Forum Birmingham announces global names and further investment as music industry bounces back

One of the UK’s newest venues and club spaces has announced a series of major new shows along with further investment in its historic building, in line with the music and night-time industries welcoming fans back following the global pandemic.

Forum Birmingham will host international reggae star Sean Paul; electronic music legends Faithless, Pete Tong and A Guy Called Gerald in one exclusive night; and leading dancehall duo Govana and Skeng, in addition to upcoming dates from Mercury-nominated UK rapper Slowthai; leading reggae broadcaster and selector David Rodigan MBE with Shy FX and special guests, and Birmingham smash hit indie-rockers Editors – all over the coming months.

The 3,500 capacity newly upgraded complex featuring a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system is investing further in facilities to include an exclusive room for VIPs and a cutting edge audio-visual offering in its second room, Space54.

Forum Birmingham is also broadening its programme to present more live music and community and city-focused events.

Forum Birmingham co-director Billy Chauhan said: “We’re thrilled to see audiences and revellers returning back to music performances and club nights across Birmingham and the UK. The nighttime community in Birmingham and the UK is now seeing signs of confidence in, and demand for, the types of incredible shared experiences that we all enjoyed creating and taking part in, pre-Covid.

“With a series of headline shows from some of the biggest names in music coming up in both our main room and Space54, Forum Birmingham is delighted to be welcoming music fans over the coming months. The team looks forward to working with colleagues across the entertainment industries as well as the Birmingham and Midlands community to deliver a broad and vibrant event offering over summer 2022 and beyond.”

Forum Birmingham, located on the site of the city’s legendary Hummingbird, Top Rank and Carling Academy venues, reopened its doors in September 2021. Since then, artists and major names in music such as Andy C, AP Dhillon, Chase & Status, Mike Skinner, and Skream have performed at the venue.

The renovation of the Dale End building, which in previous incarnations hosted shows by global superstars throughout the 1970s through to the 2000s including The Ramones, The Clash, Nirvana and Sonic Youth, included restoration of the original woven wooden sprung dance floor, stripped back and newly polished concrete floors, a steel mezzanine, and the installation of a highly-regarded d&b audiotechnik line array sound system.

As well as the main stage room, the venue also features Space 54, a 350 capacity second room with its own high spec light and sound offering. Cutting edge visuals throughout the venue have been provided by DMX Productions – the team behind stages at Glastonbury and Global Gathering amongst others – including high resolution LED screens, special FX and immersive lighting.

Future events at the central Birmingham space are connecting with its eclectic 50-year music history, securing its

role as a top destination for UK music fans. They include:

UK Mercury-nominated gritty vocalist and rapper Slowthai visits Forum Birmingham with his Hell is Home tour, off the back of 2021 UK chart-topping album Tyron and collaborations with Florida rapper Denzel Curry and Irish punks Fontaines DC (Saturday 26 March)

The hugely successful 24hr Garage Girls collective starring Shosh, Leanne Louise, and Kelsey make their Space 54 debut, plus sets from Champion, Soulecta and Oppidan in a five hour marathon spanning bassline to classic old skool to club anthems (Saturday 26 March)

Hotly-tipped Ninja Tune-signed producer and BBC Radio 1 ‘Future Artist’ THSA in a Space 54 first, with a bill featuring Chloe Robinson, Nia Archives and LCY – a multi-genre event showcasing four of the most exciting tastemakers in UK underground music (Friday 1 April)

A high-profile dub, reggae and jungle clash featuring DJ and broadcaster David Rodigan MBE; drum and bass royalty Shy FX and General Levy, and Trojan and Channel One sound systems in the main Forum space (Saturday 9 April)

House and techno DJs Dusky, DJ Seinfeld, Mella Dee, reli.ah & Bad Girls Club take over the main stage in Birmingham’s new club space for a night of sonic exploration (Saturday 30 April)

British electronic music pioneers Faithless land at Forum for a one-off DJ set, plus Ibiza and BBC Radio 1 legend Pete Tong and acid house hero A Guy Called Gerald, along with Ceri and Hilit Kolet (Saturday 28 May)

A triumphant hometown return for Birmingham’s global indie rock stars Editors, fronted by Tom Smith, will close the city’s Sonic Wave Festival in the Forum Birmingham main space on Dale End (Sunday 5 June 2022)

Grammy award-winning Jamaican reggae and dancehall king Sean Paul visits the city with his rescheduled ‘Scorcha’ tour, following the release of his eighth studio album of the same name on Island Records, featuring collaborations with Gwen Stefani and Sia amongst others (Friday 26 August)