HILLTOPS SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB, Hill Lane, Blackrod. Budding musicians come and play your own arrangements and compositions, Wednesday evenings from 7.30pm. For more details ring Bolton 692702.

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.

WITCHWOOD, Old St, Ashton-Under-Lyne. Ring 0161 344 0321.

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, Oxford Rd, Manchester. Tonight The Waterboys, tomorrow Badly Drawn Boy, Friday November 3, Reef, Wednesday November 1 Mansun, Saturday November 4, Front 242, Inertia and Man(i)kin, Friday November 10, Delirious, Saturday November 11, Embrace, Friday November 17, Queens of the Stone Age, Wednesday November 22, Milnah Ki Jugah (The Meeting Point), Friday November 24, Thin Lizzy, Saturday December 2, Reef, Crashland, and Wilt, Thursday December 14 The Levellers. Ring 0161 275 2930.

NIGHT AND DAY, Oldham Street, Manchester. Ring 0161 236 1822/4597.

THE ROADHOUSE, Newton St, Manchester. Tonight Chairsmissing 3, Monomania, The Id, Nudge, Moco, 9pm, £3/£4. Tomorrow Counter Culture Promotions presents Friends and Family, 10pm to 3am, £5/£6. Sunday October 29, Organics, acoustic jam night, 9pm, £1/£2. Tuesday October 31, Tenner and guests plus Smashing Pumpkins, aftershow halloween ball, 8pm. Ring 0161 237 9789.

HAWTHORNS, Spa Road, Bolton. Ring Bolton 388322.

BLUE CAT CAFE, Shaw Road, Stockport.

BAND ON THE WALL, Swan St, Manchester. 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. Acoustic Night featuring musicians playing blues to modern acoustic. Starts 8pm. Tickets £1. Thursday November 2. Also, Jam at the Met Cafe Bar featuring house band Entito. Starts 7.30pm. Sunday November 5. 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. Friday October 27, LA Doors, Saturday October 28 Kill II this. Also, Saturday October 28, Faust, Monday October 30 Kathryn Williams, Tuesday October 31 The Almighty, Wednesday November 1 Biohazard, Thursday November 2 Teenage Fanclub, Friday November 3 Snapcase, Saturday November 4 Red Snapper, Sunday November 5 Johnathan Richman, Tuesday November 7, Kinky Friendman, Wednesday October 8 Ian "Mac" McLagan and The Bump Band, Friday November 10, Hefner, Sunday November 12 Vast, Thursday November 16, Lo Fidelity Allstars and Space Raiders, Saturday November 18, Roachford, Monday November 20, Jill Scott, Thursday November 23, Lowgold, Saturday November 25, Tom Robinson, Sunday November 26, The Oysterband and Toss The Feathers. Ring 0161 275 2930.

QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL, West Street, Oldham. Britney and Boyslife. Dream Concerts return performing the hits of Britney Spears, Boyzone and Westlife. Wednesday November 1. Starts 2pm. Tickets £5. Ring 0161 275 2930.

BREWERY ARTS CENTRE, Highgate, Kendal. Friday October 27, Barbara Thompson, Jon Hiseman and Paraphernalia. Starts 8pm. Tickets £10 and £9 for concessions. Also, Saturday October 28, Remember Shakti with John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, U. Shrinivas, V Selvaganesh playing jazz music. Starts 8pm. Tickets £25. Ring 01539 725133.

BRIDGEWATER HALL, Manchester. Maximum Rhythm "n' Blues with The Manfreds, Chris Farlowe, Alan Price and Cliff Bennet. Friday October 27. Starts 7.30pm. Tickets £16 and £18.50. Ring 0161 907 9000.