This week’s guide is more about quality than quality, but read on…

The The play a double-header in Glasgow this week, for the first time in goodness-knows how many years. On Tuesday Matt Johnson and crew are at the Barrowland, and on Wednesday it’s the more salubrious setting of the Royal Concert Hall.

However, Jer Reid along with Raymond MacDonald and pals can beat that. Appearing as Drawn to Water, they have three nights at the Glad Cafe, with a variety of special guests. Tuesday’s is a secret (but we know, hah, and it’s a cracker) but also on that bill, Alasdair Roberts, and harpist Catriona McKay plus Chris Stout. Wednesday has various indie amumni including acts associated with Wounded Knee and Usurper. And on Thursday it’s the excellent Luke Sutherland vehicle Rev Magnetic.

Scottish shows for Shirley Manson this week, she’s with Garbage at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre on Tuesday followed by a show at the Barras on Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, those people of taste at IMP in Aberdeen have a show at The Tunnels.
Japanese act Kuunatic are on the bill alongside local heroes Barret’s Dottled Beauty – Gayle out of Electroscope and Alan ‘Kitchen Cynics’ Davidson – plus CS Buchan

Thursday has Danish punks Iceage at Glasgow’s newest venue The Great Eastern – that’s for anyone not with a special golden ticket to the presentation of the SAY Award, at Paisley Town Hall.

And in Perth, from Thursday, Perth Music Xpo 2018 which includes the likes of Annie Booth, Lake Pleasant, Beta Waves and Parliamo, at Twa Tams and The Green Room.

On Friday at Glasgow’s Stereo, The Wynntown Marshals are at Stereo in Glasgow, while in the same city, ST.MARTiiNS (sic) and The Map Dept are at The Poetry Club.

It’s a welcome return for Campfires in Winter on Saturday, they are at Glasgow’s Hug and Pint, while it’s a rather more spacious setting for Simple Minds who have a show at Northern Meeting Park in Inverness.

Also on Saturday, in Aberdeen and supporting his new album ‘A Sacred Bore’, Kapil Seshasayee plays the Vulture Lounge while in Dundee it’s Declan Welsh & the Decadent West, at Beat Generator.

Another city festival, in Dunfermline – Outwith. Running from Wednesday – Sunday, there’s film and theatre and the like, but music-wise, The Twistettes, Edwin Organ, Dancing on Tables, The Phantoms, ST. MARTiiNS, Dropkick, Ded Rabbit, Foreign Fox, and… wait, The Zephyrs? Yes, apparently they’re back. Plus one of the town’s most famous sons, Richard Jobson, reading from his new book ‘Speed of Life’.

And in Dundee, in its new open-air venue, Slessor Gardens, Simple Minds.

Finally, Sunday has Richard Jobson and Martin Metcalfe in acoustic and chatty mood, at Glasgow’s Admiral Bar.