About Brum

Birmingham has been plagued by a spate of rumoured (and actual) venue closures in the past few years, and also been unlucky with others (memorably, the burning down of Eddie’s, near New Street Station, a great blow for fans of alternative music and a decent night out). However, Roy and Jaci Davis have just opened the doors to The Asylum, a brand new live music venue next door to The Madhouse (which they also run). Sporting a £60,000 soundsystem, a 400 capacity and the treasured smoking area, this venue – still unfinished! – is already looking like a shit hot, potentially permanent fixture for many bands’ UK tours. If you’re wondering what prompted me to write this… Well, I’m currently at the launch gig (“Clive Aid”) and the bands are rocking out! if you can hear a disturbance in the force, that’s the system in this place

I had a quick chance to speak to Roy and he tells me there are loads of gigs lined up, including one every other night in July! – so if you’re a fan of rock, metal and anything inbetween, keep your eye on this place as it bodes well for the future. I’ll try and get some time with Roy to put together a full article, but I’m so stoked that live music in Birmingham has a really good new venue, particularly as it’s being run by two people who have put so much of their time, energy and money into this venue – and they actually like the music and are dedicated to the cause!

Stay tuned for the full article…

(Also, apologies for my dodgy spelling before I revised this post, I typed it up on my phone’s tiny keyboard in the venue!)

Not got anything planned for Saturday the 31st of May? Well, give The Flyover Show a go. It’s on from 1pm to 9pm (but I’m sure it may well overrun) and… well, when was the last time you got to enjoy a dollop of wholesome fun in such a glamourous location as underneath the Hockley Flyover?

No, you can’t think of a time, can you.

Shameless cribbing from the event’s Facebook page now:

For one day only the entire arena under the Hockley Flyover will be alive with inspiring sights and sounds of ground breaking art and music. Jazz veterans, reggae legends, visual artists, hip hop and grime geniuses from across Birmingham and beyond will be there.This day long festival is a unique celebration of the very best from the city’s urban communities. National and international names, backed by a live band will light up the stage with exclusive performances. The city and the site is the focus of a specially created piece designed by young artists. Cherrelle Skeete, Francis Mott, Nehemiah Smith and Tan, will debut original pieces of music, dance and theatre. Graffiti artists and b-boys will paint pictures across the creative canvass of B19.

Don’t miss this chance to see world-class creativity brought outdoors for the first time to a forgotten corner of Birmingham. Be there to reclaim these derelict spaces and restore the artistic soul of the city!!

So, go and have some fun – why not? The weather will be lovely, the music (and beer, hopefully) will be flowing, and you can get a chance to listen to some quality musical talent and support local musicians and artists while you’re at it. Plus I’d put money on it that there’ll be loads of spots to park.

Firstly – did we miss Spring? Summer’s decided to queuejump once again this year, as my (exceedingly grown up and consummately mature) housemate said to me yesterday, “strappy top season’s upon us once again. Giggidy!” But anyway, I digress.

The Big Picture project’s been running for a while now, and it’s culminating in the grand competition today. For those who aren’t in the know;

It’s a project to create the biggest photo album in the West Midlands. Everyone can add their favourite pictures – family, friends, local landmarks, even your pets, we’ve made it easy to share your photos and tell the stories behind them.”

If you’ve got a good shot of somewhere in the West Midlands, go add it to The Big Picture project today for a chance to get it on a billboard… How cool is that?

Big Picture Day is Thursday 8 May – every photo added on that day will be in with a chance of appearing on giant billboards around the region.

Add your photo of the West Midlands to the Big Picture on Big Picture Day and it’ll automatically be entered in a competition — eight winners will be selected to get the full billboard treatment. There’s sure to be one in a town near you!

Upload to the web or text from your mobile — it’s up to you. To add a photo by MMS send it with BIGPIC first in the text of your message to 60300*.

Every photograph taken will form part of our world record attempt to make the biggest photo mosaic in the world and eight lucky winners will have their image displayed on their own billboard for everyone to see.

For more info, see The Big Picture’s web site. Also, Donato ‘Bostin’ Esposito is about to embark on his fundraising trek around Peru in support of the British Heart Foundation – go sponsor him at http://www.bhf.org.uk/sponsor/bostin, and buy the BHF charity t-shirt from the Bostin shop.

Right, excuse me, I’m off to dust down the barbeque in preparation for this weekend.