Everyone loves a good spoof – and that’s what the eagle-eyed among us might have spotted around town:

Yup, the Best of Manchester Awards posters have been re-imagined as ‘Best of Manchester Notions’ – click above for a larger version, and check out the ninja symbol top right in particular.

The (official) organisers love it and are appealing for the designer to come forward. They’ll get their space within the BoMA exhibitions. Alternatively, anyone who helps out with some detective work will get a couple of tickets to the awards night. Email marketing at urbis dot org dot uk.

No sooner had I posted about Steve Reich’s ticket competition than two more present themselves – this time from City Inn hotels:

It’s our 10th year anniversary and are celebrating by giving you the chance to win VIP tickets to see Antony and the Johnsons perform at Manchester Opera House on 3 July. Simply go to http://www.cityinn.com/tenth-anniversary/,  select the exclusive event you wish to be in the draw for and submit your email address.

The prize this time includes two tickets to the show and champagne reception, plus a room, three-course meal and full English breakfast for two people.

The chain is also offering the same prize for the Kraftwerk/Steve Reich show on 2 July – click here for more information.

Despite its plentiful supply of restaurants, Didsbury Village is noticeably short of good, independent drinking establishments – especially ones where you feel equally safe order a coffee as you do asking for a pint. I was in The Art of Tea on Barlow Moor Road on Saturday and, when I’d finished being distracted by the halloumi salad, spotted details of a regular event that’s launching there tonight:

Gesampt is a new night bringing together all things creative and offers people an opportunity to exhibit their work for one night only in a Salon style – this could be anything from paintings to objects and videos to soundtracks.

Gesampt will also be showcasing acoustic and folk musicians that are either traditional or experimental in style.

Offering acoutic entertainment this evening will be Luffy the Acoustic Man, Clare Helen, Callum Plowright and Dan and Lee from No Drones for Leopold, while Cygnus and WEAR will be providing ‘experimental electronic shenanigans’. The event kicks off at 7.30pm and runs until about 11.30pm. Visit the Salon Gesampt blog for more information about future events.

Since Metro dropped its daily listings section a couple of months back it’s been a struggle for those wanting to keep up to date with music events in the rainy city. CityLife’s print version is handy but is limited by space and frequency, and its digital version is too generic (‘live music at Lime/Dry Bar/the Thirsty Scholar/Night & Day’ anyone?).

Northernights, meanwhile, does a great job of informing us about Manchester’s clubbing scene, and I’m now doing a weekly roundup of folk/Americana/alternative gigs at my new Hey! Manchester music blog – but there’s also a new dedicated events listing site: theshippingforecast.eu.

It’s a pretty minimal service, featuring the name, type of music, venue, time and price for each event – and sometimes just two or three of those. They’re obviously anticipating that anyone who’s interested in seeing Fight Like Apes at the Roadhouse, for example, has the common sense to google it for more information.

The Shipping Forecast is also available around town – at ‘common, the skate shop opposite, abode, fuel, saki bar, ram and shackle’ for starters – as a fold-out print version on nice card. It’s what the Alive guide, which seems to have all but vanished lately, did well a few years ago – but more personable and alternative.

If you have a music event, email listings@theshippingforecast.eu. They promise to include everything received, ‘no music snobbery at all’.

Either Manchester International Festival is taking a liberal approach to announcing this year’s programme, or someone’s jumped the gun:

07-18-2009 20:00

MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

Dave Haslam presents

And all they had to do was hold out until the press launch at Manchester Art Gallery on 19 March!

Anyway, this could be good… at least we know that Haslam is as pro-Manchester as you’ll get – unlike Rufus Wainwright, who’s having a good go at making Manchester feel well and truly second best. He’s not exactly talking up his opera-writing skills either, is he? And he’s not even sure that it won’t be a disaster.

July looks set to be a fun month!