Digbeth Area Noise and Nuisance Study – the results | Rich Batsford – Rich talks about Advantage West Midlands’ presentation of Atkins’ Digbeth Noise & Nuisance study on Thursday. I only caught the tail-end of the presentation but must admit I found the short time I was there rather frustrating – it didn’t tell us anything new and just seemed to be validating that the issue exists, which was very old news for many of us. Neither did it offer any advice on how these issues can be resolved.
They made some somewhat vague but potentially useful suggestions as to how things might move forward in the future, but little or no strategy for how to resolve the disputes that currently exist such as the Rainbow and Spotted Dog versus someone complaining in the Abacus development.
I was left with the overriding conviction that the Abacus should never have been built…but we are stuck with the fact that it is there and somehow we have to deal with it. Otherwise it looks dangerously as tho the simplest “out” for the Council is going to be to dampen the noise in the area which might ultimately spell disaster for the Rainbow and the Spotted Dog.
Music Is Not Pollution | Rich Batsford – A fantastic film, which needs to be watched and circulated by everyone, about the noise pollution nonsense threatening our local music venues, which I’ll let Rich describe in his own words:
A rather beautiful little film from the Project X team in response to the continued threat to the music and wider community in Birmingham. Save our Pubs!!
In Moseley and Digbeth, very small numbers of people who happen to live near centers of musical activity might be in real danger of closing down venues which are of benefit to thousands. Its an absurd situation, but all too real for those involved.
4Talent Gigbeth stage round-up | 4Talent magazine – Ian Ravenscroft rounds up the 4Talent acts on Saturday night’s Gigbeth and gives much deserved acclaim to organiser Catherine Bray: ‘artistic innovation won a minor victory that night in the tiny Dragon Bar.’ He’s also posted some great photos from the Hot Monocles gig on Friday on his Flickr account.
Pete Ashton’s Gigbeth set on Flickr – Pete Ashton’s photos, mainly from the 4Talent gig so including Iain Woods, Rich Batsford and Einstellung.
Dave Piper – the photographer’s pics from the Gigbeth conference and gigs.
Rhubarb Radio’s Gigbeth & Drop Beats Marathon – their extensive coverage of the Gigbeth weekend. The Station Manager lost the keys, perhaps he was a bit tired? Tough – sleep is for wimps!
Catnip’s Gigbeth band review – Julia Gilbert reviews the bands she saw at Gigbeth over the weekend, which included Iain Woods, Kano, Young Knives, Rich Batsford, The Keyboard Choir and the Sugarhill Gang.
