What’s on this week in and around Newbury

Blues guitar

BLUES guitarist Aynsley Lister returns to Arlington Arts, Snelsmore, on Saturday with his incredible band for another night of electrifying music that will have you hooked from the first note. Lister has been at the top of the Blues scene for over two decades, billed as one of the most exciting contemporary Blues guitarists around today. Known not only for his exceptional guitar playing, he is also a highly regarded songwriter whose passion for music crosses genres, effortlessly combining blues, soul, Americana, rock and sometimes even pop elements. Expect an evening of fan favourites from his extensive back catalogue mixed with newer material from his most recent highly acclaimed albums. For fans of: Gary Clarke Jnr., Eric Clapton, The Black Keys, John Mayer, Tedeschi Trucks. www.arlington-arts.com

PP Arnold

THE amazing PP Arnold too returns to Arlington Arts on Sunday (7.30pm) - no new kid on the block – she has been wowing audiences since she first came to the UK as an Ikette with Ike and Tina Turner, back in those heady days of the 60s. Her unique talent did not go unnoticed, and Mick Jagger and Andrew Oldham convinced her to stay in the UK and sign to the Immediate Record label which she did, and the rest is history. A favourite of Jools Holland, her high energy faultless performances take you back through the years, singing her classic hits that have stood the test of time. Her voice and her amazing energy is stronger than ever and her live band of amazing musicians keep her fire burning strong while she woos you with breathtaking renditions of her classic hits; The First Cut Is The Deepest and Angel Of the Morning.

Pangbourne Choral’s Christmas Concert

THIS is going to be so Christmassy! Four days before Christmas and you can have a good old singalong at Pangbourne Choral Society’s Christmas Concert at the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel, Pangbourne College, on Saturday, (7.30pm). They say that his festive celebration has some special differences from the usual seasonal fare. Music director Sara Benbow said: “Christmas is such a wonderful time of year, but so many festive concerts repeat the same familiar carols year in, year out. “This programme offers an interesting mix of old and new, plus some real opportunities for audience participation, which will add to that sense of celebration just four days before Christmas!” The programme contains some Christmas excerpts from Handel’s Messiah, familiar carols, plus some less familiar works, one specially commissioned by PCS. PCS chairman Brian Hoskins said: “We have all really enjoyed working with Sara Benbow in her first year with PCS and love her vivacity and desire to try new things, which really stretch our choral skills and experience. Christmas music can sometimes feel a bit clichéd, but this programme will be excitingly different and offer a real Christmas treat just four days before the Big Day.” The concert is in aid of a Thatcham-based charity, Bridge for Young People, which supports teenagers, often from disadvantaged backgrounds, emerging from the safe shelter of foster care to confront the challenges of adult life, unhindered by their troubled start. Tickets (£10, £5 for under-18s) are available from Garlands Organic & Natural, Pangbourne, PCS website, BfYP, and PCS members and also on the door.

War Horse

The stunning international smash hit and audience favourite War Horse continues at New Theatre Oxford until January 4. Based on Michael Morpurgo's heartbreaking novel and featuring the incredible talents of South Africa's Handspring Puppet Company, the National Theatre’s War Horse has conquered the globe with its breathtaking fusion of drama and innovative awe-inspiring puppetry. With its incredible life-sized, life-like horse puppets and moving plot, War Horse stole the show, quite literally, when it first opened back on the West End in 2009 - even warranting a royal visit by the Queen herself! Since then, War Horse has toured extensively.