O2 Academy Birmingham
The Carling Academy Birmingham is a music venue in Dale End, Birmingham, England that is run by the Academy Music Group ( not to be confused with the Academy at the NIA, which is the name given to the nearby National Indoor Arena when it hosts music events).
In the 1980s and early 1990s, it was known as the 'Hummingbird,' and occupied the site of the former Rank Ballroom. The venue was reopened as the Birmingham Academy (in the same group of venues including the Brixton Academy) in late 2000, early gigs including Richard Ashcroft and locals Ocean Colour Scene. Around 2 years after this was then rebranded under The "Carling" name, at this point the venue stopped serving the lager "Red Stripe" on tap and all the bars switched to selling Carling and Carling Extra Cold.
The venue features two performance areas. The main section is a larger venue for established acts and holds around 2700 people. It is below street level and surrounded by a mezzanine style balcony level. Upstairs, there is a smaller room known as the 'Academy 2', which hosts smaller bands playing to audiences of around 400. Both rooms are standing only. The building contains 5 bars, one in the Acadmey 2 one on the Mezzanine level and three downstairs including the large "island" bar. It also has hidden by the ladies toliets upstairs, a private VIP bar. On certain nights of the week plays host to alternative music based club nights including the renowned "Ramshackle" (a similar night to that at the Bristol Academy) on Friday nights from 10.30 until 04.00 and "Subculture" on a Saturday night. Ramshackle plays mainly music from the indie genre such as Razorlight, while Subculture tends to play harder rock such as Trivium. There is also a monthly record and CD fair. The premises immediately next door to the Carling Academy were bought by the Academy Music Group in 2001 and opened as 'Bar Academy,' a small bar on two floors, with a stage upstairs for live music. It is also regularly used for after show parties following gigs in the main Carling Academy. It also has its own regular club nights, including "Cold Rice."
Above the venue is the Priory Square shopping centre, including the Oasis indoor market, home to a number of independent alternative clothing, jewellery and general paraphernalia sellers. The entire complex (including the Academy) is scheduled for demolition in the near future as part of the Martineau Galleries development. Whether the Carling Academy is to be part of these plans remains to be seen.
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