It’s a week for the big names of pop, though in Aberdeen, at the Lemon Tree, it’s a friend of the big names – Ethan Johns, who’s worked with the likes of Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, and Crowded House, doing his own thing.

In Glasgow, the acceptable face of TV talent shows, Lucy Spraggan, plays the Barrowland.

On Tuesday, Ry Cooder plays Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall, while across the country, Jane Weaver is back, with her ‘Modern Kosmology’ tour. She’s at the the Pleasance in Edinburgh.

In Glasgow, Ash play The Garage, while The Brian Jonestown Massacre are at the Barrowland, and at Òran Mór, Go-Kart Mozart/

The Spree Festival in Paisley continues, where Duke Special, along with The Leisure Society, are at the Spiegeltent.

Thursday night sees the Ded Rabbit / Brownbear double-header tour stop at Beat Generator in Dundee, while following Jilted John’s triumphant return to the same venue last week, Tom Robinson celebrates 40 years of new wave action, at King Tut’s. (That’s in Glasgow).

And former Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus brings his Jicks to SWG3. while Bella Union act BC Camplight is at The Great Eastern.

In Edinburgh, Bathgate’s finest, The Snuts, play La Belle Angele.

Friday night sees Ded Rabbit and Brownbear roll into The Tunnels in Aberdeen, while Scottish punk legends The Rezillos have a hometown gig at La Belle Angele.

And Embra funksters James Brown Is Annie take their new RObbie*-produced album to Mad Hatters in Inverness.
In Glasgow, the Derek Hussey-fronted Blockheads are at Òran Mór, while blues guitar maestro Robert Cray Band is at The City Halls. Speaking of legends, film director (and composer) John Carpenter plays a show – not sure what the visuals will be like – at the Barrowland, while Gang of Four (or what’s left of them) are at the Spiegeltent in Paisley.

Horse plays Stirling’s Macrobert, and continuing our trawl of the sticks, Rab Noakes along with Jill Jackson, is at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Ayr.

And the following night, again off the regular gig map, Blue Rose Code are at Milngavie Town Hall. Ded Rabbit and Brownbear play Inverness Tooth and Claw, and in Edinburgh, The Blockheads have a show at La Belle Angele.

And in Aberdeen, The Snuts reach the heady heights of a show at The Lemon Tree while across the way, Astrïd continue their comeback, at Ironworks in Inverness. And at Perth Green Room, Parliamo.

In Glasgow on Saturday, the much-hyped Superorganism have a show at SWG3 while the similarly in vogue Idles are at the QM.

Paisley hgets another treat at the Spree festival, with the excellent Aidan Moffat and RM Hubbert playing Paisley Arts Centre. Back in Aidan’s hometown, DJ Format plays Behind the Wall in Falkirk

On Sunday, Jack White is at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, while
The Posies, with Ken Stringfellow in tow, are in Glasgow, at King Tut’s. Or if you prefer that sort of thing, alt-J are at the Armadillo.