If ever we needed there to be another Summer of Love, it is now. With the news becoming an endless parade of human misery, these are the times when we need to come together most.

It seems unlikely that it’ll happen, sure, but cast your mind back to 1988, when the Second Summer of Love coursed through the collective veins of the UK. Just over two decades had passed since the first. The previous year had been pockmarked by disasters, and the Piper Alpha oil rig explosion in July 1988 did nothing to lighten the national mood. But on the underground music scene, exciting things were happening. Acid house, the nascent rave movement, and the rise of Madchester bands like the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays were bringing people together like never before, first in Manchester and then across the country.

Thirty years on, the Roses are reunited and playing at Hampden Park – the last of five enormous gigs they’re playing this summer. Needless to say, such an occasion calls for a sesh of massive proportions. In fact, the sesh that will go down on Saturday is going to be so enormous that the South Side cannot contain it, so a trio of venues across the city are holding all-day parties as a kind of sesh overspill plan.

The Classic Grand’s is by far the biggest and most promising, with Haçienda resident Vince Vega, Inspiral Carpets frontman Clint Boon and 808 State ravers Darren Partington and MC Tunes signed on for sets. Down the river at The Ferry, the Roses’ tour DJ Phil Beckett and Barry Sutton – the former vocalist and guitarist of The La’s and Cast – are on board to take the party into the wee hours. And over in the West End, The Record Factory has Dave Booth, who was on the decks for the Roses’ legendary Spike Island gig in 1990.

• Official Madchester Party, Saturday, Classic Grand, 12pm – 3am, £15/£20

• Stone Roses Boat Party, Saturday, The Ferry, 1pm – 6pm, sold out

• Club Madchester, Saturday, The Record Factory, 12pm – 3am, £5/£11

Denis Sulta

It has been a whirlwind few years for the young Glaswegian house DJ Denis Sulta. He only started out in 2011, but his tunes have been pumped out all over national radio by tastemakers like Annie Mac, Skream, Ben UFO and Four Tet. He’s been taken under the wing of Jackmaster and gone from being an introverted kid playing weird house and reggaeton mashups to a festival-slaying producer who has been tipped for the very, very top. Few Glaswegian DJs have had a better time of it recently, and this Sub Club gig is a chance to see him in his element.

Another Glasgow success story can be found on Queen Street on Saturday, as Dixon Avenue Basement Jams – a label that started out in a Govanhill tenement bedroom - takes over at the tiny sweatbox that is La Cheetah. It’s the third in their new series of Hot Footin’ parties, with the focus being on the label this weekend. Posthuman, who heads up vinyl-only label I Love Acid, and recent DABJ signing Kalla join the residents, and the advice given is “dress to sweat.” Say no more.

• Denis Sulta and Big Miz, tomorrow, Sub Club, 11pm – 3am, sold out

• Hot Footin’: Dixon Avenue Basement Jams Special, Saturday, La Cheetah, 11pm – 3am, £8

Bucky Skank

Optimo’s annual Bucky Skank party has its sixth edition on Saturday at the Art School, with the duo’s JD Twitch delving into his record crate for rare rocksteady, deep dancehall cuts and spiritual ska. It’ll all hit your ears via a stunning DSR soundsystem which has been custom-built to apply maximum bass pressure. Yes irie, indeed.

• Bucky Skank, Saturday, The Art School, 11pm – 3am, £6/£8

Glasgow Mod Weekender

Is it about time for a this decade’s mod revival? Liam Gallagher’s imperious performance at the recent One Love Manchester concert and his storming new single (not to mention that iconic orange parka) have been credited with sparking a new wave of interest in the esteemed ‘60s subculture, so their annual Glasgow gathering perhaps couldn’t have come at a more fortuitous time. The highlight of the weekend is sure to be Sunday evening’s party at Blackfriars, which sees resident DJs Mikey Collins, Paul Molloy and Davy Quinn spinning wall-to-wall northern soul, ska and rare groove.

With the early mods being stylish jazz fans, it seems a happy coincidence that the Glasgow Jazz Festival is also on this weekend. Their late-night sessions at the Brunswick Hotel’s basement, Basura Blanca, have for a few years been one of my highlights of summer in the city. Combine an intimate atmosphere with the spontaneity of live – mostly improvised- music and you have a winning recipe. South-of-the-Clyde mods might also be tempted to check out Southside Soul in Shawlands on Saturday, which has Ayr Soul Club resident Robert Waite spinning Motown 45s

• Glasgow Jazz Festival: Late Night Jam Session, tomorrow, Brunswick Hotel, 11pm – 2am, free

• Southside Soul, Saturday, Pollok Ex-Servicemen’s Club, 8pm – 1am, £5

• Glasgow Mod Weekender, Sunday, Blackfriars, 10pm – 3am, £5