The Chamberlian Files has good analysis on the Council elections. The Council website has the results, somewhere. Lolitics has teh funny.
You won't remember this but, instead of weird psychedelia with top bands going 'gabba gabba', or gibbering stocky puppet simpletons with screens in their stomachs, kids would happily sit in front of the TV and watch stories about talking animals that had adventures in primarily human settings. One such animal was animated Sunday lunch Larry the Lamb, and when he had exhausted all his mint saucey options he'd go to see the head honcho. "M…M…M…Mr Mayor" he'd say, and a fella in a tricorn hat would sort it all out. Sweet. And decidedly tasty with mashed potatoes. Where do the lambs of Birmingham go when the wool hits the fan? Well at the moment they've no Mr or Ms Mayor to trot along to see—but might well have later this year. This is a round about way of saying that on May 3rd this year there's a referendum in Birmingham to decide if the city gets to elect it's own mayor in a similar way that London gets to be presided over by Boris Johnson—although we probably won't have any blond, bumbling, biking, bonking Borises in the running. A 'yes' vote and in November brummies will get to pick their...
After a long hiatus while putting on Flatpack Festival we had the urge to compile one of our sporadic listings emails, rounding up various things happening around Birmingham this month. Be warned, it’s a big one! There’s also plenty going on Flatpackwise, including… LIGHT FANTASTIC 25 April-14 May at mac and Electric This season of films is running alongside IDFB 2012, and has been getting some great audiences. Still to come there’s Wings of Desire on 35mm, the UK premiere of dance-battle sci-fi flick The FP, and another chance to see dancehall doc Hit Me With Music. Plus a video disco at the Spotted Dog on 12 May – more details down below. > http://www.idfb.co.uk/lightfantastic CINEMATHEQUE RIFFS 18 May-10 June in Brindley Place To complement Ikon’s new Yto Barrada exhibition (also below) we’re contributing some films to a special programme on the Slow Boat, once again a floating cinema and moored in Brindley Place for the month. Expect Lotte Reiniger fairy-tales, Birmingham smugglers, Dream Machines and the mysterious life of Egyptian actress Soad Hosni. More info shortly. > http://www.ikon-gallery.co.uk/programme/current/event/634/cinematheque_riffs BIRMINGHAM BOOK BASH 3-4 June at Aston Hall We’re again hosting the film tent for this young readers jamboree, and...
Although we agree Birmingham is not shit, I think you'll agree that it could be a lot better in some areas and that the current council system is either not trying or not working on them. We're lacking jobs, there's money wasted on huge vanity projects like the new library, the promotion to the rest of the country and the World is still poor. Independent research says that elected mayors can help with stuff like that and don't cost any additional money. The no campaigners seem to have few coherent arguments and only scare stories. Go check them out, and remember that it only seems to be politicians that are doing okay out of the current system that are saying 'no'. So I ask you to consider a vote for an elected major, please. It’s Brum’s chance to have a strong voice to talk to central government and the rest of the World. We need a mayor, like New York has, like London (although a better one), someone to stick up for us. Vote yes. Vote Brum.
Just over 200 notes to stay overnight in the house Ozzy Osbourne was brought up in.
On Friday, 27th April 2012 at 19:30, 20:00 and 20:30 (3 separate screenings), “GET TEA”, a new silent film from Just Wallow Productions and the Willems Brothers, will be premiered in Victoria Square, Birmingham, complete with a live soundtrack composed by Ollie Willems. “Exploring themes of procrastination, futility and loneliness, Get Tea chronicles one man’s surreal quest to make himself a cup of tea.” Here’s the trailer: http://vimeo.com/justwallow/get-teaser web: www.sounditout.co.ukA piece of PR we couldn’t be bothered to re-write.
hello, Flatpack may be a fuzzy memory, but our year-round programme continues to roll along. On Monday the International Dance Festival Birmingham kicked off proceedings, and tomorrow we launch a series of dance films screening throughout the next three weeks. Highlights include… Weds 25 April, 6pm at mac in Edgbaston MAN ON WIRE (dir: James Marsh) Heart-stopping tale of Philippe Petit’s 1974 high-wire act between the towers of the World Trade Centre. Introduced by Canadian dancer Louise Lecavalier. Sat 28 April, 3pm at the Electric in Birmingham MOULIN ROUGE (dir: Baz Luhrmann) Flamboyant Parisian spectacle presented by choreographer Shaun Parker, who played one of the Montmartre Dancers. Sat 5 May, 10.15pm at the Electric THE FP (dir: Trost bros) UK premiere of a sublimely daft sci-fi dance-battle movie. Sun 6 May, 2pm at mac FEVER CHART Compendium of dance shorts including Free Cinema jazz club doc MOMMA DON’T ALLOW and Mark Keckey’s VHS elegy for northern soul and rave culture, FIORUCCI MADE ME HARDCORE. Sat 12 May, 8 till late at the Spotted Dog in Digbeth DIGBETH SHUFFLE Video disco featuring the ladies from Sugarfoot Stomp, archive Birmingham dance films, and 60s go-go troupe The Actionettes. Plus West Side...
PRESS RELEASE | 23.04.12 Birmingham youngster pens political track A Birmingham youngster has penned a poetical protest track criticising the government’s out-of-touch approach to young people in Britain. Jamie Chapman, from Sutton Coldfield, has created a music video portraying a bleak view of his home city as he reflects on how current education policies are negatively affecting the future prospects of students. In the performance piece, titled ‘Taught from a Texbook’, the 21-year-old voices his concerns about the rise in tuition fees and the loss of the Educational Maintenance Allowance, with the lyrics: ‘College will help you on your way, You will need a map to find that EMA; And if university is where you’re off to, Nine grand a year? You’d be stupid not to.’ Also explored in the recording are themes related to careers, the rat race, university degrees being wasted due to a lack of opportunity as well as a tribute to the lyrics of contemporary music artist Frank Turner. Explaining why he wrote the song, Jamie said he wasn’t attacking individuals who are struggling to find work but rather speaking out against the legislation and financial climate that is creating this struggle for young people. “My...
Better than most things that are leafleted at you on New Street.
