Medicine Bar

Medicine Bar was a bar and live-music venue in Birmingham, England, based at the Custard Factory in Digbeth. Rather than functioning primarily as a conventional drinks-led bar, it became known for a broad programme of club nights, DJ residencies, live performances and urban-culture events. Its programming encompassed techno, acid jazz, funk, soul and hip hop, reflecting the diverse nightlife culture that developed around Birmingham's Digbeth district. The venue's origins are associated with a 1990s collaboration between the London Medicine Bar and Birmingham hip-hop DJ Simon "Fat Head". Fat Head had begun his career at Brothers and Sisters at the Coast to Coast club on Broad Street. The Birmingham venue subsequently developed an identity of its own, combining club programming with live music and events connected to breakdancing and graffiti art. One of its most durable programmes was Substance, a hip-hop night that evolved from an earlier event called Amplified. The night featured DJs Roc1, Magoo and Chris Reid, the latter also associated with London's Scratch, alongside MC Mad Flow. Substance helped establish the venue as a destination for touring and internationally recognised hip-hop performers, including Afrika Bambaataa, De La Soul and Jeru the Damaja. Medicine Bar's principal funk and soul night was Leftfoot. It was partly run by former Rockers Hi-Fi DJ Dick and Adam Regan, who later became the owner of the Bull's Head in Moseley, Birmingham. Leftfoot presented acid-jazz-oriented events and hosted figures including Gilles Peterson and Mr Scruff. Both Leftfoot and Substance incorporated live acts as well as DJ-led programming. For a short period during 2006 and 2007, the venue also hosted the Birmingham edition of Club NME, connecting it with a wider national club-night brand. Its technical infrastructure included a Martin Audio modular sound system installed by Ace Vintage Systems. By 2012, Medicine Bar had ceased trading. No evidence in the supplied sources identifies a successor owner, a formal corporate parent, or a specific reason for its closure.

Medicine Bar operated as a bar and music venue in the Custard Factory complex in Digbeth, Birmingham. Its history is linked to a 1990s collaboration between the London Medicine Bar and Birmingham hip-hop DJ Simon "Fat Head," who had started working as a DJ at Brothers and Sisters at the Coast to Coast club on Broad Street. The Birmingham venue developed into a locally significant platform for club music, live performance and related urban arts. Its programme was stylistically broad. Events covered techno, acid jazz, funk, soul and hip hop, making the venue part of Birmingham's wider alternative nightlife and club culture. The bar also hosted breakdance events and graffiti-art shows, extending its role beyond music and into connected elements of street and club culture. A Martin Audio modular sound system was installed by Ace Vintage Systems, supporting the venue's emphasis on DJ-led and live music events. The longest-running hip-hop night associated with Medicine Bar was Substance, which evolved from an earlier event called Amplified. DJs Roc1, Magoo and Chris Reid performed at the night, with MC Mad Flow also involved. Chris Reid was additionally associated with the Scratch night in London. Substance brought prominent hip-hop acts to Birmingham, including Afrika Bambaataa, De La Soul and Jeru the Damaja, and became one of the venue's defining recurring programmes. Leftfoot was the bar's main funk and soul night. It was partly run by Dick, a former Rockers Hi-Fi DJ, and Adam Regan, who later owned the Bull's Head bar in Moseley. Leftfoot presented large acid-jazz-oriented events and featured guests such as Gilles Peterson and Mr Scruff. The night, like Substance, included live performers as well as recorded-music sets. Medicine Bar also participated in broader club-night networks. During a short period in 2006 and 2007, it hosted the Birmingham leg of Club NME. This added an event with a wider national profile to the venue's existing specialist programming. The available reference material does not establish a precise opening year, legal ownership structure, or detailed chronology of management changes. It does establish that the venue had ceased trading by 2012, after which it remained primarily notable as a former Birmingham music venue.

• 2012

  Ceased trading

  [1]Medicine Baren.wikipedia.org

  The venue was no longer trading by 2012.

• 2006

  Club NME Birmingham residency

  [1]Medicine Baren.wikipedia.org

  Medicine Bar hosted the Birmingham leg of Club NME for a short period during 2006 and 2007.

• 1990

  Origins in a 1990s collaboration

  [1]Medicine Baren.wikipedia.org

  The Birmingham Medicine Bar emerged from a collaboration between the London Medicine Bar and local hip-hop DJ Simon "Fat Head."

A Birmingham nightlife and music venue positioned around eclectic club culture, specialist DJ programming, live acts and urban arts rather than a narrowly defined musical genre.

• Hip-hop club night

  Substance

  Substance was Medicine Bar's longest-running hip-hop night and developed from an earlier event called Amplified. Its programme involved DJs Roc1, Magoo and Chris Reid, with MC Mad Flow, and combined DJ sets with live appearances. Acts associated with the night included Afrika Bambaataa, De La Soul and Jeru the Damaja.

• Funk, soul and acid-jazz club night

  Leftfoot

  Leftfoot was Medicine Bar's principal funk and soul night. It was partly run by former Rockers Hi-Fi DJ Dick and Adam Regan, and became associated with large acid-jazz-oriented events, guest appearances by Gilles Peterson and Mr Scruff, and live musical performances.

• Multi-genre club night · 2006

  Club NME Birmingham

  Medicine Bar hosted the Birmingham edition of Club NME for a limited period in 2006 and 2007. The event connected the venue's local programme with a wider club-night format associated with NME.

• 2012

  Medicine Bar ceased trading[1]Medicine Baren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Birmingham bar and music venue at the Custard Factory in Digbeth was no longer trading by 2012.

• 2006

  Medicine Bar hosted the Birmingham leg of Club NME[1]Medicine Baren.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  For a short period spanning 2006 and 2007, Medicine Bar hosted the Birmingham edition of Club NME.

1. 1Medicine Baren.wikipedia.org