The NME said some nice things about this here city in an article called ‘The Rise of Birmingham’. It’s not online (that I can tell) but the good people of Troumaca have scanned it so you can have a read then dash down to your local newsagent to read quotes such as:

the city has quietly (and undisturbed) fostered a genuinely exciting DIY music scene

and

Brum can stake a claim as the hottest place in UK indie

The folks who got mentions are:

• Bands: Peace, Swim Deep, Troumaca, The Carpels, The Bombergs, Two Fathoms, Bombers, Greg Bird & Flamingo Flame, Prisms, Victories At Sea, Heavy Waves, Jaws
• Promoters: This Is Tomorrow, Atta Girl, Likely Lads (anyone got a link?), Chicks Dig Jerks
• Venues: Hare and Hounds, The Rainbow, The Victoria, The Sunflower Lounge

Here’s Pete Ashton’s post from the last time they wrote an article like this, with links to all the bands from back then.

While I’m embarking on this brief foray into musicland, here are a couple of videos. First up is one from Poppy & The Jezebels:

and here’s an advert for Friends of the Stars’ fried chicken seasoning:

A journey around Symphony Hall for Adventurous ears of all ages! On Saturday 7th April 2012 at Symphony Hall, Birmingham. Curated by Fierce Festival for Symphony Hall’s 21st birthday celebrations.

This is on today at midday and looks like it’ll be well worth popping in to. Here’s the schedule.

Our 2nd LP, “Faith’s Meat Kiosk“, is coming out on 23rd April 2012 and to celebrate we’ve teamed up with Birmingham’s wonderful Jack Rabbit and created our very own Fried Chicken Seasoning.

As you do. Excellent lateral thinking from Friends of the Stars.

Actually, while I’m the subject, now’s as good a time as any to shoehorn in a mention of Rock and Roll Tedium – a little thing run by Craig from the band. It’ll chew up a good chunk of your day, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

• Gibb Street Warehouse is the old Space 2, apparently brought up to scratch by the people behind Fabric in London.
• LAB11 will be on Trent Street and comes from the people behind TRMNL. (DiG post here).

Both open on 31 March, coincidentally.

The latter two were also involved in First Light’s ‘How to’ videos we mentioned a little while back.

an epic new choral work from composer Jonathan Harvey to be performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Which was a coincidence because, only a few days before, the person behind the @thinkwalsall Twitter account mentioned to me that Jonathan Harvey is from Sutton Coldfield.

I’d not heard of Jonathan Harvey before but I did some quick digging around and here’s his website and his Wikipedia page. Very recently the BBC put on a weekend of music, film and discussion celebrating his music at the Barbican.

If you’d like a listen to some of his work, here’s ‘Madonna of Winter and Spring” for orchestra, synthesizers and live electronics, from 1986.

Founded in 1975, Sutton Coldfield Orchestra performs up to six concerts per year, including a concert for young soloists in spring, and a family Christmas concert.