MUSICIANS, promoters and venues are being urged to join an exciting month-long celebration of live music in Bradford city centre.

Bradford Business Improvement District (BID) is sponsoring thefirst-ever October Is Music Month (OIMM) which will see dozens of live music events of many different types staged in a wide array of venues and locations.

Working with Bradford at Night, Bradford Council and Bradford Producing Hub, they plan to bring the streets alive with the sound of music on four consecutive Fridays – daytime and evenings – and two Sunday afternoons during the month.

And they are calling on anybody involved in playing, promoting or staging music in the city centre to get in touch with details of their events and ideas to help make the event even bigger and better.

Jonny Noble, manager of Bradford BID – the limited not-for-profit company funded by more than 600 levy-paying businesses and organisations to help promote and develop the city centre – said: “Bradford has a fantastic musical heritage and with City of Culture 2025 on the horizon there is no better time to start making a lot more of it.

“With a legacy that runs from Frederick Delius to Zayn Malik, from Kiki Dee to New Model Army, Bradford has music running through its core and there are far more music-related events going on here than most people realise.

“October Is Music Month is about bringing together as many events as possible of all different types and styles of music for all of our many different audiences to enjoy in a concentrated period to remind people just how much the city has to offer.

“We hope the events will have a real family feel and appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds and really help to bring the city to life as the darker evenings start to draw in.

Gail Simpkins, who is co-ordinating OIMM for the BID, said they were happy to hear from anybody who has an idea for an event as well as from venues, promoters and musicians who already have gigs listed for the month.

“At this stage, we just want to know what else is going on that we might not have picked up on already and to hear from anyone else who wants to take part,” she said.

“All I’d like people to do is e-mail me as soon as possible at mama@mamahoodoomusic.co.uk with their details and ideas.”

She said a full programme of events will be issued next month.