Another week, another Gig Guide! This week we’ve looked at the stage with a variety of concerts, musicals and shows for you to sink your teeth into!
Gameshow: Dancing Bear, Dancing Bear @ MAC Birmingham, 10th March
Two men on stage. A woman’s voice telling you a story. The men get dressed, heckled and aggressive. The latest show from the award winning Gameshow, Dancing Bear, Dancing Bear is a show about men and women and how we relate to each other.
The performance is particularly unique as audiences listen on headphones to Hannah Ringham, who draws you into a hypnotic world or immersive sound and music, whilst raw and visually striking physicality blurs into tender moments of intimacy on stage. With brilliant reviews from The Guardian amongst others, this isn’t one to be missed!
One Love: The Bob Marley Musical @ Birmingham Repertory Theatre, 10th March – 15th April
The name should really say it all with this one, but just in case it doesn’t, we’ll say it too! Bob Marley’s words and music have brought joy to people across all cultures and generations. And now this music has been given new life in a new musical, written and directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah.
One Love: The Bob Marley Musical tells the story of the rising reggae star-turned global icon during a dramatic period in the man’s life. With Jamaica on the brink of civil war, he is called upon to unite his people with his music and message.
This is the very first time Marley’s music catalogue has been brought to the stage, with many of Marley’s biggest hits being performed – including ‘No Woman No Cry’ and ‘Exodus’. Luckily, the production is running for just over a month, giving you plenty of chances to get yourself to The REP to see it!
PMT Festival @ The Impact Hub, 11th March
P.M.T (Powering the Matriarchy Together) Festival is a day-long festival covering themes of body, love, work and art. This is the first event of it’s type in Birmingham and will feature workshops, live demonstrations and micro lectures.
The day will start off with speed mentoring with some of the UK’s brightest women (including for-Wards marketing manager Mazzy Snape!), after which there will be a variety of sessions, including a Roller Derby Demo, a guitar stringing workshop and a meditation and mindfulness workshop. There will also be performances by award-winning poet Alfa Awad and music by Sacha SG from her upcoming EP.
St Patrick’s Day Parade @ Birmingham City Centre, 12th March
Birmingham’s famous (and the UK’s biggest!) St Patrick’s Day Parade returns this Sunday for another year of green-tinged fun, floats and festivities, all united by this year’s theme of dance.
Organisers have promised more bands than ever before this year, and have also arranged the first ever Emerald Mile Fun Run will kick off the celebrations. There’s something for everyone, with children’s activities, an artisan market, street food traders and TWO live music stages – St Pat Rocks! and Emerald Village.
This is one of the highlights of Birmingham’s annual calendar, and really has to be seen to be believed!
Peaness + Mondo Royale + Maybe Don’t @ The Sunflower Lounge, 13th March
Presented by Counteract and fresh off a signing to renowned record label Alcopop! Records. Peaness come to Birmingham ahead of their EP release later this year. The band have been touring pretty extensively for a fair while now, earning themselves a sterling reputation within the DIY circuit. The three-piece play their own unique style of indie-pop, lovingly dubbed Pea-Pop by fans, defined by catchy choruses, breezy melodies and a tongue-in-cheek approach to lyrics.
The support acts are no slouches either. Mondo Royale are an amalgam of Disco, Electro, Indie and Pop with a strong live presence, whilst Maybe Don’t take things slightly less polished, throwing in a little punk to the proceedings.
The Kneejerks Improv Show @ The Victoria, 15th March
The Kneejerks return to The Victoria for their monthly free improve show! If you’ve never been to an improv show before, you’re in for a treat. Using various audience cues, random thoughts and scenario generation, The Kneejerks will take you on a hilarious, strange and above all else impressive comedy journey for an entire hour. And did we mention it’s FREE?!
Virtual Voice @ Facebook Live, 15th March
Yes, that’s right. This event you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home, favourite coffee shop or anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. Virtual Voice is an online concert experience showcasing the West Midlands’ best talent, produced by Bridge Events. The event is live-streamed on Facebook and is there for anyone to enjoy!
Two acts will be performing at the event. Becki and The Dove are a lively, experienced duo specialising in pop and rock music. The group have a wide range of influences, from Blues to Grunge and everything in between, which manifests within their music as a powerful, melodic presence and emphatic live performance. Madi Sasika is an artist ahead of her years – an old soul in a young body. With a socially conscious and experiential approach to songwriting mixed with an R&B tinge brought to life by delicate yet inviting vocals, Sasika is certainly not to be missed in a live performance setting.
The event will be live-streamed through Bridge Events social media channels, which are:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bridgevvents_
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bridgeevents
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgeevents_
Junior + Crime and Punishment 2011 + Bathtub @ The Sunflower Lounge, 16th March
If the Peaness gig was for all the indie fans out there, then this night is for all the pop punkers. Coming out of South Wales, Junior have a pretty impressive back catalogue, and look set to be one of the next big pop punk bands (watch out You Me at Six). With a two-pronged vocal assault from guitarist Matt Attard and bassist/pro wrestler Mark Andrews, the band have a knack for writing those choruses so catchy you’ll be smacking your head on a chair to get them out of your head.
Support is provided by Crime and Punishment 2011, who take things in an alternative rap direction, with three vocalists to ramp up the aggression. Bathtub are a notoriously difficult band to Google, but their brand of pop punk is unapologetic through and through, proudly displaying their generic roots upon their sleeves.
And if all that wasn’t enough for you, the entire gig is just a measly £6, £1 of which goes towards mental health charity Mind.