Our Birmingham live music & DJ guide for December, Christmas and New Years Eve, offers original and alternative nightlife, gigs, parties and music listings. We work with local promoters and venues each month to ensure you won’t be missing out on the very best this city has offer.
For our pick of the best live music today and this month, check out our playlist below (auto-play or skip through). Scroll down for full recommended listings.
Regular Weekly Events..
Cafe Colette takes place every Thursday with soulful DJs spinning to the vintage coolness of an art deco bar, with Digbeth Dining club providing the food treats. The city’s finest disco, soul, eclectic DJs at Digbeth Dining Club every Thurs, Fri and Sat. The Victoria and Island Bar host a wide variety of funk, soul, disco and indie DJs every weekend with occasional live gigs upstairs at the Vic (check out Tikki Thurs at Island). The Sun on The Hill offers the best in indie DJs on weekends. The Actress & Bishop provides live acoustic and gig nights throughout the month with late entry! The Stable hosts a variety of DJs and live music throughout the month.
A range of regular monthly DJ and jazz nights nights take place at 1000 Trades. Not forgetting the best in balearic, house, disco and soul Saturday evenings and Collective, Soulshake, Loose Joints on Fridays at the Lord Clifden (the best Sunday Roasts too!). The Ruin, Digbeth is home to some of the city’s finest disco, funk and vintage house DJs every weekend. Catch Morais Vibes’s disco house and soul selection on the Bureau Bar rooftop most weekends too! You can find soulful & funky live jazz at The Spotted Dog, Digbeth every Tuesday and look out for their Sunday Classics with classical and jazz musicians from the Conservatoire. Bourne & Co host DJ Damian Saturdays playing latin, soul, disco and boogie.
Recommended Music Events December, Xmas & NYE 2018
1. Dec. 2018
TLC – disco, house, funk, balearic, cosmic, classics. Resident djs every week, 7pm – late @ The Lord Clifden
DJ Morais Vibes: funk, soul and disco @ The Bureau
Saturday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Vintage Mixmasters playing disco, nu-boogie, soul, latin and raregroove 7pm – late @ Bourne & Co
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Brunchin’ & Hip Hop 12pm start @ The Night Owl
Happy Skamas with The Ska 45s 8pm start @ The Night Owl
Sunflower Bean + Miya Folick + Jesse Jo Stark @ Castle & Falcon
3. Dec. 2018
Neighbourhd #20 @ The Night Owl
The Wildhearts @ The Mill
DADDY ISSUES & PAWS (CO-HEADLINE TOUR) @ The Sunflower Lounge
Molly Burch / Boat To Row @ Hare And Hounds
4. Dec. 2018
Jazz night. Free Entry 8pm @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Cypress Hill @ O2 Academy
Drahla @ Hare And Hounds
5. Dec. 2018
Punks Alive presents: UK Subs @ Castle & Falcon
NAMIWA JAZZ + HEAVY BEAT BRASS BAND + KEZIA SOUL + RUTH KOKUMO @ Hare and Hounds
Nathan Ball @ Hare And Hounds
6. Dec. 2018
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Kaleidoscope presents Bad Girlfriend EP Launch party 8pm start free entry @ The Night Owl
The Cardigans @ O2 Academy
Applebum / Birmingham / The Christmas Get Down @ LAB11
Live Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar Bar
Sounds Familiar Music Quiz @ Mama Roux’s
VIOLET + GUYANA + MATT MCCLAFFERTY + RAINY DAY WOMAN @ The Bristol Pear
Soweto Kinch + Xhosa Cole @ Hare And Hounds
Malcolm Middleton @ Hare And Hounds
7. Dec. 2018
DJ Morais Vibes: funk, soul and disco @ The Bureau
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Loose Joints DJs playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Last Friday Soulshake DJs playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Come Together with Scoobys Tosh plus DJs Dom Cross & Mazzy Snape 9pm start @ The Night Owl
Resonate x Space Lab Present: Objekt & Jane Fitz @ LAB11
Liquescent Presents : Shogun Audio @ LAB11
MALIJA @ 1000 Trades
Matt Cottom @ 1000 Trades
Jane Fitz In-store @ Café Artum
Vault Sessions Presents : N-Type, KILLA P & More @ The Mill
Propaganda: Mince Pie Party £3-£4 Guest list @ The Mill
Leftfoot x Moodfix present Leon Vynehall @ Hare And Hounds
Sum Cellar Presents BRUM TROPICAÑA @ Hare And Hounds
Rich Hughes playing hip-hop, electro, indie, funk and soul. 7pm-12am, free entry @ The Ruin
The No Regrets Christmas Party: ABBA vs Robbie Williams @ The Engine Room
8. Dec. 2018
TLC – disco, house, funk, balearic, cosmic, classics. Resident djs every week, 7pm – late @ The Lord Clifden
DJ Morais Vibes: funk, soul and disco @ The Bureau
Saturday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Vintage Mixmasters playing disco, nu-boogie, soul, latin and raregroove 7pm – late @ Bourne & Co
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Brunchin’ & Hip Hop Xmas Party 12pm start @ The Night Owl
LetItBeatles (live Beatles tribute) 8pm start @ The Night Owl
Dig? Soul and retro club night with DJs Tom Mason and friends. 11pm start @ The Night Owl
808 State: 30 @ O2 Institute
Stable Presents DJ Craig Ward b2b with Miloe @ The Stable
VOCAL – The Christmas Party @ LAB11
5 Years of Listening Sessions @ Spotlight
Pigeonhole with Jon Harris @ 1000 Trades
Embrace Christmas Show @ The Mill
Triple Cooked: Birmingham – Christmas Carnival @ The Mill
AUTUMN EVANS + MEGAN LARA MAE + DOMINIC EDWARD + JESSIE REID @ Ort
PHIL MADELEY + CUT GLASS KINGS + MELOTONE + MONTY TAFT @ The Sunflower Lounge
Dub Pistols / Kioko (DJ Set) @ Hare And Hounds
Heavy Disco/Heritage: Ashley Beedle/Diesel/Dave Jarvis/Heritage @ Hare And Hounds
Dessert Island Discs from Mid day until 7:30 pm with special guest Ashley Beedle @ The Ruin
Tom Mason playing soul, mowtown, hip-hop and disco 7:30pm-12am. Free Entry @ The Ruin
9. Dec. 2018
NO BONES – Meat Free Dining Club @ Spotlight
The Only way is Garage : Xmas Special all dayer @ Spotlight
Beer Blues Sunday Christmas Special @ Actress and Bishop
The Shite Raffle – Christmas Special @ Actress and Bishop
Christmas Special with Tom Harris // Sunday Jazz @ 1000 Trades
11. Dec. 2018
Jazz night. Free Entry 8pm @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
Pete Tong Presents Ibiza Classics @ Arena Birmingham
Circle presents Psychedelic Halloween @ LAB11 @ LAB11
Phil Thomson’s Arts Lab @ 1000 Trades
BINGO LINGO Birmingham – Chapter Three @ The Mill
Killer Wave present Mark Sultan / The Mighty Young @ Hare And Hounds
12. Dec. 2018
SoulJam – Festive Funk @ LAB11
ETTA BOND + KOFI STONE + DEE AJAYI @ The Cuban Embassy
Mac Ayres @ Hare And Hounds
Listening Sessions: December Showcase @ Hare And Hounds
13. Dec. 2018
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
The Tenmours live @ The Night Owl
IgluMusic presents: Folk Fusion 7:30pm start @ The Night Owl
Ocean Colour Scene – The Christmas Shows 2018 @ O2 Academy
TEKTU Presents: Xmas Special @ LAB11
Live Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar Bar
BINGO LINGO Birmingham – The last Christmas Show @ The Mill
Monkey Business 2018 (Aziz & Goldfinger) @ Hare And Hounds
14. Dec. 2018
Dark Corner Disco presents Don Carlos @ The Wagon And Horses
DJ Morais Vibes: funk, soul and disco @ The Bureau
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
The Collective DJs playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
The Backbone Slips 8pm start @ The Night Owl
Barefootin’ with DJs Dave Le Moderne, Johnny Weston and Ed Edwards 11pm start @ The Night Owl
Ocean Colour Scene – The Christmas Shows 2018 @ O2 Academy
The Stable Presents DJ JUS NEIL @ The Stable
Calm. @ LAB11
DDC x Voyage presents: Global-Selects @ Spotlight
DAME + VSDN + HARICO + PLUVIAM @ The Bristol Pear
Leftfoot x Moodfix present Gilles Peterson @ Hare And Hounds
15. Dec. 2018
TLC – disco, house, funk, balearic, cosmic, classics. Resident djs every week, 7pm – late @ The Lord Clifden
DJ Morais Vibes: funk, soul and disco @ The Bureau
Saturday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Vintage Mixmasters playing disco, nu-boogie, soul, latin and raregroove 7pm – late @ Bourne & Co
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
The Quik Beats (live) 8pm start @ The Night Owl
Dig? Soul and retro club night with Glyn Preece and Andrew Marshall. 11pm start @ The Night Owl
Madness @ Arena Birmingham
The Twang @ O2 Academy
The Stable Presents Dee Ajayi @ The Stable
Barefoot in the Head Christmas Special till 2am @ 1000 Trades
Mystic Brew @ Café Artum
OUSE presents: Tokyo Disco @ The Mill
METHODS + TITANS OF DOOM + THE PINES BAND @ The Sunflower Lounge
Broken Minds Presents: Function Records Xmas Party @ Hare And Hounds
Retro Forward Presents: Peza & Russell Penn @ Hare And Hounds
Blues Club with The Atlantic Players @ Hare And Hounds
A-Z of the 80’s with Paul and Dave Finn. 7pm- 12 am. Free entry @ The Ruin
16. Dec. 2018
Get Stoned’s Rock and Roll Circus @ The Night Owl
Nile Rodgers & CHIC @ Arena Birmingham
Dogbeth Dining Club – Christmas Pooch Parade @ Spotlight
Christmas Shakedown – Bad Girlfriend unplugged ft. GRUEL @ Actress and Bishop
Sunsoul Psych, funk, jazz, soulful rock and electric beats @ 1000 Trades
Conor O’Rourke, Aesthetics, Brightr, Dan Gilliver, Jess Webberly @ The Victoria
Chartreuse + Sunken @ Hare And Hounds
Hannah Johnson: Christmas Special @ Hare And Hounds
17. Dec. 2018
Def Leppard @ Arena Birmingham
Revocation, Archspire, Soreption & Rivers Of Nihil @ Mama Roux’s
18. Dec. 2018
Jazz night. Free Entry 8pm @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
OUTLINE + TALL STORIES + EFFERVESCENT @ The Sunflower Lounge
19. Dec. 2018
BMA’s BIG Christmas Party! @ Mama Roux’s
Bad Manners Christmas Tour @ The Mill
Replay Christmas Charity Party @ Hare And Hounds
20. Dec. 2018
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Night Owl Free Karaoke and Christmas Party with Marina Coombes. 8pm start @ The Night Owl
Har-De-Har Christmas Special! @ Actress and Bishop
Live Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar Bar
Dirty Old Folkers – 11th Annual Pantomime – TREASURE ISLAND @ Hare And Hounds
21. Dec. 2018
DJ Morais Vibes: funk, soul and disco @ The Bureau
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
The Collective DJs playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Sensateria with The Black Bombers and Keb Darge 8pm start @ The Night Owl
UB40 @ Arena Birmingham
The Stable Presents THE BANDIDOS @ The Stable
Core Presents Tom Trago (Dekmantel) @ The Mill
Poolside Strut: Xmas Pool Party @ Hare And Hounds
Getting Away With It does XMAS! @ Hare And Hounds
Rich Hughes playing electro, hip-hop, indie, funk and soul classics. 7pm-12am. Free entry @ The Ruin
22. Dec. 2018
TLC – disco, house, funk, balearic, cosmic, classics. Resident djs every week, 7pm – late @ The Lord Clifden
DJ Morais Vibes: funk, soul and disco @ The Bureau
Saturday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Vintage Mixmasters playing disco, nu-boogie, soul, latin and raregroove 7pm – late @ Bourne & Co
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Le Freak Saturday Night Fever with DJs Richard Buckley and Joel Webster. 9pm start @ The Night Owl
Bread n’ Butter Xmas Knees up w/ Tristan Da Cunha @ LAB11
Hot Piroski @ 1000 Trades
Voyage presents: HAAi [4-Hour Set] @ The Mill
Winter Wonderland: Birmingham (The best ABBA tribute club night) @ The Mill
THE GOOD WATER + KINDS OF LIGHT @ The Sunflower Lounge
BROKEN WITT REBELS + SPECIAL GUESTS @ Actress & Bishop
Vice City: George Michael Tribute (DJ Set) @ Hare And Hounds
Heritage and Desert Island Discs FREE Christmas party @ Hare And Hounds
Blues Club with Maxwells Quandri @ Hare And Hounds
Rich Rundle playing edits, remixes and a range of head-nodding beats. 7pm- 12am. Free entry @ The Ruin
23. Dec. 2018
A Christmas Gift For You with live music and Sugarfoot Stomp DJs 2pm start + kids welcome @ The Night Owl
I Don’t Know What It Is, But It Sure Is Funky @ 1000 Trades
ANGULAR MERKEL + SPECIAL GUESTS @ The Sunflower Lounge
Misty’s Big Adventure @ Hare And Hounds
This Is Tmrw Xmas Party: Table Scraps + more @ Hare And Hounds
We Want Less: Open Mic Night! Hosted by Shaun Gambol Walsh and The Plagiarists, 7-10:30pm @ The Ruin
25. Dec. 2018
Jazz night. Free Entry 8pm @ The Spotted Dog, Digbeth
The Carousels / Special Guests @ Actress and Bishop
26. Dec. 2018
Solardo Sessions @ LAB11
27. Dec. 2018
Speed Quizzing @ The Lord Clifden
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Live Music @ The Gentleman & Scholar Bar
Christmas with East 17 + Mariah Carey Tribute @ The Mill
28. Dec. 2018
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
Friday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Soulshake DJs playing the best in soul, funk, disco, house and balearic @ The Lord Clifden
Resurrection Reunion 10pm start @ The Night Owl
Years’ End Party @ 1000 Trades
Unspeakable: UFO Show w/Neighbourhd @ Mama Roux’s
FEW FIGHTERS + BEMUSED @ The Flapper
Bruk Up Christmas Party @ Hare And Hounds
29. Dec. 2018
TLC – disco, house, funk, balearic, cosmic, classics. Resident djs every week, 7pm – late @ The Lord Clifden
DJ Morais Vibes: funk, soul and disco @ The Bureau
Saturday DJs playing indie and alternative rock @ The Sun on The Hill
Vintage Mixmasters playing disco, nu-boogie, soul, latin and raregroove 7pm – late @ Bourne & Co
Digbeth Dining Club + Cafe Colette + DJs from 5.30pm @ Spotlight!
The Atlantic Players Christmas Party 8pm start @ The Night Owl
Brum Punx Xmas Bash with GBH @ Castle & Falcon
12 Hours of TRMNL – 2018 Closing Party @ LAB11
Blues Club with The Blithering Idiots @ Hare And Hounds
Disco P*ssy – The Last Shindig of the Year @ Hare And Hounds
30. Dec. 2018
RAI KAH MERCURY + PRIMAL + DANTES ESCPAE @ The Sunflower Lounge
31. Dec. 2018
The Night Owl NYE Soul, Mod and Motown All-nighter 9pm start @ The Night Owl
Magic Door – Silver Sonic NYE @ LAB11
Moho NYE 2018: The Last Darnce @ The Old Crown
NYE at Digbeth Dining Club @ Spotlight
Zen presents NYE The Send Off @ Suki10c
New Years Eve Speakeasy! @ The Bull’s Head, Brum
NewHam: A Night of Incredible 80s @ 1000 Trades
DDC x Voyage presents: NYE Global-Selects @ Spotlight
A Weird & Wonderful New Year’s Eve 2018 @ The Mill
FORMAT NYE @ The Victoria
Brooklyn BLOCK PARTY @ The Victoria
NYE Beach Bash @ Island Bar
New Year’s Eve Carnival @ Hare And Hounds
1. Jan. 2019
GLAS New Years Day 2019 @ LAB11