Family: Chinese New Year celebrations at The Arcadian
It’s the Year of the Dog (the Earth Dog to be precise) and to celebrate there are a raft of Chinese New Year activities taking place along Southside, if you visited last year you may think you know what to expect but this time around the capacity has doubled in size. Two stages featuring live performances from the likes of the awesome Rosie Kay Dance co. and Chinese circus & acrobats, street performers, streetfood stalls, traditional entertainment, workshops and a fun fair and that’s just scratching the surface. Book for free Hippodrome performances here.
Sun 18 Feb 1130am at The Arcadian, 70 Hurst St, Birmingham B5 4TD www.cnybirmingham.org.uk

Art: Drag and Draw Life Drawing Special at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Budding artists (or experienced ones for that matter) come along to the Gas Room at BMAG for a life drawing session with a difference. Drag artist Naz will be posing for you scribblers with paper, pencils, boards and easels provided, as well as reacting to the exhibits and occasionally bursting into a Bollywood lip syncing routine. If only art college was like this.
Sat 17 Feb 12pm at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3DH www.birminghammuseums.org.uk

Also see: Centrala Dance Day Sat 17 Feb: Family art & dance workshops, a Hula Disco & more. See our full preview  here

Gig: Mutes at The Dark Horse
Mutes must have had a killer 2017, completing their mutation from their dream-scape origins into a full-blooded krautrock punk band. Their debut album ‘No Desire’ was one of the best things to come out of the Second City last year. So if you haven’t treated yourself to some Mutes yet, go get sweaty and unruffled at the Dark Horse – for free, no less. With support from Witch Fever and Cave Girl. (CD) Read our full preview here.
Fri 16 Feb 9pm at The Dark Horse, 145 Alcester Rd, Birmingham B13 8JP www.darkhorsemoseley.co.uk

Club: Get Together at Amusement 13
Third birthday party for Birmingham’s finest purveyors of the hypest bass beats across grime, garage, d&b and house. It will get deep and dirty and you need to be there, Fallow and DJ Chalice will be performing alongside the usual killer residents. Just go to the Facebook event page on the link below and tag yourself on the wall for free entry before 12pm. Boom.
Fri 16 Feb 10pm at Amusement 13, 71 Kent St, Birmingham B5 6RD www.facebook.com

Gig: Anti-Bullying Alliance benefit at Brewhouse Bar
Matthew Edwards from the affable globe trotting Brummie geezers The Unfortunates has arranged an afternoon of top class local musical talent in aid of worthy cause the Anti-Bullying Alliance. Matthew himself will be performing alongside Retinal Circus, Jowen, Danielle Cawdell with some surprises promised. It’s free but we know you will be digging deep to help out.
Sat 17 Feb 4pm at Brewhouse Bar, Unit 2, 60 Regent Place, Birmingham B1 3NJ www.facebook.com

Gaming: Dead Pixels at Spotlight
Retro gaming, big eats, raging beats and live art, it must be Dead Pixels time again. Some 10,000 games to plug your brains into and a stunning collection of street food to plug your faces into. The artist’s theme this time round is nostalgic sci-fi epic Stranger Things so expect The Upside Down to figure strongly. DJs include Doktah Jekyll and Squirrel.
Sat 17 Feb 5pm at Spotlight, Lower Trinity Street, Birmingham, B9 4AG  www.facebook.com

Club: Tropical Soundclash at The Hare and Hounds
Summer may seem as far away as ever with the cold weather gripping relentlessly, luckily for us The Hare and Hounds are filling this Saturday night with glorious musical sunshine to thaw those freezing dance muscles. Tropical vibes and broken calypso beats will be served up by local favourite Sam Redmore with live percussion from Mighty Magoo. Free entry before 10pm.
Sat 17 Feb 9pm at The Hare and Hounds, 106 High St, Birmingham B14 7JZ skiddletickets.com