Symphony Hall

Birmingham’s Symphony Hall was opened in 1991, and regularly plays host to some of the best musical acts around, from indie to jazz, folk to pop, classical to rock, as well as hosting top-class comedy shows. The 2,262-seat venue hosts around 300 events per annum, attracting some 300,000 visitors every year, and is also home to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

Some of the more prominent names who have graced the stage here in recent times include Van Morrison, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Bruce Springsteen, not to mention comedians such as Bill Bailey and Lenny Henry. Tickets can be bought at the box office or on the website, but you should make sure to get yours early for the big shows.

Modelled on the Muskiverein in Vienna and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, it is a very beautiful space in which to enjoy music and performance. The technology involved in hugely impressive, with a reverberation chamber behind the stage and extending high along the sides of the hall. Furthermore, the adjustable “acoustic canopy” can be raised and lowered to accommodate the needs of the performance on any given night. If that wasn’t enough, the 6,000-pipe organ stretches to almost 20 metres in height, and is used in orchestral performances.

Check out a free photo show in the Broad Street Gallery section of the hall, which plays host to striking images from previous shows, as well as a range of rotating displays, such as a tribute to reggae in the city. Look up the website for more information on what’s on while you’re in town.

Symphony Hall is on Centenary Square, very close to the heart of Birmingham. Public buses stop here and there is pay parking available at nearby Brindley Place and the National Indoor Arena (NIA). The hall is open every day, except for Christmas Day and December 26th.