Menu

Forums - General Chat

Birmingham

    •  bluesoulbluesoul
    • I'll soon be moving to the edgbaston area of Birmingham, just wondering if anyone can give some (music non-music related) advice on where to go and where not to go... cheers!
    •  pull-my-plonkerpull-my-plonker
    • Scruffy Murphy's in Brum city centre - awesome pub and lots of gigs.

      The Old Wharf - lots of giggage there too on Digbeth High St.

      NOt too familiar with Edgebaston, but avoid all Wetherspoons's at all costs!!
    •  basstardbasstard
    • Definitely Scruffy's is your best bet for a night of drinking and rocking.
      Other regular venues/ pubs worth getting to are the aforementioned Old Wharf, the Asylum, The Custard Factory (not as regular for gigs now), Eddies, The Wagon & Horses, the Black Horse in Aston can be OK. Then there's the corporate biggies like the Academy and the newly re-opened Institute (now owned by HMV).

      Edgbaston is quite a nice area (i.e. not rough as arseholes like some parts of Brum). Don't really know any of the boozers round there.

      It's a fair way from Edgbaston but Polar Bear records in Kings Heath is always worth a visit. Friendly staff are pretty knowledgable in all sorts of music from doom to black metal to avant-jazz-freaky-fuckery and whatever else floats your boat. It's a few doors away from the Hare and Hounds, a really good venue for touring bands (about 300 capacity).

      The city centre has lost its main shop for metal etc. recently (Tempest) but I always found it pretty extortionate so I don't miss it too much. Swordfish is pretty good but has a strong 60s hippy bias. They open the back of the shop for 2nd hand stuff on a Saturday- you can get some good bargains if you spare the time to trawl through it.

      Brum gets a lot of stick from the rest of the world but there's a lot going for it. Soak up the Sabbath influencing misery vibes!
    •  mikemike
    • I love hanging round Brum at Supersonic every year, nice place, the museum is brilliant too, a group of us spent a good 2 hours in there once. The city centre is pretty sweet too.
    •  pull-my-plonkerpull-my-plonker
    • The Hare and Hounds is cracking. Try to check out some of the Capsule gigs there, should be a few around the Supersonic fest in Oct - the two girls who run the organisation are great and really know their stuff, plus the venue (and pub) is fantastic.

      Haven't been to Eddie's since it reopened so not sure how it fares these days.

      Haven't heard of a couple of those other ones, will have to have a looksee sometime. The Rainbow Inn near the Custard Factory (which has some cool little shops) is good too.
    •  basstardbasstard
    • Forgot to mention, if you play guitar Edgbaston has a new super swanky shop called GuitarGuitar. Mostly higher end stuff, ideal if you've got plenty of cash but good for a drool and a dream if you haven't.

      Other pubs/ venues I should have mentioned too- Flapper & Firkin has the occasional good night, as does the miniscule Sunflower lounge.
      [Edited by basstard at 17:48 on 22/08/10]
    •  bluesoulbluesoul
    • Cheers all, looking forward to moving. Shame about the record shops though

Forums - General Chat - Birmingham