DIGBETH FIRST FRIDAY
Friday 3rd March 5pm until late
Experience the incredible variety of events on offer this month, discover something new and enjoy the fantastic independent culture Digbeth has to offer!
On offer this month:
Brum Radio: Bethany Slinn, 5–6pm
This Digbeth First Friday Brum Radio are hosting Birmingham based poet Bethany Slinn. She’ll be performing a selection of poems – playful and filled with sound effects. One of these she describes as her ‘kinda artistic manifesto (without sounding completely pretentious)’. Listen at brumradio.com
Bethany is a spoken word artist, poet and artivist currently performing around the West Midlands. She uses her words for social action and for playtime. Never-stop-being-curious.
Eastside Projects: Musik von 2017, 6–8pm
From voice, story and song, to movement, sonic art and electronics; this will be an exciting evening of live music presented by Birmingham Conservatoire’s MMus composers.
They will be presenting a programme of eclectic works in the Main Gallery alongside the current exhibition Production Show: Building/Developing/Testing. You are welcome to drop in at any time, or stay for the whole programme. Go along, grab a drink from the Black Pleasure bar and experience some new, live music.
Centrala: Late night opening of Seventeen and film screenings, 5–9pm
Stryx: Distracted Anecdote – Delicate, 6–9pm
This Digbeth First Friday, Stryx will present an exhibition by Martin Green. Distracted Anecdote – Delicate, comprises of a mass of small hand-made and urban-discovered components installed directly onto floors that have an unlocked history.
Non-functioning archival boxes and double-sided shaped paintings form an architectonic landscape that has scant regard for function. Collections of decorated medicine packets, found drug paraphernalia and dirt that has come off other works of art creates a museum of awkwardness where the displays are not necessarily true or reliable.
Grand Union: Drink, Hand and Drink 6–8pm
Hand me a drink.
Shaken or stirred. Straight up or with a twist. Take a sip or knock it back.
Join Grand Union at the bar this Digbeth First Friday as Kirsty Clarke brings to life the movements of cocktail making, the perfect accompaniment while you explore the current Hand and Mind exhibition.
Curated by Vanessa Boni, Hand and Mind is an exhibition and series of performances testing connections between the realms of speech and gesture. Artists Alex Cecchetti, Liz Magic Laser, Hanne Lippard, Jesper List Thomsen and Hagar Tenenbaum embody language and thought. Through painting, sculpture, choreography and performance they unsettle political, personal and theoretical channels of communication.
Vivid Projects: Black Hole Club 2017 launch, 6–8pm
The Black Hole Club returns with a night of experimental new work in progress featuring performance, video, slides and assemblages. Focusing on the world around us, the works explore brutalism and taxonomies of the city ; ritual assemblage and incantations; states of mind; narratives of water and the body … and a golden glitter bath.
The Edge: Howie Reeve, 8pm-late, £3 on the door
This First Friday The Edge are welcoming back Howie Reeve with is violently lovely acoustic bass work alongside and number of the resident live art motley crew.
Hailing from Glasgow, Howie Reeve is hitting the Midlands on his tour. ‘ largely unaccompanied acoustic bass instrumentals are populated by string creaks, deep breaths and fret-buzz, not to mention the odd ingenious and absurd vocal refrain. The songs are roundly expressive, evocative and intimate.’
The Ubuntu Kitchen will also be working to make your mouth water with Albert’s staple South African vetkoek.
More Info:
– For images, interviews and press enquiries please contact digbethfirstfriday@gmail.com
– Maps with details of all events will be available online at www.digbethfirstfriday.com
Brum Radio: www.brumradio.com, 5–6pm
Stryx: Unit 13 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley Street, B5 5RS. 6–9pm.
Grand Union: Unit 19, Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley Street, B5 5RS. 6–8pm.
Vivid Projects: Unit 16, Minerva Works, B5 5RT, 6–8pm
Eastside Projects: 86 Heath Mill Lane, B9 9AR, 6–8pm
The Edge: The Edge, 79-81 Cheapside, Deritend, B12 OQH, 8–late
Centrala: 4 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley Street, B5 5RT, 5 –9pm
– Digbeth First Friday launched in May 2014 and takes place on the First Friday of each month. The next event will be on Friday 3rd March 2017.
– Digbeth First Friday is produced by a group of Digbeth-based arts organisations who are working together to create a critical mass of events and allow visitors to discover the exciting independent culture this unique part of Birmingham offers.