Independent Venue Week is back today, a seven-day nationwide celebration of music venues around the country and the people that own, run and work in them, such as London's The Half Moon Putney who kick off IVW with Starsailor's James Walsh tonight. The venues - the backbone of the live music scene - give artists their first experience of playing live to an audience and allow fans to get up close to artists who may one day be playing stadiums and festival main stages. IVW also brings together venues with breaking and established artists, promoters, labels, media and tastemakers to create a nationwide series of gigs.