Off The Record Birmingham Music Meetup

What's a record club?

Off The Record is a monthly event where a bunch of music-loving people get together to listen to a whole album in full – no distractions, no interruptions – and then talk about it afterwards. In a fast-paced world where we don't make time for music, it's about stopping and appreciating something new.

Where and when does it happen?

Off The Record is hosted at Cherry Reds in central Birmingham. It's an evening event, running from 7pm-9.30pm or so, with 10-20 people attending. It's free – if you like music and food/drinks, you are super welcome.

Got a record to suggest?

Cool – we have some guidelines on hosting a playback / discussion below. Have a read and you'll eventually be able to submit your record suggestion where people can vote for it for an upcoming Off The Record session. Or if you really can't wait, email Matt with your nominations.

Can I follow you on social media?!

Go on then. Give us a follow on Facebook and Twitter.

Okay, I'm convinced, what next?

Great! Keep your eyes peeled for our next event – it'll be announced shortly.

Past events 71 total events

• 84%

  #71: "Slept-on Classics"

  Joni Mitchell – Blue (1971)

  20 Mar 2024 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 83%

  #70: "Homages"

  Tigapagi – Roekmana's Repertoire (2013)

  21 Feb 2024 • Host: Aulia Ramadhan
• 76%

  #69: "1969"

  The Stooges – The Stooges (1969)

  11 Dec 2023 • Host: Joe Grassby
• 

  #68: "Pure Pop Perfection"

  Girls Aloud – Chemistry (2005)

  23 Oct 2023 • Host: Matt Latham
• 72%

  #67: "Science Fiction"

  Salami Rose Joe Louis – Zdenka 2080 (2019)

  26 Sep 2023 • Host: James Cresswell
• 

  #66: "Creative Rebirth"

  Patrick Wolf – Night Safari EP (2022)

  24 Aug 2023 • Host: Laura Graham
• 

  #65: "Pop/Art?"

  KLF – The White Room (1991)

  25 Jul 2023 • Host: Lewis Burn
• 

  #64: "Genre Gateways"

  Hen Ogledd – Mogic (2018)

  26 Jun 2023 • Host: Andy Slater
• 

  #63: "Television Music"

  Angelo Badalamenti – Soundtrack from Twin Peaks (1990)

  01 Jun 2023 • Host: Joe Grassby
• 67%

  #62: "Angst"

  The Dismemberment Plan – Emergency & I (1999)

  06 Apr 2023 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 78%

  #61: "Joyful Noise"

  The Go! Team – Rolling Blackouts (2011)

  09 Mar 2023 • Host: Rob Lindsay
• 73%

  #60: "The Natural World"

  Daniel Bachman – Almanac Behind (2022)

  02 Feb 2023 • Host: Simon Harper
• 76%

  #59: "Weird Formats"

  The Flaming Lips – Zaireeka (1997)

  30 Nov 2022 • Host: Joe Grassby
• 73%

  #58: "The Seaside"

  Holiday Ghosts – North Street Air (2021)

  27 Oct 2022 • Host: Meg Fernandes
• 82%

  #57: "The Album You Wish You'd Made"

  Teen Girl Scientist Monthly – Hyper Trophy (2015)

  28 Sep 2022 • Host: Matt Latham
• 75%

  #56: "Women's Rights"

  Billy Carter – Don't Push Me (2020)

  25 Aug 2022 • Host: Abdul Cabdullahi
• 79%

  #55: "Missed Connections"

  Ultra Orange & Emmanuelle – Ultra Orange & Emmanuelle (2007)

  14 Jul 2022 • Host: Steph Thorpe
• 64%

  #54: "Shafted"

  Badfinger – Straight Up (1971)

  09 Jun 2022 • Host: Steve Whitty
• 77%

  #53: "Commercial Suicide"

  Mansun – Six (1998)

  04 Mar 2022 • Host: Laura Graham
• 59%

  #52: "Crossovers"

  Turnstile – GLOW ON (2021)

  28 Jan 2022 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 74%

  #51: "Sound and Vision"

  Mogwai – Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (2006)

  28 Apr 2021 • Host: Simon Harper
• 73%

  #50: "Fifty"

  Carole King – Tapestry (1971)

  24 Mar 2021 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 78%

  #49: "Obsession"

  SOPHIE – Product (2015)

  11 Feb 2021 • Host: Julia Gilbert
• 55%

  #48: "Duos"

  Sleaford Mods – Divide and Exit (2014)

  22 Dec 2020 • Host: Joe Grassby
• 73%

  #47: "Under The Influence"

  Faith No More – Angel Dust (1992)

  27 Nov 2020 • Host: Jez Whall
• 

  #46: "Love Letters To Youth"

  The Menzingers – After The Party (2017)

  28 Oct 2020 • Host: Joe Bell
• 71%

  #45: "Follow-ups"

  Cornershop – Handcream for a Generation (2002)

  30 Sep 2020 • Host: Rob Lindsay
• 60%

  #44: "Motion Pictures"

  Bob Reynolds – Guitar Band (2016)

  27 Aug 2020 • Host: David Rapson
• 62%

  #43: "Lockdown"

  Taylor Swift – folklore (2020)

  31 Jul 2020 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 80%

  #42: "What's Going On?"

  Marvin Gaye – What's Going On (1971)

  19 Jun 2020 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 61%

  #41: "That's My Name Too"

  Bobbie Gentry – Fancy (1970)

  26 Feb 2020 • Host: Rob Lindsay
• 66%

  #40: "Perfect length for an episode of Eastenders"

  The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster – Horse of the Dog (2002)

  30 Jan 2020 • Host: Lewis Burn
• 66%

  #39: "Growing Up"

  the Mountain Goats – The Sunset Tree (2005)

  27 Nov 2019 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 86%

  #38: "Collaborations"

  The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)

  30 Oct 2019 • Host: Joe Grassby
• 

  #37: "Bedroom Creations"

  Phosphorescent – Pride (2007)

  26 Sep 2019 • Host: Matt Rose
• 64%

  #36: "Comebacks"

  Solomon Burke – Don't Give Up On Me (2002)

  28 Aug 2019 • Host: Lorna Burke
• 

  #35: "Summer Vibe"

  French Films – Imaginary Future (2011)

  25 Jun 2019 • Host: Abdul Cabdullahi
• 

  #34: "Life's Journeys"

  Maximo Park – Our Earthly Pleasures (2007)

  23 May 2019 • Host: Steph Thorpe
• 

  #33: "Forced Into A Name Change"

  Hinds – Leave Me Alone (2016)

  18 Apr 2019 • Host: Matt Latham
• 

  #32: "Extended Play"

  Open Mike Eagle – 'A Special Episode' and 'What Happens When I Try To Relax' (2015 / 2017)

  25 Mar 2019 • Host: David Rapson
• 70%

  #31: "Girl Groups"

  Fanny – Charity Ball (1971)

  25 Feb 2019 • Host: William McCabe
• 66%

  #30: "Thirty"

  Beastie Boys – Paul's Boutique (1989)

  30 Jan 2019 • Host: Rob Lindsay
• 

  #29: "2018 in Review"

  17 Dec 2018 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 76%

  #28: "Forgotten Sounds of Birmingham"

  Broadcast – The Noise Made by People (2000)

  26 Nov 2018 • Host: Andrea Breau
• 81%

  #27: "You Had To Be There"

  Donny Hathaway – Live (1972)

  30 Oct 2018 • Host: Calum Mayer
• 74%

  #26: "You May Remember Me From..."

  Julian Cope – Fried (1985)

  27 Sep 2018 • Host: Lewis Burn
• 66%

  #25: "Sold Out?"

  Moby – Play (1999)

  29 Aug 2018 • Host: Ruth Harvey
• 71%

  #24: "Songs About Places"

  Drive-by Truckers – Dirty South (2004)

  25 Jul 2018 • Host: Russell Young
• 76%

  #23: "Trust The Algorithm"

  Janelle Monáe – Dirty Computer (2018)

  26 Jun 2018 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 69%

  #22: "No Guitars"

  Agnes Obel – Citizen of Glass (2016)

  30 May 2018 • Host: Lauren Armstrong
• 69%

  #21: "Bilingual"

  Kimonos – Kimonos (2010)

  26 Mar 2018 • Host: Abdul Cabdullahi
• 75%

  #20: "Black & White"

  Joe Jackson – Look Sharp! (1979)

  28 Feb 2018 • Host: Steve Whitty
• 73%

  #19: "Siblings"

  The Breeders – Last Splash (1993)

  25 Jan 2018 • Host: Martin Brown
• 

  #18: "2017 in Review"

  19 Dec 2017 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 73%

  #17: "Uncovered"

  Jackson Browne – For Everyman (1973)

  29 Nov 2017 • Host: Calum Mayer
• 62%

  #16: "Gone Too Soon"

  The Exploding Hearts – Guitar Romantic (2003)

  23 Oct 2017 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 67%

  #15: "Tributes"

  Hal Willner – Stay Awake (1988)

  27 Sep 2017 • Host: William McCabe
• 65%

  #14: "That's Not What I Expected"

  The Duckworth Lewis Method – Self Titled (2009)

  30 Aug 2017 • Host: Joe Grassby
• 75%

  #13: "A European Union"

  The Whitest Boy Alive – Rules (2009)

  25 Jul 2017 • Host: Abdul Cabdullahi
• 68%

  #12: "Canadiana"

  The Weakerthans – Reunion Tour (2007)

  28 Jun 2017 • Host: Lauren Armstrong
• 65%

  #11: "Found Sounds"

  The Avalanches – Since I Left You (2000)

  25 May 2017 • Host: Rob Lindsay
• 76%

  #10: "Inherited Taste"

  Pulp – Different Class (1995)

  27 Apr 2017 • Host: Rebecca Cowley
• 70%

  #9: "Introducing"

  Charles Mingus – Blues & Roots (1960)

  23 Mar 2017 • Host: David Rapson
• 75%

  #8: "World Building"

  The Phenomenauts – For All Mankind (2008)

  23 Feb 2017 • Host: Emily Collins
• 67%

  #7: "Genre Mashups"

  Bran Van 3000 – Glee (1997)

  26 Jan 2017 • Host: Matt Rose
• 

  #6: "Word Of Mouth"

  My Bloody Valentine – Loveless (1991)

  29 Nov 2016 • Host: Andrea Breau
• 

  #5: "Suffering For Art"

  Say Anything – ...Is A Real Boy (2004)

  25 Oct 2016 • Host: Joseph Bell
• 

  #4: "Cult Failures"

  Big Star – Radio City (1972)

  14 Sep 2016 • Host: Calum Mayer
• 

  #3: "Re-runs"

  Townes Van Zandt – Townes Van Zandt (1968)

  11 Nov 2015 • Host: Matt Andrews
• 

  #2: "Artists Who Went Solo"

  Morrissey – Viva Hate (1988)

  07 Apr 2015 • Host: Dylan Smith
• 

  #1: "Debut"

  25 Feb 2015 • Host: Matt Andrews