ATP: Release The Bats
London
In spite of the name, this is a genuinely remarkable Halloween event - with barely a hint of goth. Though the authors of a reasonably creepy witchcraft-themed LP, They Were Wrong So We Drowned, Liars have a raft of inventiveness at their disposal, while the undoubtedly cute Deerhoof's Friend Opportunity album took their experimental nous to a decidedly pop end. Atlanta's ambient punk troublemakers Deerhunter and the Black Lips add to a lineup providing more treat than trick.
· The Forum, NW5, Fri 2
The Verve
Glasgow
The HBO drama to Britpop's 1970s British sitcom, 10 years ago, the Verve provided music - and drama - on a scale at odds with their contemporaries. Epic in their scope, they went from sculpting tunes out of jams to the songwriting masterclass that comprised their final album, Urban Hymns. Although their message was an update of the 1960s holy trinity of peace, love and the healing power of music, the band were characterised by the volatile relationship between singer Richard Ashcroft and guitarist Nick McCabe which split the group in the past. See how it characterises the group for the future.
· Glasgow Academy, Fri 2
Robyn
On tour
Robyn's career has seen the Swedish singer go full circle: from commercial pop success to leftfield credibility and all the way back again. It's a trajectory that's all the more remarkable for her success in both areas. As a teen pop singer in the classic, northern European, Max Martin-produced sense of the word, she was recognised worldwide with singles like Show Me Love. Never as saccharine or manufactured a phenomenon as this lineage might suggest - even from her earliest recordings, Robyn had written her own, occasionally surprisingly personal material - it was perhaps inevitable that the singer should ultimately seek a greater degree of independence. Her great Konichiwa Bitches single of earlier this year provided a statement of intent, and established her in the context of new electro pop groups like CSS and New Young Pony Club, a policy her With Every Heartbeat has brought to fruition.
· Audio, Brighton, Wed 31; Scala, N1, Thu 1
Voxtrot
On tour
A strange strategy, but Voxtrot appear to be mounting a campaign to become the world's indiest band. Conceived of in one indie hotspot (Glasgow), then eventually created in another (Austin, Texas, home of the SXSW festival), Ramesh Srivastava's band could well have started off wanting to play doom metal ska, but with that kind of background, theirs was always destined to be a more sensitive calling. Their brand of literate guitar pop music has recently been undergoing something of a resurgence. Joining the likes of the Decemberists, Modest Mouse, New Pornographers and the like in making wry and thoughtful rock, songs like their recent Firecracker single appear in a flattering kind of context. At times, the group come across a little gauche, but ultimately it's for the best: in a class of smart Alecs, Voxtrot still display a human side.
· Speakeasy, Belfast, Thu 1; The Hub, Dublin, Fri 2
