Blue Blokes 3 are old pals Ian Anderson (English Country Blues Band, Hot Vultures, Tiger Moth and more) on vocals, guitar and slide guitar, Lu Edmonds (Mekons, Billy Bragg's Blokes, 3 Mustaphas 3, Shriekback, PiL, The Damned, Kirsty MacColl and many more) on vocals, cumbus, saz, guitar and more, and Ben Mandelson (Billy Bragg's Blokes, 3 Mustaphas 3, Tiger Moth, Orchestre Jazira, Magazine and many more) on vocals, mandolin, baritone bouzouki, banjo, tenor guitar, guitar and more.

Past social twanging and banging apart, they came together one dark and rainy night in the spring of 2007 to pay tribute to English folk sweetheart Shirley Collins on the occasion of a celebratory evening to mark her receipt of the MBE from another queen. Their wonky take on old time nomadicised English country blues and death folk seemed to appeal and one thing led to another - within days the Fledg'ling A&R office were inviting them to make an album, and then came offers to appear at a few other reckless events. The resulting album Stubble was just released and is getting good reviews.

Having made the record on the absolute insistence that there would be no touring, their initial trio of June 2007 gigs to launch the album were such fun to do and so well received that they've taken little persuasion to relent. The first tour will be 9th-25th January 2009.

Thursday 4 December

Great stand-up on the first Thursday of every month.

Tuesday 9 December

Mixing the best up-and-coming talent with Automatic Restaurant's fine menu guarantees a memorable evening of music.

A magical journey through the music of the Benny Goodman era. Featuring hits of the 1930s and 40s such as Lady Be Good, Memories of You, S'Wonderful, After You've Gone and many others. Clarinet swing at its best!

Tuesday 14 October

Mixing the best up-and-coming talent with Automatic Restaurant's fine menu guarantees a memorable evening of music.

Featuring Rachel Taylor-Beales, Robert Brown, TJ and Murphy and Jason Johnson.

6-10 year olds: 10am-12.30pm

10-15 year olds: 2pm-4.30pm

Tuesday 11 November

Mixing the best up-and-coming talent with Automatic Restaurant's fine menu guarantees a memorable evening of music.

Featuring Vince Freeman - winner of best male solo act and people's choice award at this year's INDY Music awards, Tramps and Horses and Colin Wakeford.

Friday 28 November

Friday 10 October

Aynsley Lister writes and performs all of his own material, and has built a fantastic reputation as a blues guitarist, gaining respect from artists all over the world. He is the light at the end of the tunnel in a world full of over hyped pop music and returns to The Met for what will be another sell out gig.

Friday 21 November

Saturday 13 September

Are you a comedian, a magician, a dancer, a singer or a songwriter? A member or a band or a choir? Can you perform a novelty or variety act? Then why not audition for a place in this year's Bury's Got Talent competition?

To book an audition slot just call Platinum Productions and Promotions on 07765 873 612 or email platinummusicmap@hotmail.co.uk.

We welcome all acts - whatever your talent we want you! There is no audition charge!

Thursday 18 September & Friday 19 September

An evening of entertainment and variety as the best of the Bury's Got Talent 2008 auditionees take to the stage to compete for a place in this years final!

Please note change to previously advertised date.

Thursday 25 September

The very best of Bury's talent showcase themselves to you - the audience - who will then have to pick the winner of Bury's Got Talent 2008!

Please note change to previously advertised date.

Friday 26 September

Award winning songwriter (Song of the Year 2007) Rae Evans brings her collective Coraline to The Met to launch their debut release.

Coraline fuse folk, jazz, soul and a healthy dose of theatricality into their sound, with soaring strings and an irresistible rhythm section. Expect songs about fairy-tales, the internet, brave adventurers and more...

]]> Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://themet.biz/diary/?id=coral1222455600 http://themet.biz/diary/?id=north1227900600 Friday 28 November: An evening of entertainment and variety.

Friday 28 November

Winners and runners-up from the Northwest Talent Searches across the region compete to take the crown of Northwest Talent Champion 2008 and £500. This promises to be an evening of the very best entertainment and variety from across the northwest talent circuit. Acts already lined up include dance troupes, vocalists, comedians and a drama act with a little bit of a difference...

Saturday 27 September

The story of the Co-operative Movement from its roots in the early part of the 19th century when the Industrial Revolution resulted in exploitation and misery for many working people. Did it all begin at Toad lane in Rochdale in 1844? Mikron Theatre Company wander down the aisles of history to bring you the true story, told, of course, with a mixture of music, humour and sadness.

This production is in partnership with the Co-operative Membership.

The Ring Of Fire play tribute to the career of Johnny Cash, from the early classic Sun Session Recordings such as Folsom Prison Blues, through to the modern classics from Rick Rubin's American Recordings. This ultimate tribute to the man in black will take you back to the sounds of those magical 1950's shows that became the birth of Rock'n'Roll.

Saturday 25 October

ComedySportz is a fast-paced improv comedy show where two teams battle it out for the biggest laughs. The players create quick witted sketches, scenes and songs from whatever suggestions are thrown at them by the audience to create a show that's fast, feelgood and always unpredictably funny. There's a referee on hand to steer the entertainment, call any fouls, and help the audience decide the winner.

Thursday 27 November

Thursday 13 November

Saturday 15 November

Cornish trio 3 Daft Monkeys combine rousing vocals, frenetic fiddling, 12-string guitar, dancing bass and foot drum. Whether it's Celtic, Folk, Gypsy or other World Music you are drawn to, this band is far too diverse to be pigeonholed into one genre. Whatever your taste in music, 3 Daft Monkeys offer something special and their unique blend of high octane, funked-up folk is guaranteed to get you dancing!

Tangles? Split Ends? Frizzy? Flyaway? It's bad enough having a bad hair day but pity poor Rapunzel spending her life in a tower with some strange woman using her captive's locks as a step ladder!

Sunday 30 November

Saturday 6 September

A formidable singer, guitarist, songwriter and storyteller, Jackie Levin's work, like many of the musical greats, falls into a category of its own. With some justification his outpourings have been called Celtic Soul and Jackie is part of an ancestral line that includes the likes of Van Morrison and Lightnin' Hopkins.

Saturday 6 September

Tiny Tin Lady are four young women from St. Helens who have become one of the most talked about bands on the acoustic scene, stunning audiences everywhere with their blend of brilliant, original songs, superb musicianship and spine-tingling harmonies.

...a unique blend of roots honesty and rock sensibilities not to be missed MOJO

Thursday 11 September

More than a decade after their formation, the Hot Club of Cowtown has grown to be the most globe-trotting, hard swinging trio on the planet. Jazz collides with country, creating an amazing sound that's half hoe-down half boogie-woogie. They have appeared at festivals, in clubs and theatres and featured on radio and TV including BBC TV's Later with Jools Holland.

Friday 19 September

Little Toby Walker is an exceptionally gifted finger-style guitarist, singer, songwriter and storyteller whose music draws from traditional and contemporary blues, roots, western swing and ragtime. He plays an authentic 1930 National Steel Guitar, an instrument called the Didley Bow all complimented by his humorous and very entertaining stories.

Friday 26 September

Ska legends The Beat return with another blazing night of hits.

Featuring favourites Tears of a Clown, Mirror in the Bathroom, Can't Get Used to Losing You, and many others.

Standing event.

Wednesday 1 October

Odd but charming BBC Radio 4 reporter Marvin Williams goes on a journey to find his brother who has been missing for twenty years. Tracing the trail of an entire life, he stumbles his way through beautiful and outrageous situations. What does he find in the end? A moving story told with quirky humour, idiosyncratic characters, cinematic perspectives, and rapid, surprising scene changes.

Wednesday 8 October

Saturday 11 October

Wednesday 15 October

It's Friday night, it's disco night - time for Bouncers to come alive! Judd, Ralph, Les and Lucky Eric invite you for a night on the town in this hilarious and outrageous look back at the 1980s nightclub scene.

Thursday 16 October

Those wicked Essex rascals Mawkin have joined forces with the honey-voiced Jim Causley to form one hell of a boyband! One of the best instrumental outfits to emerge in recent years, Mawkin has amassed a strong following and with the gorgeous baritone voice of Jim Causley this is a unique collaboration not to be missed.

A creative participatory experience for children aged 3 - 5 years.

Set within a horse's stable, Horseplay is a magical, multi-sensory world containing live performer, Niki McCretton, beautiful props, miniature landscapes, lighting, sound and images to support children's imaginative ideas.

Initiated by Niki's pony-tale, the children take over as their play becomes the performance. Parents and teachers watch the unfolding story through nooks and crannies in the stable wall. Horseplay is guaranteed to thrill children and will please arty parents too!

Horseplay lasts for about 40 minutes with a chance for children and parents to ask questions and play together afterwards.

Tuesday 28 October

Why doesn't the egg want to hatch? Is it shy, lazy? Mum can't wait to find out, especially because winter is coming and she has to leave the forest! For ages 3+

Friday 31 October

Oscar Wilde's magical short story of a giant who learns the value of generosity. For ages 5+

Wednesday 5 November

Thursday 6 November

Saturday 8 November

Wednesday 19 November

A Mr Kite Benefit.

Saturday 13 December

A Mr Kite Benefit.

Thursday 4 September

Great stand-up on the first Thursday of every month.

Mancunian Tony Burgess has written for Lily Savage, Brian Conley, Steve Coogan and Johnny Vegas as well as appearing in the sitcom Ideal. Joining him will be Londoners Pete Johansson and Mike Belgrave plus Birmingham's Andy White who received a five star review at the Edinburgh Festival!

Thursday 2 October

Great stand-up on the first Thursday of every month.

Thursday 6 November

Great stand-up on the first Thursday of every month.

Featuring Dame Mandy Knight, Damion Larkin and guests.

Friday 24 October

Friday 12 December - Wednesday 24 December

We're very proud to announce that The Met's Christmas production for 2008 will be In the Shadow of Trees, a magical show from Rossendale's award-winning Horse + Bamboo Theatre.

Set in a mysterious woodland, In the Shadow of Trees tells the compelling story of a young girl, abandoned at birth, who grows up raised by nature alone - a wild child who slowly discovers then loves and protects the natural world she has been raised in. But one fateful day, she learns that she is not the only human in the woods...

Among all the glitz and glitter of the pantomime season, this enchanting production is like a still small voice of sanity as well as quality The Stage

Enthralling, captivating, warm and beautiful, In the Shadow of Trees was first produced in 2005 at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre, where it won Best New Play at the 2006 Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards.

Suitable for children ages 5 years plus and their families, the show lasts approximately 70 minutes.

Friday 12 September

Comedy band The Lancashire Hotpots combine Lancashire folk music with hilarious observations on contemporary life, singing songs about sat navs, online dating and goth music in traditional northern washboard style.

The flat capped foursome only got together a year ago, but already they have become one of the north west's most in-demand live bands. Championed by Radio 1's Colin Murray, their hit song He's Turned Emo has been played nearly a quarter of a million times on MySpace.

Thursday 20 November

Thursday 30 October

Weaving wooden flute, fiddle, acoustic guitar, jaw harp, bass and foot percussion with strong vocal harmonies, French-Canadian band Genticorum offer a blend of traditional songs and tunes as well as original compositions. The energetic and original traditional power-trio also incorporates the dynamism of today's North American and European folk cultures in their music.

Friday 31 October

Friday 7 November

Saturday 18 October

Wednesday 22 October & Thursday 23 October

Friday 24 October

Saturday 25 October

Saturday 27 September

Kris Drever, John McCusker and Roddy Woomble combine on one of the most innovative projects this year. John McCusker is a highly regarded traditional musician who is rated throughout folk-land as one of the most naturally gifted multi-instrumentalists of his generation. Folk hero and Lau band member Kris Drever is a singer songwriter of the highest calibre who has carried folk music into the 21st century. The super band trio is completed by Idlewild front man Roddy Woomble.

A Mr Kite Benefit.

Friday 3 October

Michael McGoldrick is a flute and tin whistle player from Manchester. He has been a member of several influential bands and has won a number of awards for his work.

Saturday 4 October

A Mr Kite Benefit

Sunday 5 October

The seventh Python, fourth member of the Bonzo Dog Do Dah Band and presenter of award winning children's programmes, Neil has has a career spanning forty years. A musical comedy genius.

Thursday 9 October

Presented by The Met, in association with Big Whistle Music

Friday 10 October

Thursday 4 September

Gordon Giltrap is a true guitar genius. He has recorded twenty five albums, came second (only to Eric Clapton) in Guitar magazine's tenth anniversary poll, and his music has been used by the BBC and commercial TV.

Experience the magic of an amazing live performance with beautiful, passionate songs.

Friday 5 September

Chicago diva Angela Brown's vocal artistry combines with the outstanding musical abilities of The Mighty 45s to produce a compelling act hailed as the hottest live blues, soul and gospel show to be seen outside Chicago.

Angela's performances have been variously described as Rumbustious, lascivious, lubricious and irresistable!

Saturday 13 September

Guitarist Ian Siegal has toured with Phil Guy, Sugar Blue, Nappy Brown, Eddie Kirkland, Catfish Keith and Jimmie Vaughan. His mean and moody live performances have gained him a reputation with some of the world's finest blues artists.

...several notches above the usual Blues fare... Blues Review

Saturday 20 September

Accompanied by Willie Molleson, Emma Smith and Phil Alexander, Eliza Carthy will showcase original material from her new album Dreams of Breathing Underwater. This highly original collection of songs highlights Eliza as an inventive, innovative singer and fiddle-player. Powerful, vital and exuberant rhythms, absorbed from her travels around the globe are all captured in this amazing self-penned music.

Sunday 31 August

They may sound like flower power rejects, but Berlin's 17 Hippies are actually one of Europe's best acoustic folk groups. Imagine a mix of Eastern melodies, Balkan rhythms, French chanson, Anglo songwriting and Cajun tunes, perfectly blended to create unique and exciting pop music.

One minute revving up like a supercharged gypsy band, the next delivering a pastoral treatment of the old pop hit Apache. The Times

Tuesday 9 September

Mixing the best up-and-coming talent with Automatic Restaurant's fine menu guarantees a memorable evening of music.

Featuring Tia McGraff, Harry Brennan and Lizzie Nunnery.

Saturday 11 October

A Mr Kite Benefit.