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.

Sadly, Bristolian Myles Rudge has passed away aged 81. Now you may not know of Myles, but the chances are that if you grew up in the 60's his lyrics are indelibly burnt into your synaptic pathways. Myles wrote the lyrics for a string of novelty songs in the 1960s, including Hole in the Ground and Right Said Fred (both 1962 and sung by Bernard Cribbins) and A Windmill in Old Amsterdam (1965). Rudge's witty lyrics helped all three numbers to define the golden age of comedy records in Britain.

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.

This year's End of Trail party will take place on the Saturday following the Arts Trail weekend, 17 May 2008. The party will be at Southbank Studios (formerly Holy Cross Social Club) on Dean Lane, BS3 1DB. It will run from 8pm until midnight and feature music from the Blue Mangoes who were a huge success at last year's party. You will need a ticket, so read on for details of how to get hold of one.

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.

A second public meeting is being held to debate plans for the Bristol Festival, a new summer event to replace the now-bankrupt Ashton Court community festival. To make your views known, you can attend the meeting on 10 January at The Folk House on Park Street from 1900 GMT onwards. Organisers of the new Festival hope that it will become a South West version of the Edinburgh Fringe. The group behind the festival is made up of volunteers and is open to new members and partnerships. The festival will include various aspects of Bristol culture with events and activities taking place across the city, including art exhibitions, workshops and educational talks as well as club nights and gigs.

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.