THE NEWS

Seventies' disco kings Hot Chocolate are special guests at the Southern Soul and Disco Festival in Cork next weekend (Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd). The funky festival also features 1990s soul diva Jocelyn Brown, original Rose Royce singer Gwen Dickey, disco legend Joey Negro, and the excellently named Basement Jaxx. The gigs happen in the Cork Opera House, and there's also a free pub trail featuring live acts and DJs. For booking information call 021- 270277. Note: if that's original singer Errol Brown in the publicity pic for Hot Chocolate, then I'm Julian Cope.