MONDAY
Scissors Cut Paper Wrap Stone
CCA Derry touring show. Uilinn, West Cork Arts Centre, Skibbereen, Co Cork Until February 25 westcorkartscentre.com
The title comes from a 1994 sci-fi novel by Belfast-based Ian McDonald about a design student with the ability to "create images that bypass rational thought and control the mind of the viewer". From that starting point, this group show "explores ideas of how our perceptual and physical behaviours are transfigured by objects, images, and new technologies". With new works by Jennifer Mehigan and Joey Holder.
Cage the Elephant
Academy Dublin 8pm €24 ticketmaster.ie
Some bands just want to do the right thing in the right way, and for Kentucky's Cage the Elephant that is to evoke the great garage/pop groups of the 1960s. Which is why we're recommending this one – any band influenced by the likes of The Yardbirds, The Easybeats and The Hollies is fine in our well-thumbed book of rock'n'roll templates.
TUESDAY
Attitude Precedes Form
Black Church Print Studio members. The Library Project, 4 Temple Bar , Dublin Until January 31 print.ie
Curator Hilary Murray posed two questions: "What are our goals for women in Ireland today? And what challenges do we now face?" New work by Black Church studio members Ella Bertilsson & Ulla Juske, Chloe Brenan, Janine Davidson, Emma Finucane, Rachel Fallon & Eleanor Phillips, Anja Mahler, Sadbh O'Brien, Alison Pilkington and Lee Welch offer responses.
Ian Shaw with the Phil Ware Trio
Sunflower, Belfast (Tuesday); Dolans, Limerick (Wednesday); Triskel, Cork (Thursday)
Welsh vocalist Ian Shaw began his stage career telling jokes, and though he has grown into a serious singer with a clutch of critically acclaimed albums under his belt, he retains the warmth and extroversion of a born raconteur. His association with pianist Phil Ware – UK-born but an influential figure on the Dublin scene for more than a decade – has borne various exotic fruits over the years, including the excellent Abbey Road Sessions. Expect to laugh and cry and howl for more. Tour continues to Kilkenny (20th) and Dublin (21st) next week.
WEDNESDAY
Barb Jungr
Black Box Belfast 1pm/8pm £7/£10 cqaf.com
English songwriter/stylist Barb Jungr has done a lot of this and much of that over the years in areas of music/theatre/ TV, but she is perhaps best known for her interpretations of Bob Dylan songs (released in album format on 2002's Every Grain of Sand and 2011's Man in the long Black Coat). Note that there are two shows today. As part of Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival.
Interactions
Work by participants in two years of the Belfast Exposed Futures Programme. Plus Reciprocated Gaze featuring work by Stage 3 photography training participants. Belfast Exposed Photography, The Exchange Place, 23 Donegall St , Belfast Until February 18 belfastexposed.org
A showcase for the diversity and versatility of contemporary photography, with work by Ciaran Og Arnold, Peter Evers, Alberto Maserin, Aisling McCoy, Jan McCullough, Yvette Monahan, Joanne Mullin, Jill Quigley, Andrew Rankin and Ruby Wallis. A theme? "The relationship between human presence and particular landscapes and spaces, both real and imagined."
THURSDAY
The Felice Brothers
The Limelight 2 Belfast 7pm £17.50 limelightbelfast.com
From busking in New York City subways over 10 years ago to performing at much bigger and more prestigious venues, it has been a rollercoaster ride for this family-centric folk/rock/ country band. Expect, then, an instinctive selection of genre tunes delivered with the charm and fearlessness that catapulted them into the spotlight in the first place.
Hoolie
Electric Galway 10.30pm €8/€5
Those who've heard Mall Grab's bangers to date will know that Australian producer Jordon Alexander is an exciting proposition. His releases to date like Feel U, I Just Wanna and Can't (Get U Outta my Mind) have spread the word about an infectiously wonky and weirdbeard turn of sound, while his Rinse FM radio shows have shown his smarts as a DJ. Support from Paddy Hogan, Paul Belton, Dylan Burke and Cathal Seoige.
Wallis Bird
Vicar St Dublin 7.30pm €26 ticketmaster.ie
Berlin-based, Wexford-born songwriter Wallis Bird is one of Ireland's best emerging voices that has slowly gravitated from playing small venues to headlining bigger ones such as Vicar St. That she has done so on her own stubborn terms isn't always noted (or approved), but we think it's great. We also think Bird is a class act. You know what to do, right?
