This is such a beautiful piece - a proper celebration of sound system culture and its connections across the communities of #Birmingham and the Black Country. Worth investing in Birmingham Dispatch just for this:

As the West Mids public heads to the polls, asylum seekers sit terrified.

Every day people are being detained, in preparation for flights to Rwanda as part of a major operation to coincide with the local elections. 🗳️

Today's members-only story 👇
birminghamdispatch.co.uk/p/rwanda-bound…

5* long read by Ian Burrell diving into the roots of sound system culture in Birmingham, featuring interviews with Myki Richards, Macka B, Grantley GT Haynes - behind some of the biggest and long lasting champion sounds in the city

Via Birmingham Dispatch (£)

birminghamdispatch.co.uk/p/nowhere-does…

Lyle Bignon Ian Burrell Birmingham Dispatch The Dispatch are killing it. Absolutely incredible work recently.

This is a fabulous article about sound system culture in Birmingham which is mighty! Written by the brilliant Ian Burrell for Birmingham Dispatch (this is a subscriber article) Nowhere does sound systems like Birmingham open.substack.com/pub/birmingham…

From post-war sheebeens in Balsall Heath to 'trouser-flapping' bass at next Monday's World Bash concert, Birmingham is the heartland for UK sound system culture.

In today's member's only story, Ian Burrell delves into its legacy.

birminghamdispatch.co.uk/p/nowhere-does…

Rwanda fears for five held at Solihull immigration centre last night.
birminghamdispatch.co.uk/p/rwanda-fears…

Joseph Chamberlain is credited with shaping modern Birmingham, but is there more to his story?

Jon Neale prompts us to explore beyond the surface and uncover the full picture.

birminghamdispatch.co.uk/p/joseph-chamb…

Thanks Christopher!

We’d start noticing people disappear was a great piece by Kate Knowles

birminghamdispatch.co.uk/p/wed-start-no…

He’s the mayor who transformed Birmingham from a sleepy and ignorant city into something great – but is there more to the myth?

birminghamdispatch.co.uk/p/joseph-chamb…

'Nobody's ever heard of you' an audience member told Richard Parker for West Mids Mayor 🌹 at a debate last week. But this time next week, Parker could be elected West Midlands mayor. We caught up with the man who wants to take Andy Street's crown.
birminghamdispatch.co.uk/p/for-now-he-i…

🪩Did anyone go to a gig at the Mermaid pub in the 80s and 90s? It + loads more venues and voices feature in a brand new Birmingham chapter of a bestselling book about UK rave culture. We had a sneak peek and chatted with author Jim Ottewill
birminghamdispatch.co.uk/p/birmingham-r…

Monday briefing out now incl:
✊School strikes
🗣️Political gossip
📸Photo of the week Mac McCreery
🏡Home of the week
🗞️Media picks
🎭Things to do ft. The Glee Club Birmingham, The Rep + Birmingham Botanical Gardens UK
+ more. Read it now!
birminghamdispatch.co.uk/p/years-of-sto…

Thanks Linda 💚