BIRMINGHAM is a music city - some heavy rock fans would say THE music city. For decades bands spawned in the Midlands such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Duran Duran and UB40 have struck out to find worldwide fame and success, and in return the greatest artists from across the globe have come here to make their mark on a scene noted for its legendary venues and passionate fans.But what makes a great gig a great gig? Some are remembered because they feature long-gone legendary performers at the height of their powers playing in OUR town, accessible to all for the price of a few shillings - and fondly remembered by double or treble the number of people who could actually fit in the venue, all proudly saying "I was there."Some are great because they took place in a run-down club or pub back room and were witnessed by only a few friends, family and curious strangers who wandered in to find out what the racket was - but witnessed the birth of a band who would go on to conquer the world.And some only gain greatness in retrospect - what may have been a good but uneventful gig at the time achieves greater significance when it is released on record, still thrilling fans decades later who dream of what it might have been like to see their heroes at the height of their powers.Or more poignantly, that run-of-the-mill show turns out to be a group's last hurrah with a final bust-up in the dressing room or the death of a performer - giving that performance a bittersweet significance that could never have been felt at the time.Birmingham - and the West Midlands - has seen them all many times over. Here are just a few of them.Read
