FLOWERPOT'S NEW HOME, REPRODUCING ENDTRODUCING, HOWARD MARKS, MAYORS, MIGHTY BOOSH AND ZAPPA

THE Flowerpot's demise hadn’t reached the ears of Stornoway’s Ollie Steadman when I spoke to him on Friday. He sounded crestfallen on learning it had closed, saying it was one of Camden’s best venues. He soon came up with a generous idea – offering to play the venue’s launch when they find a new home. It might be sooner than we think. If rumours are true, we may find a Flowerpot residency at Johnny Flynn’s soon.

• Wonder what Howard Marks is like when he’s not regaling with tales of his misdeeds? See him on the decks at The Old Queen’s Head, Essex Road (Nov 12) – think he’s got Cypress Hill’s Mary Jane in there?

• Lovely to see Camden’s musical mayor Jonathan Simpson doing his bit for the borough’s music scene – he was a volunteer usher at the Roundhouse, hanging out with Noel Fielding (a mate I’m told) and Julian Barratt at The Mighty Boosh play Zappa on Saturday. He told me they need more volunteers – interested?



• Who else relied on DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing for their uni house party chill-out room? See 10-piece band Introducing reproduce every note of this essential album completely live at Koko (Nov 19) – a serious must.
Here's the original man in action.



• Judge just how close Diana Vickers’ single is to the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Under the Bridge, when she plays Koko (Nov 12) – I say very.

• Highgate’s The Boogaloo has a novel twist on the acoustic open mic night – proving a bit of an underground hit. At the monthly Under the Influence night, acts sing two songs of their own and one cover of the month’s featured artist – Nina Simone on Nov 22. Line-up includes The Joker and the Thief, Betty Steeles, Meow and Belle Humble. Entry only £2.

DOWN WITH THIS SORT OF THING - FEELING GLOOMY SAY SAVE BBC 6 MUSIC + BEAUTIFUL SOUTH'S PAUL HEATON'S BEER AND BIKE MISSION

I’VE recently discovered our favourite misery night Feeling Gloomy at the 02 Academy Islington has succeeded in spreading its depression across the Atlantic – they’ve taken up a monthly residency in Fontana's New York – good for them.
And the gloom peddlers have also taken an ad out in The Big Issue, just to remind people to save BBC 6 Music from closure – they're not all about the bad stuff.


- On the same note, hundreds of protesters, musicians and DJs turned out at the weekend demo outside the BBC's Broadcasting House against the proposed closure of 6 Music and the Asia Network.
Favourite protest was the nod to Father Ted, with a bunch of people holding up the phrase “Down with this sort of thing”.

- Electronic pioneer Gary Numan’s playing a rare live show for The Playground at Scala (April 13) ahead of his appearance at Coachella in California, I know where I prefer to be.

- Remember Diana Vickers? She was the wide-eyed, slightly strangled-voiced one off X-Factor. See how she turned out at Scala (May 12).

- Ex Housemartin and Beautiful South frontman Paul Heaton’s joined the cycling hordes. He’s cycling 1,000 miles around England to play local pubs. He stops off at The Monarch, Camden, (May 13). Fans are invited to join him on the trip. It's like Eddie Izzard's Marathon Man, with beer instead of ice-cream.

- We've had The Priests and The Soldiers so what's the next trade the record industry can exploit for their quaint-ness? That's right it's the Cornish Fishermen!
Universal music has signed up 10 Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends for an album of seafaring shanties. Something for Father's day perhaps? Whenever that is.