Swingamajig is the best vintage inspired party you can imagine! Music, dance, cabaret, walkabout, art installations, street food, performance and over 4000 of the UK’s best dressed ladies and gents! Set in the heart of Birmingham in the shadow of the giant brickwork railway arches with a big top circus tent, its six stages bring together some of the best acts from the UK, Europe and World.
A one day urban festival that opens at 2pm and goes on until the early morning, Swingamajig truly is a show like no other.
Swingamajig is packing a massive program of music and performance which is headlined by international festival heavyweights – Balkan Beatbox who are known for blending Balkan brass with earth shattering bass, hip hop and dub electronics to exhilarating effect.
New York/ Tel Aviv based Balkan Beat Box (aka BBB) blend Balkan brass, earth shattering bass, hip-hop and dub electronics to exhilarating effect. Their live shows are explosive affairs, with singer Tomer Yosef delivering his politicised lyrics with passionate performances always sending audiences into a frenzy.
Founded in 2005 by Ori Kaplan (previously of Gogol Bordello) and Tamir Muskat (of Firewater) Balkan Beat Box burst out of New York City’s underground in 2005 introducing the world to their distinctive brand of electronic dub and Gypsy Punk. In 2006 frequent collaborator Tomer Yosef was appointed frontman, galvanizing audiences with his wild stage presence and infectious energy. This confirmed BBB’s reputation as a formidable live act, them become a favourite of audiences and critics alike the world over. Combining a solid rhythm section of hip hop, funk and reggae influences with exotic brass, earth shattering bass and experimental electronics, Balkan Beat Box provide the perfect soundtrack for Yosef’s trailblazing vocal delivery. The result is an intoxicating and intense sonic assault which takes no prisoners and makes no apologies for its outspokenness.
Over four albums the band have constantly explored new musical territory, with Tamir crafting hard-edged beats, Ori orchestrating melodies and Tomer penning heavily politicized lyrics. They’ve visited the Balkan and Mediterranean diaspora of their namesake in 2005’s Balkan Beat Box (JDUb, 2015) 2007’s Nu Med, (JDub, 2007), the Far East with Blue Eyed Black Boy, (Nat Geo, 2010) and produced an exhilarating hybrid of electronic raga on Give (2010, Crammed). The Independent has called them “deftly programmed global fusion” adding “a band I can’t wait to see live.” Give is inspired by protest movements across the globe from the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall St. and captures the spirit of hope and defiance of recent times. The album was widely celebrated in the press, with Songlines saying: ‘BBB are as outspoken and uncompromising as ever. It’s hard to resist the album’s intensity’.
Balkan Beat Box are passionate about the power of music to make positive change. In the spirit of great protest artists Woodie Guthrie, Bob Dylan, The Clash and Rage Against The Machine they harness their anger about injustice and corruption in the world and draw influences from across the globe to create a powerful and vibrant music. What’s more they deliver it with an intensity and joie de vivre that has to be seen to be believed.
Recently, the band had an intense period of collaborating with other artists such as the Yemenite dance music group A-Wa who are currently hitting the festival circuit, the turnt up rock group Loco Hot, and writing with producers and songwriters around the world. There’s much new music in the works and surprises in concert, 2016 promises to be their best year yet!
“If BBB is world music, it’s in the most literal sense – because it can move anyone in the world.”- Time Out
Alongside Balkan Beatbox there’s a huge variety of musicians for your pleasure at Swingamajig 2016 including… Electric Swing Circus, The Destroyers, JFB, Father Funk, The Carnyvillains, the C@ in the H@, Jack Rabbit Slim, The Tootsie Rollers, Swingrowers, Tankus the Henge, DJ Aries, KOG and the Zongo Brigade, Gypsys of Bohemia Stenchman, The After Hours, Jim Wynn Swing Orchestra, Barbaralla’s Bang Bang, Cafe Manouche, The Rin Tins and many more…
