THE Hub Collective, Artspace and Stroud's Subscription Rooms have joined forces to bring a new, vibrant feel to Stroud's music and arts scene in the town's main venue.

After building a track record and reputation for promoting great local acts and some 'pretty good' parties, The Hub Collective will be putting together Hub Live, a series of monthly events that will profile some of the most exciting live music around.

Each event will have it's own flavour in a transformed Subscription Rooms ballroom.

"The Hub Collective will stick to its formula of plenty of good feeling, respect to the music and the grooviest sounds you could possibly expect," said Hub impresario Neil Walker.

The first show, featuring Chemical Dub Theory, the Laerie Fairies and various DJs, takes place this Friday, January 13 from 8.30pm to 1am.

Tickets are available from the box office priced £5.

Also lifting off this week, with the jazz-wise honeyed voice of Katharina Heinrich and her new band, is Hub Acoustic, a weekly series of intimate acoustic sessions in the Caf bar. Katharina plays on Wednesday, January 11. Tickets are £3.50 on the door.

Also in he mix are Artspeak, a series of monthly talks by professional artists on the visual art scene in the Caf bar and a newly revamped Trial Pit Cinema.

"Trial Pit Cinema will be linking up with other short film promoters this year," said Subscription Rooms manager Bairbre McAteer.

"I've been looking to promote more contemporary bands for a while," she added. "I want to put Stroud on the map. This collaboration with the Hub collective could hopefully be the thing that does it."

For more information on any of the events, call the Subscription Rooms box office or the Hub Collective on 01453 751440.