Documentary Launch, 22/08/25

Centrala is proud to announce the launch of Queercore in the Second City exploring Birmingham’s vibrant and growing Queer Hardcore scene, a subculture that has found one of its strongest homes in the Second City. Over the past few years, Centrala has organically become a hub for hardcore and, more specifically, queercore gigs, a role we’ve taken on with pride.

Produced by Centrala, the documentary seeks to bring broader awareness to what Queercore really is: not just a genre of music, but a mode of queer expression, resistance, and community-building. Through candid interviews with organisers, performers, and gig-goers, the film captures the energy, urgency, and emotional resonance of a scene that offers a vital space for queer people to be loud, visible, and unapologetically themselves.

The film explores how these spaces are built, often out of sheer necessity, and how venues, collectives, and communities come together to fill an unmet need for queer belonging, safety, and self-expression. It traces the roots of queercore, its evolution, and its current iteration in the specific context of Birmingham.

The documentary also briefly delves into the city’s musical and social heritage, from its working-class roots to its legacy as the birthplace of heavy metal. This local history is shown to have shaped the resurgence of heavier, politically charged sounds within today’s DIY queer music culture.

While interviewees acknowledge that queercore scenes are thriving across the UK and internationally, this film focuses on Birmingham, tying the city’s cultural identity, class politics, and rich music history into the narrative of its homegrown queercore movement.

Queercore in the Second City will premiere on 22nd August at 6pm at Centrala. The screening will be followed by a gig in collaboration with 0121Queercore, celebrating the community that made this documentary possible. Line up TBA.

In addition to the launch event, Centrala will also host a photography exhibition documenting the scene, featuring work by Ryley Morton. The exhibition will run from 27th August to 2nd September.

This documentary was commissioned by the Royal Geographical Society for their annual conference, 2025, at the University of Birmingham. Queercore in the Second City will be shown at the conference on the 27th of August, where Giulia, on behalf of Centrala, Lexi, and Ryley will speak about the film during a Q&A session!

CENTRALA X 0121QUEERCORE

Leibniz: Hardcore adjacent grunge band from Brighton. Drawing sounds from grunge, hardcore and shoegaze, delivering it with an intense and cathartic energy in the name of trans liberation and relief from emotional turmoil. 

Luxury Nan Smell: Noisy, Birmingham, math-rock scented three piece LUXURY NAN SMELL present a collection of silly riffs. After meeting in art-pop outfit Sofa King, Rose Davies and Emily Doyle enlisted blast beat enthusiast Jacob Spink to dream up a definitely danceable fusion of post-punk, sludge, and bedroom emo.

Without Blood: 0121 hardcore mosh

Blythe Blade: 0121 Queer punk band making moshy silly music about whatever takes their fancy, but most likely they’ll be screaming about the government and degeneracy. 

This gig is brought to you by Centrala and 0121Queercore, entry is free though we ask you to book, we’ll be accepting donations on the door or by adding a tip to your order.

Evening Schedule:

Doors @ 17:30

Screening @ 18:00, approx 30 minute run time (upstairs)

Gig start @ 19:30 (downstairs) 

Credits:

Directed and produced by Centrala

Executive producer Lexi Bushell

Filmed by Ryley Morton, Kimberly Barber, and Spence Hackett

Edited by Lexi Bushell

Commissioned by the Royal Geographical Society