ECHO’s area is very well served for live music, with more than a dozen venues hosting performances to suit many tastes.  Here are some upcoming highlights.

Friday 7 February sees Roddy Radiation and the Skabilly Rebels play at the Arches Music Venue, with old school punk support from the Army of Skanks. Roddy is perhaps best known as guitarist with the Specials but here he takes centre stage with self-penned songs that fuse the driving rhythm of ska with the gritty, hard edge of rockabilly.

With the current popularity of Nordic novels and detective dramas, there should be considerable interest in The Whispering Road, a combination of brooding traditional Scandinavian music and dark storytelling.  Vividly brought to life by international touring group seriouskitchen, The Whispering Road promises to lead the audience on a fantastical journey to a land where every bird and beast has power and every encounter a deeper purpose. The three members of seriouskitchen are renowned storyteller and singer Nick Hennessey, Vicky Swann, who is the UK’s leading expert in the Swedish nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle) as well as playing the Swedish bagpipes and willow flute, with arranger and composer Jonny Dyer, who also plays guitar, bouzouki, accordion and kohorn. More information, video and music, can be found at their website, while you can catch the show at the Albany Theatre on 13 February.

Coventry promoters Fargo Tours hold a band night at the Arches on 22 February, with indie, ska, hip-hop and dubstep from Karl Phillips and the Midnight Ramblers, indie-rock rappers the Strangers, hip-rock from Olos and the Jonny Concrete Band’s blend of hip-hop and jazz.

Also at the Arches is infamous punk band the Lurkers, who show that they still ain’t got a clue when they play on 28 February. The Lurkers have played in various line-ups since forming in 1976 and scored five Top Forty hit singles between 1977 and 1979. Although they didn’t quite reach the heady heights of some of their contemporaries, the band built up a huge loyal following and has to date released more than 20 albums.  Support comes from Midlands power-poppers Vincent and the OnePotts, who are currently writing their second album for recording during April. Also on the bill is new punk band Stinkpit, made up of former members of Betty Swollocks and Army of Skanks.

At the quieter end of the musical spectrum, Malc Evans’s regular Ditch the TV! acoustic evening is at the Maudslay on Friday 28 February, featuring the haunting, emotive voice of Jazz Morley, three-part harmony from all-female trio the Pips, Kate Barry and Coventry’s own talented singer/songwriter Kristy Gallacher.