It’s very easy as a writer to live in a bubble. As I sit here in my ivory tower, inflicting my opinions and recommendations on an unsuspecting world via this print media, you come to realise that it’s very much a one-way street.

So recently I have been encouraging a bit of feedback, trying to ascertain whether this column fulfils peoples’ expectations of a musical what’s on guide.

The common criticisms are that tribute bands seem to be edged out of the picture and there are a lot of venues that don’t even get a mention. So, as an experiment in style, here’s my democratic, balanced and sarcasm-free version.

At The Victoria tonight Songs of Praise have a cracking collection of bands for you. Oxford’s yob-savants, The Black Hats, are back in town touring in support of their forthcoming release, Austerity For The Hoi Polloi. Joining them is The Chimerical, up from Bristol, and local rising stars SkyBurnsRed.

The Beehive plays host to those purveyors of “not very good country music” (their words), The Badass Cowboys. Expect the music to be raw and the humour very blue, but any band that has a song with the genius title of Portaloo Sunset can be forgiven nearly anything.

Elsewhere you have the brilliant Mark McCabe at The Rolleston who ploughs a folky acoustic furrow, Bob Bowles at Baker Street and Riffs Travelling Dance Band play their home venue.

On Friday, The Suspicions will be playing Mod covers at The Victoria and at The Rolleston it’s all about Rockabilly and old time Rock and Roll with Red Hot Trio.

The most interesting band of the week comes in the form of Bruise at The Beehive, a band that seem to be able switch from archaic English folk vibes to psyched out acid rock at the drop of a …pill. Imagine if Jefferson Airplane had been part of the Canterbury scene and you are someway there.

New on the scene but containing a few familiar faces, indie contenders Young Blood headline over at Riffs Bar, the far-too-talented Theo Altieri maintains the family connection and also on the bill are The John Does and The Canary Club.

Saturday brings a great mix of music. Riffs Bar play host to Who’s Next for anyone who missed them at The 12 Bar last week and another tribute act covering the same era, The Kinx, are at The Victoria.

At The New Inn, The Sound Crew cover songs from the post punk/new wave era and its classic rock covers with Dirty Deeds at The Royal Oak.

The Swiss Chalet also has classic rock covers from Mofo, and Sister Sister play at The Wheatsheaf.

Three-piece heavy rockers, The Ray Jones Band will be at The Greyhound and The Famous Ale House has “a live rock band”.

Original music can be found at The Rolleston with Billy In The Lowground; think folk rock with attitude, think The Levellers with a testosterone overdose, think…actually, don’t think, just go and watch them.

Sunday afternoon at The Beehive sees the welcome return of Juey and her bluegrass-tinged old time country creations. The evening is a choice between an acoustic set from pop-punksters Disclosure at The Rolleston and Dave Finnegan’s Commitments at The MECA.

None other than award winning country icon Charlie Landsborough is at the Wyvern on Tuesday whilst Baker Street hosts jazz in the shape of the Dave Betts Latin Jazz Quartet.

Last mention of the week is The Running Horse sessions which this week features Nick Felix and Faye Rodgers.

So there you go, nothing controversial there at all.