Take Note: Live venues' state of independence

There are certain constants in the world of music '“ like Record Store Day, the annual anti-Simon Cowell Christmas number one campaign, and now Independent Venue Week.

This celebration of the UK’s musical outposts now involves 150 clubs across the UK with 14 in Scotland – all making a special effort to lure punters more at home in the telecoms-sponsored arena by the retail park.

Venues on the ‘toilet circuit’ are where most live performers start out and this year there are plenty of big-name acts who remember their sticky-floored roots,  including Frightened Rabbit, Admiral Fallow and C Duncan.

This year also welcomes the Gig Buddy scheme – aimed at encouraging people with mobility and other issues that might prevent them from gig-going.

So, do try and get along to a show this week. You might just catch the next Muse, Manics or Coldplay (and in years to come, tell the story of how they were rubbish).

And if you like it you might enlist in the regular army of punters who fight for their right to wade through rivers of flat lager and watch their heroes up close and personal.

For them, every week is Indie Venue Week. And yes, I can’t say that often enough.

More at www.independentvenueweek.com.