Traditionally theatres and concert halls tend to be quite quiet places over the summer months with very few events on. There are a few reasons for this – for one thing a lot of people who could make up audiences are on holiday. There are festivals on that their audiences want to go to. And having spent 10 years working in theatres and concert halls, they tend to be very hot, sticky places with no air conditioning, or little air conditioning, and they aren’t necessarily where you want to spend an evening. Having said that, there are indeed only a few events on at most venues, with the exception of Symphony Hall, and to an extent Birmingham Town Hall, where there are loads of events on mostly as part of a couple of festivals – the Music for Youth Festival this coming weekend and Birmingham Jazz Festival in early August.
So I have decided to combine both July and August for this month’s roundup of events. I am, as usual, just focussing on events in Birmingham and the surrounding areas, but will quickly say that if you do want to take your children on to a concert or musical theatre performance, shows are on in London’s West End. In fact Official London Theatre’s Kids Week, named because it originally ran for one week but is now a month long offer where children under 17 can go free for certain West End musicals, is running throughout August. It went on sale a few weeks ago so there will be fewer tickets available now, but it would be worth having a look if you have a musical theatre fan in your household. You can find a link to Kids Week information here:
Official London Theatre’s Kids Week
I would also like to point out that the proms festival is on at the Royal Albert Hall in London from 14 July – 9 September. Tickets are on sale now, but if you haven’t been able to get hold of tickets for as particular prom (with the exception of the last night) and you don’t mind queueing for several hours – seriously some people queue for hours and hours and hours) – then you can always try queueing up for “Promming” or standing room tickets in the Royal Albert Hall’s Gallery or Arena areas. There are loads of concerts on during the Proms Festival, for families perhaps the most notable events are Prom 10 – Horrible Histories: ‘Orrible Opera on 22 July and CBeebies: Ocean Open on 23 July both at Sage Gateshead, Prom 25: Relaxed Prom on 3 August and Prom 57: Fantasy, Myths and Legends. If you want to book tickets for any of the proms and don\’t fancy standing outside the Royal Akbert Hall to try and promenda
BBC Proms Information and Tickets
Right, now it’s time for my roundup of music-based events for children in Birmingham and the surrounding areas for the next 2 months . At the time of writing, all of the events I have included below have ticket availability, though obviously this may well have changed by the time you read this post. I include a Table of Contents immediately below so you can have a quick look at all the events covered, and jump straight to the venue/show you are most interested in.
- Birmingham Hippodrome
- Symphony Hall
- B:and Together Gospel Workshops (11-19 year olds) on 5 July at 5.30pm
- MFY National Festival 2023 Weekend on 7-8 July at various times
- Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan: Just Qawali on 9 July at 7.30pm
- Services for Education Youth Proms 2023 on 10-13 July at 7pm
- Blind Spot: Healing Ragas with Baluhi Shrivastav OBE on 12 July at 1pm
- Free Jazz Fridays: The Blue Notes on 14 July at 5pm
- Free Jazz Fridays: Steve Tromans on 21 July at 5pm
- Community Spirit 2023: Celebrating Songs Of The Earth on 23 July at 3pm
- Anton & Giovani: Him & Me on 29 July at 7.30pm
- Encanto In Concert: The Film With Live Orchestra on 31 July at 3pm
- Blind Spot: InnerVision Trio with Fereshteh Khosroujerdy, Ghow Ratnarajah & Ziad Sinno on 1 August at 3pm
- B:JazzFest: Charlotte Keeffe’s Right Here Right Now Quartet on 1 August at 1pm
- B:JazzFest: Gabrielle Liandu & Nishla Smith on 8 August at 5pm
- B:JazzFest: Shanty Town – A Tribute to Ruth Kokumo Noah on 9 August at 5pm
- B:JazzFest: Olivia Murphy’s Jazz Orchestra on 9 August at 7.30pm
- B:JazzFest: David Ijaduola’s Lucumi Project on 10 August at 5pm
- B:JazzFest: Romarna Campbell on 10 August at 7.30pm
- B:JazzFest: Arun Ghosh on 11 August at 5pm
- B:JazzFest: K.O.G. Sound System on 11 August at 8.30pm
- Nashville Sounds In The Round: Gasoline & Matches, Luke Flear, Matt Hodges & Robyn Red on 19 August at 11.30am
- Birmingham Town Hall
- MFY National Festival 2023 Weekend on 7-8 July at various times
- Shiamuk’s Summer Funk: Bollywood Forever on 9 July at 6pm
- Pop Voices present “Proud” their 10 Year Anniversary Concert on 15 July at 3pm
- CBSO Youth Orchestra Academy on 30 July at 7pm
- The National Children’s Choir of Great Britain 25th Anniversary Concert on 12 August at 2.30pm
- The Tiger Who Came To Tea on 22-28 August at various times
- CBSO Centre
- Midland Arts Centre (MAC)
- The Core Theatre, Solihull
Birmingham Hippodrome
Home to Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Welsh National Opera, the Hippodrome is a fantastic large venue that hosts touring arts companies who put on big shows like musicals.
Disney’s The Lion King on 6 July – 16 September at various times
In July 2023, this acclaimed production will return to Birmingham Hippodrome for a strictly limited season. Set against the majesty of the Serengeti to the evocative rhythms of Africa, THE LION KING tells the story of Simba’s epic journey to fulfil his destiny as King of the Pridelands.
Director Julie Taymor uses breathtaking theatrical magic to bring Disney’s beloved animated feature to life in a production which has thrilled over 110 million people around the world.
Book now to experience this theatrical phenomenon!
Symphony Hall
Symphony Hall is a wonderful purpose built concert hall, famous for its amazing acoustics. The Hall is part of the International Convention Centre on Centenary Square, next door to Birmingham Rep Theatre.
B:and Together Gospel Workshops (11-19 year olds) on 5 July at 5.30pm
Are you aged between 11 and 19 years old?
Are you from Birmingham or the surrounding areas?
Do you want the opportunity to learn classic and contemporary gospel repertoire?
The B:Music Gospel B:and is an exciting project led by drummer, band leader and educator Ray Prince and vocalist Claudia Prince. Ray and Claudia run the epic Gospel Revisited Project and are amongst the cities most revered Gospel artists.
The B:and have performed in the Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space at Symphony Hall’ to ‘B:and Together Gospel are regularly given performance opportunities, including chances to perform in our spaces at Symphony Hall such as the Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space.
Free Event
B:and Together Gospel Workshops
MFY National Festival 2023 Weekend on 7-8 July at various times
Performances from young people’s choirs, bands ensembles and orchestras throughout this weekend across all 3 of the B:Music Venues. You can buy tickets for individual events or for the whole festival. Please see the B:Music website for full details.
Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan: Just Qawali on 9 July at 7.30pm
After his sell out Arena Shows in 2022, the musical maestro is back to perform a once in a lifetime performance of Qawali in an up close and personal setting.
“I am basically a Qawal and the poetry of the Sufi’s runs in my veins. Qawali is at the heart of our family traditions and my ancestors have worked hard to develop this genre of music and introduce it to the world. The world of music has not seen a Qawal that is parallel to Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He glorified the art of Qawali and took the art to international audiences. He won many awards and accolades for his performances. Qawali and I are inseparable. It runs in my blood. Whatever I am performing, Qawali is always at the heart of it. Qawali gives me the unique edge in all the music that I do.”
Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan: Just Qawali
Services for Education Youth Proms 2023 on 10-13 July at 7pm
Over four nights, Services For Education will showcase the musical talents over 3000 young musicians from across Birmingham. Featuring performances from SFE Central Ensembles, Area Ensembles, School Based Ensembles and Birmingham Schools’ Primary Choir.
These concerts will feature music from a variety of genres and are a culmination of the work SFE has been doing in schools and at ensemble centres throughout 2021-22. The concerts will have BSL interpretation.
Birmingham Schools’ Symphony Orchestra
Birmingham Schools’ Azaad Dhol Group
Birmingham Schools’ Training Brass Band
Birmingham Schools’ Training Guitar Ensemble
Birmingham Schools’ Percussion Ensemble
Birmingham Schools’ Primary Choir featuring:
Colmore junior school
Guardian Angels Primary School
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
Slade Primary School
Brookfields Primary
West Heath Primary School
Abbey Catholic Primary School
Kings Norton Primary School
Mere Green Primary School
Birmingham Schools’ Massed Ensemble featuring:Ark Boulton Academy
St Edward’s Catholic Primary School
Whitehouse Common Primary School
KEVI Handsworth Grammar School
New Oscott Primary School
St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School
Mere Green Primary School
Birches Green Junior School
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Primary School
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School
Kings Norton Primary School
Cockshut Hill School
Swanshurst School
Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School Year 7 Orchestra
St Mary’s C of E Primary School
Services for Education Youth Proms 2023
Blind Spot: Healing Ragas with Baluhi Shrivastav OBE on 12 July at 1pm
Indian maestro Baluji Shrivastav OBE will perform an uplifting concert on sitar accompanied by Yousuf Ali Khan on tablas and Linda Shanovitch on tanpura. Music that is both soothing and sublime.
Time Out ‘a source of pure delight’
Vogue ‘intoxicating’
In Indian philosophy sound is the creative energy – Shakti – of the universe. An accomplished musician can harness this energy to evoke different states of mind – Rasas – in the listener. Join Baluji on a harmonious musical journey to inner peace.
About
Baluji Shrivastav OBE is an Indian multi-instrumentalist and one of the world’s leading composers and sitar players. He has performed and recorded with some of the greatest tabla accompanists such as Anindo Chatterji and Ustad Fayaz Khan. He has worked with a wide variety of artists including Stevie Wonder, Coldplay, Massive Attack. His compositions feature in a wide spectrum of films, theatre and television. The documentary film ‘Baluji’ about his life and work was directed by Marie-Cecile Embleton and has been screened at the New York Film Festival & the Auroville Film Festival in India.
Baluji and his wife, musician and writer Linda Shanson, established the Baluji Music Foundation in 2008 to increase opportunities for blind and visually impaired people. They founded the Inner Vision Orchestra of professional blind and visually impaired musicians in 2012. Baluji has been blind since the age of 8 months. Baluji was awarded the OBE in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours List for services to music and in 2016 was given the GG2 Award for Overcoming Adversity. In 2017, Times Group India awarded him the accolade of Non-Resident Indian of the Year for Art and Culture. In 2019 Baluji received the prestigious Hind Rattan Award-Jewel of India from the Indian Government.
Yousuf Ali Khan comes from the same famous musical dynasty as Ali Akhbar Khan, and began playing tabla at the age of five. He studied in Kolkata before coming to England from Bangladesh in 1980. An internationally known performer and accompanist of choice for Bangladeshi and Indian musicians visiting the UK, Yousuf has released several albums of his own and published a book with youth arts charity Music for Youth.
Baluji Music Foundation Blind Spot performances are designed to promote regular performances in music venues by talented blind and partially sighted musicians.
Blind Spot: Healing Ragas with Baluji Shrivastav
Free Jazz Fridays: The Blue Notes on 14 July at 5pm
Birmingham-based jazz vocalist Vic Evans who passed away last year will be dedicated a seat as a part of the B:music “Name a seat initiative” in Symphony Hall next to his friend and band leader Andy Hamilton MBE. We’ll be unveiling the seat on Friday 14th July alongside a performance with past and present Blue Notes playing a mixture of Jazz, Calypso and Blues.
The Blue Notes Paul Foad (Guitar), Tim Amann (Piano), Ray Grant & Fitzroy Coward (Bass), Louis Hamilton-Foad (Drums), Gabriel Amann (Trumpet), Andy Gayle (Sax) and Kirk Ricketts (Vocals) with special guests appearing throughout the performance
Free ticketed event/
Free Jazz Fridays: The Blue Notes
Free Jazz Fridays: Steve Tromans on 21 July at 5pm
Tromans has put together a quartet of musicians to perform his three movement suite, The Unquestioned Answer. Re-imagining Charles Ives’ seminal The Unanswered Question from 1908, Tromans composed the work to address the question: “What is the unquestioned answer in our society today? How differently could we live to be more in accord with our planet and what philosophy would enable us to do so?” A musical philosophical exploration of how humanity can face the many problems it has caused and work toward a better future for all.
Steve Tromans – piano and compositions, philosophical interludes
Amy Coates – double bass
Maja Pluta – violin
Steve Palmer – drumsFree ticketed event.
Free Jazz Fridays: Steve Tromans
Community Spirit 2023: Celebrating Songs Of The Earth on 23 July at 3pm
Community Spirit 2023: Celebrating Songs Of The Earth
With Black Voices and Featuring Jasmine Gardosi, Birmingham Poet Laureate.Community Spirit is a project run by B:Music in partnership with our Associate Artists, Black Voices. The project offers local community choirs the opportunity to share repertoire and perform as a collective in a large-scale concert in Symphony Hall.
In 2022 we celebrated the 10th anniversary of Community Spirit, with over 750 singers performing a brand-new commission for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games as a collective in a large-scale concert in Symphony Hall, a B:Music venue.
Following this incredible success, the highly acclaimed concert returns this year with the theme ‘Celebrating Songs of the Earth’, including an exciting commissioned performance by Birmingham Poet Laureate Jasmine Gardosi.
Jasmine Gardosi is an award-winning spoken word artist, beatboxer and multiple slam champion of national and international renown.
The Community Spirit choirs truly represent the best aspects of the city, showcasing a diversity of backgrounds, genres (from classical, pop, rock, gospel, folk, reggae and barbershop) and exploring the wonders of nature, culture, whilst addressing themes around climate change.
Community Spirit 2023: Celebrating Songs Of The Earth
Anton & Giovani: Him & Me on 29 July at 7.30pm
Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke and 2021 champion Giovanni Pernice join forces for their spectacular tour – Him & Me!
Brace yourselves for THE best night out when two of BBC Strictly Come Dancing’s best loved professional dancers team up for an unforgettable tour.
Showcasing their unrivalled rapport, they are bringing audiences a collaboration of dance, song and light-hearted fun!
Joined by a world class cast of dancers and singers, ANTON and GIOVANNI are coming together to put on the show to end all shows – the ultimate entertaining night out!
The Ballroom King and the Jive Master bring you HIM & ME!A true dance extravaganza for all ages.
* * * * * Sunday Express “…gorgeous treat”
** * * * Blackpool Gazette “Top of their class”
Produced by Strictly Theatre Co. and directed by Alan Burkitt.
Encanto In Concert: The Film With Live Orchestra on 31 July at 3pm
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award®-winning film comes to life in a UK tour for the first time ever, featuring the entire feature-length film with a full orchestra performing the score.
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto” tells the tale of the Madrigals, an extraordinary family living in a magical house in the mountains of Colombia. But when Mirabel, the only ordinary Madrigal, discovers the magic surrounding their home is in danger, she may be her family’s last hope. Encanto received the Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Producers Guild of America Award for Best Animated Feature.
Blind Spot: InnerVision Trio with Fereshteh Khosroujerdy, Ghow Ratnarajah & Ziad Sinno on 1 August at 3pm
Oud, percussion and vocal trio who have been working together for more than ten years. Fereshteh is a Persian singer who knows how to capture the attention of her audiences. Ghow is a percussion player and sings Tamil songs. Ziad is a singer and oud player with years of experience on stage. They sing songs from their countries in their own languages ranging from folk to romantic songs and together they form a unique blend of music which brings joy. They’ve toured the United Kingdom & Qatar with the Inner Vision Orchestra.
Blind Spot: Inner Vision Trio With Fereshteh Khosroujerdy, Ghow Ratnarajah & Ziad Sinno
B:JazzFest: Charlotte Keeffe’s Right Here Right Now Quartet on 1 August at 1pm
British musician, trumpeter and flugelhorn player Charlotte Keeffe wears her love for free improvisation, jazz and experimental music on her sleeve. Whether performing regularly as a soloist (Sound Brush), or leading a variety of different ensembles, including her Right Here, Right Now Quartet, she carefully carves out spaces for the free movement of ideas and individual expression.
Free ticketed event.
B:JazzFest: Charlotte Keeffe’s Right Here Right Now Quartet
B:JazzFest: Gabrielle Liandu & Nishla Smith on 8 August at 5pm
Gabriella Liandu
is a Zambian-Scottish singer and creative, passionate about versatility and malleability of the voice. The Mezzo-Soprano takes her roots in performing within the Opera world. Gabriella completed her Vocal and Operatic studies, graduating with First Class Honours in Music, followed by a Masters (with Distinction) in Jazz, from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, winning the B:Music Jazz Prize (prev. known as the Jazzlines THSH Final Year Prize for Overall Excellence in Performance and Leadership) and the award of Leverhulme Arts Scholar.
Being raised in the Middle East, her strong cultural upbringing and eclectic background is reflected through her artistry and style as a writer and performer. Her experience covers a wide range of genres with repertoire expanding from Early Classical to Choral, Modern Jazz and more.
Nishla Smith
Nishla is a singer and artist driven by a desire to tell stories.
In 2021 Nishla released a debut album on Whirlwind Recordings. ‘Friends With Monsters’ received critical acclaim, with Downbeat USA saying– “While Smith’s singing is an entrancing beauty of its own, the true trump cards are her lyrics and melodies.”Alongside the creation of the music, she devised and directed three story-driven music videos to reflect the album’s nocturnal theme; and commissioned eleven pieces of original artwork from local artists– a piece in response to each song.
Last year she played a bird in Atri Banerjee’s lauded production of ‘Kes’, for which she won a UK Theatre Award for ‘Best Supporting Performer.’ In summer, Nishla was selected to join Serious Music’s prestigious Take Five programme, which culminated in a performance at the Southbank Centre for London Jazz Festival. Later in the year, she was awarded a development award through the Peter Whittingham Jazz Awards, to support her newest recording project, ‘The Beast.’
“Her voice is exquisite, a symbol of unreachable beauty.” The Guardian’
B:JazzFest: Gabriella Liandu & Nishla Smith
B:JazzFest: Shanty Town – A Tribute to Ruth Kokumo Noah on 9 August at 5pm
On December 9th 2022, we lost Ruth Kokumo Noah after her ongoing journey with Lupus and Sickle cell. Ruth was the most beautiful soul; a loving daughter, sister, auntie, friend, artist, musician and the brightest light in our community.
If you have been in Birmingham over the past few years it is highly likely you will have heard of Ruth, and her ever evolving collective of musicians; The Ark. Up until last summer, Ruth and her band were all over Birmingham, gearing up for festivals and the many gigs that were flowing their way. If there was a gig to be played or a jam to jump on, you would find Ruth there, commanding any stage like a true lionness.
On stage, she was at home, she was in control. There she could share her music, songs, poetry, transcendant energy and her unforgettable voice and presence which was undeniably comparable with that of the greats. Ruth would have audiences in the palm of her hands, feeling every single emotion with her, from heartbreaking vulnerability to roaring fearlessness. She was and will always be a force of nature.
Considering everything Ruth battled on a daily basis, this was clearly where she took back control, and it was breathtaking, every single time.
Ruth wasn’t only generous on stage, it was in her day to day life too; her adoration for her family, being the most supportive friend, the art she created, her mental health and music work, the events she hosted creating safe, warm enviroments for her community to gather, share their creativity and express themselves and of course the work she did for the charities she supported; The Sickle Cell Society and Lupus UK. Ruth made time for people, made people feel loved and heard, and wanted everyone to succeed with her.
Ruth Kokumo Noah constantly reminded us to count our blessings. Our greatest blessing was to have had this sensational, kind, hilarious, talented soul as part our community, in our family. Your light will continue to shine through all of the art you have created, the treasures you have left behind and the souls you have touched, you will never stop inspiring us.
To be asked to celebrate Ruth and pay tribute to her is an honour. It was difficut to know where to start, but one of the many things that Ruth taught us was how to respond to what life throws at us, even when it is incredibly unfair. So, if we are following in Ruth’s footsteps, then coming together as a community, with her family and friends, to create and celebrate Ruth’s life and everything she shared with us feels like the most natural thing to do. We will keep dancing to your songs!
For this performance we will be collaborating with members of The Ark, close friends of Ruth, Birmingham based musicians and artists and Shanty Town Collective to perform a selection Ruth’s original material, plus songs by some of the great artists Ruth was inspired by and original music from some of Ruth’s close friends.
Free ticketed event.
B:JazzFest: Shanty Town – A Tribute to Ruth Kokumo Noah
B:JazzFest: Olivia Murphy’s Jazz Orchestra on 9 August at 7.30pm
Emotion, narrative and honesty have always been key elements that make Olivia Murphy’s music so personal and unique. Her compositions are unravelling stories inspired by both her lived history and imagined fantasies and she has found jazz orchestra – the fusing of through-written material on a large scale and improvisation – the most effective way for these tales to be told. Murphy conducts this large ensemble made up of 20 of the most exciting emerging improvisers and musicians from both the London and Birmingham creative music scenes – two cities that have been integral to her musical development so far. The orchestra’s debut gig was on a sold-out Birmingham Symphony Hall Stage, funded by the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award, and four tracks from the recorded concert were released in late 2022 as part of their EP “Somewhere, Not So Far Away”. Olivia and her orchestra are looking forward to returning to Birmingham for a rare opportunity to perform together, premiering new compositions and arrangements alongside material from the first OMJO EP.
“highly accomplished…full of texture and dynamic variation” London Jazz News
“ethereal…rich in detail” Jazzwise
“wide ranging yet always personal” Django Bates
B:Jazz Fest: Olivia Murphy’s Jazz Orchestra
B:JazzFest: David Ijaduola’s Lucumi Project on 10 August at 5pm
The Lucumi Suite/Project was commissioned in 2022, the suite was first performed by a fourteen-piece ensemble at the Vortex Feed the Soul Festival. , and again as a septet in a sell-out performance – steelpan meets afro-beatin March.
Band-Leader, Drummer and Multi-instrumentalist David Ijaduola has been arranging and composing for steelband since he was fifteen, winning several awards as a young steelpan player. In 2013 he established the youth division of Ebony Steel Band that went on to win a number of steel band competitions. Under his leadership, London’s Ebony Steelband took second place in the UK Panorama Finals 2021. Ijaduola has worked with artists such as the band Rudimental – featuring as a pan player on the track Right Here, JP Cooper, and toured as the drummer for Sona Jobarteh and Dele Sosime.
The band then consists of:
Marlon Hibbert (tenor pan player)
Marcus Cumberbatch-King (double second pan player)
Kishan Shorter (cello pan player)
Christos Stylianides (trumpeter)
Simeon May (saxophonist)
Emmanuel Adeniran (bass guitarist)
Free ticketed event.
B:JazzFest: David Ijaduola’s Lucumi Project
B:JazzFest: Romarna Campbell on 10 August at 7.30pm
Romarna Campbell is a drummer, composer and producer from Birmingham, UK. From a very young age, music has been at the heart of everything that Romarna does, with a particularly large Hip-Hop and Jazz influence. Music has afforded her the opportunity to travel around the world, including studying at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. She has also had the great honour and joy to perform around Europe and the US with many people, including Courtney Pine, Billy Childs, Soweto Kinch and more, as well as lead her own bands and projects with many of her peers and friends.
This performance will have Romarna play with her trio: CHAOS
Romarna Campbell, Drums // @romarnacampbelldrums
Mutale Chashi, Eectric Bass // @mutalechashi
Cenk Essen, Keys & Piano // @cenkesen1
B:JazzFest: Arun Ghosh on 11 August at 5pm
A leading light on the UK jazz scene, known for his charismatic and communicative performances, Arun is considered a renowned innovator of modern IndoJazz.
This is a rare opportunity to hear Arun and his band in a sensitive, tranquil setting.
Free ticketed event.
B:JazzFest: K.O.G. Sound System on 11 August at 8.30pm
Kweku Sackey aka K.O.G (Kweku of Ghana) is a multi-dimensional creative force, combining exquisite writing skills with shamanistic live performance, fierce raps, perfectly on pitch singing across a massive vocal range and some absolutely wicked dance moves. Not to mention his skills as a percussionist, arranger, bandleader and art director. A true poet and storyteller, he uses a mix of English, Pidgin and Ga to paint sonic pictures that reach deep into the souls of everyone ready to listen.
“I love to make music that CONNECTS, REVIVES , EDUCATES and ENTERTAINS, drawing on the spiritual, physical, emotional and mental well being of us as individuals and our quest to maintain balance with the universe.”
Born in Accra, Ghana, to a nurse mother and marine engineer father who had studied in England, he grew up with a diverse range of international influences alongside Ghanaian styles: Tom Waits, Quincy Jones, Bob Marley, Sizzla, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ebo Taylor, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Atongo Simba, George Clinton, Pavarotti, Warsaw Village Band.
B: JazzFest: K.O.G. Sound System
Nashville Sounds In The Round: Gasoline & Matches, Luke Flear, Matt Hodges & Robyn Red on 19 August at 11.30am
Award winning annual country music festival Buckle & Boots is known for showcasing the best of country and offering a beautiful setting for festival goers at White Bottom Farm in Stockport! They are joining forces with Birmingham’s premier country songwriter night ‘Nashville Sounds In The Round’ to bring some of this year’s Festival talent to the iconic Symphony Hall in partnership with B:Music! Hosted by Two-time British Country Music Association ‘Duo of the Year’ Gasoline & Matches, artists are invited to tell the stories behind their songs in a Bluebird Café style ‘In The Round’ session, stripping the songs back to their origins and transporting the audience right back to the writing rooms.
Gasoline & Matches
Gasoline & Matches are a high energy, multi-award winning, dual fronted British band combining close harmonies, melodic guitar licks and serious musicianship. Fronted by Birmingham natives Sally Rea Morris and Stephen Marks, they are fierce entertainers known for their tongue-in-cheek and much-loved song “Never Have I Ever” described by Bob Harris as “Clever, funny, totally original…and it’s Country!” They built momentum after multiple spins on BBC Radio 2, and never fail to get festival goers on their feet to participate in the infamous drinking game which inspired the song. As resident hosts of Nashville Sounds in the Round, their Bluebird Cafe style songwriter round at Birmingham Symphony Hall, it’s clear to see their contribution & influence on Country and Americana music in the Midlands.
Luke Flear
Luke Flear incorporates the bounce of pop-rock, the grit of the Blues and the soul of Americana into a Classic Country soundscape. Born in Leeds, England, Luke has been consistently performing across Europe from the age of 15 and made his move into the Country Music Scene the summer of 2022. Every instrument you hear on record is played and produced by the 21 year old himself, with Luke’s debut album exploring countless themes of ambition, addiction, love and hate, currently taking to many stages and festivals across the UK Country world.
Matt Hodges
Matt Hodges is a singer songwriter from Wakefield, West Yorkshire who is making his mark on the UK country music scene. Matt has been showing his class and talent on the live music scene in the UK, Europe and the USA over the last 10+ years. The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for Matt, despite losing access to performing live, he found the chance to concentrate on original music and released his debut single ‘How Could You’ in October 2020 which soared on the iTunes UK Country Charts. His next three singles, ‘Forever With You’, ‘When We Were Young’, and ‘Proud To Be Me’ all peaked at No 1. on the iTunes Country Charts.
Robyn Red
In a busy renaissance of the country genre, Glasgow-based Robyn Red leads the way as one of the most exciting young talents in the UK – a claim backed up by a number of accolades. After a trip to the States to pick up gold at the World Championship of Performing arts, Robyn won consecutive Writer of The Year Award’s from Country Gigs Scotland. Doubling up with Young Female Artist of The Year in 2022. In March 2022 Robyn Red shared the Hydro Arena with Luke Combs and Ashley McBryde at Country 2 Country. The country pop maverick then took her crowd capturing acoustic arsenal across the UK. The latest of many festival performances in Millport intersected the busy rooms from Aberdeen to London, then graced the legendary King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut and Liverpool’s Cavern Club – twice in the former. Amid the 2022 landmarks, Robyn Red released her debut single in June. ‘Like a Bullet’ gained the number one spot on Amazon’s country chart while reaching third on iTunes’. The melodic summer anthem, bathed in country twang, with over 60,000 streams is greatly received live to faithful crowd – setting the scene for a breakthrough 2023.
Nashville Sounds In The Round: Gasoline & Matches, Luke Flear, Matt Hodges & Robyn Red
Birmingham Town Hall
Symphony Hall’s sister venue, Birmingham Town Hall is just a little way down the road.
MFY National Festival 2023 Weekend on 7-8 July at various times
Performances from young people’s choirs, bands ensembles and orchestras throughout this weekend across all 3 of the B:Music Venues. You can buy tickets for individual events or for the whole festival. Please see the B:Music website for full details.
MFY National Festival 2023 Weekend
Shiamuk’s Summer Funk: Bollywood Forever on 9 July at 6pm
Shiamak’s Summer Funk is coming to Town Hall on the 9 July!
Shiamuk’s Summer Funk: Bollywood Forever
Pop Voices present “Proud” their 10 Year Anniversary Concert on 15 July at 3pm
Created in 2013, by choir director Anya Small, Pop Voices brings together amateur singers ranging from age six to 80-years young, many of whom had never sung in public before, and the result is magical. The choir is now in high demand, appearing on TV and radio and recently returning from recording at the famous Abbey Road studios. The choir will be celebrating their 10 year anniversary by performing their favourite repertoire, popular songs from spanning the decades including tracks by Snow Patrol, Queen, Coldplay, The Killer, The Beatles and more. This will be an evening of uplifting and foot- tapping favourites as 300 adults and children of Pop Voices accompanied by a live band will raise the Town Hall Roof once more.
CBSO Youth Orchestra Academy on 30 July at 7pm
Mendelssohn, Bruch and Maxwell-Davies each paint a vibrant picture of Scotland’s wild and wonderful landscape, from the glowing warmth of sunrise to the rugged ruins of Holyrood Abbey at night. Performing these works today, are the finest players from the CBSO’s world-class Youth Orchestra who bring their unstoppable energy to this Scottish-inspired programme.
The National Children’s Choir of Great Britain 25th Anniversary Concert on 12 August at 2.30pm
Come and listen to the beautiful voices of the children of The National Children’s Choir of Great Britain, as the choir celebrates its 25th Anniversary. The NCCGB brings together talented singers aged 9 – 19 from across the country, to make music under the tutelage of top choral professionals. Their repertoire is wide and covers many genres from sacred to secular.
The National Children’s Choir of Great Britain 25th Anniversary Concert
The Tiger Who Came To Tea on 22-28 August at various times
Direct from the West End, the Olivier Award nominated smash hit show, The Tiger Who Came to Tea returns on tour.
The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big, stripy tiger!
Join the tea-guzzling tiger in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos. Don’t miss this stunning stage adaptation of the classic tale of teatime mayhem… expect to be surprised!
All dates will be presented in a fully relaxed format
All shows on Saturday 26 August will have BSL interpretation
CBSO Centre
The CBSO is a world class orchestra, right on our doorstep. They have performed all over the world, and are absolutely fantastic. The orchestra performs regularly at both the Town Hall and Symphony Hall in Birmingham and in their own home just down the road and nearer the canal, the CBSO Centre. You will see above in the listing for both Symphony Hall and Town Hall that concerts by the CBSO are being performed at those venues this month, in this section I am talking only about the concerts that will take place at the CBSO Centre.
MFY National Festival 2023 Weekend on 7-8 July at various times
Performances from young people’s choirs, bands ensembles and orchestras throughout this weekend across all 3 of the B:Music Venues. You can buy tickets for individual events or for the whole festival. Please see the B:Music website for full details.
MFY National Festival 2023 Weekend
CBSO Notelets: The Wizard Of Oz on 14-15 July at various times
Join presenter Jane Wright and a 10-piece CBSO ensemble on a magical musical journey along the Yellow Brick Road, meeting many wonderful characters on the way. Help the Scarecrow find his brain, the Tin Man find his heart, and the Lion find his courage in this fun-filled interactive performance inspired by The Wizard of Oz.
Recommended for toddlers and young children. Babies under 9 months do not require a ticket.
Join us for FREE craft activities up to an hour before each performance.
All Notelets performances are BSL interpreted.
CBSO Notelets: The Wizard of Oz
Midland Arts Centre (MAC)
MAC is a multi-purpose venue, meaning that there is an art gallery both a separate gallery space and one around the cafe areas, workshop spaces, a theatre, a cinema, and other performance spaces. It is also located in Canon Hill Park making it a great place for a day out. It is definitely worth having a look through their website to see if there is something for you and your child(ren) to enjoy. It is worth saying, before I get into the one off events that are on at this fabulous venue, that over the summer months MAC have many, many courses on for children and young people, and they look fantastic.
Oddsocks: Much Ado About Nothing on 8 and 9 July at 7.30pm and 4pm
Award winning Oddsocks Productions are bringing Shakespeare’s romantic romp “Much Ado About Nothing” to life in their own, inimitable, hilarious and irreverent style for the summer of 2023!
Drama and deception mix with sun, songs and silliness to create a theatre event you won’t forget as this “Hugely funny” (The Stage) company hit the road with their “energetic, downright silly, utterly professional and totally inventive theatre” (East Midlands Theatre Review).
Oddsocks: Much Ado About Nothing
MAC Makes Music: Open Mic at MAC! on 21 July at 7pm
What is the MAC Makes Music Open Mic?
This is a fantastic opportunity for young musicians of all abilities to share their music live on stage at MAC in a friendly and inclusive environment.
Who can take part in the Open Mic?
We are looking for young people aged 13-25 who would like to share their music on stage in one of MAC’s theatres. You might be an experienced performer, or just starting out on your musical journey; this event is designed to help you develop your confidence in sharing your music with others.
Here are some ways that you could take part:
- Sing or rap to a backing track
- Play a piece of music on a musical instrument
- Recite a poem or share some lyrics
- Perform with your band
- Share a pre-recorded video
Sign Up and further information can be found by following the link below.
MAC Makes Music: Open Mic at MAC!
Babies Adventures in Music (BAM) on 28 July at 11am & 1.30pm
Bring your baby for a bounce with singer Sam Frankie Fox and multi-instrumentalist Ricardo Rocha. This warmly interactive performance for babies, families and friends celebrates music with a host of instruments, styles, gentle movements and stimulating sounds. A mix of familiar and new music comes to each month’s sessions, building on your babies’ previous interaction and giving them more chance to learn and to grow!
Performances feature harp, diatonic accordion, a range of stringed instruments, songs in different languages and lots more.
Suitable for babies 0-18 months and their families and friends.
Performances are 30 minutes long
Babies Adventures in Music (BAM)
The Core Theatre, Solihull
The Core Theatre is a multi-purpose arts centre based in the library in Solihull Town Centre, right next to the Touchwood Centre. It hosts music, drama, comedy, dance performances and more along with a number of different workshops and arts classes for the local community.
The Sons of Pitches 2023 Show on 14 July at 7.30pm
To celebrate 10 years of A Cappella adventures, The Sons of Pitches are getting back on the road to bring you their ‘Best Bits’.
Expect some of your favourite tunes from the last decade of SoP shenanigans, including songs from their debut TV appearance on Gareth Malone’s Naked Choir and favourites from all 5 of their UK tours. There’ll be a selection of ridiculous skits that should probably have been left in 2017 and of course, their trademark improvised numbers that you’ll help to inspire.
Whether you’ve followed the boys on their journey or you’ve always thought A Cappella was a beach in Mexico, you’re in for a real treat with this show.
Extravaganza by Star-Struck Performing Arts Academy on 23 July at 6.30pm
The sensational students from Star-Struck Performing Arts Academy once again take to the stage showcasing their acting, singing and dancing! The award-winning, Solihull based school is celebrating 20 years and ‘Extravaganza’ promises a night to remember with a selection of musical theatre and popular dance.
Star-Struck is proud to be Ofsted registered and a member of the International Dance Teachers Association. Children are regularly given the opportunity to take IDTA exams in a variety of genres and compete at dance competitions nationwide.
Extravaganza by Star-Struck Peforming Arts Academy
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