SEVEN wonders of the ancient world, seven days a week, seven seas and seven deadly sins. Bond's an 007, Snow White had an entourage of seven dwarfs and the seven brothers found their seven brides...

What, you wonder, is CityLife blithering on about? Only the 7 Songs Festival, an übercool music event with the mystical number at its core.

Seven different events will be staged across seven different venues for (nearly) seven days (...OK, it's six, but nothing's perfect), some of the finest breaking talent from the world of indie, folk, pop, hip-hop, brass, dance and world music (yes, that's seven genres!) will take over Oldham and Saddleworth.

Blue-collar fenderbenders Twisted Wheel kick off the action on Saturday at Oldham's legendary Castle pub on Union Street (£5). There's three days of rest before event two: MC Riz at The Museum on Wednesday. The star of The Road To Guantanamo will show off his impressive talent as a battle rapper at the free gig.

On Thursday, Mercury-nominated folk troupe Rachel Unthank And The Winterset (Playhouse 2, Shaw, £12, £9 conc) bring their album The Bairns to life, before handing over the closing weekend to Nancy Elizabeth (The Grotton In The Hollow, free), a full brass band and a night of West African vibes from Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba.

7 Songs Festival takes place in Oldham and Saddleworth from Saturday, July 26 until Sunday, August 3. Click here for more information.