What’s On in Birmingham in October 2026? The Best Gigs & Live Music

Looking for the best gigs in Birmingham in October 2026? The city's live calendar is absolutely packed this month, with indie favourites, rock heavyweights and some brilliant smaller shows taking over venues across Birmingham.

Here are some of the gigs worth having on your radar this October.

Space – O2 Academy3 Birmingham

Saturday 3 October 2026

Liverpool favourites Space arrive in Birmingham at the start of October.

With Female of the Species, The Ballad of Tom Jones and Me and You Versus the World among their best-known tracks, this should provide a healthy dose of '90s nostalgia.

Venue: O2 Academy3 Birmingham
Date: 3 October

Don Broco – O2 Academy Birmingham

Wednesday 7 October 2026

One of Britain's strongest modern rock live bands hits Birmingham.

Don Broco have built a reputation for huge, chaotic shows, and putting them inside the O2 Academy should make for one of October's loudest nights.

Venue: O2 Academy Birmingham
Date: 7 October

We Are Scientists – O2 Institute

Wednesday 7 October 2026

Birmingham has a slightly cruel decision to make on 7 October.

Indie favourites We Are Scientists are also in town, bringing their seemingly endless supply of mid-2000s indie bangers to the O2 Institute.

Venue: O2 Institute Birmingham
Date: 7 October

The Lemonheads – O2 Institute

Thursday 8 October 2026

Evan Dando and The Lemonheads head to Digbeth with Willy Mason in support.

The band's mixture of alternative rock, power pop and '90s indie has given them a cult following that has lasted decades.

Venue: O2 Institute Birmingham
Date: 8 October

The Hoosiers – O2 Institute

Thursday 15 October 2026

The Hoosiers bring their instantly recognisable indie-pop catalogue back to Birmingham.

Expect Worried About Ray, Goodbye Mr A and plenty more from one of the bands who soundtracked Britain's mid-2000s indie explosion.

Venue: O2 Institute Birmingham
Date: 15 October

Shed Seven – O2 Institute

Friday 16 October 2026

Now we're firmly in BRH territory.

Britpop favourites Shed Seven take over the O2 Institute for what should be one of Birmingham's best guitar gigs of October.

More than 30 years after forming, the York band are somehow still pulling huge crowds and producing chart-topping records.

Venue: O2 Institute Birmingham
Date: 16 October

The Undertones & The Beat – O2 Institute

Saturday 17 October 2026

Quite the double bill.

The Undertones and The Beat featuring Ranking Jnr come together at the O2 Institute, bringing decades of punk, new wave and ska with them.

Expect this one to be considerably livelier than your average Saturday evening.

Venue: O2 Institute Birmingham
Date: 17 October

Duran Duran – Utilita Arena Birmingham

Tuesday 20 October 2026

One of the biggest gigs in Birmingham this October.

Duran Duran return to their home city for a huge night at Utilita Arena Birmingham.

For a band formed in Birmingham almost five decades ago, an arena-sized hometown show still feels particularly special.

Venue: Utilita Arena Birmingham
Date: 20 October

The Coral – O2 Institute2 Birmingham

Saturday 24 October 2026

Merseyside indie legends The Coral arrive in Birmingham towards the end of the month.

More than two decades on from their breakthrough, the band remain one of Britain's most distinctive guitar acts, with Dreaming of You alone likely to make this worth turning up for.

Venue: O2 Institute2 Birmingham
Date: 24 October

Brandon Flowers – O2 Academy Birmingham

Saturday 24 October 2026

Another huge one, unfortunately scheduled on exactly the same night as The Coral because apparently Birmingham enjoys making life difficult.

Brandon Flowers heads to O2 Academy Birmingham following the release of his third solo album THRASHER.

Fans can expect material from his solo career alongside songs from The Killers' catalogue.

Venue: O2 Academy Birmingham
Date: 24 October

Korn – Utilita Arena Birmingham

Wednesday 28 October 2026

Things get considerably heavier towards the end of the month.

Nu-metal giants Korn take over Utilita Arena Birmingham with Architects and Youth Code, giving the city one of October's biggest rock shows.

Venue: Utilita Arena Birmingham
Date: 28 October

Skindred – O2 Academy Birmingham

Friday 30 October 2026

October isn't exactly going quietly.

Welsh rock favourites Skindred bring their You Got This tour to Birmingham alongside Alien Ant Farm, Spineshank and Orgy.

That's four bands and a fairly substantial amount of early-2000s chaos packed into one night.

Venue: O2 Academy Birmingham
Date: 30 October

More Birmingham gigs in October 2026

There's plenty more happening across Birmingham throughout the month, including Hannah Wicklund at O2 Institute2 on 1 October, Ed Harcourt and Rumer at Symphony Hall on 8 October, Twin Atlantic at O2 Institute2 on 17 October, Fat Freddy's Drop at O2 Academy Birmingham on 22 October, Alison Moyet at Symphony Hall on 22 October, China Crisis at Hare & Hounds on 29 October and The Exploited at The Castle & Falcon on 31 October.

And with more shows still capable of being announced, we'll keep this guide updated as October gets closer.

James Waddingham
Collaborator, BritRockHeaven