Favourite Gig Venues

[Tom Joad]

Anyone remember Ronnie Scotts on Broad Street?

I saw Mark Knopfler there for 2 nights in 1998. I thought I was on the stage with him!! Beer was fucking expensive, mind.

Yes. Forgot about that place. Great venue but with beer at that price it was no wonder it folded.

[Duffers]

Birmingham definitely suffers from a lack of decent venues - there’s the main arena that isn’t even in the city Center, a smaller arena that isn’t used much, the Academy and Institute and a few places further out like the H&H. For what is supposed to be the second city it really isn’t great, especially when compared to Manchester who have dozens of great places to watch bands.

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There isn’t anywhere between academy and arena for instance...

Sunflower Lounge is a decent small venue right next to New Street to be fair.

Though I think Birmingham is a great city it's nightlife does lack a fair bit in relation to Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Bristol which, with the exception of Leeds, are half the size.

One thing that gets me about Birmingham is the complete lack of large outdoor venues too. Every summer in Manchester they have massive acts playing at the Etihad, Old Trafford, Old Trafford cricket ground, Heaton Park...

Birmingham has nothing, despite three large football grounds, a huge cricket ground and the biggest inner city park in Europe. Closest Birmingham gets is the Ricoh, miles away in the arse end of Coventry.

[Tom Joad]

Birmingham definitely suffers from a lack of decent venues - there’s the main arena that isn’t even in the city Center, a smaller arena that isn’t used much, the Academy and Institute and a few places further out like the H&H. For what is supposed to be the second city it really isn’t great, especially when compared to Manchester who have dozens of great places to watch bands.

---

There isn’t anywhere between academy and arena for instance...

Sunflower Lounge is a decent small venue right next to New Street to be fair.

Though I think Birmingham is a great city it's nightlife does lack a fair bit in relation to Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Bristol which, with the exception of Leeds, are half the size.

One thing that gets me about Birmingham is the complete lack of large outdoor venues too. Every summer in Manchester they have massive acts playing at the Etihad, Old Trafford, Old Trafford cricket ground, Heaton Park...

Birmingham has nothing, despite three large football grounds, a huge cricket ground and the biggest inner city park in Europe. Closest Birmingham gets is the Ricoh, miles away in the arse end of Coventry.

True. I've always wondered why the Albion haven't attempted putting on a rock concert. As outdoor venues go, it's got it everything bar parking, which would need addressing. I saw the Pogues at Blues, mind, and that has no parking. The big positive would be the lack of residents to be disturbed.

[HeavyWoollenBaggie]

Birmingham definitely suffers from a lack of decent venues - there’s the main arena that isn’t even in the city Center, a smaller arena that isn’t used much, the Academy and Institute and a few places further out like the H&H. For what is supposed to be the second city it really isn’t great, especially when compared to Manchester who have dozens of great places to watch bands.

---

There isn’t anywhere between academy and arena for instance...

Sunflower Lounge is a decent small venue right next to New Street to be fair.

Though I think Birmingham is a great city it's nightlife does lack a fair bit in relation to Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Bristol which, with the exception of Leeds, are half the size.

One thing that gets me about Birmingham is the complete lack of large outdoor venues too. Every summer in Manchester they have massive acts playing at the Etihad, Old Trafford, Old Trafford cricket ground, Heaton Park...

Birmingham has nothing, despite three large football grounds, a huge cricket ground and the biggest inner city park in Europe. Closest Birmingham gets is the Ricoh, miles away in the arse end of Coventry.

True. I've always wondered why the Albion haven't attempted putting on a rock concert. As outdoor venues go, it's got it everything bar parking, which would need addressing. I saw the Pogues at Blues, mind, and that has no parking. The big positive would be the lack of residents to be disturbed.

Me too.  And boxing.   Park the stage/ring in front of the Halfords and it would be ace.

[Duffers]

Birmingham definitely suffers from a lack of decent venues - there’s the main arena that isn’t even in the city Center, a smaller arena that isn’t used much, the Academy and Institute and a few places further out like the H&H. For what is supposed to be the second city it really isn’t great, especially when compared to Manchester who have dozens of great places to watch bands.

---

There isn’t anywhere between academy and arena for instance...

Sunflower Lounge is a decent small venue right next to New Street to be fair.

Though I think Birmingham is a great city it's nightlife does lack a fair bit in relation to Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Bristol which, with the exception of Leeds, are half the size.

One thing that gets me about Birmingham is the complete lack of large outdoor venues too. Every summer in Manchester they have massive acts playing at the Etihad, Old Trafford, Old Trafford cricket ground, Heaton Park...

Birmingham has nothing, despite three large football grounds, a huge cricket ground and the biggest inner city park in Europe. Closest Birmingham gets is the Ricoh, miles away in the arse end of Coventry.

True. I've always wondered why the Albion haven't attempted putting on a rock concert. As outdoor venues go, it's got it everything bar parking, which would need addressing. I saw the Pogues at Blues, mind, and that has no parking. The big positive would be the lack of residents to be disturbed.

Parking shouldn’t be too much of a concern, surely most punters who turn up for a rock concert are drinking? Traffic would be on a par with a regular match day I’d say.

[Ciro]

Growing up on the South Coast my two favourite small venues were Southampton Joiners Arms and Portsmouth Wedgwood rooms. Saw all the great and good of Britpop coming through there from 90-94 including Oasis, Cast, Verve etc.

Moved to Bath for Uni in 94 so was a regular at Moles Club as well as Pub venues in Bristol like Fleece and Firkin and Louisiana where I saw Keane, Kasabian etc.

The smaller venues were always my favourites.

That said seeing Oasis at Maine Rd and The Verve home gig at Haigh Hall in Wigan will live long in the memory.

Worst big venues/gigs for me were Oasis at Knebworth and The Roses at Heaton Park. Both utter shite if you ask me. Glad I was there for the occasion but viewing and sound were both shite imo. Glad I saw both earlier in their pomp at small venues.

And as for Glasto. It doesn't need explaining. It's just fucking ace!

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Loved the Wedgwood rooms. Seen a few well known bands in there but weirdly the best band I saw there was Sparklehorse

[Borin' Baggie]

Birmingham definitely suffers from a lack of decent venues - there’s the main arena that isn’t even in the city Center, a smaller arena that isn’t used much, the Academy and Institute and a few places further out like the H&H. For what is supposed to be the second city it really isn’t great, especially when compared to Manchester who have dozens of great places to watch bands.

---

There isn’t anywhere between academy and arena for instance...

Sunflower Lounge is a decent small venue right next to New Street to be fair.

Though I think Birmingham is a great city it's nightlife does lack a fair bit in relation to Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Bristol which, with the exception of Leeds, are half the size.

One thing that gets me about Birmingham is the complete lack of large outdoor venues too. Every summer in Manchester they have massive acts playing at the Etihad, Old Trafford, Old Trafford cricket ground, Heaton Park...

Birmingham has nothing, despite three large football grounds, a huge cricket ground and the biggest inner city park in Europe. Closest Birmingham gets is the Ricoh, miles away in the arse end of Coventry.

I don't understand why Birmingham doesn't have an outdoor summer festival, Coventry has one for crying out loud, Cannon Hill Park is double the size of the Memorial Park in Coventry.

I think the club have also massively missed a trick by not wanting to host events other than football at The Hawthorns given it borders the second biggest city in the country, it is centrally located within the second largest conurbation in the country, it's not really in a residential area and it might well be the best connected football ground in the UK.

[Tom Joad]

Birmingham definitely suffers from a lack of decent venues - there’s the main arena that isn’t even in the city Center, a smaller arena that isn’t used much, the Academy and Institute and a few places further out like the H&H. For what is supposed to be the second city it really isn’t great, especially when compared to Manchester who have dozens of great places to watch bands.

---

There isn’t anywhere between academy and arena for instance...

Sunflower Lounge is a decent small venue right next to New Street to be fair.

Though I think Birmingham is a great city it's nightlife does lack a fair bit in relation to Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Bristol which, with the exception of Leeds, are half the size.

One thing that gets me about Birmingham is the complete lack of large outdoor venues too. Every summer in Manchester they have massive acts playing at the Etihad, Old Trafford, Old Trafford cricket ground, Heaton Park...

Birmingham has nothing, despite three large football grounds, a huge cricket ground and the biggest inner city park in Europe. Closest Birmingham gets is the Ricoh, miles away in the arse end of Coventry.

True. I've always wondered why the Albion haven't attempted putting on a rock concert. As outdoor venues go, it's got it everything bar parking, which would need addressing. I saw the Pogues at Blues, mind, and that has no parking. The big positive would be the lack of residents to be disturbed.

Parking shouldn’t be too much of a concern, surely most punters who turn up for a rock concert are drinking? Traffic would be on a par with a regular match day I’d say.

You'd think! Have you seen the state of the roads around the Ricoh when theres a concert on?