Jamie’s Italian

Jamie Oliver’s invasion of the food world has stopped short of Birmingham in the past but for no longer! Jamie’s Italian restaurant, which is named simply ‘Jamie’s Italian’, will be gracing the slopes of Birmingham’s Bullring this autumn.

Jamie’s Italians have been springing up all over the country in the last few years and there is now an exceptionally pleasant Jamie’s in Cambridge, Bath and now Birmingham. These are all decked out in stylish décor, but each one has great interiors that have all been lovingly decorated with food. Huge cured hams, giant Italian cheeses in nets and sausages hang from market place like ceilings and huge boxes of pasta are put on display in the restaurants as an encyclopaedia of pasta shapes and get people salivating.

November Culture Guide

West Midlands you are being very good to us with all your amazing events. We’ve put together some of the best for your monthly digest of arts, music, fashion, food and more… Check out the latest guide or pick it up at a venue near you.

Flip Festival – 4th to 6th November

Flip Festival
4-6 November
Various venues
flipfestival.co.uk

Animation has infiltrated our lives in a big way; from television cartoons, to X-box addictions, from sordid Japanese Anime, to multi-million pound Hollywood films. Filp Festival is celebrating this media in a unique, informative, and accessible way.

The three-day event, starting on the 4th November, is run by the Light House Media Centre in Wolverhampton in partnership with University of Wolverhampton and Wolverhampton Art Gallery. The event hosts a variety of full screenings and shorts, as well as workshops and presentations from industry insiders- a must for any aspiring animators.

The Irrepressibles, November 10th

The Irrepressibles
St. Martin’s Church
November 10th

Is music only listened to, and art only seen? The Irrespressibles don’t seem to think so; they’re also going to be playing in a church.

The Irrepressibles are a weird, camp and wonderful art pop band (not pop art!) that merge art with traditional orchestra and pop music. But their performances are less about tomato soup and more about using theatrics and modern dance to create a highly interactive musical extravaganza. The highly decorative church is only incidental to the grandeur of the band and will only enhance the extravagance of the performance.

Rizla Re-Crafted Tour, November 12th

Rizla Re-Crafted Tour
Hare and Hounds (daytime), Rainbow Warehouse (evening)
November 12th

You might be used to hearing the call “Roll up! Roll up” at the circus, but it’ll be a case of “Roll-ups! Roll-ups!’ when Rizla’s ‘Re-Crafted’ tour rolls into Birmingham’s music venues on November 12th.

The organisers are hoping to unearth the next Mark Ronson or Danger Mouse when they kick off the tour in Birmingham, asking budding producers to rework the Mystery Jets’ track ‘Show Me the Light’ under the watchful eye of MJ Cole.

Bodega

The melting pot of Birmingham’s cuisine scene is a tasty dish; usually served hot and with lashings of beer. But whether you want to start your night with a curry in the Balti triangle, or end your night with a veggie snack, Birmingham is pretty much the restaurant of the Midlands. Now the people behind the Island bar, and the popular drinking hole the Victoria are adding some Latin flavour to Birmingham’s foodie scene.

Obscured by Martin Pickard & A Different Perspective by Louise Holgate

Obscured by Martin Pickard & A Different Perspective by Louise Holgate
The Moseley Exchange, Alcester Road, Moseley
2 November – January 2011

This November, the Moseley Exchange is hosting a joint photography exhibition, by local talents Martin Pickard and Louise Holgate.

Martin Pickard’s ‘Obscured’ collection is the result of capturing abstract images from experiments with motion. Pickard, who works as a senior technician at the Hippodrome, has created images for the BBC, ING Bank and The Southbank Centre, but this is his first exhibition; ‘It’s one thing showing things to family and friends, I’m more nervous of this than an opening night for the biggest musical’.

Rhod Gilbert & The Cat that looked like Nicholas Lyndhurst

Rhod Gilbert & The Cat that looked like Nicholas Lyndhurst
10th November
Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Ticket £20.00

It’s impossible to have missed Rhod Gilbert over the last year. From appearing on nearly every comedy show the BBC has aired, to persuading us to visit Wales; it seems we just can’t escape the angry Welsh comedian.

Scissor Sisters – LG Arena

Scissor Sisters
3 December
LG Arena
7:30pm, £30

Following the success of their last tour in the summer, the Scissor Sisters return to Birmingham for another showcase of their Night Work album and some old favourites.
After filling the O2 Academy to breaking point on their last visit, they have super-sized to the lg arena for their second bash at Birmingham this year.

Metropolis

Metropolis
The New Art Gallery Walsall
thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk
Until 23 December

Just when you thought the commute to work was already intense enough, consider the fact that the United Nations have predicted that in the year 2030 almost 60% of the world’s population will be living in cities. Best start saving for that place in the country. For now you can check out a collaborative exhibition by a group of international artists all sharing their ideas on the future of densely populated city living.