17th February is a weirdly busy Monday night in Edinburgh. Flavour of the month (but admittedly excellent) combo Black Midi play The Liquid Room, while Danish neo-folkies (their description) Dune Messiah, plus Witch of the Vale, are at Opium, and local indie veterans Dancing Mice play the Traverse Theatre Bar.

In Glasgow, at The Old Hairdresser’s, Peter Cat, who according to his excellent album, “Plays Well With Others”. The ‘others’ on this occasion are support Adam & Elvis (Presley? Any? Who knows).

Yes, rather too much for one night, hence Tuesday boasting one solitary show of interest…

In Edinburgh on Tuesday 18th, Malojian, following opening for Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle last year, returns for a Gentle Invasion show at Sneaky Pete’s. It’s the musical project of Northern Ireland’s Steven Scullion, who has worked with various people over the course of four albums including Steve Albini, and who released recent single ‘Dirt’ (video below). Guests include Mandy Bingham (daughter of Irish folk legend David McWilliams) and local legend Burnt Paw.

On Wdnesday 19th. Midge Ure‘s Band Electronica (nothing to to with Barney and Johnny, just the former Ultravox forntman doing his hits) at
On the same night in Dundee, Perth combo Post Ironic State,. plus Messed Up Youth are at Conroy’s Basement.

In the central belt, an interesting juxtaposition. You might have thought that Laurence Fox was an alt.right mouthpiece with a famous dad, that had been in a telly show once, but no, he’s a singer-songwriter as well. And he’s at The Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh. Can’t imagine what kind of people would be moved to go and see him, but if you are thinking of paying £20 to heckle, please think about the venue’s staff before flinging bottles of urine at him – save that for the outdoors (probably at the mooted Festival of Brexit, sharing a stage with Bucks Fizz and Skrewdriver).
Anyway, the contrast? James Blunt is at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow, showing that you can be posh, intelligent, empathetic and funny at the same time, even if your songs are as as dreary as an edition of Question Time.

Elsewhere, The Goo Goo Dolls play the O2 Academy, Example is at SWG3, and at Bloc, a triple-header of local lads Everyday Pharaohs, plus from the frozen north, Forgetting The Future and Audiokicks.

Thursday, more easy-on-the-ears pop with the Lighthouse Family who play Edinburgh’s Usher Hall, and weirdly, from even longer ago, Altered Images – Claire Grigan with a revitalised lineup – are at The Liquid Room.
Along the road, Audiokicks and Forgetting The Future play Bannerman’s.

In Glasgow, London power trio Girl Ray are at Stereo, and Supergrass play the first of two shows at the Barrowland.
Japanese punks Otoboke Beaver are at the CCA, and that Laurence Fox is at Òran Mór. If memory serves, the floor in there is lino rather than carpet. Just saying.
Pandacar launch their new single ‘Trees’ at King Tut’s and in Dundermline, Audiokicks are at Monty’s.

In Edinburgh’s Teviot Row House on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd February, it’s Scottish Jazz Weekend – no, come back… ‘Convergence’ is a live performance with Herschel 36, getting its world premiere at Out There Live on Friday 21 February with Glasgow-based composer and percussionist Mndmth (Stuart Brown), and ESINAM – a collaboration with new media artist Stephen Curtis which follows up Brown’s ‘Astrophysik’ soundtrack album with Paul Harrison. The show is part of the Edinburgh Festival of Sound.

On Friday, in Glasgow, Altered Images play Òran Mór (assuming the venue has been mopped down in time) and Napalm Death are at what may be a specially-renamed venue, Slay.
VASA launch their new album ‘Heroics’ at Stereo, while local four-piece The Naked Feedback are at another new (to us) venue, The Amsterdam.

Saturday night is party night in Troon, it semes, so at the Concert Hall, Esperanza will make things go with a swing. Similarly, for the more reserved citizens of Bearsden, Kris Drever will be rocking the Baljaffray Parish Church.

We’re quite sure that King Nun will be unlikely to be playing any places of worship, instead the London combo are at The Garage Attic Bar.

In Edinburgh, Swim School – who will return for the Great Eastern in May – play Sneaky Pete’s.

Finally, on Sunday 23rd, blues guitar legend John Prine is at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall, and Edinburgh trio Logan’s Close visit Aberdeen’s Cellar, while proggers Dream Theater play the Armadillo, and NYC rockers DIIV have a show at Glasgow’s QMU.

That aside, there’s not much going on above the central belt to be honest, so a Post Ironic State show in Perth, Audiokicks are in Inverness at Mad Hatters, and folkies Shooglenifty playing Kirkwall’s Sound Archive are as good as it gets.