Fancy some live music whilst we wait for the snow?

With the unseasonably warm weather we're getting at the moment we're not exactly twiddling our thumbs wondering how to amuse ourselves but when the rainy weather does come (and it will, it will!) we mostly like to amuse ourselves by going to see some good old live music.

It has to be said, good gigs with well-known recording artists are hard to find in this neck of the woods, so we've had a little scout around to see what's what (don't ever let it be said that we're merely altruistic in our motivation!) and there's some pretty good stuff coming up, mostly in Switzerland.

The Docks in Lausanne has some cracking gigs with MOBY and KELLI SCARR on the 4th November for 60CHF and crooner DANIEL POWTER on the 8th. Get your hobnail boots out on 11th November, when NEW MODEL ARMY will be taking to the stage.

Also in Lausanne is the famous D! Club which consistently comes up with top name DJs (Jeff Mills was VIP guest this August) and the 18th October sees a live set from JUST JACK and deep, dark and scary techno god VITALIC plays the 6th November.

It's quite a way to go, but Frison in Fribourg has a good old dose of raaawwwk bands coming up with GOSSIP on the 24th November (sold out!) and CORNERSHOP on the 29th. Into December and it's ALICE IN CHAINS on the 3rd, then the exceptionally musically talented and err...gorgeous BIFFY CLYRO on the 9th.

Did you know the Hacienda club is alive and well? That's the Hacienda in Sierre, which is on the motorway past Saillon and Sion. Every second Saturday big name DJ soirees are organised (with many from the UK) and the 14th November sees Ninja Tunes DJ VADIM on stage with a live band.

If you like your music a little more French, DJ ALEX GOPHER is on at the Rocking Chair in Vevey, alongside PUNKS JUMP UP from the UK on the 6th November. Doors open at 22:00 and it's 32CHF to get in. Before that, the same venue hosts GUSGUS on the 16th October.

Back in France, it may be a good three hour drive to Lyon, but we reckon the range of up and coming gigs at the Halle Tony Garnier (did he invent Laboratoire Garnier shampoos?) is well worth the trek. So good in fact, we're going to do a list!

7th Nov 2009:
PLACEBO

16th Nov 2009:
MASSIVE ATTACK

22nd Nov 2009:
MUSE

23rd Nov 2009:
DEPECHE MODE

24th April 2010:
MIKA

All we need to do now is to earn some money to buy tickets to all these top gigs!