* Of all the artists shortlisted for this year’s Mercury Prize, none of them has generated quite as much interest as Kate Tempest. The rapper, playwright and perform-ance poet is among the favourites to scoop the prestigious prize, having also been included on the Next generation Poets list — which is only released once a decade.

Tonight she appears at Modern Art Oxford for Shapeshifters. The show will see the award-winning and cutting-edge wordsmith performing from her new poetry collection Hold Your Own, based on the transformations of the mythical prophet Tiresias, advisor to kings through seven generations. Doors open at 7pm for an 8pm performance. Tickets have sold out, but fear not: she returns to the city on November 7 for a date at the O2 Academy, and then for two nights at the Pegasus Theatre starting on November 13, where she performs in her play Hopelessly Devoted — billed by the theatre as a hard-hitting story about love and hope.

* Irish brothers Hudson Taylor are making waves with their own engaging brand of folk-pop. Brothers Harry and Alfie may be aged only 21 and 20 respectively, but have already seen their song Chasing Rubies named Radio 1’s single of the week, are set to go on tour with Jake Bugg, before preparing for a headline tour of large venues in the new year. On Saturday the Dublin duo headline an intimate fundraiser at the Isis Farmhouse pub in Iffley. Called We Love Highfield, the event is in support of Oxford’s Highfield Adolescent Mental Health Unit, at the Warneford Hospital. It is organised by music teacher Stuart Hobbs, who also plays alongside a clutch of local musical legends with his band Burning Bees. Sets also come from Family Machine, Toliesel, Peerless Pirates, Jess Hall, Talc Daemons, Clarke & Moore, Rory Evans and others.

The family-friendly event runs from 3-11pm and features a barbecue.

Tickets are £20 from wegottickets.com

* His music may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but, like it or not, Peter Andre is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars of our age — and remains unaccountably popular with female listeners.

Next Thursday he returns to Oxford for a show at the New Theatre. As well as all the old hits, the Mysterious Girl singer will also be showing a new side to his ‘talents’ — as a dapper crooner.

Tickets from atgtickets.com are priced £30.40-£79.90, plus fee.