Birmingham
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Relics of New Street – B’ham Heritage Week
Each September I endeavour to take part in at least one event happening as part of Birmingham Heritage Week. In the past I have attended guided tours of the Cathedral and the (no sadly closed) Electric Cinema. This year I booked onto an intriguing tour of Birmingham’s famous New Street that promised to unveil some the relics that you may miss as you walk down the famous thoroughfare. The tour guide was Ben Waddington, who you may be familiar with for his brilliant guide book to the city, 111 Places in Birmingham that you should not miss. Ben is a fantastic advert for Birmingham, very knowledgeable about the city, and…
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Art Deco is 100.
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Black Sabbath The Ballet Makes A Triumphant Return To Birmingham
Black Sabbath The Ballet made a triumphant, emotional return to the Birmingham Hippodrome last night. The incredible, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s celebration of Heavy Metal and the classic form of dance is as unique and stunning as it was at its inception two years ago. But with the death of Ozzy Osbourne this Summer, the Ballet has taken on the role of the most wonderful, poignant, and somehow fitting tribute to the man, and to Black Sabbath, the Birmingham band who invented ‘Heavy Metal’. Act One And Two Act One is entitled Heavy Metal Ballet. The routines range from the frenetic bop that is Paranoid, to the more sensuous mood of…
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Stuart Maconie ‘With A Little Help From Their Friends’
The Beatles changed the world. But who changed theirs? This is the question that radio presenter, rock journalist and author, Stuart Maconie, is asking in his new book ‘With a little help from their friends.‘ Last week he stopped off at Birmingham Waterstones to talk about the book, and some of the one hundred people who were, in some way, important to the story of The Beatles. As both a huge Beatles, and Stuart Maconie fan, this was something I could not miss. As I expected, it was riveting and enlightening entertainment. The Beatles Changed the World I don’t think anyone can argue with that. It is a fact. They…
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Can You Win At Lucky Claw?
There’s a new family attraction that has opened deep in the heart of Birmingham’s Chinese Quarter on Bromsgrove Street. Lucky Claw is a bright and colourful amusement style arcade that claims to have the easiest claw machines, aka ‘grabbers’ in the UK, aiming for you to win lots and leave with a smile on your face. As someone who loves traditional amusement arcades, and also heads off to try to win cuddly toys from the grabbing machines, I was looking forward to trying Lucky Claw. It did not disappoint. It is a lovely, fun and safe environment. All the machines are really easy to use, and You have a much…
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Pride And Prejudice (Sort of)
I’m a huge fan of Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’. I read the book over and over when I was a teen. I’ve watched pretty much every version, from Lawrence Olivier smouldering at Greer Garson, to Colin Firth in that wet tunic (sigh!). But, in all honesty, I have never, ever seen a version of Pride and prejudice like the one I watched at the Birmingham Rep last night. Frankly, I laughed until my sides hurt! Pride and prejudice (sort of) by Isobel McArthur is an absolute triumph. It tells the story of the Bennett sisters, and their formidable mother through the eyes of their servants, who see everything happen,…
