It is the middle of February already. Where does time go? Can someone create a few more hours in the day? This Saturday, at Rising Sun Arts Centre, in Silver Street, Club Velocity/Bandorama presents Malcolm's Birthday Bash. We held his birthday party last year and it was a huge success, so let's do it again. The line-up was hand picked by the man - if I do say so myself he has far better taste in music than me! Headlining is easily one of the best bands around, not just locally. Quiet Quiet Band are really on tip-top form this year. Imagine forward-thinking country folk, with extra meat.

Sly And The Family Drone also play. I would like to thank their parents for giving birth to these boys. There are not enough bands who want to make a great racket, while hitting things very hard and getting semi naked. John Peel listens to them on his iPod in heaven. Also on the bill are Kinky Boot Beasts, who are getting quite a few of the chatting classes excited. Some say they sound like the Cardiacs having lunch with Swell Maps. Others are yelling it's a free form of punk rock jazz metal for the kids. Who is Malcolm? Well he knows his music, horses and greyhounds - that's all you need to know. Doors 8pm, 18 plus, �5 on the door, �4 advance, www.wegottickets.co.uk

Club Velocity, Friday February 24, at the Rising Sun Arts Centre, 30 Silver Street, Club Velocity presents Golden Hours They are back. Bigger and better. A new improved line-up. We have always liked their kind of UK swirling psych-fuzz greatness. Screama Ballerina, although from Brighton, are now firm local faves. They are already really hitting top form this year, you do not want to miss them. Burnt Tomorrow are a seriously exciting prospect of a musical band. Forward thinking folk, with an extra twist of intelligence. Hooray. A big sexy kind of gig. Doors 8pm, 18 plus, �5 on the door, �4 advance, www.wegottickets.com

People of Reading - a new drinking establishment is opening. Remember the Afroba? The place that had Red Stripe on tap? The place that DJs would play old school hip hop greats? Mine being Sugar Bear. Well it shut down for a few hours and has now reopened as Milk (after a local rum-based drink going back to the 1800s). The chap behind this new establishment has a great punk rock work ethic - he is no hippy or lazy lard arse and really can't see why it cannot be a huge success and I will drink to that. Milk, in Merchants Place (off Friar Street) Reading.