The Filth & The Fury comes to Brum

The Sex Pistols will play a gig at the Birmingham Academy on Wednesday June 11th as a warm-up for their forthcoming headline appearance at the Isle Of Wight festival.

The show will be the first time the band have played a gig in Birmingham in 32 years.


Tickets cost £37.50 and are limited to 6 per person. They go on sale Friday March 28th at 9am. Visit Ticketweb for tickets.

Seattle Legend Makes Rare UK Appearance In Birmingham

Shawn Smith, the voice of bands such as Brad, Satchel and Pigeonhed makes a very rare appearance on these shores in May, stopping off at Birmingham's Medicine Bar on Tuesday May 6th.

Shawn’s new solo album, The Diamond Hand, will be released on April 1st and two other solo albums are being reissued in the coming months.

Voted by MOJO magazine as one of the Greatest Vocalists of All Time, SHAWN SMITH is a man of many disguises. He has been driving force behind the cult-rockers SATCHEL, the electro-funk of PIGEONHED, the laid back grooves of BRAD (with PEARL JAM’s Stone Gossard) and as a founding member of THE TWILIGHT SINGERS with Greg Dulli, declared “Seattle’s best kept secret”.

Smith’s vocals have been touted as everything from “yearning and idealistic” to his songs “languid beauties”. A charismatic vocal powerhouse, Shawn’s solo albums showcase his extraordinary voice and beautiful songs. “…deep-soul phrasing and Curtis-styled falsetto you might detect the qualities of Robert Wyatt, a grain akin to Lowell George or the kind of poise Marvin Gaye would have appreciated”. – Jim Irvin MOJO magazine.

As well as a critically acclaimed solo career SHAWN SMITH has toured and recorded as part of THE AFGHAN WHIGS and had songs featured in the global hit TV series THE SOPRANOS amongst many other major motion picture soundtracks.



Tickets: £11 Adv/Door & £9 Concessions (NUS/Unwaged)
Website: www.theticketsellers.co.uk
Box Office telephone: 0844 870 0000

The English Originals Folk Festival

The English Originals Folk Festival presents a perfect weekend celebration of English music traditions over the weekend of 25-27 April at Town Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham, paying tribute to a musical heritage passed down through centuries and generations.

With its sense of identity in representing the sounds of city and country, folk culture continues to have a universal influence on music and art in the 21st century and is currently enjoying a huge renaissance.

From 'one man Clash' Billy Bragg to the distinguished voices of experience in Daughters of Albion, the English Originals Folk Festival programme is packed with seasoned folk singer-songwriters and bright new talent in three unique concerts, free performances and events.

Featuring:

Billy Bragg, Norma Waterson, June Tabor, Martin Carthy, Seth Lakeman, Kathryn Williams, Tim Van Eyken, Chris Woods, Tunng, Sharron Krauss, Bishi, Lou Rhodes, Lisa Knapp, Little Sister and The Old Dance School.

Get tickets from the TOWN HALL & SYMPHONY HALL BOX OFFICE



Billy Bragg photo - Steve Gerrard

Envy & Other Sins @ Bar Academy - 7 March 2008

You may remember MobileAct Unsigned as T4's awful indie-X-Factor show with an amusing twist. The twist being that it managed to be more embarrassing for the presenters (hello Alex James, Jo Whiley and Simon Gavin) than for the acts involved. The eventual winners were the Birmingham-based Envy & Other Sins; a likeable quartet of Victoriana-clad gents and the evening's headliners... READ MORE…



Photo - Steve Gerrard

Metalcore Mayhem in the Midlands

Midlands fans of extreme music are in for a treat on Friday 14th March as Seattle's HIMSA bring a sterling line-up of metalcore and death metal bands to Birmingham's Barfly.

Kicking off at 7pm the gig will feature A LIFE ONCE LOST, TOO PURE TO DIE and TED MAUL before HIMSA headline.

Tickets are just £10 and can be bought from the Barfly website.

Sum 41 + Reuben + Sound & Fury @ The Academy - 3rd March 2008

It seems no matter how many darker, heavier, more politically charged albums they release, Sum 41 will always be thought of as a pop-punk band. This is no criticism however, as their bouncy riffs and energetic stage presence throughout the set are what makes tonight’s show so enjoyable... READ MORE…

Photo - Steve Gerrard

The Metros @ Bar Academy - 27th February 2008

Wednesday night, February 27th, Bar Academy Birmingham . A young and excited crowd was in attendance, already buoyed by the support and looking on expectantly for the hotly tipped Metros... READ MORE…


Photo - Lee Allen

Surface Unsigned

This week sees the launch of the Surface Unsigned festival which aims to find the most exciting new artists currently doing the rounds.

Held at The Rainbow in Digbeth, the heats will run from March 2nd through 'til April 27th, with over 30 gigs playing host to 7 bands each night. The best 4 bands of the competition can expect to receive major exposure as well as endorsements and other prizes.

Check out the SURFACE UNSIGNED WEBSITE for more info.

Megadeth @ Birmingham Academy

Celebrating 25 years in the business, Megadeth have become one of the mainstays of the metal genre. After being fired from Metallica, frontman Dave Mustaine has gone on to guarantee himself a place in the history books... READ MORE…



Photo - Steve Gerrard

Supersonic Festival 2008

This year's Supersonic Festval will take place on 11th, 12th and 13th July at the Custard Factory in Digbeth, with additional activity around the area. Tickets will go on sale in mid March and will include weekend tickets as well as day tickets.

This year sees the return of some of the most popular names from previous Supersonics, in particular BATTLES, the then unheard of surprise hit of 2005's festival who make a triumphant return to headline, and in the grand tradition of Supersonic, a cult underground act playing their first ever show on European soil - This year the honour goes to HARVEY MILK, Athens Georgia's seismic sludge titans.

A truly International and eclectic affair, also already confirmed to appear are: EFTERKLANG, HARMONIA, NOXAGT, EARTH, WOODEN SHJIPS, THRONES, OXBOW, JUSTICE YELDHAM, DALEK, ORTHODOX, BLACK SUN, THE OWL SERVICE, MAX TUNDRA, MAGNETAPHONE, PCM, EINSTELLUNG and GUAPO. With many more acts to be announced.

For further information about the acts performing please check Capsule's website.

Medicine For St Pauls.

Originally formed in 1968 in Stafford, Medicine Head will be performing in the unique setting of St Pauls Gallery in Northwood Street, just off St Pauls Square.

John Fiddler, founder member of the band will be performing acoustically for just 100 fans on February 29th.

Tickets are available via the Gallery on 0121 236 5800.