From 4th September, 20 "public pianos" will be distributed across Bristol by local artist Luke Jerram. The street art event has been organised by the Colston Hall in celebration of their newly refurbished facilities. The pianos will be chained to lampposts and trees in various locations with the intention of livening up the city, bringing music to our ears, and generally getting people talking more. Luke has taken his project around the world, and now Bristol gets to feel the effects. On the 16th June 2009,  'Play Me, I'm Yours' was discussed in the House of Lords regarding the absurdity of the UK music licencing laws.

The CoriTap ciderhouse in Clifton has always had a fantastic reputation for its cider – but it’s now become incredibly popular and well-known as a great live music venue. So much so that they were encouraged by customers and musicians alike to enter The Publican "Music Pub of the Year" Awards back in October and they have just got through to the finals!!! A massive achievement! The CoriTap enjoys huge support from the most amazingly talented musicians not just from Bristol but Europe and Canada too … Phil King, Beth Rowley, James Morton, Andy Sheppard, John Fenlon, Gary Alesbrook, Cliff Moore – the list goes on and on. The finals will be held at The Grosvenor Hotel, London, on 24 March – We wish them the best of luck!!! www.thecoronationtap.com

Not entirely music related, but we really like the sound of Bristol Radical History Week 2007 which started yesterday (28/10/07 - 6/11/07). This year Bristol Radical History Group turns its single beady eye on Pirates, Witches & Smugglers, icons of the past, so deeply reviled by the rulers of their time. Who were these 'outcasts'? Why are we so fascinated by them? Do their villainous representations carry clues to their real nature? Get answers to these questions and more during this year's Bristol Radical History Week, more details after the link.

The Public Consultation for the Bristol Festival took place on Thursday, 25th October, from 6pm at the Trinity Centre, St Phillips, Bristol. The consultation raised and discussed many issues and ideas. A vote was held on the festival name, and it was decided to stick with the Bristol Festival, whilst some of the other names suggested may be used for stages. An online forum has been set up to allow the discussions to continue, so everyone is encouraged to visit the website, sign up and add their voice and opinions. A Bristol Festival logo is needed, so a competition has been launched for which submissions are invited. Read on for further details.

The Cabot Circus Cantata is a collaborative project developed by Neville Gabie, Bristol Alliance’s Artist-in-Residence and Bristol composer and conductor David Ogden. With fifty-nine nationalities represented on site, construction workers from the Cabot Circus development, including builders, secretaries, foremen, security guards, and canteen staff have been invited to contribute traditional songs from their native countries. The songs are combined into one set, and performed either by the contributor from the construction site or the City of Bristol Choir. If you missed the performance on 14th Oct there is now a video available online.

The Bristol Festival is a brand new event being organised for 2008 by volunteers who feel it's what the community needs, especially in light of the unfortunate but inevitable demise of the hijacked and obstructed Bristol Community Festival at Ashton Court. A Public Consultation Evening at Trinity aims to get your views and support for a community festival celebrating the region's music, performing arts and local culture. Briefly - 25th Oct at Trinity, more details after the link.