Words and Image from Skiddle.com

Digbeth, a district on the outskirts of Birmingham, was once the heart of the industrial Midlands – boasting a battery, tea, and even a custard factory.

Nowadays these works have been swapped for high-spec retail premises and entertainment ventures, marking the redevelopment and regeneration of the area.

LAB11
LAB11 and its flagship night TRMNL is a subversive house and techno delight, stripping everything back to basics from the exposed brickwork, unfinished wood and raw edges.

Set in a derelict railway arch owned by Network Rail, LAB11 has been transformed into a hip dance music venue. Boasting a SMART lighting system and custom-built Funktion One soundsystem, headline acts to have already played include Radio Slave, Carl Craig and Barem, with many more headliners billed each Saturday.

Gibb Street Warehouse
Gibb Street Warehouse has taken over the old Space2 venue at the Custard Factory and has a raw industrial feel that brings to mind the heady acid house days. Curated by the masterminds of one of London’s most successful clubs, Fabric, Gibb St has already hosted a number of big-name promoters and artists such as Defected, Renaissance with Sasha, and Arkitekt with M.A.N.D.Y, proving its versatility as an accommodating dance venue.

The Arena (Pictured)
In addition to indoor warehouse venues, Digbeth has its own outdoor dancefloor in the form of The Arena, a 4000-capacity venue brought to us by the team behind the renowned Rainbow spot.

The Arena has been designed like an auditorium with a natural stage bordered by viaducts and complete with a multi-tiered viewing platform, cementing the coliseum feel and charm. With an aim to host six large-scale shows throughout the year – covering genres from house to techno through to drum & bass and old-school – revellers can look forward to collaborations from key-players such as Cocoon and Space Ibiza.

We Are Industry
Then there is We Are Industry, another outdoor concept débuting on the Jubilee weekend with two very special live shows from Booka Shade and Carl Craig, as well as sets from Dubfire, DJ T, and Huxley. Located just off Floodgate St, the details of this venue are still top secret, but if the standard is as good as the acts they have booked then it looks to be an exciting arrival.

HMV Institute and Club Air
Finally, the loyal HMV Institute and Club Air have been staples on the Digbeth skyline for some years now, with the former offering a combination of live gigs (Alabama Shakes are due to play soon) and student nights, whilst the latter continues to stay faithful to the trance and drum & bass scenes that made it famous with nights from the likes of Armin Van Buuren.

With so much springing to life in the little industrial area of Digbeth, a new lease of vivacity has been injected into the once stale clubbing scene of Birmingham. The closure of the likes of The Custard Factory and Q Club had left a longing hole in the electronic nightlife, resulting in clubbers travelling further afield to the likes of Manchester and London for their fix. Now the future looks bright, with the England’s second city finally gaining a music landscape deserving of its size and status.

Is Digbeth set to become the new clubbing capital of England? Time only knows.

What are our readers’ thoughts on this? Is Digbeth set to become a destination for clubbing? Is Digbeth set to become louder? We’re interested to hear what you think.

Glas are holding a Wig Party at the Rainbow this bank holiday weekend. Expect noise! Further details can be found on the flyer below:

For the past three years the Birmingham Showcase Festival, which spans the entire Rainbow complex, has been a complete sell-out. This year, Sub Focus and Art Department will be headlining, supported by Plastician, Alex Arnout and Cera Alba.

When: Saturday, 28th April, 21:00 – 06:00
Where: HMV Institute

On the same night just down the road at the HMV Institute, there will be a celebration of all things bass at the Bass Indoor Gathering. Celebrating its seventh year in Birmingham, the event will feature artists including radio star David Rodigan, Shy Fx, MJ Cole and a host of other talent.

More information for both events is available at www.theticketsellers.co.uk.

Flavour, with their own brand of colourful reggae, garage and dubstep, are coming to Birmngham with a bang and a free launch night at the Rainbow on Friday. A Little Flavour will be a stripped back party, focusing on local talents and Flavour residents in an intimate space, with Edinburgh’s Blackwax headlining.

For a taste of what to expect from A Little Flavour, see the YouTube video below.

Where: The Rainbow Warehouse

The popular VICE magazine is bringing its issue launch party to the Rainbow in Digbeth for a night of free mayhem.

The free event, which features live music from Tall Ships and Brummie boys Victories at Sea, will be held in association with American Apparel, who will also be giving out free AA goodies to the first 100 people through the doors.

Jordan Lott and Zombie Prom will also be DJing the event. You can sign up for free booze at vice.com/issuelaunch to receive alcohol tokens upon entry! For further information check out the Facebook event.

Dear Digbeth Resident,

Thank you for your continued support.

We would like to make you aware of our first Street Party of the year, which will take place this Saturday 7th April: Circo Loco. The event starts initially in the new Rainbow Arena, an open-air space on Hack Street, from 2pm until midnight. The afterparty is then on Adderley Street, the Rainbow Pub and Warehouse until 6am.

Should you have any concerns about noise in advance or during this event, please contact the hotline numbers: 07919 563 195 or 07976 625 652
Alternatively, please email therainbowevents@gmail.com

If you would like complimentary tickets to this event, please email kent@therainbowvenues.co.uk

Many thanks from all at The Rainbow.

Brothel, the UK’s wildest party, returns to Digbeth for Episode 4 with quality house music, mashed up beats, psychedelic performers and surreal production.

Space 1 – House
Jim Shaft Ryan
Stu Ojelay
George Kafetzis
Antonio Vendone
Lee Perry
Harry white
Mike Catherall

Space 2 – Mashed Up Beats
Dex n Effex
Matt tsang
Ben Mackey
Luke Ashworth
HESS
Nathan Preston

AUM (Advanced Underground Music) haved moved to a new venue in Digbeth. They hope to bring in the weekend with the help of a state of the art Funktion-One sound system and L.E.D intelligent lighting, and some techno artistes. Namely:

DEH NOIZER *UK DEBUT*

RICHARD TURNER (Veto – Utility Plastics – Sheep)

J-T KYRKE (Live)

DARE&HASTE V MUTANT (Live)

Residents:
MATT DUNCAN & DOUG GRAVES

No bankers or politicians allowed.

Further information can be found on the event Facebook page or by emailing aumtechno@hotmail.co.uk

Where: The Rainbow Courtyard

Mystery Jets have announced details of an exclusive intimate warm-up show in Digbeth ahead of their new album. The five-piece indie band, are expected to debut new and rekindle old material.

Originally starting out as a family project between father and son, Henry and Blaine Harrison, Mystery Jets first came to attention with the EP ‘Five Tracks’, which led to them being snapped up by 679 records who released their top forty debut album ‘Making Dens’.

For their next release they enlisted the help of renowned DJ and producer Erol Alkin and from these sessions the album ‘Twenty One’ was born, spawning the top thirty singles: ‘Two Doors Down’, which NME ranked as the hundredth best song of the last fifteen years, and ‘Young Love’, which featured, then rising star, Laura Marling.

Skip forward to 2012 and Mystery Jets are back, with their eagerly anticipated fourth album coming out this April. It is likely this gig will sell out, so get your tickets fast!

Monday, 16th January
Spotted Dog
Traditional Irish Music
All Musicians welcome
Alternate Monday Nights

Wednesday, 18th January
Adam & Eve
Reverie
Lottie Phazey

Wednesday, 18th January
Rainbow
£6 Advance
Various Cruelties
Deceptions Pocket
Counteract Magazine DJs

Friday, 20th January
ALL-ACOUSTIC SHOW
Moseley Arms
The Downfalls
Rhesus
Joseph Hicklin
Dale Hanson
Billie Richards