The Big Gigs: Our critics' music picks for Nov. 13-19

John Fogerty's first post-Creedence album was "Blue Ridge Rangers," a 1973 solo effort on which he played all the instruments. He's finally gotten around to a sequel, "Blue Ridge Rangers Ride Again," with some friends (Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Buddy Miller) doing songs by John Prine, John Denver and Rick Nelson. Fogerty plays it loose and twangy on this ride. In concert, expect it loud and rockin' -- from Creedence classics to Fogerty solo triumphs to Blue Ridge Rangers stuff. (8 p.m. Wed., State Theatre, $49.50-$69.50.) (J.B.)

Dinosaur Jr. is on a tear again. Coming back in 2005 following a contentious split 15 years earlier, frontman J. Mascis reunited the heyday lineup that delivered the albums "Bug" and "You're Living All Over Me," with bassist Lou Barlow (who went on to form Sebadoh and Folk Implosion) and drummer Murph. The trio has since put out two monstrous albums, including "Farm," which should go down as one of the best guitar-cranked rock discs of the year. MV & EE open. (9 p.m. Wed., First Avenue. $20.) (C.R.)

Texas sawdust swingers Hot Club of Cowtown deliver quicksilver guitar licks, belle-of-the-bow fiddle high jinks, and sturdy stand-up bass. Frontman Whit Smith is an easygoing guitar master and conversational vocalist, while on the new CD "Wishful Thinking," co-star and former Dylan sidewoman Elana James takes an interesting detour into confessional folk ("Reunion") and surprises with a cover of Norah Jones' "The Long Way Home." (7 p.m. Wed., Dakota Jazz Club. $20.) (T.S.)

Wheelchair-bound Georgian music hero Vic Chesnutt sure has moved around a lot musically over the past decade. This time he's coming to town with a large, darkly tinted backing ensemble featuring Fugazi co-leader Guy Picciotto and members of Silver Mt. Zion/Godspeed You! Black Emperor, who've played on his last two fascinating records, "Dark Star Deserter" and the new "At the Cut." One thing that never changes is Chesnutt's familiar drawling voice and his wildly drawn lyrical canvas. Fellow Athens singer Liz Durrett opens. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Cedar Cultural Center. $14-$16.) (C.R.)

Sounding like Minnesota's answer to Madeline Peyroux, Nancy Harms has uncorked a terrific debut CD. "In the Indigo" mixes gripping, fresh takes on Great American Songbook classics with just enough ambitious original material, plus one "ringer" tune: John Mayer's "Great Indoors," with enthralling organ by Tanner Taylor. Harms' voice is lovely, husky and lived-in, while her delivery is intimate, personal, almost conspiratorial. The sensitive, superb band includes Taylor on piano, Kelly Rossum adding tasty trumpet to four tracks, simpatico drummer Jay Epstein and bassist Graydon Peterson. Hats off to producer Robert Bell, who co-wrote the title track and added a few hip guitar licks. (7 p.m. Thu., Dakota, $5. 2 p.m. Nov. 21, Jungle Theater, $8.) (T.S.)

Vintage jug-band singers the Asylum Street Spankers are known for bawdy novelty songs and wise-cracking vaudevillian anthems, but the troupe hosted a Sunday-morning gospel gig in their native Austin, Texas, for 15 years that was taken quite seriously. Those shows are the basis for the new live CD, "God's Favorite Band," and the current Salvation & Sin Tour. (7 p.m. Mon., Varsity Theater. $18-$20.) (C.R.)

Working with Metallica/Bon Jovi/Motley Crue producer Bob Rock, 311 gets predictably heavier on "Uplifter," its first disc in four years. Still, the Omaha-spawned group manages to reach all its touchstones (ballads, reggae seasoning, frat-boy fun). (7:30 p.m. Tue., Mystic Lake Casino, $49.50.) (J.B.)

Detroit rock citizen Brendan Benson had issued three well-reviewed but mostly overlooked albums before joining Jack White in the Raconteurs, and he continues to churn out great stuff while Jacky is away playing in another band. His new one, "My Old Familiar Friend," is loaded with familiar-sounding '70s pop-rock of the Badfinger and Wings variety. His tour opener, Cory Chisel, is a gospel-bent rocker with Minnesota/Wisconsin roots who enlisted Benson and other Raconteurs to help craft his debut record. (9 p.m. Tue., First Avenue. $10-$12.) (C.R.)