It is with great pleasure that we welcome one of the true greats of contemporary soul and house music to come and play for Leftfoot in the intimacy of The Hare and Hounds 250 capacity main room.

He began spinning and producing tracks in 1986, at the age of thirteen.  As an adult Theo continued to impact and be impacted by dance music, helping to bring a dormant underground music scene to life. In 1994, Theo Parrish moved to Michigan where he became heavily involved in Detroit’s underground music scene. Producing music and delivering his unique and dynamic sets in venues throughout the Detroit and surrounding areas, as well as abroad he has gained the attention and respect of DJ’s, producers, listeners and dancers worldwide.

‘Love of the music should be the driving force of any producer, performer or DJ. Everything else stems from that core, that love. With that love, sampling can become a tribute; An expansion on ideas long forgotten, reconstruction, collage. Using the same understanding openly and respectfully can turn DJing into a spiritual participation. It can turn a few hours of selection into essential history; Necessary listening through movement.’ This personal philosophy gives shape and direction to the distinctive sounds that are created by Theo Parrish.

Letftoot presents: Theo Parrish – Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath B14 7JZ – Friday 31^st August

Tickets available from -HERE-

We’re super pleased to be welcoming iLiKETRAiNS back to the Hare & Hounds courtesy of Birmingham Promoters!

This year we have seen their triumphant return with their critically acclaimed third full length record, ’The Shallows’ – a document of their love/hate relationship with a modern world obsessed with technological advance. They have flourished within Leeds’ fertile music scene since their inception in 2004 and have seen their intelligent, thought-provoking and quintessentially British world embraced by a growing following the world over. Each release has seen the band’s reputation as a formidable live act grow. They have toured extensively in the UK, Europe, Russia and the USA and supported the likes of Sisters of Mercy, British Sea Power and Editors.

“A hefty whomp of steely-eyed beauty” – 8/10, NME

“I Like Trains have finally made the record they’ve been striving for” – 8/10, Contact Music

I Like Trains play Venue 1 at Hare & Hounds on Sunday 21st October 2012. Tickets available here.

Check out the video for ‘Terra Nova’:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoHloQFJNvs

Now a worldly wise septuagenarian, enigmatic guitarist and songwriter, we are honoured to welcome Michael Chapman to the Hare & Hounds!

Chapman was first championed by John Peel in the 70s and Jack Rose and No Neck Blues Band in the 00s. His career retrospective double CD came out via Tompkins Square in February, and Light In The Attic re-issued his classic ‘Fully Qualified Survivor’ in the same month. Both releases have received stunning reviews.

He’s already been rediscovered wholesale in the US courtesy of his Jack Rose and No Neck Blues Band connections, topped off by his extensive interview by fan Thurston Moore in Fretboard Journal in 2009, where Moore compared Chapman’s style and influence with that of John Renbourn and Bert Jansch. Now the UK and Europe are catching up with this sudden explosion of excitement about him, and quite right too.

As Spencer Grady notes on the BBC Music site, “Just as John Fahey and Robbie Basho were belatedly sainted by a slew of avant-garde musicians eager to enrich their experimental fields with old primitive tradition, so the same enclave have reached out to embrace Yorkshire-born minstrel Michael Chapman.”

Michael Chapman plays Venue 1 at Hare & Hounds on Monday 15th October 2012, presented by Birmingham Promoters. Tickets available here.

Ahead of Horse Meat saddling up at the Hare & Hounds in a few weeks time – Matt Beck spoke to Jim Stanton about what we can expect…

1.) With a hugely successful clubnight, a mix series accompanying it and now stepping into the realm of production, what can we expect next from the Horse Meat boys?

We’re all keeping up with the dj’ing and festival dates over this summer with keeping an eye firmly on the production, edits and re-rubs

2.) How are you finding stepping into the production realm and which producers have influenced your style ?

Well we’ve got a shed load of tracks and studio demos – at least a mini ep and full album’s worth here! We’re working out the best direction to go producer and vocal-wise but they are a pretty special sounding gathering of musical styles. It’s something we think reflects all of the HMD djs differing approaches musically (4 djs) IThe beauty of being four djs with four differeing tastes the resultant musical mix is something most people would not expect to come from us… Our most influential producers are never ending – Larry Levan, Tom Moulton, P&P, Gamble & Huff, Andrew Weatherall, DJ Harvey to mention a few!

3.) The Horse Meat sound seems to take equal influence from the old disco sounds and crate digging culture and then the sounds of newer producers such as Tom Trago, Todd Terje etc and it’s amazing how fresh the older stuff sounds standing next to the newer cuts….When playing out or recording mixes do you try and have a balance of classic and contemporary?

It’s never an intentional idea to fuse the two it just tends to come out that way… James Hillard and Luke Hopward are heavily into crate digging for rare disco gems and Severino and myslef I would say are musch more into plugging into some opf the great stuff around at the minute. Haviong said theat the whole dynamic can change when we’re dj’ing which is what makes it so exciting still I suppose.

 4.) Rumour has it you studied in Birmingham and attended Wobble whilst in the city, what memories do you have of the city and those nights?

My first boyfirend lived in Birmingham and I spent a lot of time going out there to clubs like Wobble which was without doubt the most influential club on my taste with an extremely sophisticated booking policy. I also spent a good while working down at SUBWAY CITY and getting into all kinds of trouble down there! I wasn’t a dj realkly back then so effectively this is my debut and really excited about it.

 5.) Finally what sort of vibes can we expect from yourself and Luke on July 20th ?

Always a real joy playing with Luke so I just hope we get to spend as long as possible on the decks to get the message over! Expect lots of NEW stuff and also some of our best edits and re-works, with a smattering of the Horse Meat Disco classics we’re known for

We are pleased to announce Birmingham Promoters are bringing rising punk rock rabble The Menzingers to the Hare & Hounds!

Creating a rousing racket of crashing power chords, rock steady drumming and anthemic sing-along choruses alongside powerfully poetic everyman lyrics. The group’s Epitaph Records debut album ‘On The Impossible Past’ was released this year to wide spread critical acclaim.

“It might only be February, but you wouldn’t look foolish calling this one of the albums of the year.” – 9/10, BBC Music

“This is something that has no expiration date.” – 9.5/10, Absolute Punk

The Menzingers play Venue 1 at Hare & Hounds Birmingham on Wed 19th September 2012. Support comes from The Front Bottoms and Above Them.
Tickets available here.

We are Pleased to announce Birmingham Promoters will be bringing Crybaby to the Hare & Hounds in September!

Crybaby is the alias of Bristol’s Danny Coughlan. Named after Garnet Mimms’ Cry Baby – one of the truly seminal songs in the development of soul music, it was famously covered by Janis Joplin – the name also hints at that peculiarly lachrymose strain of early 60s RnB.

His recent self-titled album is a collection of blissfully spare, fully focused pieces propelled by dramatic imagery and gripping melody. Crybaby makes music for grown-ups, music for those amongst us who know that both pain and pleasure can be brutal but temporary, so you should hang onto their redemptive and restorative power as long as you can.

“… a wonderful blend of Roy Orbison, The Smiths, Phil Spector and the Jesus & Mary Chain. An utterly charming debut” – The Guardian

“…heart-slicing sadness at it’s most classically reverential” – The Fly

Crybaby plays Venue 1 at Hare & Hounds Birmingham on Thurs 20th September 2012. Tickets available here.

Super excited to announce we’ve just confirmed London’s Life In Film, courtesy of Birmingham Promoters & Live Nation!

Their dark pop infuses Kings of Leon-style melodies with downcast, morose flirts with Nick Cave, invoking the feeling of being in the centre of a glitter war. They’re the lustrous recession musicians taking British pop away from disco tunes and towards dusty barroom dancefloors, via Tamla Motown.

The band have obvious American roots with cosmic, albeit lo-fi, country airs and graces; but still remain grounded in an equally as apparent English punk and new wave upbringing. Alongside bands like Gang of Four, they’re the would-be staple of the arty elite.

Sounding like Life in Film can’t be easy though. One song you’re belting out anything the Followill brothers would be desirous of, and the next you’re paying homage to Tom Waits. It’s the kind of light and dark mind-f**k that Radiohead used to do so, so well. It’s a balance that’s either painstakingly sought for, or in Life in Film’s case, a delightfully natural outcome of their communal, often contradictory, influences.

Life in Film play Venue 1 at Hare & Hounds on Tues 23rd October 2012. Tickets available here.

Check out the video for ‘The Idiot’:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3KIqrzuZZY

If you’ve enjoyed our Leftfoot nights at the Hare & Hounds in the past then you can join us at Moseley Park Birmingham this Friday for Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul festival starting at 2pm.

You can check out the Line-Up below or for Full details you can visit http://mostlyjazz.co.uk/

Left Foot Main Stage – Roots Manuva / Ghostpoet / Introducing Play Entroducing / Gilles Peterson / Maylight

Left Foot Second Stage – Troumaca / Bad Bad Not Good / Paper Tiger / Free School / Sam Redmore

The Tennis Hut – Mr Scruff, DJ Dick & Ole Smokey

Expect all your Leftfoot favourites and more this Friday as well as The Official Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival After Show Party: Keep It Unreal with Mr Scruff – After the party has come to a close at the Leftfoot curated Friday at this year’s Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul festival we will be bringing a completely exclusive show (From 10.30pm til 3am) to festival ticket holders, with the amazing Mr Scruff! Keep It Unreal with Mr Scruff regularly sells out across the UK so with a thriving crowd of festival goers embarking on the venue this promises to be a night to remember!

Tickets for both Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival plus The Official After-Party with Mr Scruff are available from -HERE-

See you there!

BRUMMIE pop icon Toyah Willcox is to be the first star on a new Kings Heath Walk of Fame next month and she will mark the occasion with a homecoming gig at the Hare & Hounds on July 16.

Toyah who was born in Kings Heath, rose to fame as a punk singer during the early 1980s and has recently been back on the road performing hits from her bestselling albums Anthem and The Changeling.

A statement on the star’s website said: “This intimate one-off concert is a true celebration of Toyah’s roots in her hometown on the day her star is unveiled on the King’s Heath Walk of Fame.”

The Walk of Fame is on York Road and like its Broad Street and Hollywood counterparts will celebrate the area’s entertainment heritage. York Road was chosen because it contains the Hare and Hounds where UB40 and Frank Skinner started their careers. It also housed the Ritz Ballroom where bands such as The Beatles and Pink Floyd have played.

For more information about Toyah’s Walk Of Fame Concert with her full band – CLICK HERE – Tickets are £15 advance and you can expect to hear all the Toyah Classics such as … Neon Womb * It’s A Mystery * Thunder In The Mountains * Brave New World *

For everything Toyah and Toyah related visit: http://www.toyahwillcox.com/

Words taken from BBC NEWS & BIRMINGHAM MAIL

We’ll be playing the match tomorrow on the big screen at the Hare & Hounds in our back bar. Coverage stars at 7pm, Kickoff is 7.45pm so don’t be late! Rooney is finally off the bench so let’s see what the tank has in store for tomorrow’s game. COME ON ENGLAND! COME ON ENGLAND!!