Scissor Sisters burst on to the scene as the biggest, best queer-straight disco party on earth, an all-inclusive gathering of a global Rainbow Nation.

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My Morning Jacket, Somerset House, London

Live, My Morning Jacket are awesome – you could play them against Foo Fighters with no doubt at all as to who would be the winners. They begin with a five-song assault that seems to cow even the weather on a day of repeated downpours – the cloud gods only dare to release more water once the two-hour set has finished. In between, Jim James whirls like a dervish in a raincoat and a Rebekah Brooks wig, glowing sampler round his neck before switching to guitar. His fellow lead guitarist, Carl Broemel bashes, tugs and bends soaring licks from his own axe.

Lovebox, Victoria Park, London

Its inner-city location may not suggest wellies, but numerous downpours over east London have left Victoria Park resembling something of a mudbath. It certainly makes Lovebox feel like more of a traditional festival, although the event – now in its eighth year – has been a summer fixture for a while now.

Cultural Life: Sandra Bernhard, comedian

Films: I saw 'Never Let Me Go' and found it very impressive. In such a believable way, it incorporates science fiction with the strangeness of the times we actually live in. It was deep, haunting and beautifully shot. My other favourite is 'The King's Speech'. Top drawer!

Diary: Sincere apologies, and thinly veiled contempt

We begin with gravely distressing – though unimpeachably exclusive – news from the High Court, where the first libel-related contempt case in memory seems imminent.

Story of the song: Scissor Sisters, Comfortably Numb, 2004

"I've been singing it for the latter half of my life," said Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears of the 1979 Pink Floyd classic, "Comfortably Numb".

Album: Of Montreal, False Priest (Polyvinyl)

Kevin Barnes, who to all intents and purposes is Of Montreal, is not a man given to modesty of ambition.

Album: Everything Everything, Man Alive (Geffen)

You have to admire the sheer originality of "pop's new Picassos" (NME).

My Fantasy Band - Irwin Sparkes, The Hoosiers

'I want someone with great range and a good proper howl'

Gigs: Please, please, please let us get what we want

It's fine for bands to showcase new material at gigs, says Elisa Bray, but fans want to hear their old favourites, too

Ibiza launch for Kylie album

Pop princess Kylie Minogue chose the dance capital of the world to launch her "euphoric" new album.

Scissor Sisters, Brixton Academy, London

"You sound like you've just won a football match," shouts Ana Matronic to confused cheers, in an epic display of misjudging a crowd.

Album: Scissor Sisters, Night Work (Polydor)

They'll go 'fnar': the Scissor Sisters carry on camping

Scissor Sisters, Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow<br/>Aerosmith, 02, London

The New Yorkers kept a promise and gave their new album its world premiere in Glasgow, to an ecstatic reception

Dizzee Rascal, Snoop Dogg and Scissor Sisters join Glastonbury line-up

Acts such as Dizzee Rascal, Scissor Sisters and The Flaming Lips are among the main acts playing this year's Glastonbury Festival, it was announced today.

Career Services

Day In a Page

Countdown's rudest ever moments

Yesterday a contestant spelt the word 'minge'.
Special report: Tamil asylum-seekers to be forcibly deported

Special report

Tamil asylum-seekers to be forcibly deported
The problem with social mobility

The problem with social mobility

Politicians who say they want to break down Britain's social barriers have been told to unlock closed-shop professions – starting in their own backyard
France's sixth biggest city* goes to the polls (*that's London, by the way)

France's sixth biggest city* goes to the polls (*that's London, btw)

Next month expats in the stronghold of South Kensington will have a big say in who is returned as the first French overseas MP
Aftershock: How Haiti's quake hit the whole of Hispaniola

Aftershock: How Haiti's quake hit the whole of Hispaniola

Two years on from the disaster that shook the Caribbean state, its eastern neighbour, the Dominican Republic, fears a new wave of illegal immigrants could hurt its economy
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Plan B's new film explores the urban tensions that led to last summer's riots – and he's not the only one finding cinematic inspiration in social unrest
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Romney hits the magic number...

... but his smartphone app fails crucial spelling test
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Car-crash TV: Ferrari quits news after gaffes, rows and poor ratings

Weeks after the demise of Sarkozy, the TF1 star he's said to have dated finds herself out of office too
Meet your doctor (please don't unplug it)

Meet your doctor (please don't unplug it)

Can a network of hi-tech terminals and online medics make the connection?
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The 10 Best cycling gear

It’s summer, it's sunny... it’s the perfect time to get on your bike.
Song of the suicide bomber: How 'Babur in London' negotiated a cultural minefield

Song of the suicide bomber

Daring new opera 'Babur in London' features British terrorists planning an attack.
The school that brought the International Baccalaureate to the East End

Bringing the IB to the East End

The International Baccalaureate is not just for pupils in leafy suburbs.
England must beware brilliant Belgium

England must beware brilliant Belgium

They may have missed out on the Euros but the Belgians have a rash of young players who, thanks to the unifying skills of their coach, look to have a bright future
James Lawton: Liverpool must show new man the respect he needs to do the job

James Lawton

Liverpool must show new man the respect he needs to do the job
2012: the year when England's support decided to stay at home

2012: the year when England's support decided to stay at home

Three Lions will play their Euro 2012 games in front of only a few thousand of their fans