• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Midnight City

ethanedwards

Brummie Muso
Midnight City

Digbeth

Midnight City, was situated underneath
an even more famous venue, The Moat House
It attempted to provide bands on the same lines as
the famous Mother's with bands such as
The Who, Cream, Family
It staged allnighters, but was only open for a few months.

berniew
on the Birmingham History Forum
The problem was that it didn't have a drinks licence ,although the owner or his dad owned The Moat House which was directley above it. It seems that the club had a reputed drugs problem and the police took to waiting until the headline band opened up and raided the place ,this soon led to closure ,pity
I visited there a couple of times,
and as beniew said, it's a pity it didn't last longer
 
I was a regular at The Midnight, and have great memories of the place, i was in there the one time it got raided , and although many of us had got or had taken drugs, i cant remember any arrests, i think and it has an element of truth in the rumour, was that the shops in there " The Man Trap " was the one for blokes i cant remember the name of the one for girls, were trading illegally.
I was in the night the Moony of the Who collapsed, i think they took him to hospital.
The DJ was the brilliant Erskin T who ran i think the Diskery record shop, i heard recently that he had passed away. Max
 
Was the name "Alley Boutique" Max? I've got some scribbles regarding photos i came across during last year and trying to match up the picture. If and when I discover the correct item is there any interest if I post it here? Richie.
 
Was the name "Alley Boutique" Max? I've got some scribbles regarding photos i came across during last year and trying to match up the picture. If and when I discover the correct item is there any interest if I post it here? Richie.
You bet Richie i for one would love to see the pics, the name of the of the ladies shop i still cant bring to mind, and it most likely was as you suggest.
It was said at the time that a counsellor who had a shop in the town was instrumental in its closure, dont think i can say name on here though. Max
 
I'm gone to work as of now Max, but will have a rummage through my notes this evening. Think there may be just the one photo.
 
Was the name "Alley Boutique" Max? I've got some scribbles regarding photos i came across during last year and trying to match up the picture. If and when I discover the correct item is there any interest if I post it here? Richie.
Oh i remember The Alley, and everybody i have asked said they have never heard of it,first proper boutique in Brum
it was up an entry can't remember the name of the street,round Bromsgrove St way, fabulous clothes,We had C&A and the like but
The Alley was super
 
Last edited by a moderator:
View attachment 49624 Here's the Midnight City photo as promised. Just the one apparently on the Getty website.
(Photo declared as for educational, non-commercial purposes)
Absolutely BRILLIANT Richie a million thanks, i had my membership card up till 2 years ago but lost it moving home . Max
 
Was the name "Alley Boutique" Max? I've got some scribbles regarding photos i came across during last year and trying to match up the picture. If and when I discover the correct item is there any interest if I post it here? Richie.

Well the sign over the entrance shown in your photo shows you were right Richie, another mystery solved. Max
 
View attachment 49624 Here's the Midnight City photo as promised. Just the one apparently on the Getty website.
(Photo declared as for educational, non-commercial purposes)

Richie love your photo where did you get it from? The reason I ask is that the dude in the suit talking to the girl smokeing is yours truly me! and the girl smoking is Shirley Teaga and the girl to her left is Maxine Hull my future wife. There are also a couple of others I notice on the photo. Have you any other photos of the era?
 
Richie love your photo where did you get it from? The reason I ask is that the dude in the suit talking to the girl smokeing is yours truly me! and the girl smoking is Shirley Teaga and the girl to her left is Maxine Hull my future wife. There are also a couple of others I notice on the photo. Have you any other photos of the era?

Bob Summers......the photo is from the GettyImages photo-journalist site, but is very particular with its regulations hence the purpose declared in brackets. It appears to be the only one on there regarding Midnight City and one of the very few concerning Birmingham since its mostly an 'international celebrity' site. I'll post a few more generally in due course in different subjects, but unfortunately their indexing is a bit 'crap' basically LOL
 
Having read various memories of The Moat House and Midnight City on a variety of sites, it is variously credited with being in Moat St, Moat Row, Digbeth and Bradford St. Can anyone please say exactly where it was and if the building still exists? Thanks in advance.
 
Opposite the police station in Digbeth. The site now is a Chinese place. Max
 
It's understandable why the venue is remembered in so many locations as it is at the crossroads of each one mentioned! I was hoping it still existed - another one lost.
 
There is another thread on here regarding the Midnight. The site was a a banana warehouse, and was owned by the Pryke family. I will sort out a photo. Max
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Very small photo. ( Originally posted on the forum by RICHIE i think ) Max
 
Damn, won’t let me upload the snippet.
 

Attachments

  • A43A6CEA-5790-413E-B9F5-2759147C9532.jpeg
    A43A6CEA-5790-413E-B9F5-2759147C9532.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 14
And a small mention of The Alley, also from a Petticoat mag but a year earlier.
 

Attachments

  • 2A172AEF-9396-40E6-BE50-157836AD45DE.jpeg
    2A172AEF-9396-40E6-BE50-157836AD45DE.jpeg
    1.4 MB · Views: 11
Back
Top