We like local folkies Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam, despite their silly name. In fact, they don’t know it yet but we’re going to ask them to support Múm for us on 16 August. But before then, they’ve pulled together a great-looking bill at the Deaf Institute tonight:

One of the most exciting line-ups of Manchester artists in a long while. Celebrating the launch of Tim and the Sam Band’s single launch on Static Caravan, a very cool band… and a very cool label.

Opening the night is the jaw-dropping talent of Denis Jones, then there’s Liz Green, Humble Soul veteran and writer for some of the loveliest folk songs to come out of Manchester.

Spokes are the main support and having been working on material for their debut long player on Counter Records they promise to show what an exciting prospect they are too.

Doors open at 7pm, with Denis on at 8pm. It’s £7 in and there’s promise of a raffle, cakes and a DJ set by Pull Yourself Together.

While we’re busy trying to win tickets for Kraftwerk/Steve Reich next month and booking shows of our own, we thought we’d publish a list of upcoming gigs for the months ahead:

June
11 – Jonquil, Ish Marquez @ Kro Bar
18 – Acoustic Ladyland @ Mint Lounge
19 – The Wave Pictures @ The Deaf Institute
21 – The Thermals @ Ruby Lounge
22 – A Hawk and a Hacksaw @ Ruby Lounge
29 – M Ward @ Club Academy
29 – Deerhoof @ The Deaf Institute

July
2 – Kraftwerk and Steve Reich @ Manchester Velodrome
2 – Svarte Greiner @ Sacred Trinity
3 – Anthony & The Johnsons @ The Opera House
10 – Prima Donna @ The Palace Theatre
13 – St Vincent @ Night & Day
14 – Fever Ray @ Academy 2
15 – Prefuse 73 @ Ruby Lounge
18 – Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson @ The Palace Theatre
20 – Mark Kozelek @ St Philip’s Church, Salford
30 – Arbouretum @ Night & Day

August
3 – Final Fantasy @ RNCM
18 – Gang Gang Dance @ The Deaf Institute
24 – Bill Callahan @ The Deaf Institute

September
4 – Okkervil River @ Club Academy
14 – Sunset Rubdown @ The Deaf Institute

We don’t want you to meet something amazing, after all! For more information, just google. And if there’s anything good we’ve missed off (we’re sure there will be), please leave a comment.

Following on from its inaugural year in 2008, Un-convention returns in June to bring independent music debate and performance to the Sacred Trinity Church  in Salford.

Last year’s event complemented the more mainstream In The City conference – but with its early summer slot this time around, the event is even more tempting. Here’s what’s on offer panels-wise (click on each for more information):

• The Artists Panel
• ‘Outside the Box’
• The Modern Role Of Collection Agencies
• ‘Music as Culture’
• Bands As Enterprise
• It’s Easier to Ask For Forgiveness

And the music programme isn’t bad either, with Everything Everything, The Loose Salute, Arthur Delaney, Magic Arm, Jake Flowers and I Am Kloot among the potential highlights.

Plenty of familiar names are signed up: Peter Hook, John Robb, Jay Taylor, Howard Monk from The Local… plus BBC DJ Tom Robinson is lending his support in the form of an Introducing show featuring 22 tracks from artists involved, and sessions with Kyte, Sisters of Transistors and Gallops.

Un-convention 2009 kicks off next Thursday, 4 June, and continues throughout Friday and Saturday. A full pass costs £40 and live music tickets cost £7.50 per night or £18 for all three nights. Check out the Un-convention site for more details, and follow the event on Twitter.

This is shaping up to be the busiest musical weekend in Manchester, with more and more events coming to our attention. Here’s what we’ve spotted:

• The previously mentioned Hungry Pigeon festival, which will have an outdoor stage in Piccadilly Gardens. Friday-Sunday, £19.50 weekend or £10 per day. Tickets
• The Eurocultured street festival, with two outdoor stages and five venues around New Wakefield Street. Sunday-Monday £3/2 each day. Website
• Friends of Manchester summer party, which features 11 bands on two stages in the Chorlton Irish Club. Friday, 7pm-1am. £7. Facebook
• Hedge at St Margaret’s Church in Whalley Range, with John Smith and Denis Jones. Sunday. £8. Myspace
• A Switchflicker night at the Deaf Institute, with three bands plus DJs until 3am. Saturday. £5. Website
• Strummercamp, which brings the likes of Billy Bragg, the Damned, the Alarm and Goldblade to the Manchester Rugby Club in Cheadle Hulme. Friday-Sunday. £59.50 weekend or £30 per day. Website
• John Cooper Clarke will be DJing and ‘taking to the mic to tell us what the tracks mean to him with his comical and intelligent verse’ at South. Friday. £5. Facebook
• And of course Hey! Manchester’s own celebration of folk music at – where else? – Chorlton’s folk bar Dulcimer. Sunday, 6pm-midnight. £10. Website

Plus there are some more straight-up gigs by the likes of Morrissey, Black Lips, Akron/Family, Inspector Tapehead and Jean Michel Jarre. Good luck planning your weekend!

May’s in full flow right now and so far this month we’ve enjoyed shows by Soap&Skin, Philip Glass, Murcof, Johann Johannsson, Jeffrey Lewis, the Broken Family Band and Melt-Banana. This week looks set to be no different…

Tomorrow, Tuesday, Canada’s Great Lake Swimmers are playing for us at Dulcimer in Chorlton. This show’s pretty much sold out now, which was predictable as it’s a great lineup with New York’s Sharon van Etten and Manchester’s own Last Harbour also playing.

Deerhunter, meanwhile, are doing something quite unusual – they’re playing two shows at the Deaf Institute tomorrow. The early show starts at 3pm, with the band on at 6pm, and the late show is from 8pm. Looks like the evening performance has sold out. And on Wednesday, the much-tipped Telepathe play another Now Wave night at the same venue. More info and tickets for both here.

Also on Wednesday, Chorlton-based label Broken Horse are promoting a rare performance by AC Newman (of New Pornographers  fame) at Retro Bar. He’s playing with his band, and Andrew Morgan is supporting. Tickets from here.

There’s nothing much happening on Thursday, but on Friday there’s the debut appearance by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. They’re from New York, they’re into Sarah Records-era c86 and we love them. This one’s a Friends of Mine night, at the Chorlton Irish Club. Tickets are here. Or local female-fronted Norweigan folkies Kalbakken are playing an intimate show upstairs in Briton’s Protection.

On Saturday, you’ve got a choice between Manchester’s Magic Arm, who’s launching his album with a full band show at the Deaf Institute, or Akron/Family at the Ruby Lounge. Both have their merits – the latter being one of the most fun bands we’ve put on, while the former has excellent support from Homelife and Beth Jean Houghton.

Finally, make the most of the bank holiday weekend with a Sunday show. We’ve pulled together some of the best folk talent in Manchester including Denis Jones, John Stammers, Starless & Bible Black and Sparky Deathcap – plus Drag City-signed headliner Alasdair Roberts – for an all-evening event at Dulcimer. There’ll also be barbecue (if the weather’s fine) and DJs playing. More info and tickets are here.