Nominee of Best Venue award, and formerly the Carling Academy Birmingham, O2 Academy Birmingham is one of the best live music venues in the city. With so much emphasis given on the high quality of music, O2 Academy mainly showcases local bands and talents. Capacity-wise it is huge and has a stand-only capacity of around 600. Also this place is in no way less in terms of acoustics and other technical implications. Indeed a venue that proves to be responsible of thorough enjoyment for everyone, right from the audiences to performers.