Created in Birmingham

It’s festivals a gogo with the Fierce and Flatpack festivals kicking off today with a whole load of interesting stuff coming to Birmingham between now and Sunday.

You’ll no doubt have done the decent thing and booked up a load of tickets for both of these already but, if not, there should still be time. I’ve had a nosey through the programmes and reckon that I’ll be going to the following:

Tuesday:

• Fierce/Flatpack launch at VIVID
• The Irrepressibles at Town Hall

Wednesday:

• Shadow Shows at the Patrick Centre

Thursday:

• Shorts on Walls at VIVID
• Too Much Information at The Electric

Friday

• Nesst 2
• Queerfest to Fierce at VIVID
• Los Angeles Plays Itself at Ikon Eastside

Installations and ongoing things that I’ll try to catch when I can:

• Burningham
• The Commentators
• The Soldiers’ Song
• Prayer

All subject to having to work to do and so on. Plus I’m not around this weekend, which is a shame because there’s some ace stuff happening.

What are you going to be going to?

• This is happening without your permission.
  Some lovely features on Birmingham-based bands and artists from Heather Connor
• bompalomp. | musical cupid for DJs and promoters.
  A nascent DJ agency from some folks who seem to spend a lot of time at Island Bar
• Wolf Disguised As Monk
• Due to an oversight on our part, CiB has so far failed to mention, or indeed even notice the existence of Wolf Disguised As Monk. I’m happy to put that right now. (Ahem). Garreth Akerman’s the writer – he hosted a nautical-themed film night at the Sunflower Lounge the other day
• Fury over `disgraceful’ Lottery handout to gay arts festival | Birmingham Post
  NB – this is an old article. While I was searching for stuff around SHOUT I came across this article from 1998 – the festival in question was QueerFest, which has since become Fierce. Some amusing outrage in there
• Digbeth is Good » Beggars of Lahore at Sauce Gallery
  Nicky spots that “Sauce Gallery, next door to Yumm Deli in the Custard Factory, are to have an exhibition. Beggars of Lahore, a photography exhibition by Sheba Saeed, launches Fri 30th Oct and is on display until 6th Nov”