Digbeth Institute
{{Short description|Music venue in Birmingham, England}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Digbeth Institute
| fullname = Digbeth Institute Birmingham
| former names = Digbeth Institute {{small|(1908–55; 1990–98)}}
Digbeth Civic Hall {{small|(1955–90)}}
The Sanctuary {{small|(1998–2008)}}
HMV Institute {{small|(2010–15)}}
| image = Digbeth Institute (1).jpg
| image_size = 250px
| image_alt =
| caption = Exterior of venue (c.2010)
| address = 78 Digbeth High St
Birmingham B5 6DY
England
| location = Digbeth
| coordinates =
| genre =
| broke_ground = 1906
| built =
| opened = {{Start date|df=y|1908|01|16}}
| renovated = 1957, 1985, 1997, 2008–10
| expanded =
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = Academy Music Group
| operator = Live Nation
| cost =
| architect = Arthur Harrison
| capacity = 1,500 {{small|(O2 Institute1)}}
600 {{small|(O2 Institute2)}}
250 {{small|(O2 Institute3)}}
| embedded =
| website = {{URL|academymusicgroup.com/o2institutebirmingham/|Venue Website}}
}}
The Digbeth Institute (currently known for sponsorship reasons as the O2 Institute) is a music venue located in Birmingham, England. The venue opened in 1908 as a mission of Carrs Lane Congregational Church. It has also served as an event centre, civic building and nightclub.
It has three main rooms: the 1,500-capacity main auditorium called O2 Institute1 (formerly "The Institute") which has two seated upper balcony levels, the downstairs room which holds up to 500 people called O2 Institute2 (formerly "The Library") and the 250-capacity upstairs room O2 Institute3 (formerly "The Temple").{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/sep/02/gig-venue-guide-the-institute-birmingham |title=The gig venue guide: The Institute, Birmingham |last1=Longley |first1=Martin |date=2 September 2014 |website=The Guardian |access-date=1 June 2017}}
The venue also used to house "Un-Plug", an intimate club with a capacity of 400, located in the building's cellar. The space formerly operated as the "Midland Jazz Club", "Jug 'O Punch Folk Club", Dance Factory and "Barfly".
History
Designed by Arthur Harrison, it was officially opened 16 January 1908 by the wife of the Pastor of Carrs Lane Church, John Henry Jowett,{{cite encyclopedia |last=Latourette |first=Kenneth Scott |encyclopedia=Christianity in a Revolutionary Age: A History of Christianity in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries |title=The 20th Century in Europe: the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Churches |edition=1st |year=1985 |publisher=Harper & Brothers |volume=IV |location=New York City }} as an institutional church associated with Carr's Lane Congregational Church. In the week that followed, it hosted a variety of acts. The area which surrounded it was predominantly slums and industrial buildings.
In 1954, the building was put up for sale by the trustees as they felt the building was not needed for its originally intended use. It was bought by Birmingham City Council in 1955 for £65,000 and was used as a civic hall. People known to have made speeches at the Digbeth Institute include Neville Chamberlain, Henry Usborne, Florence L. Barclay and Herbert Hensley Henson. The Church relocated to Yardley as Digbeth-in-the-Field Congregational Church.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s it housed the Midland Jazz club. Wrestling was held at the venue when it was known as Digbeth Civic Hall. Digbeth Civic Hall hosted the likes of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (1983).{{cite web |last1=Fateh Ali Khan |first1=Nusrat |title=Hai Kahan Ka Irada Sanam |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEP_d2aZOng&list=TLPQMjMxMjIwMjR6Amb4tDrEGw&index=3 |website=YouTube |publisher=Oriental Star Agencies |access-date=23 December 2024 |ref=Recorded Performance}} In 1987, the building was used as a film studio by the Birmingham Film and Video Workshop for the Channel 4 film 'Out of Order'. The venue also played a part as one of the main locations in the feature film 'Lycanthropy', filmed in 2005–06.
In the 1985 and 1997, the venue was refurbished. In 1998, "The Sanctuary" opened,{{cite web|title=Birmingham Attractions: Sanctuary (The), Birmingham|url=http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2895938-sanctuary_the_birmingham-i|website= Yahoo! Travel|publisher=Yahoo! Inc.|access-date=24 November 2013|date=November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232454/http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2895938-sanctuary_the_birmingham-i|archive-date=2 December 2013}} which was to be the original home of the Cambridge/Northampton born club night event Godskitchen. It also played host to other events such as: Atomic Jam, Uproar, Slinky, Sundissential, Athletico, Ramshackle, Insurrection, Inukshuk and Panic.
In 2005, Channelfly Company bought the downstairs "cellar" room, and turned it into the Birmingham Barfly.{{cite web|title=Barfly to open sixth venue|url=http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/barfly-to-open-sixth-venue/028545|author= |work=Music Week|access-date=24 November 2013|date=9 September 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202234225/http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/barfly-to-open-sixth-venue/028545|archive-date=2 December 2013}} This 400 capacity venue was host to touring bands and local bands. The MAMA Group acquired Channelfly as a subsidiary in 2006.{{cite web|website=International Music Community|url=http://www.icfilter.com/Music/stephenbudd|access-date=24 November 2013|title=Profile: Stephen Budd|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232223/http://www.icfilter.com/Music/stephenbudd|archive-date=2 December 2013|url-status=dead}}
In 2008, the MAMA Group took over the lease of the whole building.{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/barfly-takes-over-the-sanctuary-3962151 |title=Barfly takes over The Sanctuary |author= |date=3 March 2008 |work=Trinity Mirror |access-date=24 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203071622/http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/barfly-takes-over-the-sanctuary-3962151 |archive-date=3 December 2013}} Work was started on renovating the building, especially the historic features. The work was due to be finished in September 2009 (but was not completed until March 2010).{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/barfly-takes-over-the-sanctuary-3962151 |title=Barfly takes over The Sanctuary |author= |date=3 March 2008 |work=Trinity Mirror |access-date=24 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203071622/http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/barfly-takes-over-the-sanctuary-3962151 |archive-date=3 December 2013}} In January 2009, HMV bought a 9.9% stake in The MAMA Group (by taking 50% of the Mean Fiddler). In January 2010 HMV bought the remaining percentage of the MAMA group for £46 million.{{cite news|title=HMV buys MAMA Group in live music takeover deal|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8428713.stm|access-date=24 November 2013 |work=BBC News|date=23 December 2009}}
After a £4 million refurbishment, the HMV Institute opened on 18 September 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/music-in-birmingham/2010/09/15/birmingham-s-newest-music-venue-hmv-institute-ready-to-open-its-doors-65233-27274727/ |title=Birmingham's newest music venue HMV Institute ready to open its doors |author= |date=15 September 2010 |work=Trinity Mirror|access-date=1 June 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115154246/http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/music-in-birmingham/2010/09/15/birmingham-s-newest-music-venue-hmv-institute-ready-to-open-its-doors-65233-27274727/ |archive-date=15 November 2010 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/brandon-flowers-51-1302274 |title=Birmingham venue set to reopen its doors |author= |date=6 September 2010 |website=NME |publisher=IPC Media |access-date=1 June 2017}}
In December 2012, HMV sold its assets to Lloyds Development Capital (LDC) for under £8 million.{{cite web |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8bd9b3a8-3d6d-11e2-9f35-00144feabdc0.html |title=HMV sells Mama Group music arm to LDC |last1=Chassany |first1=Anne-Sylvaine |date=3 December 2012 |website=Financial Times |access-date=1 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105161547/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8bd9b3a8-3d6d-11e2-9f35-00144feabdc0.html|archive-date=5 January 2013}} In 2015, the venue was acquired by Live Nation, and re-branded as O2 Institute Birmingham, as part of the O2 Academy Group.{{cite web |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/live-nation-re-brands-3-ex-mama-venues-as-o2-in-the-uk/ |title=LIVE NATION RE-BRANDS 3 EX-MAMA VENUES AS 'O2' IN THE UK |author= |date=12 October 2015 |website=Music Business Worldwide |access-date=1 June 2017}}
Naming history
- Digbeth Institute {{small|(16 January 1908–1955;{{cite book |last=Henry |first=Robert T. |date=2005 |title=The Golden Age of Preaching: Men Who Moved the Masses |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fXX_X9p6H8oC&q=Digbeth%20Institute%201908&pg=PA282 |location=Lincoln, Nebraska |publisher=iUniverse |page=282 |isbn=0595362222 }} August 1990–1998)}}
- Digbeth Civic Hall {{small|(1955–1990)}}
- The Institute {{small|(1990–1997)}}
- Sanctuary Nightclub {{small|(1998–2008)}}{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/clubs-highlights-5391835.html |title=Clubs: Highlights |last1=Alister |first1=Morgan |date=16 May 1998 |website=The Independent |publisher=Independent News & Media |access-date=1 June 2017}}
- HMV Institute {{small|(18 September 2010–10 October 2015)}}{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/digbeths-hmv-institute-opens-its-doors-131802 |title=Digbeth's HMV Institute opens its doors on Saturday |author= |date=15 September 2010 |work=Trinity Mirror |access-date=1 June 2017}}
- O2 Institute {{small|(11 October 2015–present)}}{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/digbeth-live-music-venue-institute-10245151 |title=Digbeth live music venue The Institute undergoes name change |last1=Cannon |first1=Matt |date=12 October 2015 |work=Trinity Mirror|access-date=16 December 2015 }}
Exterior
The exterior is a mixture of red brick and grey terracotta. The grey terracotta forms the more ornate features of the façade including the three towers, the 1.65-metre tall allegorical figures and the window and door frames. The six allegorical figures are believed to be the work of John Evans, the chief modeller for Gibbs & Canning. Two hold open books and two have musical instruments (a third's instrument is lost). The final figure holds a purse, representing public charity.{{cite web|url=http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/BM/WMbiBIxx117.htm |title=Allegorical Figures |work=National Recording Project |publisher=Public Monument and Sculpture Association |access-date=26 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824161547/http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/BM/WMbiBIxx117.htm |archive-date=24 August 2011 }} The drawings of the building by Arthur Harrison do not include the figures, indicating that these were probably added in 1909.{{cite book|author=George Thomas Noszlopy|title=Public Sculpture of Birmingham: Including Sutton Coldfield|url=https://archive.org/details/publicsculptureo0000nosz|url-access=registration|year=1998|publisher=Liverpool University Press|isbn=0-85323-692-5}} The building is Grade B locally listed.[http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=3260&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=1651 Birmingham City Council - List of Locally Listed Buildings], Birmingham.gov.uk
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304190635/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobkey=id&blobnocache=false&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1223454614124&ssbinary=true Birmingham City Council: 1908 photograph and information]
{{coord|52|28|32.13|N|1|53|14.55|W|type:landmark|display=title}}
{{Academy Music Group venues}}
{{BirminghamBuildings}}
Category:Nightclubs in Birmingham, West Midlands
Category:Music venues in Birmingham, West Midlands