The Guide offers a critical view of what's hot for the coming week.

Paul Curreri, Sanctuary Cafe, Cella, Brunswick Street East, Hove, Saturday, March 25
- Thirty-year-old folk-rock sensation Paul Curreri is the epitome of mid-West cool. The Charlottesville, Virginia-based musician has released three albums of critically-acclaimed folk music and is set to release his fourth, Are You Going To Paul Curreri, at the end of the month. Recorded in a single evening in late January, the record finds Curreri in fantastic form, backed by two of Virginias most versatile musicians - Randall Pharr on electric bass, and Spencer Lathrop on drums. The result is a freewheeling collection of stories, wordplay and unaffected country blues, echoing Curreris famously fresh and spontaneous live performances. Starts 7.30pm, tickets cost £5/6. Call 01273 770022.

Karen Matheson, Komedia, Brighton, Wednesday, March 29
- Folk singer Karen Matheson has got some pretty famous fans. Sean Connery once described her as having a throat touched by the hand of God, and the Queen likes her so much she gave her an OBE in this years honours list. The flame-haired songstress inherited a love of singing from her parents and many of the traditional songs in her repertoire were learnt from her grandmother. Matheson recorded her first album while she was still at school, with the group Capercaillie. She still performs with the band, who are one of the biggest Gaelic groups around. Starts 8.30pm, tickets cost £12.50. Call 01273 647100.

My Latest Novel, Freebutt, Phoenix Place, Brighton, Wednesday, March 29
- My Latest Novel cite authors Jack Kerouac and Aldous Huxley as their main inspiration. The five-piece pride themselves on their tales of the everyday and their music is shot through with witty, intelligent lyrics. Musically, they share similarities with bands such as Arcade Fire and Belle & Sebastian, with undertones of Northern Soul. In 2005, having played just a handful of gigs in their native Scotland, the group secured a slot at Manchesters In the City music convention, where they were signed to indie label Bella Union. Tonights gig marks the end of a tour to promote their debut album Wolves, released at the beginning of the month. Starts 8pm, tickets cost £5. Call 0844 9996184.

Stiff Little Fingers, Concorde 2, Maderia Drive, Brighton, Thursday, March 30
- Although reportedly sick of being called the Irish Clash, SLFs aggressively political lyrics and killer riffs do mark them out as cousins of the godfathers of London punk. But they are original punks themselves, having formed in 1979, and their enduring sound now amounts to a refreshing change from the nihilist howlings that have dominated the UK post-punk scene in recent years. Complete with buzzsaw guitars, heavy bass lines and powerful rhythms, their live show remains the definitive guid on how to rock out. Sandpaper-throated frontman Jake Burns still delivers his performance with great intensity, despite the passing years. Starts 7.30pm, tickets cost £13. Call 01273 6733.

Il Divo, Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton, Thursday, March 30
Il Divo are a strange hybrid of a boy band and a classically-trained quartet, injecting a sex-sells formula into the world of operatic music. According to their record company, the group was found after a worldwide search - but they were launched right here in the UK. Singing a mix of traditional songs, such as Ave Maria and pop classics like Unchained Melody, the group first appeared on Parkinson in 2004. Two weeks later their album had gone straight to number one, toppling Robbie Williams off the top spot. It has since gone on to sell five million copies worldwide. Starts 6.30pm, tickets cost £20-35. Call 0871 2200260.