Fazeley Park is a rehearsal space and recording studio in the heart of Digbeth. It is just a small…read more5 room place with rooms for bands to rent long term and one room dedicated as recording studio which could also double up as a social club with it's silver curtains and dingy lighting! It is run by musicians who have been a part of the Birmingham music scene for almost 20 years so they know what they are doing. While it doesn't have the facilities that a bigger studio might have you get a much more homely, personal vibe and if you record there you get a very distinct sound with the recordings, something that is becoming a trademark of the place among the garage rock and indie world. They also occasionally have private parties there as part of ColdRice which are also things of legends now too!

Muthers, lock up your children, and make them record music!…read more On a back street in Digbeth lies a hidden gem at its gentrified core. Muthers Studio offers professional music recording at incredibly cheap prices. When I first walked in I was greeted by the friendly and knowledgeable Dave, who assisted me with the mastering of a new album from a friends band I help manage. The inside of the building was well decorated, yet it still maintained that industrial Digbeth feel that surrounds the area. The level of service was outstanding and the whole building had a great vibe. I could tell he knew what he was talking about because the tracks we recorded, mixed and mastered sounded like they were cut from Abbey Road. OK, I've never been to Abbey Road and I'm guessing it isn't as rough around the edges as the building that houses Muthers. Yet Muthers has a charm that can never be reproduced. A charm steeped in history and hard labour, now replaced by an over riding ethos of art and creativity The equipment they use at Muthers is top range (analogue and digital) They also have a bar that offers soft drinks, food and tea whilst you work/chill/relax (delete as appropriate). Some well known local bands can be seen walking in and out of their respective rooms, either using the facilities for recording or practising. I found that getting into conversation with the patrons of Muthers was a very easy task. When I left I had a whole network of contacts from the Birmingham music scene. These have since proved to be very useful in my music networking! ie going out on the razzle and chatting about bands for hours. Muthers is more than studios, the company and the building is an integral part of the music scene here in Birmingham. I have had great feedback from friends across the country that I have recommended Muthers to. The patrons of Muthers tend to come back again and again, I am now a regular and signed up to Yelp to spread the word for anyone out there that wants to record their own sounds into a professional and marketable format.

When I first moved to Birmingham, I was DJing most days of the week across a combination of bars…read moreand clubs throughout the city. From this, I took an interest in music production and started to study a course that taught me how to produce music. I was using Logic which is software that you can use on your mac. Although you can download a varied collection of beats, basslines and vocal samples, I wanted to create something fresh and new. I met a male vocalist who was into the same scene as I was, dance music. His voice was amazing and we started to write some lyrics. As we were both beginners, we didn't have any experience in recording. We came across Muthers Studio and they were really helpful from the moment we called them. We hired the studio for a few hours and recorded our new voice samples which were then mastered for us (at an additional cost) so we could add them to our track. Highly recommended.

Carrying on in the cinema vein (see earlier review from today) I thought I'd turn my attention to…read morethe electric cinema. This wonderful art deco cinema is (I believe) the oldest working cinema in the country. Small but oh so perfectly formed, it sits nestled away round the back of New Street station and shows everything from the latest releases to cult classics and offerings from all over the globe. As you enter you receive your tickets from the tiny box office, and it doesn't seem like they've changed their tickets since it opened. Nostalgia filled tiny red or blue (depending on your seating choice) tickets are just the tip of the fantastic iceberg that is the electric. Once you've received your tickets it's on to the bar which serves a selection of cocktails, often developed to represent the films they are screening, as well as beers, wines, spirits and snacks. As an aside this is one of only two places where you can buy Electric Ale which is a bespoke beer developed for the electric in partnership with Two Towers brewery. Inside the screens the fun doesn't stop. There's plenty of leg room in the standard seating but if you splash out on one of the sofa seats you won't be disappointed. You'll be presented with a menu so you can text the bar during the film and have drinks and snacks brought straight to your seat. Also worth noting that if you're a fan of films of the scarier persuasion the electric is home to the Shock & Gore film festival where indie horror movies collide with extra special film screenings such as the Dracula wine tasting experience. There's so much more I could add but don't take my word for it go and check it out yourself!

The Electric, is probably a must see on any visit to this humble city. As any proud Brummie will…read moretell you, it's the oldest working picture house in the UK. These days both of the two screens are digital. If you're after a massive (or Giant ;)) screen to watch the latest blockbuster with a huge tub of popcorn then this is the wrong place! The Electric has a more personal service level. Serving drinks, showing art house films alongside latest Hollywood releases and holding special film nights and weekends. Everyone talks about the sofas. For that added bit of luxury you can book sofas at the back of the theatre where they will bring drinks to you throughout the film. The sofas do get booked up very quickly, especially if they're screening a hotly anticipated film. They often create special themed cocktails based around the characters in the film they're showing. An example being, when Alpha-Papa was screening they served cocktails called 'The Ladyboy', and 'Mug of Beans'. It's great to be able to go to the cinema, and feel that you're supporting an independent, local company as well as the posterity of a historical building and working museum. It's also in the heart of the city, right by the (soon to be) main entrance to New Street Station, so it's great for a pre-film meal and post-film drinks. A top tip is to visit daysoutguide.co.uk where you can download a voucher for 2for1 tickets, available Mon-Fri if you travel by train to the cinema. Although to use this offer you can't book in advance, nor take advantage of the sofas.

Awesome Choice If You Love Alternative Music Types and Love a BIT O HEAVY METAL.. its out of the…read moreway from the centre of birmingham but its a gem if you fancy getting your mosh on. Reasonably priced for a night out, good drinks offers, great staff & sound quality is great. Smoking area is where all the cool kids hangout so you could potentially treat that as a second ROOM to the venue as you will be squished in tighter than a girl at a mcbusted concert. AWESOME

From the owner: Book recently refurbished rehearsal studio rooms with equipment included.read more

Oxygen Rooms offers the full package - rehearsal studios, an array of recording and production…read moreservices and hd video production services too. It's 30 quid an hour for recording and production, 200 quid for 8 hours and 8 pound for off-peak rehearsals. They have deals for the committed amongst you who want to devote a large chunk of hours to honing your 'riddims'. They have a lot of gear to lend for the unequipped amongst you too. It's a great quality studios for the dedicated musicians out there. You can get down and focus on producing some fine music at Oxygen knowing that nothing's been compromised on. A lot of established acts use Oxygen so that is confirmation that it is a bona fide studio.

From the owner: The Oxygen Rooms offers monthly subscriptions for live rehearsal rooms, recording studio and…read morelock-ups as well as video, photography and dance production areas.

A few years ago I was DJing most days of the week across a combination of bars and clubs throughout…read morethe city. From this, I took an interest in recording music. I met a male vocalist who was into the same scene as I was, dance music but wanted to create something different. We hooked with a band and started to write some lyrics. As we were both beginners, we didn't have any experience in recording. We came across Madhouse Rehearsal rooms and they were really helpful from the moment we called them. We hired the studio for a few hours and recorded our new track which were then mastered for us (at an additionall cost). Great experience and very popular with musicians in the city

Madhouse is one of the cleaner, more upmarket (if you've been to some of the less salubrious…read morefacilities around Brum, you'll know what I mean) rehearsal rooms in the city centre. The walls are lined with pictures of the owners posing with various rock glitterati and the rooms come equipped with Marshall amps. It's all very rock - as are a lot of the bands that rehearse there. I've used this studio several times over the years and always found it well-equipped and clean. I've also found it one of the more expensive places to rehearse, but you get what you pay for. They also sell strings and drumsticks to people not using the rooms, which is always handy when you're on your way to a gig and realise you need a high E or you've forgotten something.

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.

A magnificent looking pub from the outside and on the inside if you're into a rowdy atmosphere…read moreinduced often by booze-fuelled football viewing then this is a place you may want to visit. It's a spectator pub really - drink up, watch and shout. I quickly adjusted my expectations, cut out the small talk, and I commenced drinking and watching the football too. It's nice not having the burden of saying anything to anyone for 90 minutes, it offers time for self-expression through other mediums that aid in the release of suppressed emotions accrued after another week of life's rich tapestry. A pub full of grunting, shouting and bold characters - go here if you want a predominantly non-verbal experience but nonetheless still one with a lot of self-expression.

Top little boozer If…read moreyou're after a decent cheap pint and/or food in a venue without loud music this is pretty good unless there is a 'match game' or something on. Even then on the weekend its quieter than other places. They show football. rugby and horse-racing here and there. The place is a bit of a step back in time compared to the 'trendy' places nearby, and it's nice if you just want something simple in an environment that's easy to warm up to. In the nearby JQ or Colemore business district most places have moved upmarket in their interior design and moved their prices up to match. It's good to a place sticking to the basics and getting it right. There is a function/lunch room upstairs with booths and stuff you and hang about in if it's open at a lunchtime, usually is though the week. Oh and this is the place ol' Queen Victoria stayed in when she resided in Birmingham... so if it's good enough for a queen ... ;)