Live Music Friday – This Burning Age

Yes I know, I said I wouldn’t write about local bands on here again.Last time, despite me saying I’d enjoyed the gig, that I went out of my way to leave my beloved B5 enclosure to get to Moseley upon a recommendation and that my only point was that I wished they’d done some of their own material, I had so much ‘disapproval’ for the post – not from the band - I had to delete it!I know that won’t happen with This Burning Age as 1. They seem like well bought-up boys and 2. Their parents weren’t at the gig.So to start with, I don’t necessarily review music in the traditional sense, I just say what I like and try to omit anything negative. After all, I was bought up not to open my mouth – or the laptop – if I haven’t got anything nice to say.As it turns out, it’s all positive.Firstly, I’m grateful for Urban Coffee Co for starting Live Music Fridays (yes, I know I begged for live music when they first opened) and will always be there with as many people as I can drag – I mean invite –on the first Friday of every month.Then I’m grateful my train got me back in time from London, as my meeting changed to Friday (how rude) and I had to spend a fortune on a peak time ticket but its worth it.I’m pleased that the band were a little late starting as I only dashed in just before 7pm and it was great to catch up with the girls first as I haven’t seen them in a while, what with April being full of the Vancouver Adventure.

Acoustic

This Burning Age are fab. Knowing that they are more ‘lively’ ordinarily, I spend most of the time during their acoustic set trying to imagine how the tracks sound with the proverbial thrashing electric guitars and drums. I’m quite taken with the electronic drum thingamygy; I think it will fit well in my kitchen, just so the room is used for something other than making coffee and storing cake. The music, which (and this is why I dislike like writing about music despite it being my greatest love – the inevitable comparisons) has  the angst of Nirvana, the theatrics of Muse mixed with good humour in between. What impresses me is the ‘customer service’. It takes something to relate to a small audience who are new to the band and in an unusual venue. I love live music anywhere but in a coffee shop, the gig needs to be a little more chilled out and This Burning Age got this down perfectly; except for not having any CDs to sell us!We all loved the gig and a couple of us went home and looked up more of the band’s actual music. I’m looking forward to 4th June at my local Actress & Bishop, where I hope the band remembers copies of their CDs(!) With any luck, I’ll convince a few people to come out all the way to B14 no less, for the gig at the Hare & Hounds on the 30th. I’ve been in Birmingham two years and have still to visit this renowned venue; shame on me.[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/27984979 w=400&h=225]

End Game - Acoustic Gig - Urban Coffee Co. - 06-05-11 from This Burning Age on Vimeo.