… or does the ad on the back of this week’s UrbanLife state the obvious about string quartets?

Anyway, hair-splitting aside, this weekend’s free Spinningfields summer music concerts sound great, especially Litmus who ‘recreate music by famous Manchester bands including Oasis, Joy Divison, James and The Smiths’. More information here.

If you’re up for a big weekend a fortnight from now, why not combine the aforementioned Chorlton Beer Festival with Summer in the Park, which takes place at Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield on 12 and 13 July.

From the team behind the excellent Manchester Food and Drink Festival, this two-day event promises ‘food. music. drink’ - and looks far superior to the Feast! event that took place at Platt Fields Park a couple of weeks ago. Whereas that event was free, Summer in the Park costs £9.50 (one day) or £17 (weekend pass)… but you get plenty for your money:

• Dine in the Park – Try and buy from some of Manchester’s best restaurants
• Drink in the Park – A chance to sample and purchase a stunning selection of wines, champagnes continental beers and Greater Manchester ales
• Producers in the Park – Meet some of the regions best producers and sample the delights of local produce
• Play in the Park – Something for the kids… Play in the Park will create a haven for the little ones. From a baby disco to fruit kebab making, Play in the Park has it covered. Plus kids under 11 come for FREE
• Learn in the Park – Pick up some useful cooking tips from some of the best chefs as they let you into their culinary secrets
• Tea in the Park - A dedicated home for the finest and most diverse, teas, coffees, juices, smoothies, cakes and biscuits that Manchester has to offer
• Music in the Park - What better accompaniment could there be for a festival of food and drink than festival of live music on the main stage, compiling some of Manchester’s favourite artists
• Feast in the Park – As evening draws in, the inimitable Robert Owen Brown will be hosting a traditional feast in the park, featuring a huge ox-roast and seasonal vegetables. The communal banquet will kick off at tea time for those who haven’t already filled up during the day, rounding off a perfect day in the park..

Making a change for events of this type, the musical lineup is actually pretty good, with I am Kloot, the Earlies, the Travelling Band, It’s a Buffalo, Bone-Box, the Bottomfeeders, Mr Scruff, Magic Arm and Cranebuilders among the bands I’d happily pay to see.

I’m also looking forward to trying samples from the following Manchester restaurants, budget permitting: Chaophraya, The Market Restaurant, Carluccio’s, Malmaison Brasserie, Ning, Northern Quarter Restaurant, Brasserie Chez Gerard, Grado, Marmalade and Evuna.

And, drinks-wise, Odd Bar is supplying 30 wines from around the world while 20 local brewers - including Banktop, Marble, Prospect, Allgates, Hornbeam, Leyden, Fallens, Owl, Phoenix and Millstone - will be keeping me content.

All in all, it sounds like a great weekend out. Now if only the weather is obliging…

Mancubist received its half-millionth hit recently, which seems pretty decent for what is essentially a blog. It’s currently ranked 17th in the ‘Local’ category on Blogtopsites and has 160 RSS followers and 170 email subscribers - including new additions from Arts About Manchester, the Not Part Of organisation and even the Guardian Media Group.

So I guess I should write something! Thankfully, there’s always plenty going on in Manchester…

The more romantic among you may be interested in the ‘And then he kissed her…100 years of Mills & Boon’ exhibition currently up at Manchester Central Library. What’s more, the organisers are asking people to submit their real-life romantic stories, no longer than 500 words, by 31 July. M&B author Penny Jordan will pick a winner, who will get an intimate dinner for two and a hamper of Mills & Boon centenary prizes. More information here

A bit of media indulgence now. Ahead of the BBC’s big Salford move, How-Do reports that only two members of staff have so far applied for its ‘generous’ relocation package. It goes on today to suggest that things are therefore looking good for North West-based journos - though one comment suggests that having more vacancies than good applicants may soon become problematic…

Prior to the big move, Manchester will welcome a Media Festival on 26-28 November. Northwest Vision and Media, which will be running the event, promises ‘world-class speakers and a content-packed conference programme’. People from Endemol, Channel 4, mediacity:uk, Sony, Last.fm and MTV are among the confirmed speakers so far. What makes it a festival and not a conference though?

And finally, a quick mention for a gig happening tomorrow, Friday. Geoff Berner is doing a tiny Glastonbury warm-up show upstairs at Briton’s Protection. He’s described as being ‘like early Billy Bragg except that he’s from Canada and plays an accordion’, though he’s much better in my opinion. Check him out for yourself here.

Typical - I start blogging about all the wonderful things happening in Manchester, then make the mistake of checking the Manchizzle and discover that everything’s already been mentioned, namely:

Futuresonic festival (1-5 May), featuring In Search of the Social in Manchester and more social networking than even a 15-year-old webophile can handle.
Highlight (hopefully): a late-night gig at Charlies’s hosted by yours truly
Tip: A limited number of pay-what-you-can Day Passes will be available on each day of the conference

Sounds From The Other City (4 May) is a one-day, Bank Holiday Sunday celebration of musical Salford. Around 50 bands play in tiny churches and pubs along Chapel Street, with each stage organised by a different local promoter.
Highlight (again, hopefully): David Thomas Broughton’s set at my Salford Arms stage and Craig Wood’s Manchester bootleg archive, from 1973 to the present day
Tip: Most years sell out so book your £10 pass at Quaytickets.com now

Also, a few other bits and pieces:

Vice magazine is back in town this Thursday, 24 April. This time it’s at Sankeys and the lineup features live sets from Metronomy, Operator Please and Lovvers (who I hear are great live) plus DJ sets from Friendly Fires, c90s, Autokratz, Evil 9, The oldboy, Contort Yourself. Tickets are free when you register over at Viceland.

Someone or other at Arts Council England wants you to vote on the country’s most musical city. Mark Radcliffe makes a good case for Manchester - but I think we should all vote for Leicester, which has produced such greats as Mark Morrison, Showaddywaddy and Engelbert Humperdinck. You can’t argue with quality like that.

And finally, bad news for Manchester independents as Mai Bai, the sushi cafe, and Roadkill Records, the Oldham Street record shop, both shut their doors. I was telling someone just last week about Roadkill’s mixtape exchange…

The reason for my current blogging lapse isn’t anywhere near as good as Manchizzle’s - but it’s good to know that Mancubist can tick over in my extended absence:

• The Guardian Exchange tunnels continue to generate interest and speculative comments galore
• Urbis now runs a ‘60s Magical Music Tour‘ (wrong city, surely?) on alternate Saturdays, hosted by Brian Allen and finishing up at Twisted Wheel on Whitworth Street. It’s booked up til mid-May, so they must be doing something right
• Manchester has a new record label, Concrete Moniker - and its launch party is on Tuesday 4 March at Common bar on Edge Street. Any label with the Splice Girls on its roster is worth investigating, if you ask me…
• And, finally, one via email: ‘The first issue of if p then q magazine is out in March and the first book, in the if p then q classics series by Tom Jenks, in April. Also keep your eyes peeled for readings and happenings in Manchester. if p then q is keen to talk. We welcome all sorts of experimental submissions of poetry: see the guidelines on the website for more.’

Normal service will be resumed when I’m working less than 50 hours per week again.