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V At the forefront of the UK's urban scene since the release of his Mercury Prize-winning album Boy in Da Corner, 19-year-old Dizzee Rascal (above) now has an international audience for his evocations of inner-city life. He will play highlights from his new album, Showtime, a volcanic ride of crazy wordplay, ghetto techno and bottom-heavy bass. Royal Festival Hall, London SE1 (0870 380 0400), 15 March

V To mark the publication of Dmitri Shostakovich - A Life in Film, a major new critique of the composer's film music, the Barbican welcomes the author John Riley to introduce Grigori Kosintev's Hamlet (1964), with its magnificent score by Shostakovich. Barbican Theatre, London EC2 (0845 120 7550), 13 February