Birmingham Town Hall
Victoria Square Birmingham B3 3AA
A magnificent example of Roman Revival civic architecture, Birmingham Town Hall isn't actually a town hall at all, but a concert venue, albeit one with a history as illustrious as its facade. Originally built to house Birmingham's triennial classical music festivals in the late-18th century, it went on to become a forum for political debate as well as providing a stage for a variety of events, including Charles Dickens' first public reading, an occasion that saw two thousand Brummies clamouring over each other to hear the author read from ‘A Christmas Carol’. In later years, this Grade I listed building went on to welcome every pivotal rock band you can think of – the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Dylan, and, er, Black Sabbath – and it still hosts quality events: mostly evenings of classical music, rock and the spoken word.
