Every now and again we try and bring you the finer things in life. Sure, there's loads of indie, goth, electro and Viking death metal to talk about but what about music on the more classical end of the spectrum? Portico Quartet are currently touring their "inimitable" sound with Basquiat Strings and will headline a gig at the Union Chapel this Friday. We'll be there but we're not sure what to expect. They have......

Just out the Van: Autumn is definitely upon us - time to start wrapping up at home with a good book. Or you could throw caution to the (nippy) wind and head to Book Slam next Thursday to bask in the warm glow of literati (gliterati?) including Sarfraz Manzoor (reading from his memoir "Greetings from Bury Park"), Zimbabwean singer-songwriter Netsayi, and poet Polar Bear... Next Thursday at Neighbourhood, £5/£6, 12 Acklam Road, W10 5QZ,......

Monday night sees mad Australians Architecture in Helsinki come to the capital to play Koko after a stop off at Bestival this weekend. Tickets are £12.50 each and still available for box office collection. Faithless play the first of two nights in the capital at Shepherds Bush before moving on to Brixton on Tuesday night, which is mostly sold out though there are some balcony seats left. KT Tunstall plays an instore at HMV on......

We have to admit that we don't sit around watching the information change on TFL's realtime travel news so we weren't aware that the service had been taken over by the General Oblation Board. Good job they're so on the ball otherwise commuters this morning would have been rolling around in original sin: WATERLOO & CITY LINE: Suspended due to excessive dust on platforms. Odd then that there's no general alert concerning armoured bears......

The nominations for the 2005 Mercury Music Prize are out and, as you would expect, it's a mixed bag (all quotes are from the Mercury judges): The Magic Numbers – The Magic Numbers "The Magic Numbers celebrate the joy of singing pop harmonies so fervently that it’s impossible not to cheer along." M.I.A. – Arular "Hip-hop, ragga, dancehall, pop and electro never sounded such perfect soulmates." Polar Bear – Held On The Tips Of......