Best Small Indie Music Venues In Birmingham, UK: Ultimate List
Birmingham has a rich and vibrant music history – from being the home of heavy metal with bands from Birmingham England like Black Sabbath and Judas Priest to reggae-pop group UB40.
This vibrant music scene continues on today, and one of the best ways to experience it is by visiting one of the city’s many amazing independent venues.
If you want to discover new bands and be ahead of the curve with up-and-coming artists, I’m here to help.
Here is my guide to the best small indie music venues in Birmingham, UK. In this list we will explore the music venues in Birmingham, from the indie club scene to top Birmingham concert venues.
Table of Contents
- The Flapper
- The Sunflower Lounge
- The Hare And Hounds
- The Castle And Falcon
- The Victoria
- Dead Wax
- The Night Owl
- Conclusion
The Flapper
Capacity: 180
On the canal banks, The Flapper is a wonderful and intimate venue. Booking a mix between local bands and touring bands, there is lots on offer here and it is certainly one of the best music venues in Birmingham.
Often hosting events with many different kinds of acts, finding something here that you will enjoy is easy. They often book all kinds of different indie, punk, metal and folk music, so make sure to keep and eye on what’s on here.
With the concert hall downstairs, there is a bar with excellent food and drinks upstairs, as well as some picnic benches out by the canal where you can relax.
This has to be one of my favourite small indie music venues in Birmingham.
The Sunflower Lounge
Capacity: 120
This venue is central to the Birmingham music scene. This is a great intimate venue that champions indie music.
This venue has a long history of having booked artists who have then gone on to make it big, such as Wolf Alice, Royal Blood and Dua Lipa.
This makes it a great place to go to see up-and-comers before they make it big, and is one of the really special music venues in Birmingham.
If you want to see the biggest bands of tomorrow in a cool venue for an affordable price, then this is the top of the indie clubs to head to.
With a grungy and edgy vibe, this venue has cool factor to boot and is certainly one of the best small venues in Birmingham.
http://thesunflowerlounge.com/
Check out this video of Leah McFall performing at the Sunflower Lounge.
The Hare And Hounds
Main Room: 250
Venue 2: 150
Having found legendary status as the location of UB40’s first gig, this is a beautiful venue with lots of influence on the local music scene.
While significantly bigger than a lot of the independent music venues on this list, it still stands as a great place to go to see local and touring indie acts.
With some artists more popular within the indie music scene, and some up-and-comers, The Hare And Hounds is a great option of of the indie clubs for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in all different kinds of indie music.
https://hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk
The Castle And Falcon
Capacity: 400
This family-run business manages to keep its humble feel despite its higher capacity.
With its roots reaching far back in Birmingham’s musical history, this venue has hosted many iconic musicians and bands throughout the years.
It is now considered a staple of the local music scene, top amongst the indie clubs celebrating local bands and indie classics alike.
It is particularly known as the epicentre of Birmingham’s punk scene and is truly unique amongst the music venues in Birmingham.
This venue has bands from all across the world travelling to play here, and it is one of the best venues in the Midlands to keep an eye on.
The Victoria
Capacity: 100
A quirky Victorian pub (complete with ghost!), this small venue hosts a variety of events throughout the week.
This includes booking local and up-and-coming bands and is certainly a great place to keep an eye on to discover new live indie music.
It has a historic and quirky interior, with a cool and cosy design. This is a great place to come to get into a community atmosphere and find some new and local bands.
https://www.thevictoriabirmingham.co.uk
Dead Wax
Capacity: 100
A small and long-standing venue, this is a spot that focuses on showcasing heavier, edgier and more out-there sounds.
Booking punk, heavy metal. and alternative bands, this is a great spot to head to if you’re into that kind of thing over your lighter indie pop and folk sounds.
The great news is, this venue also has a wonderful craft beer bar and a selection of 400 vinyl records for patrons to choose from.
This venue stands alone in what it offers, and is another great one to add to your concert going spots for live indie music.
https://www.deadwaxdigbeth.pub
The Night Owl
This is another unique venue on the music scene in Birmingham. This venue offers a 60’s retro vibe and champions retro soul and Motown music, making it unique even amongst the independent music venues on this list.
It is the first venue in the UK of its kind and is so popular that it now has a sister venue open in London.
This venue hosts a range of retro events, but it is an especially great place to see bands who play retro-inspired music, particularly soul, funk, disco, britpop and garage music.
This is one of the most unique indie music venues in Birmingham. – and one of the most fun!
https://birmingham.thenightowl.club
Check out this video so you can see just how groovy the Night Owl is.
Conclusion
So now, if you’re ever in Birmingham, you have your night out sorted. Get ahead of the curve in terms of new music and find all your favourite bands by becoming a regular at these venues – or even just keeping an eye on them.
London indie music venues also have a lot to offer and are only an hour on the train from Birmingham.
If you want to check out the best small indie venues in London, go and read my recommendations here.
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope to see you back here again soon.
Ta-ta for now! x
