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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13m

Now playing All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 1978-1985, compiled by @junkshopper.bsky.social for @nightschoolrecords.bsky.social ▶️ night-school.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 1h

Now playing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 1h

Cute. We see foxes in the garden most nights, but badgers much less frequently

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 2h

Thanks - will put out some treats tonight

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 3h

James Skelly treating us to an impromptu version of You And Me (And The Beautiful Sea) while a technical hitch was being sorted out during The Coral's show at Koko last night. A gorgeous song from one of the very best albums of the year

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 3h

Thanks. Not 100% sure, but I think the bassist is Rusty Stone who has been with Go-Kart Mozart and Mozart Estate for a while. You probably know about these two... bsky.app/profile/birm...

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 4h

Mozart Estate at Koko last night. Always great to see Lawrence in good form

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 5h

Hoping to make Jonny's Groovy Record Fayre. Will bring along that Ramsey Lewis LP for you

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 5h

Very special visitor in our garden last night

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 22h

I'm now also seeing "just after 7" for Mozart Estate's stage time

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 16/10/2026

That's a great call and it's now on the playlist. It could be real, even though no oboist is credited. Electronic got Helen Powell to play oboe on Some Distant Memory two years later

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 16/10/2026

Sid enjoyed telling us that he'd literally walked to the gig while his bandmates had to fly across the ocean! They're currently on a UK tour with a few dates left, and they're generally pretty active, releasing albums and touring every few years www.thelongryders.com/The-Long-Ryd...

thelongryders.com

The Long Ryders - 2026 Tour Dates

The Long Ryders Tour Dates and Ticket links for 2026

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 16/10/2026

It should be a good one. Lawrence & Co are on early - 19:15

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 16/10/2026

As their set progressed I started to think of them as a great lost pub rock band in the Rockpile mould. They kinda confirmed my thoughts with a great version of the Feelgoods' Going Back Home and reminding us that Will Birch (who was in the audience) produced this classic youtu.be/ACNsRrU8zPc

youtu.be

The Long Ryders - "Looking for Lewis and Clark" (official promo video)

YouTube video by The Long Ryders

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 16/10/2026

They're still great. It's like an old-fashioned no-nonsense pub rock gig and you need one of those every now and then!

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 16/10/2026

Had a rocking good time watching The Long Ryders at Camden's Electric Ballroom last night. Heading back to NW1 later for Mozart Estate and The Coral

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Here's my "More Oboe" playlist for an autumnal evening. Features The Go-Betweens, Nick Drake, S Club, Teardrop Explodes, Madonna, REM, The Left Banke, Roxy Music, Soft Cell, Big Star, Flowered Up and many more 🍂▶️ open.spotify.com/playlist/3nI...

open.spotify.com

More Oboe!

A selection of top tunes featuring the oboe or cor angalis, plus a couple with clarinets or bassoons. Put together with lots of help from the twitterati plus some suggestions from the marvellous Kate ...

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Guide to London's punk venues - Marquee: too hot - Dingwalls: old venue, old audience - Vortex: cheap and nasty - Rainbow: ridiculous security - Lyceum: horizontal hippies - Roundhouse: obstructive promoter From Punk book published by Urizen in 1978

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

The Bodines, an English 80s band, rather than the US group The BoDeans

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Definitely - sounding and looking good. Was really enjoying himself

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Yes - that definitely helped, although the original mix of the tune should have been massive everywhere IMHO! Animal Magnet were from London - their popularity in the Midlands was discussed during this radio clip and back at the other place ▶️ www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Thanks Mairi. I think every city and major town had an alternative disco playing similar tunes in the early 80s, where goths, rockabillies and new romantics could happily dance together. Each had its own regional quirks - the Animal Magnet and Tin Tin tunes were untypically big in the Midlands

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

👍 I've got their second single. One of their guitarists was Dave Newton who left to form the Mighty Lemon Drops

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Kevin even treated us to the delightful theme from Brush Strokes! Dexys Midnight Runners performing Because of You in Kingston last night

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Hearing Human Fly by The Cramps instantly transports me back to the Alternative Discos at Birmingham's Powerhouse - the only place to be on Wednesday nights in the early 80s. This is a playlist of what we danced to... 🦇▶️ open.spotify.com/playlist/1HS...

open.spotify.com

The Powerhouse: Wednesday nights

A selection of records played at The Powerhouse in Hurst Street, Birmingham on Wednesday nights c 1982-84. The weekly alternative night was a coming togther of the tribes - goths, post-punks, rockabil...

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Excellent - sorry I missed that one!

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Straight into Vogue by Madonna. Morrisons Radio rules!

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

I'm in Morrisons and they're playing Human Fly by The Cramps. Resisting the urge to slam dance my way down the freezer aisle

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Thanks for the offer. Would love to see them blasting out Girl From Mars, Kung Fu and Oh Yeah, but I think I need a night in to save my energy for the Long Ryders tomorrow and Mozart Estate + The Coral on Friday

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Superb band: Kevin Rowland - Vocals Sean Read - Sax, Keys and Vocals Janelle Martin - Vocals Mike Timothy - Keys Lucy Morgan - Viola and vocals Timothy Weller - Drums Olli Martin - Trombone

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

"And good old Kevin will be alright" - Dexys Midnight Runners performing Liars A to E in Kingston last night

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Reposted by Birmingham 81

Present & Correct @presentcorrect.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Your favourite new album of three dimensional concrete from East Germany just dropped. flickr.com/photos/kunst-am-bau-ddr/albums/72157628445191603/with/6388855507 Hundreds to enjoy!

A small block of flats is covered on one side by three dimensional concrete circles and rectangles

Amazing grey concrete tiles with goldfish in orange

A stunning tiled area featuring butterflies carved into the concrete

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Eight more photos of Dexys Midnight Runners' triumphant show in Kingston last night. Catch them on tour in Glasgow, Newcastle, Wolverhampton, Manchester, Cambridge, London, Brighton, Dublin, Belfast and Bristol

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

They were excellent. Best I've seen them in a long while

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Now very tempted to get Ash tickets, although it would mean four gigs in four nights!

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Yes - got that same energy and catchiness. Adore both tunes

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Dexys Midnight Runners were magnificent tonight. Kevin's in fine voice and the set was a perfect mix of the old and the new. Try to catch them in Glasgow, Newcastle, Wolverhampton, Manchester, Cambridge, London, Brighton, Dublin, Belfast or Bristol

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Yes. Really liked the venue. Ash should be great there. Have fun

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

On my way to see Dexys at Circuit in Kingston upon Thames. The last show I saw in the town was De La Soul playing a Boilerhouse night at Cinderella's nightclub in 1989

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Here's another overlooked beauty from 1979 that's on that cassette but not on Spotify. Created by Broudie and Drummond youtu.be/aBtXHOjd9-M

youtu.be

Big In Japan - Match Of The Day

YouTube video by cpunctn

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

This great track is on the tape, but not on Spotify - "It Don't Mean Nothing At All" by The Valves

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Here's an Impure Pop cassette that I made in 1992, featuring the aforementioned Bodines, plus The Fall, Fire Engines, Mekons, Wire, Young Marble Giants, Nips, Orange Juice, Felt, Television, East Village, Mazzy Star, Rockingbirds etc. It's recreated here ▶️ open.spotify.com/playlist/1b2...

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Yes - I shared that clip earlier this month - filmed by the same person, which led me to my hypothesis! 🕵️

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Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Digging through the archives, I can't find any record of The Bodines playing ULU on 13 October 1986. I think this may actually have been filmed when they supported The Shop Assistants at the venue 10 days earlier. Great clip either way

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