Crosstown Concerts Presents...
With support from - To The Lighthouse
Black Box Recorder included main man , former member , and vocalist . Like , Black Box Recorder's songs commented on the state of English affairs, both social and personal, often using character sketches that exposed the less-than-pleasant with sharp frankness and simplicity. Domesticity and childhood themes often ran through their albums. Coming together in 1998 as Haines kept his primary vehicle operable, the trio introduced themselves with their first single ("Child Psychology") being banned from U.K. radio for the line "Life is unfair/Kill yourself or get over it."
The full-length England Made Me followed later in the year, establishing and Haines as a songwriting team that excelled at getting its points across with the least amount of instrumentation necessary. Raw and minimal but still perversely pop, 's detached and fragile yet rich voice (usually kept up front in the mix) provided the ideal characteristics for their songs. Imagine a sober, somber, dub-influenced version of with an elegantly smooth singing on top.
Jumping ship from to for 2000's The Facts of Life, the first single from the album surprisingly went Top 20, providing Haines with the highest chart position of his career. Despite this, Haines made no bones about his disdain for within a week of the chart placement, feeling that they dropped the ball after being handed it on a silver platter. Artistically, The Facts of Life was a superb follow-up, incorporating electronic elements without sounding anything like a trip-hop or -style dance-rock group. The Worst of Black Box Recorder, a collection of the trio's B-sides, came the following year.
After a lengthy break aided by 's downfall, as well as two solo releases from Haines, the group landed on for 2003's Passionoia. Without forsaking their knack for subversion, Black Box Recorder returned with their most ornate batch of songs yet, several of which were as poppy as anything recorded by . Prior to the album's release, and tied the knot. After a hiatus of several years during which Haines continued to release solo material, Black Box Recorder resurfaced in 2007, collaborating with German band on a holiday single called "Christmas Number One" under the moniker the Black Arts. They made a handful of live appearances in 2008 and even announced an impending fourth album the following year, though it was never released. In 2010, they released one final single, "Keep It in the Family" b/w "Do You Believe in God?," before splitting for good that same year. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi
- +44 113 245 3725
- General venue contact number
- Located at main entrance
- Open 1 hour before event start time
- Valid photo ID required for ticket pickup
- Limited street parking on Queens Road
- Nearby public parking lots within 5-minute walk
- No dedicated venue parking lot
- Ground floor area with wheelchair access
- Designated accessible spaces near stage
- Staff available to assist disabled guests
- No outside food or drinks
- Age restrictions vary by event
- No smoking inside venue
- Professional cameras require prior permission
- Most events 18+ or 14+ with adult supervision
- Under-14s must be accompanied by parent/guardian
- Family-friendly events occasionally scheduled
