Birmingham is festival crazy this July, with four completely alternative music festivals converging on the second city and its suburbs. Kicking off this festival frenzy is the inimitable ‘Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival’ featuring Public Enemy, Gregory Porter, Roy Ayers, Cymande, Craig Chares and Pharcyde (10th – 12 July, Moseley Park).
Next up is the reggae flavoured ‘Simmer Down’ festival featuring Maxi Priest (I just wanna be close to you), with additional performances from Michael Prophet, Rod Taylor, Earl Sixteen and Surj Sahota. Simmer Down returns to the beautiful surroundings of Handsworth Park. Now into its sixth year, this free open air event celebrates Birmingham’s rich cultural diversity with fun for all the family (Sun 19th July, Handsworth Park).
On an indie-rock tip the One Beat outdoor festival at MAC Outdoor arena will be featuring breakthrough bands from all over the UK including God Damn, The Magic Gang, Youth Man, Jagaara, Kioko, Cold Ocean Lies, Kagoule, Faux Palms, Field Harmonics & special dj set from Jaws (MAC Arena, Sat 25th July).
Finally we have the electronic sounds of MADE Birmingham. Shortlisted for Best Metropolitan Festival in 2014, MADE Birmingham returns bigger and better with over 50 of the worlds finest electronic music acts performing across SIX new and unique concept stages set in the heart of the city’s industrial quarter (The Digbeth Triangle, Sat 25th July).
Other highlights on Birmingham’s What’s On musical calender include The Great Outdoors at the Lord Clifden playing disco and balearic every Saturday, a rooftop DJ party at The Rainbow, reggae soundclash legend David Rodigan and The Nextmen at The Hare & Hounds, the launch of the The Night Owl (the Midland’s first Northern Soul & Motown club in decades) and live music at both the Sun at The Station and Sun on The Hill every Sunday.. “Pass the Dutchie pon the left hand side.. (from Handsworth to Moseley via Digbeth)!”
What’s on in Birmingham, June 2015
Wed 1 Jul 15
Hidden Charms + Bad Girlfriend + The Hungry Ghosts @ The Sunflower Lounge
Impact Presents Midnight Bonfires, The Sherpas & Alex Moir *£1 Entry* @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
The H&H Pub Quiz – £50 Cash First Place Prize @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Thu 2 Jul 15
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden
Blues Night (Blues Thursday) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Where I’m Bound + SexTapes + This Memory & more @ The Rainbow Venues
Fri 3 Jul 15
TOXIC TEAGAN TRANCE PARTY – 10PM-5AM @ Club PST
Digbeth Dining Club + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs @ The Sun at the Station
Friday DJs @ The Sun on The Hill
Friday DJs on rotation playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Click Friday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
DJ Morais Vibes (applaudio audio) playing funk, soul and disco (rooftop party) @ The Bureau
Baddie’s Banquet ft. Broken Witt Rebels @ The Rainbow
An Evening with 360 & Friends – Live Ska & Reggae @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Soulvation Presents ‘Out On The Floor Tonight’ – 41st Anniversary of ‘Catacombs’ Northern Soul Club @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
DJs playing house, funk, soul, electronic @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
Catapult Club, The Delta Rhythm, Bad Penny, The Purple Shades, Broken Looking Glass, Usual Suspects @ O2 Academy
Goldie Lookin Chain + Night Movements + Shaun Gambowl Walsh & The Plagiarists @ Digbeth Institute
Jack Rocks Presents: Slow Club + Ekkah @ Digbeth Institute
Sat 4 Jul 15
VIVA BRAZIL – 10PM-5AM @ Club PST
Saturday DJs @ The Sun at the Station
Saturday DJs @ The Sun on The Hill
Loaded Saturday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
Lee McBride (applaudio audio) playing funk, soul and disco (rooftop party) @ The Bureau
The Great Outdoors with Dean Smith and Special Guests (funk, soul, disco, house) @ The Lord Clifden
Sea of Bees + Charlotte Carpenter + AC Thomas @ The Sunflower Lounge
Stupid Underground Breakbeat Party – Free Before Midnight @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Bruk Up with Jonny Miller & Kwai @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Blues Club – Weekly Live Sessions with Birmingham’s Foremost Jazz & Blues Musicians @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
DJs playing house, funk, soul, electronic @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
Enter The Portal 4th July Hector Couto, Cuartero & Detlef @ The Rainbow Venues
Mr Jangles x 02:31 summer series all-nighters 4th July @ The Rainbow Venues
Telsen + Semantics + Tinned Astronaut + Pretence & more @ The Rainbow Venues
Sun 5 Jul 15
Sunday Classics (Classical Music) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Sunsets. The best new musical talent spanning a breadth of genres! Free Entry @ The Sun on The Hill
Sunplugged. Live acoustic sessions from 6:30pm @ The Sun at The Station
Sin Sunday DJs & Roasts R Us @ The Lord Clifden
Lazy Sunday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
Modest Mouse + Hippo Campus + Elle King @ Digbeth Institute
GLAS presents Sunday Roast ft. Shiba San
Mon 6 Jul 15
MotoMo Monday with DJ Samm spinnin soul classics from Tamela to Stax @ The Lord Clifden
jam jah reggae @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
Tue 7 Jul 15
STRICTLY BANGERS – 7PM-12AM @ Club PST
Jazz night (Jazz Tuesday) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Wed 8 Jul 15
Howl. A space for the best spoken word artists in Birmingham to speak freely. 7:30pm, free entry! @ The Sun at the Station
The Ruts & Ruts DC Book Launch – Signing, Meet & Greet and Q&A Session @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
H&H Pub Quiz – £50 Cash First Place Prize @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Defeater / Napoleon @ The Rainbow Venues
Thu 9 Jul 15
INNA’ BIRMINGHAM @PST – 10PM-5AM @ Club PST Thu 9 Jul 15
Blues Night (Blues Thursday) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth Thu 9 Jul 15
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden Thu 9 Jul 15
BAD THURSDAY Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs Thu 9 Jul 15
The Heist + Judges + Millbrook @ The Rainbow Thu 9 Jul 15
Fri 10 Jul 15
Mr Vibes
GOLD/ARIEX/JINX @PST -11PM-5AM @ Club PST
BOUNCE BACK – 10PM-5AM @ Club PST
Digbeth Dining Club + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs @ The Sun at the Station
Friday DJs @ The Sun on The Hill
Friday DJs on rotation playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Click Friday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
DJ Morais Vibes (applaudio audio) playing funk, soul and disco (rooftop party) @ The Bureau
Canniball Ox @ The Rainbow
Mostly Jazz Official Afterparty with The Nextmen & Sam Redmore @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Testify – An Evening of Motown, Northern Soul, 60’s R’n’B, Reggae & Ska @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
DJs playing house, funk, soul, electronic @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
CHRONIXX & ZINCFENCE REDEMPTION + DRE ISLAND @ Digbeth Institute
Mostly Jazz Festival ft Public Enemy & The Pharcyde @ Moseley Park
Sat 11 Jul 15
PST RESIDENTS – 10PM-5AM @ Club PST
Saturday DJs @ The Sun at the Station
Saturday DJs @ The Sun on The Hill
Loaded Saturday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
Lee McBride (applaudio audio) playing funk, soul and disco (rooftop party) @ The Bureau
The Great Outdoors with Dean Smith and Special Guests (funk,soul, disco, house) @ The Lord Clifden
Enter The Dragon Presents Trance Classics Reunion with Guy Ornadel @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Mocca. Club Night – Disco, House & Funk @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Blues Club with The Meharis @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
DJs playing house, funk, soul, electronic @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
Holiday @ Spotlight
The Mad Geese / History of Sex / Blank Parody @ The Rainbow Venues
Mostly Jazz Festival ft Roy Edward Ayers & CYMANDE @ Moseley Park *SOLD OUT*
SATURDAY OFFICIAL MOSTLY JAZZ AFTERPARTY – NORTHERN SOUL ALL NIGHTER FEAT. CRAIG CHARLES (FUNK & SOUL SET), NEIL RUSHTON, BILLY CHILL FINGERS & TOBIN LOCHERIE @ MOSELEY DANCE CENTRE
LILO Launch Party @ Alfie Birds
Jungle Ting – Blanderunner; Cool Hand Flex (AWOL) @ Alfie Birds
Sun 12 Jul 15
Rainbow Rooftop
Sunsets. The best new musical talent spanning a breadth of genres! Free Entry @ The Sun on The Hill
Sunplugged. Live acoustic sessions from 6:30pm @ The Sun at The Station
Sin Sunday DJs & Roasts R Us @ The Lord Clifden
Lazy Sunday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
HOT LEMONADE – FREE SUNDAY DAYTIME ROOF TOP PARTY – 3PM-12AM @ The Rainbow Venues
Rival State @ The Rainbow Venues
Mostly Jazz Festival ft Gregory Porter @ Moseley Park
Mon 13 Jul 15
Traditional Irish Music Session (guests welcome) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
MotoMo Monday with DJ Samm spinnin soul classics from Tamela to Stax @ The Lord Clifden
jam jah reggae @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
Tue 14 Jul 15
STRICTLY BANGERS – 7PM-12AM @ Club PST
Jazz night (Jazz Tuesday) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
8 Bit Lounge – Retro, Futuristic & Experimental Gaming Night @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Wed 15 Jul 15
Frank + Hanwaxx @ The Sunflower Lounge
H&H Pub Quiz – £50 Cash First Place Prize @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Thu 16 Jul 15
INNA’ BIRMINGHAM @PST – 10PM-5AM @ Club PST
Blues Night (Blues Thursday) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden
BAD THURSDAY Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
Catapult Club, Plagues, Hell and Home, Smart Casual, Decapitated Slaughter, InteRsecT @ O2 Academy
Fri 17 Jul 15
Scroobius Pip
HIP-HOP ELEMENTZ -10PM-5AM @ Club PST
Northern Soul Allnighter 9pm-6am (sold out) @ The Night Owl
Digbeth Dining Club + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs @ The Sun at the Station
Friday DJs @ The Sun on The Hill
Friday DJs on rotation playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Click Friday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
DJ Morais Vibes (applaudio audio) playing funk, soul and disco (rooftop party) @ The Bureau
Baddie’s Banquet ft. Alex Rainsford + Ethan Ash + Myrrh Room @ The Rainbow
We Are Lizards Club Night with Scroobius Pip (DJ Set), Destruction, Push Music plus Alternative Dubstep Orchestra Live @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Hot Ginger – Sensational Summer Shindig of Retro Style, Retro Dance and Retromance @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
DJs playing house, funk, soul, electronic @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
AFTA DARK ft. Catz ‘N Dogz
Sat 18 Jul 15
Saturday DJs @ The Sun at the Station
Mostly Motown Saturdays 9pm-2am, £5, + Late Night Disco 2am-6am, £5 @ The Night Owl
Saturday DJs @ The Sun on The Hill
Loaded Saturday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
Lee McBride (applaudio audio) playing funk, soul and disco (rooftop party) @ The Bureau
The Great Outdoors with Dean Smith and Special Guests (funk,soul, disco, house) @ The Lord Clifden
Best Friends + Birdskulls + Grim Disco + MUTT @ The Sunflower Lounge
Catapult Club Presents The Hot Heads @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Hot Cherryade Club Night @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Blues Club with Midnight City @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
DJs playing house, funk, soul, electronic @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
Mr Jangles x 02:31 all-nighters present DJ Q 18th July @ The Rainbow Venues
Naomi Namz Elliott @ The Drum, Aston
Finley Quaye @ Alfie Birds
The Monkey Club DJs @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Sun 19 Jul 15
Sunsets. The best new musical talent spanning a breadth of genres! Free Entry @ The Sun on The Hill
Sunplugged. Live acoustic sessions from 6:30pm @ The Sun at The Station
Sin Sunday DJs & Roasts R Us @ The Lord Clifden
Lazy Sunday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
The Paperdolls Handmade Market – Stalls, Live Music, Sweet Treats & Creative Workshops @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Simmer Down Festival ft Maxi Priest & Many more reggae artists @ Handsworth Park (free)
Mon 20 Jul 15
MotoMo Monday with DJ Samm spinnin soul classics from Tamela to Stax @ The Lord Clifden
jam jah reggae @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
My Favourite Runner Up + Debunk + Pacific View @ The Rainbow Venues
Tue 21 Jul 15
The Spotted Dog
Premonition Digital presents ‘The new era of all Nighter’ @ Club PST
Jazz night (Jazz Tuesday) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Wed 22 Jul 15
Mike Dignam @ The Rainbow
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart + Victories at Sea @ The Rainbow
H&H Pub Quiz – £50 Cash First Place Prize @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Mike Dignam @ The Rainbow Venues
Thu 23 Jul 15
Blues Night (Blues Thursday) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden
BAD THURSDAY Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
The Felice Brothers + The Pierce Brothers @ The Rainbow
House of Sound: Benin City @ The Rainbow Venues
Club A Go Go with Sean Chapman, mod & ska night, 6pm @ The Night Owl
Fri 24 Jul 15
Lord Clifden Beer Garden
Northern Soul at the Night Owl, 9pm-3a, £5 @ The Night Owl
Digbeth Dining Club + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs @ The Sun at the Station
Friday DJs @ The Sun on The Hill
Friday DJs on rotation playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Click Friday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
DJ Morais Vibes (applaudio audio) playing funk, soul and disco (rooftop party) @ The Bureau
Baddie’s Banquet ft Lime + Piano Wire (Ex-Eighties Matchbox) @ The Rainbow
Reggae Social with Kioko, Culture Dub Orchestra & Young Culture @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
DJs playing house, funk, soul, electronic @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
Mixmag Live present Adam Beyer and Ida Engberg B2B @ The Rainbow Venues
Catapult Club, Chasing Deer, The New Blacks, Viva Lanza, Drench, Homewrecker @ O2 Academy
ONEDUB – 123rd Earthday of Haile Selassie I @ Alfie Birds
Sat 25 Jul 15
Digbeth Dining Club + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Saturday DJs @ The Sun at the Station
Saturday DJs @ The Sun on The Hill
Mostly Motown Saturdays 9pm-2am, £5, + Late Night Disco 2am-6am, £5 @ The Night Owl
Loaded Saturday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
Lee McBride (applaudio audio) playing funk, soul and disco (rooftop party) @ The Bureau
The Great Outdoors with Dean Smith and Special Guests (funk,soul, disco, house) @ The Lord Clifden
Leftfoot Presents David Rodigan Plus Leftfoot & Jam Jah DJs @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Yo! – A Tru Hip Hop Video Night @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Blues Club with Big Wolf Band @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
DJs playing house, funk, soul, electronic @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
Mr Jangles x 02:31 all-nighters @ The Rainbow Venues
Institutes + Breeze + Bloom + Bloodsugar + Midnight Convoy @ The Rainbow Venues
Badly Drawn Boy @ Town Hall
TRMNL | SAT 25 JUL | GUTI
MADE Birmingham Electronic Music Festival @ The Digbeth Triangle (Rainbow Venues etc)
Bronze Nazareth @ Alfie Birds
One Beat outdoor festival ft breakthrough bands from all over the UK @ MAC Outdoor Arena
Sun 26 Jul 15
Sun at The Station
Psych Alldayer with Ben Drummond + Randy Billings, 2pm-11pm, free entry @ The Night Owl
Sunsets. The best new musical talent spanning a breadth of genres! Free Entry @ The Sun on The Hill
Sunplugged. Live acoustic sessions from 6:30pm @ The Sun at The Station
Sin Sunday DJs & Roasts R Us @ The Lord Clifden
Lazy Sunday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
Colleen Green @ The Sunflower Lounge
MADE Birmingham 2015 Food & Drink Festival @ The Digbeth Triangle
The Bus Station Loonies + Husbands N Knives & more @ The Rainbow Venues
Mon 27 Jul 15
Traditional Irish Music Session (guests welcome) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
MotoMo Monday with DJ Samm spinnin soul classics from Tamela to Stax @ The Lord Clifden
jam jah reggae @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
Killer Wave & PNKSLM Presents Obnox (USA) & Black Mekon (UK) @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Tue 28 Jul 15
Jazz night (Jazz Tuesday) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Blitz Kids @ The Rainbow Venues
The Sonics + Electric River @ Digbeth Institute
Wed 29 Jul 15
Keepin’ The Faith, Northern Soul Dance Classes + social dance, £5 @ The Night Owl
H&H Pub Quiz – £50 Cash First Place Prize @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
Thu 30 Jul 15
Blues Night (Blues Thursday) @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden
BAD THURSDAY Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
Club A Go Go with Sean Chapman, mod & ska night, 6pm @ The Night Owl
Fri 31 Jul 15
Digbeth Dining Club DJ
Northern Soul at the Night Owl, 9pm-3am, £5 @ The Night Owl
Digbeth Dining Club + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs @ The Sun at the Station
Friday DJs @ The Sun on The Hill
Friday DJs on rotation playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Click Friday Indie Rock DJs @ Snobs
DJ Morais Vibes (applaudio audio) playing funk, soul and disco (rooftop party) @ The Bureau
Baddie’s Banquet ft Beach Baby + Chartreuse @ The Rainbow
Circles Presents S.P.Y & BCee @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
UTC x Yalla Festival Warmup – Free Party @ The Hare & Hounds, Kingsheath
DJs playing house, funk, soul, electronic @ The Bull’s Head, Moseley
FIDGET pres. THE SUMMER TERRACE PAYDAY RAVE with JOSHUA + NU ERA @ The Rainbow Venues
Solstafir
Music Venue Information:
- Hare & Hounds Kings Heath. 106 High Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B14 7JZ. Tel: 0121 444 2081. www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk
- Bulls Head Moseley. 23 St Mary’s Row, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 8HW. Tel: 0121 256 7777. www.bullsheadmoseley.co.uk
- The Lord Clifden, Jewellery Quarter. Great Hampton Street. Tel: 0121 523 7515. www.thelordclifden.com
- Sun On The Hill. 23 Bennett’s Hill, Birmingham, West Midlands B2 5QP. Tel: 0121 448 7966. www.thesunonthehill.co.uk
- The Sun at the Station. 7 High Street, Birmingham B14 7BB. 0121 444 8749. www.facebook.com/The-Sun-at-the-Station
- The Rainbow Venues. 160 Digbeth, Birmingham B12 0LD. Tel: 0121 753 1818. www.therainbowvenues.co.uk
- PST. 71 Lombard Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B12 0QU. Tel: 0121 622 5363. www.pst-club.co.uk
- Alfie Birds & The Oobleck. The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B9 4AA. Tel: 0121 270 6665. www.alfiebirds.co.uk
- O2 Academy Birmingham. 16-18 Horsefair, Bristol Street, Birmingham B1 1DB. Tel: 0121 622 8250. www.o2academybirmingham.co.uk
- Spotlight & Next Door. Lower Trinity Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B9 4AG. www.facebook.com/spotlightdigbeth
- The Bureau Birmingham. 110 Colmore Row, Birmingham, West Midlands B3 3AG. Tel: 0121 236 1110. www.thebureaubar.co.uk
- The Sunflower Lounge. 76 Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham, West Midlands B5 4EG. Tel: 0121 632 6756. www.thesunflowerlounge.com
- The Institute. 78 Digbeth High Street, Birmingham B5 6DY. Tel: 0121 643 0428. www.theinstitutebirmingham.com
Please note: It is always advisable to check with venues on ticket/event availability before travel.