A CONCERT takes place this weekend to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of musician Alfred E Rodewald who was founder of the Liverpool Orchestral Society - and after whom, of course, the Phil's Rodewald Suite is named.

"If someone threw a bomb in this room that would wipe out the whole of British musical culture," (semi) joked someone who will remain nameless sitting near me at the Association of British Orchestras conference today.
I popped in to the welcome session at the Marriott City Centre where representatives from all the UK's major orchestras have gathered for three days of discussion and debate about the state of the (classical) nation.

Good news that the new James Bond film is back on track and in production.
But I hope Daniel Craig realises MI6 has been infiltrated by a gang of ne'er-do-wells from that other multi-gazillion cinematic franchise, Harry Potter.
A glance at the cast list for Skyfall makes it look like a mini-Hogwarts reunion, with Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort), Maggie Smith (Prof McGonagall) and Helen McCrory (Narcissa Malfoy) all rumoured to be signed up.
Hope Daniel has brought his Firebolt racing broom with him or it could really be Skyfall, or at least Bondus interruptus.

BACK to the proverbial grindstone? Fed up with the wild and windy weather? Wondering how to brighten up your 2012? You're not the only one.
Luckily, with panto coming to an end the theatres and venues in Liverpool and beyond are gearing up for their spring seasons.
For anyone who missed my tips for 2012 in the Echo over the festive season, here they are again, this time broken down into categories.....

Graham Linehan, Peter Capaldi, James Fleet, Ben Miller, Clive Rowe, Stephen Wight, Marcia Warren, Harry Peacock, little old 'ladies', Sean Foley, Michael Taylor, Scott Penrose and crew......take a bow.
The Ladykillers at the Liverpool Playhouse is an absolute triumph and every person involved should be very proud of themselves today.

First there was the Liverpool Oratorio with the RLPO and Carl Davis. Then Ecce Cor Meum. And now Sir Paul 'Macca' McCartney has turned his hand to ballet.
Ocean's Kingdom, which sounds I have to say a bit like the name of a cruise ship, premiered by the New York City Ballet at NYC's Lincoln Center last night.
I'd like to say I was there, but actually I was at home watching some of the new Martin Scorsese documentary about George Harrison (see Monday's Echo).

It appears music fans have two choices tonight - the RLPO's second concert in the Palace Hall in Bucharest....or Bryan Ferry.
Last year on tour with the RLPO in San Sebastian it seemed like we saw Mick Hucknall everywhere. In the street, at the concert, in the airport, on the plane.
Now it's Bryan's turn although when we walked past him at about 10.30 last night outside the Athenee Palace Hilton (the swankiest hotel in town) I didn't actually notice him!

I don't want to rub it in but it is a hot and sunny September day here in Bucharest where I have joined the RLPO on its autumn tour of Central and Eastern Europe.
The Phil is playing at the Palace Hall, a monster 3-4,000 seater venue, this evening alongside Midori. Tomorrow they return to the same venue for a second concert in the Romanian capital before flying to Prague on Monday.

Holy mackerel! Congratuations to Henry Winkler on his honorary OBE which he received from the British Ambassador in the US yesterday.
Anyone who came into contact with 'the Fonz' while he was in Liverpool to appear in Peter Pan at the Empire two years ago will know what a genuinely lovely and warm man he is.

Congratulations to Liverpool's Walker Art Gallery which has been shortlisted for the Contemporary Art Society's 2011 Annual Award.
NML's William Brown Street gallery is one of five national finalists - it was chosen for a proposal of work from Egyptian artist Wael Shawky who exhibited there as part of this year's Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival.