Curtain up at old Town Hall

Apr 20 2007 By Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail

HISTORIC Birmingham Town Hall is to re-open after more than a decade with a fanfare ranging from rock legends Robert Plant and Bev Bevan to gospel and classical acts.

The star performers, unveiled yesterday, will feature in a major two-week festival starting on October 4.

The star-studded event marks the re-opening of the Town Hall, which has been closed to the public since 1996.

It has since undergone a £35 million refurbishment funded by Birmingham City Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Fund.

Under the title of Celebrating The Past, Pioneering The Future, the festival will kick off with a performance of Quincy Jones's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration, featuring Ruby Turner and Soweto Kinch.

That will be followed on October 5 by Brum Rocks Extra, a line-up boasting Robert Plant, John Lodge, Bev Bevan, and Tony Iommi, and presented by Jasper Carrott.

The show will be in aid of Birmingham Children's Hospital Red Balloon Appeal.

Further concerts will see an emotional return for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, now based at Symphony Hall, and a tribute to legendary Qawwali musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who performed many times at the Town Hall prior to his death in 1997.

Bev Bevan, who attended yesterday's pre-festival event, said: "They have done a tremendous job of the place and it's great to see it back.

"When I started out in the 1960s, to play Birmingham Town Hall was such a prestigious thing to do for young local bands."

Midlands entertainer Don Maclean said: "I'm very impressed, particularly as it hasn't changed too dramatically.

"It has kept its originality."

The first person to perform on the new stage was jazz musician Soweto Kinch, who said: "It was a great honour to be the first to play at the new Town Hall."

Tickets for the October festival concerts go on sale in June. To receive a brochure, join the mailing list via website www.thsh.co.uk.