70000 Tons Of Metal: Your new favourite festival

“Metalheads don’t really mix with normal cruise guests like families with kids and retired people looking for a vacation in the Caribbean.” This may be the reason you don’t see many Slayer T-shirts on Thomas Cook holidays.

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BRIT Nominees announced, bets are in

With the 30th awards ceremony this week the speculation on who will grab this years’ BRIT awards, and bets being placed already.

It’s going to be a single ladies’ year with Lady Gaga, Florence & The Machine and Lilly Allen these nominees ‘to watch’ with three nods each. Read more

Vampire Weekend Preview Contra

New Vampire Weekend album ‘Contra’ has been made available to listen in full on the bands Myspace page before it’s release. Read more

Billy Talent Live in Leeds

Billy Talent tour the UK on the release of their latest album, Billy Talent III. After a postponed event, Leeds 02 Academy is still full of people eager to see the band. Read more

Get The Look - Pete Doherty

This week’s for the boys. A stalwart on both the best and worst dressed lists, you can’t deny that Pete’s style has something. Here Emily Solan is going to show you how you too can get his scruffy sex appeal.

• Accessories - Pete is rarely seen without some form of accessory, with his favourites appearing to be his Rosary Beads (as seen on a few other celebs recently), some form of headwear, usually his trusty trilby, a festival favourite spotted every summer, and occasionally some knatty scarf or a skinny tie.
• Tailored suit - Doherty often uses these to shows his more respectable side to your mum. When teamed with a skinny tie and your shirt not quite tucked in, you get his “just got offstage after being ravaged by fans” look with none of the effort of learning to play an instrument and forming a band.
• Polo Shirt - For the more casual moments, the polo shirt and skinny jeans are your best friend. Pete’s look harks back to the 60’s mods, 80’s indie and 90’s Britpop, this is a tried and trusted look. For the best polo shirts try Fred Perry, but nowadays most high streets stock a wide selection, just pick the colours to suit your style.
• Leather Jacket - It’s all about the battered, the better with Pete’s look. For one of these a vintage shop is your best friend, highly recommended is Rare Ape on Holmeside in Sunderland. 

So here are my top tips for stealing Pete’s look:

• Polo Shirt - As I said before, you’re best off looking at Fred Perry to nail Pete’s look. The original slim-fit polo cost £45 and comes in a variety of different colour ways, so you can pick and mix to get just the look you’re after.
• Skinny Ties - Available from £10 www.topman.com. Stick to just plain black like Pete, or they offer a wide variety of colours and prints to suit your mood.
• Trilby - You can find these anywhere, but you’re best bet for Pete’s signature summer straw trilby is to check out that little stall on the market that looks like your grandad should shop there, thye usually have the best hats.

The key to Pete’s look is pretty much look like you fell in the bin at the back of Oxfam, but with a little flair. So go out have fun and work the rock star look with none of the effort.

Local Bands You Must See: The Anglo Form

This week our local band you must see comes in the shape of angular, new-wavers, The Anglo Form. Read more

Local Bands You Must See: Frankie and The Heartstrings

Each week InJournalism will bring you the very cream of Mackem musical talent for your listening pleasure. This week in the form of Frankie and The Heartstrings.

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Libertines, Interrupted.

With Peter Doherty claiming The Libertines have been offered £2million to reform for a series of festivals would Carl Barat be doing the right thing if he buried the hatchet? Read more

The Futureheads play charity acoustic gig at Independent

“Any chance of making it a little bit later mate? I’m running late” admits The Futureheads bass player and founder member, David ‘Jaff’ Craig when I ring him on Saturday afternoon. Read more

The Week That Was play the White Rooms

When I entered the White Rooms the other night to watch local heroes The Week That Was, something just didn’t feel right, like I was an outsider. Read more