THE BEST IN LONDON: VENUES, DISCO AND PERFORMERS                                                                         By  Maximillien de Lafayette, Music and Arts Editor

HALLAM FM ARENA.  Broughton Lane, Sheffield, S9 2DF . Information: 0114 256 5656. Booking: 0114 256 5656

Performers: 1-Blue: The all-conquering teen popsters perform such law-influenced classics as Guilty and All Rise. 2-Bryan Adams. 3- Busted: Top Ten trio play undeniably catchy guitar pop and punk tinged melodies. Sing along to 'Year 3000' and 'What I go to School For'. 4-Deep Purple, Peter Frampton, Thunder: Ian Gillan leads the Smoke On The Water legends, with the former Herd and Humble Pie megastar close behind, and veteran Brit rockers to start the proceedings with a crunch. 5- Disney on Ice - Toy Story 2: Fun for all the family, as characters from the hit film take to the ice. There are special effects galore as Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and all of Andy's toys come face to face with rockets, airplanes, and a show-stopping traffic jam. 6- Elton John: Sir Elton John's new show is apparently larger than life - you wouldn't expect anything less. 7- Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra: Expect a jazzy night out with the amiable celeb pianist and host of BBC2's 'Later with Jools Holland'. Backed by his rhythm and blues big band, he is joined as always by special guest vocalists. 8- Lee Evans.  9- Lionel Richie - One World Tour 2004: The former Commodores leader asks "Hello, is it me you're looking for?" To which his millions of fans reply, "Yes!" 10- REM - Around The Sun Tour: Michael Stipe and co. trip through their mammoth back catalogue and showcase their 13th studio album. 11- Ronan Keating - Turn It On Tour: One-time Boyzone frontman and solo hitmaker plays a rescheduled tour. 12- The Corrs: Since releasing their debut album 'Forgiven, Not Forgotten' in 1995, the chart-topping family-forged band (three sisters and a brother) from Dundalk have toured the world with their fusion of traditional Celtic fare and contemporary pop, playing with artists such as Celine Dion and the Rolling Stones.

 

 

13- The Darkness: Celebrating themselves and their debut album, 'Permission to Land', hysterical rockers The Darkness continue their pursuit of 'A Thing Called Love'. Justin and co. put every leopard-skin pantomime shrieker to shame on this mammoth UK tour. 14- Tweenies - Live! - No Sleep 'til Bedtime: Bella, Milo, Fizz, Jake and Doodles, as seen on TV! Playschool's out and bedtime can wait. The Tweenies are back rocking all over the world in their brand new arena gig, No Sleep til Bedtime. More rocking than Robbie, more bopping than Britney, the Tweenies are top of the pops. Their playroom walls glitter with gold and platinum discs, over 1 million fans worldwide have loved their live shows and they have millions of fans who are always left screaming for more. Performing their chart-busting hits Number 1, Best Friends Forever and Do the Lollipop, classics from their Greatest Hits album the Tweenies, with Doodles, Izzles and surprise Guest Artists, will entertain, amaze and blow you away in their brand new arena show No Sleep til Bedtime with songs you love to join in with. They will perform all of this for you on a brand new guitar-shaped stage. No

No Sleep til Bedtime is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to party with your favourite TV stars and friends as you've never seen them before, so come on Tweenie Fans! Dress up as pop Princes and Princesses and join in with the fab-a-rooney vibe!  15- Wet Wet Wet - Greatest Hits And More Tour: The Scottish pop soul sensations reform to dish up such smashes as 'Goodnight Girl', and the mammoth chart-topper 'Love Is All Around'. And Marti Pellow doesn't look a day older!

NATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE & ARENA: Pendigo Way, Birmingham, B40 1NT.  Information: 0121 780 4141. Booking: 0870 909 4133.

Performers: 1- Anastacia: First-ever European tour by the distinctively-voiced American diva, in support of her new single, 'Left Outside Alone'. 2- Blink 182: The cheesey pop punk trio are bringing their new album about love and break-ups to the UK on their latest tour. 3- Blue: The all-conquering teen popsters perform such law-influenced classics as Guilty and All Rise. 4- Bryan Adams.  5- Busted.  6- Deep Purple, Peter Frampton, Thunder. 7- Manic Street Preachers, Razorlight: The Welsh situationist rockers take their seventh studio album, Life Blood, on the road, with support from Jonny Borrell's fast-rising mob. 8- Memorabilia: Meet famous names from the world of TV and film, together with sporting stars. As ever, there will be a host of top star, celebrity and sporting signings over the weekend, as well as costumed look-alikes and attractions. 9- REM - Around The Sun Tour: Michael Stipe and co. trip through their mammoth back catalogue and showcase their 13th studio album. 10- Ronan Keating - Turn It On Tour: One-time Boyzone frontman and solo hitmaker plays a rescheduled tour. 11- St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra: A mainstay of St Petersburg's musical heritage, the orchestra's performances of Russian classical movements have met with critical acclaim world-wide. Here they perform a variety of works, culminating with Tchaikovsky's grand 'Capriccio Italien'.