You’d expect the place that spawned Duran Duran, ELO, UB40 and Mendelssohn’s Elijah to boast a range of musical venues and Birmingham doesn’t disappoint. The great aunt of them all is surely the classical Town Hall, built in the 1830s to house the triennial music festivals and still dominating the city centre. Although it’s more likely to host world or folk musicians than it is an orchestra these days, it remains a treat for the eye as well as the ear.
Classical music has since migrated in the direction of Symphony Hall, part of the International Convention Centre. A new home for the acclaimed City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Hall was the brainchild of Simon Rattle, when he headed the orchestra back in the 1990s. It’s an acoustically perfect space, and a throwback to the concert halls of the 18th century. Just don’t take sweets with noisy wrappers there; almost every sound can be heard.
The modern economics of rock and pop have driven audiences to ever more cavernous venues, and Birmingham has three such giants – one at the National Exhibition Centre, another at the Horsefair and one by the canal at the National Indoor Arena. The snag is keeping up with the changes of name, as sponsorship and branding deals eliminate earlier titles. Currently, we have the Genting Arena at the NEC, the O2 Academy at the Horsefair, and the Barclaycard Arena in the city centre.
The O2 Academy concentrates on up-and-coming acts, geared particularly to the young, while the Genting and Barclaycard play host to the stadium giants. Over at The Institute, the city’s medium-capacity venue, you’ll be able to catch the hip, the credible and, occasionally, the obscure.
If the rock gods don’t float your boat, there’s Birmingham’s live music pubs, which have made a major comeback in recent years. Two of the best spots are in Kings Heath: the folk music mecca of the Red Lion and the indie Hare & Hounds. Perhaps the quirkiest of venues is the Tower of Song in Kings Norton, bizarrely tucked behind a garage and specialising in roots music. This place can feel busy with less than a dozen people inside.
Live music is not just about concerts, of course. When the Birmingham Royal Ballet are performing at the Hippodrome in Hurst Street, there’s an orchestra accompanying, tucked away in the pit below the enormous stage. Increasingly, as the blockbuster musicals have begun to tour the country, the Hippodrome is one of the few venues with the capacity to stage the largest shows.
Considerably more intimate is the CBSO Centre in Berkley Street. Nominally a rehearsal space for the orchestra, the 300-seat auditorium has become a leading venue for contemporary music.
