The Beast of Bramall
Martin Longley quivered under the B.E.A.S.T. in Edgbaston.
C’mon baby Lyytinen my fire
Martin Longley catches a rare case of the Finnish blues.
Drake’s in the park
Martin Longley sighted Chicagoan drummer Hamid Drake, playing next to Cannon Hill’s lake.
Acid mothers trample
Japan’s Acid Mothers Temple turn disco. Martin Longley is shocked and excited in equal measure.
Hypnotherapy
Brooklyn’s Hypnotic Brass Ensemble were in town once again, and so was Martin Longley.
Tower of Kirk
US bluesman Kirk Fletcher stormed the Tower Of Song. Martin Longley got caught up in the Monday nite mayhem.
The Gloam Rangers
Martin Longley disappeared into the calm twinkling of The Gloaming, an Irish-American folk chamber supergroup.
The cavern club
Stereolab’s Tim Gane is now fully-throbbing inside his Anti-Matter Cavern. Martin Longley lowers himself into the pulse-field.
Weaves will rock you
Martin Longley quaffs a pint of laced maple syrup in Kings Heath.
Ambient canal basin
Martin Longley drifted through the dappled waters of Roedelius, one of Germany’s ambient electronic pioneers
Godfurther
The Godfather with live orchestral accompaniment at Symphony Hall. Martin Longley scans the mumbling Marlon subtitles.
Steady Mercury
Martin Longley scribbles from inside The Red Lion’s maw, as Birmingham Jazz celebrates its 40th anniversary.
Eleanor wriggly
The Fiery Furnaces came here in 2003, and now New Yorker Eleanor Friedberger returns without her brother. Martin Longley reports.
Foxy Geordie roams Heath after Black Swan
Veteran folk troubadour Bob Fox plays at the Red Lion in Kings Heath on Wednesday night. Martin Longley caught him up in York last month.
Not the (Mc)Entire Tortoise
A disappointing performance by Tortoise drummer John McEntire, mourns Martin Longley.
A mac in awe
Martin Longley caught the first in a new series of jazz improvisation gigs at the mac’s Hexagon Theatre.
Drumbo fury
The Magic Band might be down to a lone original member now, but John French is still the crucial link to Captain Beefheart, says Martin Longley.
You rascals you!
Martin Longley digs the unusual tune selections made by Dave Moorwood’s Rascals Of Rhythm.
Siegel goose parti(sans) nite!
Partisans came to Wolverhampton, celebrating two decades of UK jazz ascendancy. Martin Longley quaffed local Sacre Brew beer.
The Robin comes wob wob wobblin’ along
Martin Longley encountered bassmeister Jah Wobble running through his entire boxed set in Bilston.
Deerly beloved
Surely this will be one of 2015’s peachiest gigs, crystal-bawls Martin Longley.
Bailey’s cream
Won’t you come home to Tile Hill again, Bill Bailey?, asks Martin Longley.
Youngblood sass rammed
Martin Longley has his quill poised as those Wisconsin wonders, the Youngbloods make another Birmingham visit.
Tubular bulge
Martin Longley reports, as Frisco’s Tubes bring stack-heels and leather helmets back to Bilston.
Destruction as entertainment
Martin Longley wrestles through the crowd at the latest home turf gig by The Destroyers.
Stylistic Mergia
An important figure in 1970s Ethiopian music sounded hyper-current in Coventry, proclaims Martin Longley.
Lightnin’ Willie
The Old Crow Medicine Show founder goes solo, and Martin Longley catches him pickin’ banjo in Kings Heath.
Delirium Tremblies
Please, could I have a double dose of psychedelic folk rock?, asks Martin Longley.
A Ruddock good gig
Martin Longley discovers a hidden Edgbaston venue, and a lesser-spotted jazzman.
Goodtime George
George Huxley is one of the finest traditional jazz practitioners in the land. Martin Longley checks out his new club night in Solihull.