Indie-rock
Uprising
O2 Academy Oxford
Friday
Tickets available from ticketweb.co.uk

How about this for a rock-solid Oxford line-up: Pixel Fix, the Aureate Act, Rainbow Reservoir, Sam Martin and Who’s Alice come together to play a showcase of local music organised by BBC Introducing. The line-up features many of the names picked by local trendsetters in our recent tips for 2016 feature. Stay ahead of the curve – and see for yourself.

Soul
Soul Devotion
The Bullingdon, Oxford
Saturday
Tickets from skiddle.com

It’s back to the 90s and beyond on Saturday, for a rare treat for lovers of sweet, soul music. Oxford’s Soul Devotion once reigned supreme, before disbanding after 12 years together. Now the 90s band are back for a special reunion gig. And they are joined by many of the musicians and singers who played with them back in the day. Making soul big before The Commitments, their love of classic and Northern Soul, and their distinctive all-girl brass section, earned them a huge following.

They bring such floor-fillers as Try a little Tenderness, Mustang Sally, Mr Pitiful, Rescue Me and Think in a show that sees support from good-time party-starters The Shapes. There’s more fun in the shape of a Northern Soul Disco and late night Soul Funk with DJ Vinko Nudisco.

Indie
Villagers
O2 Academy Oxford
Monday
ticketweb.co.uk

Conor O’Brien’s outfit make a departure from the multi-faceted splendours of acclaimed, and Mercury-nominated, previous efforts Becoming A Jackal and [Awayland], by going back to the roots of songwriting for a heartfelt set of songs based on love in all its guises.

Pop
Gabrielle Aplin
O2 Academy Oxford
Tuesday
ticketweb.co.uk

The former bedroom singer-songwriter continues her assault on the nation’s hearts with songs from new album Light Up The Dark. Expect lilting original material and tender reproductions of some familiar classics.

Rock
TesseracT
O2 Academy Oxford
Wednesday
ticketweb.co.uk

The edgy Milton Keynes rockers – named Best New Band at the 2012 Prog Awards – go from strength to strength with vocalist Dan Tompkins once again at the helm. Their third LP Polaris hit the upper flight of the rock charts on its release last year, and has seen the five-piece selling out venues on both sides of the Atlantic.