Okay, so we are all a little tired of hearing about how bloody great Four Tet is, how his music is a refreshing combination of brainy and fun, or how good his live shows are. So there's no need to spill any more reasons why you should go to the gig. Except for one: Sunburned Hand Of The Man. Psychedelic indie-folk at its bleary jittery best, SHOTM is a noisy trip, and varies from one gig to the next as collective-style band members in large numbers appear and disappear onstage. Complementing Four Tet's unique take on noise and progressive/psychedelic beats (hardly surprisingly, as they seem to be absorbing Kieran Hebden into their biomass), SHOTM rolls out wandering and unfolding melodies that break over disruptive pops and skips where hometown acoustic folk and technology collide, and are welded together at odd angles. So in case you haven't encountered these particular licks, this is the place to do so -- the vaguely eccentric line-up offers a little something for everyone.

NB: support from James Holden + Kode9 + Fairmont.

Since the mid '90s, Stefan Schwander, aka Antonelli (and Antonelli Electr.) of Duesseldorf has been busy producing his signature sleek, propulsive disco tracks. The early driving influence of Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder was apparent in his first releases on the German Italic label, combining electronic minimalism with a feel for pop techno in a refreshingly direct way, as exemplified on the debut Me, The Disco Machine album. Over the last decade, Schwander has customised his beat machinations across a swathe of pseudonyms (A Rocket In Dub, Repeat Orchestra, Rhythm Maker and his own name) and labels (Mille Plateaux, ~scape, Level, BackGround), and is regarded as one of the wunderkinds of the glitch scene, which reached its nadir with the Click & Cuts compilations. His latest label is the impressive London-based Dreck records, run by Radovan Scasascia (aka AM/PM) who will also be DJing as Secondo this night next to Benzo. Antonelli's new Dreck EP (out in June) is released under yet another moniker -- Harmonious Thelonious. The EP is a study of rhythmical patterns, evoking the work of classical American Minimalists and West African drumming.

Nominated for the 2006 Cannes Palm d'Or, the hypnotic and austere Colossal Youth, Portuguese filmmaker Pedro Costa's most recent feature, once again centres on the decaying Fontainhas slum area of Lisbon. Part of a continuing series of films (Ossos and Vanda's Room) that tread a fine line between fiction and documentary, Costa returns to observe the varied characters who dwell in the dim and shadowy ghetto. However, despite the similarities of the slum setting and Portuguese language, this film is about as far as possible from the Brazilian favela-set City Of God. Here life is silent and calm, the shacks shaded and dark and the inhabitants reflective -- not all slums are chaotic, violent and crammed. The film follows Ventura, an immigrant labourer from Cape Verde, as he is resettled -- after 34 years in the shadowy Fontainhas -- into a shiny, bright and sterile new government housing project as part of a slum clearance programme. As Ventura struggles to adjust to the changes in his life, he comes to represent the transition between individuality and old ways of living, and a new, homogenised reality. Slow in pace and beautifully photographed, the film allows your mind to wander while Ventura slowly gathers a "family" around himself.

NB: Colossal Youth screens at the Cine Lumirere from 25/04 till 30/04. Also of note this week is the release of Persepolis.

It's always a surprise to see a record receive the sort of universal acceptance that was bestowed on Junior Boys' debut Last Exit upon its release. Perhaps rarer was the quiet resolve with which the Canadian duo absorbed that praise, and simply went on to make something better: the singularly impressive So This Is Goodbye, an exquisitely polished work of electro-pop. See the deftness with which they've turned their hand to DJ mixes and you'll get a clear insight into how reassuringly wide their sonic palette is. If their manner and previous live appearances in the UK were perhaps understated, there's very little lowercase about the hefty gang they're heading for this gig. If you'd assumed that the recent New York-based efforts at melding disco and post-punk began and ended with James Murphy, you'll find a much-needed wakeup in the shape of classically trained Juilliard classmates Morgan Geist (one half of Metro Area, should you need reminding) and Kelley Polar. While Geist's praises have been sung in these pages before, Polar is more unfamiliar this side of the pond, but anyone who has seen him will tell you that he executes disco-pop vocals with the sort of poise Marc Almond would kill for. The venue may be, well, somewhat odious, but you can't argue with what's inside.

NB: support from Metronomy + Prinzhorn Dance School.

The Minotaur myth is probably one of the most fascinating literary explorations of the bipolarity of human nature, investigating the most primitive and cruel instincts that drive the beast and the human inside each of us. Harrison Birtwistle's operatic interpretation of the tale, largely visually and conceptually inspired by Picasso's print Mionotauromachia, is loaded with emotional tension and powerful sexuality. The labyrinth, where Minotaur finds his shelter from human glare, functions as a metaphor for the horrifying complexity of the protagonist's alter ego. Birtwistle's dark and sometimes deeply disturbing music engages supremely with the inner suffering of the central character, slowly leading to a dramatic and beautiful final scene. Stephen Langridge's production has a strong sense of direction and distinctiveness and David Harsent's libretto brings another dimension to the myth, stripping it down to the most basic instinct of selfish survival that guides both Theseus and Ariadne. The production's modern and unassuming aesthetics are highlighted by Alison Chitty's stylish and elegant design and video projections designed by two co-founders of Fifty Nine. A great artistic achievement on a gigantic scale.

NB: The Minotaur is performed at ROH on 25/04, 30/04 and 03/05.

Despite a lengthy silence, it would appear that Matthew Herbert's Accidental Records imprint has not, in fact, shut up shop completely. This is very good news. The label website trumpets a fresh roster of artists and this night down at New Cross' increasingly popular Amersham Arms is the first Accidental Records showcase in quite some time. Previous events, often held in other small South London venues, have seen intimate performances from label artists like Mugison or Dani Siciliano, but this time round the new blood will take to the stage; namely Micachu + The Shapes, The Invisible and EskaHerbert, who has a hand in producing these outfits, will also be DJing on the night. Behind the decks, Herbert manages to sound incredibly bold and yet reassuringly humble at the same time -- mixing whatever takes his fancy but never sounding disparate. The result is an experience that accurately reflects his refreshingly unique take on music and sound. It's comforting to know that he's back on the scene.

In this talk, the renowned critic Okwui Enwezor launches the Tate Triennial Prologues, which open up a debate around the theme of the 2009 exhibition: "Altermodern", a term devised by Nicolas Bourriaud to conceptualise art today that reacts against globalisation. This is characterised by cross-cultural practice, derived from real and virtual mobility, which has led to a mingling of disciplines concerned with an exploration of difference and sustainable development. It's a tantalising concept for those critics who believe that the shape of modernity has never quite disappeared. The forthcoming exhibition will map out this new terrain through works by UK artists here and abroad, in both new and specially commissioned works. Enwezor promises to offer some fascinating insights into the emergence of an altermodern, global art practice. Born in Nigeria, dean of academic affairs at San Francisco Art Institute and artistic director of the second Biennial Of Contemporary Art Of Seville and Documenta 11, in Kassel, Germany (2002), he is well placed to present a worldview of art. He has curated exhibitions all over the globe, in which he has considered this shift in the positioning of artists in a postcolonial world, including Snap Judgments at the ICP in New York.

NB: the lecture session will be chaired by writer, curator and artist JJ Charlesworth.

Me + You = 5 by Robin Dingemans will get its premiere this week, presented as a part of Spring Loaded, The Place's annual festival showcasing rising stars in UK dance. New Zealander Dingemans is already well known as a performer both in the UK and internationally, having worked freelance with many companies, such as , Ricochet, Fin Walker and Protein. Instantly recognisable as a hairy giant, he has a commanding presence onstage, moving with power and precision. For Me + You = 5 he is joined by Joanne Fong, who has danced for DV8, Rosas, Ricochet, Rambert and Arc, making for a most distinct and well-travelled duo. This new show, which includes video and incorporates dance and physical theatre, looks at the knotted relationships we have with ourselves and others; the multiplying of personalities these relationships often foster. You can expect dry humour, committed performances, mental games and fine dancing.

NB: Me + You = 5 is performed on both 25/04 and 26/04 and is part of The Place's Spring Loaded season (runs till 17/05). Also of note is Phoenix Dance Theatre, performing at Sadler's Wells on 28/04 and 29/04.

Ace music portal Resident Advisor (webby nomination in hand) dip their toes into putting on parties in London for the first time. Quite predictably the whole thing would wet the pants of most house music fans. Drawing on veteran promoters Mulletover for assistance, the RA podcast archive has been consulted and five previous compilers of the highest quality have been selected to partake. The presence of Berlin is strong here with Innervisions boss Dixon; Prosumer, resident at the rather debauched Berlin nightspot Berghain and the highly rated Sebo K of Moobilee, all bringing the serious techno business in the main room. Maurice Fulton heads up the less boompty boompty room and brings the crazed mutant disco soul house sound. He might even treat us to a few tracks from his much anticipated forthcoming -- round these parts at least -- Syclops album (DFA). Mulletover residents Geddes and Simon Morell also play. The only strange thing about this night is the decision to theme it loosely around Brazilian Carnival, without any nod to Brazilian music. While girls shouting about their popozuda crudely over a looped AC/DC riff has never really been to RA's taste, encouraging the donning of feather boas, sequined bras and tanned torsos seems actually to be a very good idea.

Kudos to the bright spark at Magic And Medicine who decided to do something a bit different for their MSTRKRFT-headlined party -- clubs are shit, yeah, so instead they've decided to build a warehouse in a day and fill it with lots of DJs the Boreditch hoi polloi will cream their pants over. So there you have it: po-faced, fully paid up members of the Vocoder Appreciation Society MSTRKRFT spare a moment from hanging with ubiquitous talent vacuum Steve Aoki in LA to flex their DJ skills at a hastily erected warehouse on Cable Street, with some typically lysergic support acts. Fashion favourites Jerry Bouthier and DJ Rokk from BoomBox duke it out with rising producer Tronik Youth from the Back Yard stable in the main room. The ever popular Bloggers Delight / Walk The Night lot have the second room all to themselves and with Casper C and Skull Juice eschewing the much flogged blog house sound for a wider take on house music, this might just be the room to party in. Given that the last time MSTRKRFT DJ'd in Hoxton, a queue snaked all the way down Curtain Road from Plastic People, you can assume tonight will be one hell of a makeshift sweatbox.

Adapted from the autobiographical graphic novel of the same name by Marjane Satrapi, and written and performed in French (France is Satrapi's home), this Oscar-nominated animated film opens with Marji as a precocious young girl living in Iran, whose life is vigorously shaken by the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Under the Ayatollah's regime, life changes inextricably, and not, in Marji's eyes, for the better. As people who speak out continue to vanish and Marji's rebelliousness begins to worry her parents, she's sent away to Europe. But once there, she is torn between the two cultures -- she relishes the freedom of western thinking, but often feels ostracised, and longs for the country she grew up in. Although Iran is her home, and a place she loves passionately, she cannot bear what is happening there. It's this division in her emotions that drives the film, but all is not hopeless; the film's title refers to the ancient Persian capital of Persepolis, a city whose spirit endured through countless invasions and tyrannies. The film's faux-naive style may initially belie its political astuteness and moving personal narrative, but this is indeed an incredibly powerful, and brave film -- one that really is worth making time for.

NB: Persepolis is released in London on 25/04. Also of note this week is the special screening of Colossal Youth with Pedro Costa at the Cine Lumiere (25/04, 7pm).

While the Millennium Dome might not be the most atmospheric venue in the country, it has nonetheless seen a remarkable transformation over the past 12 months, having gone from being a national laughing stock to one of the world's most successful concert venues. Though much has been made of the high profile bookings in the main arena, the smaller indigO2 space has also been slowly building a reputation for hosting more leftfield and up-and-coming acts. This week should see that reputation enhanced no end as the excellent Eat Your Own Ears crew take up a six-night residency. Night five of the series sees things take a decided turn for the teutonic as the acclaimed Kompakt label rolls into town to celebrate their 15th birthday. Headlining the night are legendary electronica producers Mouse On Mars, who since releasing their debut album 14 years ago have made a name for themselves as one of the scene's most original and enduring acts, combining electronic experimentation with live improvisation to create a unique sound all of their own. Joining them are the likes of Burger/Voight, Jonas Bering, Gui Boratto and occassional Orb accomplice and a man with more years in the music industry under his belt than both Mouse On Mars and Kompakt combined, Thomas Fehlmann.

Part of the British Library's celebration of late '60s "counter-culture" and the Czech Centre's commemoration of the Prague Spring, this evening offers a rare opportunity to hear the testimony of an author who has brought the inspiration of both into a superb series of plays, novels and essays over the past 40 years. A participant in the 20th century's brutal history -- including almost four years as a teenager in the Terezin concentration camp -- Ivan Klima has never been an explicitly political writer, despite the intentions of those who banned his work for so many years. Klima was in London, in August 1968, when Soviet tanks moved to crush the Czech experiment of "socialism with a human face". In contrast to Milan Kundera, who chose exile in Paris, Klima returned to his native Prague. His conversation with John Tusa promises to be an illuminating exploration not simply of "1968 and all that", but of European history and its cultural values in the context of what it means to remember events that have shaped them.

NB: this event is part of the All Power to the Imagination! 1968 And Its Legacies season which runs across London till 10/06.

Michael Gabellini and Eva Jiricna are both justly famous for their work and neither are seen often enough on the lecture circuit in London. New York-based architect Gabellini's ritzy work at Rockefeller Centre reveals the space-defined-by-light approach that his practice uses extensively. Both of these architects (despite working at all scales) concentrate on interiors, after all where people spend most of their time. The retail atmospherics Gabellini specializes in (for Jil Sander and Nicole Farhi, for example) are immersive environments. Both of these designers are the originators of retail devices that have now become ubiquitous (Gabellini's aspirational use of hi-tech light; Jiricna's glass-front facades and glass shelves).

Czech-born London-based architect Jiricna's work is often classed as "interior architecture", but her recent large-scale work and the minimalist yet luxurious hi-tech aesthetic for which she is known (particularly for glass staircases as finely worked as jewellery), will furnish her lecture with numerous examples of work you've seen but didn't know was hers. She is a Royal Academician as well as a CBE and her modest personal style promises a pleasant evening and a rare chance to ask questions. It makes sense for the AIA/UK branch to encourage both of these exceptional architects, whose work is stunning but not strident, to show their work in big, brash, sometimes unsubtle London.

NB: Michael Gabellini speaks at the AA on 28/04 and Eva Jiricna on 06/05. RSVP via efitzpatrick@kpf.com to ensure entry. Make sure you catch Skin + Bones at Somerset House which runs till 10/08 (the design of the exhibtion was done by Jiricna).

To say Jamie Lidell has undergone a transformation in the past few years is an understatement. His early solo productions are more akin to abrasive techno than smooth, retro soul, and while his work with Cristian Vogel as Super_Collider hinted at his vocal potential, it was beneath a hefty weight of glitches and static. The consistency has been in his live performance. With Super_Collider, he provided a captivating counterweight to Vogel's experimental sonics, but his one-man show was even more impressive -- a rare but unmistakable outpouring of raw talent. The musical direction since has certainly alienated some but undoubtedly won over more, which is just as well as the new album, Jim, explores the vintage soul sound more extensively than Multiply. It's contentious to say whether the full band that he now tours with can match the spontaneous energy of the earlier solo shows, but it suits the more traditional song structure he currently favours and provides a solid foundation for that amazing voice, which is worth the ticket price alone.

Last seen performing in London with The End Of The Moon -- a piece she created as NASA's only ever artist-in-residence -- New York legend Laurie Anderson returns to the Barbican at the end of the month with a new work, reflecting on how the pervasive and toxic presence of war seeps out of politics and into culture. With her trademark electronic violin (it has a playback head in the bow), Anderson was one of the earliest stars of the digitalization of multimedia performance. Her work combines music, storytelling, visuals and sound projection, for a musical evening critical of Bush's corporate poisoning of the American homeland. While Anderson's techniques have been much emulated by others, her own vocal presence -- often quite whimsical in its satire -- is wholly inimitable. Joined by three other musicians, her new show allows us to imagine alternative American stories, quite opposed to those of the bellicose and abysmal President Bush.

NB: Laurie Anderson performs at the Barbican from 30/04 till 03/05. On 03/05 (3pm) catch Anderson when she gives a talk on the breadth of work after a screening of her new film Hidden Inside Mountains.

Maybe it's too easy to refer to Jo Broughton's photographs as a sort of strange fusion of the photography of Jeff Wall and Tracey Emin's notorious bed, but there are elements of each of these that conspire at first to overshadow the work, and then, slowly, to reveal its nature as something completely different. Empty Porn Sets reveals itself to you in a deliberate and unhurried way -- seductive in its rules of engagement, the unraveling of each scene and the discovery of its lurid parts is more a sultry Dance Of The Seven Veils than the frank and frenzied exploits that were recorded in the spaces in advance of the photos. An intriguing deconstruction of space, place and sexual fantasy, the leftovers simultaneously infantilize and monumentalize an industrial interpretation of sex. Almost more engaging than the photographs themselves, is the artist's telling of her attachment to the sites, the story behind how she came to photograph them in the first place, and what they have contributed over the years to her own aesthetic development.

NB: runs till 01/05.

The undoubted pioneer and King of the low budget indie flick, Roger Corman blazed a trail through the Hollywood film industry making moving pictures on the sort of budget larger studios would spend on schmoozing. He'd write and produce some six or seven films a year that, shot on leftover sets from larger productions, would usually take about a week to shoot -- although his unbeaten record for a professional 35mm feature film was two days and a night for the original The Little Shop Of Horrors (1960). A great eye for talent, Corman launched the careers of Coppola, De Niro, Nicholson, Demme and Scorsese and in the early '60s firmly cemented the reputation of Vincent Price as the numero uno purveyor of onscreen malevolence by starring him in a series of Edgar Allen Poe adaptations. One of the finest, The Masque Of The Red Death (1964), with its medieval setting and gorgeous Technicolor photography by Nicholas Roeg, sees Price as Prince Prospero -- terrorizing the villagers that live around his castle, engaging in black magic rituals, orgies and human sacrifice. The centrepiece of this wonderful Midnight Movies special event, it is as camp as a Scout leader's thumb and undoubtedly more essential.

NB: Roger Corman will introduce a double-bill of The Intruder and The Masque Of The Red Death. You can also catch Corman the following evening when he discusses his career after a special screening of Summer Scars (03/05, 8:15pm).

The deceptive power of photography has always baffled and amazed; its seeming realism duping the viewer into accepting its often grainy or half-cut truths. Alison Jackson's paparazzi-style snaps of the rich and famous in intimate settings -- George Bush struggling with a Rubik's Cube at his Presidential desk, Brangelina and the kids at the breakfast table, the Queen snapping on a pair of Marigolds at the sink -- are themselves shadowy fakes. And why would we think otherwise? These blurry, dimly-lit images recall the origins of the camera obscura, the dark room where nature was transcribed as art. Have we regressed so far that we are fooled by this black magic, or is it the subject of Jackson's photographs -- our obsession with the cult of celebrity -- that allows our minds to play tricks on us? Go and see this show to test your own ability to refrain from suspending your disbelief.

NB: runs till 23/05.

The RCS is staging an impressive smattering of Shakespeare's Histories at the Roundhouse, the first wave of which includes this impassioned production of Henry V. For those who need a reminder: Harry invades France, the French don't like it and it all gets dramatic at Agincourt. This production is brilliantly energized and charges along with a fearsome mix of blood, sweat and tears. Geoffrey Streatfield as Henry is an inspiring leader -- witty comrade, driven fighter and humble man. The scene where he anonymously wanders through the camp to mingle with his men is incredibly moving, while the famous "Once more into the breach, my friends..." speech is powerful, confident and courageous. The staging of the play is what gives the production some serious edge, though. The French, including the prissy, petulant Dauphin are decked out in swathes of blue satins, silks and velvet. They enter the stage only from above, lowered down on trapezes, upon which they pirouette, pout and postulate. The English meanwhile, clad in practical black and chain metal, and covered in cuts and gashes, emerge from below stage through heavy metal trapdoors, banging, clattering and fighting the good fight. It's a visual trick that perfectly encapsulates the contrasting spirits of the two nations. The Roundhouse takes its circular dimensions to semi-recreate a Globe-like feel and its pulls off the whole effect with serious style. A hit, big time.

NB: runs till 25/05.

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