We caught up with wild punk trio Bad Girlfriend (Connor Hemming, Richie James and Billy Smallman-Kopf) asking what putting on their dream show would look like, what makes an event feel unique, and what components of their favourite gigs would they combine to make the ultimate experience.
You are renowned on the Birmingham music scene for putting on wild gigs, which has been your favourite memory so far?
BS – Fluffer pit party in London – my first ever gig, just really mad. Playing with inspirational bands, unconventional set up with no stage etc, basically ourselves in the middle of a crowd, in the round with welcoming and accepting people surrounding us.
CH – Hot date, a DJ and band all dayer at the Night Owl in Brum, mental crowd, good craic, and loads of people
RJ – I’ll always remember playing the Sunflower lounge in Birmingham, an EP launch with giant inflatables, people crowd surfing, Connor being in the middle of a giant pretzel with a mosh pit formed around him, mad times!
So if you could put on a gig where money was no object, what bands would you like to see play?
Bs – TY Segal and thee oh sees – having seen them live before they’re just consistently top level performers, they enjoy what they do. couldn’t imagine better headliners.
CH – sabbath and the beastie boys – nough said.
RJ – it would have to be Iggy Pop for me– brings nostalgia and energy, and tunes everyone knows and King Khan and BBQ show, we’ve had the pleasure of supporting them in our home town, and they tore up the place.
What stage and setting could you imagine them gracing, in your no limits, dream event?
BS – Outside with bonfires almost a festival but if that was normal life – forget about reality – just an infinite party a giant melting pot of everyone going mad
CH – In a church, would be funny to see Sabbath playing them songs there.
RJ – festival vibe – 1 day festival – in the middle of nowhere, maybe a combined vibe with an abandoned church ruin for a stage.
Would you guys have any visuals as well as the music?
BS – remember the massive firework at the start of lord of the rings – the one that bursts into a giant dragon before exploding? Probably something like that, also I saw Wayne Coyne from flaming lips crowd surfing across thousands in a zorb, that’d be pretty cool
RJ – I always imagined giant confetti cannons exploding access the crowd
Festivals are renowned for their unique aromas and scents, some good some bad, but all adds to the memory, what would you like your audience to remember your event by smell wise?
CH – smell of shit and sweat, burgers and onions
BS – fires & crazy food vendors
RJ – Brum is renowned for its Baltis, so I’d like there to some spice sensation in the air, to introduce and remind everyone one of our Brummie roots.
We’ve talked a bit about the musical acts you’d want to grace the stage with, is there any other form of performance you’d like to grace the stage or any themes you think would make your event stand out?
CH – stand up, someone like Frankie Boyle, Chris rock, Dave Chapelle. Someone outlandish and shocking leaves an impression
BS – Underlying secret narrative (pick you own ending books), mad clubs and stuff you an just stumble upon, I think Glastonbury does that really well.
RJ – Abandoned buses for secret gigs as well as the main gig, fire eaters, dance acts, anything that’s a bit different.
Finally, we’ve heard about your dream gig that you’d put on, but what have been your favorite festivals you’ve been too, and why did they stand out so much?
CH – Primavera, been there 3 times, to be fair it’s the only festival ive been too, but sun, sea, and Barcelona what more do you need?
RJ –For me, it’s got to be Leeds in 2011, I’ve been to my fair share, but it’s the people you go with that makes the experience, and that had the right people with the right bands.
BS- Primavera has the best line up but back when Bestival was going, getting there was a whole journey in itself – on the road, going across on the ferry, that hill to the camp site. The way back was always horrible but memories where made.
Bad Girlfriend released their single ‘Here It Comes’ in July which is available to stream on all platforms now.
Watch the awesome video here:
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