We've picked up quite a few bookish/spoken word events this week, which is no bad thing. Of course, if intricate wordplay isn't your thing, we've also discovered a doom/noise/drone weekender for you to bludgeon your ears with.
Outspoken: Non-Fiction Live, The Tron, Mon 16 Feb
A free spoken word event that asks participants to share a true story from their own lives, with comedians, poets and those good old members of the general public taking part.
Andrew O’Hagan, Looking Glass Books, Wed Feb 18
With two Booker Prize nominations under his belt, it’s safe to say Andrew O'Hagan has a way with words. Hear him use some of them out loud at this launch event for his fifth novel, ‘The Illuminations’.
Gruff Rhys, The Caves, Wed Feb 18
The Super Furry man comes to Glasgow off the back of his 'American Interior' project – a sprawling concept album, book, film, app and Power Point-based live performance experience.
The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Corn Exchange, Thu Feb 19
East Kilbride’s finest purveyors of noise and confusion JAMC continue to tour their all-time classic debut album 'Psychocandy' around the country, 30 years on from its release.
The Duke of Burgundy, selected release from Fri Feb 20
Neatly falling into the same month as 'Fifty Shades of Grey', Peter Strickland's follow-up to 'Berberian Sound Studio' handles the subject of eroticism and sadomasochism in a much more substantial fashion.
Rally & Broad: Oh Bondage Up Yours, The Bongo Club, Fri Feb 20
It's a bit after the fact, but R&B's monthly performance cabaret is so reliably excellent we'll forgive them their anti-Valentine's sentiments. Special guests this time round include Salena Godden, The Kirsty Law Band, Kevin Williamson, Graeme Hawley and Liz Cronin.
Pulse x Substance, Bongo Club, Fri Feb 20
Edinburgh techno heavyweights Pulse and Substance partner up to bring Rødhåd (pictured above), Berlin-based purveyor of deep, powerful and melancholic electronic sounds, to Edinburgh for a night of dancefloor hedonism.
Sonic Mass Weekender, The Banshee Labyrinth, Fri Feb 20 & Sat Feb 21
At last, a mini-festival dedicated to music that’s loud, doomy and laden with effects. The names of the band lined up should give some hint as to the likely atmosphere: Star Turbine, Space Witch, Ommadon, Buried Sleeper and (our favourites) Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs.
LOUD Poets, City Café, Sat Feb 21
The in-your-face poetry collective (no written materials, no tweed, no boring poetry) celebrate their first birthday with performances from Carly Brown, Sam Small and BBC slam champ David Lee Morgan, plus more tba.
Young Marco at Wasabi Disco, Sneaky Pete's, Sat Feb 21
Amsterdam DJ, producer and Rush Hour staffer Young Marco unpacks his eclectic record bag at Sneaky's resident 'mutant disco' night.