Live Bands
Live music and gigs are buzzing all over Birmingham. Home grown talent is leading a new wave with bands like the Editors forging through. And with more venues than we’ve enjoyed for generations, the world’s greats and the nation’s coolest both make a beeline for Brum. From the huge NEC arena to a network of intimate clubs, the tour dates come thick and fast. Not just rock or pop. But folk and jazz too. The widest range of venues is truly pulling in the cream of musical talent.
Venues
To attract the world’s great artists, you need the right mix of venues. We’ve got them all. Over at the NIA and NEC Arena, an endless stream of world famous rock and pop acts come night after night. Together with many smaller venues that range from the Carling Academy to the Jam House to theatres staging all sorts of concerts or gigs, all kinds of music has a home in Birmingham. Even Symphony Hall (widely regarded as the finest concert hall in Europe) is hosting a mix of pop, folk and jazz. And of course, there’s a network of clubs where folk and jazz are what it’s all about.
The area has real pedigree. It’s been the heartbeat of many music scenes ranging from heavy metal (Ozzy Osborne, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant and John Bonham) to Two-Tone (UB40, The Beat and The Specials). With acts like the Editors and The Streets, Birmingham is rocking once again. Places like Scruffy Murphy's, the Custard Factory, MAC (Midlands Arts Centre), the Drum Arts Centre, the Jam House, Barfly and the Hibernian are allowing a new vibrant generation to surface. And at larger venues like the National Exhibition Centre Arena, the National Indoor Arena and the Carling Academy Birmingham, the biggest and best names just keep coming. From Kylie or Justin to U2 or Westlife, anyone who’s anyone comes to Birmingham.