Birmingham can be compared with any European city when it comes to its bustling nightlife. Home to a huge student community, Birmingham has an amazing array of clubs that play anything from jazz, lounge, R&B, to popular dance numbers and retro music.  The most popular place frequented by the students is the Broad Street near the city centre which is full of nightclubs, pubs, casinos and eating joints. Most of these have students’ discounts and special nights where drinks and entrance prices come extremely cheap and are offered for as little as £1. The other areas popular amongst the students are the mailbox and the Arcadian centre (China Quarter) which is about 1.5 km from Broad Street.

There is so much to do in Birmingham that you would be spoilt for choice here. Besides the regular pub hopping you can also spend an evening full of laughter at the Glee club and the Jongleurs Comedy Club. If you are looking for someplace classier then you can spend some quieter moments at the Brindley Place near the canals at the numerous clubs like Flares, Works and the Hard Rock café. The gay scene is alive and kicking at the Hurst Street and even if you aren’t inclined towards it, the area has reasonably priced bars where you can spend a wicked evening with your mates. Though there are innumerable nightclubs for the eternally thirsty, there are a few worth a mention due to their immense popularity amongst the Uni crowd. They are as follows:

Medicine Bar Factory Club

The Medicine Bar at the Custard factory is an awesome place to spend your weekends. Though a little pricier then other student bars, the music is an ace here with DJ’s playing anything from techno to DnB. It is a chic place where fights rarely happen and if you are looking to meet some hip crowd and great music, this is the place to be in. Since they aren’t too strict about the dress code and play a vast range of music, you can have a great night out at one of the funkiest places in Brum.

Bar Risa Jongleurs

It is a popular place on students night as it offers cheap drinks and a variety of music. On students nights, students from various universities gather here to have a good time so it often gets extremely crowded. It is located on the busiest section of the Broad street and the security insists on IDs and proper dress code. Despite the long queues, the Bar Risa is highly recommended for a fun night out and is a great place to meet other students.

Oceana Nightclub

This place hosts students nights on Weds and and Monday and plays popular dance music. Drinks aren’t too pricey and the nightclub is huge with 5 bar rooms and two dance floors including an exciting ‘ice room’ recreated to look like a Swedish hotel. It is located on the Hurst Street and there is always a long wait to get in on the special nights. The nightclub is extremely clean, attracts a very young crowd and the security is very tight.

Que Club

The Q club is unusual because it is housed in a converted cathedral and it’s a huge place with 7 rooms of different sizes. The venue is extremely popular with the students and tends to get cramped on the special nights. It is one of the most happening nightclubs with popular DJ’s playing brass and techno music here.

Snobs

This is one of the oldest clubs in the area which offers extremely cheap drinks and cheap entry. On Club nights (Weds) it gets jam packed with students and locals alike and the place gets so crowded that you get squeezed like a tin of sardines and yet no one would bat an eyelid if you decide to dance on the tables completely stoned! Snobs plays mostly Inde, retro and rock music and the dance floor is always full of sweating and swaying teenagers dancing the night away. It’s a place that’s strangely addictive and popular despite being overcrowded.

The ones mentioned above aren’t the only favourite clubbing holes, there are others like the Sunflower Lounge, the Jam House, Barfly Club and the Birmingham academy that are quite well known amongst the student fraternity and offer a wonderful taste of the eclectic night life that exists in Brum. Do remember that most places do not allow trainers and hats and you have to be above 18 to be able to enter most of the clubs so carrying an ID is a must. Since security is tight in most places, street fights rarely break out and taxis are cheap and available easily through out the night.