The birthplace of heavy metal is protected by fine arts

The birthplace of heavy metal is protected by fine arts

The pub Crown Inn in Birmingham, where in 1968 i Black Sabbath, who called themselves Heart at the time, held their first concert, it was listed as a Grade II listed building following the advice of Historic England And after more than 15,000 people signed a petition calling for the street where the venue is located to be saved and designated a “site of civic pride, cultural value and historic asset.” In this way the building cannot be demolished

The pub (founded in 1876 as reported by the BBC) over the years of activity has hosted famous bands and artists such as Robert Plant with the pre-Led Zeppelin groups, UB40, The Who, Status Quo, Duran Duran, Thin Lizzy, Marc Bolan, Supertramp and Judas Priest, becoming a cultural reference point for the local music scene. The concerts took place in the so-called Henry's Blueshouse upstairs.

Despite being closed since 2014, the Crown Inn is considered a birthplace of heavy metal and an important Birmingham musical heritage.

There have been efforts to refurbish the pub for live music, but they have been hampered by ownership issues. The building has a rich history, including legendary concerts and alternative uses such as supposedly storing the remains of World War I soldiers. The aim, as stated by Jez Collins – music historian and founder of the Birmingham music archive – is to bring the Crown Inn back to life as a cultural and musical venue of international importance.