Features | Counteract

Friday, April 26, 2024

Swell Maps

Counteract Reporter September 18, 2018October 14, 2019 Ambient, Birmingham, experimental, Post punk, punk, Swell Maps

The story of Swell Maps: Solihull’s 1970s post punk pioneers

Discover the story of Swell Maps, the Solihull band of teenagers who radically changed the sound of the 80s, 90s and beyond.

The_Assist_The_Sunflower_Lounge_Birmingham-4

Sophie Hack October 1, 2019October 3, 2019 cave girl, Centrala, Exhailers, FLARES, fruit tones, homeowner, leather party, Mutes, O2 Academy, only sun, shanghai blues, The Castle and Falcon, The Cosmics, The Night Owl, The Sunflower Lounge, The Victoria, Thyla, Violet

October 2019: 10 gigs in Birmingham for less than a tenner

Forget the dreary weather and darker skies, Birmingham is alive and kicking with local and touring bands, and all for less than a tenner.

ub40 in 1983

Andrew Gutteridge September 24, 2019September 24, 2019 808 State, Afrika Bambaataa, Bee Gees, Beenie Man, Birmingham NEC, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Chrissie Hynde, DEP International, Ellis and the Mighty Diamonds, Elvis Presley, George Jones, Graduate Records, Hare and Hounds, Ian Campbell, Jackson Five, Joan Armatrading, John Holt, Keanu Reeves, Lady Saw, Mad Cobra, Martin Luther King, Matumbi, Maxi Priest, Neil Diamond, Nelson Mandela, Pato Banton, Queen, Randy Travis, Robert Palmer, Sandra Bullock, Sharon Stone, Sonny & Cher, Status Quo, Stevie Wonder, Sting, the pretenders, Tony Tribe, Toots Hibbert, United Colours of Sound, Wembley Stadium, whitney houston, Willie Nelson

A beginner’s guide to: UB40

From a bedsit in Balsall Heath to chart-topping domination in the 80s, Birmingham’s UB40 brought pop reggae to the masses.

Stardom-Headshot_3

Stephen Pennell September 22, 2019September 22, 2019 Stardom

Stardom: the Aston rapper making the stars align

Stardom is putting in the hard yards and hard bars and our money is on him to succeed – sooner rather than later.

Counteract Reporter September 20, 2019

Where to play poker in Birmingham

Birmingham has plenty of places for you to go and play poker – probably more than you realise, in fact

Richard Franks September 17, 2019September 20, 2019

The Best Hobbies You Can Do at Home

Want to find more activities you can do in the comfort of your own home? There are plenty of ways

Sophie Hack September 1, 2019September 11, 2019 11 57, Captain Suun, devil and joe joseph, Echo Beach!, Froth, harry jordan, james reidy, lincoln durham, pjj, pretty vile, strange cages, Sunflower Lounge, Tall Stories, Tempesst, The Assist, The Castle and Falcon, The Night Owl, the novus, the pines, the seamonsters, The Victoria, Watermark

September 2019: 10 gigs in Birmingham for less than a tenner

Festival season may be over for another year, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had in good old Brum for less than a tenner.

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Sophie Hack August 1, 2019August 1, 2019 Black Mekon, Brain Food, castle and falcon, cherry pickles, Die Das Der, eliza may, flake, Handwaxx, Hare and Hounds, headshrinkers, high knucks, home of metal, kinda of light, mallorva, odmansbox, Outlander, pjj, Sonic Gun Weekender, SUE, Sugarthief, The Clause, The Dark Horse, The Flapper, The Lizards, the new righteous mood, The Night Owl, the sunflowe rlounge, the velvet tides, truman dinosaur

August 2019: 10 gigs in Birmingham for less than a tenner

Satiate those mad music cravings with these ten high tenacity gigs in Birmingham, all for less than a tenner.

circa waves

features interview

Danny Thompson July 30, 2019July 31, 2019 Circa Waves, coombe weekender, Coventry

Circa Waves pledge a promise to festival goers ahead of Coombe Weekender set

Liverpool indie band talk enjoying festival season, pianos, Coventry and getting fans hot and sweaty when playing hit-filled sets

Rhiannon Davies November 10, 2018July 26, 2019 Bournville, Cadbury World, Kafenion, Leverton and Halls, Resident Stories, Selly Manor

Resident Stories: Bournville – more than just Cadbury World

Rich in history, glorious in all seasons, and home of the best chocolate in the world, we take a look at the quaint village of Bournville.