Holy Burrito's!!

So it turns out that we are going to play host to a brand new business courtesy of a current student at the UoB and frankly we nearly wept with joy when we found out that someone is going to be making us FRESH BURRITO'S from Monday - Thursday 11:00-15:00!!

Check out Nopales opposite the fruit stand in University Centre for some seriously well priced food!!  We'll see you there on 24th January for the Ultimate Burrito!!!

AUDIO-FREq

Kieron McIntosh Quintet @ The White Swan 17/01/2011

If you are stuck for something to do this fine Birmingham evening then why not get yourselves down to The White Swan for some fantastic jazz courtesy of the Kieron McIntosh Quintet?

Its a great atmosphere with cheap food and drinks but best of all its free.  Having checked out the Big Band Christmas evening in December we heartily recommend getting down there and enjoying the friendly band and crowd.  For the muso's out there you can bring your instruments and take part in the jam session after the show!

Check it out on Grosvenor Street West, just off Broad Street opposite Gatecrasher, there will be more Red Stripe than you can shake your Barbour at...

CALLING ALL BIRMINGHAM DJ'S!!!

Audio-Freq has long stated our aim to bring to you the best alternative scene that the 2nd city has to offer and as part of our resurgent campaign we are starting up a Local DJ's Profile section.

How can I be involved? we hear you cry...

Simple...

Just get us a 20/30min mix with a 200 word bio telling us who you are, what you play and where we can catch you along with your Best & Worst Part of Brum and we'll get you up on the site, it really is that simple!  So come on lets get the locals some 'effin promo!!!

Send your stuff to afreaq@gmail.com and keep peeled for some exposure on the best talent you didn't know we had...

AUDIO-FREq

FANTASMAGORICAL NEW FORMAT!!!

We hope you have all noticed our new look and we have the wonderful Sarah to thank for our shiny new visage!  Let us know what you think and stay peeled for more posts!

P.s. sorry we've been a bit lax of late, essays are the achillies heel of AUDIO-FREq!

Brikworx Studios...something YOU should know about

Calling all aspiring musicians, DJ's and producers... Brikworx has landed in Brum, and is causing quite a stir...

Brikworx is a fully equipped commercial studio in the heart of Birmingham’s Jewellery quarters in an old Warehouse style building - offering a multitude of services from sound engineering, mastering, guitar tuition, artwork and photography to a fully fledged music production course.


One of the primary functions of this studio is to provide post-production finishing and mastering services. This is because the kids at Brikworx are aware that there are a lot of young producers out there who are creating music from bedroom studios. Mastering and mixing down of the final product however needs to be done in a professional environment. Consequently they offer the professional finishing of music at reasonable prices so that they are suitable to be played on big club systems. AMAZING!

BUT HANG ON.... IT GETS BETTER!.....

In order to mark the opening of the brand new BrikWorx Studio the team have decided to host a competition that could see YOU coming into the studio FREE of charge to have your track mastered and quite possibly released on one of the BrikWorx Studio labels!

The terms of the competition are simple – whoever creates what we judge to be the most original, most inventive and most potential-filled 3 minute piece of music, of any genre, from the chopped up parts of an old track will win that astounding first prize.

In addition, if you don’t quite make the top prize we will be offering a second prize to a number of other entries who we feel also have potential. This will involve free advice on engineering and production tailored to your genre and ability.

So boys and girls. There's no excuse is there?!? Take a look at the website for some more info and pictures (all looking very flash) and get involved with the competition on the facebook link

Good Hunting.

The 2nd Artists' Book and Independent Publishing Fair

Hello again all.....

For all you budding artistic and literary types (we know you are out there kids!), here is a little something special. Obviously, its not exactly in the center of Brum, but Walsall is no more than a 15 minute train ride form town, so it's no excuse!

Peruse or buy your very own affordable books, zines, and multiples by artists and independent publishers across the UK and Europe, including: Books Works, Marbled Reams, Dent-De-Leone, EAK Publishing, Four Corners Books, Stephen Fowler, Simon Goode, Jatinder Kaur Bains, Variant, Wild Pansy Press, Carson & Miller, Alex Pritchard, Karoline Rerrie, Books About Nothing, Antepress, Basement Art Projects, Gandt, Trigger Editions, and colleges from around the UK.

Guy Begbie will be running a drop-in book making and binding adult workshop from 11am to 3pm, suitable for beginners. Materials will be provided.

Also at 2pm join Julian Warren, archivist at Arnolfini and Paul Clarke, member of the Performance Re-enactment Society for a free talk about The Cover of a Book is the Beginning of a Journey, an exhibition of artists’ books on floor 2.

Artists-in-residence a.a.s. will be responding to The Cover of a Book is the Beginning of a Journey by constructing new ‘performance scores’ from the exhibition material which they will perform with the help of visitors on the day.
Drop into the artist studio or contact mailto:aas@aasgroup.net if you would like to get involved.

Entry is free.check this link

ROFLCOPTER

Chugger Chugger Chugger Chugger Chugger Chugger.............

As the sounds of the roflcopter recedes into the distance, AUDIO-FREq find themselves left in a crumpled heap, weak from continual laughter.


We are, of course, referring to last nights full length sketch show from the Comedy Society, which was held in the Underground of the Guild Of Students. Written, directed and acted out by an all student cast and committee, the Sketch show entitled 'We Are Comedy Society' was an attempt to raise the profile of this talented group of young people, and the society as a whole. And, judging by the great turnouts on both Thursday and Friday, AUDIO-FREq can only assume that the boys and girls of Comedy Society have succeeded!

The show itself was a series of sketches, many of which seemed to focus on poking fun at the world of media and television. Cleverly, the Comedy Society riffed off material that students would find acessable, with sketches lampooning the X-Factor, Tv Panel Shows, Facebook and other recognisable pop culture references. To keep the audience hooked, they used a number of returning characters to link sections of the show, with a few noteworthy personalities popping up over and over, including our personal favourite 'Svetlana', the Russian mail order bride (who was, in fact, an alchoholic goat herding man).

The individual sketches were linked together very well with a well thought out use of lighting and voice-over skits, which kept the audience entertained during the many scene changes. The only slight downside to the night was that the voices of the actors got a little lost in the caverns of the Underground, and a few more stage mics would have helped.


Overall, the audience left with a very clear idea of who and what Comedy Society are all about: They are very funny men and women, who seem hell bent on making us chuckle (which AUDIO-FREq approves of 100%!!!).

For more information on Comedy Society hit this link to see their facebook group where you will be able to get updates on upcoming stand up shows etc. and for those of you who didn't get a chance to catch them in action, Comedy Society will be chucking out a video of the recordings soon, which if we can get hold of, we'll shove up here for your pleasure.

Well done Comedy Society.

Speculating the City.

concrete birds.

a wave of paving.

industrial bones.

city expanse.

 

Fancy Pants Header!

You may have noticed our new fancy logo!  We are currently in the process of updating our logo and layout so stay tuned to the blog for more modernity.  The logo is currently under development but this is a sneak preview of what we are working towards in conjunction with our good graphical friend Mr. O!  Many thanks in advance for all his hard work and effort!

Poetry Slam 4th November - BE THERE!

 A DATE FOR THE DIARY!!!!!!

4th November. Beorma Bar, Guild of Students. £2.

On Thursday the 4th the performance poetry society, 'Writers Bloc' will be hosting a unique event - a poetry slam, featuring two teams of four from the University of Birmingham and Bath Spa University. Poetry slams originated in North America, where national team competitions are held annually, but there are currently no regular team slams in the UK.

A poetry slam differs from a regular poetry reading in that the poems are selected competitively to outdo the opponent and win the favour of the crowd. On the evening the audience will get to decide which poet has won each bout, and the team with the most wins will earn the titles of slam champions.

The competitive edge pushes poets to be truly inventive - expect coordinated team poems, and part dramatised duo pieces as well as an overall very high standard of poetry.

We created this event with the hope of getting more Universities involved, and creating a slam team league. This is about making a community of young poets who can grow and improve by competing and socialising with one another.

The Birmingham spoken word scene is just bubbling away under your radar, and this event is a great way to dip your toes into the pleasingly warm waters that is the performance poetry circuit here in Brum.

If you ever thought poetry had to be about poems about pretty flowers, listened to quietly, then this event will change your whole perspective. Come and vote, come and heckle, come and see how poetry can truly involve an audience and be inspired.

See the 'Writers Bloc' Facebook event for more details

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=136770773037850

Love AUDIO-FREq

HIT THE ODE@ The Victoria

The 25th of November 2010, it's probably going to be cold, dark and perhaps damp but now thanks to the opening night of 'Hit the Ode' it promises to be rather special.

Brought to you by Apples & Snakes, "Hit the Ode" is a new spoken word night bringing the absolute best poets from the West Midlands, the rest of the UK, and the world to The Victoria in Birmingham. If you love poetry, you already know this is not to be missed. If you think poetry is boring, come and experience this heady mix of comedy, drama, wordplay and emotion, then tell us that you haven't changed your mind!

This inaugural edition brings together three amazing poets (and one musician): here's a rare chance to see Birmingham's Kim Trusty, Manchester's Tony Walsh, Canada's Ian Keteku (reigning poetry slam world champion) and ukulele maestro Brad Morden rock the stage together.

Note: if you write and perform poetry yourself - there will be a (very) few open mic slots available, so get there early on the day to sign up!

For more information: bohdan@applesandsnakes.org

Here is the line-up:

Kim Trusty - a Birmingham-based poet from beyond the Atlantic, Kim entices audiences with her on-stage charisma and masterful wordplay. Kim has toured England with the spoken word shows Word Temple and Temptation, and has appeared as a guest artist at many venues nationwide, including the Southbank Centre, Soho Theatre, Ways with Words Festival, Latitude Festival, and the Big Chill.

Tony Walsh - a true giant of the Manchester scene, Tony Walsh takes audiences on a rock and rollercoaster ride from comedy to tragedy, from the deadly serious to the seriously deadly. Tony has shared a stage with many top UK and international performance poets and has been published in magazines and anthologies alongside works from Simon Armitage, Benjamin Zephaniah, Roger McGough and Adrian Mitchell.

Ian Keteku & Brad Morden - straight from Canada comes poet & MC Ian Keteku, the reigning poetry slam World Champion! Ian uses his voice to speak for the voiceless, and inspire messages of critical thought. He has shared the stage with artists such as Ursula Rucker, members of the Wu Tang Clan, and Saul Williams.

Ian is joined on his European tour by his compatriot, Brad Morden, a ukulele-wielding bard whose musical and poetic travels have taken him from Sarajevo to Little Corn Island in the Caribbean.

So tootle on down The Victoria for 7.00 pm and bring a fiver for entry and you shall be entertained by some of the most electrifying and innovative spoken word poetry by some of the best performers from around the corner - and around the world.

AUDIO-FREq interview Dan le Sac & Scroobius Pip!!!!

Hello hello hello!

AUDIO-FREq are so excited we are positively wetting ourselves this week! The reason: our exclusive interview with Dan le Sac & Scroobius Pip!

We met the ground-breaking musical duo a couple of weeks ago before their Birmingham date on their ongoing UK tour. They invited us to interview them pre-soundcheck at the lovely new HMV Institute in Digbeth, and my oh my, did we have fun!

We talked to them both about their summer of festivals, the driving forces behind their work, their inspirations and animal combat! So without further ado (  i.e. enough of this rubbish, where's the interview?!?) here is our interview with the ever lovely Dan le Sac & Scroobius Pip!!!!



SCROOB by Arts&Culture@BurnFM






Not familiar with Dan and Pip? Where have you been!?! Here is the first release from their second album called 'Sick Tonight' from the album entitled 'The Logic of Chance'. Enjoy.....OR ELSE

The Markets!

Oooh how excited did this little Brummie lad got when he realised it was market day!

The answer is very!

The markets at Birmingham are possibly the most immersive cultural experience to be found in terms of home grown Brummie culture, aside from tyre burning.  Situated at the bottom of the Bullring steps by St Michaels church, the indoor/outdoor/wholesale/flower/fish/meat markets are seriously good fun and exceptional in terms of providing endless bargains.  To those of you still shopping for veg at Bristol Road Tesco's - THERE IS ANOTHER WAY!

Grab your mates/housemates/Nan to go along and you can get some seriously cheap veg as well as a triumphant display of the various cuisines Brum plays host to.  Pok Choi, Saltfish, Ackee, fresh Thyme, Scotch Bonnet peppers, Cassava fruit, Mangoes, Bannanas, Apples and Pears all bought to you for:
 "Free fo' fiva kiddah! bless yam for comin'"

In addition any dodgy jewellery, fancy dress, vintage clothes, small albino mice or smoking paraphernalia can also be located and much much more.  No body parts though...yet.

Check it out, check it out, check it out, check it out, check it out, check it out, check it out, check it out, please check it out every Tuesday & Saturday

DISCLAIMER
Brummie can be very hard to understand and can be quite intimidating also, we recommend group visits to the markets and dressing down for the occasion lest you accidentally buy a Fiat Punto when all you wanted was some bacon.

AUDIO-FREq

Ikon Gallery

Howdy y'all!

So this week we've gone a bit cultural again and we've been checking out what the Ikon Gallery has served up in the form of 3 exhibitions that it's running at the moment.

First off, a quick overview. For those of you who haven't checked out this beautiful little private gallery situated in the always beautiful area of Brindley Place (think Canary Wharf but cheaper), Ikon's start was as small as they come. Beginning as a kiosk in the Bullring, and that would be the OLD Bullring (think covent gardens but waaaaay more rubbish), this company has quickly gained a reputation for innovation and independence.

Housed in a neo-gothic school, the artistic programme is second to none.  Bringing you some of the broadest and most interesting range of artistic tastes, from the traditional to the Tate. Currently displaying three exhibitions and with free entry (YES FREE ENTRY!) Ikon is a must for anyone pretending, aspiring and being an arty farty.

KITAGAWA UTAMARO
Ikon is hosting a survey of woodblock prints by the very very very late Japanese artist, Kitagawa Utamaro. Utamaro's work focuses on the short, hedonistic lives of bijinga (beautiful people) against the backdrop of Tokyo's regulated brothel district in the late 18th Century.  His work often serves as an advertisement to a hidden world of sensual pleasure and contains images that are not suitable for children or men with penis envy.  Some beautiful work on display in a beautiful space worth checking out.


DONALD JUDD - A GOOD CHAIR IS A GOOD CHAIR
Donald Judd is widely regarded as one of the most important artists of the 20th Century.  A major player in minimalism and a widely skilled artist who's work transcended several disciplines, this exhibition concerns itself solely with chairs.  Yes that's right...chairs.  An interesting exhibit composed within a complimentary space which serves to highlight Judd's obsession with melding form & function into simplicity, and therefore functionality.  Worth a visit, if only to piss off the curators by attempting to sit down on the myriad of seats.


ANTHONY GOICOLEA - NAIL BITER
By far the most trippy and contemporary exhibit, Nail Biter is a film that serves to interact with the viewer and provide them with a disturbing voyeurism which develops into a guilty conscious.  The short film begins with a boy sat in bed in a darkened cabin.  As the boy nervously bites his nails, the frantic motions quicken.  The more he bites the faster his nails regrow until he is surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of nail shards!  The piece is accompanied by a soundtrack that heightens the atmosphere of nerves with an amplified heartbeat, woodland noises and the everlasting "snicking" of nail biting.  The piece leaves the viewer uncomfortable, as if we have been afforded a glimpse into an otherwise unseen world and now must carry the boy's embarrassing secret with us.  Scary shit.

Check out the links for more details.

AUDIO-FREq

We like the Theatre.

Audio-Freq does do other things then scout for cocktails and pints in Birmingham's pubs you know. Audio-Freq likes to go to the theatre, so to the theatre we went.. twice in one week.

SONG OF GOAT'S MACBETH @ THE MAC

Song of the Goat's production of Macbeth is labelled as being both 'reworked' and 'ground-breaking', these descriptions are most positively accurate. Song of the Goat has plucked Macbeth straight out of the canon and chopped it up, throwing away those 'unnecessary' scenes and performing only the main monologues and exchanges whilst the ensemble dance around with wooden sticks and sing songs. Sounds a little untraditional yessum? Well it is, but it does work. Through cutting down the scenes the text that remains deals with the core emotional argument and highlights the thematic agenda. Song of The Goat's Macbeth is sung, chanted and wailed which is both eerie and disturbing, especially whilst they swish their sticks and climb the walls like spiders. GO AND SPECTATE.. ***www.macarts.co.uk/page/3649/performance/365***


3BUGS FRINGE THEATRE GROUP'S THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE @ THE GUILD

3BUGS Fringe Theatre group is the University of Birmingham's own devisive and collaborative theatrical society that creates a production each term. The society takes one of these productions across the UK up to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This year The Caucasian Chalk Circle was the chosen text, which was written by the famous practionier Bertlot Brecht in 1944 to pioneer Epic Theatre. Epic Theatre was popularised by Brecht as a mode of performance that makes the audience aware that they are watching a play. Brecht and other important theatre thespians hoped that by doing the audience would ponder about the socio-political message rather than get attached to the false emotions the characters blurt on about. 3BUGS hit the Bretchian nail on the head as through working as ensemble the cast picked up and dropped roles which detached the audience from connecting to characters. The performance refreshed the Brechtian concept through incorporating music, puppetry and movement in a rather funny and rather entertaining way. Unfortunately, you've missed the chance to see this 3BUGS production, but if you have a taste for collaborative and devised theatre then Audio-Freq recommends getting involved in their next project
-***www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2204266616***

Drinking Drinking Drinking Drinking Drunk.

A lot of this happens at University. In fact, more often than not, TOO much of this happens at University. Sometimes it seems like it is the ONLY thing that happens at University.

This is all well and good. In fact, AUDIO-FREq positively encourages hedonistic behaviour of all varieties. But there may come a time when the cheeky pre-lecture 'Snakey-B' in the Goose just wont cut it anymore. Then what happens?!?

Ladies and Gents, fear not! Birmingham boasts a formidable array of opportunities for the casual alcoholic. From chic cafes to bustling city bars, a veritable cornucopia of establishments awaits you.

And without further ado, we are proud to present two of our city faves; The Victoria and Island Bar.

The Vic' is a cracking little pub, tucked away just off Suffolk street. Sleepy boozer by day, this place really comes alive after 10pm, especially on weekends, where you can find Birmingham’s bright young(ish) things schmoozing and drinking into the early hours. A fantastic selection of well priced drinks, as well as some great affordable cocktails means that even the most discerning punter leaves with a (tipsy) smile on their face. The vibe in the pub is great, with the Brummie multitudes spreading through the pubs many rooms, and spilling out the back door onto the street. Expect swing and soul music blasted through tinny speakers and be prepared to cotch on the floor because seating is a tad scarce, but if its atmosphere and a relaxed vibe you are after, then look no further than The Vic. ***** http://www.thevictoriabirmingham.co.uk/ *****




Oh Island Bar. How you have wooed us with your £3.50 cocktails from 5-8pm every day of the week. The Island Bar is one of those quite special little places. You can be guarenteed brilliant drinks from start to finish at great prices, but the joys of this establishment dont end there, oh no! Weekly open mic nights, DJ's at the weekends, eco-friendly surroundings and speciality cocktails every day are all the rage at this place. And don’t forget the friendly atmosphere! No stuffiness here, just "good ole' fashioned fun ya'll", set to a soundtrack of classic music.
****www.bar-island.co.uk****



The best part is that both of these lovely places are but a piss-heads crawl from New St. Station, so it’s easy to stagger your merry way home at the end of a night.

Waschmaschinen leben länger mit Calgon

GERMAN CALGON ADVERT. WAIT UNTIL THE END, NUFF SAID!

Fooding

What does 'Pub Food' say to you?... Cheap? ...Cheerful? Burgers with processed cheese? AUDIO-FREq has had its fair share of dodgy hangover brunches at the Bristol Pear, and once or twice (shamefully) has crept into the Goose for a £2.99 Pie and Mash while waiting for the washing to dry, so we know how you feel.

But thanks to the lovely men at The Soul Food Project, at the Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath, those dark dark days may be coming to an end. The ‘SFP’ takes the kind of cooking you would expect from Forest Gump’s mama, and smacks it right in front of you in one of Birmingham’s most important and lively independent venues.  Be prepared to give your taste buds a magical mystery tour of the Deep South, whilst your eyes and ears take in the relaxed, bohemian atmosphere of the Hair and Hounds.

And so, the food.  AUDIO-FREq can certify that the gents in the kitchen sure know their Southern Cuisine. From the best fried chicken we have ever tasted (gives Colonel Sanders a kick up the arse), to the homemade Bourbon Glaze, to the hot and fresh crayfish Jambalaya, the SFP have something to tickle even the most stuck-in-the-mud taste buds.

So this weekend hop on a No.76 bus from Selly Oak and in less than than 30 minutes you could be getting your chops around some of the most exciting pub food Birmingham has to offer and all for a snip of a price – their homemade burgers are only just over a fiver!!! And once you have eaten your fill, why not take a browse in a few of Kings Heath’s charity and vintage shops? Return to your housemates full of decent food, and covered in trendy threads, and tell them how awesome REAL pub food can be....

Check out the Menu - http://soulfoodproject.co.uk/

xxx

Kulture

Culture


culture. Not a word you will often find the rest of society atributing to what we students call our daily lives, loves and activities.... But here at AUDIO-FREq, we aim to provide you guys, our fellow students, with a triple dose of music, arts and culture.... So what can you expect from us?

Frankly, big C Culture just aint our thing. If you want to que for 3 hours to see some saxon gold in birmingham museum (a prospect that would be amusing if it wasnt in fact a particularly dark episode from yours truly's second year) then thats great, but we are more interested in the stuff that makes students tick...

So, without further ado, we will be kicking off our podcasts with dose of seriousness (we know, we can hardly believe it either). Be prepared for our students eye analysis of the state of the graduate jobs market, and how it affects you and your prospects.

But dont be too alarmed. We cant keep up the serious act for long, so you can be expecting a raft of (hopefully) interesting comments and recomendations on how to make the most of the alternative student culture here in our birmingham.

ARTS.

Anticipate the arrival of our thoughts and audio-ramblings on all things arty in Birmingham. We will be riding the blog-hog to find art that we find exciting and think that you might too, whether it be in galleries, on t-shirts or building walls.

Go and have a look at AVPD's Hitchcock Hallway at the Ikon Eastside gallery in Digbeth. The Danish artists AVPD investigate the perceptual relationship between space and human response in their installation that will be exhibited at Ikon until the 14th of November. Inspired by AVDP's work on the space-body phenomenon, we shall be exploring how Birmingham's space is used to create an impression of atmosphere. Our findings shall soon be posted on AUDIO-FREq along with a podcast for your ears to enjoy.