I’m ashamed to say this is my very own Digbeth food wastage. My eyes were just too big for my belly when it came to this gooey muffin from Starbucks at the new Birmingham Coach Station. I’ll be at the coach station from 6pm this evening until 6am tomorrow morning, gathering stories from New Year travelers. So if National Express are getting you to your New Year’s Eve celebrations via Digbeth tonight, be sure to seek me out and say hello!
Shameless plug: I was on BBC Radio WM this morning talking to the lovely Daz Hale about tonight’s planned adventure – you can listen again here (I’m at the tail-end of the show, roughly 2:18 in).
Here’s artist Ben Waddington at his latest exhibition – a beer mat advent calendar currently on display at The Spotted Dog pub on Warwick Street. It’s an advent calendar made up of painted beer mats depicting signs and scenes personally significant to Ben. It’s on display until the twelfth day of Christmas, 6th January 2010.
On Sunday I passed this artist on Digbeth High Street, seemingly painting a watercolour of The Old Crown. I don’t know who he is or why he chose to paint this particular patch – I didn’t want to interrupt his artistic flow by questioning him.
The Rainbow have two options: Full on rockin’ party at The Street, The Warehouse, The Garden with G.L.A.S & TRMNL (tickets £30), or a more intimate affair at the Rainbow Pub & Courtyard with Enid Blight On in the bar and Wobble v Crunch in the Courtyard (tickets £10). Both are followed by the Ultimate New Year’s After Party in the Rainbow Pub & Courtyard from ’5am till whenever’.
The Rainbow aren’t the only ones offering a choice – at The Irish Centre Frank Dempsey is in the Leinster Suite (tickets £10) whilst Recovered are in the Connaught Bar (tickets £10).
The Mucksavage (better known as An Craic Editor John McMahon) is DJing in The Spotted Dog, supported by landlord John Tighe’s witticisms.
Of course, I won’t be at any of these because I’ll be too busy talking to people in the new Coach Station on Bradford Street. You can hear me talking about this on BBC Radio WM’s Breakfast Show at about 8.45am tomorrow morning.
Whatever you’re doing tomorrow night, have a Happy New Year!
On Monday 7th December I went to see Birmingham Opera Company’s production of Othello at the Argyll warehouse on Great Barr Street street. I would have written about it immediately afterwards urging everyone go to see it if it wasn’t already completely sold out for the rest of the run. And it was easy to see why – BOC’s productions are always unusual, often taking over disused places to create a really immersive performance that the audience become players within.
This was no exception – looking for the entrance to the old industrial unit in a pretty deserted part of Digbeth reminded me of looking for illegal parties as a youngster. As I walked into the warehouse, past the Morris dancers into the performance space, I soon noticed that some of the people milling around appeared to be praying. After a quick discussion with one about the meaning of his rosary beads, they soon burst into song and started the show around us, getting us all involved in some strange, operatic hokey-cokey. And it all went wonderfully on from there.
Dancing in Othello, photo by Katchooo
During the interval, a friend remarked it was the first non-conventional opera he’d been to, which made me realise Birmingham Opera Company are the only operas I’ve ever been to. That’s what makes them so great – the sheer, all consuming experience that are their productions attract much more than the traditional opera audience. I must mention the fantastic dancing in the second half – I never thought Morris dancing could be sinister until I saw it performed by people in white hooded jumpsuits and black balaclavas. And, of course, the singing was perfect – Stephanie Corley as the put-upon Desdemona seemed to do something special for me.
Anyway, here’s some links:
Index of Reviews from the likes of The Observer, The Times, Birmingham Post, etc. compiled by Pete Ashton
Created in Birmingham’s Chris Unitt thinks we should parade BOC Artistic Director Graham Vick through the Birmingham streets in triumph. He’s not wrong.
Nikki Pugh was struck by how successfully the audience were herded around the space, making her think of a ‘massively multi-player installation.’
There are some interesting photography sets on Flickr from chorus members Pete Ashton, Fiona Cullinan and Antonio Roberts, with some insightful backstage shots.
I don’t know what Birmingham Opera Company are up to next, but you can bet it will be something equally mind-blowing. If there’s a chance of becoming a part of the performance, grab it with both hands.
Capsule blog photo: Sara of Needles & Hooks as well as Stitches & Hos
Last week was the last week of Capsule’s residency in VIVID, in celebration of their tenth birthday. First up on Thursday was Knowing Me, Knowing You where Capsule and Created in Birmingham‘got together and invited a bunch of interesting people along to introduce themselves and say (for the sake of getting a conversation going) what they might do if they were to get their hands on VIVID for a little while.’ The results were interesting (especially the suggestion of packing the place with jelly) so fingers crossed that this can become a regular thing.
Saturday was the big bash closing party, culminating in a great performance by the poptastic and seriously circuit-bent Modified Toy Orchestra. It was the first time I’d had a chance to see them and they were brilliant. Hula Barbie stole the show in her new dress, there was a rather phallic rocket that counted to ten and some lovely projected visuals that reminded me of Brian Duffy describing how he once made the stars sing at Supersonic 2008.
Capsule have now cleaned up and moved out of the VIVID space, which is shut until 12th January.
I’m incredibly honoured….I’m going to demand a recount. I voted for Mr Ralph. I can’t understand why he didn’t win.
Good man, Brian, you thoroughly deserve your new title.
It also looks like Brian is set to win the new BiNS title Brummie of the Decade – get voting now for your favourite Brummie to get ultimate kudos this festive season!
Irish Heritage on Tuesday 2nd December had a distinctly festive feel, with a special Christmas quiz. Here’s Chair Michael Walsh’s take on the fun:
Ann Robinson Misses Heritage Quiz
Manx 5 pence with Manx Gaelic inscription
The Christmas Quiz of the Birmingham Irish Heritage Group survived the absence of Ann Robison. Not just any Ann Robinson but Ann Robinson Queen of the BBC TV Quiz, The Weakest Link and undoubtedly a star of the current trend of “humiliation television” shows. You know the sort of programme where a very powerful person degrades and humiliates people who are in a very weak position, and can’t wait to tell them “Your Fired” or “Your Going Home” or “Good Bye” thus smashing their dreams.
Well! at least they have not reverted to throwing Christians to the lions on live TV just yet. Now to be fair to Ann Robinson she did not promise to conduct the heritage quiz or even attend, but even somebody as exalted as her is still a member of the general public, so she could have come along. As is widely known the general public is invited to all Birmingham Irish Heritage Group Events which are held at 7pm on the first Wednesday of each month, upstairs in the Irish Centre, High Street, Digbeth, Birmingham.
However the Heritage Group survived the absence of Ann and her place was more than adequately filled by the Vice Chairman of the Group, John Macintyre. He conducted a lively, humorous and interesting quiz, without resorting to humiliation, and in fact he ensured that everybody had a good time, just by force of personality and great preparation. He did all this without a production staff and without even a single facelift, or makeup, unless there is something he is keeping from us.
Questions were generally of Irish Interest but with a good proportion of general knowledge, across music, films, sport and current affairs. It made for a keen contest between the several teams formed by people on the spot as they arrived. Individuals also got the opportunity to shine by being the first to jump up and correctly answer special questions to win spot prizes. Final victory went to an all ladies team, not that there was any kind segregation going on, just a group of friends.
One Pound Edge inscription - PLEIDIOL WYF I'M GWLAD
They are to be greatly congratulated have won against very knowledgeable opposition, capable of answering really obscure questions such as on the existence or not, of Welsh and Manx Gaelic inscriptions on modern British coins. The other teams also received well deserved prizes followed by a fine buffet provided by the Heritage Group and ordered from the Irish Centre. Then everybody enjoyed live music from Anthony Drury accordion, Kieran Clifford fiddle and Sue Shortland-Webb fiddle, and although they did not end with “Will Ye No Come Back Again” we do all want them back again.
Remember all are welcome free of charge, just come along to the next Birmingham Irish Heritage Group Event, upstairs at the Irish Centre at 7pm on Wednesday 6th of January 2010.
Written by Carl on Monday, December 21st, 2009 ( 11 responses )
With the completion of the Birmingham Coach Station, I wandered over the new shiny tiles hopefully looking for a free Cashpoint. I was so disappointed that I could not find one, so I decided to email National Express about the matter:
Hi,
First of all I’d like to compliment you on the completion of Birmingham
Coach Station. I had a wander around yesterday and the facilities and
building is amazing. Now i have a query as a regular user of this Coach
Station and as a resident of nearby Digbeth. Currently I feel the station
is lacking a Free Cash Point. If your customers need to get cash out their
only option as I can see is to use a pay for Cash Point over the road in a
news agents. Do you have plans to add a cash point, if not would you
please consider this?
Many Thanks
A few days later I am happy to report that Amanda Dudley from National Express responded as follows:
Thank you for your compliments
There are plans for a cash machine to go in early 2010 the hole is in place behind the cladding with a room at the rear as specified by the bank.
