Our Birmingham live music & DJ guide for May 2019, offers original and alternative nightlife, gigs, parties and music listings. We work with local promoters and venues each month to ensure you won’t be missing out on the very best this city has offer.
For our pick of the best live music today and this month, check out our Youtube playlist below. Scroll down for full recommended listings.
Listen Through Brumbeat Youtube Playlist Below (auto-play or skip through)
Regular Weekly Events..
The city’s finest disco, soul, eclectic DJs at Digbeth Dining Club every Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sunday. The Victoria and Island Bar host a wide variety of funk, soul, disco and indie DJs every weekend with occasional live gigs upstairs at the Vic (check out Tikki Thurs at Island). The Sun on The Hill offers the best in indie DJs on weekends. The Actress & Bishop provides live acoustic and gig nights throughout the month with late entry! The Stable hosts a variety of DJs and live music throughout the month.
A range of regular monthly DJ and jazz nights nights take place at 1000 Trades. Not forgetting the best in balearic, house, disco and soul Saturday evenings and Collective, Soulshake, Loose Joints on Fridays at the Lord Clifden (the best Sunday Roasts too!). The Ruin, Digbeth is home to some of the city’s finest disco, funk and vintage house DJs every weekend. You can find soulful & funky live jazz at The Spotted Dog, Digbeth every Tuesday. Bourne & Co host DJ Damian Saturdays playing latin, soul, disco and boogie. You’ll also find DJ Morais Vibes at The Pint Shop spinnin’ his juicy disco grooves weekends. Digbrew also hosts some top DJs and live music most weekends as does Digbeth Works. For the best in blues check out Henry’s Blues every Tuesday at Bull’s Head Brum.
Recommended Music Events May 2019
Thu 2 May 19
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Live Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar Barive Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden
Kaleidoscope live music from Black Mekon, The Mighty Young & Hamer plus DJs and arts market. 8pm @ Night Owl
Alabama 3 Acoustic @ The Mill
THE MONKEY BUTLERS + THE WHITE NOISE + MALLAVORA + MIND AT LARGE @ Bristol Pear
TEKTU Pres: PRE EXAM BLOW OUT @ Lab 11
JUNIORE @ Sunflower Lounge
Fri 3 May 19
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Loose Joints DJs playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
1000 Trades Presents: Hot Piroski @ 1000 Trades
Come Together presents Swampmeat Family Band Live country punk from Swampmeat Family Band plus Cave Girl and DJs playing soul, rock & roll and more. 9Pm @ Night Owl
The Dave Storey Trio @ 1000 Trades
The Mysterines + Special Guests7pm // 14+ // £6 @ Castle & Falcon
FLING + M A R C + SHAI BRIDES @ Sunflower Lounge
SaSaSaS presents NXT LVL : @ The Mill
MoodFix Presents Esa @ Hare & Hounds
Pete Felton Live @ Digbeth Works
Batman vs Alien : Dead Pixels – £1 Entry Free To Play @ Spotlight
God Complex & Gassed Up W/ Frantic State, Inside and Mantlet @ The Victoria
Sat 4 May 19
Saturday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
TLC – disco, house, funk, balearic, cosmic, classics. Resident djs every week, 7pm – late @ The Lord Clifden
Vintage Mixmasters playing disco, nu-boogie, soul, latin and raregroove 7pm – late @ Bourne & Co
1000 Trades Presents: Pigeonhole with Jon Harris @ 1000 Trades
Dig? Funk and soul party with Fatlip Live funk and soul covers from Fatlip plus DJ Steve ‘Jools’ Belgium and friends. 8pm @ Night Owl
Dig? Soul and retro club night with DJs Steve Connelly and friends. 11pm @ Night Owl
Stable Sessions Presents: DJ Craig Ward @ The Stable
The Night Owl’s Disco Brunch DJs Joel Webster and Richard Buckley playing disco, funk, soul and boogie plus street food from House of Hen and bottomless drinks for the first hour. 12Pm @ Night Owl
COCAINE PISS + SUE + BAD GIRLFRIEND + DEAFS DOOR @ Sunflower Lounge
No Future 2019- Angelic Upstarts/ Anti-Nowhere League/ GBH/ 999+ @ The Mill
SASASAS with Macky Gee, Dj Phantasy, Skibadee @ The Mill
The Estates / Broken Looking Glass / The Common / Seconds Out @ Actress & Bishop
We Love the Big Bank Holiday Party @ The Mill
DDC Shanty Town Takeover @ Mama Roux’s
AFTA DARK All Night Long – bank holiday special @ Lab 11
DJ Mikey Stuart @ The Pint Shop
Moho: Drake Night & The BabMag Takeover @ Spotlight
Endless Summer w/ Rob J 2pm – 6pm @ Cafe Artum
MOHO Warm Up Sessions Part 1 @ Old Crown
Sun 5 May 19
Sundaysoul. – Every Sunday @ Mama Roux’s
1000 Trades Presents: Down Tempo Disco @ 1000 Trades
Quadrophenia 40th Anniversary Live music from Men Of North Country and The Acoustic Who plus DJs playing mod, soul and more celebrating 40 years of Quadrophenia. 2pm + kids welcome until 8pm @ Night Owl
Our House Rave @ The Mill
Mr Scruff @ Hare & Hounds
Retroforward @ Hare & Hounds
TRMNL x One Records – Bank Holiday Sunday @ Lab 11
Rum Runner DJ Shaun Williams celebrates 40th anniversary of legendary jazz-funk nights! @ The Leinster Room
Mikey Mike Motown Tribute @ The Bull’s Head, Brum
David Rodigan & Mighty Crown @ O2 Academy
tIME with BUTCH / Alex Arnout / Breese / Josh Gregg / The Darrs @ Dig Brew
The Jam DRC Live tribute to The Jam. 8pm @ Night Owl
Martin Kemp – The Ultimate Back To The 80′ DJ Set @ The Mill
Phoxjaw, The King Is Dead, Sonder, Gruel @ Actress & Bishop
SAM FENDER + A FESTIVAL, A PARADE @ O2 Institute
Voyage presents: Global Selects DDC Takeover @ Mama Roux’s
FORMAT @ Lab 11
Opera at Digbrew – Besse: Hops @ Dig Brew
Sat 11 May 19
Saturday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
TLC – disco, house, funk, balearic, cosmic, classics. Resident djs every week, 7pm – late @ The Lord Clifden
Vintage Mixmasters playing disco, nu-boogie, soul, latin and raregroove 7pm – late @ Bourne & Co
1000 Trades Presents: Mummy Was An Asteroid @ 1000 Trades
An Evening with Alan McGee Discussion and Q&A with Creation Records founder Alan McGee plus live music from The Jade Assembly and Chris Bloor (Blue Nation) + DJs Shaun Walsh and Mazzy Snape. 7:30pm @ Night Owl
Tropicando Sunshine soul, Latin, psychedelia, jazz and reggae with DJs Kaminski & Buckley. 1pm + kids welcome @ Night Owl
HAVVK // MeMe Detroit // Pretty Vile // Charlotte Carpenter @ Actress & Bishop
Original Techno @ The Mill
SUSTO + JUDY BLANK @ Cuban Embassy
WOLF ORCHESTRA + GIANT & THE GEORGES + SEAN DUGGAN @ Sunflower Lounge
Oscar’s Vibe Train @ Hare & Hounds
Anne-Marie & Dominic James Hyde @ Digbeth Works
Body People @ Cafe Artum
SoundWaves Music Competition Birmingham Live Audition Festival @ The Victoria
Sara Cox – Just Can’t Get Enough 80’s @ Digbeth Arena
Sun 12 May 19
Sundaysoul. – Every Sunday @ Mama Roux’s
Make it Reggae! Reggae, ska and rocksteady from DJs Joe Turner, Simon Cobb (Work Your Shot) & The Ska Father. 2pm + kids welcome @ Night Owl
Beer and Blues at the Actress Zoe Green Band @ Actress & Bishop
Only Shadows @ Sunflower Lounge
UB40 Tribute @ The Bull’s Head, Brum
Death Blooms, Enemo J, Johanna Rey, Insurgent @ The Victoria
Mon 13 May 19
Neighbourhd Live progressive urban music and jam session. 7:30pm @ Night Owl
Chai @ Hare & Hounds
Rings Of Saturn, Nekrogoblikon, Mental Cruelty + More @ Mama Roux’s
Tue 14 May 19
Henry’s Blueshouse @ The Bull’s Head, Brum
Jazz night. Free Entry 8pm @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Wheatus at The Mill @ The Mill
SOAK @ Hare & Hounds
Wed 15 May 19
Ishmael Ensemble @ Hare & Hounds
KRS-One ft DJ Predator Prime, Synikall & Trademark w/ DJ Tricksta @ O2 Institute2
Thu 16 May 19
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Live Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar Barive Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar
SHAKE SHAKE GO + SPECIAL GUESTS @ Sunflower Lounge
The Birmingham Music Awards 2019 @ The Mill
ALASKALASKA @ Hare & Hounds
OBL Beer x VICE Pub Quiz @ Spotlight
Fri 17 May 19
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
The Collective DJs playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Dig? Soul and retro club night with DJs Richard Bamber and Joel Webster. 11pm start @ Night Owl
Fred Zeppelin Led Zeppelin tribute. 8Pm @ Night Owl
Oh My God! It’s The Church + Argle Bargle 7pm // 14+ // £12 @ Castle & Falcon
PAPER BUOYS + THE BONGO CLUB + GHOSTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKS @ Flapper
Renaissance Birmingham Part II: Solomun + Guests @ The Mill
This Feeling – B’ham w/ Latenight Honeymoon + more @ Actress & Bishop
Masters of the Old Skool Rave in aid of MIND charity @ The Monastery Digbeth
James Harriman / The White Noise / Deaf Balloons / The Reptars @ The Victoria
Sat 18 May 19
Saturday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
TLC – disco, house, funk, balearic, cosmic, classics. Resident djs every week, 7pm – late @ The Lord Clifden
Vintage Mixmasters playing disco, nu-boogie, soul, latin and raregroove 7pm – late @ Bourne & Co
Dig? Soul and retro club night with DJs Andy Marshall & Jim Drummond. 11pm start @ Night Owl
Matthew & The Atlas 7pm // 14+ // £12.50 @ Castle & Falcon
Soul Saturdays Soul and retro music in the garden with DJ Steve Connelly. 1pm + kids welcome @ Night Owl
Stable Sessions Presents: Call Me Unique @ The Stable
The Quik Beats Live tribute to the 1960s. 8pm start @ Night Owl
Rum & Reggae Festival @ The Mill
Tranmsission The Sound Of Joy Division Plus The Good Water @ Actress & Bishop
Birmingham Human Traffic 20th Anniversary Celebration @ Mama Roux’s
Levels Rooftop Opening Party @ Lab 11
River Fury / The Sunlight Machine / What’s Left / Tokyo Tea Room @ The Victoria
Kamasi Washington @ O2 Institute
Sun 19 May 19
Sundaysoul. – Every Sunday @ Mama Roux’s
1000 Trades Presents: Brumbeat @ 1000 Trades
Beak> @ Hare & Hounds
Tina Turner Tribute @ The Bull’s Head, Brum
Tue 21 May 19
Henry’s Blueshouse @ The Bull’s Head, Brum
Jazz night. Free Entry 8pm @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
BRY + DAVE GILES @ Hare & Hounds
Jaz Ellington: Legends of Soul @ Hare & Hounds
Wed 22 May 19
HOMESHAKE @ Hare & Hounds
Thu 23 May 19
Live Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar Barive Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden
Brujeria @ Mama Roux’s
Manic Street Preachers @ O2 Academy
Fri 24 May 19
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
The Collective DJs playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Dig? Soul and retro club night with DJs Mazzy Snape and friends. 11pm start @ Night Owl
Take the 5th Live tribute to The Clash. 8pm @ Night Owl
Life at the Arcade + Special Guests @ Castle & Falcon
Hedkandi at The Mill @ The Mill
Broken Minds Presents: Ray Keith @ Hare & Hounds
Sat 25 May 19
Saturday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
TLC – disco, house, funk, balearic, cosmic, classics. Resident djs every week, 7pm – late @ The Lord Clifden
Vintage Mixmasters playing disco, nu-boogie, soul, latin and raregroove 7pm – late @ Bourne & Co
Dig? Soul and retro club night with resident Night Owl DJs. 11Pm @ Night Owl
Absolute Stone Roses Live tribute to The Stone Roses. 8Pm @ Night Owl
Mercy Union + Special Guests 7pm // 14+ // £15 @ Castle & Falcon
NowHam – A Night of Credible 80s @ 1000 Trades
Soul Saturdays Soul and retro music in the garden with DJs. 1pm + kids welcome @ Night Owl
Stable Sessions Presents: The Bandidos @ The Stable
The Big Birmingham Soul Night @ Birmingham Town Hall DJs Colin Curtis, PEP & Neil Rushton + resident Night Owl DJs play Northern Soul, Motown, mod and more over two rooms. 9Pm @ Night Owl
OI! NO FUCKING QUIZZING AT MY GIG SPILT MILK SOCIETY + DAME + THE PINES + LIAM JAMES WARD DJ SET @ Sunflower Lounge
Peter Perrett (The Only Ones) @ Actress & Bishop
Steve Lawler presents Warriors @ The Mill
Peppery & Young Culture Band Saturday 25th May @ Hare & Hounds
Little Cavalier Festival 2019 @ The Flapper
Sun 26 May 19
Don Letts’ Bank Holiday Carnival Reggae, carnival sounds & more from DJ Don Letts, Steve ‘Jools’ Belgium (Sweat) & Tom Mason + live music from The Heels. 2pm + kids welcome until 8pm @ Night Owl
I Don’t Know What It Is, But It Sure Is Funky @ 1000 Trades
DJ Format @ Hare & Hounds
GLAS Bank Holiday Rave @ Lab 11
Amy Winehouse Tribute @ The Bull’s Head, Brum
Nevermind the Nineties @ Digbeth Works
Little Cavalier Festival 2019 @ The Flapper
Tue 28 May 19
Henry’s Blueshouse@ The Bull’s Head, Brum
Jazz night. Free Entry 8pm @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
20 Guilders (Acid Mothers Temple/Boredoms/ZENI GEVA) + support @ Hare & Hounds
YOLA @ Hare & Hounds
Leeched x Ithaca @ The Victoria
Wed 29 May 19
ALI HORN + SPECIAL GUESTS @ Sunflower Lounge
ROSE ELINOR DOUGALL + SPECIAL GUESTS @ Cuban Embassy
Ex-Hex @ Hare & Hounds
Lunar C Live Plus World DJ Champion Mr Switch @ Hare & Hounds
Fit For An Autopsy @ Mama Roux’s
Thu 30 May 19
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Live Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar Barive Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden
Summer Of Love @ The Mill
The Allergies (Live) ft. Andy Cooper @ Hare & Hounds
Fri 31 May 19
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Soulshake DJs playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Le Freak: The Get Down Disco V 70s Hip Hop with DJs Lee Fisher, Tom Mason and Richard Buckley. 9pm @ Night Owl
BBC Introducing Showcase: Ivory Wave + La Dharma + Karkosa & more 7pm // 14+ // £10 @ Castle & Falcon
Pitch Control Presents: DJ Trieste @ 1000 Trades
Stable Sessions Presents: DJ Jus Neil @ The Stable
CEDRIC BURNSIDE + TODD ALBRIGHT @ Flapper
EMMY THE GREAT + BISHI @ Cuban Embassy
Heavy Rapids / Y!kes / Earls @ Actress & Bishop
The Mariachis’ Mexican Fiesta @ The Mill
Crazy P [Live] @ Hare & Hounds
Hidden Agenda: T>I, Potential Badboy, Run Tingz Cru + more! @ Mama Roux’s
Resonate Presents: Roman Flügel, Evan Baggs, Tom Ellis & more @ Lab 11
