17-07-2025
I visited the new Birmingham bar opposite a rubbish dump
I jumped out of my skin as a loud 'pop' rang out behind me, red and blue confetti falling through the air like a gender reveal party ("it's AMERICAN!").
I was at the new honky-tonk that's opened on the other side of Lifford Lane from the tip, a USA-style country and western joint that, after success in Wolverhampton, has finally made it Brumside.
All the music, the line dancers, the yee-hawing and the conga that had begun snaking its way towards a bar covered in pennies and decorated with dozens of US car number plates would have you believing we were careering towards midnight on a Pabst Blue Ribbon-fuelled Saturday night.
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But it was Sunday afternoon, the sun high in the sky and baking the big Kings Norton carpark outside in Nashville hot rays.
I was waiting for a non-alcoholic cocktail, the raspberry being muddled as I came back to earth post-pop.
A troupe of performers had made their way into the bar, through one of those swinging double door things they have in films.
One was twizzling a lasso around and daring guests to step into it while another was trying to hype up diners relaxing after tucking in to barbecue meats in the seats surrounding the dancefloor.
I felt on top of the world, like I'd taken a turn off the Pershore Road and ended up in Tennessee.
Themed bars can be hit-or-miss for me and it takes a lot to really transport me to somewhere new; like all millennial women, I find myself getting the ick more often than I'd like to at simple things.
But Rodeo's, even with its bucking bronco, circled by a pricey-looking lighting rig above it like a halo, felt so authentic.
And honestly, I think that's because it is.
The neon signs, the artwork and the lyrics to fan favourites tied it all together, with no expense seemingly spared on the refit that still smells of fresh timber.
A musical duo, Gasoline and Matches, started playing really wonderful songs, some covers and some their own, with the sort of stunning harmonies, soulful heart and fun-loving energy that makes country music so ace.
Rodeo's isn't a gimmick bar, I realised, as a group of pals took to the dancefloor to line-dance in perfect formation, in spite of the soaring temperatures. It's a community hub to celebrate a genre.
People had really cool cowboy hats on, the real deal and not hen do-style tat, and awesome Lucchese-style boots. This was their place, to freely enjoy and immerse themselves in their favourite thing.
Judging by the way we were coaxed to join them in boot scootin', they were open to two new pals getting involved too. I didn't have it in me to try and dance, but in my heart, I was swept away, indulging in pure escapism.
I sang along to a Johnny Cash cover and started Googling what cover artists were coming to Rodeo's so I could get a Chris Stapleton fix this side of Christmas (it's on Friday, July 25, if you care to know).
I also got to texting the girls to ask when they fancied getting together to line dance. And, I'm not afraid to tell you, I Googled 'where to buy authentic cowboy boots in Birmingham'.
I'd popped my head in the door when Rodeo's opened for the launch do but it was super busy and I didn't get a true experience (though I did pop into the toilets and marvel at the barrel and water butt sinks - I felt like Calamity Jane).
Now I've been back to do it properly, I can say that Lifford Lane is no longer just the place where I take my household rubbish when the binmen don't come.
It's my new favourite bar in Birmingham, y'all!
This review was conducted at random, anonymously, and all food and drink was paid for by the reporter.
