Industry news & advice blog

Image credit: Steve Watkins

Welcome to the latest instalment from Birmingham's regional Unsigned Guide blog. This week we're talking venues, where to play and who to play for! Finding gigs can be a minefield...and then to book a show and bring all your fans, only to find a thrown together bill and an empty room, can be a frustrating experience. Hopefully, this might help! I won't list any genres as all these places host all types of music. If you're good enough, they'll find a show that works for you!
 
Here's my top 3 places to play in Birmingham:
 
1) O2 Academy Birmingham
Situated right in the middle of the city, a 5 minute walk from New Street, the venue recently re-opened after a £5 million re-fit to transform it from superclub The Dome to the home of live music in Birmingham. The Academy venues are extremely well known and this is where the big artists play when they come to town. In Academy 2 and 3 they have venues suited to upcoming artists, the kind of support slots unsigned bands really need. The Catapult Club host shows in Academy 3 every Thursday. The bills can be a little hit and miss at times but if you get a good night and contribute numbers the place will be rammed. The other way in is through Academy Events who can add you to a mailing list for available supports as and when they become available. These kind of shows are usually busy and your music will suit the audience in front of which you play, and can be a winner!
 
2) The Rainbow
A 15 minute walk out of town into Digbeth brings you to The Rainbow venue. A multi-room complex, the venue plays host to events of all shapes and sizes, from club nights in the pub to 5000 capacity street parties across all the rooms. Of most interest to us is the live music side of it. The venue hosts live music in The Courtyard, a 200ish capacity space at the back of the main pub, complete with its own bar and BBQ. Then there's The Warehouse, a 1500 capacity venue that has recently played host to The Twang and Mr Hudson. Birmingham Promoters handle the majority of the goings on, and boss Carlo Solazzo really cares about the bills, nothing is thrown together.  They are for me the go-to people to get a good gig in Birmingham, and also put on shows at The Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath and The Flapper in the city centre.
 
3)The Flapper
Next door to the NIA, on Kingston Row in the middle of town, The Flapper has been key in the careers of many of the biggest bands to have come out of Birmingham in the last few years. The pub is owned by Rob & Jackie of Zoot Management, responsible for breaking the likes of The Twang and Editors in recent years, so looks like a good place to start in Birmingham! Black Stafford put on some really strong line-ups in the intimate downstairs room, definitely worth checking out. Micky Dave runs the shows, and as well as being an all-round top bloke, he puts a lot of thought into line-ups to ensure everyone involved has a good night! Birmingham Promoters also put on nights here!
 
Of Note:
 
The Hare and Hounds, Kings Heath - Great sound system, 18+ can be a hinderance though, speak to Carlo at Birmingham Promoters for a show!
 
Scruffy Murphy's - Silent Filter put on nights here, the place to go for heavier music, Rock/Metal.
 
The Institute - Opening in September 2010, formerly the Barfly, the Institute is a new 3 room venue, with some very exciting shows already announced.