Hi MsH ... you may also like to check out and perhaps post in the BIRMINGHAM Q&As topic in our UK forum.

David

http://www.flybe.com fly from Glasgow to Birmingham. There are flights at the moment for nothing, just the taxes, around the time of the concert so check them out quickly.
Why not try http://www.laterooms.com for hotels and if you click on their names it will tell you the location of th hotel. Good luck

MsH, you cannot have a hotel by the NEC and be 'quite central'. The NEC is outside of Birmingham and apart from the NEC complex there really is nothing to do there! Best to stay in central Brum of which there are many hotel chains of the usual standard and price. You can then get the train to the NEC for your concert and enjoy the delights of Brum (and there are many!) rather than be stuck out in the sticks.

Things to do: Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery; http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=102788&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=161

Botanical Gardens; http://www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk/

Tokiens Brum; http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/tolkien.htm

Otherwise, enjoy the traffic free streets, Grindley Place and the canal network, the largest shopping mall in Europe at the Bull Ring and the Balti triangle!