The Week In Gigs kicks off unusually early – so get your skates on for Priests, who are at the Hug and Pint, with Kasper Hauser guesting.

Also on Monday 22nd, live and direct from Ethiopia, Hailu Mergia – along with countryman Alemseged Kebede on bass and Trinidadian drummer Kenneth ‘Ken’ Joseph, their first Scottish show is at Platform in Easterhouse.

A couple of shows of seemingly tangential interest on Tuesday – in Inverness, Shakin’ Stevens is at the Eden Court Theatre, while at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall is Imelda May – not one we’d usually bother ourselevs with, but in support is the very fine Irish singer-songwriter Jack Lukeman, so if someone is dragging you along for the main act, get there early. He’s also at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall the following night.

Wedensday also sees Admiral Fallow play Glasgow’s O2 ABC, and at the Hug and Pint, Quebecois trioThe Besnard Lakes. The Treacherous Orchestra are at Perth Concert Hall, and Vukovi play at Edinburgh’s Mash House.

On Thursday, Pronto Mama launch new album ‘Any Joy’ at Aberdeen’s Memon Tree. In St Andrew’s, former Y’all Is Fantasy Island man Robbie Lesiuk is at Forgan’s.
Also on Thursday, Leftfield are at the Barrowland, and the Beach Boys play the Clyde Auditorium.
The Wedding Present are on what they say is the last tour of seminal indie album ‘George Best’ – they do so at the Greenside in Leslie followed by a show at Glasgow’s O2 ABC on Friday.
And Music Is Torture – a musical play from Dawnings (aka A Band Called Quinn, pretty much) opens at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh this Thursday, May 25-27th before touring on to Eden Court Theatre and Cinema in Inverness on June 1st.

In Edinburgh on Friday, the return of the Hidden Door festival – 10 days of shows form the likes of Anna Meredith, Idlewild, Kathryn Joseph, Manuela, and appropriately, the Hidden Orchestra.
Also in Edinburgh on Friday, at Sneaky Pete’s, the rather excellent Mt. Doubt.
With a brand new solo album ‘This Is My Kingdom Now’ just out, Justin Currie plays Perth Concert Hall.
In Montrose, Deacon Blue are at East Links, as part of MoFest (which also sees Brian Wilson on Sunday.

On Friday, Pmx are at Conroy’s Basement in Dundee.
In Glasgow, BMX Bandits launch their new album at St Lukes on Saturday night, aided and abetted by Spinning Coin and The Secret Goldfish. Kiss play the Hydro, gawd help us, while Erasure are at the O2 Academy, and former Love and Money frontman James Grant is at East Kilbride Vilage Inn. Also, the Electric Frog festival takes place at Riverside Museum with Sven Vath and Groove Armada appearing over the weekend. And in Paisley, the now Bandit-less Brownbear play the Bungalow Bar.

More Saturday night shenanigans from the Beach Boys, at Inverness Leisure Centre, while in Edinburgh, Quiet As A Mouse are at Henry’s Cellar.

Finally, on Sunday A New International are at the Old Leith Theatre and East Kilbride popsters Single By Sunday are at Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange.