Everyone knows the best thing about heartbreak, loneliness, and unrequited love is the music. Especially the Smiths. This Valentine's Day, February 14, you can celebrate your love, or lack thereof, with The Sons & Heirs, a Smiths and Morrissey cover band at The Bell House in Brooklyn. (Check out their songs here.) Doors open at 8 pm and the show starts at 9 pm with a Smiths-inspired cabaret. You can buy tickets in advance for $12 or $15 at the door. And yes, there will be lots of alcohol and singles there! The Bell House is located on 149 7th Street off the F and G trains.

www.thebellhouseny.com/
149 7th St Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
+1 718 643 6510
Google map: bit.ly/TNui8e

* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen

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The Red Room is a faintly grungy expat haunt just behind Karlovo Namesti replete with black sofas and dark corners for lounging. You don’t come here for the beer – they only have Staropramen and Hoegaarden on tap which any self-respecting Czech would turn their nose up at – but there’s an extensive range of cocktails if you prefer Long Island Tea to lager. The bar’s main draw is the music. Should you find yourself at a loose end at the end of your long weekend in the city and fancy seeing live acts in an intimate venue, the Red Room is the place to head for. Sunday is open mic night and the standard is refreshingly high. On my last visit I was treated to a French double bass player accompanied by a pal riffing away on clarinet and a British lady with an angelic voice belting out ballad standards like ‘Stand By Me’ as well as the usual mix of aspiring singer-songwriters. Should you need to take a break from the tunes there’s a backroom with a pinball machine and table football. Would-be performers should get there by 8.30pm to sign up for a slot.

www.redroom.cz/index.html
Myslikova 28, Prague 1
+420 222 520 084
Google map: bit.ly/X0psQE

* Lisette is our Been there local for Prague. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-lisette.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LisettePrague

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If you're in the San Diego area in the summer be sure to head out for the Free "Summer Concert Series" at Del Mar. Every year they have 12-15 outdoor concerts. No charge for them. They have beer tents and quality acts like Jimmy Cliff, Steel Pulse, and more.

www.dmtc.com/
Google map: bit.ly/XltAfl

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Started a few years ago, Noah's Yard is the new 'it' place to go in the Swansea/Gower area. Every Monday night there is live jazz from local bands with a small entry fee of £2 and the ever-changing magnetic sign over the door is a great conversation starter for all the new people you will meet inside. On the weekends, Noah's is heaving with everyone from students to local millionaires. Owner Noah Redfern's eclectic taste in music and Swansea-based artists gives everyone something to talk about, along with a feel-good vibe from the lovely bar staff. Along with the extensive list of drinks, bar snacks and art gallery, Noah's Yard is definitely the biggest success to hit South Wales in the past decade.

38 Uplands Crescent, Uplands, Swansea, SA2 0NE
+44(0)1792 447360
Google map: bit.ly/Ti0BY8

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A refreshingly unpretentious jazz festival on the banks of the River Aulne in one of the most beautiful corners of Brittany. A young crowd, young musicians and a family atmosphere. Good travel/admission offer from Brittany Ferries too. It is held on the last week of July. Have a look at the video to get an idea of the ambiance:www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv_AEeS8pQQ

www.fest-jazz.com
www.facebook.com/festjazz
Office du Tourisme, Châteauneuf-du-Faou:
+33 2 98 81 83 90
Nearest ferry port: Roscoff
Google map: bit.ly/Q4DLYj

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The Voll-Damm International Festival is back from this weekend to 30 November with local and international artists and bands.
This weekend (19-20-21 October), which unfortunately looks like it will be rainy, has free outdoor concerts between 13.30 and 16.30 at many of the bars and cafés in the city centre. See the website for venues.

www.barcelonajazzfestival.com

* PeterGuest is our Been there local for Barcelona. You can read his profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/barcelona-local-peter-guest.jsp and follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/PeterGuest. Meet more of our locals here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp

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As gig venues go this is pretty slick which is good or bad depending on how grungy you like them to be. Big chandeliers provide cool lighting and the sound is excellent. We saw a band here during SXSW a couple of years ago the name of which totally escapes me but it was definitely a venue that stood out.

www.theparishaustin.com
214 e. 6th St. Austin, TX 78701
+1(512) 478-6372
Google map: bit.ly/V1ry2I

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While ACL may have painful connotations for many people, the ACL festival is really worth checking out. We were there this weekend and the line up was fantastic (The Black Keys were awesome and Alabama Shakes superb) but it still maintained that low key festival feel. Plus the sun shone and it was October so Gllastonbury could learn a thing or two ...

www.aclfestival.com

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This small central Texas town has a strong German influence and is home to one of the best water parks in the world, the Schlitterbahn. They allow guests to bring in their own ice chest full of cold drinks and picnic fixings. Families park their belongings at a picnic table for the day and other guests respect that the table is taken. I have never heard of any problems with this set up. The park is fed with cold spring water from the Comal River which on its own allows for some fine tubing. Several companies rent the tubes and you literally just lay back and float down river for hours on end. Landa Park, a public park, has beautiful grounds and a small train for all ages to enjoy.
If you are hungry, German food and barbecue beckon but my favorite is Schobels set on the banks of the Guadalupe River. It is an all you can eat home style cooking buffet. Pastries and coffee are best at Naeglin's Bakery set around the historic town square. You can finish your day with a visit to one of the most famous honky tonks in the entire US and Texas' oldest dance hall, Gruene Hall.
Hotels and self catering facilities are plentiful and range from budget to expensive with many on the Comal or Guadalupe Rivers.

www.schlitterbahn.com
400 N. Liberty Avenue, New Braunfels, TX, United States
+1 830 625 2351
Google map: bit.ly/OSwNoD
www.nbtexas.org/
www.rockinr.com/
gruenerivercompany.com/site/
www.cornertubes.com/
my.gactv.com/50-honky-tonks/Texas---Gruene-Hall/detail.esi?oid=29263852
www.gruenehall.com/
www.schobelsrestaurant.com/
www.naegelins.com/

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When thinking of Arizona, Phoenix and the Grand Canyon probably come to mind. However, there is a gem of a place halfway between the two. Prescott, a town with a slice of the Old West, has developed around the grassy Courthouse Square, which gives it the feel of small town America. Every year on the first Friday evening after the lighting of the large Courthouse Christmas tree, Prescott is alive with the sound of music. The annual Acker Music Festival Showcase is a fundraising activity for the local performing arts. More than 100 musical groups perform for three hours in the businesses surrounding the square. This year the Showcase is on December 7th, from 5.30 to 8.30 pm. An evening you would never forget!

www.ackershowcase.com/acker.html
www.cityofprescott.net/visitors
Google map: bit.ly/PkSP3e

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If you enjoy bluegrass, alt country or even shape-note singing, you cannot get much better then Knoxville, Tennessee. Although classed as a city, it feels like a small town, with locals who are friendly, full of life and very welcoming. The downtown area is a joy to cover on foot. Take a seat at the Knoxville Visitors’ Center for the free lunchtime Blue Plate Special concert, broadcast live on local community radio station WDVX or stroll around the streets on the first Friday evening of each month when Knoxville’s artists and musicians come out in force to entertain. Alternatively, explore beyond Main Street and head north to the annual family-run Raccoon Valley Bluegrass Festival or east to the magnificent Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There you can enjoy music, food, crafts and more at Dolly Parton’s annual Harvest Celebration and Gospel Festival. Take the scenic route and follow the Appalachian Quilt Trail through authentic, rural Eastern Tennessee on your way to Dollywood.

www.wdvx.com/webcast.html
knoxvillefirstfriday.com/
www.dollywood.com/themepark/entertainment/Harvest-Celebration-Gospel-Performers.aspx
www.arcd.org/quilttrail/
www.knoxnews.com/videos/detail/songs-appalachia-shape-note-singing/
Google map: bit.ly/QYwKD5

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The Jersey Shore is a great place to visit from nearby New York - you can get there in under an hour on the ferry. Forget the gambling hub of Atlantic City, and what you've seen on reality TV shows, the Shore is also the home of the drive-in movie and the knickerbocker glory. Explore the lovely small towns scattered along the coast, from Wildwood in the south, with its two-mile boardwalk, 50's 'Doo-Wop' architecture and sweeping beaches, to Long Beach Island with romantically named towns such as Ship Bottom and Loveladies. My favourite place is Asbury Park. You don't have to be a Bruce Springsteen fan to enjoy the boardwalk, clam bars, pinball museum and jazz clubs, but if you are, then there's the extra attraction of hoping Bruce might turn up and play an impromptu gig at one of the town's rock venues such as the Stone Pony.

www.newjerseyshore.com/

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Try the gardens at Cap Roig (Jardi Botanic Cap Roig),a series of beautiful and unusual themed gardens laid out on terraces around a modern castle leading to the sea. My favourite was the cactus garden which affords spectacular views of the coast below. Time your visit to coincide with the open-air music festival that the garden hosts in the summer. When we were there three years ago, Leonard Cohen was performing under the stars!

www.caproigfestival.com
www.ipep.cat/
Carrer Major, 1 17200 Palafrugell, Spain
+34 972 61 18 20
Google map: bit.ly/LIEryS

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The day is Sunday. The place is Plaza del Banco in the centre of the city - a square lined with small cafes and sheltered by lofty trees. The central bandstand hasn't changed for generations. The cafes are filling up with locals sipping chilled fino, or a Brandy de Jerez, and dipping into small dishes of olives and tapas. Plastic chairs are arranged in front of the bandstand for those who don't want to pay for a drink. The Banda Municipal de Jerez assembles at midday and strikes up immediately. The free concert lasts an hour. The repertoire is varied - some traditional Spanish, some movie theme tunes, some well known classical pieces. However, enthusiasm rather than accuracy of delivery is the order of the day. If you're in the sherry capital of the world this is a free, weekly event not to be missed.

Plaza del Banco, Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia
Google map: bit.ly/Kst7rg

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Random could be used to describe this venue (but good random). Walking in through the large entrance way you are confronted with an open patio space and many doors. Behind each is a different type of music - flamenquito, drum'n'bass, reggae- and atmosphere. I found myself in a tiny bar, with cheap beers served in plastic cups, bopping along to Brazilian rhythms.
From research, I have discovered that it is also a crafts centre grouping together the handiwork of many artists (silk, ceramics, puppets, glassware, etc).
Will definitely be popping by there again soon!

Calle de Castellar, 52 41003 Sevilla (NOT Castelar - I made that mistake!!)
Google map: bit.ly/J68PDs

* BecomingSevillana is our Been there local for Seville. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/seville-local-kim.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/BecomingSevillana.jsp
She also has her own blog: becomingsevillana.blogspot.com/

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We stumbled upon this place when we took a wrong turn on a walk back from the funky shops on Kloof Street and ended up walking down Bree Street. A poster said there was jazz at 11 Breee Street that night so later we walked back and went up the long stairs. At the top we paid about £7 and entered a room that was decked out with a stage, fairy lights, candles and plastic chairs and tables dotted around. A small hatch in the side was the bar and we settled down for the show to start not knowing what to expect. What we got was Mike Rossi, one of the most amazing jazz saxophinists I've ever seen. The music was amazing and his sets were interspersed with Xhosa indigenous music from local musicians. Despite the horrific house wine (which was a surprise in South Africa) the evening was very special and rich. Highly, highly recommended

www.ibuyambo.co.za
11 Bree Street, Cape Town
+27 (0)21 694 3113
Google map: bit.ly/Ix6gn6

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One of Dublin’s best kept secrets, The Cobblestone is a traditional, casual city centre pub that showcases some of the best traditional music and roots sessions in all of Dublin.

www.cobblestonepub.ie/
77 King Street North Smithfield, Dublin 7, Ireland
+353(0)1 872 1799
Google map: bit.ly/IdpSBZ

* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com

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M Hughes is the place to stumble upon the type of impromptu sessions made famous by the movies, as well as organised set dancing evenings and traditional music performances. The easiest way to get here is to take the Luas red line and alight at the Four Courts stop.

20 Chancery Street Dublin 7
+353(0)18726540
Google map: bit.ly/K6I8NF

* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com

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Ever since the 1960’s, O’Donoghue’s has been associated with Irish trad bands including The Dubliners and the Furey Brothers. Both used to play regular sessions in the pub. Little has changed over the years, including the decor of the pub, which still maintains many of its original features. These days, traditional Irish music sessions take place on a regular basis and are very highly regarded among musicians.

www.odonoghues.ie/
15 Merrion Row Dublin 2, Ireland
+353(0)1 660 7194
Google map: bit.ly/JEE1Z5

* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com

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Charlie's Bar is a great bar, full of character. In the winter it has an open coal fire which added to the darkness and really makes for a great atmosphere. Just by the City Hall on the riverside so you can't miss it.
It hosts live music most evenings from rock 'n' roll to blues.
You will find the gigs list on the website.

www.charliesbarcork.com/
2 Union Quay, Cork, Ireland
+353(0)21 4318342
Google map: bit.ly/HCKa8A

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