Stephen Wright's classic picture of The Smiths. A campaign to raise funds for the Salford Lads' Club has begun. This iconic building needs money to help pay for important structural repairs. Former club members include Graham Nash and Allan Clarke from The Hollies. Famously, the club also appears on the inner sleeve of The Smiths' The Queen is Dead album. You can help by making a donation. Another venue under threat is The Bury Met. It may be closing it's doors for good due to lack of council funding. The Met is a popular venue for music concerts as well as theatre productions. A campaign has begun to save it. This news comes a couple of weeks after the announcement that cultural hub and alternative shopping haven Afflecks Palace may be converted to appartments once its lease ends on June 14th and the beautiful and historic Odeon on Oxford Rd is being demolished. The iconic Art Deco theatre and cinema will be replaced by a glass fronted block of offices.The first Manchester International Festival looks like it's going to be good for us music lovers. Already we've had the chance to see Gorillaz in a super-rare performance at the Opera House as part of the festival, and this year brings more exciting gigs including Happy Mondays, The Fall, PJ Harvey, Kanye West and the world premiere of William Orbit's Orchestral Suite performed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. There will also be the first public screening of Howard Devoto's super8 film of the famous Sex Pistols gig at The Lesser Free Trade Hall. Sounds promising. Full listing here.Pupils from Medlock Primary School and composer Barry Russell have teamed up to write a symphony about the history of Ardwick and East Manchester. The finished piece was premiered at the Royal Northern College of Music.DJ Jeff Ross of the Portland Radio Authority station in Portland, Oregon, played three hours of the Fall beginning at 9 a.m. on december the 29th '06. If you have heard an interesting Manchester music story this week, or been involved in something please email it to us and we'll stick up here for posterity. For this weeks news we would like to thank Carrie Williams.