A dreary Tuesday night in Birmingham city centre and, while thousands head towards the NIA to witness Lily Allen going through the motions, those in the know are at the Academy to witness one of the most spectacular musical groups on the planet – Rodrigo Y Gabriela. It’s been a few years now since I [...]
Tag Archives: Birmingham Academy
Alice In Chains @ Birmingham Academy – 13th November 2009
This could quite possibly be one of the worst reviews you’re about to read. Having been made aware of the existence of Alice In Chains a little over 15 years ago by an ex girlfriend who was going to see them. I confess to having never listened to any of their material until tonight’s gig [...]
Just Jack + Ed Sheeran @ Academy 2, Birmingham – 11th November 2009
Isn’t it strange how the nights you’re not overly excited about are always the ones that knock you sideways and imprint strong memories that you know will stay with you forever. Well that is exactly what happened at this gig and god I love it when that happens. It was a cold….no wait….absolutely chuffing freezing….night [...]
Biffy Clyro + Manchester Orchestra + Pulled Apart By Horses @ Birmingham Academy – 9th November 2009
It’s a bitterly cold night outside the Birmingham O2 Academy, and for a lucky few, this is the second time seeing Biffy Clyro in a few hours. The band played an acoustic set at HMV in the city centre at 5pm and the paper wristbands given to the 300 hardcore fans who queued all day [...]
Calvin Harris + Mr Hudson @ Birmingham Academy – 29th October 2009
If you can, try and cast your mind back to the late nineties. You’re in a nightclub on a Friday or a Saturday night, you’ve had too much to drink and you’ve lost your mates. You’re feeling a bit wretched and in dire need of a kebab and a taxi. Then one of those classic [...]
Billy Talent + Cancer Bats + Canterbury @ Birmingham Academy – 27th October 2009
Canterbury started the evening off. They are a 5 piece British band, with dual lead vocals being provided from the guitarist and keyboard player. The guys had a very similar sound to the headliners Billy Talent. They tried really hard to get the crowd going, which worked so well everyone got behind them. The sound [...]
The Dead Weather + Creature With The Atom Brain @ Birmingham Academy – 26th October 2009
The support for tonight’s gig is Creature With The Atom Brain, a Belgian alternative rock band who apparently make fuzz inspired music with a “generous helping of weird”. From the last track, this description appears to hit the nail on the head so to speak, and I am disappointed not to have caught their whole [...]
The Noisettes @ Birmingham Academy – 23 October 2009
I missed the support, being on a mission to buy some chewing gum to freshen my breath… Although the new Academy has been introduced before on this site, this was my first visit and I would just like to say that it’s definitely an improvement both as regards sound, and in the view you can [...]
Bowling For Soup + Zebrahead + MC Lars + Leftovers @ Birmingham Academy – 22nd October 2009
It might be dull and dreary outside the Birmingham O2 Academy but a slice of Texan sunshine is here to warm everyone up in the shape of the Bowling For Soup “Party in your Pants Tour 2009”. Before we get onto the main attraction there are 3 support acts to get through, which makes sense [...]
Dizzee Rascal @ Birmingham Academy – 17th October 2009
By the time I arrived at the Academy, the sell-out crowd was packed in and DJ Semtex had whipped everyone up into an excited, fizzing mass. Semtex laid the charges, but it was Dizzee Rascal who blew the place apart. A constantly moving, effervescent bundle of playfully aggressive activity, Dizzee bounded from one side of [...]
