Italics at 1000 Trades
Italo disco fans rejoice. A whole evening of hi-nrg Italian dance music will be bouncing off the walls of the gloriously funky 1000 Trades tonight. DJ’s George Bate and Matt Cottom are your hosts for the retro-electro synth meltdown that will take you on a journey through 35 years of musical history. If we hear La Bionda’s ‘I Wanna Be Your Lover’ we may go a little crazy.
Fri 30 Jun 8pm at 1000 Trades, 16 Frederick St, Birmingham B1 3HE www.facebook.com

Launch of Liquor Friday’s Summer Garden Sessions at No. 21 Digbeth
A launch that has been delayed by the weather but hopefully today the sun will be kind and things will get moving. Every month the Taste and Liquor crew will change the theme of their new Summer Garden Sessions but for the first blast it’s a full on rum rumble. Rum cocktails, rum punch, rum everything. In addition to lashings of the sailor’s favourite tipple there will be the usual array of delicious street food all complemented by some of the coolest DJ’s spinning wicked grooves all night.
Fri 30 Jun 5pm at No. 21, Milk Street, Birmingham B5 5TR www.facebook.com

Feel The Vibe Launch Night! At Hawker Yard
This is going to be epic. The Feel the Vibe DJ Crew are launching a whole series of events at the unique scaffold magic of The Hawker Yard. A hardcore lineup of Hip-Hop heavyweights will keep the dope beats pumping till the early hours with DJ Jam Fu, DJ Unpronounceable and DJ Silence spinning the grooves. Special guest is the almighty Psykhomantus.
Fri 30 Jun 8.30pm at Hawker Yard, 62-70 Pershore St, Birmingham B5 4RU www.facebook.com

Colmore Food Festival at Victoria Square
Two days of food, beer and entertainment (and if we’re really lucky sunshine). Bands, artists, street performers and cooking demonstrations will complement the stunning array of culinary delights available. Slap bang in the middle of the city at Victoria Square it’s a perfect place to chill and watch the world go by. All dishes are capped at £4.
Fri 30 Jun to Sat 1 Jul at Victoria Square, Birmingham  www.colmorefoodfestival.com/

See our Cocomad preview here, it’s by-donation entry (suggested £3 or more), not free – but still by far the best value festival the city has to offer.

The Night Owl takes over The Old Crown
We loved this last year. The sun blazed down. The Night Owl DJ’s blasted out fantastic tunes throughout, dancing broke out en masse and every face sported a big grin. Expect just the same this weekend as The Old Crown garden becomes a heaving Northern Soul disco for the afternoon. All attendees get reduced entry into The Night Owl later if they want to carry on the party, and who wouldn’t?
Sat 1 Jul 3pm at The Old Crown, 188 High Street, Deritend, Birmingham B12 0LD www.facebook.com

for-Wards with Justin K Broadrick & Rowen Coleing at The Royal George
It’s been a long journey for Justin. We can remember seeing him as part of Napalm Death supporting Blyth Power and Chumbawamba back in August 1985 on a sunny day in Telford. From those early beginnings he went on to forge an aggressively unique and powerfully raging guitar sound with Napalm Death and Godflesh. Mile high riffs of brain rattling distortion and growling vocals. We’re really excited to see what he has achieved with the wonderful for-Wards musical project. Justin will be performing ‘An Ode to Yorks Wood’ with collaborator Rowen Coleing.
Sat 1 Jul 7pm at The Royal George Hotel, 325 Garrison Ln, Birmingham B9 4PN www.facebook.com

Make it Reggae at 1000 Trades
It’s that time of the month again. A glorious rocksteady evening spent in the company of resident DJ the (not so ;)) legendary Joe Turner, Mrs Ironside and Boss Heavy Manners spinning the best in roots, reggae and ska till the early hours at the JQ’s coolest new bar.
Sat 1 Jul 7pm at 1000 Trades, 16 Frederick St, Birmingham B1 3HE www.facebook.com

Monkey Club at The Spotted Dog
Get down to The Spotted Dog till the early hours to celebrate DJ Simon Tipper’s birthday in the company of Birmingham’s finest purveyors of vinyl rocksteady sounds Jodie Lamb, Dave Le Moderne, Dylan Gibbons and John Weston. The Monkey Club are also to be applauded for producing the greatest poster for any event this month. Jive kudos to them.
Sat 1 Jul 8.30pm at The Spotted Dog, 104 Warwick St, Birmingham B12 0NH www.facebook.com

Delta Autumn EP Launch at The Dark Horse
Local funksters Delta Autumn invite you to the launch of their second EP. Intelligent; innovative and unique, the sophisticated brash jazz of Delta Autumn is intoxicating live. Support comes from the incredible Tom Forbes who; with that flop of blond hair, funky grooves and idiosyncratic style has just a touch of Beck about him. Jacky P will be DJing.
Sat 1 Jul 9pm at The Dark Horse,  145 Alcester Rd, Birmingham B13 8JP www.facebook.com

Reggae Caribbean Cookout All-Dayer at Hawker Yard
Ok, so it’s technically not free as there’s a one pound admission fee. We recommend digging down the back of the sofa for some loose change. It’ll be worth it to savour the delicious West Indian soul food served up by the sensational Mr Jerk. Throughout the afternoon the vibe levels will be set to hyper chilled as DJ’s spin the best reggae, ska and rock steady vinyl as you chow down, there’s even vegan options available. If you haven’t visited Hawker Yard yet then this is the perfect opportunity to check out one of the cooler city venues.
Sun 2 Jul 12pm at Hawker Yard, 62-70 Pershore St, Birmingham B5 4RU www.facebook.com

Pour On The Sauce at The Night Owl
Fingers crossed for afternoon sunshine but if the big yellow thing in the sky is feeling shy there’ll be enough summer sounds and BBQ smells to make you not care. DJ’s Tipper, Jodie Lamb and Joe Turner will keep the irie levels at maximum in a delirious wash of early Jamaican sounds and reggae. A delicious jerk BBQ for Sunday dinner? Nom nom.
Sun 2 Jul 2pm at The Night Owl, 17 Lower Trinity St, Birmingham B9 4AG www.facebook.com