Rock icons to headline this year’s massive V Festival

The Killers are to headline this year's V Festival

V Festival 2012, sponsored by Virgin Media, is back for its seventeenth year and is set to be another cracking line up.

Legendary Mancunian rockers The Stone Roses and V Festival favourites The Killers are today announced as headlining V Festival’s Virgin Media stage.

Taking place across the V weekend of 18th and 19th August 2012, the original Madchester foursome and the returning US rockers will be joined by a host of superstars to make this year’s V Festival, one to remember.

Legends Guns N’ Roses to make Birmingham comeback

Guns N' Roses will be at the LG Arena in May 2012

Rock legends Guns N’ Roses are making a comeback and will be taking the ‘Night Train’ to the LG Arena as part of a very special tour this spring.

Rock fans will get to see Axl Rose and his bandmates storm the stage and perform some of their best-loved hits when they land in the ‘Paradise City’ of Birmingham on 26 May 2012.

One of the most successful bands in rock, Guns N’ Roses have announced the return to coincide with their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an honour they nabbed as soon as they were eligible.

COMPETITION: Win tickets to see Labrinth in Birmingham!

Labrinth launches his debut UK tour at Birmingham's HMV Institute

The country’s most exciting artist; singing, song-writing and producing phenomenon, Labrinth, begins his debut nationwide tour this month. A born performer, Labrinth is set to wow crowds as he tours the UK throughout February and March.

Attracting rave reviews for his live performances at last summer’s biggest festivals, where he performed to packed-out crowds at the likes of Glastonbury, Wireless and Global Gathering, this tour is one not to miss.  Since featuring on, and producing, Tinie Tempah’s Pass Out and Frisky, Labrinth has rapidly become one of the most significant emerging artists of the past 18 months.

Top folk band Bellowhead to play in Wolverhampton

Bellowhead will be performing at the Wulfrun Hall in Wolverhampton in November

Celebrated top folk music band Bellowhead are to perform in the West Midlands as part of their 2012 tour in November.

An 11-piece collective of extremely talented musicians, the band uniquely mix music from around the globe; from big band to soul, jazz-funk to classical strings, with more than a dash of Music Hall and yet retain, at their core, a passion for English traditional music.

Jay-Z and Kanye West confirm Birmingham tour date

Jay Z and Kanye West bring their 'Watch The Throne' to Birmingham in June

Superstars Jay-Z and Kanye West have today announced that they will be bringing their critically acclaimed Watch The Throne tour to Europe in 2012, and they will be stopping at the LG Arena, Birmingham on Wednesday 13 June.

 Hot on the heels of their huge success at the 2012 Grammy Awards, winning the award for ‘Best Rap Performance’ (for their track Otis), Jay-Z and Kanye West will be doing their first tour as ‘The Throne’. 

All-black cast wait for Beckett’s mysterious Godot

Jeffery Kissoon and Patrick Robinson star in Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot'. Photograph: Richard Hubert Smith.

A funny, poetic and tragic masterpiece contemplating humanity and friendship, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting For Godot is performed by an all-Black cast in a new production at the Old Rep Theatre as part of Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s 2012 off-site season.

Jeffery Kissoon and Patrick Robinson take the roles of Vladimir and Estragon – two men waiting hopelessly, helplessly, haplessly for the elusive Godot – with Fisayo Akinada, Guy Burgess and Cornell S. John completing the ensemble.

Birmingham braces for biggest Gadget Show Live yet

The ever popular Gadget Show Live heads back to the NEC in April

The UK’s biggest five-day consumer electronics event, Gadget Show Live, has today announced an additional 2,000 Super Theatre seats, capacity for 15,000 extra visitors and the biggest variety of interactive on-site features ever seen for 2012.

Taking place at the NEC, Birmingham from 11-15 April 2012, the event is based on the popular Channel Five TV show and is widely recognised as the best place to see, try and buy the latest consumer technology. With all Friday, Saturday and Sunday (13-15 April) tickets already sold out, 2012 is set to be the biggest show yet.

NIA packs a punch with BAMMA 9

Tom 'Kong' Watson returns to Birmingham for BAMMA 9 (Photograph: Will Gregson)

BAMMA, Europe’s leading Mixed Martial Arts promoters, has announced its next big event BAMMA 9, which takes place on Saturday 24th March at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena.

BAMMA 9 will see three preliminary fights culminating in the headline battle for the BAMMA World Middleweight belt: Jack Marshman vs. Tom ‘Kong’ Watson.

A world of creativity set to spring into city this March

Britain’s best stitching show, Sewing for Pleasure, has over 150 exhibitors

From 22-25 March, Birmingham’s NEC will be home to three exhibitions aimed at fashion, craft and hobby fans; Sewing for Pleasure, Hobbycrafts, and Fashion, Embroidery & Stitch.

Sewing for Pleasure is Britain’s best stitching, beading and knitting show that will see over 150 exhibitors wowing the crowds with irresistible products, inspirational displays and expert advice.

Teenagers beat hundreds to become models for top city store

The faces of Devon Lee and Jamie Ryan Dee will be gracing posters for the Oasis fashion store

Two budding young models have won a national competition to appear on posters for a top Birmingham fashion store.

Despite tough competition from around the country, teenagers Devon Lee and Jamie Ryan Dee have both successfully taken the title of ‘Face of the Oasis’, becoming the first members of public to front a publicity campaign for the city’s premier alternative clothing store.