* Since forming in March 2007, Twin Atlantic, above, have become underground rock idols. The Glasgow band, who have previously supported The Subways in Oxford, and the likes of The Smashing Pumpkins and Biffy Clyro elsewhere, have been likened to Minus The Bear. So if that's your bag, you're in luck.

The band bring their melodic riff-heavy rock to the Oxford Carling Academy next Friday. Doors open at 7pm.

* If you find yourself captivated by A Silent Film tomorrow, don't forget to continue supporting homegrown local talent, by checking out next Saturday's show by our very own The Half Rabbits.

Michael Weatherburn, Chris Rant, Alice Watanabe and Sally Pelling play passionate, if somewhat dark, rock with a serious edge.

It's absorbingly intelligent stuff, from a band who deserve to be far better known. And surely soon will be.

Doors open at 7pm. And get there early as support comes from two of our favourite Oxfordshire bands, Tristan & The Troubadours and Space Heroes Of The People.

Tickets are a bargain at £6.

* One of the strongest forces in acoustic music, Show of Hands have a prodigious multi-instrumental talent. Featuring string-genius Phil Beer and singer-songwriter Steve Knightley, they have headlined at festivals across the land, and played the Royal Albert Hall. Tonight they play the Oxford Carling Academy with double bassist and guest-singer Miranda Sykes.

Support comes from singer-songwriter Ruarri Joseph.

* Those crazy guys at Freerange pull out all the stops tonight for one of the biggest parties of the year.

The drum & bass collective have a reputation for pretty special nights, but this takes the disco biscuit!

The Shougun Assassins night at the Oxford Carling Academy features Benga, Friction, Dillinja, Spectrasoul and Youngsta.

Upstairs, meanwhile, will be world champion DJ Woody, Caspa, Rusko, Heartless, and, playing live, the Gentleman's Dub Club.

Never one to miss out on a shin-dig, Count Skylarkin' Aidan Larkin and his disco shed buddies, will also be there spinning a little bit of what does you good.

The fun starts at 11pm and goes on to 4am.

Tickets are £15 in advance.

* Having won over fans with support slots for Madina Lake and The Blackout, My American Heart, above, are back – this time for a headline tour.

The tour is accompanied by a new single of crowd-pleaser There Are More Frightening Things – the heaviest track on their LP, Hiding Inside The Horrible Weather.

Doors open at 7pm. Support this time comes from We Are The Ocean and Just Surrender.

Tickets are £8.50.

* They sound almost as Texan as George Bush, the Alamo and the 120-ounce ribeye.

So it comes as some surprise to learn that Big Dez, below, are more likely to wear a string of onions round their necks than stetsons on their heads.

Yep, they come from Paris. That's Paris, France.

In truth, they're highly respected in the US, where have played alongside some of the country's top US blues musicians.

Frontman Phil Fernandez and co play the Monday Blues at the Bullingdon, Cowley Road, Oxford, on. well, Monday of course.

The music starts at 9pm and continues until midnight.