CROWN AND CUSHION, Mealhouse Lane, Bolton. Vivid with special guests. Tuesday December 12. Starts 8pm.

HILLTOPS SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB, Hill Lane, Blackrod. Budding musicians come and play your own arrangements and compositions, Wednesday evenings from 7.30pm. Also, Free and Easy with organist and drummer. Every Saturday night. Starts 8pm. For more details ring Bolton 692702.

THE MET, Market Street, Bury. Tom Hingley with Danko present an evening of rock and pop music. Tonight Starts 8pm. Ticket £4 and £3 concessions. Also, Acoustix! Thursday December 14. Starts 8pm. Tickets £1. Ring 0161 761 2216.

THE WATERMILLOCK, Crompton Way, Bolton. Live music every Saturday from 7.30pm. Ring Bolton 591798.

BAROC CAFE BAR, Halliwell Road, Bolton. Ring Bolton 847300.

BURY MET CAFE BAR, Market Street, Bury.

Horwich RMI CLUB, Chorley New Road, Horwich. Ring Bolton 468085 (9am to 5pm) or Bolton 468911 (6.30pm to 9pm).

MOSES GATE HOTEL, Farnworth.

GYPSY'S TENT, Deansgate, Bolton.

BULLS HEAD, Bury Rd, Breightmet.

SHARMAN ARMS, Halliwell Rd, Bolton, Saturdays, live artist.

ROSE AND CROWN, Bury Rd, Edgworth, Bolton, Saturdays, live entertainment.

THE LAMB, Blackburn Rd, Bolton, Saturdays, live entertainment.

ST GREGORY'S SOCIAL CLUB, Church St, Farnworth, live cabaret, open the box and bingo on Sundays.

THE BROOKLYN, Green Ln, Bolton, Sundays, live entertainment.

BOLTON CRICKET CLUB, Green Lane, Bolton. Jazz Club, Thursdays.

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, Oxford Rd, Manchester. Ring 0161 275 2930.

NIGHT AND DAY, Oldham Street, Manchester. Tonight Kaluta, Grace and The What; Saturday December 9, The Fremen, Finka, Milk, and Citrus; Monday December 11, Acoustic Songwriters Night with Stuart Avery, Dave Lloyd and Ian Darby; Tuesday December 12, The What, Belle Vue and LIttle Dipper; Wednesday December 13, Ha! Losgic, Parma Violets, Goose and Caesar Lounge; Thursday December 14, Girls On Decks. Ring 0161 236 1822/4597.

THE ROADHOUSE, Newton St, Manchester. Ring 0161 237 9789.

HAWTHORNS, Spa Road, Bolton. Ring Bolton 388322.

BLUE CAT CAFE, Shaw Road, Stockport.

BAND ON THE WALL, Swan St, Manchester. Tonight Organic Soul. Starts 9pm. Tickets £6 and £5. Also, Saturday December 9, Nine Below Zero. Starts 9pm. Tickets £6 and £5. Also, Tuesday December 12. Showcase Well North of London. Starts 8pm. Tickets £3.50. Also, Thursday December 14, Paul Lamb and The King Snakes. Starts 8pm. Tickets £7.50 and £6. Also, Friday December 15, Strictly Calypso. Starts 9pm. Tickets £6 and £5. Also, Saturday December 16, Pocket Central. Starts 9pm. Tickets £6 and £5. Ring 0161 833 0682, or 0161 832 6625.

MANCHESTER CRAFT AND DESIGN CENTRE, Oak St, Northern Quarter, Manchester. Ring 0161 832 4274.

THE MET ARTS CENTRE, Market St, Bury. Ring 0161 761 2216

JOSHUA BROOKS, 106 Princess St, Manchester. Ring 0161 273 7543. Mondays, Indie Night, 8.30pm. Tuesdays, house Music with Dave McCormack, 8pm. Weds, House music with Matt Hadlow, Lee Fletcher, Francis Wooff and Stephen Reilly. Starts 6pm. Fridays, Funk & soul music with Dave Glynn. Starts 9pm.

JABEZ CLEGG, 2 Portsmouth St, Manchester. Ring 0161 272 8612. Mondays, The Freestyle Factory. Starts 7pm. Tuesdays, The Big Quiz and Resident DJs. Wednesdays, funk and acid jazz. Thursdays, Super disco brakes - a night of funk and disco. Fridays and Saturdays, The Bop, a mixture of dance and pop, 9.30pm.

THE MOON & SIXPENCE, 1 Bernard Street, Glossop. Ring 01457 865203.

THE GUZZLING GOOSE, Bentinck Street, Ashton-under-Lyne. Ring 0802 581308.

IRISH WORLD HERITAGE CENTRE, 10 Queens Road, Cheetham Hill, Manchester. Ring 0161 973 5780.

BREWERY ARTS CENTRE, Highgate, Kendal.

MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY STUDENTS UNION, Manchester. Saturday December 9, Amen; Sunday December 10, Bap Kennedy; Tuesday December 12, The Hellacopters; Thursday December 14, The Alarm 2000 with Kirk Brandon and The Spear of Destiny; Sunday December 17, Cradle of Faith. Ring 0161 275 2930.

BUXTON OPERA HOUSE, Water Street, Buxton. Ring 01298 72190.

BREWERY ARTS CENTRE, Highgate, Kendal. Ring 01539 725133.

KING GEORGES HALL, Blackburn.

LYRIC THEATRE, The Lowry, Salford. Ring 0161 876 2000.

WITCHWOOD, 152 Old Street, Ashton-under-Lyne. Tonight Amplifier. Starts 9pm. Tickets £1 and £2; Also, tonight Stumble and The Friday Jukebox. Tickets £1 and £2. Saturday December 9, Teen Spirit. Starts 9pm. Tickets £5. Sunday December 10, Ray Stubbs Amazing One Man Blues Band. Starts 1pm; Sunday December 10, New Morning and Tucana. Starts 7.30pm. Tickets £3; Tuesday December 12, Bracil, Doc and Flawed. Starts 8pm. Tickets £3. Wednesday December 13, Bad Manners and Zen Base Ball Bat. Starts 8pm. Tickets £10; Thursday December 14, The UK Subs and Capdown. Starts 8pm. Tickets £5. Ring 0161 344 0321.

HOWCROFT INN, Pool Street, Bolton. Live and unplugged acoustic nights 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. Starts 8.30pm. December 12, Staff Folk. Ring 526814.

MANCHESTER APOLLO. Ring 0161 832 1111.

STAR & GARTER, 18 Fairfield Street, Manchester. Ring 0161 273 6726.

MANCHESTER VICTORIA BATHS. Ring 0739 510263.

BREWERY ARTS CENTRE, Highgate, Kendal. Nearly Dan (Steeley Dance tribute band). Saturday December 9. Starts 8.30pm. Tickets £8 and £7. Ring 01539 725133.

IRISH WORLD HERITAGE CENTRE, 10 Queens Road, Cheetham Hill, Manchester. JJ King and the Coolers. Sunday December 10. Ring 0161 205 4007.