Actress & Bishop

Another great night at the legendary actress and bishop! Bouncers actually smile at you, staff work quick serving and the dj keeps pumping out the tunes! This is more of an ‘alternative’ venue originally but really caters for most tastes. Rock, pop, Motown and even some grime. CheAp drinks and a friendly crowd really make this place a brummie favourite to party til after 3am. The only downsides are the ‘alternative’ toilets and sometimes it can get a little too busy.

I have very fond feelings towards this place. It’s pretty tiny but with plenty of room for dancing. There are live gigs upstairs and music downstairs. You don’t have to pay, the crowd is pretty chilled out and the drinks are reasonably priced though nothing special.

Good drinks and good bar staff however sanitation is not on point-​Black Mould in the toilets could easily cause health defects needs to be checked out immediately!!!

The Actress & Bishop is a real institution in Birmingham. It has that traditional pub feeling with a real connection to Brums live music community.
I have been coming here for literally years now. In my early student days a very young me would be down the front of the gig room getting sweaty to a mates band, when I visit now however it is much more if a civilised affair usually with food on the terrace or a pint downstairs.
Its great to see so much still going on here, the venue still has strong following and keeps providing young Birmingham acts and bands with a stage to play on. Well done Actress & Bishop!

Yet again, I can’t believe that i have not reviewed this place. Mainly because like The Lord Clifden, I run the quiz here. Maybe it was just an assumption thing again.
You can’t really take too much of my word for this place really anyway as I am going to be a bit biased but hey.
This place is unique, you wont find a place like this around for miles. Its not unique in a trendy or hipster way at all, its unique cause its a sort of ‘anything goes’ type of place. Most businesses now are very controlling of the way that people act but here it really doesn’t matter do much. Whilst that can be most often a negative point, here it is most definitely a plus.
It has its regulars, it has well priced beer, it has a LOT of entertainment, DJs on every night of the week, bands on up stairs quite often, quiz night on a Monday (done with Smartphones, check it out). They don’t do food here but then I do think that might be a good thing, it would probably be taking on more than it could chew if it did. The beer on offer is very standard and thats probably where it loses a star for me, its all just lagers and ciders really. Recently it has picked up by having some Midlands based ales on, including Froth Blowers and Backyard Brewery.
At the weekend is where this place really comes a live, despite that fact that this place is open till 2am every night, at the weekend (Fri and Sat) you can stay here till 4am. With that its quite a popular place for people to go to once they have been kicked out of places elsewhere in Birmingham. Music wise it is top notch, 2 fab DJs each weekend who play a mixture of indie, rock, soul, punk and generally anything that keeps people dancing really.
Check it out, but don’t expect to leave sober.

I was looking for a bar that played live music during the week. I Unilocaled bars in my area and came across Actress & Bishop. I walked in on a Monday night and it seemed to be pretty crowded for a Monday. There are not much tables available in the pub, so I chose just to grab a drink and stand. The atmosphere is great. I love the rock/​old punk scene and this place has that vibe. Very awesome place to go to just «hang out» at.

Again… Another review from 2013! Again… High time for me to go back and give you an update.
So, I have probably been to the Actress and Bishop this year more than any other. Largely down to the Smartphone Quiz that’s hosted here on a Monday (deffo check it out if you haven’t yet), I have taken friends down here numerous times to grab a chilled out drink in a cool atmosphere.
The indoor table situation is sometimes a bit bleak when it’s busy (there is only 2 or 3 high tables and 2 low tables to sit at), but if you’re either a) an earlybird and can grab one or b) not fussed and are happy to perch at the bar then it’s a grand little place to grab a beer and catch up.
There are drink offers on constantly, meaning you can grab a pint or a glass of wine for under £3 and the music is always on the rockier side (so it’s a little more interesting than many of the wine bars around this location).
The busiest nights (as you can imagine) are Fridays and Saturdays. It can get very full, but has a buzzing atmosphere and the deejays (mainly focusing on rock and indie) really do pump up a great dance-​floor.
In the summer, the decking area provides a great place to sit and chill with a group of friends. More often than not, there will be someone with a guitar out here when it’s warm (so you can be serenaded whilst you enjoy the heat).
The Actress has a late license, so whether it’s early evening or late into the night… I can recommend popping in, grabbing a cider and chilling out.

Oh dear. The actress and bishop used to be a place to head for crazy dancing when nobody could be bothered to go ‘all in’ at a club night. It had a real charm about it and an eclectic music policy.
Having not been for a good while, i was greeted with the recent facelift the place had been treated to. They have successfully ripped the soul out of the place and replaced it with crap neon lights. Drinks wise there is a great choice of crap larger, the two hand pumps sat there unloved (because nobody drinks ale anymore do they…). At least the music policy hasn’t changed, but really it’s gone from being a great little oddity of a venue to just another St. Paul’s square ‘bar by numbers’.
There are a lot better places in the jewellery quarter these days, so it’s really hard to recommend the actress and bishop at all.

I tend to ignore how young and cool everyone who hangs about in the Actress today seems, and I try to remember the first time I was drunk here. Was it 10 years ago?
Was it more? I have no idea. Friends of friends were in a band. I tried not too look too impressed. Birmingham people are not supposed to look too impressed. Stand with your hands in your pockets and don’t smile.
I feel like i should be in torn jeans and a hoodie to come here. I feel like i should be feeling full of ale and hungover the next day.
Find some mates who know someone in a band. Grab a beer and enjoy yourself.
Someone there will think you are too cool to be there!

Of course I’m going to give this place 5 stars as not only did we conquer, we also took the £500 loot and had a merry old time during Stoo’s Monday not Quizbox.
The venue itself is just off the trendy St Paul’s Square and is a late bar compared to most in the city centre, housing bands and DJs several nights of the week. It’s a cool place and it’s not one of my favourites ;)

As stated by Vicky O the A & B has long been regarded as a great venue for bands and the odd comedy gig. Recently (ish) they sorted out the rather tired looking decking out the front and refurbed inside as well. Unfortunately in doing so it seems to have lost some of the charms it previously had. They’ve reduced the amount of seating downstairs which is probably great when it’s really busy on a weekend but during the week (which is the only time I ever go) it leaves the whole place looking rather sparse.
Being an ale fan I have been continually disappointed as the ales have always been off when I’ve been in (along with most of the better lagers as well).
I can understand the intention behind the refurb as the area round St. Pauls is a little more upmarket but in sprucing the place up and removing the dive bar aesthetic they seem to have also removed the soul of the venue. Although, the Monday night quiz is well worth a go!

–popped along for the Unilocal team pub quiz event.
I have been here several times before but hadn’t revisited since the ‘refurb’. The venue is just off St Paul’s Square an is easy to find.
Upstairs they have a room that they use for small gigs. outside is a terrace area which is quite spacious with nice views of the church, so pretty good for Birmingham outdoor space. Inside, the venue is quite dark and it looks really spacious, however I know it gets really busy at the weekends so the removal of the booths/​bench seats will be welcomed by some.
Great atmosphere at the weekend, but fairly dead during the week; having said that, the Monday night pub quiz was good fun!

I recently visited the Actress for the first time since its makeover and while I liked it, I felt it lost its original ‘vibe’. Long gone are the booths to be replaced with a stage and there’s much less seating than before. However, the chairs are much nicer and more comfortable.
I think they are trying to push it more of a club/​live music venue but it is a good place to catch a drink as there is a large area out the front right on the street which is covered. The drinks still seem reasonably priced and they show the football which is great news for me!
I stopped by the Quiz which happens on a Monday at around 9pm. It’s a late starter but totally worth it! It’s all done via an app on your phone and while the team i was in came last, we throughly enjoyed it and I’d go back just for the Quiz!

One thing you can say about this place is that you never know what kind of night you’re going to have here. I’ve had mixed experiences here, but it’s usually a bit bizarre.
Idk if the recent refit of the place has necessarily improved it, but you certainly get a lot more of the short skirted girls that you might associate with Mechu and The Jam House at weekends than you used to. Which is a bit of a strange mix with a teen metal band playing upstairs!
In the week it’s a different place, staying open way past midnight every evening. You get a real mixed crowd which is nice, whilst you enjoy a fairly priced drink and whatever random music the Dj is spinning that night.
The outside area at the front is great for enjoying a cold one on a hot summers’ day!
Enjoy a cool night out, but watch your drinks here…

A great live music venue that I have been to on a couple of occasions. The prices of drinks are reasonable and the bar staff friendly.
This bar is spilt over two floors, with the live music taking place upstairs on a stage — great setup!
I agree with other reviewers though the place could do with a spruce up!

The Actress and Bishop has a nice location near the jewellery quarter’s nightlife hub and acts as a late night band and dance venue.
The set up for bands is pretty good, with a decent stage and sound system (although one band did lose the guitarist halfway through).
I just feel a bit meh about the actress. Drinks selection is ok, staff are nice but there just seems to be a lack of care. Upstairs in particular is really shabby and the loos aren’t nice. I also find the music selections a bit odd.

I tend to visit the Actress when one of my bands play here and that tends to be quite a few times per year.
The Actress, a staple of Brum’s music scene, is a decent venue with a nice vibe and okay priced alcohol. The sound isn’t top bad either.
Generally with appreciative crowds, I have always had a good time playing here and look forward to playing here in the future.
There are though a number of areas for improvement. Here are three for starters. First, the toilet facilities are really in need of refurb; second, they need to stop people smoking by the entrance (even if it is raining); third and finally, there isn’t a really safe place to store gear at the venue which is a little disconcerting when it is really busy and you can keep an eye out.

The Actress & Bishop is a great boozer which is open until late, situated in St Paul’s Square with a large outdoor seating area.
Unlike many of the bars and pubs nearby, this is a a much more laid back, casual place, there’s no dress code and the vibe is mainly alternative, indie & rock although literally everyone is welcome.
I DJ here the first Friday of every month with my pal Maria so obviously I’m a big fan or I wouldn’t play here. Every Friday and Saturday they have DJs playing danceable tunes from 1950s through to present day with a large helping of indie, punk, rock, hip-​hop, soul, funk and disco.
It’s free entry downstairs where the DJs play and the bar staff are really friendly and on the ball. There’s even a little dance floor which can get pretty lively in the early hours of the morning and usually stays open til 4am.
Upstairs The Catapult Club usually have live bands playing for about £3-£5 entry — bargain! I’ve held a few live nights here myself and the atmosphere is always brilliant.
There is a HUGE outdoor seating area at the front of the venue so it’s ace for summer evenings as well.
If you get peckish there’s a kebab stall just inside the door! I wasn’t a fan of this idea at first but it’s really popular so I’ve been proved wrong! ;)

I really like the Actress and Bishop. I feel it has two things going against it — it’s always overshadowed by the likes of the Victoria etc. and it’s location is that little bit out of the way for people who are eating/​drinking/​partying in central Birmingham.
That said, I feel the music they play is right up my street (indie /​rock /​more obscure stuff and older stuff too) and the crowds that congregate there seem to be slightly older than the teenagers you could anticipate bumping shoulders with in places like Snobs.
It opens late, and as the night goes on more and more people get up to dance — so it stops feeling like a bar and has more of a club vibe. They’ve also got outside seating and smoking out the front, so if you need fresh air you can pop outside.

Ive seen some great bands upstairs here, there’s a really good atmosphere when everyone is waiting to go up before the band start playing. Sitting outside here on a warm summer night when a band are getting ready upstairs might be one of the best feelings I’ve had on a night out in Birmingham.
The bar is well stocked and the staff are quick are making sure everyone is well watered. The down stairs is really chilled out with a great alternative sound track playing some well known hits.
Crowds here tend to change a lot depending in the acts playing there but it’s all friendly and due to the intimacy of the venue you might even end up meeting some like minded people.
The sound upstairs is great for the bands and the stage is very low so it feels like even the band are still part of the crowd witch adds even more intimacy during the shows.
Great place to some indie artists play located in the heart of St Paul’s Square.