It’s a week to go before T in the Park and the country’s promoters seem unsure whether to wind down or go for broke.
So, in Glasgow, there’s only one show in town on Tuesday as Whatever Gets You Through The Night kicks off at The Arches. The Cora Bissett-directed includes Errors, Alan Bissett, Rachel Sermanni, Withered Hand, Meursault, RM Hubbert, Wounded Knee, Ricky Ross, Conquering Animal Sound, Emma Pollock and Eugene Kelly, among many more

The Magnetic North – Erland ‘and the Carnival’ Cooper, Hannah Peel and Simon Tong – promote their Orcadian-themed album with a show at the St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall on Thursday 28th June. Orkney: Symphony Of The Magnetic North is out now on Full Time Hobby, more on the show here (in PDF form).

Not much in the early part of the week in Edinburgh as far as I can tell, but worth of a mention is the appearance of M83 at The Picturehouse on Wednesday. Am personally very undecided about most recent work Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming – it seems like a mix of the genius of landmark work Before the Dawn Heals Us and the abject disappointment that was Saturdays = Youth, so maybe we can expect a show of above average quality.

Things then kick off in the capital on Friday with the choice of The Psychedelic Furs‘ stylish retro at the Liquid Room, meandering slacker folk from Jesus H Foxx at Hendersons (er, is that not a veggie restaurant?) and um, comedy metal from Schtick of Rock at the Electric Circus.

Oh, and Kid Canaveral at the Wee Red Bar on Saturday with Randolph’s Leap. Woop!

Dundee gets a new night – The Cool Cat Club.
Its debut show on Saturday 30th at Beat Generator Live (North Lindsay Street) features The High Fevers / The Fnords / The Creeping Ivies / Playground Tactics plus Psychotic Reaction DJs. And, the first 50 people in get a mix CD.

In Glasgow, perhaps a reaction to festival season, perhaps not, Secret Summer is a 10-week programme of gigs and other events across the city – venues include Stereo, The 78, Mono, The Flying Duck and the Old Hairdressers with the full programme to be announced on the night. The launch includes sets by Ben Butler & Mousepad and Mother Ganga plus We Can Still Picnic DJs.

And The Blimp – stalwarts of the jockrock gig guide in days of yore – reform for a one-off show at their spiritual haunt, Glasgow’s Nice N Sleazy, on Saturday 30th June. The theatrical show from the self-confessed “tramp-core” legends is the first (and last, it seems) in 5 years. http://theblimp.co.uk

Finally, the weekend before T belongs to Kelburn Garden Party – The Phantom Band, Washington Irving, Matt Norris and the Moon, Blueflint,The Little Kicks, Panda Su, Blank Canvas… Saturday 30th and Sunday 1st, in deepest but sunniest Ayrshire. We hope…