AREA GUIDE – Latest edition

Our annual festival edition is out now and is packed with competitions to win tickets to the best UK & European summer festivals. Read it online here or pick it up at venues throughout the West Midlands.

Whatever your taste in music we have it covered. The competitions are going live daily on our sister site fusedmagazine.com and we announce them over on our twitter feed so make sure you are following us over there too.

There is also the usual fine mix of upcoming art exhibitions, gigs and events.

The Catapult Club celebrates 10 years at Birmingham’s 02 Academy

Legendary Midlands based promoters The Catapult Club, who helped to establish local acts from throughout the region, including Ocean Colour Scene, Editors, Dodgy, Kasabian and The Twang, this March celebrated its 10th year of promoting gigs at Birmingham’S 02 Academy.

Calling All Music Producers

The Midlands-based independent record company Speech Fewapy Records are teaming up with electronic two-piece Waler to offer budding and established music producers, the unique opportunity to remix the Waler track ‘No Excuses’. The winning remixes will be selected to feature on the forth-coming ‘No Excuses – Remix EP’ which is released nationally on digital download and CD  on 2nd May, 2011.

Live from the Fire Room

Musicians and artists who enjoy working with sound and improvisation are invited to take part in an open sound group this August.

Led by Graham Dunning, a sound and visual artist from the Rea Garden in Digbeth, both a collaborative workshop in the Garden’s project space and a subsequent networking opportunity at the Lombard Method (also known as the Fire Room) are on offer to like-minded individuals with curiosity about or interest in collaborating on new, experimental sound projects.

On Friday 20th August, participants will visit the formerly derelict project space at the Rea Garden. Habiting a wealth of unusual objects, the site is home to the remains of an all consuming fire 20 years ago, including pieces of broken shellac from it’s previous time as a record factory. Between 11am-4pm, participants are invited to explore the space and to talk to Graham about his work there.

On Saturday 21st August, and freshly inspired  from the previous day’s discoveries, the creative workshop will take place at the Fire Room from 12pm. Participants are reminded that the session is informal with exploration as the only objective, although efforts will be documented with hopes of perhaps creating some recordings for release. Encouraged to bring items such as sound making equipment, field recordings, effects processors or any other objects that would be of use, it is hoped that those present will collaborate to create new and innovative sound pieces.

Anyone based in Birmingham or with connections to Birmingham is eligible to attend this event. For more information, or to confirm your attendance, please contact Graham Dunning.

grahamthedunning@hotmail.com

07920 004 479

Six Summer Saturdays tomorrow at the Hippodrome Piazza

On Saturday 24th July 2010, the Birmingham Hippodrome launched Six Summer Saturdays. Running until Saturday August 28th, the project is aiming to entertain Brummies all over the city by presenting a selection of fantastic outdoor theatre performances in various locations.

Six Summer Saturdays launched in style with the Vogue Ball, encouraging the audience to join the celebrations with the motto, “Step up, step out and release your inner diva!”  Subsequent to this, the following weekend boasted a diverse array of acts, from the quirky Creeping Carnival (all the way from Switzerland) to the raving grannies prowling around the High Street.

This weekend the line up is equally as varied with something eccentric to suit everyone. Here’s a sneak peek of what you can expect:

Mr Lucky’s Party by Avanti Display

Afternoon tea has never been so eventful… A couple begin a celebration in the middle of their tea party, and party hats and cake magically appear. As they tuck into each course of their meal, the weather goes from glorious to gloomy, as do their moods. With only an evocative soundtrack for accompaniment, the piece is described as “meticulous in character” and concludes with a shocking twist that is pure Avanti in style.

Hippodrome Piazza, 1pm and 4pm

Rock a Hula!

Who needs the Bahamas when Birmigham is offering a Hawaiian beach party? Come along and dance to some 50’s tunes whilst perfecting your hula hoop technique.

Hippodrome Piazza, 1.30pm-4pm

The Wheel House by Acrojou

Go on a”cylindrical journey” with two zany travellers and experience the clanking and clutter of their bizarre universe. You are guaranteed to giggle and perhaps to defy gravity too.

Cathedral Gardens, 2pm and 3.30pm

Musical Ruth

To see a lady you’ll never forget, be sure to take a stroll along the High Street and catch a glimpse of Sister Ruth. Driving an electrically powered vehicle that doubles up as a whimsically decorated grand piano, this is one nun that you’ll never quite be able to forget.

High Street, 1pm-4pm

Be sure to visit http://www.sixsummersaturdays.com for more information, competitions and for details about more upcoming events this Summer.

AREA Issue 04 – December

Look out for the December issue of AREA. Packed with events that are happening around the West Midlands it is your must have cultural guide. This issue we are on a little festive tip so read about Birmingham’s excellent Frankfurt market, the best Panto’s in the region, must see Christmas events and make sure you enter our amazing competition to  be in for a chance of winning loads of goodies.

If you can’t wait to get your hands on a copy click here for the digital one.

Win Tickets to Clothes Show Live 2009!

Clothes Show Live returns to Birmingham’s NEC, 4 – 9 December 2009, and will be kicking off the Christmas celebrations in true style as the world’s biggest fashion and beauty event – and this year you could be going for free!