BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.4.0.1//EN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:2858@bob.guide DTSTART:20260711T183000Z DTEND:20260711T233000Z DTSTAMP:20260627T093648Z URL:https://bob.guide/events/summer-soul-picnic-at-the-gardens SUMMARY:Summer Soul Picnic at The Gardens DESCRIPTION:Soul Sessions Brum returns to the Gardens for the fourth year i n a row.\nExperience an evening of live music featuring performances from some of the best kept secrets across the West Midlands music scene…\nIt ’s a perfect opportunity to support upcoming artists in a relaxed and in viting setting. Whenever do you get the chance to hear live music in a Bar oque gardens?\n\nTickets £ 15 (incl £1.08 booking fee)\n\nGates open and Food and Drink available from 6pm First act 7pm\n\nWhat to expect:\n\n \ n\n These historic gardens have always hosted live music and we are delig hted to continue the tradition. The weekend evening atmosphere will be war m and relaxed.\n The vibe – chilling with friends. The music – always excellent.\n\n\n\n \;\n\n NB this event is entirely outdoors – Our stretch tent protects us from any rain\, you can cuddle up with blankets\ , if the ‘chill’ goes cold…\n Tickets £ 15 (incl £1.08 booking fe e)\n Gates open and Food and Drink available from 6pm\n First act 7pm\n\ n \;\n\nArtists’ bios\n\n \;\n\nSoul Grenades\n\nBased in London \, hailing from Montenegro\, Hackney\, Sydney and beyond\, Soul Grenades h ave established themselves as one of the most exciting acts on the live sc ene and festival circuit.\n\nA veritable tornado of funk\, the band boasts a super-tight rhythm section\, a wall of brass and an extensive song book of original music. Fusing their many influences\, encompassing crate-digg ing rarities to contemporary dance floor fillers\, Soul Grenades deliver n o-nonsense\, hard-hitting funk and soul music. Soul Grenades’ third albu m “Raw Pleasure” was released in summer 2025. Singles from the album h ave received airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music on The Craig Charles Funk and So ul Show.\n\n \;\n\nCollective Sleep\n\nis an Alternative Soul group ba sed in Birmingham\, known for their dynamic full-band sound and unforgetta ble live performances. Their music weaves together groove and soul with me lodic vocals\, soaring guitars and rich vocal harmonies\, creating a capti vating and powerful experience.\n\nIn July 2024 the band released their de but single ‘Walk With Me’. The band draws inspiration from an eclectic mix of artists\, including Stevie Wonder\, Prince\, Herbie Hancock\, Khru angbin\, John Legend\, the Isley Brothers\, Steely Dan\, Jamiroquai\, Sant ana\, Pink Floyd and Donny Hathaway.\n\nCollective Sleep has graced iconic Birmingham venues like the Hare &\; Hounds\, The Night Owl\, and The R ainbow\, and brought their signature sound to festivals such as Cocomad Fe stival\, Malvern Rocks\, Pairc Festival\, and Lichfield Fuse Festival. Hig hlights include performing at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games Festival i n 2022 and Tewkesbury Festival in 2024.\n\n \;\n\nShardae\n\nShardae i s a singer\, songwriter\, multi-instrumentalist\, and vocal arranger born and raised in Bermuda\, now based in Birmingham pursuing her music career. She currently studies on the Production pathway at ACM Birmingham\, where she continues to challenge herself\, expand her artistry\, and thank God for every opportunity along the way. Rooted in jazz\, R&\;B\, neo-soul\ , and gospel\, Shardae believes in having fun in creativity\, execution\, and collaboration. With dreams of becoming a music teacher and opening a y outh studio to empower the next generation of artists\, her music is groun ded in purpose\, joy\, and connection — come experience the sound and th e story live.\n\nAkasha “Hi\, we’re Akasha – the medium through whic h sound travels. Brums very own. We blend alt/indie and soul with just eno ugh groove to keep you moving\, creating a sound that’s both fresh and d eeply rooted. Each of us comes from a different background\, but that mix is exactly what shapes our identity. What unites us is a shared passion fo r music and a love for bringing that energy to life on stage. Right now\, we’re in the studio working on our debut EP\, and we honestly can’t wa it for you to hear what’s coming!”\n\nJoel Sarakula\n\nImagine if Ray Manzarek fronted the Bee Gees. That’s a fitting introduction to Joel Sar akula\, the UK-based Australian singer\, songwriter and producer crafting soulful pop through a distinctly vintage lens. Drawing from the warm sound s of 1970s soft rock\, funk and disco\, Sarakula creates sunny\, groove-dr iven songs for complicated times. With his long blond hair\, retro style a nd self-aware sense of humour\, he embraces comparisons to the unlikely lo ve child of The Doors’ keyboard wizard and the Gibb brothers.\n\nBorn in Sydney and now based in the UK\, Sarakula has travelled extensively in pu rsuit of inspiration\, from performing in remote Norwegian fishing village s to surviving a Caribbean carjacking. Since establishing himself across t he UK and Europe\, he has released a string of acclaimed albums including Island Time (2023)\, Companionship (2020)\, Love Club (2018) and The Impos ter (2015). His music has received support from BBC 6 Music\, BBC Radio 2 and radio stations across Europe\, while earning coverage from outlets inc luding The New York Times\, The Independent\, The Irish Times\, Rolling St one Germany\, El País and The Sydney Morning Herald. Often compared to ar tists such as Parcels\, Donny Benét\, Prep\, Benny Sings and Young Gun Si lver Fox\, Sarakula continues to build an international reputation for tim eless songwriting and feel-good grooves.\n\nGreg Blackman\n\nKnown as “T he Satsuma Of Soul” due to his love of orange clothing\, Greg Blackman i s a UK singer-songwriter whose soulful voice\, witty spirit\, and social a wareness who began by collaborating with artists including Dutty Moonshin e Big Band\, Utah Saints\, Daz I Kue\, Featurecast\, and Lack of Afro.\n\n His rich\, versatile delivery has drawn praise from across the industry: R ag ’N’ Bone Man called him “so sick — get to know!”\, Craig Char les described him as “fast becoming one of the best in the business\,” and Jamie Cullum declared his song Save Me “should be permanently playl isted” on BBC Radio 2.\n\nGreg’s music has reached wide audiences on B BC Radio\, MTV\, and 6 Music\, while his live performance with Dutty Moons hine at WOMAD has been archived in the British Library as culturally signi ficant.\n\nhttps://linktr.ee/MrGregBlackman\n\n \;\nTickets\n£ 15 (in cl £1.08 booking fee)\n\nLast entry 8 pm ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://bob.guide/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Sou l-Picnic-2026-4.png CATEGORIES:Coming Up Soon!,Festival,Live Music,Performance LOCATION:Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens\, Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens Trust Chester Road\, \, Castle Bromwich\, England\, B36 9BT\, United Kingdom GEO:52.506046;-1.792364 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Castle Bromwich Hall Garden s Trust Chester Road\, \, Castle Bromwich\, England\, B36 9BT\, United Kin gdom;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens:geo:52.506046 ,-1.792364 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR