What's On in Birmingham

Kids Spooky Halloween Party — Kick off the Halloween weekend with a gloriously low-key fright-fest for the family at The Lounge Boldmere in Sutton Coldfield. Starting at 3:00pm and priced at just £3–£7, this is the perfect soft landing into spooky season — think fancy dress, giggles, and a room full of tiny witches and zombies having the time of their lives. Grab your tickets before the cauldron runs dry.

Skindred - You Got This Tour — Newport's genre-defying legends Skindred bring their irresistible fusion of reggae, metal, and pure rock energy to the O2 Academy Birmingham at 7:00pm, and if you have never seen them live you are genuinely missing one of the most joyful, explosive experiences in British music. The crowd energy at a Skindred show is the stuff of legend — expect sweat, singing, and that unique feeling that the whole room is one organism. Check the website for ticket prices and get there early.

Casino Royale in Concert — Symphony Hall rolls out the red carpet for a cinematic event that is as glamorous as it sounds — the 2006 James Bond classic Casino Royale screened live with a full orchestra performing David Arnold and Chris Cornell's iconic score in real time. Doors open for a 7:30pm showtime, and whether you are a die-hard Bond devotee or simply want a breathtaking Friday night out, the combination of that auditorium's acoustics and a full orchestra is hard to beat. Check the website for pricing and booking.

Professor Brian Cox: Emergence World Tour — The nation's favourite physicist brings his Emergence World Tour to the vast Utilita Arena Birmingham at 7:30pm, and if his television work is anything to go by, prepare to leave feeling simultaneously humbled by the universe and wildly inspired. Cox has a rare gift for making the incomprehensibly vast feel personal and beautiful, and a night in his company is the kind of thing people talk about for years. Check the website for tickets — this one will fill up fast.

Republica - 30 years of Ready To Go! — Three decades on and Saffron's voice is still one of the most thrilling in British pop — Republica celebrate the 30th anniversary of their era-defining debut album at the brilliant Hare And Hounds in Kings Heath, kicking off at 7:30pm. This is a warm, sweaty, wonderfully nostalgic night at one of Birmingham's best independent music venues, and at £20–£31 it is an absolute steal for a band who soundtracked an entire generation's youth.

Kings of the Rollers Royal Rumble Halloween: Birmingham — Forum Digbeth becomes a drum and bass cathedral from 10:00pm as Kings of the Rollers — one of the most beloved acts in the scene — headline a Halloween spectacular that is already the stuff of local legend. Expect the full Halloween treatment: costumes, bass weight that you feel in your chest, and a crowd that knows exactly what it came for. Tickets are £15–£35, and for anyone who loves proper rave culture, this is the unmissable event of the entire weekend.