Big Gigs, Dec. 18-24: Wild Belle, Matt Hires, Dosh & Friends, Heiruspecs, Vaski, Sonny Knight & the Lakers and more

Local funk 'n' soul revivalists Sonny Knight & the Lakers hit the Dakota like a groove tsunami this time last year to capture four sets in one live album, "Do It Live." The 67-year-old Knight — whose '60s career got sidetracked by Vietnam and more before his rediscovery in the 2010s — is repeating the four-show formula with his large band of younger bucks and their electrifying new live record in tow. (7 and 9 p.m. Fri. & Sat., the Dakota, $20.) Chris Riemenschneider

Two stacked nights at the Fine Line have been piled together to benefit one great cause, Children's Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota. Night 1 features Chicago-reared soul-pop sibling band Wild Belle of "Keep You" hitmaking notoriety along with revitalized Twin Cities indie-rock duo Peter Wolf Crier, fiddling rocker Jillian Rae and Old Dessert Road. Night 2 boasts Florida-reared, Cities 97-beloved singer/songwriter Matt Hires with one of our town's most sophisticated pop tunesmiths, Chris Koza of Rogue Valley, plus Dan Rodriguez and Sammy Brown. (7 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Fine Line, $25/night, or $50 VIP.) Chris Riemenschneider

An eighth annual preholiday concert led by one of the Twin Cities music scene's most reputable multi-instrumentalists and innovators, Dosh & Friends returns to the Cedar Cultural Center with more friends and more new ideas from drummer/keyboardist/loop guru Martin Dosh. He is bringing in experimental jazz-rock ensemble Hardcore Crayons to collaborate on some songs. A who's-who list of local guitar freaks will play an ambient/drone set to open the show, including James Everest, Jim Anton, Darren Jackson, Lonesome Jim, Mark Erickson and Ben Durrant. Dosh's old Lateduster bandmate Andrew Broder (Cloak Ox, Fog) will also perform some of his new solo tunes. (7 p.m. Fri., Cedar Cultural Center, all ages, $12-$15.) Riemenschneider

What's a gospel group doing at the Cabooze? You'll know what when you learn who's in Sons of Almighty: Bassist Sonny Thompson, keyboardist Tommy Barbarella and drummer Michael Bland — all from the original lineup of Prince's NPG band — along with Greazy Meal singer Julius Collins. There's a certain amount of grease but also plenty of sincerity and soul in their holy originals. The show might even qualify as your requisite Christmas church service. The Brian Gallagher Quartet and rap great Carnage the Executioner also perform. (9:30 p.m. Fri., Cabooze, $8-$10.) Riemenschneider

The holidays invariably bring Tina Schlieske home from Southern California to warm us with Lola & the Red Family Band. That means classic covers of Aretha, the Stones, McCartney and others and, most importantly, plenty of Elvis in a Christmas mode. Over the years, the Twin Cities has witnessed a lot of woulda, coulda, shoulda singers and bands. My vote for the best rock singer who should've found a wider audience is Tina. (9:30 p.m. Sat., Cabooze, $15.) Jon Bream

Two of the edgiest and most exciting new bands on New West Records — co-helmed by Twin/Tone founder and Replacements ex-manager Peter Jesperson — All Them Witches and New Madrid are touring together right up until year's end. The former is a Nashville-reared quartet whose new sophomore effort, "Dying Surfer Meets His Maker," boasts an intoxicating Kurt Vile-meets-Screaming Trees psychedelic grunge-twang sound. A similarly hazy but more harmonious band from Athens, Ga., New Madrid just finished off its third record with producer David Barbe (ex-Sugar). A highly recommended twofer. (9 p.m. Sat., Turf Club, $10-$12.) Riemenschneider

After combining their respective home-for-the-holidays shows last year and fitting together like Dasher and Prancer, local noise-punk favorites Man Sized Action and Arcwelder are off and running with a new twofer holiday tradition catering to '80s/'90s Twin Cities punk scenesters. MSA's needling two-guitar roar still sounded fresh and mighty last year following the 30th anniversary reissue of "Five Story Garage," originally released on Hüsker Dü's label Reflex. Arcwelder really nails its classic, hard-pulsating, Touch & Go-branded tunes each and every year. They're joined by the same head-injury-prone opening pair as last year, the Mighty Mofos and Silverteens, plus Lori Barbero and Dale T. Nelson will DJ between sets. (7:30 p.m. Sat., Minneapolis Eagles Club #34, $10.) Riemenschneider

It's tradition for local bands-done-well to play First Ave around the holidays, and that habit now also extends to local EDM-producers-done-well. Savage-reared dance music star Vaski (Alex Brouwer) has been living out in Los Angeles of late but is returning home in time for his second annual Mainroom Holiday Blowout. Fresh off releasing a new hip-hop- and electrohouse-spiked EP, "Explorer," he will be joined by New York's poppy EDM upstart Prince Fox and local beat boys Nostalgia and Truancy. (10 p.m. Sat., First Ave., $15-$20.) Riemenschneider

There's nothing really holiday-specific about Heiruspecs' annual Holiday Classic concerts – "Jingle Bells" et al. make for lame hip-hop covers — but it is a good time of the year to reunite with your old high school pals. The classmates from St. Paul Central almost single-handedly introduced the Twin Cities to live-band hip-hop after they started up in 1997, and they still cut a sharp edge on last year's album "Night Falls." They'll be joined by one of the scene's most revered rap vets, I Self Devine, and the hot new eight-piece Afro-funk band Pho. (10 p.m. Fri., Turf Club, $12-$15.) Riemenschneider

An upside to the recent fallout between Trailer Trash and Lee's Liquor Lounge, where the classic country band has played its popular holiday gigs for 22 years: The group found new homes on the fly for its last three Trashy Little Xmas shows and will be able to spread its cheer around town more, all in roomier but similarly funky, old spaces. (8 p.m. Fri., Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Av. S., Mpls; 9 p.m. Sat., Metropolitan Ballroom, 5418 Wayzata Blvd., Golden Valley; and 8 p.m. Wed., Minneapolis Eagles Club #34, 2507 E. 25th St., Mpls.; $20.) Riemenschneider

It's being billed as Twas the Jam Before Christmas as the Petersons, Minnesota's first family of jazz, gather for their annual holiday show. The lineup includes siblings Linda, Patty, Billy, Ricky and Paul as well as cousin Russ and next gen keyboardist/saxophonist Jason, who is the family's unsung vocal hero. Look for some other next gen guests, as well. (5 & 7:30 p.m. Sun., Dakota, $25.). Bream

In July, Nachito Herrera, the extraordinary Cuban American pianist who calls Minnesota home, introduced his new multiculti group, Nachito and the Universals, at the Dakota. What an unforgettable debut. Like the percussive Herrera, violinist Karen Briggs showed a remarkable ability to seamlessly segue from one style to the next, sounding classical one moment and gypsy jazz the next. Saxophonist Mike Phillips, who has worked with Prince and Stevie Wonder, brought straight-ahead jazz and funk to the proceedings. The rhythm section of Cuban drummer Raul Pineda and Senegal bassist Cheikh Ndoye was attentive and supportive. At the end of the night, the musicians were as overjoyed as the audience. The group returns to the Dakota with high expectations. (7 & 9 p.m. Mon.-Tue., Dakota, $20-$35.) Bream

It's been 11 years since tenor Dale Kruse assumed responsibility for Project Opera, a training scheme for grade-school singers run annually by Minnesota Opera. Kruse's impending departure from the program is marked in a grand celebratory concert staged by more than 80 current and previous members, many of whom followed careers in music. Past productions provide the bulk of the selections, and there's also a preview of excerpts from "Memory Boy," a new opera by Reinaldo Moya commissioned by Project Opera and scheduled to premiere Feb. 5-7. (7 p.m. Mon., Hoversten Chapel, Augsburg College, Mpls. Free. mnopera.org) Blain