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Transcript of Access regional
Reviews of Birmingham’s best independent entertainment venues:
Bars Cafes Restaurants Music Culture
Bars: Ginger’s Bar
Loki Wine
Old Joint Stock
Cafés: Boston Tea Party
Canalside Café
Café Blend
Yorks Bakery Café
Blackroot Bistro
Restaurants: Chilacas
Manzils
The Shakespeare
Woktastic
The Lost and Found
Music: The Concept
Fake Obsession
The Ruby Dukes
Upload Tour
Culture: BBC Tours
The Electric Cinema
Mozart and Messiaen
Matthew Bourne’s
Sleeping Beauty
Contents:
As one of the most multi-cultural and
exciting cities in the country, Birmingham is without
doubt a prominent player in the dining and
entertainment game. The city is home to a vast
collection of hidden gems, both in the city centre and
further out, and the aim of this magazine is to draw
attention to them and to heap on the praise these
establishments truly deserve.
Access Regional is here to provide bitesize
reviews for Birmingham’s best independent
entertainment venues at your fingertips, making it that
little bit easier to decide where to go, although actually
managing to choose one establishment above the rest
proves to be another challenge.
To make this choice simpler, Access Regional
is split into five sections: Bars, Cafés, Restaurants,
Music, and Culture. Within these sections you will find
a wide range of establishments that cater to all tastes,
with mouth watering dishes and exciting events that
will have you desperate to try them.
Sarah Moloney, editor
Note from the editor
Bars
Ginger’s Bar
f you are looking for a night that’s a touch more special
than the rest, Ginger’s Bar should definitely be where you’re
heading. Ginger’s is a small venue right in the center of town
with a friendly, laid-back and classy atmosphere. Cocktails
like you will never have tasted, made by the most welcoming
of bartenders and hostesses.
Their menu of cocktails and wine is somewhat alternative and
not to be faced narrow-mindedly, but there is no doubt
whatever you order will be beyond delicious and never quite
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Bar
11 Newhall Street, Birmingham, B3 3NY
Average cocktail £7
what you expect.
You’ll always
remember your first
cocktail at Ginger’s.
Of course perfection
comes at a price… It
is 3 or 4 pounds more
expensive per drink
than your average
venue, however, this
really is a case of you
get what you pay for.
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Ginger’s Bar
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Bar
It is worth that extra few
pounds for a phenomenal
drink. Another issue with
this venue is its size.
Although the small comfy
layout is ideal for the
atmosphere it achieves, it’s
not ideal for big groups.
On the other hand its style, influenced by Fred Astaire
and Ginger Rogers, looks like it came straight out of the
30s and is perfectly set out for smaller groups by keeping
the spacious feeling. The music at Ginger’s is the icing
on the cake, embracing its 30s influences and topping off
the chilled out, retro, classy feeling.
Loki Wine
first stumbled upon Loki when a
colleague at work told me about this
great new wine tasting place in
Birmingham, I reluctantly went
along even though wine tasting isn’t
usually ‘my thing’, but my
colleague assured me that Loki was
special. And special it is. It’s a wine
shop that also offers tasting, with
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Bar
36 Great Western Arcade, Birmingham, B2 5HU
Samples start at 30p and£2.50 per glass
fancy gadgets at every angle you look. It’s clear that Phil
Innes, the Director, has a love of technology and wine;
with a tablet device for a till and top up cards you insert
into machines to get a glass of vino, you’re sure to be
impressed.
You’ll get a Loki card for use in the machines that you can
top up on your subsequent visits, and with reasonable
prices for tasting glasses, and much larger ones - you’ll be
arranging your next visit within no time.
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Loki Wine
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Bar
As well as the ‘tasting area’ you have a cosy lounge
upstairs that offers customers a chance to sit down and
soak up the atmosphere. It’s a great place to meet other
young professionals, or just to try something a bit out of
the ordinary. It’s also great as anyone can give it a go, you
don’t have to be a wine expert at all, so no need to feel
intimidated!
Phil is incredibly
friendly and really
knows his wines. I was
never a wine lover as
the idea of anything
other than a Merlot or
Pinot Grigio was alien
to me. However, with
Phil’s handy labels for
the wine, you can
easily see which ones to try.
Old Joint Stock
had always been
intrigued by this old
building, and although
I had enjoyed a drink
there in the past, I had
not, until now, had the
pleasure of eating. The
Old Joint Stock is
located opposite Saint
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Bar
4 Temple Row West, Birmingham, West Midlands B2 5NY
Average drink £3.50, meal £10
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Phillip’s Cathedral and is a Grade II listed building; so
much of the design has remained the same. As well as
being a pub, this venue doubles as a theatre. Located
upstairs, the stage hosts companies from around the
country as well as music and stand-up comedy.
Reviewing this part of the Old Joint Stock, however, will
have to wait for a future edition.
The pub is beautifully decorated with a large bar located
in the centre. Unfortunately given its shape and size, this
can mean that you can go unseen by bar staff for a long
time, and endure a long wait to be served.
Old Joint Stock
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Bar
They stock an impressive
number of guest ales as
well as all the standard
drinks you would expect
to find.
On this occasion, I also
enjoyed food from their
menu. Although they do have a selection of main courses and sharing platters, the
menu is clearly focused around their homemade pies.
I very much enjoyed a chicken, chorizo and sundried
tomato pie with exquisite homemade pastry, mash and
vegetables. It really was delicious; I would go as far as to
say the best pie I’d ever eaten. The price, however, may
deter some people from sampling the food, which would
be unfortunate.
Cafes
Boston Tea Party
he prospect of a
‘traditional’ American
breakfast has always appealed
to my somewhat greedy
nature, so when I heard of
Boston Tea Party which offer
a pancakes with maple syrup
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Cafés
190 Corporation Street, Birmingham, B4 6QD
Average price: coffee £3, food £5
and bacon breakfast needless to say I was one of the first
customers on a sunny Thursday morning. To my surprise,
however, there is a diverse and interesting range on the
menu; substantially more than a standard pancake house.
As a chorizo lover I was drawn towards the chorizo and
egg bake (instead of the pancakes which I had previously
set my heart on) so I decided to take the risk. Although
accompanied with a delicious rich tomato sauce with
onions and new potatoes, I found myself struggling to find
these pieces of chorizo. The new potatoes were delicious
and provided in abundance so I would not have had reason
to complain had the title of the dish been potato and egg
bake.
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Boston Tea Party
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Cafés
The fried eggs placed on
top, however, were cooked
to perfection and the crispy
bread on the side was a
tasty addition. Overall, the
decoration of the place
gives a general ‘American
diner’ atmosphere, along
with the friendly staff and the intriguing toilets which are
covered in pipes seen by all for the waterworks; it is well
worth a visit. Perhaps if I was to give a piece of advice; go
with your heart and stick to the pancakes which my
companion so wisely did. Either that or demand your
rightful amount of chorizo!
Canalside Café
nter this café, on the
canal between Brindley
Place and the Mailbox,
and step back in time. The
cramped but cosy building
dates back to c.1770 when
it was a lock-keeper’s
cottage and is an ideal
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Cafés
Gas Street, City Centre, Birmingham
Average price coffee £2.50, food £5
setting for the unpretentious breakfasts, snack and meals
on offer.
The menus offers a range of breakfasts as well as
sandwiches (hot and cold), baked potatoes (with various
fillings) and sausages and mash. The Sweets and Puddings
on offer includes a Clotted Cream Tea at £3.95. In
addition, there is a daily board offering “home cooked
favourites”. A big plus point for many customers will be
the excellent range of Vegetarian and Vegan dishes,
savoury and sweet. My choice was the Cream of
Cauliflower with Cheese soup which certainly tasted
“home made” and the bread with it was crusty and fresh.
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Canalside Café
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Cafés
Sadly, my companion wasn’t so pleased with her Panini
which was bland, and, at £4.95, should have come with a
side-order of chips. (A bowl of chips is £3 which is also
over-priced to my mind.)
Another disappointment
was the coffee which
lacked flavour; my
Mocha just wasn’t what I
expected (but, to be fair,
it was made at my
request, and is not on the
menu).
I am glad to say that the service was efficient and friendly
– and it was obvious that some of the customers were
regulars (which is a considerable recommendation).
I shall definitely go back to the Canalside Café for the
atmosphere and to taste their Breakfast menu, preferably
on a beautiful morning when the canal is sparkling in the
sun.
Café Blend
stumbled across Café Blend
by accident. It is a little bit off
the beaten track; however this
should be no reason not to try
something. As soon as you
enter, you notice the vast
selection of coffees and teas on
offer.
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Cafés
Orion Building, 90 Navigation Street, Birmingham, B5 4AA
Average price £3
They have a selection from across the globe, and although
the menu needs to be studied in order to decide what to
order, the range cannot be knocked.
As well as those coffees on the menu, their display board
is full of seasonal selections, including some alcoholic
coffee cocktails. I have visited Café Blend more than once
in order to sample their range. Their speciality coffees are
inventive, delicious and well presented with a mini
chocolate accompaniment on your saucer.
I
Café Blend
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Cafés
However on one occasion, I decided to order a simple
coffee, in order to sample their coffee beans. I must admit
that I was a little disappointed. It was still a nice cup of
coffee, but I’ve had a nicer coffee
from a café in Birmingham.
Café Blend has won several
awards and was shortlisted for
the Café of the Year in 2011.
As well as the drink selection,
they have a small selection of
homemade sandwiches,
pastries and paninis, all very nice.
Where Café Blend comes into its own, is with its live
Acoustic Nights, which take place every fortnight on a
Tuesday evening. It’s helped by nice, modern decoration,
which creates a sociable atmosphere, helping it become a
nice meeting place for friends.
Yorks Bakery Café
hat makes a
café special? Is it
the atmosphere? Is
it the vast array of
food and drinks on
offer? Or is it the
friendliness of the
staff?
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Cafés
1 Newhall Street, Birmingham, B3 3NH
Average price coffee £2.50, food £6
Yorks Bakery Café has all of these by the bucket load! On
first glance, it’s a typical coffee shop filled with young
professionals on a lunch time, with their laptops and smart
phones. Walk through the doors, and the atmosphere sucks
you in. The staff are incredibly friendly and more than
happy to offer suggestions for you, should you become
spoilt for choice.
On my first visit I ordered an Earl Grey and the
Mushroom Ragout. Both parts of my order resulted in a
smile from the member of staff and a compliment – ‘good
choices!’.
W
Yorks Bakery Café
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Cafés
An infectious smile later and a full belly, resulted in me
leaving Yorks with a plan to return soon.
And return I did. Without
fail, each time I order the
same. And each time I
order it, it never
disappoints. Porcini and
field mushrooms on
toasted granary bread With a creamy sauce and poached egg - something I know
I can never cook correctly myself. Last time I ordered it,
the chef came out to check that I liked that it was
flavoursome enough and that I enjoyed it.
Oh yes. Yes I did.
Cafés
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Blackroot Bistro
As a teenager, the
suggestion from my
parents to accompany
them on a morning stroll
was inevitably met with
little enthusiasm; however
the promise of a hot chocolate stop at Blackroot Bistro was certainly an incentive.
The tranquillity, the picturesque view, the simplicity. A setting
to be appreciated and cherished; Blackroot Bistro enables this
appreciation. Situated at the heart of Sutton Park, enjoy food
and drink away from Birmingham’s buzz. Take a seat inside to
shelter from that wonderful British weather we all know and
love. Take a seat outside on those rare occasions where topping
up your tan is possible.
From the classic soup of the day dish to the more adventurous
Goat’s cheese, asparagus, sticky onion marmalade and walnut
salad, the Blackroot Bistro aims to please, successfully
achieving this goal by providing a range of sophisticated dishes
at reasonable prices. However, if you have children do not
worry; the bistro offers a kid’s menu, opening their doors to all
ages, creating a family friendly atmosphere.
By Rosie Finnegan
Blackroot Pool, Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield, B74 2YU
Average price drink: £1.85-£2.30
Food: £5-£7
Cafés
Blackroot Bistro
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Even the drinks showcase that extra spark. You may be
wondering why the promise of a hot chocolate motivated me, it
is because this is no ordinary hot chocolate, oh no, it is a white
hot chocolate topped with vanilla whipped cream, marsh
mallows and Maltesers. Sugar heaven.
Being a vegetarian, however, I do have one criticism, and that
is the lack of vegetarian food available. The majority of the
dishes devoid of meat are found under the ‘Salad’ heading and
although it is said that we vegetarians love our “rabbit food”,
we do sometimes appreciate a bit of stodge in the form of a hot
baguette or Panini. However, a polite request for the removal of
meat from certain meals is met with a warm smile and results
in numerous veggie options. Yet it would be nice not to feel
like a bit of an inconvenience, after all, the most recent
statistics estimate there to be over 1.2 million vegetarians in the
UK.
Whether you fancy an afternoon feast, a hot tea to warm you
up following a winter walk, an ice-cream to cool you down
following a summer stroll, or simply desire relaxation away
from busy Birmingham, the ideal location is Blackroot Bistro.
Restaurants
Chilacas
o describe Chilacas
in its simplest form; it
is the Mexican
equivalent to Subway!
Just with cocktails,
teapots and tequila.
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Restaurant
BrindleyPlace, the Waters Edge, Birmingham, B1 2HL
£5
Chilacas takes the canteen style restaurant to a whole new
level providing delicious Mexican food on the go or to eat
in. The restaurant itself has a traditional Mexican feel
combined with a quirky bohemian twist giving diners a
sophisticated feel to what is just quick, tasty food.
Chilacas has a simplistic menu, diners pick a meat (that is
what you pay for and the most expensive is less than
£5.50. BARGAIN!), then burrito, naked burrito, tacos or
nachos and toppings. The phrase “less is more” could have
been written for them as everything is delicious, quality
over quantity.
Not sold yet? Well Chilacas takes it’s quirky décor onto its
drinks too, fizzy drinks come in jars and cocktails come in
teapots accompanied with teacups.
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Chilacas
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Restaurant
As well as having a range of beer and wine. Cocktails are
Mexican themed and as you would expect, mainly contain
tequila for Mexican reasons, and if that wasn’t all exciting
enough, between 5 and 7 is happy
hour so 20% off cocktails!
Awesome drinks and with money
off, who wouldn’t jump at that?
The best part is Chilacas is
located in Brindley Place so only
a short walk from the city centre.
A must try for all fans of Mexican
food or those who just want a new
experience. With some of the
friendliest staff in food, Chilacas
is a must try.
Manzils
anzils is
located a stone’s
throw away from
the Bullring
Shopping Centre in
Digbeth, in the up-
and-coming cultural
hub of the city. A
smart and spacious
family-run
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Restaurant
112 Digbeth, Birmingham B5 6DT
restaurant, Manzils has gone from strength to strength
since 1966 and has a long list of loyal customers. Manzils
has gathered all the right ingredients for success, including
a diverse range of modern and classic Indian dishes. What
looks like a small venue from the outside is in fact
spacious and can easily accommodate 100 covers. Visitors
are immediately put at ease with a warm and friendly
welcome from the staff and relaxed, well-chosen
background music.
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The Shakespeare
his old pub is a 10 minute walk
from the city centre and it’s well
worth going out of your way for
their lunchtime menu. The place is
“unspoilt by progress” and has all
the features of a Victorian pub, with
cosy, side rooms as well as the main
bar. There is also a city garden. No
doubt many of the customers were
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Restaurant
Summer Row Birmingham, B3 1JJ
£15.95 Sun – Thurs, £19.50 Fri and Sat
regulars but there was nothing exclusive about the
atmosphere.
The Shakespeare’s dining room (decorated by theatrical
pictures and photographs of old Birmingham) offers a
“Lunch and drink” menu at £7 (between 12 Noon and
4pm.). I had an excellent BBQ Pulled Beef Sandwich with
plenty of salad on the side which was more of a meal than
a snack. My companion enjoyed the equally generous
serving of Scampi and King Prawns which was also
attractively served, at a good temperature.
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The Shakespeare
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Restaurant
There are nine choices
altogether, including Stew
and Dumplings, Haddock
Mornay, toasted
sandwiches (Fish Fingers
are on offer!) and a salad.
The drinks included larger,
beer, wine and soft drinks.
(As I didn’t want a cold
drink, I was offered a
discounted coffee instead.)
The service was friendly and efficient, with only a short
wait for the food (crucial for most people who have a
limited lunchbreak).
I enjoyed eating at the Shakespeare and I look forward to
discovering their evening menu.
Woktastic
alling all sushi lovers! Is
this the place for you...?
I love the atmosphere of this
restaurant each time I walk
through the doors (which I
must say, has been a lot).
Located by Paradise Forum
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Restaurant
Paradise Forum Paradise Circus Queensway, Birmingham, B3 3HJ £15
in Birmingham, there is an immediate oriental feel in
Woktastic.
Much like most traditional sushi restaurants found in the
UK, there are seats around a conveyor belt carrying the
sushi dishes available to diners. It is not just this feature
that makes this restaurant a joy, but also the added touch
of the trained chefs making the delicious food in the
middle of the room before your very eyes. It is this that
makes the restaurant not only a fine dining experience for
all who visit, but also an evening of pure entertainment.
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Woktastic
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Restaurant
To my delight, there is
always a possibility of
ordering dishes on demand
should they not appear on
the conveyor belt at your
time of dining. Saying this,
however, it could be noted
by sushi connoisseurs
(unlike myself) that the dishes on offer are not 'classic
sushi'. For example, a firm favourite of mine is the
battered prawns and calamari dish, yet some people would
argue that this is not authentic sushi. Furthermore, the
Chinese style soup offered is another highlight at this
restaurant but lacks the authentic feel of a sushi dining
experience. Yet, it should be noted that there are a lot of
rice and fish dishes available in the traditional style, but
not so much the authentic sashimi.
Restaurant
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The Lost and Found
The Lost and Found is a conversion
of the Grade II listed building on
Bennett’s Hill which previously
housed a banking hall and promises
a ‘Victorian botanical hideaway’.
The decor certainly lives up to
expectations and the interior is
elegant and old-fashioned, dotted
with quirky Victorian bric-a-brac.
The slightly higher than average prices reflect the pub’s
exclusive location close to the business district, but the
service was faultless and the atmosphere was relaxed and
pleasant on a weekday evening. Friday and Saturday nights
are far busier and the influx of mostly young professionals
makes it hard to find a seat in the bar area, but the sharply
dressed bartenders are keen mixologists and offer a wide
range of delightful original cocktails.
8 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham B2 5RS, www.the-lostandfound.co.uk/
Average cocktail price: £7.95 Food: £12.95
Restaurant
The Lost and Found
Although the Lost and Found is unlikely to become a
regular haunt of mine, it is definitely worth popping in at
least once during happy hour to sample a unique cocktail
and to take in the pleasant atmosphere and decor.
In terms of food, the vegetarian main offering was
disappointing (Chargrilled thyme polenta with courgette
spaghetti- the tomato and feta wellington was sold out early
on a Monday evening), but the pork belly was tender,
succulent and demolished entirely. The melting chocolate pot
pudding and peanut butter parfait were also wonderful.
By Emma Gardiner
Music
The Concept
he Concept played at
“Ones To Watch” and are the
definition of “Ones To Watch”.
They are a 5 piece melodic
rock band that formed in late
2011. In less than two years
it’s very impressive how far
they’ve come. Their constant
gigging and marketing really
showed in their performance.
The Concept were finalists at
the International Finals of
Surface Unsigned Competition
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Music
at the London O2 arena and they played at the
Glastonbudget festival. In this time they have also
released a self titled EP available on iTunes and physical
copy. Live they had a very professional attitude and air
about them. They played all original material that showed
a notable skill for song and lyric writing. All the songs
were catchy, memorable and captivated the crowd,
however their genre is a little difficult to place. Having
said this, the style would appeal to any audience.
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The Concept
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Music
This could be both an
advantage and
disadvantage. The sound
is distinguishable but
not particularly
revolutionary, but
appealing to a wide
range of people is never
a bad thing. Their set
was well rehearsed and very precise with each member of
the band demonstrating impressive skill. Their songs have
a marketable and ‘stadium-ready’ sound and are easily
sing-a-long contenders. Unfortunately the set was cut
short on this occasion, which was the biggest
disappointment of this performance. I look forward to
seeing what happens next with the concept and will
definitely be keeping an eye on what their next move is.
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Music
Fake Obsession
ake Obsession are a four
piece band from the West
Midlands. Their style is
mainly Pop-Rock and they
were lucky enough to support
McFly on their “Calm and
Play Louder” tour in 2012.
This band have done well for
themselves and got a fairly big
and enthusiastic following. For
their gig at the O2 “Ones To
Watch” they were well
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Music
prepared, set up quickly and efficiently and had prepared
their EP to give away. The members are notably young so
there is plenty of time for honing the performance skills.
Despite this they are already becoming successful and
drew a very passionate crowd to this particular gig. Their
creative spin on “Gangnam Style” was particularly
memorable. It showed a creative, comical take on the
music in the charts.
F
Fake Obsession
Unfortunately their original material was not as memorable
but showed definite promise. As I mentioned this band are
only young so this will only improve with time and work,
things that this band obviously showed they are more than
willing to put in. One factor that may help this is less time
for the vocals to warm up as it was difficult to understand
the singer for the first section of the set. Also, more crowd
involvement and stage presence would help to make this
band stand out and build their audience. There is definitely
lots of areas this band could improve in but they are
dedicated and willing to do so.
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Music
The Ruby Dukes
here is no other way
to describe the
performance by “The
Ruby Dukes” at the O2
Academy at the ‘Ones to
Watch’ event other than
they rocked it! This
Stoke-on-Trent band
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Music
really took the place by storm and really demanded the
attention of the audience. The stage presence of the band
was quite something and they captured the full attention of
people who had never seen or heard of them before. When
the band came out they did appear to have somewhat of a
mix and match style... a cross between the Gallaghers, 60s
fashion and floral madness combined with indie pop
crossed with psychedelic rock.
T
The Ruby Dukes
Although this seems too much of a mixture this band get it
right and really pull this off. They were well presented and
looked like they were ready for a good time with the
chemistry and friendship between the band members
clearly showing. As a band there was no note not rehearsed
and were incredibly accurate but struck the balance
between this and keeping the gig fun. Their music and style
is very memorable and captures you instantly. Individually,
these five boys are all very talented musicians and their
skill comes together very well. In general, this performance
was great and pleasantly surprised me. I would highly
recommend listening and seeing this band. They are still
young so there will be a big future for “The Ruby Dukes”
with room for improvement, change and maybe a more
focused style.
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Music
Upload Tour
n late February these
four men visited the
Rainbow in Digbeth on
their Birmingham leg of
the ‘Upload Tour’. The
tour, organized by Dave
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Music
The Rainbow, 160, Digbeth High Street, Birmingham, B12
0LD
£8
Giles himself, toured the entire of the UK and took it by
storm. The YouTube sensations BriBry, Eddplant and Tom
Law had little live performance experience but blew
Birmingham away.
The gig was impeccably organized and was completely
professional throughout. Each act also took the time at the
end of the gig to meet every fan that had attended. Adding
to this personal feel the venue was small and so the acts
managed to make each member of the audience feel
included. This audience participation was particularly well
done by Dave Giles and BriBry who told stories and jokes
throughout their set – the friendships between all the acts
was very clear and endearing.
I
Upload Tour
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Music
They even stood in the crowd and watched each other
perform. The gig was reasonably priced and worth every
penny.
The host introduced every act,
however this did break the
flow of the gig a little. Tom
Law was clearly a hit with the
female fans, BriBry enchanted
the audience with his stories and hit ‘Your Life Over
Mine’, EddPlant’s vocals were second to none and Dave
Giles headlined showing off his fabulous new material
from his latest album ‘Love, Life Loss and Tea’. For a
night of great music for not much money but a guaranteed
great night… this was the gig for you. The tour will
possibly be returning in May. Keep an eye out.
Culture
BBC Tours
rom BBC
Birmingham’s Public
Space, visitors can look
into BBC WM and the
BBC Asian Network
radio studios and into
the gallery which puts
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Culture
BBC Broadcasting House, Level 10, The Mailbox, Birmingham B1 1RF
£8
out BBC Midlands Today. There is a shop and interactive
areas giving people the chance to read and record a news
item and weather report! Open every day and free to visit.
BBC Birmingham also offers the chance to take a tour of
the state-of-the-art studios situated in The Mailbox. Take a
peek behind the scenes of programmes such as BBC
Midlands Today and take part in a special game of the
CBBC Copycats game and a unique recording of a radio
drama, complete with sound effects and music! Tours last
approximately 1 ½ hours and offer a fascinating insight
into the world of broadcasting.
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The Electric Cinema
irmingham has many
hidden treasures, none more
so than The Electric Cinema.
Hidden behind The Bullring,
on Station Street, The
Electric is the oldest
working cinema in the UK
providing visitors with a
unique experience.
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Culture
47-49 Station St Birmingham B5 4DY
£7.40/£5 concessions
The Electric Cinema makes going to the cinema
glamorous again and takes patrons back to the cinema of
the 1930s, complete with an art deco bar and ticket stubs
as seen in old movies. You can forget popcorn and a slush
puppy here also; they offer everything from homemade
cakes to hummus. Just not popcorn, who wants the loud
crunching and the sigh as someone manages to kick their
tub over anyway.
Then if none of that takes your fancy the cinema offers
another snack unseen to the modern day cinema, alcohol.
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The Electric Cinema
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Get a beer to cope with the chick flick your girlfriend has
made you go see or a glass of wine to help cope with the
death of the handsome hero. After the excitement of the
bar, the cinema has
two screening
rooms showing
current and old
movies, both
bright red with
red seats like a theatre. Although if tickets are booked
early enough you can be lucky and get the black leather
sofas complete with waiter service, just text in and get a
brownie brought to you during the film!
The Electric Cinema provides a great evening out and a
unique experience, for film listings and tickets go to
ww.theelectric.co.uk.
Mozart and Messiaen
his concert would
have made a
wonderful
introduction to
classical music: a
Mozart piano
concerto as well as
three contrasted
C20th. pieces.
Webern’s ‘6 Pieces’
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Birmingham Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall,
Thursday 2nd May 2013
was written for a huge orchestra; the fourth piece uses the
large percussion section to build to one of the loudest
climaxes I have heard in Symphony Hall. Mozart’s Piano
Concerto No.17 had, as soloist, Mitsuko Uchida who is a
world famous musician and audience favourite (and
probably the reason why this concert was repeated two
days later). She also played Messiaen’s ‘Oiseaux
Exotique’ (based upon bird song) which is a challenging
piece that ends with 31 repetitions of the same chord.
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Mozart and Messiaen
The concert ended with another piece for huge orchestra,
‘Poem of Ecstasy’ by Scriabin which lives up to its name,
the huge orchestra producing what can only be called an
orgy of sound.
The playing throughout was stunning, and yet another
example of why Birmingham’s orchestra has a world-wide
reputation (as does its conductor and msucial director,
Andris Nelsons). It is also typical that the programme was
an adventurous one, giving fans of Mozart the chance to
hear some other, rarely performed music.
For this concert, I sat (as usual) at the back of the Grand
Tier, for £10 – an amazing bargain. The design of the
building means that, however high up, you don’t feel far
from the stage, and the acoustics are excellent wherever
you sit.
Symphony Hall offers a wide range of musical events (by
no means all classical) For example, on June 14th., they
are showing the sci-fi film ‘2001’ but with live orchestral
music; prices from £9.50. (Also look out for their ‘What’s
On Free’ brochure with its long list of daytime and early
evening events.)
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Matthew Bourne's
Sleeping Beauty
s a relative newbie to ballet,
I was slightly apprehensive about
this performance, particularly
given that this is Tchaikovsky’s
longest ballet. The first
experience I had had was a few
months earlier, seeing Swan
Lake, which included intervals
every 30 minutes, which for an
easily distracted individual such
as myself, is useful.
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Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Hippodrome, Birmingham
What sold Matthew Bourne’s production at the
Birmingham Hippodrome to me was the inclusion of
vampires, which continued with Bourne’s tradition of
revamping traditional works.
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Matthew Bourne's Sleeping
Beauty
I was familiar with the story from the fairy tale and so I
wasn’t expecting the vampires! Needless to say, they
didn’t appear in the original 1890 ballet but this should not
deter any experienced supporters of classical music. At
times, I struggled to keep up with…….’bad’ ones but
Bourne has created some spectacular dancing and stage
effects for them.
The music was easily recognisable which kept the interest,
and I definitely have a new found respect for ballet
dancers, who were simply majestic.
If I had to identify any weaknesses, there was no live
orchestra, with a recorded soundtrack in its place, and the
story was at times difficult to follow. I saw this at the
Birmingham Hippodrome, which boasts excellent
acoustics, but the theatre seemed to get progressively
hotter as the performance drew on, and was quite
uncomfortable towards the end.
Despite these few negatives, I would recommend catching
the production whilst it continues to tour the UK for
experienced enthusiasts as well as newbies like myself.
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