REVIEW: Inspiral Carpets, Birmingham O2 Academy

Inspiral Carpets perform at the Birmingham O2 Academy. (Photo by Jake Mackinnon)

Alternative rock band Inspiral Carpets housed the fifth night of their Back To Life UK tour at the O2 Academy 2 in Birmingham.

The band’s main aspirations for this of the tour were to play their first studio album Life back to front along with selected hits from other albums. Despite Life being released in 1990, there was a very diverse range of ages amongst the audience; with fans as young as sixteen in attendance.

REVIEW: NME Awards Tour, Birmingham O2 Academy

Birmingham band Peace performed at the O2 Academy in their home city as part of the NME Award Tour line-up

When you get the opportunity to review a performance at the O2 Academy you’re rarely disappointed and this night was no exception. In fact, in many ways it surpassed expectations.

As you can probably guess the evening was dedicated to showcasing the best new British music talent, soon to be officially voted in by the readers of NME magazine. It is quite easy to say that the guys at NME picked one tasty line-up, with Birmingham’s very own indie newcomers Peace and Palma Violets, followed by the northern star Miles Kane and headlined by the Scottish techno-rock group Django Django.

Birmingham band Peace return to city for NME tour

Birmingham band Peace will open the NME Awards Tour 2013

Birmingham band Peace, who made it onto the BBC Sound of 2013 top 10, have the coveted opening slot on this year’s national NME Awards Tour, including a date at the Birmingham O2 Academy on February 16.

One of the most important events in the music calendar, the NME Awards Tour has been instrumental in launching the careers of some of the biggest acts in music today, including Arctic Monkeys, The Killers and Florence + the Machine, and 2013 is set to be one of the best years yet.

Cast announced for ‘American Idiot’ UK Tour

Green Day’s hit musical ‘American Idiot’ comes to Birmingham in November

The U.S. cast have been announced today for the UK premiere of Green Day’s explosive, award-winning Broadway rock musical American Idiot, which sets out on a major national tour in October and includes a Birmingham date at the city’s Alexandra Theatre.

Direct from Broadway, the smash-hit musical American Idiot tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Their quest for true meaning in a post 9/11 world leads them on the most exhilarating theatrical journey of the season.

REVIEW: Enter Shikari at Wolverhampton Civic Hall

Rou Reynolds and band Enter Shikari perform at Wolves Civic

British post-hardcore band Enter Shikari, who since their Hertfordshire formation in 2003 have travelled the globe amassing a huge fan following, performed live in the Midlands on Tuesday where they played new songs from their third and latest studio album A Flash Flood of Colour.

With only three more UK dates before the band jet off stateside for their Atlanta show, they graced the stage at Wolverhampton Civic Hall preceded by their support acts Tek-One and Young Guns.

JLS add THIRD Birmingham date to ’4th Dimension’ tour

JLS have added a third Birmingham date to their forthcoming tour

They only announced that they would be bringing their ‘4th Dimension’ tour to the LG Arena this month, but thanks to sell-out dates JLS have added a third date to their LG Arena stint. In addition to 16 and 17 March, the boys will return to the Midlands on 17 April to give fans a chance to see them live.

With five Number 1 singles and two Platinum albums already under their belt, JLS have secured their place as one of the UK’s biggest boybands. Their long-awaited third is album due out on 14 November 2011, giving fans the chance to get acquainted with their new material ahead of the 2012 tour.

JLS add extra Birmingham ’4th Dimension’ tour date

JLS have added an extra date to the Birmingham leg of their 2012 tour

Pop sensations JLS return, all guns blazing, with a brand new arena tour for March and April 2012 – and due to phenomenal demand an extra date has been added in Birmingham.

Aston, Marvin, JB and Oritse were already due to perform at the LG Arena on Friday 16 March but now they will also take to the stage with a second date on Saturday 17 March.

JLS’s success has been nothing short of staggering. Sold-out Arena and stadium tours. Five UK number one singles. Two multi-platinum albums.  Four MOBO Awards. Two 2010 BRIT trophies.

‘The Wanted’ announce Birmingham show

The Wanted are are coming to the LG Arena in March, 2012

They went straight in at Number 1 in yesterday’s Official UK Single Chart with their single ‘Glad You Came’ and now The Wanted have confirmed their first UK arena tour, which will see them wowing fans at Birmingham’s LG Arena on 1 March 2012.

The cheeky five-piece burst on to the scene last year with their 2011 BRIT nominated debut single ‘All Time Low’, which gave them their first Number 1. Since then they’ve had two further Top 5 hits with ‘Heart Vacancy’ and Comic Relief single ‘Gold Forever’, and a Top 5 album. Now Jay, Max, Nathan, Siva and Tom will be entertaining thousands of Midlands’ fans in March 2012 when they come to the LG Arena.