PICK OF THE WEEK
Digbeth First Friday
Various venues, Friday August 7
In this month’s array of late openings and special events, the Black Hole Club explore feedback loops and samples at Vivid Projects, the Home For Waifs And Strays bid farewell to their Minerva Works base with a range of live and visual art, while Centrala hosts Sun! Zoom! Spark!, a “submersive night of oscillations soundtracked from the deep end of kosmische, radiophone electro and punitive psychedelia”.
ALSO THIS WEEK
Sound System Culture
Drum, from Thursday August 6
A special show exploring the history of reggae sound systems in Birmingham through photos, audio-visual footage and the custom-built interactive Heritage HiFi.
Zadie Smith
Artrix, Friday August 7
The White Teeth author calls into Bromsgrove as part of the Words group’s programme of guest speakers.
Walsall Society of Artists 66th Annual Exhibition
New Art Gallery Walsall, from Friday August 7
This year’s roundup of the cream of local artists working in a range of media, with many of the works available to buy.
Re-Making The Past: Six Contemporary Makers Respond To Inspiration From Prehistory
Bilston Craft Gallery, from Saturday August 8
The Devon Guild of Craftsmen call into the Black Country with pieces referencing the life and work of our Stone Age predecessors.
Film Food Club presents Midnight In Paris Under The Stars
Various venues, Sunday August 9
A screening of Woody Allen’s fine 2011 romcom at the Electric Cinema, complete with cocktail aperitif, followed by an alfresco three-course meal at the Hotel du Vin.
STILL RUNNING
Variations On Normal
Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, until Sunday August 16
Forming part of Coventry’s Festival of Imagineers, a rib-tickling selection of inventive drawings from self-styled “thinkerupper” Dominic Wilcox.
Hiroshige’s Japan: The Fifty-Three Stations Of The Tōkaidō
Wolverhampton Art Gallery, until Saturday November 21
Utagawa Hiroshige’s fabled set of 19th-century ukiyo-e woodblock prints depicting the journey to Kyoto from what is now the city of Tokyo.
DATE FOR THE DIARY
King Charles III
Rep, from Friday September 4
The Olivier-winning West End smash comes to Brum, with Robert Powell taking on the dubious mantle of our future monarch.
The Brum Notes weekly arts roundup is uploaded every Thursday at 9am.
