Virtuosity in aid of MS-UK, Colchester Arts Centre, Church Street, Colchester, Sunday, doors 6.30pm. £20, £18 concessions. 01206 500900.

AN ABSOLUTELY first class line-up looks set to deliver some musical fireworks for a very good cause this weekend.

There's world music from Colchester's Ramon Goose and Senegal's Modou Touré, acoustic finger-style guitarists Daryl Kellie and Jon Hart; and last but by no means least Wivenhoe's Chris Allard playing along with his band, Oli Hayhurst (bass), Nick Smalley (drums and percussion) and Ross Stanley (keyboards and piano).

The Nearly Festival Castle Park, High Street, Colchester, tomorrow and Sunday, 12.30pm to 9pm. Adults £15, children £5. 01473 527527. nearlyfestival.com

NEARLY because all of the acts are nearly the real thing but not quite. But then imagine having the real Adele, Ed Sherran, Kings of Leon and Oasis play our little Castle Park, all for £15 - exactly!

SlackFolk, Piatto Café, Priory Walk, Colchester, tomorrow, 2pm. Free but donations welcome. 07850 773291.

FOLLOWING its very successful inaugural trip to Firstsite last month, Slack Folk is back at home with another cracking programme of acoustic music the highlights of which are The Four Blokes Trio, local super-group the Wipeout Gang, and Frank Jordan and Charlie Davison.

Terry Alderton, Colchester Arts Centre, Church Street, Colchester, tomorrow, doors 7.30pm. £16, £14 concessions. 01206 500900.

MAKING a more than welcome return to 'one of my favourite venues in the whole world', the popular Southend comedian is back creating a world of extraordinary nonsense and absolute mayhem.

Seasons with Swing, Mercury Theatre, Balkerne Gate, Colchester, Sunday, 7.30pm. £20. 01206 573948.

THE ridiculously vocally talented set of singers from the Colchester Operatic Society, along with members of their junior group, CO2, take to the stage for a special fundraising concert helping the Colchester theatre with their Mercury Rising project.