Ten years ago, the doors of The Night Owl opened in Birmingham, breathing fresh air into the Digbeth scene. Located within the “Coolest Neighbourhood in Britain” (The Sunday Times, 2018), the birth of The Night Owl presented a unique experience for live music enthusiasts, being the first ever purpose-built Northern Soul and Motown club. With its name taken from the song Night Owl by Northern Soul artist Bobby Paris, Soul music is the soul of the venue. However, across the past decade, the venue has expanded its music genres and has become a safe space for music lovers of a variety of backgrounds to express themselves through culture, community and live music.

The acts that have made stops at The Night Owl have collectively built an everlasting musical legacy that will forever leave its impact upon the Birmingham music scene. Ranging from the likes of Terry Hall of West Midlands two-tone legends The Specials, to Joe Talbot, leading the charge as the frontman of Bristol rockers IDLES. The seemingly endless list of acts across The Night Owl’s history also includes Bez & Rowetta from Happy Mondays, Edwin Starr Band, Ocean Colour Scene’s Simon Fowler & Steve Craddock, and Alan McGee of Creation Records, who signed Oasis to his independent record label in 1993. The list of legendary acts is matched by the support of the underground, which recently hosted ‘Grassroots Festival’, a day of independent music, providing a platform for underground artists from the local scene.

Photo by Pete Bradbury

Community is a key aspect of what makes The Night Owl such a special location within the heart of Birmingham’s “Creative Quarter”. Upon entry, the wall displays a clear statement – “Nice People Dancing to Soul Music”. The wall is adjacent to benches full of warm conversation in front of the venue door. Stepping into the venue, The Night Owl is captivating, vibrant and warm. It maintains its Soul and Motown core no matter the genre or style of the wide range of acts that pass through its doors.

This community spirit is highlighted through events such as ‘Come As You Are’, an inclusive and disability friendly club night which received rave reviews, or the exciting and vibrant queer night STRUT. The Night Owl has also been home to the annual March of the Mods event since 2014 in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, and Neighbourhd, which has become a staple event for creatives in Birmingham to network. These ethical values that the venue holds dear reflect upon its welcoming audience, which mirrors these values in return towards the venue. After a flourishing year in 2019, winning ‘Best Club Night’ at the Birmingham Music Awards (BMA’s) and ‘Brum’s Best Cocktail’ in the Independent Birmingham Awards, the COVID-19 Pandemic shut down the live music scene in 2020. The sense of confusion that lingered in the Digbeth air manifested itself into a positive form, with 135 of The Night Owl’s most devoted supporters raising £2,415 to help save the venue in its darkest hour. 

Photo by monicamartini.co.uk

Since reopening its doors to an altered post-pandemic world, The Night Owl has continued to soar despite the cloud of social and economic adversity that lingers over the live music scene. Now hosting ‘Owlstock’- a yearly celebration of Woodstock ‘69, a yearly night celebrating the legendary music of David Bowie, the returning Reggae cookouts, as well as the recently relocated Digbeth Jazz Nights finding its home at the venue, a wide range of cultures and entertainment is platformed and celebrated under one unique and diverse roof. With the support of its surrounding community, The Night Owl will continue to flourish for many years to come.