A VENUE in Bury is taking centre stage for a major music showcase today.

The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess has been curating record fairs across Greater Manchester for the past couple of years.

This has culminated in the most ambitious gathering to date, with Market Street's Wax & Beans delivering six live acts, topped up by homegrown act Urban Theory.

The rundown for the Bury leg kicks off with Cold Water Swimmers at noon, before Pageant Mum take to the stage at 1.30pm, Izzy at 2.30pm, Clouds and Errors an hour later, alt-folkster Granfalloon and Urban Theory from 6pm.

Urban Theory played a well-received set, headlining the second stage at Head for the Hills in September. The outfit also slotted in an intimate gig at Wax & Beans and an acoustic set at The Met in November,

For Vinyl Adventures, an independent labels market is also taking place in St Ann's Square in Manchester and the likes of Piccadilly Records, Mars Tapes, Vinyl Resting Place, Clampdown Records and Eastern Bloc Records are also taking part alongside Wax & Beans.

Meanwhile the city's Deaf Institute and Gorilla are hosting DJ sets and live performances.

Burgess, Badly Drawn Boy, Starsailor's James Walsh and We Are Scientists will lay out their own record stalls, alongside offerings from a host of other record outlets based around the north.

Burgess said, on launching his event's latest incarnation: "It’s been a thrill putting on our Vinyl Adventures Record Fairs these last few years and we wanted to do something extra special now that we can do things again,"

Funds will be raised for the Music Venue Trust throughout the day.