Coming Up ..... Thursday 9th October
Electro Bands

Connect Four is the only live music event in Birmingham that specialises in showcasing musicians, DJ’s and visual artists with a strong electro influence.

Connect Four helps electronic acts with wide ranging styles converge - avant-guard to the poptastic; soaring synthetic strings to glitches, twitches and bleeps – in one night.

The next Connect Four features live performances from:
Nena Kubu
Wülfstabber
Distinct.Radi0
Free School
Plus DJ sets from the Stiff Kittens.

Nena Kubu - www.myspace.com/nenakubu

Nena Kubu are our friends from away this month travelling down from Doncaster. Their ready to dance songs are riddled with infectious energy. This lot turn a fantastic stage show recently pleasing Robots in Disguise’s fans with their support slot.

Wülfstabber - www.myspace.com/wulfstabber

Heinz Wülf and Euan Stabber mix analogue and digital to create 4/4 floor fillers guaranteed to get the party started.

Distinct.Radi0 - www.myspace.com/distinctradi0

Distinct.Radi0 don't like classifying music by placing it into categories, however to help people to understand their sound, they describe themselves as an Electro/Dub/Breakbeat group. Their trademark "Distinct.Radi0...the other side of electro" rings true through all of their music which reflects their massive list of influences, beginning with Joy Division and Kraftwerk all the way to hardcore electro with the likes of Man Parrish. They are a duo consisting of an English producer and an American vocalist, the mix of which shines through in each track as Distinct.Radi0 'ELECTRO-fies' you! They recently released their second album entitled "Twins of Terra Incognita" and their tracks are available from http://www.the-muzic.com/

Free School - www.myspace.com/freeschoolmusic
Free School weave together a vast range of beautiful sounds and samples to produce immense sweeping soundscapes. Take a journey with Free School into their sonic world.

Stiff Kittens - http://www.myspace.com/stiffkittens1

THE STIFF KITTENS are MISS CHIEF & KITTY KATE…. MISS CHIEF got her paws on a set of decks some time ago… and loves to play a bizarre pick n mix of tunes from DFA to The Damned, via BENTLEY RHYTHM ACE! MISS CHIEF has now found a purrrrfect accomplice in KITTY KATE who fuses all that is fabulous with all that is bizarre! Her love of soundtracks, old school hip hop, funky beats and a splash of electro always get the room moving. And a selection of random doorbell sounds merged lovingly with a funked up 80's classic never fails to raise a smile too!

Venue: The Island Bar, 14-16 Suffolk Street (Next to the Alexandra Theatre), B1 1LT
Time: 8pm
Cost: £FREE
Links:
www.myspace.com/connectfournight
www.myspace.com/nenakubu
www.myspace.com/wulfstabber
www.myspace.com/distinctradi0
www.myspace.com/freeschoolmusic
http://www.myspace.com/stiffkittens1

Coming Up ..... Thursday 9th October
Indie_Rock_Shoegaze_Alt.

444 Club presents Pivot + Einstellung + Cellardoor

Cellardoor:
Cellardoor kick out a volatile mix of fluid, danceable post-rock and reverb-drenched, hammering riffs. The Birmingham based three-piece draw on influences as disparate as Battles and Russian Circles whilst honing a distinctive, uncompromising sound all of their own.

Venue: The Rainbow Pub, Digbeth High Street, B12 0LD
Time: 8pm
Cost: £6 adv.
Links:
http://www.myspace.com/kamikazeevents
http://www.myspace.com/pivotpivot
http://www.myspace.com/einstellung
http://www.myspace.com/cellardoorsound

Coming Up ..... Thursday 11th September
Electro Bands



Connect Four present Elmo Sexwhistle + Johnny Normal + Adham Fisher + Touch + Hood & Horse.

Venue: The Island Bar, 14-16 Suffolk Street (Next to the Alexandra Theatre), B1 1LT
Time: 8pm
Cost: £3
Links:
www.myspace.com/connectfournight
www.myspace.com/elmosexwhistle
www.myspace.com/johnnynormalmusic
www.myspace.com/afselectronica
www.myspace.com/hoodandhorse

Coming Up ..... Thursday 11th September
New Wave_Soul_Indie_Pop-Punk_Rock

444 Club present The Virgins + The Vehicles + The Archives + New York Noise DJ’s.

The Archives: (check if it is their wirte-up)

In late september 06,we were just starting to play our first gigs as a band.We played two great gigs,first at the jug of ale(Moesley,B'ham)and then at P.J's(Waterfront,Dudley).Both gigs were packed to the rafters and the future looked bright.Then our main song writter and guitarist left.We plodded on for a month or so with friends at the studio helping us out on guitar. But then came an answer,Paul joined the group and everything clicked. We locked ourselves away in the studio for almost a year writting new material. And now it's all paid off,we're now playing gig's again and our songs are harder faster,tighter and louder than they have ever been.We are now what we have always wanted to be,a rock band with tunes that rattle your bones and blow your mind!!! ..................

Remember it's got to be loud,it's got to be live!

Venue: The Sanctuary, The Dragon Bar, Digbeth
Time: 7.30pm
Links:
http://www.myspace.com/kamikazeevents
http://www.myspace.com/thevirginsnyc
http://www.myspace.com/thevehicles
http://www.myspace.com/thearchiveshome

Coming Up ..... Thursday 14th August
Electro-bands_Electronica

Connect Four – Episode VI: Reverb of the Jedi

Birmingham’s Connect Four connects four bands to one theme. Many of the sounds and the beats they produce are triggered by the closing of switches, processed by microchips and transistors and outputted along wires.

Connect Four helps electronic acts with wide ranging styles converge - avant-guard to the poptastic; soaring synthetic strings to glitches, twitches and bleeps – in one night.

Collaborating artists invest in the design of their musical creations from the basic waveform upwards. This allows a breadth of musical experience impossible to achieve with conventional instruments alone.

DJs, artists and performers bring additional colour and dynamism to the night. Expect surprises, prize giveaways and idiosyncrasies – it’s unlike any other live music event in Birmingham!

Team Penetration! –
http://www.myspace.com/teampenetration
Heavily influenced by EVERYTHING from happy hardcore and death metal to the hip hop and grime scenes, TEAM PENETRATION. Sick electropunk kids bringin' you stuff with a beat, stuff that's deep, and stuff that's danced to by the kids on the street.
Yes, from time to time, we are trying to be anthemic.
And we do very much love the occasional beatdown.
So bust a move down to a show sometime, and find all this out for yourself!

Applicants - http://www.myspace.com/applicants

Applicants make a chaotic melee of gleeful indie-pop made up of distorted drum samples, trashy guitars and shards of wry lyrical humour.

Their unpredictable live show has become infamous over the last year after gigs around the country, including a decisive performance closing the night at Frog in London, have ended in a joyful mess of chaotic partying.

The band has also received support from forward-thinkers across the board, including Radio 1, Drowned In Sound and Artrocker Magazine for their first two ear-bursting singles, ‘Crappuccino’ and ‘Hypochondriac’.

“The intergalactic Applicants - parallel universe pop stars with a fondness for fake blood and liver destroying quantities of booze.”
The Guardian Guide

Electroflex - http://www.myspace.com/electroflex

A vital, emerging SYNTH-POP DUO out of the city of Birmingham. They draw on Electro muses from past and present for inspiration. Classic synth sounds are their signature. The duo create a unique musical meld; it’s ELECTROFLEX-POP.

Kalahan - http://www.myspace.com/kalahanmusic

Kalahan are two guys, a load of old skool technology and a complete disregard for playing by the usual rules.
They play a feast of upbeat music with phat basslines followed by smooth chillout sounds to calm you back down before a rocking finish. Once described as what the Beatles would sound like if they lived in Manchester, had keyboards and knew The Mighty Boosh.

DJ sets from: The Codette Soundsystem – www. myspace. com/codettemusic
“a clash of electro beats brought to you by two of New-Wave Pop outfit Codette. In the blue corner is Bassist and Producer Jay, slamming down chunky breaks and beats. Opposing him in the red corner is Codette’s Synth wrangler Jacob, throwing pure and vintage electro into the mix.”

Venue: The Island Bar, Smallbrook, Queensway, City Centre
Time: 8pm
Cost: £FREE!!!!
Links:
www.myspace.com/connectfournight
http://www.myspace.com/teampenetration
http://www.myspace.com/applicants
http://www.myspace.com/electroflex
http://www.myspace.com/kalahanmusic
www.myspace.com/codettemusic

Coming Up ..... Thursday 10th July
Electro_Electronica



Birmingham’s Connect Four connects four bands to one theme. Many of the sounds and the beats they produce are triggered by the closing of switches, processed by microchips and transistors and outputted along wires.

Connect Four helps electronic acts with wide ranging styles converge - avant-guard to the poptastic; soaring synthetic strings to glitches, twitches and bleeps – in one night.

Collaborating artists create every component of their music; investing in the design of their musical creations from the basic waveform upwards. This allows a breadth of musical experience impossible to achieve with many conventional instruments.

DJs, artists and performers bring additional colour and dynamism to the night. Expect surprises, prize giveaways and idiosyncrasies – its unlike any other live music event in Birmingham!

The next Connect Four features live performances from:
Uninvited Guestz
Codette
The Audacity
Motorbikes in Tokyo

Plus DJ sets form Electric Beat Consignment and films from Future Daze.

Uninvited Guestz - http://www.myspace.com/uninvitedguestz

Birmingham’s own Uninvited Guestz will be blasting onto the Connect Four stage this month with their dark, dub-infused dance rhythms. They site a vast range of influences, from The Specials to Leftfield to Annie Lennox, all of which are cleverly reflected and uniquely twisted into their infectious tracks. It is impossible to sit still when listening to these guys. Uninvited Guestz describe themselves as “Rebels with a cause….. it’s Rock & Roll, baby”.

Codette - http://www.myspace.com/codettemusic

Codette are five determined individuals destined to bring their brand of edgy New Wave Pop to the world. Their sound conjures up a bittersweet coming of age, the dark side of the human condition, friendships that are remembered forever and the nostalgia of one final summer before life moves on all rolled up neatly into a dynamic pop package.

‘Pop will never die just ask Codette. With their finely crafted danceable, energetic presentations, one can hardly contain a knowing smile that you have just witnessed something very special......’ John Timmons, President of Divirta Ltd.

The Audacity - http://www.myspace.com/theaudacitykidder

Electro punk-popster the Audacity make a welcome return to Connect Four this month following the release of their new album ‘Are they still going?’ Solid synthetic beats and unavoidably catchy hooks run through all of the Audacity’s tunes, along with the acid-tongued social commentary of their lyrics. From big-business to hoarders to self-styled spiritual guides, nothing in our modern life is immune from an Audacity-style ribbing.

Motorbikes in Tokyo – http://www.myspace.com/motorbikesintokyo

Our ‘away’ band this month is Motorbikes in Tokyo, a synthpop three piece hailing from the Northeast of England. Producing beautifully crafted pop songs, they add their own unique spin to the clean, classic electro style. They have recently gigged successfully in London and are currently working with L.A. band Kid Moxie.

Right now MIT have an EP out called "Music and Machines" which is available via their website.

DJ Electric Beat Consignment – http://www.myspace.com/electricbeatconsignment

Lisa S aka Electric Beat Consignment (EBC) is a DJ deeply into all things electro & mash up related. She started out as a DJ in 2002 and launched her career that year at the Rainbow in Digbeth, Birmingham playing Client as her first track. Since then she has secured a London residency and played high profile events such as the opening of Manchester’s Hilton Hotel and the relaunch of the London Mayfair. She draws inspiration from an eclectic source and favours mashups that cunningly meld sounds from different decades and genres.

All the mashups you will hear from EBC are done live on a pair of Technics 1210s MK2s and a Behringer VMX 300. No computer wizardry is involved.

MARK MOORE - 'Tanx Lisa. 'Dance Lose Control' is my fave. The Missy vocal gives it that little bit extra x'

Films from Future Daze – www.myspace.com/futuredaze

Future Daze is the audio-visual project of Ian Price, who is also known as School of Ambience and is the creator of the fantastic Robo Cast Radio. “…the brilliantly talented Ian Price, a creator and innovator of exciting high quality electronic music and eye-catching visuals.”

The latest Future Daze release is the album Mixed Synthetic Messages which is available from the Future Daze website - www. futuredaze. co. uk and from CDBaby in the States.

Robo Cast is a stronghold of all the best in electronic music both new and classic. The current episode, ROBO CAST 24 – DO ROBOTS DREAM OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC? Is currently available for download from www. robocastradio.podomatic.
com and features all of the artists from the upcoming Connect Four.

Venue: The Island Bar, Suffolk Street, Queensway, City Centre
Time: 8pm
Cost: £3
Links:
www.myspace.com/connectfournight
www.myspace.com/futuredaze
http://www.myspace.com/electricbeatconsignment
http://www.myspace.com/motorbikesintokyo
http://www.myspace.com/theaudacitykidder
http://www.myspace.com/codettemusic
http://www.myspace.com/uninvitedguestz

Coming Up ..... Thursday 10th July
Punk-Funk_No Wave_Hip Hop_Disco_Electro



NEW YORK NOISE is a new night due to begin on July 11th 2008. We'll be playing all the best music from the Big Apple's past and present underground scene and beyond. Expect to hear plenty of punk-funk, no wave, hip-hop, disco and electro.

Line-up:

Dr. Rubberfunk (No Wave / Disco Set) and residents Matt Flux + Mustapha Dance and Waler DJs.

This is taken from the Dr Rubberfunk myspace:

‘Well, where to start ... I've been DJing since 1992 and playing the drums since 1987. I started making beats and pieces with an Akai sampler and an Apple Mac in 1997. The first Dr Rubberfunk release was 'Harry The Guitar' in 2001, followed by 'The First Cut', my debut album in 2003. The response to the first album has been great, and in their infinite wisdom the record label asked me to do another one; entitled 'My Life At 33' it was released in October 2006, and seems to have gone down quite well so far too.

I've been fortunate to have been asked to remix a number of great artists too since 2000, and that'll be continuing into 2008 I hope!
I've signed to Jalapeno Records for my third album, and, following the release of the 'My Life At 33' Remixes EP in Feb 2008, I'll be releasing an EP of new material on Jalapeno, with the album coming later in the summer. So we're all set for an exciting year!’

Venue: The Yardbird, next to Paradise Forum
Time: 8pm
Cost: £FREE before 9pm, £3 after
Links:
http://www.myspace.com/newyorknoiseuk
http://www.myspace.com/drrubberfunk

Coming Up ..... Thursday 10th July
Alternative_Indie_Rock



Obscure Toy Promotions presents Galleon Ryders + Thieves Like Us + The Lodgers + Farleigh.

Venue: The Actress and Bishop, Birmingham
Time: Doors 7.30pm
Cost: £4 Entry
Links:
http://www.obscuretoypromotions.co.uk/
http://www.myspace.com/galleonryders
http://www.myspace.com/thieveslikeusband
http://www.myspace.com/wearethelodgers
http://www.myspace.com/farleightheband

Coming Up ..... Thursday 10th July
Electro_House



ROB KINETIX aka TANZY dj's Electro House.
He's played various nights around the city but still is on the look out to play at any new electro nights that are happening. If you run a night and are looking for a dj check out Rob's Myspace and get in contact with him.

Venue: The Rainbow, Digbeth
Time: 9pm
Links:
http://www.myspace.com/kinetic666

Coming Up.....Thursday 12th June
Electro Bands

Connect Four presents four of the finest electro bands in the midlands to play live.

Line-up: Jon Baz + Bee Shocked Technique + Death Ohh Eff + 2Radio7 + DJ set from Subcitizen (Resistor-Records)

Jon Baz is a songwriter, musician and pop futurist who has been producing and developing his own style of electronic music for a number of years. Not one to carelessly jump on the revival bandwagon he takes influences from synth pop past and present, injecting them with his own tastes in dance music.
Over the last 2 years Jon Baz has been performing around the UK including extensive coverage of London..s alternative venues and Synth Pop clubs including Mark Moore..s Electrogogo and Being Boiled.
Jon has released his Physical Attraction album and brand new EP titled Fortune Lies. Other material include a single of I Won’t Let You Down.

Bee Shocked Technique our a collection of rogue sound constructs that have been ripped by stellar tidal forces created by the mini black holes collapsing in the sparse spaces between biological audio sensory apparatures, the point of convergence moves with them, forever trapped in the vortices.
Unprecedented barbaric rhythms conjure ancient gods that spring forth from the broken soil to fuel Anglo imperialist squarewave, and other waves as well, frequency time dilation's and oscillatory sub midrange Napoleonic raucousnessess.

DeathOhhEff (formerly Death05) are from Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire,
They've been on radio1 and played some killer gigs, they use a drum machine some keyboards and some guitars, and they'll play anywhere (with a PA.)

2Radio7 is a kind of side project from our band "TV Influenced Me" consisting of Matt Mitchell and Dave Smith, the only difference is the use of drum patterns rather than live drums, which are usually provided by Chuddy (matt's brother). Basically, stuff written when Chuddy wasn't around for whatever reason!

Venue: Island Bar, Suffolk Street
Time: 8pm
Cost: £3
Links:
http://www.myspace.com/connectfournight
http://www.myspace.com/jonbaz
http://www.myspace.com/beeshockedtechnique
http://www.myspace.com/deathohheff
http://www.myspace.com/2radio7

--------------------------------------------------------

Coming Up.....Thursday 12th June
Punk_Ska

Rehab present StreetPunk Drunks + Scandal + Faintest Idea +The Fortunate

Venue: The Black Horse, Jennens Road
Time: 8pm – midnight (Bar to 2am)
Cost: FREE ENTRY
Links:
http://www.myspace.com/rehab_brum
http://www.myspace.com/streetpunkdrunks
http://www.myspace.com/faintestidea

Coming Up On.....Thursday 8th May
Indie_Electro_Electro Bands



Birmingham’s Connect Four connects four bands with one thing - the sound. The beats you hear are triggered by the closing of switches, processed by microchips and transistors and outputted along wires.

Connect Four helps electronic acts with wide ranging styles converge - avant-guard to the poptastic; soaring synthetic strings to glitches, twitches and bleeps – all in one night.

Collaborating artists create every component of their music; investing in the design of their musical creations from the basic waveform upwards. This allows a breadth of musical experience impossible to achieve with many conventional instruments.

DJs, artists and performers bring additional colour and dynamism to the night. Expect surprises, prize giveaways and idiosyncrasies – its unlike any other live music event in Birmingham!

The next Connect Four takes place at the Island Bar, Suffolk Street, Birmingham on the 8th May. It will then run monthly on the second Thursday of the month.

Performing live at the next Connect Four – May 8th:

The $hit - www.myspace.com/shitmusic
“…are the FIRST, BEST, and ONLY Electro-Punk Casio-Crunk F*ck-Rock Glitch-Pop Disco-Metal Post-NintendoCore beat combo in the world… EVER’

Crash Repeat – www.myspace.com/crashrepeat
“…are a 2 piece live electro band. Often improvising, they bring together a range of techno and 80s synth influences alongside bust rhythms, electric drum loops and weird vocals.”

Girls That Scream – www.myspace.com/girlsthatscream
Whose name is “inspired partly by the girls in ye olde beatles videos, the ones that hurt your ears.. and also ruin the recording.. That kind of hysteria, is pretty f*cking cool, it takes a mysterious combination of factors to arouse such mentalist high pitched wailing, and it's the one thing, one day, I want this band to hear at our shows, because when you make those girls scream, you can be confident you've made it.”

Silver Factory Superstars – www.myspace.com/silverfactorysuperstars
“one of Britain’s brightest pop music hopes. His traditional English pop songs sear with melodies and captivate with heart felt lyrics. If you were to mix synthpop, epic orchestral swirls, an occasional guitar, then you will have the Silver Factory Superstars”

DJ sets from: The Codette Soundsystem – www.myspace.com/codettemusic
“a clash of electro beats brought to you by two of New-Wave Pop outfit Codette. In the blue corner is Bassist and Producer Jay, slamming down chunky breaks and beats. Opposing him in the red corner is Codette’s Synth wrangler Jacob, throwing pure and vintage electro into the mix.”

Films from Future Daze – www.myspace.com/futuredaze
“the brilliantly talented Ian Price, a creator and innovator of exciting high quality electronic music and eye-catching visuals.”

Also there will be previews of the acts playing at Connect Four on the Robocast (http://www.myspace.com/robocastradio) and Brumcast (http://www. myspace.com/brumcastbirmingham) podcasts.

Venue: The Island Bar, Suffolk Street, Queensway
Time: 8pm start
Cost: £3 in

Links:
www.myspace.com/connectfournight
www.myspace.com/shitmusic
www.myspace.com/crashrepeat
www.myspace.com/girlsthatscream
www.myspace.com/silverfactorysuperstars
www.myspace.com/codettemusic
www.myspace.com/futuredaze
http://www.myspace.com/robocastradio
http://www.myspace.com/brumcastbirmingham