Another excellent week to take your minds off the clumsy weather and political scandals, headed-up by the exquisite prospect of James performing their classics with full strings and choir. Glen Campbell bravely soldiers on against Alzheimers with his final tour, John Barrowman takes a break from being on our TV screens and Hull welcomes lovers of top-notch stand-up comedy with its annual festival. Enjoy.

All prices are exclusive of booking fees.

This week:

• Tours
• Theatre, Comedy and Arts

Tours

This is no ordinary tour - this is a James-with-an orchestra-and-choir type of tour and it is likely that each show will be unique with a different set-list and order each night. Cardiff is first stop on Sunday, followed by the usual big cities, including Liverpool (which needed a second date on the 28th). There are still spaces from £22.50 upwards.

This is your last chance to see one of the truest gentlemen in country-music, make that music full-stop. His UK tour is almost completely sold out, although Newcastle (29th Oct), Brighton (3rd Nov), Southend (5th), Edinburgh (20th) and Aberdeen (23rd) still have tickets for around £29.50 upwards.

From Torchwood to talent-shows, there isn't much this showman cannot do. He also sells-out his concerts pretty sharp-ish. Wednesday's first stop Northampton has just a handful of tickets remaining, but Watford, Edinburgh, York and Aberdeen are sold out. The remaining shows (including many arena dates) cost from £22.50 upwards.

Not one but four bands for your buck - Escape the Fate, The Amity Affliction and The Bunny The Bear (great name) will escort the Welsh rockers on tour from next week. Sunday sees them call at first stop Wolves, followed by Glasgow and more till London on 30th Oct. £16.50 upwards.

With two beautiful albums under their belt, it's really not surprising to learn that Justin Vernon's outfit have sold out all of their UK and Ireland tour which starts in Manchester on Wednesday. Some resales are available for all shows except Dublin (although even they might sell out!).

Peter Gene Hernandez continues global domination with shows in Brixton (Sunday and Monday), Glasgow, Nottingham and Manchester. We suggest you get a move on if you want face-value tickets - Brixton (24th) and Manchester have already sold out - the remainder are £25/ £27.50.

In a couple of weeks, Young Knives will be playing for zero pounds in Liverpool, but before then it's payment time for shows in Manchester (Thursday), Stockton (Friday) and many more until Bath on Halloween. Tickets for all tour-dates are still available for just £10 (£12 for Gloucester).

Electro-pop star Wolf is normally a safe bet for a sell-out show, but his tour from Saturday onwards (in Edinburgh) is relatively unscathed this time around. Prices for all shows from Belfast to Brighton are £13.50, while the final date in London at the Roundhouse clocks in at £17.50.

The Rolling Stones bass-playing legend can still pack them in at his shows - the first quartet of tour-dates have sold-out already, making the first available date Llandudno on 22nd Oct. Gateshead, Basingstoke and Cadogan Hall have also run out of face-value tickets - the rest are priced from £24.50 upwards.

Liverpool is the first stop for talented Allen's next UK tour beginning on Wednesday. Stops in Bury, Newbury, Sheffield etc are all available for just £10 or £12. Swindon is £14. Support on the tour is provided by the must-see singer, Emily Baker.

Also taking place from Monday onwards are the sold out tour from Noel's new project, a return to the UK for US rapper Xzibit (all available for £20/£22), French singer and composer Yann Tiersen (all available), a handful of shows for folkie Jackie Leven (£9-£14), rare live shows for Peel favourites The Nightingales (inc a John Peel Day event in Preston on 29th Oct) and a trio of concerts for The Maccabees.

Theatre, Comedy and Arts

An all-star comedy masterclass awaits punters for this year's prime North-East laugh-in, starting with Simon Munnery kicking things off on Friday. The following few weeks feature gigs from the likes of Isy Suttie, Andy Parsons and Micky Flanagan - most costing £7 to £15.

If sitting in front of the goggle-box answering questions on athletics, football and cricket get you going, why not try the whole concept of A Question of Sport in the flesh? Featuring all your favourite stars, the tour begins in Glasgow and continues around the UK. Leicester, Bristol, Nottingham and Oxford have sold out - the rest cost from £37.50.

Roald Dahl's charming musical (co-written by Tim Minchin) continues to delight family audiences with a year-long residency at the Cambridge Theatre. The first show is on Tuesday with tickets still available for most performances from £15 upwards. The run is scheduled to finish on 2nd September.

Happy clicking!