NOT the busiest of weeks for live music coming up but with the summer finally kicking in, I guess barbecues and pub gardens, days out in exotic places, festivals and nights camped under the stars are preferable to being shut in a loud, dark, beer-sodden room with dozens of other sweaty people.

Live music is okay with that. Live music understands. Live music is patient. Live music will be here waiting when you are ready to come back inside.

That said there is a triptych of great, original offerings to entice you in happening around Old Town tonight, and at The Victoria, you will find those perennial musical mind-benders, Sex Jazz and their insect fixated, bass heavy, Zappa-infused, psychedelic-punk.

Joining them are Cracked Machine, purveyors of intense, droning, proggy soundscapes and RRS, a one man band of glitchy, lo-hi weirdness.

If that all seems a bit too challenging a way to ease into the weekend (though that is sort of the point), then Lewis Clark and The Essentials might be the way to go. Although on paper you would have to describe them as an acoustic folk and blues fusion, in reality they are much more than that. They are soulful, dexterous, effortlessly cool, and musically economic, they make every note and lyrical line count and are the perfect band to restore your faith in creativity and originality.

Rootsy goodness can be found at The Tuppenny with Larkham and Hall’s lazy folk noir, alt-country and Americana vibes inspired by the great 60s folk artists and storytellers. Dylan, Mitchell and Cash may sound like a firm of solicitors but they are actually this duo’s main musical reference points. Support comes from the soaring and sumptuous folk-blues of Canute’s Plastic Army.

Tributes abound on Friday with Supernaught playing the part of Black Sabbath at The Victoria, the only band to cover every incarnation - Ozzy, Dio, Gillan, Martin, Hughes - from 1969 onwards.

The Lizzy Legacy serve a similar purpose to Thin Lizzy at The RAFA Club with not only all the classics from this iconic band but also wandering into the Gary Moore back catalogue and the current vehicle for some of the surviving Lizzy mainstays, Black Star Riders.

If you are looking for something a bit off the beaten tribute band track then head for The Queen’s Tap for First Raitt playing the country, rock, folk and blues blends of Americana guitar legend Bonnie Raitt.

A more general, smorgasbord of music can be found with Locarno Beat playing music from the 60s and 70s at The Groves Company Inn and The Groove Radicals bringing funk, soul and disco classics to Coleview Community Centre.

Great music and good deeds go hand in hand at The Tawny Owl on Saturday with a host of bands from 2pm onwards lining up to raise money and awareness for Swindon Women's Aid & The Nelson Trust Swindon. Down & Dirty, Homer and Evolution have the rock covered, Built for Comfort bring the blues and Sarah C. Ryan delivers sweet blends of folk and pop. Punk is on the cards thanks to Room 101, Kaleido Bay mix classic post-punk with more contemporary indie and alt-rock and Thieving Magpies cover all bases. Catch the latter later the same day at The Tap and Barrel.

Louder music can be had both from the bluesy, boozy, sweary, lairy, chaotic R&B of The Hamsters From Hell at The Queen’s Tap and courtesy of Rotten Aces delivering some punk and new wave classics at The Castle.

Graham Day and The Forefathers may sound like a five piece band but it is actually a power pop trio who can be found at The Sun Inn. The perfect meeting of garage rock, R&B, punk and psyche-rock, expect a night of smart, swaggering, besuited rock with attitude.

And last but certainly not least, Penfold bring a bag of big hits and half-forgotten gems, from all styles, genres and eras to The Victoria.