Music Features

I love live music. My idea of a good time is to sit in bars and fields experiencing new talent. Trouble is, I work too much.

I don't have time to hunt out gigs all over the city on random week nights. I don't have the funds or holidays to attend every festival. I don't like having to plan out a huge trip just to hear a band play.

Sounds familiar? It did to Tom Ayrton and Paul Griffin; which is why they decided to bring the city's many acoustic talents to one place on a Saturday night in the city centre, all for free and all for our enjoyment.

Already the night has showcased The Love Child Electric and John Napier (both of whom have been featured by the BBC Birmingham website), as well as the talented 'KTB' and Sally Murray.

Located on Newhall Street, round the corner from St. Paul’s Square and in between Colmore Row and the Jewellery Quarter, The Queens Arms is not a pub which particularly stands out as a music venue.

Never shy to give an opinion, I conveyed this to the organisers.

"We've had quite a few people initially who thought the Queens was a surprising choice," Tom responded. "But by having it all in the one room you come in, buy yourself a drink, and you're right there amongst it."

Paul looked up from his sandwich to weigh in: "It is quite a magical transformation; we have a fully dressed stage, we have curtains, and it's spot-lit."

"There's continuity. We're giving people a consistent experience." Tom added. "On a Saturday night at the Queens they'll get good music, decent food and proper beer – complete with little handles on the glasses. This is music that everyone can sit, have a drink to, and enjoy."

Making history

Both men live in the area and take a pride in their local pub and the history that surrounds it.

Tom agreed: "It was what we felt would be the right choice for this pub, and also we felt that if we were to make a success of it, we had to do things that people aren't doing.

"In the long term we're looking to make a compilation available of the highlights.
Musically we'd like to get a record, put it together and distribute it through local record stores," he said with an obvious passion.

Paul jumped in to say: "We very much see the process of photographing and recording each event as creating a document of the creative output of the community."

Developing an acoustic community

"Essentially what we're trying to do is create a platform for the song-writing community in Birmingham," Tom explained.

"Putting it on a Saturday night and getting rid of the standard three-pound cover charge gets people through the door and exposes them to the people we think are very good and they deserve someone to bring an audience to them and show how talented they are."

Paul took over: "What we're saying is that there may well be artists in Birmingham who don't have that following and it's our responsibility to bring the audience to them.

"We're helping to develop the artists; we'll take photographs of them, so they can market themselves better, and record the gig live so they can listen back afterwards."

Attending the gig on Saturday night, I was unsure about what to expect. I had bought into Tom and Paul's mission statement and passion, but found it hard to believe so much talent could exist unsigned and unnoticed in the region.

I arrived fashionably late to see the last few minutes of one of the support acts, singer and poet Vincent Gould.

He reminded me of Ben Harper and fully deserved the 'interesting guy' tag which Tom had placed on him beforehand; especially when, finishing his set, he waved goodbye and walked straight out the pub with his bongos. A unique exit.

It was then I noticed the stage 'transformation' which Paul had mentioned. The local pub was decked-out in a classic lounge style, complete with Tom Ayrton in waistcoat and bowler hat on stage next to a lampshade and antique mirrors.

I was pondering where to deposit my used cocktail stick when the same man I had pushed past for my pineapple and cheese took to the stage. Just as I was about to point out it wasn't an open mike night, he was introduced as headliner Gary Nock. Whoops.

Nock's Ryan Adams-esque laments captivated the audience, and his focus was so pure you found it impossible not to believe every word he was saying. He broke a string mid-song, and no-one noticed until he stopped to fix it five minutes later.

Going home

As I left I kept thinking of something Tom had said earlier. "Music which is reflective and introspective needs to be embedded in an event which will engage an audience."

That's the problem with acoustic music; never the choice of the extrovert, it often goes unnoticed. As Tom said, Birmingham is the same. "One of the things I like and yet frustrates me about Birmingham is the way that Birmingham is so very quietly proud of itself, yet Birmingham's got a very rich heritage musically."

If you want to be part of this heritage and a new developing acoustic scene, then visit the Queens Arms any Saturday evening from 8.00pm. For details call 0121 236 3710.