* THE live music world is very slowly emerging from its new year hibernation, and with it a handful of gigs which are well worth leaving the fireplace and telly for.

They include a ludicrously packed bill of new music courtesy of the O2 Academy Oxford and BBC Introducing, who between them have pulled together a clutch of fabulous local bands and a very big one from further afield.

South Coast band Tall Ships headline the night, which takes place this Saturday. The folk-flavoured math-rock Brightonians will be accompanied by the similarly nautical-sounding Listing Ships and The Sea The Sea, as well as My Grey Horse and Robots with Souls.

Tickets are £6 plus booking fee from ticketweb.co.uk

* Coventry trio The Enemy are among the hottest indie-rock bands around, so it came as music to our ears to learn that they will be playing our own O2 Academy for just a fiver.

The show is a collaboration with the venue’s Propaganda indie club night – which will see them touring other Propaganda nights around the land.

They reach Oxford on February 23 for a show to promote their latest top 10 album, Streets In The Sky. Expect familiar live favourites too. Go to ticketweb.co.uk for details.

* Folk fan Vez Hoper will be busy decorating the usually drab walls of The Cellar this weekend for one of the loveliest nights of the winter.

Irregular Folk is a session set up to showcase artists with folk leanings but who perhaps do not fit into its stricter definition. Headlining is Beth Porter, who plays both cello and ukulele.

The Bath-based musician will be joined by her band the Availables and supported by Laura Moody, who has worked with the Elysian Quartet, and Barney Morse-Brown of Duotone and Imagined Village. They play The Cellar, Frewin Court, Oxford, on Saturday. Tickets from wegottickets.com

* Expect familiar rock covers served up with grins this Saturday, when two monsters of party-rock join forces for a charity show.

Oxfordshire’s The Mighty Cadillacs and Shred will be bashing out all your rock and blues favourites at The Four Pillars Hotel, Witney, in aid of Oxfordshire Mind.

The night will culminate in what organiser Nicky Clargo describes as a “Monster Horror Rock Show” featuring the music of Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, AC/DC and Alice Cooper.

Adding a touch of sultry vintage style will be burlesque performers Bella Rouge and Missy Lectric. Tickets are £7 from Nicky Clargo on 07754 271831 or email nicky.clargo@oxfordshiremind.org.uk