SINGER Paul Heaton left money behind the bar of dozens of pubs, including two in Belfast and Derry, to mark his 60th birthday today.

THE Assembly election may be over, but Bellaghy singer Brooke Scullion is counting on viewers across the north to vote this Thursday and help restore Eurovision glory to Ireland.

ACCESS and outreach are buzz words in the arts sector, often used to attract funding.

:: Descendents Dublin show IT'S a veritable punk rock special this week in Noise Annoys, not least because it's high time we mentioned that southern California's finest pop punk pioneers the Descendents are playing at The Academy in Dublin next month.

SOFT CELL – *HAPPINESS NOT INCLUDED SOFT Cell's first album in 20 years opens with a vivid depiction of a future filled with androgynous, leather-clad boys and girls, flying cars and weather-control devices.

A Co Derry singer set to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest has told of how she is having an "amazing experience" in Italy ahead of the competition next week.

THE lead singer of Ukrainian band Antytila has described the difficulties the band faced while writing the lyrics for a collaboration with Ed Sheeran.

GROWING up, Megan McKenna was constantly unwell and found herself eating her lunches alone in the stairwell at secondary school because she didn't want to stand out from the other kids.