Loathe | Tue 29 Aug | The Flapper | £7
Something heavy to start off your week: Liverpool’s Loathe tap into that vein of low-end thumping metalcore (or call it what you will) that Architects helped to define in the mid noughties. Loathe’s gristly technicality can go toe-to-toe with the finest bands of that era, and they find ways to breathe new life into it too; you just might need a stiff drink on your way in, ’cause things will get pretty bleak… seetickets.com

Parquet Courts | Thu 31 Aug | O2 Institute | £17.25
DIY indie kids Parquet Courts soaked up the critical acclaim last year with their third record, ‘Human Performance’. These are rough-around-the-edges musicians reclaiming music itself, unmistakeably New York-born, the punk creed deep in their bloodstream. See our full preview here.

Bootleg Rascal | Thu 31 Aug | Sunflower Lounge | £6
Eighties revisionists Bootleg Rascal have moved from their dub and hip-hop roots into kaleidoscopic Peter Gabriel-style jams, piling up genres and deep-cut influences like an all-you-can-eat buffet. We hear that the irrepressible Aussies put on a killer live show, and the cosy Sunflower Lounge should be the perfect place to find out. seetickets.com

FEET | Sat 2 Sep | Sunflower Lounge | £6
Coventry up-and-comers FEET are hungry, as you can tell from the sprawling post-punk joy of latest single ‘Petty Thieves’. Vocalist George Haverson has a sardonic, mclusky-inspired tone to his voice that cranks up to an IDLES-like rant; and he won’t thank us for this, but he can also wheel out a pretty good Chris Martin croon. Haverson and the band switch gears rapidly from a fuzzed-out stampede to a freewheeling surf-rock jam: clearly a band with plenty of tricks up their sleeves. seetickets.com

Beach Fossils | Sun 3 Sep | Hare & Hounds | £11
Beach Fossils came of age alongside a host of other lo-fi, chillwave bands who launched a whole new era of DIY romanticism: creating bedroom-produced indie rock on a shoestring budget. This year’s new album ‘Somersault’ is a freshly-honed take on the dream-pop sound, deeper, darker and better than ever. See our full preview here.

Alvvays | Sun 3 Sep | O2 Institute | £12
Toronto indie-pop darlings Alvvays are gearing up for the release of their sophomore album, ‘Antisocialites’. Somewhere between 60s radio-pop and scuzzy-edged 80s post-punk, Alvvays dress up their summery melodies in Tame Impala psychedelia and blown-speaker production; ‘Antisocialites’ sounds like it’s taking the formula into bolder, widescreen territory. seetickets.com

Moseley Folk Festival | 1-3 Sep | Moseley Park | From £45
The 12th incarnation of the celebrated Moseley Folk Festival is finally here – featuring the ephemeral Laura Marling, Amy MacDonald, José Gonzales and more, as well as a brace of local talent including mighty Birmingham heroes the Destroyers. The Festival is a beautifully strange and otherworldly moment, a small local park transformed into an intimate encounter with giants of folk. Most importantly, tickets are still available. See our full preview here.