Birmingham unsigned band Future Fires stoke the flames for next big gig tonight

They had played a big gig in Coventry, but for once it's not the show itself that stoked the Fires and pushed them to where they stand in 2019.

No, it was the journey home.

"We are all from various corners of the Midlands but Birmingham has been our adopted home for many years now," they tell us in a joint interview.

"We’ve all dipped our toes in the Midlands and Birmingham music scene with previous -mediocre - bands. Adam Norman [lead vocals and guitar] and [drummer] Alex Cowie knew each other through a mutual friend and had seen each other perform live at various gigs. Adam became disillusioned with the direction of his previous band and, one night, decided to contact Alex and send over a batch of home-brew demos.

"He was impressed and so they arranged a rehearsal. Alex roped in Matt Levesley to play the bass [and backing vocals] - we instantly connected and began life as three-piece."

But three were soon to become four, thanks to that drive home following just their second ever gig in Coventry.

"We were driving home and caught sight of a tall, handsome chap trying to hitch-hike himself and his guitar back to Birmingham," they continue. "We pulled over, John Bidder [guitar and vocals] hopped in and the rest is history. He hasn’t left us alone since!

"We bonded over our love for 60s, 80s, 90s and 00s guitar music and set about writing the biggest and best sounds we could."

The foursome, all aged in their mid-to-late 20s, have gone about crafting their sound inspired by the likes of The White Stripes, Joy Division and Royal Blood.

But they also love one of the greatest success stories to come out of their Birmingham base in recent years and the dark vibes they have added to the musical world.

"When Editors came out we were really into their dark-yet-dancy indie vibe and it was something that reminded us of one of our other favourite bands - Joy Division.

"So much so that we often try and paint our songs with a similarly seductive and dark aesthetic. We aren’t into the traditional pop song; we like to show the beauty hidden in the muck and the mire. I don’t think we were really aware of their Midlands heritage 'til a few years later. We are more hooked by a band's sound than where they are from. But if they are local then that’s always a bonus."

Despite that, they are very much in love with the music scene around them.

"The independent scene here is very healthy and there are a lot of hardworking, talented bands out there doing their thing.

"What we like is how friendly-yet-competitive it is. There are many decent bands trying to one-up each other and we definitely feel that our sound and our shows are some of the most bombastic you will experience. We really feel sorry for a band that has to go on after us."

To see the talent behind the bravado, Future Fires have a gig coming up tonight. They're at The Actress & Bishop in Birmingham in a support slot, and Bang Bang Romeo are the ones who have to follow on from them.

"We are really excited," they admit. "We have been toiling away in rehearsals to perfect a couple of new songs and cannot wait to perform them live and get back onto the stage after a bit of a winter break. We promise to leave the stage sweaty, sore and hoarse.

"We play every gig as if it’s our last and believe that if you're not leaving every last drop of yourself up on that stage then you're doing it wrong."

And in a further boast, they add: "We are the best up-and-coming band in the West Midlands right now and if you haven't seen us yet, what are you waiting for?"

They have other live dates coming up too detailed below, and in the midst of those will be dropping their latest single for listeners to discover, recorded at Summerfield Studios in Birmingham. And it was so big it brought the studio to a standstill, literally.

"The new single is called Running and it’s a nihilistic love song about futile escapism. It’s very cinematic sounding and has a unique mix of 80s and modern production.

"It’s a dark exploration of young love and where that can lead. It's our most ambitious and radio-friendly track to date. We really went to town on this one and even managed to crash an ‘un-crashable’ computer in the studio due to our many layers and effects: something we are extremely proud of."

And beyond that?

"We are actually just putting the finishing touches to an absolute summer indie-banger that we cannot wait to share with everyone; it’s dancier than anything we’ve done before but still carries that unique Future Fires flavour.

"We can’t say much right now, but an EP will be materialising in the autumn or winter. It’s going to be something very special."

Big claims indeed, so it might be worth jumping on the Future Fires bandwagon - starting at The Flapper tonight.

Future Fires can be found on Facebook @futurefiresband and Twitter @FutureFiresBand. Their new single Running will be released on their Spotify page - keep an eye on their social media outlets for a release date. As well as tonight's gig at The Actress & Bishop, Birmingham, Future Fires will appear at The Boar's Head, Kidderminster, alongside former The Ticket Unsigned page stars Black Bear Kiss on March 3 - entry is free. They are then back in the Second City on March 7 supporting Oddity Road at The Sunflower Lounge.

Throughout March, The Ticket Unsigned will be running a special series of columns aimed at inspiring others to join the Madlands revolution and chase their own dreams of being a musician. Starting next week with songwriting, we will ask those involved in the scene what it takes to be a singer/songwriter or band and what their tips are for those perhaps unsure how to get started. Other areas to be covered after that will be gigging, recording, promotion and how to find friends in the scene itself.