We Love Birmingham
O2 Academy Birmingham originally opened in the city in 2000 in Dale End with the venue bringing live music to the Midlands for almost a decade before it moved to its current home in Horsefair in 2009. The building in Dale End was steeped in musical heritage, it opened first as The Ballroom and then as the Top Rank Suite in the 1960s. After 20 years as the Top Rank, the venue was rebranded in the 1980s and became the Hummingbird which in the latter part of the decade gave some clubbers their first taste of house music and hosted some legendary live performances from Nirvana, Sonic Youth and The Beastie Boys before closing in 1994.
Birmingham Academy opened to the public on 16 November 2000 with an outstanding show from Ocean Colour Scene. The venue’s launch was highly anticipated and the Birmingham Post said: “That the Academy in Dale End has reinvigorated the city’s music scene is beyond doubt.” Reopening the venue in 2009 was another storming success. Opening weekend saw home grown talent play across four days including Editors, The Twang, Mike Skinner and The Streets and Ocean Colour Scene were welcomed back for the final night. As well as continuing to bring audiences a spectacular line-up of live shows in its new home, O2 Academy Birmingham also remains at the heart of the city’s nightlife, with club residencies from the UK’s biggest rock ‘n’ roll party, Propaganda.
Just few high profile artists that have stepped out on the stage so far include Disclosure, Biffy Clyro, Paloma Faith, Them Crooked Vultures, Bombay Bicycle Club, Imagine Dragons and The Black Crowes.