If you've ever so much as tried forming a band in the Birmingham area, you'll have heard of…read moreRobannas. For years and years, aspiring youngsters and cynical musos have all practiced plying their trade down there. Near to the much-neglected Gun Quarter (the Jewellery Quarter's outlaw sibling), Robannas has over the years taken up more and more of Cliveland Street. This is no bad thing, as the city centre needs a big, well-known rehearsal rooms. Over the years, the place has become cleaner and the standard of equipment in the by-the-hour rooms has improved. The staff are always helpful and the owner Rob has a reputation for throwing some very wild parties there. Over the years, I've rehearsed and recorded there with various bands and it's an experience which has become more and more pleasant over the years. I still have to visit to buy single guitar strings (something they sell which is a big bonus).

Robannas is an institution on the Birmingham music scene. You ask any musicians from Birmingham…read morethat have seriously gigged and I guarantee they will know Robannas. They've had their fair share of famous customers (Napalm Death and Pussycat Dolls to name two) but what about their services? Well my band used them for quite a while until we managed to find free rehearsal space elsewhere and we never had any problems with them . The staff were always helpful and polite, the equipment worked, the rooms weren't particularly spectacular but weren't particularly bad either, though it was often fairly easy to hear other bands practising through the walls. Prices are pretty similar to what you'd expect with discounts for bulk bookings eg fifty pound for an all day session. It's a good, solid, friendly place that I've no qualms recommending to a friend.

This is possibly one of the best places to get fireworks in Shirley, mainly because there isn't…read moremuch competition. I love fireworks especially the big, loud and colourful fireworks that just seem magical! The shop sells a host of fireworks; my personal favourite is the rocket. Solihull Fireworks is in the middle of a residential area so as you can imagine it gets quiet busy around holidays like New Year and Bonfire night. Although they get a lot of fireworks in the busy times, they sell fast. Experience has taught me to buy in advance for events like this so there's no disappointment. I got some fireworks from here for Diwalli, the festival of light, and the staff were pretty good at helping me find the ideal firework display to show off in front of family, for my budget. This takes me onto my next point, money.We all know fireworks aren't cheap and everyone wants to save money. Some of prices are OK but obviously the bigger you get the more you pay so it would be nice if they had deals and/ or sales. If you're looking for a decent place to buy a range of fireworks then this is the place to go in Shirley, but learn from my lesson.

If there's one thing that Birmingham needs more of, it's fireworks shops. I have never for the life…read moreof me understood how a dedicated fireworks shop actually manages to stay open, given they probably have three or four good business days a year, but they're certainly cool to wander around, and Solihull Fireworks in Shirley is no exception. They have a quite frankly astounding range of fireworks, with all of the usual suspects, rockets, Catherine wheels, Roman candles, and all at very reasonable prices. There's too many deals to go into, but I got their budget rocket pack, containing twenty seven rockets, which set me back just £70, and which were of good quality (anyone who's bought budget fireworks knows the danger of getting complete duds that never work). They also specialise in large corporate or wedding displays, which are again well priced (relatively), and if their regular rockets are anything to go by, will be a sight to behold.

Offering a diverse range of greeting cards, balloons, party banners and personalised accessories,…read morethis pleasant party shop is very well-stocked considering its size and well worth the visit if ever you're passing through Great Barr. The staff here are welcoming and friendly, there's ample space for parking right outside the store and several bus stops are just a short walk away. Everything inside is well-organised and on my most recent visit to pick up some wrapping paper, I was very impressed by the store's friendly customer service.

Decorations 4 U is a party shop on Walsall Road in Great Barr. Whatever the occasion, Decorations 4…read moreU can play a part in helping your event go swimmingly well. From banners to badges to balloons, these are some of the things you will find at Decorations 4 U. If you are celebrating a birthday or a wedding and are looking for someone to manage an event for you, look no further than Decorations 4 U. There certainly is a range of cards and balloons to choose from and for sure you are spoilt for choice. Prices are reasonable and there are plenty of products at affordable prices. Staff are friendly and will happily help you if you have any issues. Visit the website to get an idea of what Decorations 4 U do. It is worth a look.

I knew of Decorations 4U because they had done the decorations at a wedding I had been to. I was…read moreimpressed so I kept their business card. Turns out I did myself a favour because not only are they party planners but they have a party supplies shop too. I was desperately in need for anniversary balloons of a specific colour, which I couldn't find anywhere. The party was on an Easter weekend and I was fast running out of time to find the balloons. I was relieved to find that Decorations 4U were open on Good Friday and they had a huge range of balloons for various events and in numerous colours. The staff members were very pleasant and friendly. They went out of their way to help and opened a little later for me to get there in time before they were closing. Great service!

This is a great community group and venue in West Bromwich. The facilities for hire are brilliant…read moreand cheap too. You can hire everything you need straight from them, whether it's flip charts, projectors, organising the catering. They have a couple of good sized rooms for a training day or large meeting as well as a computer suite. There are often lots of clubs and groups using the spaces on a regular basis but they are great at keeping the diary up to date so booking in won't be a nightmare. When working with a range of community groups out of this space they are always really enthusiastic and committed to projects we've initiated with them. Tucked away by Staples and a housing estate the parking can be tricky but they do have a small car park. A useful venue to remember for future reference.

Silent Filter Promotions have been running in Birmingham for three years. Pretty much any night of…read morethe week, you can find at least one of their gigs going on at a venue in Birmingham. They put on a wide variety of indie, punk, rock and acoustic acts (although no metal or screamo) and are instrumental in helping a hell of a lot of young bands take their first tentative steps onto the Birmingham gig circuit. When I say young, I've seen kids as young as 13 appearing at Silent Filter gigs, their proud parents watching on. Silent Filter is run by Phil, a very amiable Villa fan who makes a point of introducing every band at every gig. This is a small but significant step because it stops it being a succession of anonymous bands whom no-one knows. Phil's intros are always funny and ensure that every band starts their set with a bit of a cheer rather than shambling on to an embarrassed silence. You can find Phil on the door of his gigs at the Academy 3, Island Bar, Waggon & Horses, Adam & Eve, Sunflower Lounge, Moseley Arms and more besides.

Artistic team of face painters, hair wrappers, nail art, children's entertainers, balloon…read moremodellers, craft making facilities, temporary tattooists, face painting courses and much more. One of the UK's largest face painting companies with 19 years of excellence! Whether one or 6500 face painters in various locations on the same day, Rainbow Faces can organize this for you. Just takes one phone call!

Not much to say about this one. They have great stock, experienced staff and the prices are low…read more Located in Fazeley building, all the people behind Media Dogs are members of a visual production house that goes under the same name. Their website clearly lists all the equipment they have in and how much it costs daily. Its mainly audio equipment we use and to begin with i didn't know much about how using external sound recording works on DSLR rigs. A member of staff talked me over everything in depth over the phone and recommended a few different options. When he dropped a final price i almost died, it was £100 cheaper than i expected. To be able to rent from Media dogs an account requires 2 forms of ID, a bank statement and proof of personal insurance. @mediadoghire_UK for all you twitter users.