Ryan's Gig Guide - June 2018

www.ryansgigguide.com 8 rgg June 2018 The Verdict Reviews by Nick J. Townsend This month I'm reviewing who Nick J Townsend predictsWILL be the next big music acts within the Birmingham and Black Country music scene very soon; whose music I've also seen live with my own half head.This is to shatter any myths that I don't venture to live shows and the largest third hand digit I can raise to those who add me as a friend on Facebook with only one pure friendly request which is "Review my CD bitch" like I'm a service or a resource. So to that huge pile of bands all hammering away on their keyboard right now; I'm going to review the bands that I'd like to review this month. In the past I've successfully predicted the main players in the Midlands music scene (No need to bow and forget to thank me all you silent lazy Birmingham music pro- moters out there; wink) so without further ado; meet the new elite. Incredible debut EP from brand new alternative rock band Stourbridge band Zhivago; If you en- counter problems pronouncing the band name then think of the film Doctor Zhivago starring Omar Sharif in the title role as Yuri Zhivago and then it makes it much easier to remember. Okay everybody got that? Let's move on. Right, I came across this band perform on stage at Base Stu- dios in Stourbridge; if you must know I was actu- ally assisting them on the door for their show but my ears were trained on their music throughout. The band consists of members DanTween, Chris Williams, Harley Brown and Ozzy Howard and this five track EP 'Who You Are' really is a joy; tracks like 'Go Home' just really knocked my odd socks off for how emotionally music can hit you but I'm going to go out on a limb here and tell you why. Remember when I said I was working the door at their gig and heard the band? Well my trained ears (self trained) didn't just hear some Stourbridge band playing great numbers; I heard a young Freddy Mercury.That's probably the biggest compliment I've ever given. Now musically this a completely different ball game; they perform epic mod- ern day commercial sounding indie alt rock tunes but when you really listen to the singer you hear the power in his voice and you hang off every word; he could be singing about anything at all (I dunno, fudge even) and you'd listen anyway because he has a special gift that few frontmen have - charisma. So you gonna buy this EP now. www.facebook.com/zhivagouk EP of the month Who You Are by ZHIVAGO