i put a message on about this already, but i don't think people are reading it and it's really important!

cambridge has just lost 2 important venues for up-and-coming bands - the boat race and the portland arms (1 forever, the other maybe forever).

the bull and gate in london is rumoured to close at the end of this year, possibly to reopen as a carling venue.

now, this really worries me. when the music scene has just emerged from years of blandness and we finally have bands and independent labels happening that aren't about toeing the corporate line we really need new bands to have an outlet - what do we, as fans of music, do about this? (and sadly i think this is especially critical given we've just lost a flagbearer for alternative music in john peel)