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News from around the region

One-day music festival to make Birmingham debut

A new one-day music festival is coming to Birmingham’s Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) this month.

Taking place in the venue’s outdoor-theatre space on Saturday 27 May, The Ryland Caravan is being likened to an old-time travelling show.

The festival’s line-up includes ex-Teenage Fanclub favourite Gerry Love, Birmingham’s ‘pedal-steel-drenched’ country rock specialists, Independent Country, mercurial singer Laura J Martin and the Americanainfluenced Swampmeat Family Band.

To find out more about who’s performing at the festival and to book tickets, visit the venue’s website at: macbirmingham.co.uk

Mindfulness on the water

Canal cruises aiming to make passengers ‘happier and healthier’ will take place in Birmingham early this month.

Eco-friendly boating experience GoBoat has partnered with mindfulness expert Dr Audrey Tang to host early-morning wellness sessions on the water.

GoBoat’s 5am to 9am Wellness Cruises encourage passengers ‘to slow down, breathe, and set the tone for a meaningful day ahead’.

The cruises launch from The Water’s Edge in the city’s Brindleyplace on Wednesday 3 May. To find out more, visit goboat.co.uk

B:Lucky with B:Music

A Birmingham charity is this month providing music lovers with the chance to win three pairs of tickets to gigs of their choosing at the city’s Town Hall and Symphony Hall.

B:Music’s B:Lucky Lottery offer also includes a VIP backstage tour of one or other of the venues and a 12-month Silver Patron membership deal worth £250.

The lottery costs £5 to enter and closes at midday on Saturday 13 May. A winner will then be chosen at random.

Proceeds from the lottery will go toward supporting B:Music’s community projects, programme of free gigs and charitable work with young musicians. To find out more and enter, visit bmusic.co.uk

New route for the 2023 Great Birmingham Run

The AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run makes a return on Sunday 7 May, complete with a brand-new route.

The run starts and finishes in the heart of the city. Additional attractions on the day include music zones and an event village. To find out more - including details about the new route - and sign up for the event, visit greatrun.org

A summer of women’s cricket at Edgbaston

The biggest stars in women’s cricket will take centre stage this summer as The Ashes and The Hundred come to Birmingham’s Edgbaston stadium.

As well as a match between England and Australia on Saturday 1 July (to book your seat, visit tickets.edgbaston.com), the venue will also host four fixtures in The Hundred tournament. Tickets for these games can be purchased at thehundred.com

A pint of science...

Birmingham is one of hundreds of cities around the world that will this month be hosting the Pint Of Science festival. Running from Monday 22 to Wednesday 24 May, the event brings scientists and their research out of the lab and into pubs, cafes and community halls. To find out more, visit pintofscience.co.uk/events/birmingham

Eurovision in Birmingham

Birmingham is holding a free Eurovision party on the day of the Song Contest’s final (Saturday 13 May).

The Centenary Square celebration, which will see the Liverpool-hosted event being livestreamed on a big screen from 8pm, will also feature a family-friendly programme of live music, dance and performance. To find out more, including details about the line-up of entertainment, visit birmingham.gov.uk

Acclaimed musician Xhosa Cole in concert

Critically acclaimed Birmingham saxophonist, flautist & composer Xhosa Cole is once again teaming up with longtime collaborator Nathan England-Jones, to perform a concert at the city’s Elgar Concert Hall (Friday 26 May).

Having started out by playing tenor saxophone at Andy Hamilton’s Ladywood Community Music School, Xhosa is nowadays likened to two other hugely talented Birmingham saxophonists - Soweto Kinch and Shabaka Hutchings.

For more information, visit barber.org.uk

Laughter at the Old Joint Stock

Popular standup comedy club

Big Deal Comedy will visit Birmingham’s Old Joint Stock Theatre on Thursday 11 May. The show, which launches a monthly residency at the venue, will feature Jason Stampe - a man who’s been described as ‘the cornerstone of the East Anglian comedy scene’ - and Live At The Apollo’s Scott Bennett.

Tom Chambers to star in Murder In The Dark...

A touring production of a new Torben Betts ghost story will visit

Birmingham theatre The Alexandra in the autumn. Produced by award-winning company Original Theatre, Murder In The Dark is directed by Philip Franks and stars Tom Chambers. The show stops off at The Alexandra from Tuesday 7 to Saturday 11 November.

To find out more and purchase tickets, visit atgtickets.com/birmingham

An Afrofuturist Space Odyssey

A new play about an old lady who goes into outer space in search of her own orgasm is visiting Birmingham’s Old Rep Theatre at the end of the month (Tuesday 30 MaySaturday 3 June).

Stars is the latest play from Mojisola Adebayo - whose previous work includes Nothello and Muhammad Ali And Me. The story is told through ‘one woman, a live DJ, and projected animation’. For more information and to book tickets, check out the website: oldreptheatre.co.uk

Hamilton and Hammond heading for the Hippodrome

Birmingham Hippodrome has announced that internationally acclaimed musical Hamilton will play a 10-week season at the venue next summer.

The Olivier, Tony, Grammy and Pulitzer Prizewinning show will visit the Hippodrome from Tuesday 25 June to Saturday 31 August 2024.

The hit production, which blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway to tell the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton, is widely considered to be one of the greatest musicals of

Coronation celebrations in Centenary Square

Birmingham will mark this month’s coronation of King Charles III by hosting a weekend of community activities.

The focal point for the city’s celebrations will be Centenary Square, where a big screen will allow visitors to watch the coronation ceremony as it takes place at Westminster Abbey.

The square will also host a full programme of entertainment on Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 May.

To find out more about the city’s coronation celebrations, visit birmingham.gov.uk

all time...

In other Hippodrome news, the theatre has also revealed that The Great British Bake Off’s new Birmingham-born presenter, Alison Hammond, will star in its 2023/24 pantomime production of Jack And The Beanstalk.

The show will run from Saturday 16 December to Sunday 28 January.

For more information and to book tickets, visit birminghamhippodrome.com

Sky and Utilita Arena roll out new VIP lounge

Sky will next month launch a new VIP lounge experience at Utilita Arena Birmingham (on Thursday 8 June).

The exclusive lounge boasts a number of benefits, including dedicated entrances and customer check-in, plus a private area to relax and dine in, as well as the VIP Star Bar.

Sky customers can sign up to visit the brandnew lounge via the MySky app on a first-come first-served basis.

To find out more, visit sky.com/pages/vip

Jonathan Pie set to bring satire to the region

Fictional political correspondent

Jonathan Pie is heading to two Midlands venues as part of a 30-date tour in early 2024.

The satirical character-creation of actor, writer & comedian Tom Walker, Pie will stop off at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on Friday 2 February. He then visits Coventry’s Warwick Arts Centre on Sunday 18 February. For further information and to book tickets, visit jonathanpie.com

Summer return to the NEC for BBC favourites

Two hugely popular shows are returning to Birmingham’s NEC next month.

The summer edition of the BBC Good Food Show will take place alongside BBC Gardeners’ World Live from Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 June. A ticket for either show provides access to the other... For further details, visit bbcgoodfoodshow.com and bbcgardenersworldlive.com

Flatpack Film Fest is back

Birmingham’s Flatpack Festival returns for a 17th year this month.

Taking place from Tuesday 16 to Sunday 21 May at venues across the city, the event’s line-up includes a screening of Soviet/Ukrainian film In Spring at Moseley Road Baths, complete with a live, original score by Ukrainian musicians. Other highlights include a BAFTA- qualifying short-film programme and ‘a multitude of live audiovisual performances’. This year’s event also includes a comedy programme, which will be launched by Birmingham funnyman Joe Lycett. To find out more, visit flatpackfestival.org.uk

Council unveils plans for Birmingham Festival 23

Birmingham City Council has unveiled plans for a brand-new summertime event.

Birmingham Festival 23 (28 July - 6 August) will mark the one-year anniversary of the city hosting the Commonwealth Games. Commenting on the news, Birmingham City Council’s leader, Councillor Ian Ward, said: “In addition to 11 days of world-class sport,

Elmhurst students bring dance show to the stage

Elmhurst Ballet Company - the graduateyear performance strand of Birmingham’s prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School - is presenting a mixed bill of dance at its Studio Theatre this month.

Titled Legacy and including a fifth collaboration between Elmhurst and Studio Wayne McGregor, the show is being presented on Friday 19 & Saturday 20 May. Tickets are available via Elmhurst Ballet School Eventbrite.

Kym Marsh and daughter to star in Take That show

Singer, actress and TV presenter Kym Marsh will star alongside her daughter, Emilie Cunliffe, when the official Take That musical, Greatest Days, visits the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton this summer. Originally produced and toured under the title of The Band, the Tim Firth-written show will stop off at the venue from Monday 17 to Saturday 22 July. To find out more and book tickets, visit grandtheatre.co.uk the Birmingham Commonwealth Games were a huge celebration of our city’s fantastic culture and creativity - and we promised that 2022 would be just the start...

“The new festival will once again shine a spotlight on the youth and diversity that make Birmingham such an amazing city.”

Rugby legends at The Alexandra England Rugby stars

James Haskell and Mike Tindall are getting back on the tour bus for a World Cup After Party this autumn, bringing their hit podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, to The Alexandra in Birmingham on Monday 13 November.

James and Mike will be joined by former Sky Sports rugby presenter Alex Payne. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to the website cuffeandtaylor.com

Gary Numan goes acoustic at the Town Hall

Electronic music pioneer Gary Numan will perform in Birmingham in the autumn as part of a short acoustic tour.

Numan, who shot to stardom in the late 1970s with his era-defining hit, Cars, will perform at the Town Hall on 10 October.

For more information and to book tickets, visit gigsandtours.com

by Diane Parkes