Live Music Highlights - May 2010

Featuring former members of the much missed Uncle John and Whitelock, Jacob Yates & The Pearly Gate Lockpickers plough a similarly fertile furrow of wild-eyed doom-wop and portentous blues-rock. All heathens, sinners and unclean spirits are invited to attend Glasgow’s Nice N Sleazy on 8 May.

NYC-based misfits Cold Cave have been getting some serious attention recently and if you have a penchant for angsty synth-pop, experimental noise and pain in general then these peeps should be right up your street. With Dominick Fernow (aka Prurient) now a full-time member you know it's going to get lairy at Glasgow's Captain's Rest on 9 May.

CocoRosie are back in town to promote new album Grey Oceans, which – if you can make it past the stultifying cover art – is actually a pretty interesting record. Never ones to follow the crowd, the sisters Casady's live shows are usually as unconventional as their studio work. Glasgow’s Classic Grand on 12 May is a sound bet if you fancy something a little challenging.

16 May sees a stellar line up of artists descend on the Roxy Art House in Edinburgh. Experimental pianist Hauschka heads up the bill – imagine Erik Satie if he'd been brought up on Raster-Norton and 12k. Support comes from ace folk-chanteuse Nancy Elizabeth and 12-string prodigy James Blackshaw. Serious talent, y'hear?

The Brian Jonestown Massacre are one of the most infamous live outfits on the circuit but now Anton Alfred Newcombe is sober we can expect killer musicianship to replace killer head-kicks as this psych-legend's preferred mode of audience interaction. This band has so many great tunes that it's frankly embarrassing – Glasgow O2 ABC on 18 May.

It’s probably safe to expect a road testing of snippets from Wolf Parade's forthcoming Expo 86, due on Sub Pop this summer. And sure, the Montreal quartet sound good on record, but they're even better in the flesh. Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug’s songwriting is unconventional and they know how to work a crowd, meaning anyone who appreciates literate, melodic indie rock needs to get down to Glasgow Òran Mór on 19 May.

With their gut-rumbling turns delivered courtesy of the always incendiary Predestination Records, Belfast's LaFaro are a four-piece who have long been on our radar, combining wry lyrics and acerbic delivery with white-knuckle riffing. So far, so Future of the Left, but LaFaro's vibe is even harsher – this is dark, dirty, relentless and served with nary a pop lick. Get some at Glasgow’s Captain's Rest on 20 May, Arbroath’s Devitos on 21 May, Dundee’s Hustlers on 22 May and Edinburgh’s Bannerman's on 23 May.

Taking over the O2 ABC, Art School, Captain’s Rest, Sleazy’s, Stereo and The Vic Bar, multi-venue music-fest Stagger and Dagger hits Glasgow for the second year on 22 May. Boasting performances by around 50-odd enticing talents hailing from near and far, including Wild Beasts, A Place to Bury Strangers, Divorce, Kong, Male Bonding and too many others, it’s a who’s who of the ATP your kids will probably be at in 20 years time. See our listings for full details.

Has it really been eight years since The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster's debut album Horse of the Dog blew our minds? To celebrate their triumphant return from the wilderness with their cracking new album Blood and Fire the band will tear it up at Glasgow’s Stereo on 25 May, Aberdeen Tunnels on 26 May and Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire on 27 May. Nobody dominates like these boys when they're on form.

US alt-rock firebrands Quasi wrap up their world tour with a show at Glasgow’s Captain's Rest on 28 May. As a band with limitless energy who can deliver artful pop gems as easily as they invoke thundering rock behemoths, Quasi are a true inspiration. You should pull out the stops to make this date.

Cakes and candles are fine, like, but This is Music goes one better by celebrating its fourth birthday with four unmissable gigs throughout the coming month. Edinburgh’s Sneaky Pete's will play host to the launch of Bronto Skylift’s debut LP on 7 May, with Adam Thompson (We Were Promised Jetpacks) and Ross Clark (sans his newly christened pack of Three Blind Wolves) both playing solo sets on 14 May, Meursault headlining on 21 May and Jesus H. Foxx joining forces with Eagleowl to ring in another year of quality events from the DIY promoter on 28 May.