We want everyone who reads and contributes to Hot Music Live to feel comfortable here. The same goes for the people we write about - acts, venues, rehearsal and all the other services who support the scene.

That means no flame wars please, no personal attacks and no sexism, racism or behaviour that might creep people out.

Sometimes you need to criticise a bad gig, but remember that we all want to get more people off the sofa and into local venues. If every review is a heated rant about the evils of jazz/blues/metal/sea-shanties (delete as applicable), we're not going to build an audience for live music.

If you do need to criticise, be clear about what's fact and what's opinion. 'Danny couldn't hit the high notes in the chorus'; is a fact while 'Danny's a crap vocalist' is an opinion dressed up as a fact.

'I don't much like the aggressive way Danny belts out Fleetwood Mac's "Need your love so bad" like a 70's punk anthem' is clearly offered as an opinion and is much more interesting for the reader.

Our readers want the magazine to be just that. News, reviews and interviews are great but ads for bands really don't fit here. And of course, they soon roll off the magazine as new articles get added.

There are lots of great places online to talk about politics, sport and the meaning of life. Hot music live isn't one of them.

We encourage you to use Hot Music Live to buy/sell music gear and advertise local services useful for musicians.

However, please don't use the site to sell ripoff sunglasses, get-rich-quick schemes, home-made marmalade or anything else not directly relevant to making and enjoying music.

Please don't upload articles and photographs that aren't your own work and then pass them off as your own. If you need to upload content on behalf of someone you're collaborating with, make sure you give them the appropriate credit.

Don't upload any content that is illegal or misleading. Full stop.

Our readers include children and young people. Don't upload any content that is indecent or disturbing.