West End Festival

Want a festival that trades trawling through mud for stepping on good ol' concrete? Yes? Then look no further than Glasgow's glittering West End Festival; a 17 day cultural celebration of Scotland's finest music (not to mention theatre, film, dance and comedy).

Kicking off the live music proceedings is the return of veteran Coatbridge sop pop song maestros turned jazz hounds, Hue and Cry at Oran Mor on the 9th. But if mum and dad's favourite ain't your thing then get on down to Cottiers on Hyndland Street where the demented Mother and The Addicts are spewing out a few of their favourite tunes on the wheels of steel on the night before.

Sunday's opening parade on the 10th (or 'Scotland's Mardi Gras,' as it has been dubbed) packs five hours worth of the best in folk, jazz, steel band, reggae and soul into three stages on Byres Road. Glasgow's Amphetameanies will put a little bit of summer in your heart with their ska-tastic stomps whilst Blondie-loving tribute act Bleachie will, no doubt, have you reminiscing about a time when Debbie Harry was queen.

Sadly, Aereogramme's West End Festival outing on the 16th is, bar their Connect appearance, their last full set on these shores before dispersing into the rapidly expanding graveyard of 'great Scottish bands that never quite made it'. My Heart Has A Wish That You Would Not Go has proven itself to be one of the most momentous, heart-rendering records of 2007. So take the opportunity to head on over to QMU and say your - whisper it - final farewell to a truly wondrous group.

But it's not all doom and gloom; The mighty Twilight Sad will be out to prove they're worthy contenders for the throne at Oran Mor on the 14th; performing the sweeping, heather-strewn paeans of (The Skinny's album of the month) Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters. With those glistening native charmers Endor and Northern Irish songsmiths Kowalski on the same bill, it's sure to be the festival's shimmering highlight.

For the more melodically hearted, the breathy tones of Jo Mango will be emitting sweet summertime vibrations in the Botanic Gardens on the 15th, whilst you can also catch BMX Bandits cohorts Duglas, Rachel and Stuart partaking in a little feel-good acoustic strummery with the wistfully voiced Ally Kerr in tow at Cottiers on the 21st. The multi-genre line-up offered by the marathon of events is reinforced by the evocative sounds of Iain Archer at Brel on the 20th and the panache of Celtic folksters The Poozies on the 24th.

All the fun of the festival, without any mud in yer wellies.