GOOD news for live music fans, as Players bar on the West Wilts trading estate near Westbury is bidding to establish itself a a live music venue.

Ken Bowman, manager of Players and nextdoor nightclub Club Ice is hoping to put more emphasis on promoting live music in Players this year while still being a top choice for clubbers to dance the night away in Club Ice, allowing customers to have the best of both worlds.

The season kicks off tonight with local rock favourites The Buttmonkeys, who will be on stage at 9pm.

Enjoy their own unique style of covers of classic rock tunes, support live music and ride the rock train stopping at Bryan Adams/REM/ Thin Lizzy/Sabbath/Whitesnake/ Floyd/Zeppelin and all stops between.

l FOLK fans will be travelling from all over the west country to Bath tomorrow to hear Nancy Kerr and James Fagan embellish their world tour with an appearance at The Rondo Theatre.

Following dates in Europe and before taking their exquisite musical talent to Australia, Nancy and James, pictured left, serve up a truly stunning evening of musical entertainment with world class vocal harmonies, fine songs and exquisite musicianship on fiddle, viola, mandolin and flat-backed bouzouki.

Winners at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2000 (Horizon Award) and 2003 (Best Duo) and in demand throughout the world, this well-loved duo combine highly skilful and innovative performance with accessibility, warmth and stage presence.

The evening starts at 8pm prompt. Tickets are £8.50 (concs £7) available from Bath Festivals Box Office, Abbey Green, on (01225) 463362.

  • JAZZ fans are also in for a treat next Saturday, when the Ian Shaw Trio presents Drawn to All Things - The Songs of Joni Mitchell on February 3 at the ICIA Arts Theatre at Bath University of Bath.

This is the leading jazz vocalist's only south west date, and an opportunity to hear his recently-released album live as part of his 70-date UK tour. The Ian Shaw Trio also presents some of Ian's own compositions and jazz standards alongside numbers from his latest album.

Tickets for the 7.30pm concert are priced at £9, £7 concs, from the box office on (01225) 386777.