Nightlife in Birmingham is thriving, and the club scene is recognized as one of Britain’s best, spanning everything from word-of-mouth underground parties to meat-market mainstream clubs. There’s a particular emphasis on special/specialist nights with leading DJs turning up at different venues on different nights.

Live music is strong in the city, too, with big-name concerts at several major venues and other, often local bands appearing at some clubs and pubs. Birmingham’s showpiece Symphony Orchestra and Royal Ballet are the spearheads of the city’s resurgent high-cultural scene. The social calendar also gets an added boost from a wide range of up-market festivals , including the Jazz Festival in the first two weeks in July, and the Film and TV Festival in November.

For current information on all events, performances and exhibitions, pick up a free copy of the excellent, fortnightly What’s On , Birmingham’s definitive listings guide. It’s available at all of the tourist offices and many public venues.