The Electric’s 100th Birthday
This weekend marked the 100th birthday of the Electric Cinema in Birmingham - the UK's oldest working cinema. Opened in 1909 the cinema has been known as the Select, the Jacey, the Classic and the Tivoli and also been an amusement arcade!
I have been twice this year, once to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and once to see The Children as part of the Screen WM Film Festival. I'd recommend the Electric experience to anyone, particularly the sofa seats in the main screen, with some of the gorgeous "Just Rachel" ice-cream sold on the premises. They also have a traditional absinthe fountain, if that's your bag.
If you're interested in going along, check out the programme for the next few weeks. Up until New Years Eve you can catch Nowhere Boy and Nine. Guitar fans should check out It Might Get Loud on Tuesday 5th Jan, while Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll, a biopic of Ian Dury, runs from 8 - 14 Jan.
I'll see you there 
The Electric in October
If you've never been to the Electric Cinema before you are missing a real gem, right in the heart of Birmingham city centre. The Electric is the UK's oldest working cinema (opened in 1909) and now boasts two screens, one of which has sofa seating and waiter service!
I enjoyed the latest Harry Potter film there a few months ago from one of the comfy sofas - accompanied by a gorgeous tub of Just Rachel's Butterscotch and Orange Liqueur ice cream - and I can heartily recommend it!
The October/November programme contains the usual mix of hits such as District 9 and quirkier smaller films. There's also a strong line-up of stand-up as part of the Birmingham Comedy Festival. Some interesting looking films include:
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which tells the tale of a travelling show where audience members are asked to choose between light and joy or darkness and gloom
Morris: A Life with Bells On, a comedy about an avant-garde Morris Dancer, Derecq Twist, and his fight to modernise Morris Dancing. Watch the trailer!
Enjoy!
ArtsFest 2009 – Sunday in the Jewellery Quarter
As on Saturday, the Jewellery Quarter throws open its doors with open days at Key Hill Cemetery, the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, St. Paul's Church, St. Paul's Gallery, the Pen Room and the RBSA. In addition, check out the following...
SUNDAY - 11AM, 12PM, 2PM - GUIDED CEMETRY WALKS
Key Hill Cemetery
Looking at those buried in the cemetery from Birmingham's past including the Bird family, Joseph Chamberlain and Robert Lucas Chance.
SUNDAY - 3.00PM - VOICES OF CITY OF BIRMINGHAM CHOIR
RBSA 2nd Floor Gallery
Mini-Concert
SUNDAY - 3.00PM - THIS BEAUTIFUL THIEF
St. Paul's Gallery
Intelligent indie pop.
ArtsFest 2009 – Sunday in the City Centre
The highlight of Sunday will be sets from Reverend & The Makers, Athlete and Birmingham's own Johnny Foreigner, all live in Centenary Square. Also worth checking out is "The Fear of Queer", a performance exploring homophobia from the Pink Space Theatre Company, ahead of November's SHOUT Festival.
SUNDAY - 2.30PM - BELLY DANCE ELEMENTS
The Flapper
Release the Goddess within. Bellydancing with a Bollywood mix!
SUNDAY - 3.35PM - THE NATIONAL SAXOPHONE CHOIR OF GREAT BRITAIN
Birmingham Conservatoire - Adrian Boult Hall
Sax to the Max. Auditory and visual saxophonic treat.
SUNDAY - 4.00PM - PINK SPACE THEATRE COMPANY
The Library Theatre
The Fear of Queer. An explosive, contemporary, theatrical exploration of homophobia, intolerance and prejudice through a fusion of physical theatre, movement, dance, music, lyrics and performance poetry.
SUNDAY - 4.30PM - RAINBOW VOICES
The Flapper
Birmingham's LBGT Community Choir.
SUNDAY - 5.50PM - JOHNNY FOREIGNER
Centenary Square Stage
Birmingham's own indie heroes.
SUNDAY - 8.45PM - REVEREND & THE MAKERS
Centenary Square Stage
Indie / funk / electro from Sheffield's finest.
SUNDAY - 9.45PM - ATHLETE
Centenary Square Stage
Award-winning indie-rock.
ArtsFest 2009 – Saturday in the Jewellery Quarter
ArtsFest continues its weekend in the Jewellery Quarter, combining with Heritage Open Day Weekend events. The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter is open for tours, you can see work from Birmingham's contemporary artists at the RBSA Open Exhibition, visit The Pen Room, or have a wander around St Paul's Church and enjoy a BBQ!. Plus don't miss the latest work from Stan's Cafe at the A.E. Harris factory - "Giant Steps".
SATURDAY - 11.00AM - GUIDED CEMETERY WALK
Key Hill Cemetery
Looking at those buried in the cemetery from Birmingham's past including the Bird family, Joseph Chamberlain and Robert Lucas Chance.
SATURDAY - 1.00PM - MDCC THEATRE COMPANY
Key Hill Cemetery
The Hamlet Globetrotters. Comedy sketches based on Shakespeare.
SATURDAY - 2.15PM - SOMEONE-AT-THE-DOOR SAMBA BAND
St. Paul's Church
Brazilian-style Samba music.
SATURDAY - 4.00PM - THE LIGHTS
St. Paul's Gallery
Indie pop: imagine Elvis Costello writing for ELO fronted by James Dean Bradfield's younger siblings!
ArtsFest 2009 – Saturday in the City Centre
ArtsFest continues on Saturday with a fascinating world record attempt at forming the biggest bhangra dance group! You must register between 8am and 1pm in the Centenary Square dance marquee, with the main event taking place at 1.30pm. Other highlights include...
SATURDAY - 11.00AM - BIRMINGHAM LIBRARIES
The Library Theatre
Birmingham's Young Poet Laureate event.
SATURDAY - 11.00AM - BIRMINGHAM PHOTOSPACE
pARTicipate Marquee 2, Victoria Square
Have your portrait taken professionally. Professional photographers guided by the public will take as many portraits as possible of visitors to ArtsFest.
SATURDAY - 2.20PM - THE PLAY HOUSE
Birmingham REP - REP Door
Rainforest Symphony. Birmingham's dynamic participatory theatre company igniting children's imaginations.
SATURDAY - 3.20PM - ASTON PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY WITH THE CBSO
Centenary Square Stage
Latino Grooves: Latin meets classical.
SATURDAY - 3.30PM - ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
Birmingham Conservatoire Recital Hall
Voice / movement workshop for over 16's. Bringing Shakespeare alive for young people.
SATURDAY - 6.30PM - NEEDLESS ALLIES
The Old Joint Stock Theatre
City Living. Interactive exploration into people's travels.
SATURDAY - 7.30PM - THE BO DUDLEYS
The Yardbird
Britain's best boogie band!
SATURDAY - 8.00PM - CLASSICAL FANTASIA WITH CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET AND BIRMINGHAM OPERA COMPANY
Centenary Square Stage
Enjoy world-class performances culminating in a spectacular fireworks display.
SATURDAY - 9.00PM - ASTRO-PHYSICS
Victoria Square Fountain Stage
Live hip hop, funk, drum n' bass.
ArtsFest 2009 – Friday in the Jewellery Quarter
ArtsFest comes to the Jewellery Quarter this weekend, kicking off on Friday.
FRIDAY - 5.00PM - STAN'S CAFé: GIANT STEPS
A E Harris Factory
Birmingham's internationally recognised theatre company, Stan's Café, present their new installation: do-it-yourself family theatre.
FRIDAY - 8.00PM - DANCING BEAR MUSICAL SOCIETY CHORAL & OPERATIC CONCERT
St. Paul's Church
Featuring A Capella Birmingham Chamber Choir and members of Instant Opera.
ArtsFest 2009 – Friday in the City Centre
This year's incarnation of ArtsFest is about to kick off, so I thought I'd spend some time going through the highlights, starting with Friday's performances across the city centre.
FRIDAY - 1.15PM - CBSO PROMOTIONAL CONCERT
Symphony Hall
Lunchtime concert with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra's electrifying music.
FRIDAY - 4.30PM - BHANGRA WORLD RECORD WORKSHOP
Centenary Square Dance Marquee
Learn the dance steps for Saturday's World Record attempt.
FRIDAY - 5.25PM - SAMBA SPECTACULAR
Centenary Square Stage
Featuring Someone @ the Door Samba Band & Bloco Louco
FRIDAY - 7.00PM - THE FORTS OF KIMMY SUE ANNE... INNIT
The Prince of Wales
Chav comedy poet... Innit.
FRIDAY - 7.10PM - BEINGFRANK PHYSICAL THEATRE
Centenary Square Dance Marquee
Raging Skulls. Breath-taking dance, parkour and breakdance.
FRIDAY - 8.00PM - BBC BIG BAND
Town Hall
30th Anniversary Concert for BBC Radio 2. Britain's finest big band is joined by singing star Matthew Ford for a night of swing classics.
FRIDAY - 8.30PM - TALKING BROTHERS
The Old Joint Stock Theatre
Brothers need to talk. Unique and stimulating performance poetry.
FRIDAY - 10.00PM - BATTLE FOR PRAGUE
The Flapper
Bleary eyed uplifting baroque rock.
Gold Award For Brum’s Floral Trail
Over the last year you may have seen floral versions of a Mini on Victoria Square, Wallace and Gromit on Great Charles Street Queensway or a watch on New Street.
They are just three of 19 features on the Birmingham City Centre Floral Trail, which has just won Gold in the Urban Community category at the Heart of England In Bloom Regional Awards Ceremony.
The trail is linked to the bicentennial celebrations of the life of Matthew Boulton.
(via JewelleryQuarter.net)
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