Jamaica Live was an Open Weekend event to celebrate the London 2012 Games and Birmingham’s selection as host for the Jamaican Olympic team, including the fastest man on earth, Usain Bolt. The event took place in Victoria Square in Birmingham on Saturday July 23^rd 2011. Over this 8 hour event there was 32,000 people in attendance and 3,000 people in the square at any given moment.

Jamaica Live! Activities Included:

• Our main star of the day was Reggae Reggae sauce icon Levi Roots who performed and did a live jerk chicken cooking demonstration on the main stage.
• Performances included Steel Pulse tribute Pulse Beat, The Reaggae Philomonic Orchestra, gospel singer Monique and included a surprise performance from the legendary Dawn Penn!
• Family-friendly comedy from TV’s Annette Fagon, Toju and Tony Hendricks, as well as spoken word artists in our story tent.
• Drumming workshops; Jamaican style. Visitors joined in with our collective drumming groups.
• Freshly-cooked Islands-style food available from local Caribbean chefs and vendors on site.

This celebration of Jamaican culture, food, and arts, was a great warm-up for events happening this year in honour of the teams’ presence in the city.

Punch Records welcome Usain Bolt and the Jamaican Olympics Team to Birmingham!

The Rainbow Complex, 160 Digbeth High Street,
Digbeth, Birmingham, B12 0LD

Tickets £20

Birmingham’s No. 1 Reggae Festival returns: bigger and better!

Reggae City returns on Saturday the 2nd of June to once again bring outdoor stages, lush PAs and a taste of the Caribbean to the streets of Birmingham. Presenting the finest international artists, alongside the best of contemporary West Midlands and UK talent, there is nothing like the real Reggae City! Celebrating 50 years of Jamaican independence with conscious sounds, peace and harmony in mind, ital foods, market stalls and live art across 3 venues. Heavy weight sounds, serious décor and a ramajam line-up, Birmingham will once more lively up itself for the super long Jubilee weekend!

Following last year’s legendary performance from Jamaican superstar Luciano, Reggae City 2012 brings you one of the finest reggae bands on the planet; The Twinkle Brothers, live and direct from Jamaica to headline Venue 1. Midlands legends and international stars, The Beat also appear on the same stage, with other artists from Brazil, Spain and France and the UK. Venue 2, “The Roadblock” is the outdoor stage, the roadway will rumble and the arches will wobble to the reggae influenced new generation sounds of Jungle, Dubstep and Hip-Hop and headlined by jungle don Congo Natty! Whilst Venue 3 celebrates 50 years of Jamaican independence, with DJs & MCs tracing the history of and evolution of Jamaican music during this time. For more info and press  email info@reggaecity.co.uk. 

To buy tickets click here, and for more information on Reggae City click here. This festival is produced by Kamble Events LTD, (Shambala Festival, St Paul’s carnival).

£10 Early-bird tickets to be announced soon

Known as RTillery, RTizzy, RTiculate or RTKAL……. This Birmingham born grime artist has been gaining fans and impressing audiences across the UK for the pass few years. His diverse flow and cunning lyrics has made one of one of the country’s up and coming artist.  His presence on BCC 1xtra Fire in the booth, has increased his popularity and showcased  his talents. Yet, RTKAL is more than a grime artist he has a host of talents ranging from recorded music, live shows, hosting raves,  and spoken word/theatre performance.

As apart of,  ’Showtime’ RTKAL will be performing amidst some of  the UK’s most promising and exciting stars.  The Showtime concept is being brought to Birmingham by The Heatwave. For further information about Showtime and The Heatwave, click here.

£10 Early-bird tickets to be announced soon

On Day 9 of our release, Punch is excited to announce another artist that will be apart of BASS Festival and will perform at the All-Star event, ‘Showtime’.

RODNEY P 

RODNEY P entered the UK hip hop scene in the 1980s and started out as a member of the London Posse, one of the UK’s first home grown hip hop acts who were highly influential in the development of the industry. Rodney P has had one of the longest and most respected careers in UK hip hop.

The decision to guard his creative control led to the birth of his own label Riddim killa, a collaboration with Low Life Records. Rodney P is currently the host of the television series Dubplate Drama shown on Channel 4, E4 and MySpace.In 2011, he provided the voice of the animated rapper in a television advert for the Toyota Yaris.

As apart of,  ’Showtime’ Gappy will be performing amidst some of  the UK’s most promising and exciting stars.  The Showtime concept is being brought to Birmingham by The Heatwave. For further information about Showtime and The Heatwave, click here.

Thursday 12^th July 2012, 5 pm

The Drum

FREE

As the first week of BASS festival line-up release comes to a close, we are honoring yet another great Reggae group.  Punch Records, welcomes you to join us for a FREE panel discussion: Tune on: UK Pioneers. Adding already to the distinct panel, will members of MUSICAL YOUTH.

Musical Youth are a British reggae band that are renowned  for their successful 1982 single “Pass the Dutchie“, which has become a number 1 hit across the world. The band recorded two studio albums, and released a number of successful singles throughout 1982 and 1983, including a collaboration with Donna Summer. Musical Youth earned a Grammy Award nomination in 1985 and returned to the music scene in 2001 as a duo.

The Tuned On panel will take a look back at the energy of British reggae musicians and their contributions to the development of the popularity of the music in the UK, Europe, and beyond.  The panel will celebrate the musicians of the 70’s & 80’s, while reminiscing and re-living the crucial period in the growth of black music here in the UK.

The Showdown is fast approaching on (Friday 18 May 2012) and we are anticipating a great show and are very excited for the night. Six fierce dance acts of Bhangra, Bollywood, Giddha, Hip-hop and Bashment styles will battle it out to claim the title of Best Desi Mover, a prize of £1000, an opportunity to perform at the Sandwell & Birmingham Mela in front of a 50k plus audience and that ultimate prize, the Desi Moves 2012 trophy.

 Signature,  Worlds #1 Micheal Jackson Tribute Act & Britain’s Got Talent finalists, were scheduled to give a performance, but were pulled away to another event of the Cultural  Olympics.  We are thrilled to added  an amazing choreographer, actor, model, teacher, and Bollywood performer……. Karan Pangali. As a leading artist in the field of East & West dance fusion, we are excited to have him apart of Desi Moves

The night will be hosted by the infamous Desi duo Raj and Pablo from BBC Asian Network who will bring their comedic charm  and loveable personalities to keep you entertained all night.

Entertainment and music at its best will also be provided by Capital FM’s Sacha Brooks who’s guaranteed to warm you up with a great DJ set.

And if thats not enough the competition will be judged by the best in the bizz including: Honey of Honey’s Bollywood Dance Academy, Foji Gill and Toffee of Sticky Toffee Dance who has left a little message for everyone below.

This is a great opportunity for you to experience the London 2012 Olympics fever and to really see mass participation.Its definitely going to be an entertaining jam packed show which won’t let you down! So don’t hang around get your tickets now!!

From the Birmingham Town Hall - 0121 345 0600
Ticket prices: £6-£12 (discounts available)
Suitable for all ages

Tickets are also available on Chilli Tickets

SHOW STARTS AND 6PM AND FINSHES AT 9PM

To keep up to date with all info and be in the know about Desi Moves like our Facebook page

For further information contact Punch on 0121 224 7444 or email info@punch-records.co.uk

Punch are excited to announce the brand new Go and See Project, collaboration between Apples and Snakes and Punch Records.

WHAT IS ‘GO AND SEE’ ?

Go and See does what it says on the tin: it allows West Midlands poets to attend
spoken word events (regular nights, one-off shows, slams, etc.) in other parts of the
country by covering the price of travel and tickets to the event.

If you are a performance poet, this could be a wonderful opportunity to hear new
voices and discover new styles; to finally catch your favourite artist live; to chat with
successful event organisers and use their experience to improve your own night; or
to make contacts in a part of the country you haven’t had the chance to visit yet.

We will ask those who take part in the scheme to write a short blog entry about their
trip (or record a video response), to be posted both on the Punch Records website
and the Apples and Snakes blog.

HOW TO TAKE PART

Here’s all you need to do to apply:

1. Find an event you would like to attend
2. Figure out exactly how you think you will benefit from it
3. Email Waqar Azam from Punch (waqar@punch-records.co.uk) with a completed
Application Form and the words “Go and See” in the subject line.
4. Hope for the best!

The deadline is the last day of each month. By the 7th of the following month, we will
pick one or two lucky applicants and send them off to see the event(s) of their choice.
This project will function every month until further notice.

So, no more excuses. Don’t just sit there. Go and see!

Click here  to download the application form

£10 Early-bird tickets to be announced soon

We are proud to announce that one of Birmingham’s rising star’s Lady Leshurr is part of BASS Festival 2012. In the last year, Lady Leshurr has been catapulted to national success and is now viewed as one of the most exciting urban artists in the UK. Her uniquely sounding flow has an instantly likeable appeal, complimented by a melodic singing voice and harmonies that just pour off her tongue. Her commercial style is backed up and accompanied by fast-paced and, at times, fierce lyrics; Leshurr can literally spit on anything. Her recent cover of the Chris Brown/Busta Rhymes collab “Look At Me Now” has become a global phenomenon, amassing in excess of 100,000 hits in half a day on www.worldstarhiphop.com.

She will be performing at The Heatwave’s Reggae/Dancehall rave spectacular, ‘Showtime.’ The Heatwave are known for throwing mad parties, and last year’s Showtime event in east London was madder than most. But Showtime was more than just a party. It was an explosion of UK music history, bringing together legends from every era of UK rave music to share the mic and spit lyrics over classic dancehall riddims, paying homage to Jamaican soundsystem culture.

As part of the 2012 BASS festival, The Heatwave bring the Showtime concept to Birmingham, with magical live performances from local legends and up-and-coming West Midlands stars alongside London guests including Durrty Goodz and Rodney P.

For further information about Showtime and The Heatwave, click here.

Tuned On

Thursday 12^th July 2012, 5 pm

The Drum

FREE

Day 4 we are taking a look back at the great musicians that paved the way. In honour of this spirit, Punch Records, welcomes you to join us for a FREE panel discussion: Tune on: UK Pioneers. Our distinct panel will be made up of members of STEEL PULSE.

Steel Pulse is a roots reggae musical band, from Handsworth .The group originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, in Birmingham and is composed of David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals), and Ronald McQueen (bass). With 35 + years of experience in the music industry the members will bring incredible wisdom and knowledge on the inner workings of the music industry during the 70′s & 80′s.

The Tuned On panel will take a look back at the energy of British reggae musicians and their contributions to the development of the popularity of the music in the UK, Europe, and beyond.  The panel will celebrate the musicians of the 70’s & 80’s, while reminiscing and re-living the crucial period in the growth of black music here in the UK

Saturday 23^rd June 2012, 9 pm

Sunday 24th June 2012, 2pm

The Victoria, Birmingham

£5 ON THE DOOR

BASS Festival won’t be BASS Festival without some bass. On Day 3 of our official line up release, Punch presents AN EVENING WITH ONE OF THE WORLDS GREATEST DUB SOUND SYSTEM…..CHANNEL ONE. Join us at The Victoria for a once in a lifetime experience to see these legends live and in person. Get ready for a great night of illustrious sounds and a remarkable party. Make sure to get there early, because this party is sure the fill up fast!

The fun doesn’t stop there! Come back out on Sunday for our ROASTS ‘N’ RECORDS event. Meet and greet Channel One Sound System, while enjoying an unique Jamaican menu provided by the incredible team of Soul Food Project. Come on out and jam to the tunes of reggae, dub, rocksteady and lovers, while enjoying drink specials and exclusive cocktails. A great event for your entire family!

The Penthouse, 4th Floor, Zellig Building, Custard Factory, Gibb St, Digbeth, Birmingham, B9 4AA

Free Event, (RSVP’s Only)

ATTENTION ALL GAMERS! 

Are you the best gamer in Birmingham? Do you have the skills to come first against the city’s best gamers? Punch in collaboration with renowned games developer Codemaster’s are holding a competitive gaming event for all you adrenaline junkies! Come down and show us what you’ve got.

Race, crash and hoon your way through a world tour of motorised mayhem in DiRT Showdown! Hyper-energised events and social gameplay combine in this turbo-injected shot of driving delirium. Use boost to race past rivals, unleash your inner hoonigan in free-roaming stunt parks and see gaming’s most advanced damage engine pushed to its limits in demolition derby events.

DiRT Showdown is Codemasters’ most connected game ever – split-screen multiplayer, 8 player online racing, on and offline quick-fire party games, Showdown challenges and YouTube integration all come as standard. Get your ticket for this stunning new world of accessible action-sports racing. We want to invite you to come and play DiRT Showdown a fortnight before the game is released. Additionally if you love gaming and have a zest to win, enter into the competition and get a chance to compete at the national launch for prestige, pride and whole lot of prizes.

This event is open to anyone aged 14 and over. The winner will go through to play at the National Final in London and will be up for various prizes including copies of the game. The competition will be in a NCAA format and the evening’s schedule will be:

• 6.30 – 8 Free play
• 8-9 – Competition Knock-out

Places will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. If you would like to register for a place at this competition, get your tickets: HERE . For further information on Codemaster’s and DiRT Showdown, visit their website here or e-mail Grace on, grace@punch-records.co.uk. 

http://www.flickr.com//photos/punchrecords/sets/72157629756328678/show/

Respek Vanley

Saturday 7th July 2012 3pm

The Midland Arts Center (MAC)

FREE

Day 2 release of the official line up for BASS Festival 2012! Yesterday we highlighted one of our amazing music artists, and today we feature another artist… VANLEY BURKE.  Musician Bobbie Gardner is creating as unique concert, featuring a reggae band, classical musicians and school children, inspired by this UK  black documentary photographer. Vanley Burke is regard as the UK’s most important documentary photographer and this event will commence a year long celebration of his work.

He was there at African Liberation Day in 1977, Handsworth park, where the biggest all-black crowd gathered in Britian.

He was also there in 1981 and 1985 when Birmingham’s streets erupted in violent riots.

Vanley’s amazing work has been exhibited extensively across the UK and abroad. With solo exhibitions in New York, Mall and closer to home at the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, The Black Arts Gallery in London Cornerhouse in Manchester, amongst others. The photographs have also been displayed in locations more easily accessed by black audiences including pubs, clubs, community centres, churches and schools.*

*Provided by http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/your_community/bhm/vanley_burke.shtml

Liverpool Sound City Festival

Cancelled

Punch are presenting Jamaica live at this prestigious Uk music conference, Sound City in Liverpool this May.  Sound City has grown from a showcase act of North-West artists to a hugely respected 3 day international music, media and technology conference and live arts and music festival.  The festival is focused on the zeitgeist and looking forward, intent on bringing the best new music, film, art and more from all over the world to Liverpool. While the primary convention focus is on bringing together a vast array of creative and digital industries business professionals, artists, music, film and art fans to enjoy today’s best new music and chart the future course of the music, digital and creative industries.

Punch director Ammo Talwar says ” As a continuation of our Jamaica live series of events leading up to the London 2012 Olympic games we want to show the impact Jamaican music has had on the UK sounds from dubstep to grime, hip hop to drum & bass .  Artists showcasing there connection to the island and celebrating 50 years of independence include:

•  Channel one
•  Dj bailey 1xtra
•  Heatwave crew
•  Screama
• General roots
•  RTKAL
•  RoXXXan

For further information on Sound City Festival visit the website here.

Thursday 10th May 2012, 5-6pm

Oh Velvet Bar,  200 Broad Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 1SU

FREE EVENT 

Punch Records,  welcome you to join us for a FREE panel discussion with industry experts at Oh Velvet Bar, Birmingham. 

This special edition of Punch Records’ successful TUNED ON series focuses on the difficulties, obstacles, opportunities and chances of Asian music being recognized by the larger mainstream audience and what has to be gone through to enable this.

 - What does it take to be an Asian artist who transcends your own cultural audience?

 - Is the media ready for the possibility of an Asian music star within the mainstream?

 - What are the barriers to entering a more mainstream audience, and how are they broken down?

- What are the Asian music outlets doing to push the music into new territories?

- How has the opening of avenues such as Youtube and itunes had an influence on what is being made and how it is being perceived?

Exclusively produced by Punch Records, this forum features some of the main players in the Asian music scene and media in the UK and pits differing views, opinions and standpoints together in one room. With contributions from some of the most important players in the UK music business. Our confirmed panellists include:

• Chair – Rav, Dj//Radio Presenter/Artist  (Panjabi Hit Squad)
• Reajuku Sharma, Producer  (BBC)
• Genuine Sounds, (Overseas Artist)
• Daniel Naqui, (Producer & studio owner)
• Metz, Artist, (Metz & Trix)
• Vips (VIP Records)

We are working with Broad Street association to put on this event as a pre-cursor to the Malkit Singh performance at 6pm on the same day at Gatecrasher. Come and join us for a lively debate and to celebrate the legacy of Bhangra legend Malkit Singh!

Also we are offering all Tuned On attendee’s a special ticket offer for the Desi Moves Showdown event on Friday 18th May at the Town Hall Birmingham. If you attend this Tuned On session, you receive a buy one get one free ticket offer.

This event is on a first come, first serve basis so please RSVP to info@punch-records.co.uk to reserve your place.

For further information, contact Punch on:
0121 224 7444/info@punch-records.co.uk

Jamaica 50 Celebrations at Royal Ascot is a not to be missed occasion. We will be honouring Jamaican Athletes and Administrators who have made a significant impact in Olympic Games since 1962. Punch and House of Blue Mountain coffee will be there on the day.

Highlights Of The Day

VIP Dignitaries including Don Quarrie, Deon Hemmings-McCarthy, complimentary 5 star Al-La Carte Jamaican menu, champagne and rum bar, presentation ceremony and royal procession. 
Access to the royal enclosure, royal gardens, and exclusive areas of royal Ascot.  
Celebrity guests from the world of sport and entertainment.  

This event is endorsed by:

• Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA)
• Jamaica 50 Secretariat
• Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAAs)
• Dr The Honourable Ambassador Usain Bolt
• Dawn Butler, former MP
• Ambassador Courtney Walsh
• The Gleaner voice group

Click on the bold links to download the following documents, Invite letter, JA 50th ROYAL ASCOT advert, Trackside club lounge.

For further information, go to Mar Mar Marketing here.

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