Not that I'm against fame-hungry, craven wannabes who'll swim through a sea of hydrochloric acid to get a shot at the big time. No, I just have an aversion to anything that's been left with the fetid stink that comes with being left in the same room with Sharon Osbourne, Simon Cowell, and that funny little grey haired Irish bloke.

Still, now I've got that off my chest I feel much more charitable towards these poor sullied brothers who'll be performing at The Dome in Morecambe on Saturday night. On the positive side, you'll be entirely safe from Cowell's clutches, since he washed his hands of them after he'd wrung every last cent out of them on the X Factor Show, and quickly moved on to new prey.

Entry is £12.50, a bargain I'd say for the remainder of anyone's soul.
There's no air of desperation about The Spotlight Club, though. The monthly cabaret night that's been running now for well over a decade.

Every monthly Friday at The Yorkshire House features a plethora of poets and a fair modicum of musicians – what's more it's all about the art and doing things for their own sake.

This week sees appearances by poet Marvin Cheeseman of Full Metal Jacket Potato fame, whose work has featured all over the BBC's national radio networks.

Plus Mothers' Ruin – four Furness-based women who explore their place in family life – also put in an appearance.

Comprised of writers Katherine Pirnie, Rosey Darbishire, Jean Woodhouse and Zosia Wand, these mothers, daughters, grandmothers and granddaughters muse on subjects like getting a teenage son to bed, survive a shopping expedition with your mum, and the viscera involved in cooking a turkey dinner.

Lancaster Uni PhD turned comic Lynne Crook also entertains after her recent award in Muncaster Castle's inaugural Best New Stand-Up in the North competition. Music this month comes from Louise Martin – characterised by singer Louise Mary Martin and musician Jay Rollins – plus another appearance by well-regarded local singer, Mollie Baxter. And all this for just £3.

There's another treat in store at the Yorkshire House on Tuesday curated by the Empress Marian. Her previous shows have espoused every kind of rock from psyche, space, stoner drone, doom, prog, experimental, and metal.

Year of the Man, and Myollnir also perform, making this my recommendation for this week. The fun starts at 8.30pm and entry is just £3. Jazz vocalist Sue Parish and pianist Eileen Guppy close the week with a lunchtime performance at Carnforth Station Tearooms on Thursday July 24.

The swinging pair will be offering diners a selection of cheerful songs from the last century, as recorded on their new CD, The Sunny Side.

The performance lasts from midday to 2 pm and food will be available throughout. Copies of the limited edition CD will also be on sale.