Mello Mello is one of those funny places – in all senses of the f-word. But put it into the context of the hardly conventional Slater Street – which also houses the sunny delights of the Jacaranda and Slaters (“The College of Knowledge”) - and it suddenly it fits right into “the different”.

Mello Mello has been open for around three years now. Nymphs and shepherds come away through the bar, doors go bang unexpectedly upstairs and a jolly time around the piano and onstage is had by all with comedy nights and improvisational nights galore. They don't court silly publicity at MM, which is why we like them, but here's some anyway.

Mello Mello relaunched this week, with a drinks licence and a whole lot of events and fun stuff. This Saturday night is the official party featuring Pete Bentham and his Dinner Ladies, Long Finger Bandits, Jimmy Lightfoot & The Disciplesm Hapytapm Moa, Dogshow Disco.

Bring yourself, but not your own booze, and have a rarefied night out away from the maddening crowd.

*Mello Mello opening party, Saturday Feb 6, Slater St, L1.

Blurb of the week: “It’s July '94. The body of Kurt Cobain lays newly dead on the floor of the apartment of grunge. At a time when the real 90s are just getting kick-started, Britain is about to witness a generation of dreamers rising from their slumber, a generation that has been too oppressed for too long and is ready to take all the shit they’ve been given and throw it at the fan.”

Yes. And who said Blobby, Anthea Turner and the Lotto had nothing to answer for.. All the above have obviously left their mark on the Essex authors of Don’t Take Jack, a small scale musical play about “what happens when midlife regrets come head to head with teenage frustrations”.

It premieres in Liverpool this Friday night (5 Feb) at the Contemporary Urban Centre and has taken Simon Hardwick, currently starring with Les Dennis in High School Musical 2, and Dominic Shaw two years to put together. They are naturally delighted that it's getting its first ever showing in “the place where rock n roll began” - Liverpool, that is, not the Buddleia Building.

The script explores the love story between Ava, an only child, raised by her single father, and a charismatic Irish boy named Jack. The play also draws on contemporary issues including drug abuse, single parenthood and the responsibilities of coming of age to cheer you up.

With original music, It's even free. Just pay what you think it's worth at the end. Morrissey and his ungrateful Echo Arena audience could learn a lot from this.

*Don't Take Jack, Friday 5 Feb, 7.30pm, Contemporary Urban Centre, 41 Greenland St, L1 OBS. 0151 708 3519.

Albert Einstein’s profound effect and influence on modern science cannot be underestimated. The man is responsible for the theories of relativity, the discovery of radioactivity and also noted for his role in understanding the atom and developing the atomic bomb, leading to an outline of the “Standard Model” of particle physics and cosmology.

The most recent knock-on effect of Einstein’s work is the creation of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, an intensely complex piece of kit which will, if all goes to plan, recreate the conditions apparent at the very beginning of our universe. Layman’s terms are all you’re getting because the whole thing can mess with your head.

Taking the form of a lecture, attendees will be told what the ultimate aims of the LHC are and how these will be achieved, and to what end any accrued knowledge can benefit us.

To ease the inevitable mental strain, the speeches will be punctuated with musical interludes of Einstein’s favourite composers as played by one of the UK’s leading young violinists, Jack Liebeck.

*Einstein’s Universe @ St. George’s Hall – Friday 5th February. Tickets, £12, £10 concession and free to all students in full time education aged 22 or under the Cavatina Chamber Music Trust scheme. The box office will be the RLPO; telephone 0151 709 3789.

Nige (Keith Carter) might be a scally layabout, a bit of a dosser, but he's one of the funniest things to come out of Liverpool since Beatles Day. Don't get him on the subject of scousers, but go and see why they Miranda Sawyer et al gave us the Capital of Culture thing.

He appears tonight and tomorrow at the Slug and Lettuce on North John Street with Gary Delaney who is bidding to rid himself of the 'nearly man' tag, after reaching the finals of several high profile comedy competitions.Plus Chris Cairns: Amiable, chatty. People love him. Oh, and he tells pretty funny jokes too...

*Comedy with Nige, Gary Delaney and Chris Cairns, Friday/Saturday 5/6 Feb, Slug & Lettuce, North John St, L2. Tickets £12. 0151 236 8820