Jazz and blues
The Original Rabbit Foot
O2 Academy Oxford
Tomorrow
Tickets £8 from ticketweb.co.uk

The dapper vintage jazz party animals return for what is widely acknowledged to be the biggest and best party of the year. The Original Rabbit Foot Christmas Knees-up is a rip-roaring festive sleigh ride of great tunes and drunken debauchery.

If you think you know jazz, think again.

Garage rock
Little Brother Eli
The Bullingdon, Oxford
Tomorrow
Tickets £5 from wegottickets.com 

Another great-looking bunch, Witney lads Little Brother Eli bash out hard-edged garage rock with a hip-hop vibe – all of which makes them a great live spectacle. They are joined by The Factory Lights and La Phooka.

Punk-pop
John Otway
The Newlands Inn
Eynsham
Tomorrow
Free

We’ve always regarded John Otway as an honorary Oxonian, and, judging  from his recent run of gigs (with shows at Oxford’s Wheatsheaf and Library bar), he seems to be making himself at home in the county. The self-styled self-destructive two-hit-wonder returns to the shire tomorrow for a free gig at this cosy West Oxfordshire hostelry. What is there not to like?

Glam rock
The Darkness
O2 Academy Oxford
Saturday
Tickets from ticketweb.co.uk

A decade ago The Darkness were among the hottest rock acts in the land. Since then, Justin Hawkins and the Lowestoft lads have been through a bit of a sticky period, but are once again back on the game – in all their (ever so slightly tongue-in-cheek) jump-suited glory. Expect everything from I Believe in a Thing Called Love, to Get Your Hands off My Woman and, of course, their seasonal number two hit Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End).

Folk
Belshazzar’s Feast
Nettlebed Village Club
Monday
Tickets from 01628 636 620 or nettlebedfolkclub.co.uk

Bellowhead fiddle and oboe player Paul Sartin teams up with accordionist Paul Hutchinson, for another Yuletide outing for their duo Belshazzar’s Feast.

The twosome draw on traditional folk but inject humour and crackling dialogue. Expect a sprinkling of seasonal favourites.