Athlete starring at Birmingham HMV Institute

With four studio albums and 14 singles under their belt, Ivor Novello Award winners Athlete return to Birmingham as part of a unique unplugged tour.

Back in March, the Deptford foursome were asked to perform a stripped-back set at the East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf. The evening was a roaring success, with the band commenting that they had spent an "enjoyable mellow evening in lovely company".

They decided that it would be a shame to limit it to one gig, and as a result arranged a 17-date UK tour which stops off at the HMV Institute in Birmingham on Sunday (July 31, 2011).

With sweet vocals and mellow rock stylings, you can imagine their sound lends itself rather well to an acoustic show – and so far, critics have loved it.

Fans can expect to hear a selection of hits from the group's back catalogue, from breakthrough single You Got The Style to material from 2009 album Black Swan, and their biggest hit to date Wires, which hit the number four spot in the UK charts.

Tickets are £16, available on the door or in advance online from www.ticketweb.co.uk

The music starts at 7pm.

Charlotte Cross