a performance that portrayed his feelings for the people of Birmingham.

His unique vocal talent soared through the rafters of the Rainbow Warehouse, electrifying the crowd. The confidence exuded is in no small way reflective of the company he is keeping of late, including his record label boss Kanye West and Jay-Z. Prior to this gig Hudson postponed his Manchester gig to play with Jay-Z on the David Letterman Show, prompting rumours of a possible release in the States and with Jay-Z as a backer, success is almost a certainty.

Faultlessly guiding the crowd through his album Straight No Chaser, Hudson has hooks and melodies spilling out from every orifice that the crowd chew them up. White Lies was as impressive a delivery of any track we have seen this year, displaying the unity that exists between Hudson and his backing musicians. One of the highlights of the performance was the return of Tiny Tempah to the stage to perform a new track called Anyone But Him that has been shown much love on Radio One.

Certainly deserving of his reputation as an innovator, his musical abilities are infinite as he transfers from one instrument to the next with ease. The next few months will no doubt see Mr Hudson continue his meteoric rise in the music community, which may yet see him do what few others have – break the American market.

Check out June’s issue of AREA Magazine for an exclusive Tenny Ten interview.

For more gigs go to www.birminghampromoters.com

By Lee Hall

Pictures by Richard Shakespeare

PR clangers not restricted to former PM’s

leej0rdan — Sat, 15 May 2010 09:40:00 +0000

A little less than a month ago I blogged about the PR gaffe involving Gordon Brown’s rant regarding a Rochdale senior citizen that arguably left the Labour re-election campaign in tatters. It now seems however, that it is not the former PM alone that is capable of PR Clangers but more worryingly, supposed PR experts that are the subjects of the latest faux pa.

In what is being billed as a staggering lack of professional decorum, PR Week have reported that a social media PR company have taken to their blog to verbally berate a rival company, for what they perceived as their inability to manage social media. The smaller agency’s crime; to send unsolicited press releases to a database of bloggers – hardly the crime of the century.

The blog post itself reeks of an overeager need to ‘get one over’ on a competitor that won a pitch (the very pitch that forms the subject of the blog) they were interested in. Not only is it excessively hasty in its criticisms of a growing company, it is exceptionally hypocritical. The blog post makes fun of grammar that is correct whilst the post itself is riddled with grammatical errors for which the writer atoned by explaining it was ‘hastily’ written, highlighting at the very least the incompetency of the individual in question.

What is most concerning about the post is not its flagrant transparency or the spiteful tone it adopts, it’s not even the mistakes that litter the text, it is the fact that the offending company has done little to assuage the contempt felt by fellow industry professionals. In fact, they seem content to add to their woes by attempting to excuse their actions under the pretence it was ‘for the good of the industry.’

NixonMcInnes MD Will McInnes said of the issue: ‘Inevitably we all make mistakes so we shouldn’t point the knife when someone slips up. Effectively we exist in what is like a village so we should act like a community. We’re all in this together.’

Had they removed the post and apologised for any offence then the matter may have been forgotten. But they have not seen fit to do this and all the blog has succeeded in doing is cause one to question the integrity of said company and its Managing Director, who cleared the post for publication. With 95% of the comments on the blog being negative, future relations with PR professionals will no doubt prove difficult for the company in the coming weeks.

11th May 2010 Review: Blood Brothers the Musical

leej0rdan — Thu, 13 May 2010 13:41:00 +0000

The iconic Blood Brothers returns to Wolverhampton in this sublime interpretation guaranteed to have you laughing hysterically one minute and in floods of tears the next. Surrounding the exploits of the Johnstone twins Mickey and Edward who, when separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks in tough Liverpool. Despite Edward enjoying all the advantages of wealth while Mickey has struggled in depression hit Liverpool, the two strike up an unlikely friendship, forging a blood pact. As the poison of the secret increases the ‘mother’ of Edward descends into madness fearing the truth will be revealed. Ultimately the friendship of the two brothers proves disastrous. Sufficed to say this is not one for those who enjoy a happy ending!

The cast of this latest interpretation were superb and have continued the long, distinguished history of this play. Throughout the crowd are treaded to the mesmerising vocals of Lyn Paul, former member of 70’s group New Seekers. She is excellent in her reprisal of the role that she first took in 1997. Her portrayal of loving mother and hard Liverpudlian is excellent, even maintaining traces of the accent in her musical scores. She engages with the audience who can’t help empathise with her plight.

This play is also rich with young talent whom display a wealth of maturity and experience. Notable performance of the evening was the charismatic Sean Jones who played Mickey. Also reprising his role, he seamlessly flowed between the cheeky, lovable rogue that Mickey is through the first half into the depressive drug addicted Mickey, who has been hardened by the toughness of his upbringing. He was responsible for the largest laughs and the largest tears.

Other notable performances come from Tracey Spencer and Robbie Scotcher. Spencer played the part of Mrs Lyons, the ‘mother’ of Edward. Her portrayal of a woman descending into madness had an eerie feel to it and made the hairs stand on the back of your neck. Her desperation to conceal the secret that has blighted their lives oozes from her performance.

Likewise, Scotcher who played the narrator generated an immense sense of foreboding and was an ominous presence on the stage – like a shadow of the tragedy that was about to unfold. While his timing was sometimes off, the manner in which he skulked around the stage was exquisite.

As always the musical score was exceptional as was the set design and use of props, particularly from Mickey and his green jumper. Despite its age, this play has the ability to captivate audiences of all ages and is assured a long future to come. In what was certainly the best performance I have seen this year, I laughed, I cried and I’d do it all again.

Fabio’s PR own goal disallowed by FA

leej0rdan — Wed, 12 May 2010 13:18:00 +0000

It seemed to have crossed the line but the FA has evidently seen fit to intervene in the latest scandal to have hit football. Whilst not quite on the national scale of Ashley Cole’s numerous affairs or John Terry’s infidelities, it does pose the most significant threat to the harmony of the England team and strikes at the heart of the credibility of the one time untouchable England Manager, Fabio Capello.

The subject of the controversy is Capello’s new business venture unveiled on 10^th May, which would have seen him publish his post match reports from the World Cup in order to collate a performance table/ranking system. The goal of the service termed the Capello Index, would have been to create an accurate scoring system that would be implemented into Capello’s soon to be released video game Capello XI. The move was immediately branded as a ‘PR own Goal’ from the usually suave Capello.

Imagine if you will having submitted a tender or proposal, that the first thing your bosses did was to immediately Tweet about your performance even going so far as to give you a score out of ten. The embarrassment alone would impair your judgement on your next case and cause you to question yourself, making decisions that normally you would not. That in effect, is the system that Capello was hoping to deploy.

Amidst the growing debate Capello’s employer (the FA) have stepped in and put the kibosh on the deal suggesting that the move is insensitive and could affect the mood of the players. This comes as a massive blow for both Capello and Pitch who were brought in to handle PR for the account. In the wake of all the bad press and with an indefinite postponement and distancing from Capello, it will be interesting in the coming weeks to see how Pitch can disencumber the rubble of their campaign.

A Taste of the East for the HP Site

leej0rdan — Wed, 05 May 2010 11:04:00 +0000

In 2007 the new owners of HP moved production from its Birmingham site to Holland in cost cutting measures that left the iconic HP factory dormant and derelict for three years, along with the loss of 125 jobs. Now though East End food company, who have been producing authentic Eastern cuisine for over 30 years in the Birmingham area, have bought the site and revealed a £25 million plan that will rejuvenate the area and put Birmingham back on the food map.

The ambitious plans for the site include a 15 storey building that will host a cash and carry warehouse, a 150 bed hotel with conference facilities and a new based of operations for the Indian food company. The company even hope to create kitchen space in which people can come and learn the art of cooking authentic Eastern cuisine.

Committee member Keith Linnecor had this to say “This is an excellent development. A great looking building and will lead to the creation of so many jobs in the area…far more than there were on the site previously.”

Since the closing of the factory the area has suffered a great deal. But these plans will undoubtedly bring the site back to its former glory and will provide twice the number of jobs previously employed at the site. The firm have stated that it would very much like to hear from HP staff that have been unable to find work and promises “quite a mixture of employment.”

With construction set to end within the next 18 months, East End food has proven its commitment and confidence in the Birmingham area and hopes that this rejuvenation project will inspire other such projects in the area.

Oh Gordon…

leej0rdan — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 08:06:00 +0000

Nick Clegg and David Cameron need not flex their creative muscles when it comes to smearing the current PM as it seems that Gordon Brown, shovel in hand, is more than happy to dig his own gave.

Having been advised recently to engage more with the public as it was felt he was previously seen as being too aloof, the PM has gone on the offensive meeting the public left right and centre. It seems though that his advisers forgot who their candidate was; the George Bush of British Politics.

The PM was in Rochdale when he came across life-long Labour voter Gillian Duffy. Towering over the pensioner, Brown began confidently defending policies on pensions and accepting praise for the state of the school system in Rochdale. When presses on the issue of migration the PM (seeming somewhat flustered at this point) tried to deflect the question stating “a million people come into here…but a million British people have gone into Europe”. Deflecting the question he returned to policies where Labour has had some success in an attempt to end the matter on a high.

However Brown was unaware as he extradited himself from the situation that his microphone was still. He began engaging in a personal conversation with one of his assistants in which he blames ‘Sue’ for making him speak with the woman and called the woman in question a ‘bigot’, assumedly relating to her pressing on the immigration issue.

This is not the first gaffe the Prime Minister has made but it may prove to be the final one. In Dec 2008 he was ridiculed in the House of Commons when giving a speech regarding the banking system. Meaning to say he saved the banks he instead professed to having ‘saved the world’. Needless to say, the Tories pounced on this momentary slip and the session descended into a debacle. Then in 2009 at the 65th anniversary of D-Day the Prime Minister, seemingly gushing over his new friend President Obama, repeatedly referred to Omaha Beach as ‘Obama Beach’.

So whilst Brown tries to extricate his foot from his mouth (in the process blaming the news company who owned the microphone for taping a private conversation), Nick Clegg and David Cameron are certainly not going to be hiding their smiles in the wake of the latest Brown gaffe.

Cruise Ship Rescue is PR Gold

leej0rdan — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:55:00 +0000

Celebrity Cruises have put an indefinite hold on the launch program of their latest super vessel the Eclipse. It was scheduled to begin a week’s worth of events to celebrate the launch including onboard parties with some very special guests. But in the wake of the chaos reaped by the Icelandic volcano the cruise company made the dramatic decision to abandon party plans and head for Spain to mount a daring rescue mission of Brits that have been stranded their amidst the air chaos. Dan Hanrahan, President of Celebrity Cruises stated: “A party at this time didn’t seem right – we had to help out.” And help they have.

Arriving at the Spanish docks in the early hours of the morning the ship was a sight for sore eyes for the 2000 plus Brits unsure of how they would ever make it back home. The cruise company have made plans to pick up customers on all inclusive breaks from Thompson, the Co-Operative group and Thomas Cook. On board the relieved travellers will have the run of the ship and be able to take advantage of the luxury facilities including multiple pools and a 24hr Casino, all free of charge in a deal with their travel providers. But after all the families have been through recently I’m sure they are just happy for a warm bed and the prospect of home.

But lets not be naive about this as certainly this is an act of humanitarianism but it is not without its merits for the cruise company. The media and press attention that this ‘rescue mission’ is receiving is worth considerably more than the attention the launch would have gained originally. A stroke of PR genius, the Eclipse has been thrust into the spotlight and has become the figure head of the British rescue efforts. It’s not quite Moses parting the Red Sea, but it’s as close as we are going to get in these cynical times.

Review: Rolo Tomassi, Trash Talks and Throats @ the Flapper, Birmingham 19/04/10

leej0rdan — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:07:00 +0000

From the underground dungeon that’s forms the Flapper, it is only the impenetrable mixture of bricks and mortar that can contain the hellish sounds of Trash Talk, Throats and Rolo Tomassi. Only from the belly of the beast, this den of iniquity can one savour the offering before them. It leaves only one question-am I getting shorter or is everyone getting taller?

Throats

Beginning what is an impressive double header line up Throats come to Birmingham off the back of their recent kerrang acknowledgement echoing in the background. It only takes a couple of songs for you to realise that this five piece are worthy of the attention as they provide an awe inspiring performance that could prove difficult to follow.

With the front man Mark Taking centre of stage to literally mean standing in the middle of the crowd; his fleetingly brief appearances among the nodding heads present a consummate performer ahead of his years. Whilst perhaps not to the taste of most no one cannot deny that their sound reminiscent of breed or benediction, is something to behold and chances are this is the smallest venue you will see them in for some time to come.

Trash Talk

It’s not hard to see why these intense Californians get their name from. With a pre gig sparring match ending in the trading of a couple of blows between the bassist and a member of the crowd, something tells me that if the gig unfolds with ten per cent of the passion displayed in the pre gig antics we are in for something very special indeed. And with that the pit has begun!

The intensity that the band showed before the gig, not to mention the unity, transpires into a terrifying display! During the show with the heavy guitar riffs you come to realise you’re scared and you like it. “F**k Iceland and fuck your volcano” shouts lead singer Spencer, in regards to the recent chaos “now our two fans in Iceland understand why we never come over!” Continuing the music, which by this point is strangely coursing through the femoral artery in my thigh, new song explosion brings upon the crowd a palpable building of tension that waits to be unleashed through some better known songs. With the announcement “this is the last date on our tour” the stage once more erupts into manicness.

Introducing new track ‘Pushed Aside’ lead singer jokingly remarks “this is a fast one”. Soon the crowd descend into an obeying mass ready for orders and obligingly the lead singer commands them to raise the roof of this quaint venue and he doesn’t have to wait long for a response and is duly mobbed by the crowd. “This is for the fist punchers” he introduces new song ‘Rapid Horn’ but fist punching makes way to stage diving and more mobbing of the lead singer and the band in general. Spencer takes it in his stride and seemingly shares a moment/connection with each of those who have taken to the stage with him in what is one of the most respectful (to the fans) performances I have ever seen.

Rolo Tomassi

Roll up roll up for the main event of the evening. Gracing the stage is the mesmerising Eva Spence whose small petite frame disguises the set of lungs, each the size of my face, encased within her chest and would fool even the most evasive X-ray machines. With possibly the best looking lead singer this side of Flyleaf, Tomassi are an impressive prospect as the scope and beauty of their ability transcends their impressive physical appearance. The whole band exuded an energy and humble nature that puts other bands to shame.

Their mixture of raw guttural uttering’s and polished tunes makes them a favourite with many. It’s like Mr and Mrs Gallows having a fight on a Friday night with the interjection of some angelic musings in-between. A CD quality performance at its best, these guys were so tight I could have held my phone up and sold it to iTunes! At the climax of the performance the band left little unexposed. Eva had commanded the stage with amazing grace and had mesmerised the audience. The rest of the band put on an inspiring performance that saw each of them venture into the crowd at on point or another.

It was a fitting last night of the tour and another superb gig brought together by Birmingham Promoters. What next for Rolo Tomassi? “Well we are gonna have a couple of days off and then we go on tour with Biffy Clyro! It’s really cool because they asked for us…it’s very humbling” (Eva Spence). One thing’s for certain-this band won’t be supporting many bands for too much longer they are headliners through and through.

PR Sector Hailed as the ‘Go To’ Sector for Accurate Information

leej0rdan — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:30:00 +0000

The ability of the internet to be accurate and factual has long been in question and now as social networking sites spiral out of control the question has been asked-when does news become noise?

A new survey of senior journalists featured in PR Week, has revealed the implications that the sudden and exponential rise of social networking sites has had on the traditional media sector, and is being blamed for cost cutting measures that are currently plaguing the Media sector. In Europe as cuts are being attributed to the economic crisis, Journalists have communicated a severe decline in their numbers and the quality of work available. With sites like Twitter and Facebook seemingly becoming a vehicle for breaking news this worrying trend has led some to believe it has become almost impossible to discern ‘news from noise’ as falsities run rampant in the digital realm.

In a survey led by Burson-Marsteller which interviewed some 115 journalists from 27 countries, the majority felt that PR industries played an increasingly crucial role in the traditional media sectors. Most confirmed that they worked more now with PR agencies than in previous years as agencies are being heralded as the deliverers of accurate information and providers of substantial leads for stories. It makes sense as PR companies have their fingers on the pulse of society and are adept in recognising even the most subtle changes and are at forefront of client representation.

I myself, fell prey to this web of social network inaccuracies recently regarding Martin O’Neill quitting Aston Villa. The story spread like wildfire amongst my friends and on different sites and it was difficult to discern if this was fact or fiction. I contacted one of my sources at Villa who told me the rumours were totally unfounded. I conveyed this to my friends and fellow Villa supporters but despite my efforts they chose to follow the rumours. Perhaps this is more a reflexion on the gullibility of my friends but I think it represents how social media is able to breed and fuel wild fire rumours on a world wide scale.

Social media sites are certainly the future of communication but beware of the information they impart on you as it may be fact but it’s more likely to be fiction. For clarification seek out a PR expert for they shall show you the way!