Our 2nd LP, “Faith’s Meat Kiosk“, is coming out on 23rd April 2012 and to celebrate we’ve teamed up with Birmingham’s wonderful Jack Rabbit and created our very own Fried Chicken Seasoning.

As you do. Excellent lateral thinking from Friends of the Stars.

Actually, while I’m the subject, now’s as good a time as any to shoehorn in a mention of Rock and Roll Tedium – a little thing run by Craig from the band. It’ll chew up a good chunk of your day, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

As we prepare to bid farewell to Ikon Eastside ahead of it’s April closure, they’re gearing up for a rather special three night music festival, Rites of Spring, from 7 – 9 April.

Celebrating the venue’s five year contribution to Birmingham’s cultural scene, the festival welcomes headliners Modified Toy Orchestra, Martin Creed and his band and Fyfe Dangerfield, along with the first UK video installation from US band Matmos.

The full line up showcases a collection of folk, pop and electronic musical offerings, from local talent along with further afield artists.

Thursday 7 April
Modified Toy Orchestra
epic45
Shady Bard
Poppy Tibbetts
Friends of the Stars

Friday 8 April
Martin Creed and his band
David Cunningham
Matmos (video set)
Is I Cinema
Arc Vel

Saturday 9 April
Fyfe Dangerfield
Lulu and the Lampshades
Boat to Row
Young Runaways
Timothy Parkes

Tickets are £12 (£10 for students), or for the full festival £30 (£27 for students) and can be booked online or by calling O844 87O OOOO

Folk for free is a new monthly event to be held in the Symphony Hall foyer by Moseley Folk starting today at 5.30pm. As the name suggests, it’s free, and welcomes passers by to drop at any time throughout the performance which runs until 7pm.

The first bit of folky treats will come from Boat to Row, who appeared on the Bohemian Jukebox Stage at Moseley Folk Festival last month, with their ‘romantic acoustic sound that is brimming with delicate honesty’.

Playing from next month onwards is as follows;

18 November: Contact. This acoustic duo team sparse acoustic guitar with rhythmic bass lines and melodic vocals.

16 December: Friends of the Stars. Emerging from the ashes of John Peel favourites, The Toques, Friends of the Stars mix looping guitar spirals with country ballads.

20 January: Rob Fellows. “A multi-instrumentalist, Rob Fellows’ brand of acoustic mash-ups and collaborations offers something a little different to the traditional singer/songwriter.”

This time round they’ve got a Commercially Inviable special starring World of Fox with support from James Summerfield, Friends of the Stars and Richard Burke.

Pixie Sixer’s already written all about it on More Canals Than Venice so check that for more info. I’m really posting this for an excuse to post Ruth Green‘s artwork for World of Fox.

Ruth is a recent addition to the Love to Print collective – a project explained on the rather wonderfully named Shoulder to Crayon. Most of that collective are also involved with Girls Who Draw, including Karoline Rerrie and Sarah Ray.

There seems to be quite a tangled web of ladies out there producing pretty, quirky illustrations. See also i heart joan and the Inkygoodness folks.

At 8pm on Friday 24 October, the Songwriter’s Cafe is making a return, featuring:

• Daniel Rachel
• Micky Greaney
• Sarah & Rod Demick
• Friends of The Stars
• Leo Altarelli
• Abie Budgen
• Fola

It’ll be at The (ex-Orange) Studio in the city centre and will be hosted by Paul Murphy & Gary O’Dea.

The Songwriter’s Cafe

started in the autumn of 1996 to encourage the art of song writing by establishing a regular dedicated high profile performance platform for local songwriters, a rare thing in those days

With the Hello World after party ending at 8pm there’s talk in certain quarters of trying to move things along here afterwards.  It may be worth reserving your free tickets now if you’re interested in going.