Glasgow’s West End Festival carries on with a slew of less rock acts this week – KT Tunstall is at Oran Mor Wednesday while Carol Laula at Cottier’s… Dick Gaughan plays the same venue on Thursday and Rab Noakes has the Friday slot.
Geographic as well as musical contract on Thursday comes from Funeral For a Friend at Inverness’s Ironworks, while just up the road (well, quite a bit up the road), Ken Stringfellow has a show the Arch Inn in Ullapool.

In Paisley, Heidi Talbot plays at Paisley Arts Centre, while continuing our women with guitars theme, Rachel Sermanni is at Kirkcaldy Music Club. For her perhaps a kind of warm-up for the Insider Festival at Inshriach, near Aviemore. From Friday – Sunday, a wide range of (mainly) Scottish indie acts, including Washington Irving, Sparrow & The Workshop Matthew Herbert, Jonnie Common, Miaoux Miaoux, Woodenbox, an Olive Grove label showcase including Randolph’s Leap, Olympic Fallow (work that one out for yourselves), Karine Polwart, Paws, Mairi Morrison & Alasdair Roberts, and Super Adventure Club.

And exactly the same Fri-Sun span for the Solas Festival. Situated near Perth, it mixes up music and literature – co-headlining are Karine Polwart and Liz Lochhead, with We Were Promised Jetpacks, Breabach, the Hazy Janes, Music Tapes, Beerjacket and Fake Major among the musical attractions.

Busy times across the country on Saturday – in Edinburgh alt.country troupe The Stantons present La Cirque de Muerta at the Electric Circus – live performance from the band accompanying a play written and directed by award-winning Claire Wood.

Or, Rick Redbeard keeps Phantom Band fans guessing again, with a slot at Henry’s Cellar Bar

A fair few shows in Glasgow on Saturday – Over The Wall are at Oran Mor, while The Winter Tradition play Stereo

In advance of the August 22-25th festival, a small preview of sorts – Doune The Rabbit Hole Presents… The Music Tapes – Julian Koster of Neutral Milk Hotel and Robbie Cucchiaro of The Olivia Tremor Control. The shows are:
Saturday 22nd June – Glasgow, Nice ‘N’ Sleazy with Eagleowl.
The tour continues into next week –
Tuesday 25th June – Aberdeen, The Tunnels with Washington Irving, Autumn Hang & Daemons
Wednesday 26th June – Inverness, Hootananny with Washington Irving & Abagail Grey
Thursday 27th June – Edinburgh, Voodoo Rooms with Washington Irving, Panda Su & Duncan Drever

And in Glasgow on Saturday, The Mickey 9s are at the Kinning Park complex
along with Herculean and James ‘Conquering Animal Sound’ Scott, among others.

Up in Aberdeen on Saturday, gig guide favourites / perennials Rod Jones and his Birthday Suit are at Drummonds.
While across the way a wee bit, Netsounds Unsigned puts on Chris Devotion & The Expectations plus Finding Albert, as ever at Ironworks.

Finally (phew!), Sunday in Glasgow has a choice of The Twilight Sad at Oran Mor – will they be celebrating a Scottish ALbum of the Year award by then? – or Jimmy Cliff will doubtless bring the sunshine to the O2 ABC.

And finally finally io.e. we just added this in – Mogwai play live, their soundtrack to ‘Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait’, at 220 Broomielaw in Glasgow – tickets (if there’s any left) here, more info at www.synergyconcerts.com