Critic's choice

Shana Morrison, Hanbury Ballroom, Brighton, Sunday, July 23
- Van Morrison's only child has a lot to live up to but she's earning respect in her own right. Rolling Stone magazine praises her "smooth, elastic voice and style that lands between jazz chanteuse and rock chick". Performing with a five-piece band, she will play songs from her debut album Seven Wishes, which features a cover of her father's classic Sweet Thing. She duets with him on another of his songs, Sometimes We Cry. Shana spent her teenage years living with her mother and pursuing a career in business. In 1993, she appeared on stage with Van for several dates of his US tour. Seeing the impact her music could have, she started her own musical odyssey. Starts 7.30. Tickets cost £15. Call 01273 383569.

Sandweaver, Joogleberry Playhouse, Brighton, Monday, July 24
- This indie-pop four-piece from Worthing combine catchy melodies with uplifting harmonies. You may have seen them supporting Shaun Ryder, Finlay Quaye or Primal Scream's Mani, and they've gigged at venues including Leicester Sqaure's Storm and Concorde 2 in Brighton. Musically they are reminiscent of The Cure and The Verve with riffs from the Chili Peppers/Bloc Party school of guitar grooves. Reviews and music industry buzz have both been strong ahead of their July gigs. Support comes from Australia's Mal Webb. A singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Webb has been described "like Bobby McFerrin, Aphex Twin and Cole Porter playing scrabble". Starts 8pm, tickets cost £5. Call 01273 687171.

James "Slim" Hand, The Hanbury Ballroom, Brighton, Tuesday, July 25
- "Folks, like I said before and it's STILL true: James Hand is the real deal!" No less an authority than Willie Nelson said this and Nashville is starting to take notice. "Slim" Hand has been playing country music for nearly four decades but his new album, The Truth Will Set You Free, is the first to gain national distribution in America. At 54, he would be over the hill as a pop singer but years of low-paid gigs in Texas saloons mean he's just coming into his prime as a country musician. His album is produced by Lloyd Maines, whose credits include the Dixie Chicks, and the songs tell autobiographical tales of his life as a singer and horse trainer. Starts 7.30pm, tickets cost £7. Call 01273 325440.

Regina Spektor, Concorde 2, Brighton, Tuesday, July 25
- Rescheduled after last month's last-minute cancellation, expections are high for Regina Spektor's return to the UK, following tours with The Strokes and Kings Of Leon. She has courted comparisons to Fiona Apple but makes a conscious effort to avoid sounding like anyone else or repeating herself. "I think of each song as its own little world," she says. Born in Russia, Regina trained originally as a classical pianist. Later, after moving to the New York Bronx, she made her name on the singer-songwriter circuit. "I always wanted to play classical concerts," she says. "And now I do that, except instead of playing the compositions of Chopin and Mozart, I play my own." Starts 7.30pm, tickets cost £12.50. Call 01273 673311.

Joyce, Komedia, Brighton, Thursday, July 27
- Raised in Copacabana, surrounded by professional musicians, Joyce has been recording since 1968 and is famous for her hard bossa style, a development of traditional Brazilian bossa nova, samba and choro inflected with modern jazz. Antonio Carlos Jobim used to say his best co-writer was his piano: Whenever he put his hands on it, good ideas would flow. "I can say exactly the same regarding my guitar," says Joyce. She has released more than 30 albums to date and jazz aficionados are joined by underground rock bands such as Stereolab as fans of her work. Her combination of Brazilian rhythms and jazz harmonies has been well-received on regular tours of Europe and Japan but she continues to live in Rio. Starts 8.30. Tickets cost £12/£10. Call 01273 647100.