Penny Broadhurst is one of the BBC's Next Big Things

The BBC World Service held a competition for performers of their own original songs. There were thousands of entries from over 88 countries worldwide. My song, Chemist Goods, was selected as part of the 20 strong international shortlist. A global panel of renowned musicians and industry types are now whittling the list down to five finalists. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

The Next Big Thing 2007 | BBC World Service

Free CD at Saturday's gig, plus guest appearance on podcast

If you like any of the following or even if you don't, you should come to this gig at the Cardigan Arms, 8pm, Saturday 24th Nov (this Saturday!):

Good lyrics, The Fall, The Smiths, Kirsty MacColl, Jonathan Richman, PiL, Pixies, Jacques Brel, Pet Shop Boys, creaking appliances, crackly films, hoary old synths, fizzy pop, Jeffrey Lewis, Kate Bush, Huw Stephens, The Wedding Present, Julie Doiron, Nellie McKay, lab coats, disco, snarling, harmonies, hooks, Calderdale, the seaside, The Beach Boys...and of course the acts themselves.

Blah Blah Tin give all their music away for free and will stun you with their visual, lyrical and musical concepts (and make you dance to their beats). With ironing boards as standard.

The Wind-Up Birds mix Lydon with Morrissey, Malkmus with MES for an intelligent punk-post-punk noise.

Penny Broadhurst makes witty, catchy pop full of harmonies and spark. Proper singing, proper performance.

Ian Cockburn of Leeds favourites The Seven Inches lays his heart bare with humour and hooks to spare.

PLUS: Exclusive free 1 track Penny Broadhurst CD while stocks last at the gig THIS SATURDAY. "You Wish You Were My Man" is a radical remix by 586 of an original song I have since totally changed in terms of arrangement and style and some of the melody. So it's like a completely different song, especially as 586 did some cool and crazy cut and paste action. If you like Lycanthropy-era Patrick Wolf, 586, Penny Broadhurst, cowbells, 80s electro, French disco and such, you'd do well to turn up early to the Cardi.

Penny is also on the It's A Mean Old Scene podcast new episode, which has a live session from Pushbike Army and music from Simon Armitage's band. Click here for more info.

EP review and save local music on local radio!

Whisperin' & Hollerin' give the Allons-y! EP a solid 8 out of 10. Remember, the EP is limited edition and all copies are numbered and signed - there aren't many left, so get yours now. Click here for the ace review.

In other news: Alan Raw's BBC Raw Talent show has for many years been supporting bands across Yorkshire and Humberside by playing their music, inviting them on to play live sessions (mine is on January 13th), helping them with gigs, and being involved heavily with the Unsigned stage at Leeds Festival. More Leeds-based music has been given exposure through that show than the rest of Leeds-based broadcast media and it isn't even broadcast from this city! York has its own Raw Talent/Introducing show, presented by the mighty Matt Seymour, and Sheffield is getting its own. Leeds relies on the Humberside show and a fabulous show it is too. Alan and his producer Katy Noone work tirelessly for the music of Yorkshire and Humberside and now even fewer people are going to hear the fruits of their labour.

The show is based in Hull and broadcast on BBC Radio Humberside, and it used to be broadcast on Radio Leeds's FM frequency on Sunday nights. Then it only made the DAB version of Radio Leeds. Now if you live outside of Hull you can't catch this amazing show apart from on the internet, and the RealAudio stream is a bit rubbish. No, a lot rubbish. Plus how many people are dedicated enough to listen through the tin can internet streaming of a non-local radio station? Only the hardcore like me and the other artists Alan has helped.

Please if you have a minute email or phone or write to Radio Leeds and ask them to restore at least the DAB broadcast of Raw Talent, if not the FM version too. Otherwise Sunday nights will never be the same again.

BBC Leeds, Broadcasting Centre, 2 Saint Peter's Square, Leeds, LS9 8AH
BBC Leeds e-mail: leeds@bbc.co.uk
BBC Radio Leeds: 0113 244 2131