The band was forced to move to another venueA Birmingham festival act was forced to halt their performance and change venue midway through their set(Image: Merlin Daleman)

A Birmingham festival act was forced to halt their performance and change venue midway through their set today.

A band playing at Birmingham’s 41st Jazz and Blues Festival quickly packed up their instruments when rain began pouring down on their audience in Brindleyplace this afternoon, July 24.

The band – made of saxophone star Art Themen, pianist Craig Milverton, drummer Miles Levin and Tom Hill on bass – were playing at the iconic bandstand outside Pitcher & Piano when their set was interrupted.

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But thanks to kind-hearted Brummies offering a helping hand, they managed to carry their kit over to restaurant Bank where they picked up where they left off.

A Birmingham festival act was forced to halt their performance and change venue midway through their set(Image: Merlin Daleman)

‘The Jazz Fest News’ tonight explained how the drama unfolded.

It said: “Not for the first time in this year’s festival – it rained on our outdoor performances.

“[They] were swinging along nicely on The Water’s Edge Bandstand in Brindleyplace when rain stopped play, necessitating the band to hi-tail over to the designated wet weather venue Bank where they picked up from where they left off.

“The hurried transfer across Brindleyplace was helped enormously by a self-appointed gang of audience members who waded in to help carry the gear over.”

The band packed up their instruments midway though their performance The band packed up their instruments midway though their performance (Image: Merlin Daleman)

Running since 1985, The Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival is England’s longest-established jazz and blues festival and one of Europe’s biggest free jazz parties.

The festival, running until July 27, usually has more than 200 performances alongside workshops, talks, exhibitions and masterclasses around the city.

The free-to-watch performances take place in shopping centres, streets, squares, bars, restaurants, clubs, hotels, art galleries, markets, libraries, parks, railway stations, canal boats, and sometimes even on buses and trains.

Festival organisers said they had to go “seriously into debt” to ensure this year’s event went ahead after Birmingham City Council ‘withdrew financial support’.

They said: “So we are depending on that audience who are enjoying this event, to five a little financial support to help enable us to clear the debt caused directly by the withdrawal of financial support.”

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