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.....