Entertainment News

Day 2 of the Birmingham Festival 23 was bathed in sunshine – for the best part – as some of the city’s finest performers in their respective arts made sure that they would play their part in what has already been a celebration to never be forgotten. Centenary Square was, again, the ‘beating heart’ of everything musical - right in the heart of the ‘beating heart’ of the nation.

Spotify users listened to the 19 songs from the extended edition of The Barbie Album over 155 million times in just one week after the movie premiere. What Was I Made For, by Billie Eilish, accounts for 30.9 million of these streams – the most of all the tracks on the official movie album. Meanwhile, Aqua gained the most new listeners among all the artists featured on the album.

Acclaimed indie-folk quartet Darlingside release their praised new album Everything Is Alive with new track “Green Light.” “Green Light” highlights the humble beauty contained in the mundane things of everyday life. Written during the confines of the pandemic Darlingside’s Harris Paseltiner says, “I was trying to stop retreating into myself, and instead to reorient towards real human connection with family/friends, to see the small but tangible glory of nature that was directly out in my yard, and even to try to see value in boring things like sidewalks and rust.” 

This July, Bullring & Grand Central is helping to kickstart the summer holidays with plenty of fun-filled activities and dining deals to help to keep the kids entertained now that school’s out for summer.

Head to Selfridges Birmingham on Saturday 29th July between 9:30am-11:30am for the ultimate Kid’s Summer Party. From character appearances and live music to creative workshops, there is family-friendly entertainment for everyone. Tickets are available to purchase online at Selfridges.com.

To start a 10-day festival of dance and music to celebrate one year since the Birmingham medal-winning athletes Commonwealth Games got underway in the city’s Centenary Square, where a stage was set up - for an evening of huge celebrations and free entertainment, for what was a landmark occasion for its citizens.

With the booming soundtrack of legendary Birmingham bands Black Sabbath, UB40 and Dexy’s Midnight Runners setting off the proud and expecting crowd into wild delirium, it was a chance to look back at what Birmingham put on, for the Commonwealth – and wide world. This truly was a “Brum T’ing” in every way possible.

The UK & Ireland Tour of Disney’s award-winning musical, The Lion King, will welcome new cast members including Aphiwe Nyezi as ‘Simba’, Brian Gilligan as ‘Scar’ and Andre Jewson as ‘Zazu’, beginning on Tuesday 5 September 2023. The newcomers join a talented international company who represent 17 countries around the world whilst the show plays its season in Birmingham, before moving on to Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) announces the casting for a ground-breaking new production which transports one of Shakespeare’s most enduring classics to 1930’s Britain: The Merchant of Venice 1936. Following its premiere at Watford Palace Theatre earlier this year, the production will embark on a UK tour this Autumn, beginning at the RSC’s Swan Theatre from Thursday 21 September – Saturday 7 October. It will return to the Swan Theatre to close the tour from Wednesday 24 January - Saturday 10 February 2024.

Bhangra Symphonica will perform a spectacular evening of music and dance as East meets West and Bhangra meets Classical – never seen before in the UK. The thrilling musical adventure will take place against the stunning backdrop of Ragley Hall in Warwickshire. 

Bhangra Rock band, Kissmet and one of the UK’s top chamber orchestras, Orchestra of the Swan, join forces to present a breath-taking fusion of music and dance, story-telling and mesmerising spirituality; from the irresistible energy of Bhangra beats and Western Rock, to the meditative calm of devotional songs, all underpinned by an exquisite soundscape of classical strings - Bhangra Symphonica.

The thrilling opening event for the huge free 10-day Birmingham Festival being held in the city centre today - full details of One City, A Thousand Memories in Centenary Square. Brummies are invited to experience Once City A Thousand Memories - the thrilling night of free entertainment which will open Birmingham Festival 23, the 10 day event celebrating the legacy of the Commonwealth Games.

School’s out for summer, so Selfridges are having a party to celebrate! This Saturday 29th July, Selfridges Birmingham invites families to kickstart their summer holidays by heading in store for a special Kids’ Summer Party. Children can expect character appearances from their favourite pups at Paw Patrol, sweet treats, a DJ dance party and a range of creative workshops for all ages to enjoy.

Tethered Wits are touring the country this summer with two delightful open-air theatre productions, The Great Gatsby and Doctor Dolittle. 1920's New York.

A city full of dreamers. Through, the eyes of Nick Carraway, we are introduced to the high-fliers (and low-lifes) of glitzy Manhattan. However, when he meets a certain Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, he realises the parties are not always what they seem...

The Barbie film has become the US and Canada's biggest film of the year so far, said distributor Warner Bros. An estimated $155m (£120m) was made in its opening weekend, the company said.

Meanwhile, new release Oppenheimer - also out on Friday - made $93.7m (£72m) in the US, said Universal Pictures. The features come at a time when cinemas in general are struggling as they lose out to competition from streaming.

Kicking off on Friday 28 July from 6pm with the opening event One City, A Thousand Memories, Birmingham Festival 23 is now just 5 DAYS away with even more talent added to an already packed programme: legendary, world record-holding, Olympic and Commonwealth hurdler Colin Jackson CBE is the special guest for the Commonwealth Collective Celebration on 31 July.

Hosted for the second year, Same Difference, will take place on Sunday, August 13, from 11am to 5.30pm. Same Difference is led by young people for young people aged between 11 and 18 years old.

There will be music from local bands, spoken word, bhangra dancing, drumming workshops and drop-in creative sessions from a range of Wolverhampton Cultural Education Partners (CEP) including RAW real arts workshop, The Art of Being Holly, Aazard Art, Hit the Dhol, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Kathleen Fabre, The Way and The Fabric Tattoo Company.

Emerging talent Derek Ouyang is an artist with a flair for contrasting uplifting bedroom disco-pop bops with melancholy tales of faltering romance - a strength that he today introduces to new audiences with the release of his official debut single ‘M.I.A.’.

Whipping up touches of pop, R&B, neo-soul and funk into his own sonic vision, Derek Ouyang has crafted a dreamy psychedelic alt-pop jam with ‘M.I.A.’ Performed with a voice that exudes pure pop appeal yet with a sophisticated soulful tone, it tells the story of a love affair which fails to blossom despite its initial early summer promise. What looked to be an exciting new beginning instead ends in disappointment, as captured by the arresting hook, “Cuffed on both hands by the words you said / False hope round my neck in the love we made.” 

That’s the burning question on everyone’s minds as the announcement of the ticket prices for his ‘Under The Influence’ concert at the National Stadium in Kingston has stirred astonishment among scores of Jamaicans. A graphic listing the concert ticket prices was shared online, and it caused quite a stir.

Fans can either purchase tickets at the early bird or pre-sold prices, which may indicate that no tickets will be sold at the event. The lofty pre-sold ticket price of Jamaican $1.5 million  (US $10,000) grants access to the sky view suite, the most fans could expect to pay see Chris Brown perform live in Jamaica.