Tower Of Song Cafe Bar

Great venueintimate, friendly and keeping live music alive

The phrase «rock up» has never been more appropriate than when you arrive at the Tower of Song, situated on the Pershore Road on the outskirts of Kings Norton. Sharing a large forecourt car park with industrial units and a gym this is a south Birmingham live music venue that is easy to miss between the BP garage and Toby Carvery. Conveniently located a (rolling) stones throw from Kings Norton train station the TARDIS shaped exterior belies its 75 capacity. Inside tables and chairs are laid out cabaret style with a well thought out stage area ready and prepared for local bands to rock out the intimate setting. The walls are a funky statement of intent with silhouettes of music legends like Jimmi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen adding to the atmosphere. Staff are welcoming and friendly and the owner’s desire to provide a gig venue is obvious. More recently the venue has turned its attention to the growing south Birmingham comedy scene with a monthly comedy and music night for new musicians and stand ups as well as the ‘minute of mirth’ for those who have a shortage of confidence or material. A lovely friendly intimate room where the crowd really wants to listen.

The Tower Of Song is a dedicated music venue that provides both an outlet for touring artists and an opportunity for local people to see live music up close and personal in this cosy and intimate venue.
Space is at an optimum here, perhaps just enough for a little jig and the crowd is diverse, the common thread is love of music.
I witnessed a touring folk musician who played an eclectic set and was very entertaining in fact he was an absolute original.
The evening was compered by a chap who drank toasts at the end of the gig and gave the place a real family feel.

The Tower of Song isn’t one of Birmingham’s most well known music venues, but that’s exactly what gives the space a slightly different edge, and a different atmosphere from people who you don’t usually see at the more well known establishments. The audience are generally of the older generation, but that’s not to say that young’uns aren’t welcomed at all. In fact, as long as you are a fan of music (paticularly acoustic and roots music), you’re sure not to go wrong upon entering.
More so, the venue isn’t even that hard to find, especially if you live in South Birmingham, it’s just down the road from Cotteridge.
From the outside, the venue has an 80s/​90s look about it, probably because the décor hasn’t been altered since then, but again, that adds to the unintentional quirk of the place. And on the inside, the walls are covered in stencils of iconic musicians, from Bob Marley to John Lennon to Jim Morrison, making it clear that The Tower of Song is serious about its music.
The room itself is very small, with tables and chairs intimately facing the stage. This makes sure that your focus is on the live music, rather than on socialising. And of course, in my opinion, you go to a gig to see the performance, and not to constantly socialise while a band is playing.
All in all, Tower of Song is a great little place to discover some amazing local talent. I personally came across some very talented young creatives, who were performing live during a South Birmingham Community Radio event.

The Tower of Song is an independent live music venue, run as a true labour of love. Tom Martin is a veteran touring player who saw that musicians wanted somewhere to play where the music was the focus of the night, not just a side-​show to an evening of drinking.
I went down to The Tower of Song on the quaintly titled River Rea Roots night. There is an open mic session, then a featured band play an hour slot. After, the open mic runs until closing.
It’s a simultaneously usual and unusual bunch of people who play that night. A 18 year old plays and sings some slightly out of tune Blues covers, but he sings them with such soul that he has the crowd in the palm of his hand. Organiser Bill O’Brien plays a couple of Birmingham-​centric songs. A blokey duo of guitarist and harmonica player in their early fifties play some uptempo folky tunes, and to end a woman sings some proper, proper old folk songs acapella. Sandwiched inbetween a signed Scottish touring band called Panda Su export some gentle acousti-​tronica to the audience.
There are no egos here and no pretense here. Instead there is a supportive atmosphere that’s a million miles away from scenester-​ism, taking music back to it’s roots as a tool of expression and affirmation.

No TV“s No Karaōke No Tribute Bands No Gaming machines just real live music and a bar. All ages all styles all welcome Tuesday to Sunday from 8 till late. this is what I was told about the Tower of Song Live Music Bar and this is exactly what I found. but also musicians of the highest quality and diversity. If you love live music particularly great original music then try the Tower of Song as I did and will continue to do.

Lovely little music venue in suburban Birmingham. This is a real musician’s venue; the audience are usually quiet and attentive, the musicians (usually singer songwriters) are picked because of what they do not who they are, it’s just great.

This is a tiny pub where most nights of the week there is live music, mostly songwriters. On certain nights they have special guests which packs the room out. It’s a beautiful venue with a real commitment to music, and a respect for performers where the audience listens and only chats when the musician has finished. The paintings on the walls say it all. I highly recommend it to anyone with a love for music, particularly songs and guitars.