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

Veil Of The Temple, Dome Concert Hall, Brighton, Saturday, May 27
- Originally commissioned in 2003 as a seven-hour, all-night vigil to be performed in the candlelit, incense-filled Temple Church, this monumental event astonished the music world with its mesmerising fusion of Eastern chants and resounding choruses. Brighton Festival recreates the two-and-a-half-hour 2004 Proms version of John Tavener's cosmic East meets West masterpiece. Starts 7.30pm, tickets £7.50-£25. Call 01273 709709.

Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra & Cheikh Lo, Dome Concert Hall, Brighton, Sunday, May 28
- A whizz on the African harp, Mali's finest Toumani Diabate returns with a new sound, cutting a jazz-like swathe through the brass-led dance grooves of the Symmetric Orchestra. Senegalese maverick Cheikh Lo is a free spirit, soaking up rhythms from around the world to create a hook-laden mix of Senegal dance music, rumba, funk and reggae. Starts 7.30pm, tickets £17.50. Call 01273 709709.

Sleater Kinney, Concorde 2, Brighton, Sunday, May 28
- This all-girl, American rock'n'roll combo has produced seven albums in the past ten years. The latest from Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss reveals a different side to the band, with a depth and heaviness to the songs. Expect three-minute bursts of undiluted, eight-cylinder punk rock, with messages contesting such sizable issues as America's social injustices and gender equality. Starts 8pm, tickets £10. Call 01273 673311.

Jolie Holland, Hanbury Ballroom, St George's Road, Brighton, Sunday, May 28
- With her sepia-toned voice, Jolie Holland's tunes are described as "new time, old time, spooky American fairytales". A self-taught musician, Jolie picked up guitar at the age of 14 and was performing originals on stage by the age of 16. Her inventive combination of blues, folk, jazz and pop is full of gothic and pastoral charms. Her new album, Springtime Can Kill You, is out this month. Starts 7.30pm, tickets £10.50 and £8.50. Call 01273 606312.

Girls Aloud, Brighton Centre, Brighton, Thursday, June 1
- You could argue it's only the teenage and gay markets buying Girls Aloud records, but that's more than enough to sustain a career. But if rumours are correct, we could well be entering the twilight years of the Girls' career: Next year may come the greatest hits album, followed, no doubt, by pregnancy, CD:UK hosting jobs and an eviction from the jungle. So, enjoy their sparkly pop while you can. Starts 6.30pm, tickets £24. Call 0870 9009100.