IT'S a bumper weekend of events across Greater Manchester with everything from hard rockers Skid Row to theatre with The Producers.

Four our picks of the best stuff on around the area, check out our guide...

GIGS

CHRIS SMITHER — Bury Met, Thursday, January 17

THE HUNNA — Manchester Academy, until Friday, January 18

MERRY HELL — Darwen Library Theatre, Friday, January 18

THE SKIDS and BIG COUNTRY — Preston Guild Hall, Saturday, January 19

NATHANIEL RATELIFF AND THE NIGHTSWEATS — Manchester Academy, Saturday, January 19

CHARLES ESTEN — RNCM Manchester, Saturday, January 19

DAN + SHAY — Manchester Ritz, Saturday, January 19

SKID ROW — Manchester Ritz, Tuesday, January 22

YOUNG FATHERS — Albert Hall, Manchester, Wednesday, January 23

THE 1975 — Manchester Arena, Thursday, January 24

AZEALIA BANKS — Manchester Ritz, Thursday, January 24

ISRAEL NASH — Deaf Institute, Manchester, Thursday, January 24

THE STREETS — Manchester Apollo, Thursday, January 24 to Saturday, January 26

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE — Albert Hall, Manchester, Friday, January 25

ULTIMATE POWER — Manchester Ritz, Friday, January 25

MAT WALKLATE — Bury Met, Friday, January 25

ISHTEN — Bury Met, Friday, January 25

FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS — Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, Saturday, January 26

JAH WOBBLE AND THE INVADERS OF THE HEART — Gorilla, Manchester, Saturday, January 26

THE VACCINES — King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Monday, January 28

MASSIVE ATTACK — Manchester Arena, Tuesday, January 29

SNOW PATROL — Manchester Arena, Wednesday, January 30

JARROD DICKENSON — Deaf Institute, Manchester, Wednesday, January 30

KAISER CHIEFS — King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Thursday, January 31

THE DANDY WARHOLS — Albert Hall, Manchester, Thursday, January 31

DON BROCO — Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, Friday, February 1 and Saturday, February 2

KAISER CHIEFS — Manchester Apollo, Friday, February 1

THE DELINES — Bury Met, Friday, February 1

GORGO CITY — Albert Hall, Manchester, Friday, February 1

BOYZONE — Manchester Arena, Saturday, February 2

DODGY — Manchester Ritz, Saturday, February 2

FAIRPORT CONVENTION — RNCM Manchester, Saturday, February 2

RICHARD HAWLEY — Bury Met, Saturday, February 2 and Sunday, February 3

THE SEARCHERS — Albert Halls, Bolton, Sunday, February 3

THE CHURCHFITTERS — Darwen Library Theatre, Sunday, February 3

ENTER SHIKARI— Manchester Academy, Sunday, February 3

OZZY OSBOURNE — Manchester Arena, Sunday, February 3

BUCKCHERRY — Manchester Ritz, Tuesday, February 5

THE RESIDENTS — Gorilla, Manchester, Tuesday, February 5

KRIS BARRAS BAND — Deaf Institute, Manchester, Thursday, February 5

FM —Preston Live, Friday, February 8

RED SKY COVEN — Bury Met, Friday, February 8

BROKEN BRASS ENSEMBLE — Gorilla, Manchester, Friday, February 8

BEHEMOTH — Manchester Ritz, Saturday, February 9

JACKIE OATES — Bury Met, Saturday, February 9

THE SPITFIRES — Gorilla, Manchester, Saturday, February 9

JOHN GRANT — Albert Hall, Manchester, Sunday, February 10

THE LEMONHEADS — Manchester Ritz, Tuesday, February 12

RUTS DC — Manchester Ritz, Wednesday, February 13

BEANS ON TOAST — Gorilla, Manchester, Wednesday, February 13

BARBARA DICKSON — Albert Halls, Bolton, Wednesday, February 13

COMEDY

LOVE LETTERS FROM BLACKPOOL — Bury Met, Thursday, January 24

COMEDY CLUB — Darwen Library Theatre, Saturday, February 2

DARA O’BRIAIN — King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Thursday, February 7

FIRST THURSDAY COMEDY CLUB — Bury Met, Thursday, February 7

LOL COMEDY CLUB — Palace Theatre, Manchester, Saturday, February 9

THEATRE

THE PRODUCERS — Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, until Saturday, February 2

RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE — Albert Halls, Bolton, Thursday, January 24 to Saturday, February 2

TRIAL BY LAUGHTER — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Tuesday, January 29 to Saturday, February 2

NT LIVE: I’M NOT RUNNING — Darwen Library Theatre, Thursday, January 31

CROSSING — Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre, Friday, February 8

MURDER SHE DIDN’T WRITE — Darwen Library Theatre, Saturday, February 9

NT LIVE: TRAGEDY OF RICHARD II — Darwen Library Theatre, Saturday, February 16

ROUGH CROSSING — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Monday, February 18 to Saturday, February 23

THE LIFE I LEAD — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Friday, February 22 to Sunday, February 24

NO MORE FIFFING AND FAFFING — Bury Met, Saturday, February 23

NOUGHTS AND CROSSES — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Tuesday, February 26 to Saturday, March 2

BALLET

MOSCOW CITY BALLET — Palace Theatre, Manchester, Thursday, January 17 to Saturday, January 19

BIG BAND

RNCM BIG BAND — RNCM Manchester, Saturday, February 2

BRASS

BRASS BAND FESTIVAL — RNCM Manchester, Friday, January 25 to Sunday, January 27

DANCE

STRICTLY COME DANCING LIVE — Manchester Arena, Saturday, January 26 and Sunday, January 27

FAMILY

BILLIONAIRE BOY: THE MUSICAL — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Thursday, February 14 to Sunday, February 17

TWIRLWOOS LIVE — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Friday, February 15 to Monday, February 18

ELMER THE PATCHWORK ELEPHANT — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Tuesday, February 19 to Thursday, February 21

THE SELFISH GIANT — Darwen Library Theatre, Monday, February 18

ALICE IN WONDERLAND — Albert Halls, Bolton, Wednesday, February 20 to Saturday, February 24

MUSICALS

ROCKY HORROR SHOW — Manchester Opera House, until Saturday, January 26

THE BAND — the Lowry, Salford Quays, until Saturday, January 26

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER — Palace Theatre, Manchester, Tuesday, January 22 to Saturday, January 26

JERSEY BOYS — Palace Theatre, Manchester, Tuesday, January 29 to Saturday, February 16

ANNIE — Manchester Opera House, Saturday, February 2 to Saturday, February 16

THE FULL MONTY — Manchester Opera House, Monday, February 18 to Saturday, February 23

LES MISERABLES — Palace Theatre, Manchester, Tuesday, February 19 to Saturday, March 30

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL — Manchester Opera House, Tuesday, February 26 to Saturday, March 23

OPERA

OPERA NORTH — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Tuesday, March 5 to Saturday, March 9

SPOKEN WORD

PROFESSOR BRIAN COX — Manchester Arena, Saturday, February 9

LEE MEAD — King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Sunday, February 17

TRIBUTE

GAGA — Bury Met, Friday, January 18

ELO EXPERIENCE — Albert Halls. Bolton, Thursday, January 19

SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN — Bury Met, Saturday, January 19

JEAN GENIE — Bury Met, Saturday, January 26

ROY ORBISON STORY — Albert Halls, Bolton, Saturday, February 9

THE JERSEYS — Bury Met, Friday, February 15

VARIETY

ADULT PANTO — Albert Halls, Bolton, Friday, January 18 and Saturday, January 19

AFTERNOON VARIETY SHOW — Darwen Library Theatre, Wednesday, February 6

WRESTLING

WRESTLING SPECTACULAR — Albert Halls, Bolton, Saturday, February 16