SPOTLIGHT
Summer 2017
on Southside
Spotlight on Fiona Allan
Birmingham PRIDE
The Latin American Festival Birmingham
Summer in Southside
All About Manhua
A warm welcome to the summer edition of SPOTLIGHT on Southside!
T
he summer season is upon us. Long sun-filled days with the occasional rainy interlude, the daytime streets bustling, as people come out of their offices to enjoy the warmer weather, and it won’t be long before the schools close and the kids come home for the holidays. It’s also a year of transition, with Brexit and a general election looming, the appointment of a new regional Mayor for the West Midlands behind us, and the announcement of a new BID manager on the horizon, bringing both continuity and change to Southside.
Contents Summer 2017 4–5
Grab Your Wellies – We’re Off to the Countryside!
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Southside Parklet & Newsletter
One thing is certain though: the spirit of Southside is emerging as Chinatown, the Gay Village and Theatreland come together as the beating heart of Brum and home to the best parties in the city; and the new Smithfield won’t be too far behind, as the first of its developments begin to change the shape of the district.
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Hip-Hop Royalty, Home-Grown Talent & Much More ‘B-Side’s
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Birmingham PRIDE
There’s a lot to shout about in Southside this summer, with festivals aplenty – B-Side Hip Hop, the legendary Birmingham Pride, our 22nd Latin American Festival, another Shock and Gore and of course, Summer in Southside, which will bring the countryside into the centre of the city this year.
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The Latin American Festival - Birmingham
10 – 11 Brexit – Employment Law
20 – 21 Shock & Gore Festival 22
All About Manhua
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Southside Dialogue
If you picked up a copy of this magazine and would like your own sent to your place of work or home, get in touch with us on 0121 643 3720.
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Southside News Update
26
Spotlight on Fiona Allan
Adrian Middleton Southside BID
30 – 31 What’s On
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Summer 2017 |
Spotlight
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Grab your wellies – we’re off to the countryside!
E
scape to the countryside, on the streets of Southside this summer with the return of Birmingham Hippodrome’s free outdoor festival, Summer In Southside from Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 June.
This year, Birmingham Hippodrome’s annual festival will be celebrating the great outdoors where wildlife roams, folk dance and live music fills the air. Over the weekend, visitors to Southside can enjoy the familiar to the peculiar and unearth the hidden
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Spotlight | Summer 2017
delights of our city. You can find alternative sports days on the Village Green, tranquility in The Arcadian, see a giant tree grow and listen to magical stories and enchanting music. Watch maypole garlands weave in the air to the sights and sounds of streetdance and beatboxing, or become part of the scenery and create your own cardboard country-scape. You might even bump into a farmer, a friendly fox and a brass band!
Farmyard Fun! The Dog and Duck Show A chance to see sheep dogs showing off
their natural instinct herding ducks amusing, entertaining and enlightening! Sheep Race An action-packed race through the streets of Southside! The Sheep Show A humorous live stage show about sheep and wool with nine breeds taking to the spotlight, each with their own story to tell. Don’t miss the ‘Sheep Show Shuffle’ – yes, dancing sheep! Mini Farm Come and see pygmy goats, lambs, sheep, pigs, rabbits, chickens and donkeys at our mini farm!
Who’s Who of Summer In Southside: Artizani – Farmer Giles Say ‘ooh arr’ to Farmer Giles leaning on his gate and giving out advice on any subject, from farming (about which he knows little) to philosophy (about which he knows less). Birmingham Royal Ballet Throughout the weekend, Birmingham Royal Ballet will dance the Chicken Dance from that sunniest of summer ballets, La Fille Mal Gardée. Enjoy watching the bossy cockerel strut his stuff in front of four sleepy chickens. The Fabularium – Reynard the Fox Hear the tale of Reynard the Fox – the woodlands’ most infamous scoundrel who prides himself on being the trickster of the forest. A new piece of engaging outdoor theatre for all ages using storytelling, puppetry, live music and all performed in a wooden cart! Folk Dance Remixed – Step Hop House Folk meets Hip-Hop in a quirky, colourful and energetic collision of dance and music. From maypole and clog dancing to breakin’ and streetdance, vibrant performers are joined by a live soundtrack of fiddle, banjo, percussion and beat boxing. Highly Sprung – Roots A bold and beautiful performance centred on two refugees living in the branches of a towering tree. But something is wrong…the tree is beginning to wilt…the faceless one is coming…can you help?
Rajasthani Heritage - Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band This exciting and colourful brass band celebrates the vibrant traditions, music and dance of Rajasthan – a glittering, hypnotic jewel in the barren deserts of northern India. The Black Eagles Gasp in amazement as this troupe of stunning acrobats from Tanzania perform their high impact, joyful show of acrobatics and dance. Set to lively African music, everyone will be on their feet clapping in time. Sports Day and Funfair Ready, steady, GO for Southside’s very own sports day taking place all along Thorp Street. Join us for a spot of egg and spoon or sack racing. Don’t miss the funfair either! Rogue Play – Taking Flight Two friends follow a bird across land and sea in this aerial theatre piece backed by an enchanting soundscape of word and music. Secret City Arts – A Country Fayre Picnic An interactive storytelling adventure inspired by traditional folk tales with a contemporary twist. Using a picnic basket brimming with Olde English stories, folk music, props and puppets, help our storytellers write the ‘Secret Ballad of Southside Country’.
Saturday Night at The Arcadian From 7pm – 10pm, relive the fun of the festival into the night where
Birmingham’s original MegaFolk band, The Destroyers, will bring their trademark madcap energy and musical virtuosity to The Arcadian.
Hippodrome Foyer Takeover On Sun 18 June, the foyers of the theatre will be brimming with activities, exhibitions and performances including a mini petting farm and costume exhibition from Birmingham Royal Ballet and panto producers Qdos. Vintage Rides and Traditional Games Roll up, roll up! Test your strength, hook-a-duck or try your luck on the coconut shy, plus swing-boat rides and lots of other fun across the weekend. Face Painting Turn your little ones into their favourite animal for the day! Food For Grazin Visit the Little Camion – a mobile brasserie serving freshly made crepes and galettes, gourmet burgers, barista coffee, ice creams and much more. For more information about this year’s Summer in Southside Festival, visit birminghamhippodrome.com/ summerinsouthside
Competition In Partnership With Digital Cities For the chance to WIN tickets to ANY future press night at Birmingham Hippodrome, tag your videos and photos with #summerinsouthside. Prizes will be awarded in three categories; Best Video, Best Photo and Best Overall ‘Moment’. Summer 2017 |
Spotlight
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O
Southside Parklet
riginally referred to as a ‘pocket park’, Southside Parklet is a modular installation, designed to be capable of moving around the city throughout its projected life cycle, and comprises seating areas, bee-friendly planters, cycle parking and e-ink screens for enjoyment by the general public. The project follows on from the successful Southside Green Wall installation, fitted along the central reservation of the A38 Bristol Street in Summer 2015, and designed to reduce pollution levels in the city. The Parklet is a pilot green scheme and is a collaborative endeavour between Southside Business District, Atkins and the Future Cities Catapult Programme. It is intended to demonstrate
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Measuring some eight metres long, the Southside Parklet will be situated on Bromsgrove Street, opposite Tesco, occupying 50% of the loading bay between Jake’s Tattoo Studio and the Loft, where it will be installed in the wake of Birmingham Pride, and remain in place for a period of up to twelve months. As the last project to be championed by outgoing BID Manager Julia Chance, we hope that this innovative scheme achieves the success that it deserves, and that it will lead the way for similar projects to come to fruition in the future.
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how parking spaces and other street areas, can be quickly and safely transformed into green spaces for the benefit of local people, as a contribution to making a more liveable city environment, which includes the benefits of improved air quality. If successful, it may be followed by similar parklets in Birmingham and other cities.
This offer is exclusive to Southside BID Levy Payers, another benefit of being part of Birmingham’s brightest BID. Contact us now for details.
Chinese customers spend on average five times more than non-Chinese customers? And that Southside have 10,000 plus Birmingham-based followers on their Chinese language Weibo and Wechat accounts? This is another service we offer FREE of charge to Southside levy payers. All you need to do is get in touch and we will post your adverts, offers or updates online for our Chinese consumer group.
Do you want to target Chinese speaking customers? Did you know that in Southside,
Email information@southsidebid.co.uk for more details.
Spotlight | Summer 2017
Contemporary Improvers 7:30 - 8:45pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Swing Dance Improvers 8:15 - 9:15pm £5.70, £4.70 conc
SAVE £
£s
Ballet Beginners 7:30 - 8:45pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Flamenco Beginners 6:45 - 8:00pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Contemporary Beginners 6:00 - 7:15pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Ballet Improvers 6:00 - 7:15pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Yoga Open Level 12:30 - 1:15pm £5.20, £4.20 conc
Move into Fitness 11:00 - 12:15pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Professional Class 9:30 - 11:00am £5:00
Argentine Tango Open Level 7:45 - 9:15pm £6.70, £5.70 conc
Contemporary Advanced 6:45 - 8:15pm £6.70, £5.70 conc
Ballet Advanced 6:15 - 7:45pm £6.70, £5.70 conc
Yoga Open Level 5:30 - 6:30pm £5.70, £4.70conc
lasses Adult C Fri Mon –
Street Dance Style Improvers 7:30 - 8:45pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Ballet Advanced + optional Pointe class (+£5) 7:15 - 8:45pm / 8:45 - 9:15pm £6.70, £5.70 conc
Solo Jazz Open Level 7:15 - 8:15pm £5.70, £4.70 conc
Ballet Beginners 6:00 - 7:15pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Swing Dance Beginners 6:00 - 7:00pm £5.70, £4.70 conc
Street Dance Styles Beginners 6:00 - 7:15pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Spring/Summer: 24 April-8 July
CLASS PROGRAMME
NEW
Jazz Dance Improvers 7:30 -8:45pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Ballet Improvers 7:30 - 8:45pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Street Dance Beginners 6:30 - 7:45pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Jazz Dance Beginners 6:00 - 7:15pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Ballet Beginners 6:00 - 7:15pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Professional Class 10:00 - 11:30am £5.00
Ballet Beginners (7-11yrs) 11:15 - 12:00pm £4.10
Jazz Dance (7-11yrs) 10:30 - 11:15am £4.10
Ballet First Steps (3-6yrs) 10:30 - 11:00am £3.60
Dance First Steps (3-6yrs) 10:00 - 10:30am £3.60
Young People’s Classes
Move into Ballet 11:30 - 12:45pm £6.20, £5.20 conc
Half Term
No Classes 3 June 2017
Contemporary (12-17yrs) 2:45 - 4:00pm £5.20
Ballet (12-17yrs) 1:30 - 2:45pm £5.20
Street Dance Styles (12-17yrs) 1:00 - 2:15pm £5.20
Street Dance Styles (7-11yrs) 12:15 - 1:00pm £4.10
Ballet Improvers (7-11yrs) 12:00 - 12:45pm £4.10
HIP-HOP ROYALTY, HOME-GROWN TALENT & MUCH MORE ‘B-SIDE’S • • •
Birmingham Hippodrome Announces Full Line-Up for B-Side Hip-Hop Festival 2017 New York ‘Graff ’ Artist, T-Kid, To Bring Legendary Street Art To Southside Streets Ahead: Birmingham Hippodrome Launches Search for Midlands Ultimate Street Dance Crew
19 – 21 May 2017 Follow: @brumhippodrome Festival Hashtag: #bside2017 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bside2017 World-class ‘Graffiti’, international dance stars, award-winning rap artists plus the biggest names in Birmingham’s home-grown, hip-hop talent – these are just some of the highlights audiences can look forward at this year’s B-Side Hip-Hop Festival. Produced by Birmingham Hippodrome in partnership with artists Break Mission, Juice Aleem, Mickeal ‘Marso’ Riviere, and Graffiti Artist.com, B-Side Hip-Hop Festival will, once again, see the streets of Southside filled with the sights and sounds of contemporary hip-hop culture in a three-day event featuring some of the biggest names in local and international hip-hop talent. The festival will take place across the weekend of the 19-21 May and will feature a range of exhilarating outdoor performances, pop-up dance events, 8
Spotlight | Summer 2017
interactive talks and live graffiti art, alongside an explosive programme of street dance, high-energy workshops and battles. Last year’s B-Side Hip-Hop Festival attracted over 5000 visitors to Southside, bringing together over 70 performers, wordsmiths and artists from across the city, plus an additional 150 local street dance competitors from across the UK. The festival opens on Friday 19 May with a free Welcome Jam and Launch Party hosted by Birmingham MC and rap artist Juice Aleem and DJ Silence and featuring leading speakers and performers from both the city and wider international stage including Prit, Nucleo, T-Kid, Boogie Frantik, PoeOne, Link, IMD, Bubbles and Sic-Nis among others. An ideal
introduction to the weekend, the event will explore Birmingham’s independent and vibrant contribution to global hip-hop culture, from its pioneering MCs, rappers, graffiti artists, word poets, producers and bboy/bgirls, to the present day issues faced in developing the scene and art form in Birmingham and beyond. Competitionss Returning for the 2nd year running, Birmingham-based hip-hop youth charity Break Mission are back with two exciting days of dance battles in Break Mission x Just Jam Intl 2017. From Breaking, Hip Hop and Poppin’, to MCs and DJs, this explosive event promises to be the ultimate hip-hop experience. This will be followed by the return of the infamous Bones To Stones bboy breakdance battles on Hippodrome Square, an epic battle through concrete to be crowned number one on the floor! Entry to all Break Mission events operates on a ‘Donate to Participate’ basis. All non-perishable food or recycled clothing donations will go towards supporting the work of Sifa (Supporting Independence from Alcohol) Fireside, Birmingham. Other newly announced dance battles for 2017 include KR8! – an experimental dance contest fought
2 vs 2 Bonnie & Clyde style. Judges at the event Link Bink (France), original bboy Poe-One (USA) and Birmingham Hippodrome Artistic Director, Fiona Allan. Talented bboys and bgirls from across Birmingham will be given a second chance to shine in the 7 To Smoke solo breakin’ battle, a secret selection giving underdogs from Break Mission’s Just Jam qualifiers the chance to battle head-to-head on the Hippodrome’s Main Stage on Sunday and be recognized at last! Meanwhile, wannabe rap artists are invited to showcase their spoken word skills in 7 To Spoke – a fast-paced and fearsome battle between seven participants fighting to be crowned king and queen. Performances & Commissions This year’s festival will also feature a specially-commissioned performance of Benji Reid’s internationally-acclaimed hip-hop theatre work, The Holiday – a thrilling study of the darker emotional territories of Hip-Hop told through a combination of poetry, dance, live music and song. Afrofuturism Festival Producer and Birminghamborn rap artists Juice Aleem will be shining a spotlight on Afrofuturism, past, present and future in Afroflux, a specially curated series of talks, workshops and live performances exploring Afrofuturism’s many connections to hip-hop sub-culture. Live Music Bringing together the best in local and international DJ and MC talent, this year’s festival will also feature live music sets from Birmingham MC and
rap artist Lady Sanity plus Quartz, Strange U, DJ Latifah, DJ Nucleo and many more. Graff Jam Brand new for 2017, this year’s festival will also see graffiti artists from across the globe take over Southside for a full weekend of live street art and interactive workshops taking place across the Hippodrome’s Main Foyer spaces and surrounding city streets. Headed by the legendary T-Kid from New York plus Birmingham-based ‘Graff ’ talent Graffitiartist.com, this year’s Graff Jam will welcome artists from as far afield as the USA, Italy, Sweden, Ireland and London, alongside the best of Birmingham’s home grown ‘Graff ’ talent. Workshops Festival sponsors POSCA will be on hand to provide a series of free, interactive Graffiti workshops in our PwC Suite on Saturday where visitors will be given the chance to create their own striking and inventive graffiti letters using childsafe POSCA pens. Other workshops taking place across this year’s festival include Sweat The Technique master-classes in Breaking, Poppin’ and hip-hop lead by PoeOne, Boogie Frantik and Link Bink, an introduction to the history of masquerade and ‘NeoMmanwu’ with Florence Okoye, an exploration of ‘Women, Hip-Hop and Afrofuturism’ with Latifah Stone and a four day hip-hop research lab curated by Festival Producer and award-winning choreographer Mickeal ‘Marso’ Riviere for semi/ professional and emerging Hip-Hop
artists, running from 15-19 May in DanceXChange. Finale Seeing the weekend out in signature style on Sun 20 May, the B-Side Hip-Hop Festival Finale will see the cream of B-Side 2017 come together for an afternoon of live performances and battles on the Hippodrome Main Stage. Highlights include sets from Birmingham MC’s Quartz and Lady Sanity as well as preliminaries and finals of competitions including Bonnie & Clyde, 2v2 and Dirty 30s. For the first time ever, this year’s finale performance will play host to the Midlands Ultimate Street Dance Crew finale, in which talented street dance crews battle it out to be crowned the ultimate champion. Festival Producer and award-winning choreographer Mickeal ‘Marso’ Riviere said: “This year’s B-Side Hip-Hop Festival promises to be bigger than ever before. As well as providing a platform for emerging and established hip-hop talent here in Birmingham, this year’s festival features an incredible lineup of international artists, including the legendary T-Kid from the Bronx among others. Building on the success of its early pioneering artists, performers and producers, and more recent largescale events in the city, Birmingham is once again re-establishing itself as an important global producer and consumer of all things hip-hop”. For full details of this year’s B-Side Hip-Hop Festival programme, visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com Summer 2017 |
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“Meet the new boss, same as the old boss… don’t get fooled again,” Brexit – Employment Law
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oger Daltrey sang the words, “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, don’t get fooled again, no, no,” on The Who’s classic, “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and written by Peter Townsend.
These particular words chimed in my head as I sat opposite a client, following the historic referendum on 23rd June 2016, where the hotly debated British exit from the European Union (Brexit) had become a reality. Because of this, he believed that businesses no longer had to comply with “pesky ‘red tape’ intrusions” such as discrimination law, Transfer of Undertakings, parental leave and pay, holiday and working time regulations. Unbelievable. And as his ranting faded into the urban noise of Southside, it was as if Roger Daltrey was singing directly to this hardworking, community-minded, charity-giving business owner sitting in my office: “I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution. Take a bow to the new resolution Smile and grin at the change all around Pick up my guitar and play Just like yesterday Then I get on knees and pray We don’t get fooled again.” Whilst there is no certainty surrounding the seismic shift in our political landscape following Brexit, this article discusses the potential implications that are likely to be most 10
Spotlight | Summer 2017
significant in the UK workplace, for whilst a notable proportion of the UK’s employment law stems directly from the EU, in theory the Government does have the power to abolish all of the EU directives that cover the workplace. But regardless of the UK regaining Parliamentary sovereignty, it will not happen. “Don’t get fooled again!” It is also worth stating the obvious at this point: the cornerstone of UK Statutory employment protection, is the right not to be unfairly dismissed. This will be unaffected by the UK’s EU status. I refer all readers to go online to www. parliament.uk and have a look at the Common’s Briefing Paper (CBD – 7732) (Author – Douglas Pyper) where a full report can be downloaded as to the Government’s position as at 10th November 2016. The UK has confirmed the following regarding post Brexit EU employment law: Workers’ existing legal rights will be guaranteed by the Prime Minister during her period of office. The “Great Repeal Bill” will convert all current EU employment law into domestic law regardless of future relationships between the EU and the UK. EU rights will continue post Brexit. Judgements of the European Court of Justice will be given effect in domestic law at the point of exit from the EU. “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss…” The fact of the matter is that many
EU employment laws are so integrated into UK law that they have become workplace norms and it would be unworkable for the complete removal of these practices. It would be political suicide for the Government to want to increase the burden on employers, and create more confusion in the short term, by making significant changes to the basic structure of the current law. Employment protection which has come from Europe reflects accepted standards of good employee relations practice, and can now be considered fundamental rights rather than administrative rules for employers. An obvious example for this, is the right for employers not to discriminate against staff because of any reason connected with race, gender or age. If one looks at Non-European countries such as America then one can see similar protections in the workplace, and see that such rights are considered so fundamental in developed societies that the UK Government will not have a choice as to whether to keep existing laws in their current form. In the United States, their laws have had ‘unlawful age discrimination’ since well before such discrimination became part of UK law, in 2006. Other EU laws merely mimic employment protections that are already provided by UK law, namely equal pay, race and disability and the right
Another example is the Race Relations Act 1965, which predated the UK’s membership of the EU. Changes to society – and fundamental protection in the workplace – cannot be moved back 50 years and neither would the vast majority of people want our society to be subsumed to a less politically correct era. The Common’s Briefing Paper CBP – 7732 states: “EU Employment Law provides a minimum standard below which domestic Employment Law must not fall”.
to return from maternity leave. They existed in the UK before the EU chose to legislate in these areas. It is difficult to see how any UK Government could legislate to substantially alter the current framework on the exit from the EU.
The Equality Act 2010 will remain in force. This means that protection from discrimination, harassment and victimisation in the workplace will survive Brexit. However, free from EU constraints, the Government may introduce limits to the compensation that may be awarded in the event of a successful discrimination claim.
It would seem improbable that this would fall below the unfair dismissal level (which is domestic only) and it is therefore reasonable to suggest that compensation could be aligned to this figure in the future. At a more controversial level, it could see the Government permitting positive discrimination in limited circumstances, for example in an attempt to assist greater gender or racial balance in the boardroom, which is currently not permitted under EU law. Next installment in the Autumn SPOTLIGHT on Southside. By Ian Henery Solicitor Ian Henery is based in Southside; call into his Latitude Branch at 155 Bromsgrove Street, for more details.
Cthulhu An alien of octopus outline Cthulhu – monstrous entity, asleep In the abysmal depths of darkest brine, Thoughts of warfare his malevolent brain keeps. Dreaming at the bottom of the ocean, Judgement in an apocalyptic age. A heart, unfathomable emotion, Humanity erased from the World’s page. Preserved as the Kraken in memory, A giant octopus, stuff of nightmare; Killer of sailors who voyaged out to sea. Drinking their blood, stripping their white bones bare. Cthulhu – High Priest of the Great Old Ones, Star-traveller, ruling Earth before mankind; God-Beings, to whom a sacrifice of sons And the bloodshed to which we’ve become blind. It is said that the Great Ones will return Causing worldwide insanity and death. What is history and what lessons learned? Wars cover our world with mothers bereft. Our species will be displaced forever, The Ancient Ones ruling our world once more; Love and happiness gone, laughter never But a bone-yard filled with madness and war.
The end? Why don’t we put down our weapons To greet Cthulhu from slumbering green, The great High Priest of the Ancient Old Ones And by men and angels he will be seen – With unnumbered arms of enormous height That winnowed ocean depths where they did lie; Out of the dark, into the sickly light Roaring monster – and on the surface, dies. By Ian. D. Henery Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by writer H. P. Lovecraft and first introduced in the short story “The Call of Cthulhu”, published in the American pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. Any similarity to world leaders is entirely coincidental.
Summer 2017 |
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LIVE COMEDY EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY
The best comedians want to play The Glee so don’t miss out on a superb night of live entertainment that will keep you laughing until Monday.
COMEDY TOUR SHOWS .............................................. .............................................. SUN 28TH MAY
COBO .............................................. SAT 3RD JUNE
MOORE LAUGHTER .............................................. SUN 4TH JUNE
IAIN LEE .............................................. TUE 13TH JUNE
LIMMY
TALK & BOOK SIGNING .............................................. SUN 25TH JUNE
ASPERGER’S ARE US .............................................. EVERY WED IN JULY
EDINBURGH PREVIEWS .............................................. SUN 27TH AUGUST
ALL STARS OF COMEDY
SUN 3RD SEPTEMBER
THE INDIANS ARE COMING .............................................. TUE 5TH SEPTEMBER
OWEN BENJAMIN .............................................. WED 13TH SEPTEMBER
CARL HUTCHINSON &.............................................. CARL DONNELLY WED 20TH SEPTEMBER
TOM STADE ..............................................
LIVE MUSIC .............................................. WED 31ST MAY
HALEY REINHART .............................................. FRI 2ND JUNE
CALLAGHAN .............................................. SAT 8TH JULY
ELEANOR CONWAY ..............................................
OFFICIAL MOSTLY JAZZ, FUNK & SOUL AFTERPARTY ..............................................
VIR DAS
MILES HUNT & ERICA NOCKALLS ..............................................
FRI 22ND SEPTEMBER 25TH SEPTEMBER 26TH SEPTEMBER
TUE 17TH OCTOBER
SUN 12TH NOVEMBER
DUKE SPECIAL
THE ARCADIAN | BIRMINGHAM | B5 4TD
SPECIAL EVENTS .............................................. SUN 11TH JUNE
THE GILDED MERKIN
BURLESQUE & CABARET .............................................. WED 6TH SEPTEMBER
ROBERT WEBB
HOW NOT TO BE A BOY .............................................. SUN 15TH OCTOBER
SIMON DAY: IN CHARACTER
BRIAN PERN, BILLY BLEACH, GEOFFREY ALLERTON, TONY BECKTON
S
Birmingham PRIDE
outhside is gearing itself up for another massive Birmingham Pride festival this Spring Bank Holiday, on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May 2017.
The popular LGBT festival is now one of the biggest in the UK, and boasts a host of bigname artists on its main stage – arguably the best programme ever this year! The line-up on the main stage features headline performances from retro acts like Gabrielle, Sophie-Ellis-Bextor, Jamelia, Basement Jaxx and Boney M, together with a host of current headliners like Dua Lipa, Jonas Blue, Sigala, Louisa Johnson and Saara Aalto. The festival launches each year with the Carnival Parade, setting off from Victoria Square at 12 noon on Saturday 27 May. The spectacle is watched by over 75,000 people who line the streets of the parade route, which then winds its way down to the Gay Village in Southside.
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This year’s Parade theme is ‘Love and Pride’ to commemorate the 50th anniversary since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the United Kingdom in 1967. Lawrence Barton, Birmingham Pride Festival Director, commented: “This year we’re expecting to build on the huge success of the last few years. Each year we’re amazed by the tens of thousands of spectators who turn out to support our Carnival Parade, in addition to all the visitors to the two-day Pride festival that follows in the heart of Southside.” The event features five entertainment areas; The Main Stage, Dance Arena, Cabaret Marquee, Alt Club Stage – which is a new addition this year, and also a Women’s Arena, and it’s all held in the heart of Southside in Birmingham’s Gay Village. The festival also boasts a street party within the site which features thrill-seeking funfair rides, streetfood, community and market stalls, together with all the gay bars and clubs. To buy tickets for this year’s festival or for more information visit www.birminghampride.com
The Latin American Festival - Birmingham Get ready the maracas, sombreros, the burritos and the mojitos!!! Welcome to The Latin American Festival – the City’s most popular annual event! A lively day full of music, dance and amigos. The festival will once more deliver authentic Latin entertainment to Birmingham, bringing a colourful and vibrant carnival atmosphere to the city, and infusing the Arcadian with the Latin spirit. The Festival, founded by Peruvian born, Annie Bazán-De-Fisher, international cultural Award winner, has become a unique event in the city. It is the most established and recognised Latin Festival in the UK and is a great achievement for the organisers, ABS* Latin Promotions, a voluntary and non-profit cultural organisation. This year the Latin American Festival celebrates its 22nd anniversary, and will be held on Sunday 2nd July at the Arcadian Centre, Southside, Birmingham, from 11.00am till 7.00pm. As always, the event is FREE to attend. A host of authentic Latin Bands and performers will entertain the crowds. 16
Spotlight | Summer 2017
OYA Samba Batucada Band will open the festival with a carnival around the streets of the Arcadian, and will delight attendees with their amazing rhythms and energetic sounds. We will be welcoming the Elpidio & Su Alegria Orquesta Salsa Band, featuring Elpidio Caicedo from Cali, Colombia; the Los De La Vega Latin Band playing Bachata, Merengue and Reggaeton music as well as the amazing singer Angelica Lopez with her latest hit, Madremonte. Also performing will be the spectacular Edwin Guerra & Company, an internationally acclaimed Colombian harpist/guitarist and singer and The Funky Carnival show dancers, who will deliver the famous Samba dance from Brazil, the La Bamba from Mexico, as well as a Salsa Dance Show and Limbo. Salsa, Zumba and Bachata workshops will be running with a variety of performers such as Edlin Josephs (Simply Salsa), ILDIKO (UK Salsa Dancers) and Coco Vega. Our DJ, JAY, will play the latest Latin hits and there will be fun Salsa and Limbo dance competitions to enjoy.
Founder and Organiser of the festival, Annie says:“Everyone is most welcome to join in the festival, which promises to be an unforgettable event, with great music. This is a unique opportunity, not only to learn about the Latin American culture, but also to share a great day out in a friendly, colourful and happy atmosphere.” Craft, food and drink stalls will also be present, lending the whole event a real carnival flavour. After the Festival, the traditional AFTER FESTIVAL PARTY will take place from 7.00 till late at Las Iguanas in Hurst Street, Birmingham, where a salsa Band will play at 9.00pm. Admission is Free. We wish to thank all our sponsors and supporters, who include The Arcadian, Southside, Las Iguanas Restaurant, GEM Magazine, Ibis Hotel, INTI Latin American Crafts, 4DJ Matthew Electronics, Simply Salsa, and the Green Room amongst others. For more information please call 0775 800 5056.
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Shock & Gore festival Now entering its seventh year, the annual Shock & Gore festival is the twisted offspring of The Electric Cinema in Birmingham, one of the country’s leading independent cinemas, and follows The Electric’s own objective since it was relaunched in 2004 – namely to offer the kind of screenings and events you just can’t get anywhere else, with a suitably sharp edge to them. While a large part of the festival focuses on horror in all its shapes and forms, that’s not what Shock & Gore is solely interested in. We look to celebrate the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, which includes science fiction, fantasy and the kind of narrative dramas that take human experiences to the extreme. We also interpret the ‘shock’ within our name in different forms - the shock of the unexpected or the shock of a mental breakdown. We’re also placed right at the heart of British film-making, looking to give exposure to directors and writers with the festival’s official competition, offering the chance for directors and writers still in the nascent stage of their careers to have their films screened at The Electric in front of an eager audience. As such, the focal point of the festival is the official Shock & Gore competition, where entries from across the globe are viewed and one feature film and a selection of short films are included in the annual festival. While screenings make up the brunt of the festival, we also programme a number of different events. A festival should be more than just a collection of film showings, so to that end, we’ve had a number of different events over the years – stand-up comedy, director Q&As, live choirs, food and drink themed nights, interactive screenings, all night parties and plenty more, as well as a number of special guests. The 2017 edition of the Shock & Gore festival is no different. Audiences can expect a whole barrage of exclusive events, including a whisky tasting, another lip smacking food event from Conjurer’s Kitchen, a classic horror screening inside a church in the Jewellery Quarter, a talk on 1930s horror from author Jon Towlson, a Godzilla double bill and a very special Trash Film Night event set to be held on the waters of Birmingham’s canal network. That’s alongside the usual collection of exclusive previews, new releases and classic movies featured every year to cater for all kinds of movie fans, whether they have an insatiable yearning for gore or fancy reminiscing with a Gothic horror from cinema’s misty past. Held between Friday July 28th and Thursday 3rd August, for full details on this year’s festival, head to The Electric cinema’s website at www.theelectric.co.uk from mid-June, when the full listings will go live and tickets will be available to book. Keep an eye on the Electric Cinema’s website all year round too, as Shock & Gore regularly programme screenings and events outside the festival.
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D
All About Manhua
idn’t comics used to be for children? Perhaps here in Europe, but on the other side of the world they’re read by people of all ages, even if around 60 per cent of Chinese youths, are part of that demographic. Here in Birmingham, we have seen a large influx of mainland Chinese residents and businesses in recent years, and as many as one in three international students in the city’s universities come from China. Japanese manga has become so popular here in the Midlands that Birmingham has more comic and cosplay events associated with it, than any other British city.
British comic conventions, not least because of its strong association with cosplay, another Japanese pastime, that has now caught on here in the West. Manga is the Japanese version, however the comics of Japan and Korea have been heavily influenced by Chinese language and culture, and in return the comics of Korea and China have been heavily influenced by manga.
And here in Southside, Britain’s oldest surviving comic shop, Nostalgia & Comics, supplies the largest selection of Japanese manga in the city, so perhaps it makes a little sense to tell you what manhua is all about.
The difference between these comic forms is slight – in Japan, manga is often sold in a multi-panel serial form whereas in China the comics are largely presented in full colour, read from left to right like our own comics, and tend to feature single-issue stories based on Chinese culture.
You may be familiar with manga – a type of comic digest published in a style first conceived during the 19th century, usually black and white, and read from right to left, unlike English comics which are read from left to right. Here in the UK, manga emerged as a cult favourite during the 1990s, and lies at the heart of many modern 22
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In Korea these comics are called manhwa, and in China, where the word for these comics originated, they are guochan manhua (domestic comics, or ‘guoman’ for short). The style has even been adopted in France, where it is called manfra.
Manhua began as impromptu cultural sketches, largely satirical, but evolved over time to become a propaganda tool during Mao’s Great Leap Forward, and with the rise of Hong Kong’s wuxia influence in the 1970s, embraced more aspects of television culture, since
which time, it has been the Hong Kong manhua that has dominated, embracing storytelling in much the same way as Chinese and Japanese cinema have. With print carefully controlled in China, a typical 21st Century manhua comic is as likely to appear on a blog as it is to be published on paper, but when they do appear in the latter form, they tend to be rich with colour and action sequences that stand apart from their monochrome Japanese equivalents. The stories themselves range from modern tales of teen angst to historical drama and mythic fantasy. Among these are An Ideal World by Weidong Chen and Chao Peng, which follows the fantastic adventures of a bored young forklift operator; Chan Mou’s Ravages of Time and Three Kingdoms by Yū Terashima and Lee Chi Ching, which are serial retellings of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, perhaps the most epic legend in Chinese history, and 1/2 Prince, a Taiwanese comic by Yu Wo, Ya Sha and Zhan Bu Lu. Set in a future world where virtual reality is almost indistinguishable from the real world, it follows a female player whose virtual identity – that of an infamous and bloodthirsty warrior – threatens to spill over into the real world.
SOUTHSIDE DIALOGUE
F
or some time now, Southside’s levy payers have been attending regular Social Business Network meetings at many of the venues across the district. Set up to encourage business community growth, these showcase local businesses, share information and presentations, and help foster a sense of ‘Southside spirit’.
The meetings have been a wonderful way for our community to get to know each other, but as we move forward into our second BID term, it is time to think about improving on what we’ve learned and perhaps contemplate doing things differently. We don’t pretend to know exactly what is best for our businesses, but we certainly want to respond to their needs as best we can. For this reason, we need your input; ideas on how Southside’s business community can best come together, and what you want to see from our social get-togethers in the future. Adrian Middleton, our interim BID Manager, is looking for suggestions which address three questions: 1. How do you want to network in future? Do you still want early evening socials? Lunch events? Late night mixers? Networking breakfasts? 24
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Drop-in surgeries or coffee mornings? Or would you prefer a broader social media presence? 2. What do you want to talk about? Do you want to talk about the issues we are already covering? Have you a burning desire to hear from a specific speaker? A local businessman? Planners? The Police? Is there a burning topic that needs a workshop or ‘Southside summit’? 3. What sort of services do you need to access? We want to support our businesses, and perhaps we can best do this by bringing in service providers. Membership organisations? Grant providers or funding experts? Solicitors? Accountants? Recruitment agencies? Volunteers or training providers? We need your input into what matters, so we can better address the needs of Southside businesses in the future. All you need to do is drop Adrian a line at bidmanager@southsidebid.co.uk, and we’ll use the information we receive to tailor Southside to your business needs. This is your chance to have your say, so please give as much information as you can, which will allow us to make an informed decision, rather than an assumption about Southside businesses’ needs and requirements.
News Update Julia Chance, our outgoing BID Manager had an emotional send-off by friends and colleagues at the Holiday Inn on 31st March. After 5 years at the helm of the Business Improvement District, we wish her the very best in all her future endeavours. The British Association of Social Workers will be moving from its offices at 16 Kent Street to pastures new (not too far away – within Colmore district, we understand). Sadly, this also means our board member Sara Hicklin, Chair of our Streets Working Group, will also be leaving us. Gallan Properties have moved from their Head Office on Hill Street to new premises at George Nott House, 119 Holloway Head, Birmingham B1 1QP. The Koh-i-Noor and The Maharajah Indian restaurants, have both recently undergone interior makeovers and are encouraging customers to pop in and check out their new décor, whilst enjoying fine Indian cuisine. Mr Egg has been acquired by the Happy Lemon. We understand that it will keep its name, but may get a Chinese makeover. Song Tuoi on Hurst Street has had a makeover, and is now known as Miss Vietnam. The Saint Salon has moved from its premises on Inge Street, to the top floor of 109 Hurst Street, where it is now known as Saints Above. Sadly there are no lifts, but Richard tells me the 39 steps up to their salon is a healthy climb. In February, Southside BID also moved to new premises at 109 Hurst Street, from its old Gallan House office on Hill Street. The new premises are a little more compact than our old office, so our meeting room can now only accommodate around 8 people. As you can see from the photograph, we are beneath Saints Above. Zab and Adrian occupy an office on the first floor! Our levy payers are
We are here
more than welcome to pop in and say hello. (Please note:- one quirk of the move is that we have a different postal address to our actual location. For the purposes of correspondence, our address is: 143 Bromsgrove Street, Southside, Birmingham B5 6RG.) Big congratulations to Terry Runcorn, manager of the Loft and the Nightingale, who managed to get around 70 representatives from local establishments to attend April’s Pubwatch, where plans for a neighbourhood black book were unveiled, and positive links were made with Birmingham’s Licensing Team. And finally, Southside’s Street Wardens will be moving to a new Summer Schedule from 1st July, providing more daytime cover, as well as cover on Friday and Saturday nights. Further details to be announced. Adrian Middleton Southside BID Summer 2017 |
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Spotlight on Fiona Allan Tell us about your business? Birmingham Hippodrome is the UK’s single most visited theatre. On average, we welcome over 500,000 visitors through our doors every year – which is incredible. We like to claim that (among many other things) we offer ‘The West End in the West Midlands’ and that’s certainly the case, as we look ahead to our new season. Our programme broadly consists of a mix of touring musicals, world-class ballet and opera, drama, comedy, international dance and, of course, one the UK’s biggest pantomimes. We’re also home to a 200 seat studio, the Patrick Centre, as well as an expanding programme of outdoor events and festivals, which is growing year on year, with the success of events like Birmingham Weekender and Summer in Southside. The wonderful thing about working in theatre is that there isn’t a typical day. Everything depends on what shows and events are taking place. Over the last few months, we’ve seen attendance records broken and huge numbers of newcomers enjoying their first visit to the Hippodrome, which is something we’re very proud of. Our philosophy is ‘everyone’s welcome’, and we’re working harder than ever to ensure that this is the case. How did it all start? Well – the building has a really fascinating history. When the theatre first opened its doors in 1899, it wasn’t a theatre at all – it was the ‘Tower of Varieties and Circus’, hosting everything from crocodile wrestling to contortionists! The venue has seen lots of changes across the years but, through it all, the Hippodrome has continued to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of artists and audiences. A major improvement project in the late 1990s led to a second space added to the venue, the Patrick Centre, dance studios, and new and improved backstage and Front of House facilities - giving us scope to expand our programme even further and attract some of the biggest shows around. We’re immensely proud of 26
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our world-class facilities here at the Hippodrome. This is a venue that all the big producers want to come to. What is your background? My background originally was in classical music, then in producing theatre and festivals, and finally I progressed to running theatres. I moved to the UK from Australia nearly 13 years ago on a 12 month contract, and never thought I’d stay this long! I just keep finding more interesting places to work – and the Hippodrome is certainly that! How has your business contributed to the area? Being such a busy theatre we contributing a lot to surrounding businesses – our audiences need to park their cars, eat and drink whilst they are here, and at Southside they have all the choice they could wish for. As well as shows, we put on a number of festivals during the year – like B-SIDE Hip Hop Festival and Summer in Southside, that attract thousands of people to come to the area for the whole weekend. We also help produce Chinese New Year festivities, which sees tens of thousands of visitors come to Southside. What do you think of the continuing efforts to regenerate Southside? It’s vital, and can’t happen fast enough. We are seeing other areas of the city regenerate much faster than Southside and we can’t take the risk of being left behind. The plans to pedestrianise parts of Hurst street and Ladywell Walk, and to bring down the Smallbrook
Queensway overhead, will do a lot to help Southside feel better connected to Grand Central, which is only a quick hop down the street- yet can seem light years away. That will all start this year, which is so positive. The Hippodrome is very keen to see the Square outside completely re-fitted, so it can be a space for festivals and community performances. That would be a gamechanger for Southside, and for the city in general. What is the best thing about Southside? I think the cultural mash-up – Theatreland meets Chinatown meets the Gay Village. Between us all, we sure know how to throw a good party! What advice would you give to someone bringing their business to the district? Do it! This is a fantastic and vibrant area, with an independent feel. Get involved with Southside BID and with other businesses here – it’s a great community. How do you spend your spare time? I go back to Australia every year, and visit my brother in the States, and then try to visit at least one country I’ve not been to before. So travelling is a big part of my life, as is riding my horse. I only bought her in January, and we’re just getting to know each other. I hope to start doing some very low-level competitions over summer. To find out more about what’s on at Birmingham Hippodrome please visit: www.birminghamhippodrome.com
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or email us at: information@southsidebid.co.uk
What’s On Summer 2017 Jungle Book Patrick Centre 18-22/07/2017 Times vary £18 www.birminghamhippodrome.com
Film Art/Science A White House on Paradise Street Birmingham Open Media 17/06/2017-2/09/2017 12-5pm FREE www.bom.org.uk Genecraft Biohack Birmingham Open Media 26/6/2017 6.30-8.30pm FREE www.bom.org.uk
Cabaret Big Name Cabaret Village Inn Every Friday 9.00pm www.villagebirmingham.co.uk
Comedy Bourgeois & Maurice Patrick Centre 27/5/2017 8.30pm £17 www.birminghamhippodrome.com Uncle Ben The Old Rep 23-24/06/2017 Times Vary £15 (£12 Concessions) www.oldreptheatre.co.uk Edinburgh Preview - Fin Taylor & Kiri Pritchard-McLean Glee Club 5/7/2017 7pm £10 (£8 Students) www.glee.co.uk 30
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Dance Dance Xchange Triple Bill: Red Riding Hood Patrick Centre 25-26/05/2017 8pm £14 www.dancexchange.org.uk
The Red Turtle Electric Cinema 26/05/2017-1/06/2017 Various From £9.50 www.theelectric.co.uk Whitney: Can I Be Me + Q&A Electric Cinema 11/06/2017 Various From £13.90 www.theelectric.co.uk
Birmingham Royal Ballet: Coppelia Birmingham Hippodrome 13-17/06/2017 Times vary from £16.00 www.birminghamhippodrome.com
Cinematic Time Machine: Rocky Electric Cinema 9/07/2017 Various From £9.50 www.theelectric.co.uk
Birmingham Ormiston Academy Community Performance The Old Rep 12-13/07/2017 7pm £12 (£10 Concessions) www.oldreptheatre.co.uk
RSC Live From Stratford: Titus Andronicus Electric Cinema 9/08/2017 7pm From £17.90 www.theelectric.co.uk
Music Taylor Caniff 02 Academy 29/5/2017 4pm £30.00 academymusicgroup.com Haley Reinhart Glee Club 31/5/2017 7.30pm £15adv www.glee.co.uk Bars and Melody and Johnny Orlando 02 Academy 31/5/2017 7pm £25.00 academymusicgroup.com Beth Rowley + JP Ruggieri The Sunflower Lounge 8/6/2017 7.30pm £12.50adv www.thesunflowerlounge.com Kiefer Sutherland 02 Academy 21/6/2017 7pm £25.00 academymusicgroup.com
Lemuria The Sunflower Lounge 10/7/2017 7pm £11adv www.thesunflowerlounge.com Mary J Blige 02 Academy 15/7/2017 7pm £45.00 academymusicgroup.com
Nightclubs
Theatre Grease Birmingham Hippodrome 29/05/2017-03/07/2017 Times vary from £15.00 www.birminghamhippodrome.com
Circle Sundays Levana Every Sunday 10pm til late FREE www.levanabar.co.uk
Dirty Dancing The New Alex 29/05/2017-03/06/2017 Times Vary from £17.90 www.atgtickets.com
Chic’s Beach Party Chic Nightclub 1/7/2017 10pm til 8am £10 guests, £8 members, £5 students www.twitter.com/chic_club
From Rags to Riches The Old Rep 28-29/06/2017 7pm £12 (£10 Concessions) www.oldreptheatre.co.uk
Big Wednesdays Rehab Fridays & Loaded Saturdays Snobs Nightclub Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10.30pm-3.30am £3.50 www.snobsnightclub.co.uk
My Fair Lady The New Alex 20-24/06/2017 Times vary from £13.40 www.atgtickets.com Miss Saigon Birmingham Hippodrome 26/07/2017-23/09/2017 Times vary from £30 www.birminghamhippodrome.com Dracula: The Bloody Truth Patrick Centre 15-16/08/2017 7.45pm £12 www.birminghamhippodrome.com West Side Story The New Alex 23-26/08/2017 Times vary from £16.90 www.atgtickets.com Summer 2017 |
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