Iron Maiden | Tue 7 Aug | Genting Arena | £55.71
Run to the Clent hills, jumbo jet pilot and heavy duty lycra frontman Bruce Dickinson brings metal gods Iron Maiden and their Legends of the Beast tour to the Genting Arena. Promising a mix of classic tunes with new material look out for ubiquitous mascot Eddie and get ready to shake those heads to some of the most trailblazing rock ever recorded. www.gentingarena.co.uk

Tragedy | Wed 8 Aug | Mama Roux’s | £11
Go on admit it. What your life is lacking is the music of the Bee Gees played thrash metal style. Well worry no more as populist hardcore merchants Tragedy bring their glammed up heavy rock disco cabaret to Birmingham. It’s not just Gibb covers look out for a stratospheric version of Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline. Yes it’s camp, irreverent and just a bit silly, it’s also wildly brilliant.   www.seetickets.com

Thomas Stone | Thu 9 Aug | Centrala | £7
Contrabassoon genius (yes we had to look it up too) and sonic entrepreneur Thomas Stone launches his new EP at the home of rampant musical eclecticism in the city, Centrala. As if someone had made the thoughts in your head into a symphony and then played it back at you, utterly beguiling. Takahiro Kawaguchi provides a mesmerising aural complement to Stone’s adventures in noise. centrala-space.org.uk

Modern Enemy | Thu 9 Aug | Wagon & Horses | £5
Harking back to a golden time when punk had an unruly resonance and curious faces were inked up from overdosing on Maximum Rock n Roll. Californian hardcore merchants Modern Enemy make a furious racket recalling DOA, MDC and Crucifix with a violent social piquancy that makes us want to jump up and down. Joining Modern Enemy is a triumvirate of local punk merchants, The Nerks, Angry Itch and Rotunda. www.facebook.com

Synikall | Fri 10 Aug | O2 Academy 3 | £5.65
Fiercely proud Brummie Synikall infuses the music of his boom bap hip hop with loving rhymes to the city in which he grew up and that forged his lyrical prowess. Join him at The Academy for the release of his Fusions of Grandeur EP alongside Elektric, DJ Tricksta and Tarju Le’Sano. academymusicgroup.com

Exhailers | Fri 10 Aug | Sunflower Lounge | £6.60
Local DIY grunge indie popsters with a neat line in portentously cute lyricism mix up sweet jangly rhythms with unexpected bursts of buzzsaw noise. A clued up trio that breezily rake through a gamut of genres whilst always looking to wrong foot the ear with a jarringly devious melody, like your favourite sonic surprise on a late night John Peel adventure. More please.

Black Mekon | Fri 10 Aug | Hare & Hounds | £5
The mysterious and elusive Black Mekon usually keep their dark scuzzy brand of fuzzed up dirty garage safely to themselves, which is just as well as exposure to their swamp driven filthy blues confection is liable to induce seizures in the unwitting. Off the leash in Kings Heath this Friday, so come and join Black Mekon and his brother Black Mekon, who together make Black Mekon. A godlike duo that will unleash an unholy symphony of distorted buzzsaw mayhem into your sense containers, beware they may implode. Lo fi skull shakers Cherry Pickles support. www.skiddle.com

The August Showcase | Sun 12 Aug | Hare & Hounds | £7.70
A pukka lineup of bands produced in association with NOT NORMAL NOT OK, an organisation set up to tackle the ongoing issues involving sexual assault at live events. Featuring some incredible local and visiting talent including the inimitable psychedelic screaming fuzz of The Hungry Ghosts, the wistful dreamscapes of The Lizards, Bristol art rockers Lice and the big riffs of Whitelight. www.skiddle.com

Soulfly | Sun 12 Aug | O2 Institute 2 | £18.50
Brazilian Metal icon Max Cavalera prepares for the release of Soulfly’s new album Ritual later in the year with a stopover in Birmingham. Easily the most innovative band in what can too easily be perceived as a singularly restrictive genre, Soulfly’s (and Cavalera’s previous band Sepultura) effortless blend of tribalism, world music and jaw shattering tunes is a unique expression from an unparalleled musical visionary.   academymusicgroup.com