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SHOPPING

DINING

CINEMA

MUSIC

NIGHTLIFE

ART CULTURE

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This small shopping centre is based in Perry Barr, near the BCU student union. This makes it a rather convenient location for stu-dents and locals who enjoy a spot of shopping nearby. It consists of fairly priced shops and bargains stores such as the ever popular ‘Poundland’ and ‘Home Bargains’, which is ideal for thrifty shoppers!!

A high end shopping arena based on the outskirts of Birmingham, in the lovely area of Solihull. There are shops here that cater for those with a penchant for the designer things in life...or just the wealthi-er!! FCUK and Karen Millen resides here, as well as many jewellery stores that will most definitely catch the eye of all those bling lovers out there! When one gets hungry...there are plenty of places to dine from Nandos to TGI’s which makes this a top choice of venue to visit.

ONE STOP. TOUCHWOOD.

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Set in the town centre, the Bull-ring is probably the busiest and definitely the most well known shopping centre in Birmingham! Its unique structure makes it hard to miss and the stores on of-fer means it is unmissable!! The large iconic bull in front of this building is a pretty impressive piece of sculpture and of course.. ..great for photo opportunities!

Also set in the Birmingham town centre, The mailbox is generally seen as a venue aimed at those who enjoy a bit of class and so-phistication. Filled with top end designer stores such as Armani, this is no place for the tight fisted!However it is very popular for din-ing, which does offer a wider range of choices such as more down to earth Nandos and Bar Estilo all the way to Miller and Carter (which does a fantastic steak!) For a lovely night out, this is the place to head.

THE BULLRING. THE MAILBOX.

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So now i

have your attention heres to getting

your teeth into the sw

ing of things, after all w

e all have to

eat

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So now i

have your attention heres to getting

your teeth into the sw

ing of things, after all w

e all have to

eat

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A treat without meat can be hard to come by in fulfilling those carnivores inside of us. However The Warehouse Café provides an excellent alternative, which I can safely say, will happily fill a humongous empty stomach.The café is located on Alison street, only a few minutes walk from Moor street sta-tion and parking is widely available in the vicinity. There is a welcoming at-mosphere created in this old building and friendly staff are always on hand.The menu changes here de-pending on what vegetables are in season. This winter you can expect some hearty dishes from Sun-dried Tomato & Lentil Sausages served with root vegetable mash, to the ever so warm-ing Thai Red Curry contain-ing aubergine, bok choi and pineapple.An alternative to a large main, for a lighter bite, there is always soup of the day and a freshly baked bread roll; the content var-ies by week, of which my personal favourites include spicy parsnip and carrot and coriander!Any vegetarian option can be requested as vegan if you wish and In terms of desserts they have that covered too, I’ve short listed cheesecake of the week and (v option) Chocolate & Cherry Brownie, which would you?They offer a student offer every Tuesday so if you book a table the day before and state the offer, all main meals are 2 for 1, which gives you even more value for money. Check out www.theware-housecafe.com for more details.

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Here’s a quick flavoursome twist on a side of green beans to spruce up your vegetable accompaniments.

You will need (serves 4-6):450g green beans150g cherry tomatoes4 garlic cloves4 tbsp olive oil125ml white winezest and juice of 1 lemon1 handful parsleysalt & pepper

Preparations: chop off the tops and bottoms of the green beans,halve the cherry tomatoes finely chop the cloves of garlicfinely shred the parsley.

1. Preheat the oven to 220°c2. In a baking dish mix the beans the cherry tomatoes the olive oil and the garlic3. Add the lemon zest and juice, half of the white wine and season well4. Cover the dish with foil and place in the oven for 10 minutes5. After removing the dish from the oven, add the rest of the wine and stir well6. Return dish to the oven without covering and cook for a further 10 min-utes7. Finally add the chopped parsley and serve

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Now, buying food these days opens may possibilities for the potential shopper. Shopping in a large chain store is now natu-ral instinct for most, but many of these offer the misconcep-tion that they have everything that local stores do not. Local shopping opens your eyes to a sense of community espe-cially if you are new to an area as well as being eco-friendly. On the previous page for ex-ample is S&C family butch-ers in Duddeston. It is very popular with the locals and offers a wide range of meats, of which you can ask for spe-cific cuts or services. Not only is meat available but a large array of seasonal fruit and vegetables, all at great prices.You can find a lot more than you think without having to venture into the busy town centre, here as well as the butchers there is also an in-dependent convenience store, internet café, hairdressers, clothes shop and a hot food café. If you find yourself in a new community it can be hard, but when you release yourself from your own little hideaway and start to shop locally you will find friendly peo-ple who will rec-ognise you quicker than you’d expect. Go on, have a go and discover your local shops, keep your c o m m u -nity alive, e v e n N i g e l doesn’ t b i t e …

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Opened in 1885 by the Prince of Wales, The Bir-mingham Museum and Art Gallery offers a great in-sight into the city’s artistic and cultural history. At the very centre of Birmingham, it draws in visitors from across the UK and abroad, appealing to all ages, and is a great place for learning.

Surprisingly, the art gallery stemmed from the Industri-al Revolution that began in the midlands. It was set up in order to raise the design standard of Birmingham’s trade to compete with de-

signs from outside of the UK. The growth of its initial ec-lectic collections began with private loans and donations from wealthy individuals in the midlands, from coun-tries as wide as Egypt, It-aly and Germany, although there is plenty of local pride for work by English artists such as David Cox and Edward Burne-Jones. These artists are still rep-resented throughout BMAG today and led to Birming-ham’s famous collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings.

In 1850, the artists William

Hunt, John Millais and Wil-liam Rosetti exhibited their artwork in London. They received criticism because they did not conform to the conventions of art schools at the time. They were part of the Pre-Raphaelite Broth-erhood, aiming to create painstakingly accurate, de-tailed and colourful paint-ings, inspired by Italian paintings before the time of Raphael (hence “Pre-Raph-aelite”). BMAG’s pre-Raph-aelite exhibitions remain extremely popular; you will not be disappointed.BMAG now spans to other locations in the midlands, for example Aston Hall, Blakesley Mill and Weoley Castle, which are all open to the public. If you are in-terested in art, you may want to visit for in-spiration; the main gallery is free en-try and won’t eat into your s t u d e n t b u d g e t !

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If you’re artistically inclined or just love craft as a hobby, this is a great place to explore. The Custard Factory is home to a warren of independent shops and stores in Digbeth. Shops include Birming-ham Bead Shop, Ideal Skate Shop, Get a Grip (screen printing), Stitch Perfect for knitting lovers, The Framers, Street Print, Yumm Café where you can enjoy a hot beverage and snack; and many more.

The IKON Gallery at the cen-tre of Birmingham is great for students looking for a bit of inspiration. They host ec-lectic collections of all forms of art and design, putting on a number of exhibitions focusing on an artist’s work. Currently being exhibited are the works of Stuart Whipps and John Myers.

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at THE

MOVIES14

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at THEAre there any film fans out there? If there is, this section will guide you through all you need to know about the cinema’s of Bir-mingham, as well as any worthwhile deals to be had, and the best of the films being re-leased over the Christ-mas period. On the two extremes of the cinema scale in Birmingham, is the ‘Giant Screen’, located at Millennium point, and Odeon cin-ema, a much smaller venue located in the center of the Bullring shopping center, in be-tween these two ex-tremes, is Cineworld, located on Broadstreet. If you’re looking for the full cinema experience then Millennium Point is the place for you, Gi-ant Screen by name, Giant Screen by nature, you won’t be disap-pointed with how giant this giant screen is! But if you’re more of the film fan looking to go and quietly unwind at a smaller setting, Ode-on would be a much more sensible desti-nation. However the third ‘neutral’ option, Cineworld, is placed perfectly between the two (size wise), but has more films on of-fer than both the pre-viously mentioned ven-ues. Whichever cinema you choose you can be assured you will have the option of 3D in all 3, although Millennium point is the recommen-dation if you’re looking for the 3D experience.

The Lobby of the Odeon offers a wide array of refreshments.

Follow the many arrows placed around Birmingham to reach Millenium Point and the Giant Screen.

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The Giant Screen at Mil-lennium Point has re-cently been redeveloped; it is now the largest i n d e p e n d e n t giant screen digital 3D cine-ma in the midlands.

The recent change means it can now show a wider variety of films, as well as documenta-ries and sports events, includ-ing the London 2012 Olympics.

After losing its connection with the IMAX Corporation, a company that received limited films due to the fact it could only shows those con-verted to IMAX DMR and IMAX 3D, the now independent Giant Screen can screen many more movies, in both 2D and breathtaking 3D.This offer works on a points system, you as the custom-er earn 10 points for every pound you spend in Ode-on, these points can then be saved up and spent on other things at the cinema, 300 points earn you a drink, whereas 1500 points earn you a free cinema ticket. A card you purchase handles all of which, the price of the card is based on how many points you wish to initially receive.

An exclusive long-term offer for Odeon customers, known as the Odeon Premiere Club, this may be a good idea to those film fans who plan to frequently visit the Odeon.

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After losing its connection with the IMAX Corporation, a company that received limited films due to the fact it could only shows those con-verted to IMAX DMR and IMAX 3D, the now independent Giant Screen can screen many more movies, in both 2D and breathtaking 3D.

As it is located in Millennium Point, finding it couldn’t be easier, just follow the arrows located on the floor around Birmingham city center.

Offers can be found in all 3 cinemas, there are popular offers such as orange Wednesdays, where those on the Orange phone network can gain a free ticket when they purchase one on a Wednesday.

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The founding members of Black Sabbath came from Aston, Birmingham. Cred-ited with creating the met-al genre, they influenced many future bands and genres, changing the direc-tion of music at the time.

So, where did it all begin?In 1968, Ozzy Osbourne, put out the famous ad-vertisement slogan “Ozzy Zig Needs a Gig”, to earn some money. It was an-swered by Tony Iommi and Bill Ward, who, together with bassist Geezer But-ler, formed Black Sabbath…

Black Sabbath was originally known as Polka Tulk, a blues rock band performing covers to earn money; it was either that or work in the factories. Tony Iommi injured himself with machinery at the facto-ry where he worked, ampu-tating the ends of his fingers. Surprisingly, Iommi can still play guitar and has a distinct sound because of his acci-dent. He plays with exten-sions on his fingers to allow the correct pressure on the strings, and is the longest lasting member of the band.

After Polka Tulk, they brief-ly changed their name to Earth, before they found another band with the same name. They then became Black Sabbath, experiment-ing with a new sound, draw-

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ing inspiration from occult books and horror films.

Over the years, the band gained a fan following, re-leasing a number of very successful albums under the original lineup. They are partly to credit for Bir-mingham’s heavy follow-ing of the metal genre and gothic subgenres. Due to involvement with drugs and alcohol to get through the intense touring, Ozzy was fired from the band, and Ronnie Dio took over as the lead singer, evolving Os-bourne’s haunted and heart-felt vocals to a more melodic sound. Many of the fans still prefer the music from the band’s early lineup. Even-tually, conflicts between band members meant that only Tony Iommi and Gee-zer Butler were left, with Ozzy pursuing a solo career.

On the 12th of Novem-ber 2011, the four found-ing members of Black Sabbath announced that they would be reuniting for another album and a tour next year, more than thirty years since they re-leased their latest material.

The Origins ofHeavy Metal?

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MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

The Swellers at the O2 Academy

Fixers at the Kasbah

Red Jumpsuit Aparatus at HMV

Institute

Kasabian at the National Indoor

Arena

Def Leppard and Motley Crue at the

LG Arena

Zebrahead at the O2 Academy

Gary Numan - Dead Son Rising

Tour at The Assembly

Amplifier at The Slade Rooms

Go West at the Robin

The Saturdays at the LG Arena

Whitesnake at the Civic Hall

Hawkind at the HMV Institute

Ready to blow out your eardrums? Whatever genre you’re into, there’ll be some-thing for your ears this week; take a look at our handpicked selection of events in

and around Birmingham…

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THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

The Saturdays at the LG Arena

Whitesnake at the Civic Hall

Hawkind at the HMV Institute

Ocean Colour Scene at the Civic

Hall

Black Voices – Christmas Ancient

and Modern at Birmingham Town

Hall

Bonafide at HMV Institute

Example at the O2 Academy

Kerrang Radio Breakthru Tour at

the Kasbah

Dappy at HMV Institute

The Dylan Project at Lichfield Guildhall

-Kerrang Radio

Breakthru Tour at The Slade Rooms

Dead By April at HMV Institute

Ready to blow out your eardrums? Whatever genre you’re into, there’ll be some-thing for your ears this week; take a look at our handpicked selection of events in

and around Birmingham…

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ROCOCCO

OCEANA

ISLAND BAR

PUBBIN’

CLUBBIN’

For those who enjoy a night out on the town or a quick pint in a bar, Birmingham caters for all!Heading up the top places for a good night out is Broad Street, which is lively and vi-brant with a friendly atmos-phere and great clubs. Large club chain Gatecrasher re-sides here, along with the ever popular Risa Bar and many other well known destinations. Scattered around the Birming-ham centre there are many styl-ish Bars that draw great crowds. Mechu is a favourite with locals and the Mailbox is also full of bar/restaurants that guarantee a great night of food and drink.If you’re after a quieter more sophisticated night, then the Arcadian will appeal to you as it is full of Bars with a re-laxed atmosphere and classy tone. Set in the centre of China town it is easily accessible and there are lots of places to dine within walking distance, if you should feel like a meal with your night out! The choices span from authentic chinese cuisine to Mexican to Indian.

The decision is ...yours!

This £5.5 million venue has 7 themed rooms that takes you on a journey ‘around the world’ from the Futuristic Icehouse to New York Disco and onto Monte Carlo Bar, ensuring you have varied and exciting night. There are also 4 VIP suites to be booked at your leisure for those spe-cial nights out! Dress codes are usually smart casual, but varies according to events held there. Definitely worth travelling to Birmingham for.

This small but stylish bar resides next to the popular RISA BAR on Broad Street but is no less popular! It acts as a bar/mini club as there is a generous sized dance floor for those who want to get moving.. . Very popular with locals and as a pre drinks bar.

Voted “Best Cocktail Bar”and “Best Bar” in the Bir-mingham bar awards 2007. It resides between the Mail-box and The Arcadian. It is stylish and contemporary with a penchance for top quality cocktails. The mu-sic there consists of Rock ‘n’ Roll and this is a giv-en so any fans out there. ..this is the place for you!

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CLUBBING SURVIVAL GUIDE:

[HOW TO AVOID PERVERTS]We’ve all seen them. There’s no avoiding them. Yes. It’s the pervs! You can always spot them in a club/bar just lurking around unsuspecting vic-tims and hiding in the dark corners of the club, waiting to pounce on you when you become drunk enough! They are very easy to catch and awfully difficult to get rid of. ..A bit like nits really, and just as annoying! Its never a pleasant experience so i’ve managed to gather some useful information and tips on how to avoid an ‘unwanted situation!’

Good Luck!

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CLUBBING SURVIVAL GUIDE:

[HOW TO AVOID PERVERTS]SOME FACTS:-They are usually twice your age.. .AT LEAST! (And look a bit like that creepy mate of your dads!) -They like lurking in dark corners of the club (This is where they wait to pounce!)

-They generally have greasy hair and B.O (Hello sweat patches!)

-They have VERY touchy feely hands.. .(You now have the right to slap him!)

-They have breath that leaves er.. .little to the imagination. Eek!

-They have amazing dance moves!!! (Er.. . sense the sarcasm)

-They always seem to be alone.. .creepy.

Anyway.. .moving swiftly on!

Learning self defence never hurt anyone, but why not just learn how to avoid a situation? After all they say “Prevention is better than a cure” :)

-AVOID EYE CONTACT

-STAY AWAY FROM THOSE DARK CORNERS! (It’s where they thrive

dummy!)

-DON’T LOOK TOO GOOD (Only messing.. .you can’t help it i know)

-STICK WITH YOUR MATES! (You’re stronger as a group and less vulnerable)

-GET THAT FAKE NUMBER READY (if you fell into the trap that is)

-DON’T GO HOME WITH HIM!!!

A FEW USEFUL TIPS:

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‘Red Cape’ Magazine produced by:

Natalie Robinson - IllustratorMusic and Art Culture (pages 12-13, 20-23 & Contents and Back Cover)

Josh Clews - Graphic DesignBirmingham Cinema’s (pages 14-19 & Front cover and Layout)

Annie Ellerton-Milner - IllustratorDining (pages 6-11)

Christina Cheung - IllustratorShopping & Nightlife (pages 4-5 & 24-27)