It’s turning colder, and you can tell Xmas is approaching as the first of the festive gigs is next weekend.

First of all, perhaps gig of the week – literate Canadian popsters The Burning Hell give their latest album ‘Public Library’ one final push at Glasgow’s Hug and Pint on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, former Suicide man Martin Rev is at Glasgow’s O2 ABC2.

Thursday 8th sees former SAY award winner Kathryn Joseph visit Dundee for a show at Clarks on Lindsay Street,
In Glasgow, Honeyblood are at St Luke’s while in Edinburgh – Leith to be precise – Outblinker (who also play Glasgow’s Old Hairdressers on Saturday), play The Leith Depot along with DTHPDL and Hostel Freaks.

On Friday 9th, Second Division punk vets Cockney Rejects play Aberdeen Lemon Tree, and in Dunfermline, local lads Foreignfox are at PJ Molloys.
Also close to home, Neon Waltz visit Hootenany in Inverness. They have some competition as at Ironworks, it’s soul legend Martha Reeves.

A plethora of shows in Glasgow on Friday night. Deep breath… John Cooper Clarke is at the O2 ABC, Kathryn Joseph plays Mono, the excellent Mt. Doubt are at King Tut’s, and Grand Master Flash is on the wheels of steel at Cottiers. Oh, and Fatboy Slim plays the Hydro.

Saturday 10th sees Moon Kids in Dunfermline, at PJ Molloys, while you know it’s Christmas as Low are, appropriately (is it?) at St Luke’s. 80s chart stars China Crisis are at Oran Mor, and Sacred Paws are at the Rum Shack on Glasgow’s southside.
In Edinburgh – at Pilrig St Paul’s Hall – it’s Kid Canaveral‘s Christmas Baubles, with the titular perky indiepop hosts plus guests including James Yorkston, Withered Hand, The Pictish Trail, Firestations and Breakfast Muff.

It’s mercifully quieter come Sunday. At The Hydro, The Sweet (not sure which incarnation it’ll be but given neither of the factions has original singer Brian Connolly, it shouldn’t make much diference.
By way of contrast both musically and geographically, Thornhill folk songstress Emily Smith is at the Woodend Barn in Banchory – playing tunes from her album ‘Songs for Christmas’.