SOUNDBITES

THE SOUTH are a ninepiece band featuring former members of The Beautiful South, including singer Alison Wheeler and sax player Gaz Birtles. After Dave Hemingway, the original singer, left the group at the end of 2016, Gaz moved across to front the band with Alison on vocal duties. Since the demise of The Beautiful South in 2007, the band have spent 11 years playing chart-topper A Little Time, Perfect 10, Rotterdam, Song For Whoever, Old Red Eyes Is Back, Good as Gold, Don’t Marry Her and more. They are at the Robin 2 in Bilston on December 11.

As SELF ESTEEM, Rebecca Taylor (above) has shaken off the shackles of her indie band past to become the unapologetic pop star she always wanted to be. With her statement debut album Compliments Please she gave voice to the feelings of insecurity and misogynyinduced frustration that many face every day, emboldening a new audience with powerful, truth-telling lyricism that speaks to her love of rhythmic Noughties pop and RnB. She’s at Birmingham’s Hare & Hounds on November 24.

RUSSELL WATSON has bounced back from not one, but two brain tumours and is in better voice than ever. Warmly referred to as ‘The People’s Tenor’, Russell’s journey took him from a Salford estate to the world’s most prestigious concert halls, becoming the best-selling male classical artist of all time. He’s at

Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on November 14.

Ivor Novello Rising Star nominee

HOLLY HUMBERSTONE will be heading out on her biggest headline tour to date ahead of the release of her highly anticipated second EP The Walls Are Way Too Thin, set to be released on November 5. Catch Holly at Birmingham’s O2 Institute on November 3.