Gig reviews, gigs in Birmingham & West Midlands

Duffy, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton Jun 04 2008

THE revelation that scorching soul songstress Duffy walked into a swingers' party at the age of 21 wasn't the only jaw-dropping moment during her performance.Read

Avril Lavigne, NEC Jun 02 2008

IT LOOKS like Avril Lavigne can't decide whether she wants to be a teen pop star or a rebellious rock star.Read

The Pigeon Detectives, Birmingham Academy Jun 02 2008

WITH two sell-out shows at the Academy, the Pigeon Detectives had a lot to live up to - and they did it in style.Read

The Strawbs at The Robin, Bilston May 30 2008

BACK in the late sixties and early seventies The Strawbs carved a distinctive niche for themselves as folk rockers with strong melodies and memorable lyrics.Read

Feeder, Barfly May 27 2008

FANS would normally have to elbow their way through thousands of other people at festivals or arenas like the NEC to get an up-close view of this band performing live.Read

Shayne Ward,Birmingham NEC May 27 2008

SHAYNE Ward returned to Birmingham for his second solo tour since winning the X Factor back in December 2005.Read

Girls Aloud, NIA May 26 2008

GIRLS Aloud were suspended 12ft above me on Friday night in thigh high boots, black spandex bondage gear and superhero capes. It was a tough job but someone had to do it! Read

Martha Wainwright, Symphony Hall May 26 2008

THIS was a powerhouse performance of quality by an American singer who is just beginning to make a deserved impact on both sides of the Atlantic.Read

Guillemots, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton May 21 2008

AS SUMMER approaches and the air is filled with birdsong, it was fitting that Wulfrun Hall was treated to a brilliant performance from the Guillemots. Read

Pendulum, Custard Factory, Birmingham May 20 2008

PEOPLE who think drum'n'bass gigs are simply DJ sets void of live musical creativity need to see Pendulum for a radical swing in perspective.Read

Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong / The Beggars Birmingham Academy May 19 2008

STILL no album yet a string of sold out dates and support slots for the likes of Kaiser Chiefs and Babyshambles suggest JLJJJ are headed for a bright future.Read

CBSO, Symphony Hall May 16 2008

RACHMANINOV'S Symphonic Dances, the composer's last major work before his death in 1943, is an emotionally charged work.Read

The Thirst & Kav, The Place I Love, Digbeth May 16 2008

HAVING supported The Rolling Stones and The Sex Pistols there's a lot of raucous hype surrounding The Thirst.Read

Magnum, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton May 12 2008

MARKING the 20th anniversary of the now classic album Wings of Heaven, Magnum arrived on stage to thunderous applause from a near capacity audience.Read

Midge Ure, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton May 12 2008

FOR a night of classic acoustic rock, you couldn't go far wrong than a gig by singer/ songwriter Midge Ure. Read

Hadouken! Carling Academy, Birmingham May 12 2008

ON a hot, steamy night at the Academy everyone was up for a party - and boy, did they get one.Read

Shirley Valentine, Lichfield Garrick Studio May 12 2008

SAY Shirley Valentine to most people and they think of Pauline Collins and Tom Conti but Willie Russell's play started life a few years earlier in 1986 at the Everyman, Liverpool as a bittersweet monologue.Read