When Sir Alfred Bird developed a powdered cornflower based custard in 1843, I doubt he would have anticipated it would have been part of the British armies staple diet by the time of the Crimean War a decade later. Similarly, I doubt he would have foreseen that the location of his factory on Gibb Street, Birmingham, would been revived with such success in 1990, a decade after its desertion.
As a lover of Bird's custard, I regularly appreciate Sir Alfy’s achievements over a nice slice of homemade apple pie. But my appreciation doesn’t stop there. Since 1990, the area of Digbeth has been rejuvenated and to my delight, the cream of Birmingham not only lives on through those little sachets of custard powder, but in the music that pervades The Custard Factory every weekend.
The Medicine Bar is located at the heart of The Custard Factory, which boasts studio workshops, theatre cafes and art galleries, alongside the more recent developments, including over a hundred offices and a forty foot sculpture made of earth, fire and water. In terms of nightlife, the area has been dominated by Godskitchen’s weekly residency at Code. However, it’s conversion to Air in 2003 that seen its huge arena split in two rooms signalled a change in line-ups, atmosphere, and of things to come.
The Medicine Bar is a round the corner alternative, offering line-ups off the beaten commercial track. My new thirst for music, once satisfied by Fergie, Judge Jules and Tiesto down at Code is now quenched by the likes of Circo Loco, Adam Beyer and Pete Jordan at The Medicine Bar and I think its so good, I’d like to spread the word!
Going Topless
My first taste of The Medicine Bar was unlike that of the banana flavoured florescent coloured liquid from a plastic spoon I remember as a child. I admit, the main attraction was the Circo Loco line-up, fronted by Jose De Devina and Fabrizio. Their evolutionary minimal tech sound, showcased annually at DC10’s notorious Monday Morning Sessions in Ibiza, was hard to resist on home soil.
The club is set among high rise cosmopolitan surroundings. Beyond the admission desk the roof disappeared with two rooms either side of a huge empty sunken pool. Smoke rose into the darkness from a nearby sizzling barbecue and the muffled music bounced off the high rise empty office blocks that encircled us. The open roof design gave the impression the club was empty, but passing the charring smell of sausages and burgers, inside the atmosphere was buzzing.
The entire dance floor throbbed with energy, people dancing and enjoying a genuine slice of Ibiza. The compact size of the venue created an intimacy, especially the podium at the front, metres from the DJ booth. On the ceiling above beamed the classic clown image, Circo Loco’s trademark. Although the dark dance floor was complemented by an array of flashing lights and the thunderous sound system, the open top pool area provided a welcome escape to cool off and relax, whilst avoiding the appealing stylish chill out area that was always busy. Claim your seats early if you forget your dancing shoes!
Bohemian Culture
Opposite the sizzling barbeques and across the empty pool stood another bar, offering a more mellow atmosphere to chill out, whilst being less chilly than outside. The bar hosts a variation of music styles which change according to the event. On this particular night the bar played out some breaks and we sat at a table drinking into the early hours.
Suddenly, some guy tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to a blackboard behind me, displaying a chalked silhouette of my face. At first I was a little stunned to see myself sketched without realising, but I was having such a good time I was oblivious! Even so, he had drawn while my back faced him! Confused but impressed, I shook his hand and laughed. For me, this reflects the diverse but friendly atmosphere cultivated by The Medicine Bar, inherently laced with the artistic undertones of The Custard Factory.
Pushing the Frontiers of Dance Music
After a superb night I returned to Atomic Jam @ the Medicine Bar where Alloy Mental played live and Swedish techno wizard Adam Beyer bolstered the line up. I brought along more friends and it didn’t cease to impress. This time the pool was filled, reflecting the lights upon its still surface and providing the ultimate chill out zone. My friend assured me that occasionally the pool was used as a sunken dance floor. The doors at the rear of the dance floor were opened onto the pool area, fragmenting the pounding sounds, previously contained within, into the cool early morning air. People gathered around the doorway, dancing, heading to the other room, or walking inside to increase the volume. The other bar pounded out drum and bass to a sizable crowd while the top class line-up in the main room proved to be just that. The Medicine Bar attracts a diverse crowd from all walks of life.
Its reputation for being cool without being pretentious is reflected in its reasonable entry fee (usually between £10 and £16) and the price of their drinks. For those people bored with the delights of Broad Street or just those who are passionate about dance music, The Medicine Bar is a great bar that continues to push the frontiers of Birmingham’s vibrant dance scene.