Byline: Andrew Cowen
The latest player in Birmingham's burgeoning bar wars is Bar Academy. Tucked away at the side of the Birmingham Academy in the heart of the city centre, the bar combines coffee shop cool with a buzzing atmosphere. However, it's the eclectic mix of sounds which create a unique environment.
Now open every weekend until 2am and weekdays until midnight, Bar Academy provides an array of entertainment seven days a week. For the more cerebral the downstairs bar shows film classics with seminal celluloid masterpieces such as Easy Rider, Taxi Driver, Get Carter and The Great Escape.
As you relax and enjoy the film on one of the luxurious leather sofas you can tuck into some of the various light bites available. The bar serves toasted panninis, ciabattas and sandwiches, flavoured coffees and fruit smoothies, alongside all the usual beers and spirits.
If you're feeling a little more energetic, the downstairs bar boasts a pool table while upstairs you will find fruit machines, pinball, table football and several screens showing a variety of live sports to keep you entertained until the DJ takes to the decks.
A blend of musical styles throughout the weekcomplements the Academy's leftfield gigs and club nights, from rock and indie to rare grooves and beyond.
On Monday you can take your skateboard and join the nu metal explosion with Last Resort. If Linkin Park, Lost Prophets, Slipknot and System of a Down float your boat then Monday nights at Bar Academy should become a regular haunt.
If that's a bit too intense and you prefer something a little more retrospective, Sunflower takes over on Tuesday nights offering sixties cool, dancefloor jazz and Hammond grooves with DJ Paul Cook.
Urban Cheek, every Wednesday, is a funky offering from DJs Steve Gerrard and Carlton, whowill be mixing breaks and beats for the urban chic.
On Thursday Re-load presents a unique blend of indie anthems and alternative tunes and on Friday and Saturday nights DJs from Academy favourites Ramshackle and Blast! will warm up the crowd before heading into the main venue to continue the mayhem until 3am.
Best of all though are Sundays, traditionally a day off in clubland.
On the sabbath Bar Academy hosts ColdRice. Originating from San Francisco, ColdRice specialises in cool, cult classics, playing music by the sorts of artists who drive on the left hand side, with tunes from soul legends Curtis Mayfield, James Brown and Issac Hayes sitting comfortably alongside the sounds of the NYC punk revival. Throw into the mix everything from Beach Boys, Sonic Youth, De La Soul and Pavement and you'll end up with ColdRice.
'Music should always be more important than the person playing it,' says
ColdRice promoter and DJ Carlton.
'We openly encourage people to bring their own tastes and records with them.'
I'll be there next week with my copy of Tales from Topographic Oceans.
Bar Academy, Dale End, Birmingham, is open Monday to Thursday from 5pm to Midnight and on Friday and Saturday from 5pm to 2am. Sunday hours are 5pm to 10.30pm. Admission is free.
CAPTION(S):
Bar Academy: music, food, as well as classic films during the day
