What's Happenin' Digbeth 2025

The debut of What’s Happenin’ Digbeth delivered an ambitious day-long showcase of new and established talent from Birmingham and across the UK. Spread across Digbeth’s favourite independent venues: Mama Roux’s, The Night Owl and Dead Wax, the festival offered a compact, walkable experience with four stages and a diverse lineup of over 30 artists.

Digbeth serves as a perfect setting for this type of event and worked heavily in the festival’s favour. The diversity of the venues created three very different but complimentary spaces for acts. From the industrial backdrop of Mama Roux’s, to the retro soul charm of the Night Owl, and the gritty raw intimacy of Deadwax and its courtyard, each venue felt like it played a big role in who took their stages.

For a first-time festival the organisation was impeccable. There weren't any queues if you wanted to switch venues and there was plenty of staff on hand to help direct you. Tickets started at £20, making the event extremely accessible while giving unbelievable value. However, food and drink options were limited. I would love to see some independent food stalls next year.

I tried to catch as many sets as I could, but there were definitely some standout acts that I was insistent on not missing. Here are some of the highlights of the day:

Tom A Smith

Tom A. Smith’s set left nothing short. From the moment he stepped on stage his confidence was undeniable. It was the first time I was able to catch them live and it was impossible to ignore the passion they have poured into their work. Backed by an incredibly tight band, they delivered with the poise of an artist fully aware of their rising status.

Their connection to the audience stood out to me most. Unafraid to work the crowd between songs, and balancing charisma with a down-to-earth charm, Smith kept Deadwax fully engaged and by mid-set seemed to have the venue in the palm of their hand.

The performance was a winning blend of sharp indie and raw alternative grit, with hook-heavy choruses that invited even those less familiar with his catalogue to sing along. It’s easy to see why Tom is one of the UK’s rising acts, through his winning formula of confidence, great song writing and genuine stage presence. This is helping them step into headline territory and in this form they’re quickly becoming a must-see live act.

M60

M60 are quickly becoming veterans in the indie game, and it shows through their live performance. The Manchester outfit have been in the game for years and have become an act you would have a hard time avoiding. The band's chemistry was evident, a result of their years together. Tight, assured and delivered with confidence, M60 know exactly who they are.

Their biggest tracks were a highlight of their set, with huge choruses that had crowd members on their friends shoulders, belting classic indie bangers with no shame. It almost gave me a feeling of nostalgia, back to the mid 2010s, spending your weekends in the Sunflower lounge singing along to what would soon become the soundtrack of your youth. They easily tapped into the audience with this and received the energy back tenfold.

Mama Roux’s was a perfect setting for their size, they easily packed out the venue and the bigger stage gave them some freedom to move around and hype up the crowd. The atmosphere and size of Mama Roux’s makes the venue an accomplished place to play while also keeping things personal with its vibrant character.

It was clear the M60 have had a killer year and really solidified their reputation as one of the most reliable live indie acts in the UK. Confident and bursting with energy, they’re a band that has grown into themselves and it’s catapulting them into the mainstream.

CQ Wrestling

CQ Wrestling’s performance at Mama Roux’s was an absolute masterclass in genre-blending energy. The Brighton based band have evolved into an impressive live act, seamlessly merging influences from grunge, shoegaze, britpop and indie alike; creating a sound that is nostalgic but so refreshingly modern.

Vocalists Charlie and Jake alternated lead duties, each bringing something different to each song. They are so obviously intertwined in their songwriting and it reflects in their performances. The crowd was engaged from the start and the moshing didn’t stop, even into their more relaxed pieces. The setlist was a well curated journey through their discography, giving us a great contrast between singable melodies and huge lead guitar lines.

I believe they could work any venue effortlessly, but they are best showcased in intimate settings. It’s a sound that needs that smaller room energy, forcing bodies against bodies and making you want to move.

Personally it was my favourite set of the day, they are a band I’ve listened to on and off for years but it reignited my love for their music and I’m looking forward to them returning to Brum in the near future.

Charm

Charm closed out the day with a packed out Deadwax. The Birmingham 4 piece have been relentlessly gigging these past few years and have been gaining some really commendable traction. It’s clear that Charm have a deep connection with their material, and they stick to what they like. The britpop influence comes through heavily, from their sound to the way they dress, it’s like stepping through a portal to the 90s. This has set them up to ride the ever growing wave of the britpop resurgence.

They have obviously built a very devout fanbase, just looking around it was hard to avoid the sea of Charm merch in the crowd. It’s clear that we will see these guys on festival stages in no time, hopefully next season will give them that leg up they need into the public eye. Charm are returning for a hometown show at Deadwax in December. I’ll be sure to attend this and urge anyone who’s on the fence to get down and enjoy watching this rising band in such an intimate setting, while you can.

What's Happenin' Digbeth has proved itself to be more than just a debut, this feels like the start of something that could easily become a staple in Birmingham's music calendar. The mix of established and hungry new acts gave a perfect balance, while choice of venues made it easy to immerse yourself in the atmosphere. The organisation, value for money and sheer quality of performances made it a standout premiere. If this it the foundation for more to come then the future looks very bright for this indepedent festival.