Ouse: Tokyo Disco | Fri 19 Jan | Boxxed | from £11.25
Say konnichiwa to a neon-drenched east Asian experience taking place right here in Birmingham. As ever, Boxxed is Ouse’s shrine for the night, a venue whose importance to the local scene is paramount now that the Rainbow Venues has sadly had its licence revoked. It’s disco and house in the main warehouse, but if you fancy something a bit faster-paced then there’s drum and bass and jungle in room 2. Last year the Ouse team took Tokyo Disco on tour around the country with huge success, and they’ve been waiting patiently ever since to have another go. If you’ve just about recovered from your New Year’s antics, we reckon this is a pretty good way to kick off 2018 proper. See our preview here. www.skiddle.com 

*Postponed* NANG | Sat 20 Jan | Art.House | from £5
Bass, hip hop and experimental night named after the east London slang for ‘the epitome of awesomeness’. That’s a lot to live up to, but we’re sure this London brand has got what it takes in this, their maiden voyage to the heartlands of Birmingham. Alternative rap duo 808INK, grime-dubstep-rap man Ralph Hardy and Oscar #worldpeace (yes, the hashtag is part of his stage name) star among a cast of DJs and performers alike. All of this is set to take place in all-new contemporary arts venue Art.House, situated in the city’s creative quarter: Digbeth. In the wake of the Rainbow Venues’ closure, this hopefully heralds the beginning of a new era in which the second city’s lesser known gems can flourish. www.shoobs.com

*Sold out* Applebum | Fri 19 Jan | Lab11 | £8
From the dougie to the milly rock, Applebum have been fiercely flying the flag for hip hop and R&B in Birmingham for over three years now, and they’re showing no signs of stopping. Expect to hear throwbacks to classic American hip hop such as Public Enemy and Salt N Pepa, newer trap-flavoured cuts from Lil Uzi Vert and 21 Savage, smooth R&B from Chris Brown, and distinctly British, grime-inflected anthems from Stormzy, Kano and AJ Tracey. There’s something for everyone here – providing you like your music from the urban side of the spectrum. If you do, you’re in luck: no one does hip hop and R&B quite like Applebum. www.applebum.co.uk

*Sold out* Tekno Disco: Shadow City Soundsystem | Sat 20 Jan | Lab11 | £7.70
Apart from a blanket ban on shuffling (the anathema of the techno cognoscenti), there are no rules at the Tekno Discotheque. The main act on the night are Shadow City Soundsystem, finally stepping out from the shadows (sorry) of the many big name acts they’ve supported – such as Bicep, Denis Sulta, Motor City Drum Ensemble – to show off their own individual brilliance. It’s about time someone shone a light on these DJs so utterly dedicated to the underground scene, and finally they’ve been given a platform to show off their distinctly disco-y blend of house. www.skiddle.com