Birmingham Jazz has been promoting and nurturing jazz talent in the city for 40 years - and are…read morestill the go-to people for quality, acclaimed jazz perfomances and general know-how. They are largely known for organising and promoting gigs locally, but they also have a number of artists on their roster, as well as commissioning artists regionally, nationally and internationally. To add to this, they run a youth ensemble and various other education projects. Despite all this activity, they are a tiny team, with the impetus of Tony Dudley-Evans, their Artistic Director, who has been a huegly respected advocate and champion of this genre in this city for the last couple of decades. It's handy that the Birmingham Conservatoire runs a BMus in Jazz - assuring that new jazz talent coming into the city can then cut its teeth across the city, under the friendly, supportive and established auspices of Birmingham Jazz. Without this organisation, the jazz scene in Birmingham would, without doubt, be a pale comparison of what it is now.

Enjoyed seeing the Charlotte Glasson Quintet at the Red Lion (in Hockley) last night. Great to…read morelisten to such good music while drinking a pint of Bathams. Keep up the good work Birmingham Jazz!. http://www.birminghamjazz.co.uk/

Going here on Saturday night 29/10/2011 as 2B40 the best UB40 tribute band are playing there live…read more Can't wait it'll be fab

I have to be honest and say that the atmosphere etc is not always great at Behan's but there are…read moreexceptions and there are also certainly a lot worse places to grab a pint in Birmingham. They show a lot of live sport here and they also have a fair amount of live music on as well which means you often get a good deal of entertainment. They also have a decent function room as well which is where I had my 21st Birthday party. I have to say that the staff were very accommodating and helped to make it a really enjoyable evening overall. On the whole a pretty bog standard bar, but as I've previously mentioned if your into live music and sport then it's worth checking out.

Hooray to the independent music venues!…read more I love the fact that the Ballroom has been refurbished by private developers in a bid to restore the heart in Birminghams central music scene. Nowadays, bands tend to be left with 2 options. Either play at a small dingy venue where a limited number of fans can afford to come and see you, or play at a large arena which not only costs fans a ridiculous amount of money to come but you also need to be pretty big time to fill the gig. That's where the Ballroom shines and continues to make its mark on the industry. Large enough to put on a memorable gig but so reasonably priced it enables everyone to come and enjoy the experience. The sound system was OK, I have heard better but overall it was a good night, crackin atmosphere and the drinks weren't too expensive either.

Although it's early days, the Birmingham Ballroom already shows signs of settling down as the city…read morecentre's premier mid-large music venue experience. Having laid empty and derelict for over a year, the venue was bought up by disillusioned ex-employees from the Academy group with a view to open a venue that openly challenged the O2 Academy. Having refurbished the old Academy 1 and 2 (and the Bar Academy next door), there is a nostalgic familiarity attached to The Ballroom that its owners have knowingly traded in on: Although the floor is no longer notoriously sticky, it feels like visiting an old friend. The bar is far more reasonable than the new O2, and is constantly offering night-specific drinks promotions. Touring acts are becoming more frequent as the venue becomes more established and it will be competing with the O2 and the Institute within a few months, arguably. But the Ballroom's real lure for me is knowing that an independent venue lies within the city centre once more (the Flapper is perhaps too far a walk to be considered truly 'central'), and that goes a long way with me.

This was an unexpected live music venue for me and on my first visit here I was convinced we were…read moreactually going to The Old Crown instead. I first came here to see a Long Island, NJ band called Iron Chic for a measly £5, not to mention a host of Brit supports. On approach if it wasn't for the sights of a battered van and hearing the soundcheck I would have doubted a gig was happening here. Once in the bar its just like a proper old man's boozer, with cobs on the counter and scratchings behind the bar. The best feature of the bar though is Amos, the pub's resident Tabby Cat who has his own bar stool. That resulted in big thumbs up all round and the gig hadn't even started yet. Showtime arrived in that uncertain, watching everyone else, exodus sort of way. Following the crowd out into the garden where the show was to take place under an old parachute canopy, space heaters were at the ready and the band set to play in a wooden cabin as a stage. A complete DIY ethic sort of a place, with a mix of old boys and young punks. The gig was amazing. Go visit Amos the cat and maybe catch a band or play some dominoes.

This venue is a great surprise for every music fan, because initially, the generic old pub look…read morefrom the outside makes you question exactly how it could hold any sort of vibrant live performances. When I got inside, I was greeted by a what I thought was an 'old man's' pub, and I still wasn't convinced that this really was a venue. I struggled to find the garden area, and I was a little too scared to ask punters or staff where it was. I'm not sure why I was scared, but once I plucked up the courage, I was warmly directed to the right door, and realised that the regulars are actually very welcoming. So my lesson was learnt there, you shouldn't stereotype! Once I entered the garden, I finally realised what the fuss was all about, and found a large area full of diverse people, from punks to rastafarians to indie kids. This particular night that I went to was a reggae and ska night, and the sound system in the corner was amazing. It did all the bands the justice they deserved, and I can see why many musicians agree to perform here. The night had a very 80s feel to it, and the pub decor itself also held that lovable (yet dated) feel. I am a fan of retro things! There's also a further room upstairs in the garden, which is usually used for bands to practice in, but on that night, there was a reggae DJ in there. This space is also amazing to be in, and the walls were covered in artwork to expand on musical vibrancy.

The Tower of Song is an independent live music venue, run as a true labour of love. Tom Martin is a…read moreveteran touring player who saw that musicians wanted somewhere to play where the music was the focus of the night, not just a side-show to an evening of drinking. I went down to The Tower of Song on the quaintly titled River Rea Roots night. There is an open mic session, then a featured band play an hour slot. After, the open mic runs until closing. It's a simultaneously usual and unusual bunch of people who play that night. A 18 year old plays and sings some slightly out of tune Blues covers, but he sings them with such soul that he has the crowd in the palm of his hand. Organiser Bill O'Brien plays a couple of Birmingham-centric songs. A blokey duo of guitarist and harmonica player in their early fifties play some uptempo folky tunes, and to end a woman sings some proper, proper old folk songs acapella. Sandwiched inbetween a signed Scottish touring band called Panda Su export some gentle acousti-tronica to the audience. There are no egos here and no pretense here. Instead there is a supportive atmosphere that's a million miles away from scenester-ism, taking music back to it's roots as a tool of expression and affirmation.

The Tower of Song isn't one of Birmingham's most well known music venues, but that's exactly what…read moregives the space a slightly different edge, and a different atmosphere from people who you don't usually see at the more well known establishments. The audience are generally of the older generation, but that's not to say that young'uns aren't welcomed at all. In fact, as long as you are a fan of music (paticularly acoustic and roots music), you're sure not to go wrong upon entering. More so, the venue isn't even that hard to find, especially if you live in South Birmingham, it's just down the road from Cotteridge. From the outside, the venue has an 80s/90s look about it, probably because the décor hasn't been altered since then, but again, that adds to the unintentional quirk of the place. And on the inside, the walls are covered in stencils of iconic musicians, from Bob Marley to John Lennon to Jim Morrison, making it clear that The Tower of Song is serious about its music. The room itself is very small, with tables and chairs intimately facing the stage. This makes sure that your focus is on the live music, rather than on socialising. And of course, in my opinion, you go to a gig to see the performance, and not to constantly socialise while a band is playing. All in all, Tower of Song is a great little place to discover some amazing local talent. I personally came across some very talented young creatives, who were performing live during a South Birmingham Community Radio event.

We had been to lickey hills nearby for a volunteer day, hungry and thirsty we ended up here for a…read morelate lunch. We got a table for 9 people, and a couple of colleagues took our drinks then food orders to the bar. Also tried to get a group selfie in with my phone, one of staff shouted over that she could take the photo for us! So we got a couple of pics. The food is standard pub grub, we had fish and chips, salad, pies etc and we all enjoyed it. Some people had starters and also desserts. They have a lunch set price menu which was cheap. I am guessing the portions are different though one colleague told me, you get garden peas with fish n chips on the set menu but mushy peas on the full price menu!

Nestled amongst the trees and below the hills of the Lickeys, the Old Hare & Hounds looks like a…read moregreat, old fashioned place to get a drink on the outside. The building's lovely architecture really stands out, and entices customers to enter the doors. Inside is just as nice too, and the customers are vibrant and in thier masses. It's one of two pubs in Rednal, so you can see why the place is so popular. Drinks are quite cheap and standard to most pubs that you'd find in the city centre, while choices are much wider, and I managed to get a glass of Stone's Green Ginger Wine, although, I don't think most customers ask for this, because the staff were very confused as to how much it cost, and how much to pour in a glass! There's a great outdoor area full of umbrella shades for a hot summers day, and heat lamps if it gets a little too cold (and I was cold, even though it's June!)

Harborne Club was established in 1900, and although it has been going for nearly 115 years, it…read morestill remains one of Harborne's best-kept secrets. The club that was founded in 1900, replaced the Harborne Conservative Club, that had sat on the same site. Although the new club is omitted from political allegiance, it continued to serve the white-collar workers of the city. Doctors, and Lawyers would return from work on the train and right outside Harborne Station (on Station Road) is the Harborne Club. The station has now long gone thanks to Dr Beeching and the old line now serves as a lovely walkway, one of the best in the city. The club received the nickname 'The Glue Pot', as the local gentry found once there, it was rather difficult to leave - the old "just one more pint" syndrome. Walking down Albany Road one can be forgiven for walking past without knowing where it is. Indeed I walked past the club everyday for months before I knew it was there. Its unimposing entrance appears more like a private home than a (albeit members) club and bar. The only sign of where it is, are the cellar doors and the fairly recent addition of a rather small gold plaque on the door. The curtains are constantly closed so you won't see any sign of activity from the street. Just push the door open and walk right in. Although it is a private members club (charging £70 a year), you can sign in as a guest, as long as you don't use this privilege too frequently. They have two regularly changing ales on the bar. Both of which are well kept making the Harborne Club a regular in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide. As it's a private members club, the drinks are subsidised making it a cheaper alternative than other Harborne drinking houses. The clientele is still edging towards the conservative. Although they accept female members in their own right, rather than just as 'partners'. One gets the impression that this is a fairly recent change in the rules. Swearing is a big no, no! On a few occasions I have taken friends in their only to suddenly realise what a potty mouth an acquaintance has when they repeatedly get told off by the locals. Although I do get the impressions of the locals to be right-wing in a posh stiff-upper-lip sense, I find that there is plenty more racism, sexism, xenophobia and homophobia spouted in the 'Sun readers' pubs (for want of a better phrase). I do find the locals to be pleasant on the hole; you just need to remember that it's their club and their rules. There are two competition size snooker tables upstairs. I've never played on them, but I have had a look at them a couple of times. The toilets are some of the most immaculate toilets in a bar you'll ever see. They hold talks about different subjects once a month and non-members are free to attend for £3 (see http://www.theharborneclub.co.uk/download/TalksProgramme2014-15.jpg for latest programme). I recommend having a look inside the Harborne Club, as it's completely different from any of the other 'drinking environments' on the 'Harborne Mile'. Just bare in mind that its more the place for a quiet pint than a rowdy night out.

An excellent little pub that benefits from its location in these ways:…read moreSmall glass roofed quiet area. Excellent ale per person ratio. 2 fires. Always toastie warm. Pickled onion, cracker and cheese ploughman's lunches in a bag! Cons, problems etc. : When they have a band it is always too loud. Every time, irrespective of ownership. Sometimes they do not offer a lock in. Not open lunchtime. The old owner used to be a bit of a lech. The new one is a local legend. Give it a try if you see it. Whilst some pubs in the town have come and gone in popularity, the Bell has remained steadily the place to be post 10pm.

Probably one of the best pubs in the town. Live music every Friday and Sunday…read more On the ball friendly staff and great log fires through the winter :-)