There’s no place like home. Wednesday night B-Town welcomed me back to The Rainbow Pub for another night of music and all-around great vibes. B-Town advocates for the Birmingham indie scene, aiming to bring Digbeth back to being the hub of music and home to where the greats begin. 

The most important thing about B-Town, however, is the amazing sense of community the night brings regardless of the music performed. I have only attended two B-Town nights so far, but already it feels like a family. Nick and Tim welcome you in with their arms open so incredibly wide and all of a sudden you feel like part of the furniture. 

The September line up was jam-packed, spanning genres from folk to heavy metal. To some, the contrast may have seemed messy and confused, but to many it was a night that would please everybody in the audience at one point or another.

The night opened with Pear Drop, a singer/songwriter who had just branched into a solo career from band life. Her band, The Insider, had played a previous B-Town gig, but we were informed that this was the first time she had ever performed solo on stage. Pear Drop performed a set of alt-pop tunes, spanning from covers to original music. Her voice was undeniably beautiful and she held the crowd with incredible talent. You could tell she was nervous, which is understandable for her first solo gig, but it didn’t impact her performance drastically. Her awkward nature on stage was utterly adorable.

GILL, a Stourbridge-based alt-rock band, followed. Their music was beautifully ambient, however, they played the same instrumental between each song which dramatically slowed down the momentum of the set. It was easy to get quite bored but that doesn’t mean  that their music wasn’t intriguing, albeit relatively repetitive. 

By this point, my friends were 7 drinks deep and becoming a liability. We had managed to break two glowsticks, and soon after were accomplices in a balloon bursting, so we enjoyed the rest of the gig, distracted, with luminescent fingers, a neon green splattering at our feet and repeatedly being whacked by balloons. 

The third act was a duet between Marianne Mills and Angel Lightfoot. They brought the folk period of the evening, which was a nice change of pace. Like Pear Drop, the duo performed a combination of original music and covers, all of which were performed to absolute perfection and with the most gorgeous harmonies I have heard live. The songs were peppy and relatable. Their performance of a charming ode to Angel’s relationship in the middle of the set and the chemistry between Angel and their partner in the audience was delightful to watch.

At this point, I was amped up and ready for the headliner darkmaterial. The charm of B-Town is that when attending an event as an outsider, it is very unlikely you will know any of the acts before you arrive. So, every time an act begins, their style and genre is a complete surprise. darkmaterial are a heavy rock band, which I definitely should have guessed from the barrier banners in the venue. I’m not a particularly huge fan of heavy rock, preferring the softer, pop side of the genre, but darkmaterial put on an incredible show. Even though I didn’t really enjoy the music, their stage presence was enthusiastic and you could feel the love they had for their craft. The light show that accompanied them was highly impressive and the volume of the set added to the genre. However, as I write this review the morning after, my ears are still ringing violently. 

And with that, the gig had ended. I managed to get the liabilities to bed, and I am just waiting in utter anticipation for the next one. If you are ever in the area, come and join the community. B-Town is so much more than the music, and the love for the industry oozes through the venue. It has already been announced that the eighth instalment of B-Town is to be held on Wednesday 9th October, so hopefully we’ll see you there.

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