Our gig of the week features the Ivor Novello-winning singer/songwriter Iain Archer, who plays Birmingham’s Glee Club on April 14.

Archer is a former Snow Patrol member who decided to go it alone after the band’s star ascended.

In recent years, he’s been turning out first rate work and playing countless gigs to scores of appreciative fans. His gig at The Glee Club promises to be a special evening.

There’s plenty more to look forward to with dub star Benjamin Zephaniah in Shrewsbury for an eagerly-anticipated gig at Theatre Severn.

Zephaniah is one of the most high profile international authors writing today with his own rap/reggae band.

He is in constant demand to perform his poems and is regarded as Nelson Mandela’s favourite poet.

His concert at Severn Theatre comes on April 15 when he’ll be talking about his life, reading extracts of his poetry and giving an insight into his new book Gangsta Rap, which tells of the troubled worlds of rap bands.

Folk duo Show of Hands play the same venue the following evening.

Phil Beer and Steve Knightley have been described by Mike Harding as being one of England’s greatest singer-songwriting partnerships and they’ll be joined by double bassist Miranda Sykes.

They’ve sold out the Royal Albert Hall three times and performed to ecstatic fans at Shrewsbury Folk Festival.

Support will come from folk duo Megson, whose principal guitarist Stu Hanna recently played Theatre Severn as part of the Darwin Song Project.