Phil Vinter

The Noisettes at The Academy

WOW! The Noisettes have to be one of the best live acts around right now. Decked out in a glittering gold dress and donning her trademark wild hair, lead singer and bassist Shangai Shoniwa looked every bit the star she has become when she performed to a packed O2 Academy on Friday night.Read

Saffron, Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury

HAVING just returned from a fortnight in India eating nothing but curries, I must admit the thought of an evening sampling Indian cuisine didn’t fill me with excitement.Read

Parad-ice found!

‘PASSPORT, passport... NOW’ snarled the Russian border guard, the nozzle of his Kalashnikov thrusting un-nervingly in the direction of my face.Read

A spot worth fighting over

SPANNING an area of just 316 sq km and with a population of under half a million, at first glance it’s hard to understand how the tiny island of Malta became one of the most prized possessions of the Med.Read

Review: Oasis at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry

IT’S 13 years since the mouthy Mancunians played to a quarter of a million people at Knebworth, but the Gallagher brothers’ onstage swagger is still justified.Read

Record numbers turn out for St Patrick's Day parade

THE return to sectarian violence in Northern Ireland could have subdued the atmosphere at this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade, but if anything it only served to strengthen the resolve of the city’s significant Irish population as they came out in record-breaking numbers for the annual party.Read

Blues View: Sheffield United 2, Birmingham City 1

HEAR what manager Alex McLeish had to say about this weekend's disappointing defeat away at Sheffield United and hear our man at Blues Colin Tattum's take on the match.Read

Villa View: Aston Villa 2, Stoke City 2

SEE what our sports team and Villa manager Martin O'Neill had to say about this weekend's disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Stoke City.Read

The Chinese State Circus comes to town

Acrobats, contortionists, dancers and even Shaolin warrior monks are in the city for the next month to show off their skills under a big top at Star City.Read

The Lord Clifden, 34 Great Hampton Street, Hockley, Birmingham (0121 523 7515)

IT has been a pleasurable, drunken journey, but all good things come to an end and my search for a decent Birmingham beer garden is over.Read

Ropewalk, St Paul’s Square, Jewellery Quarter

Inside, the décor is modern and it’s very spacious, but unfortunately that’s just the icing on some distinctly average tasting cake.Read

Bryan Adams, LG Arena, Natonal Exhibition Centre

YOU’D never have thought that a man unfortunate enough to be named Bryan would go on to become a rock legend.Read

Review: Jason Manford, Town Hall, Birmingham

BURNLEY boy Jason Manford’s warm, likeable stand up style went down a treat when he performed a whopping two and a half hour set at a half full Birmingham Town Hall.Read

Police launch operation to keep the Conservative conference safe

AS THE spotlight turns on Birmingham for the Conservative Party Conference a massive security operation has swung into action across the city.Read

Jaw dropping water sport

DIVE, dive, dive'. Screamed the mad, smiling, wide-eyed South African... I sucked in a final breath of air, gulped nervously, wondered what the hell I was doing and ducked my head into the cool Atlantic Ocean. Instantly the shouts of the madman above deck disappeared and I found myself in a quiet surreal World.Read

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