Top Ten Events 25 Oct-1 Nov: Music Like A Vitamin, David Byrne + Halloween Picks!

We start the week with a guaranteed gem of a gig, as Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival again team up with the Fruit Tree Foundation (aka Rod Jones and Emma Pollock's project promoting music as a tool for mental wellbeing) for Music Like A Vitamin. For it, a fine selection of Scottish musos will come together for an evening of solo sets and unique cross-artist musical collisions, with the bill made up of Rod Jones (and his Birthday Suit players), Emma Pollock, Fatherson, Withered Hand, and Sparrow and the Workshop. The running order will be picked at random, and it's but a fiver. What we're saying here is: GET THERE EARLY.

Stimulating the old brain cells this week is Talking Heads co-founder and solo musician in his own right, David Byrne, who stops by Glasgow's GFT as part of a trio of special UK talks at which he'll discuss the joy and the business of music-making, as explored in his new book, How Music Works. For his Glasgow talk he'll be focusing his thoughts on the subject of how independent labels and artists have survived the various struggles they've faced, chatting live with Chemikal Underground label founder Alun Woodward. Sure to be more than a little illuminating.

Cross-artform funmakers Neu! Reekie! return for their second date at their new home of Summerhall, with what was supposed to be a super-secret line-up, but, well, someone – ahem, Mr Kevin Williamson, we're looking at you – spilled the beans at the last event. And it's a bit of a special one, as they've managed to coax folkie Fifer James Yorkston to their lair for a headline set, alongside John Hegley's singalong comedy poems (ranging on topics from amoebas to handkerchiefs), and poet Douglas Dunn, bolstered by live animations and growling house band Emelle.

A horror movie's pretty much a must on Halloween, right? And the Cameo make it a scarier affair than most by commencing at midnight, and showing a triple bill of scaries in a row with Evil Dead trilogy The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, and Army of Darkness. And horror movie staple Bruce Campbell's in each and every one, so all is well with the world. They'll also be screening A Nightmare on Elm Street on Halloween itself, with the GFT following suit with showings of The Exorcist, and The Shining. Happy shitting-it.

Trust Edinburgh to offer up a more cultural Halloween experience that most, with The Old Ambulance Depot playing host to a mini (like, three hours mini) art exhibition held over Halloween evening, at which exhibiting artists will display work exploring and comparing ancient fears and preoccupations with new ones, amongst them former Skinny Showcase-ers Rabiya Choudhry, and Ross Fraser McLean, whose work you can also buy here. The promise of 'a freaky painting of a creepy baby' surely makes this nigh-on unmissable? Dressing up encouraged.

SSW 2 tickets: We've got a pair of VIP tickets up for the sprawling, four-room DJ epic that will be SSW 2 weekender, featuring sets from international headline DJs Tony Humphries (pictured), Motor City Drum Ensemble, Prins Thomas, and Paul Anderson, amongst others. More info here.
Some Like It Hip Hop tickets: We've got a pair of tickets to see the West End smash hit Some Like it Hip Hop; a comical tale of love, mistaken identity, cross-dressing and revolution, all played out in ZooNation's trademark hip hop style. Closes 30 Oct.
VIP Sonica passes: Cryptic and CitizenM celebrate the launch of sonic art festival Sonica 2012 by offering one lucky reader the chance to be a Sonica VIP for the night, including accommodation in a boutique hotel! Full listings here. Closes 29 Oct.
Skinny On Tour: Guess where The Skinny's own lovely Kyla is reading her trusty copy of the magazine (yes, it's a bog somewhere) and you could win yourself a boozy prize courtesy of our chums at Vino Wines. Closes 31 Oct.