Birmingham Hippodrome Autumn Season 2011
A few musicals (Top Hat, Evita, End of the Rainbow), some dance (plenty of BRB, Some Like It Hip Hop, Burn The Floor), opera (WNO doing Don Giovanni) and acrobatic craziness (Guangdong Acrobatic Troupe of China and Cirque Eloize). All to be squeezed in before the panto
70-Eight.com
Or 78. Maybe even Seventy-Eight or 7eventy Eight. The replacement for the Medicine Bar at the Custard Factory opens this weekend
Bring Out Your Dead
“We are working with Grand Union, an artist-led studio and exhibition space, that support the development of artists and aim to establish a dialogue between contemporary visual artists and art organisations”
7 Inch Cinema – Event – Adventures in freelancing
“At this free one-day event you can explore what it takes to be a freelancer in the film and moving image industries, getting inspiration and advice from professionals in a huge range of fields – from art to animation, from gaming to graphics.”
Heritage Lottery Fund workshop | The Moseley Exchange
“To find out more about Heritage Lottery Fund grant schemes, top tips for filling in the application form and a chance to meet the HLF Development Team come along to a workshop at the exchange on Tuesday 4th October – 10am til 12.30″ You’ll need to register for this.
Birmingham Ballroom Wall Of Fame Open Day – Saturday 3rd September
“Following the unrest not only in the second city but throughout the UK, we were very sad to announce that the original date for the Open Day had to be re-scheduled, however we’re very happy to inform you all that the show is now most definitely going on and we will now be opening the venue to you all on Saturday 3rd September to welcome you all back to the bosom of Dale End once more!”
transmissions from the hub
“A volunteer based radio venture homed in the Our Place Community Hub, Sutton Coldfield” Volunteers wanted
Home of Metal Black Country Weekender
On the first week in the Sept the folksters will be in Moseley for the festival, the metalheads will be in the Black Country for this
What’s good in Brum? :: Loaf Online
“Two days in a row this week I was asked for recommendations for food things happening in Birmingham […] Here’s my response”
Details of new Birmingham food festival unveiled
On the subject of food – “The 10-day celebration of food will take place from October 14-23 and replaces the former Taste of Birmingham festival, which was held in the summer”
Muthers Studio – New Venue on Rea Street | Digbeth is Good
“The opening of the Conservatory @ Muthers was celebrated last Friday with an inaugural gig headlined by Evil Alien, who did a stonking set to a pretty much full house”. Recording studio and now music venue
I’m a Celebrity Get me to a Birmingham City Council Event
An FOI request shows how much the council has spent on celebrity speakers since 2005. I’m pleased to say that the only one of these that I saw was also the most expensive. Getting value for my council tax, there.
Events Gallery » The Square Shopping Centre
The Square is the shopping centre near Dale End with Argos and The Oasis and all that caper. They have a programme of events too
On 26 March, Home of Metal are hosting their forth and final open day at The Public, “Think Antiques Roadshow for metal fans”.
Metal fans of all ages are being invited to share their memorabilia and stories with the digital archive , further cementing West Midlands as the birthplace of Metal.
Home of Metal celebrates the music that was created in the West Midlands, its legacy and influence across the world and how the social history of the region was a fundamental ingredient in providing the backdrop against which Heavy Metal was created, defined and reshaped over the past decades.
They’ll have activities going on throughout the day, hosted by Kerrang! Radio DJ Johnny Doom who’ll be talking to former ‘Raw Power’ presenter, Ozzfest compere and all round Metal expert Krusher (he’s the jolly looking chap below).
Artist duo Juneau Project, will also be on hand with family activities including creating your own D.I.Y guitar, plus rock photographer Steve Gerrard will be dishing out advice during his photography masterclass.
The masterclass is limited to 15 places – to guarantee a spot on the day, call The Public on 0121 533 7161.
Pitchfork: Have you ever had any kind of personal interaction with any of the Sabbath people?
Dylan Carlson, Earth: No. Sabbath is from Birmingham, England and Tony Iommi supposedly came to a festival we played there once, but I didn’t actually see him. The two women who put on that festival are always trying to get the Birmingham City Council to recognize that it’s the city of heavy metal and put up a plaque or a statue to acknowledge it.
A message that went up on Tak‘s website last month confirming the news that had been doing the rounds for a little while:
At the beginning of July 2010 – exactly six years from the day they opened – we closed the doors at TAK! Towers to explore new ideas & ventures. It’s been fun, thanks for having us!
Meanwhile, I’ve just heard (via Dave Allen) that Script, the West Mids agency for dramatic writers, are shutting up shop:
It is with great regret and reluctance that the Board of Script has taken the decision to dissolve the company as of the end of August 2010.
The loss of RFO status in March 2008 has had a serious impact on the company’s resources, and the reliance on ever-decreasing pots of project funding has made its future existence unsustainable.
Home of Metal are opening its doors in Wolverhampton this weekend to welcome metal fans to dig through their collections of memorabilia, t-shirts, and posters to contribute to the Home of Metal archive.
As the flyer rightly says, it’s free to pop along on Thursday 17th, Friday 18th and Saturday 19th June between 10am and 6pm.
The Aston Triangle Cinema Club has been created in order to put on high quality and interesting films from around the world for the benefit of Aston staff, students and the public
Maybe you could feature the new website which has now gone live & ask your audience to dig out any memorabilia they might have – photos, videos or just stories.
Which sounds fair enough. We’ve mentioned this one a few times already, but it’s a good project so what the heck. Go here and get involved:
The latest stage of Capsule‘s West Mids heavy metal legacy project, Home of Metal, is a launch at big music bash SXSW. Here’s the invite that’s been sent out:
If you’re in the area it might be worth popping in. If not, I reckon it’s just nice to know how these things are being pushed on.
Snow in B29.
The Flickr group: B29 will be tracking and rating the incoming snow via twitter over the next week, and gathering any photographs taken within the postcode.
Zhang Enli in Conversation at Ikon.
On Monday 2 February, artist Zhang Enli will discuss his work and forthcoming exhibition at Ikon which opens on Wednesday 4th. The event takes place in the Lecture Theatre at the School of Art, Birmingham City University, 6.30pm – 8pm. Places are free but should be reserved by calling Ikon on 0121 248 0708.
Gane vs Iddon at Three White Walls Gallery.
An exhibition of works from landscape photographers Jo Gane and Henry Iddon. The exhibition explores the photographic relationship with the night, where long exposures offer a view of the landscape unseen by the human eye. Runs until 2nd March.
Home of Metal open day.
The third open day is being held on Saturday 7th February at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery 11am – 4.00pm. Fans are encouraged to bring memorabilia along with their personal stories to the gallery to be recorded – all of which will go towards the new digital archive, which aims to tell the true story of the birth place of metal. – Think antiques roadshow for Metal fans!
Vote again for CiB – last few days
Thanks to some fantastic support CiB has a slim lead in the voting. Polls close on Tuesday 13th at 10pm. Please vote daily (and encourage others) until then
Screen WM – Birmingham filmmaker shortlisted for the Auteur Award
“Birmingham filmmaker Steven Rainbow’s short film ‘A Small Silent Film About Death’ has been selected for screening at the 6th London Short Film Festival (9th – 18th January 2009) and been shortlisted for the Auteur Award”
D’log – Henry Reed
D’log has found “a huge website in memory of Birmingham poet and dramatist Henry Reed”
CMYKern » Clusta
James has a peek at some new bits and pieces from Clusta
Capsule Blog » Home Of Metal at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
The next Home Of Metal open day will be at Waterhall at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery on Saturday 7th of Feb, from 11am to 4pm. It’ll be hosted by none other than Brummie of the Year, Johnny Doom
début » Local shorts – Film Club
début has a reminder that the dates for the Local Shorts Film Club in 09 are 28 Jan (theme is Art and Politics) and 29 April (Super Eclectic Mix Special)
Although I’ve only dipped into have a look occasionally, Capsule’s Home of Metal project seems to be picking up pace nicely.
This blog is going to be used to keep people going until the archive is launched at the end of the month and will then be used for info around related events, contributions from volunteers, news and all that sort of good stuff.
The next event is an open day (with special guests) at Wolverhampton Art Gallery from 10am to 4.30pm. Entry and refreshments will both be free. It’s part of the Hello Digital thing and I’ll definitely be popping over for a look around at some point.
Capsule Blog – Think Antiques roadshow for fans of Metal
The next stops on the Home of Metal tour are Wolves Art Gallery (25 Oct), New Art Gallery Walsall (6 Nov with performance by Einstellung) and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (7 Feb)
I Have Clones
A musician who’s just moved back to Birmingham (to finish off a degree at Aston Uni). He gets the whole blogging thing by the looks of things
Artist Curator Gavin Wade – NP Exclusive Video Interview
“An exclusive video interview with artist curator Gavin Wade at the opening of the new gallery Eastside Projects in the heart of Digbeth the new cultural quarter of Birmingham UK”
Kebablog – Balena Project_Birmingham. ‘08 – Ikon Gallery
Mr Kebablog went to see (and take pictures of) the Balena Project which features a 25ft cashmere whale in the Mailbox. It’s there until 26 Oct and if you’re reading this and can’t be bothered going to see it then perhaps I should point something out – IT’S A 25FT CASHMERE WHALE!
The Fine Art of Saying “Hello†– TAK! Design & Art Direction
Pete linked to this over a year ago but I’ve just seen it again and think it deserves another outing. It’s a presentation that Tak did to some illustrators on the art of self-promotion. If anyone looks at this and thinks ‘I can’t do that’ then shout in the comments and set your face to ‘surprised’ as help/further reading/etc come rolling in. Seriously, give it a go
Digbeth is Good – Sunday Xpress open mic and dangling
Quoting the organisers – “open mic session this Sunday at the Adam & Eve, Bradford Street, Digbeth. Free entry, free roast potatoes, free arts & crafts, free junk stall, free entertainment, we’ll even give you some free advice if you ask for it. We are great. Kicks off at 3pm, goes on however long we want but definitely til 7pm”. I’m not sure what the dangling involves, mind
mama feel good this October!
Ah, my musical bias is showing. I like me some funk/soul/northern soul/afrobeat and latin so on Sat 25 Oct the Bulls Head will be the place to be
Rosie Kay kicks off the DanceXchange autumn season
On 24 Sept “DanceXchange Associate Artist Rosie Kay presents the premiere of new piece Supernova, plus the welcome return of her International Dance Festival Birmingham hit Double Points: K”
Capsule Blog » Have your portrait taken for Home Of Metal archive
An “opportunity for fans of Judas Priest, Napalm Death, Godflesh, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin to be photographed wearing their prized band t-shirts” At Scruffy Murphys in Birmingham on Friday 26 Sept 9pm – 11pm. Steve Gerrard will be doing the snapping
D’log – Mac call for artists
“There’s a call out for five new commissions for the new mac arts centre in Birmingham, which is currently being rebuilt”
