BENEFITS If you've never seen Solid Gold or Mark Mallman, a) you really have no excuse since they've been omnipresent almost to a fault on the local front, and b) now you have the perfect excuse in the form of Gimme Shelter: A Benefit for Haiti, which they're co-headlining. Solid Gold was just at First Ave last week topping off the Current's fifth birthday bash, and its trio of covers that night showed how the wigged-out dance-rockers are working to keep things interesting between albums. Mallman, on the other hand, is renowned for always making things interesting. And if you're looking for fresh faces, try buzzing openers Peter Wolf Crier and Zoo Animal. DJs Jimmy2Times and Mike 2600 also perform. (6 p.m. Sat., First Avenue. 18 & older. $12.) (C.R.)

With a lineup that reads like a Cliffs Notes version of its Soundset fests, Rhymesayers Presents: A Benefit for Haiti features the Minneapolis hip-hop label's local kingpins (Brother Ali and show host Slug) along with two of its best-known indie-rap pals from around the country, Sage Francis and Freeway, a twisty-tongued Philly stalwart who'll release his bold new album with Jake One, "The Stimulus Package" (out next week), on Rhymesayers after previous discs on Jay-Z's and 50 Cent's labels. A terrific cross-section of Twin Cities hip-hop innovators rounds out the bill, including ex-Micranots vet I Self Devine, Doomtree's Sims, Toki Wright, BK-One, DJ Otto, Muja Messiah and more. Muja made a great point that shows these artists really are committed to the cause: "Not only should we assist with donations for aid, food, and water, but let's come together six months or a year from now and help with the rebuilding process." (7 p.m. Tue., First Avenue. 18 & older. $20.) (C.R.)

POP/ROCK Los Angeles' Entrance Band has grown from frontman Guy Blakeslee's lo-fi solo act into a full-blown and incandescent psychedelic rock trio, anchored by bassist Paz Lenchantin, formerly of Billy Corgan's Zwan. Its eponymous disc just came out on Ecstatic Peace, a label run by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore. Opener Lights -- not to be confused with Owl City's opening act of the same name -- is a quirky all-female Brooklyn trio whose members channel unicorns, Stevie Nicks, Yoko Ono and other mystical beings for danceable kitsch-rock. Local noisemakers the Sea Whores open. (9 p.m. Fri., 400 Bar. 18 & older. $10.) (C.R.)

Houston-reared punk/thrash vets D.R.I. (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles) outlasted many of their peers in the '80s underground, popping up everywhere from "Beavis and Butt-Head" to the "Skate" video games, but went abruptly on hiatus in 2006 when guitarist Spike Cassidy found out he had colon cancer. Now cancer-free, he and co-founding singer Kurt Brecht are back with a new lineup. (8 p.m. Fri., Station 4. 18 & older. $10.) (C.R.)

Jason Castro, the cuddly dreadlocked dude from "American Idol" in 2008, has put out an EP, "The Love Uncompromised," that shows him to be more confident than on TV (his full-length album on Atlantic is due this spring). In concert, the newly married acoustic popster is still doing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," which earned high praise from the New York Times last week. Headlining is Tampa lite-pop singer Matt Hires and Colbie Caillat wannabe Caitlin Crosby. (9 p.m. Sat., 7th Street Entry, $8.) (J.B.)

Two politically and socially minded punk/screamo bands from the East Coast, Four Year Strong and Strike Anywhere have shared stages on the Warped Tour and are now on a short winter trek to preview upcoming albums. (5:30 p.m. Sat., Triple Rock. All ages. $12-$14.) (C.R.)

After signing with Matador Records in 2007 and touring with the likes of Spoon and Deerhunter, the Ponys dropped out. Word is the fuzzy, wiry post-punk quartet -- led by Chicagoan husband/wife team Jered Gummere and Melissa Elias -- simply wanted a break. They finally came back with a hometown Halloween gig, their first in two years. They're hitting the road again, too, although you can hardly call it a tour: St. Paul and Iowa -- that's it. France Has the Bomb, Bombay Sweets and the Chambermaids open. (10 p.m. Sat., Turf Club. 21 & older. $8.) (C.R.)

The old Guthrie was one of Rosanne Cash's favorite places to perform. After doing the Dakota and "A Prairie Home Companion" at the Fitzgerald last year, she'll try the new Guthrie, where she'll serve up country classics from "The List," her acclaimed 2009 album featuring songs recommended by her dad, Johnny Cash, when she was 18. Read an interview with her in Sunday's Variety A+E. (7:30 p.m. Mon., Guthrie, $45-$65.) (J.B.)

With finger-picking inspired by Leo Kottke, Madison, Wis., guitarist/singer Willy Porter has made a career as a blues-folk storyteller. Last year, he put out his seventh album, "How to Rob a Bank." The "how-to" advice in that delightful horn- and harmonica-accented title track includes: securing a seat on a corporate board; courting congressmen, threatening massive layoffs. Porter is resourceful and ironic. (8 p.m. Thu., Fine Line, $16-$18.) (J.B.)

The Australian Pink Floyd has wowed local crowds; now comes the Pink Floyd Experience from San Diego. Leader and guitarist Tom Quinn has been doing Floyd live since 1994 but didn't put together PFX until 2003. To add the right touch, he enlisted lead singer Graham Heath from Sherwood Forest in Nottingham, England. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Fitzgerald Theater, $38.) (J.B.)

BLUES Texas blues-rockers Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat make a rare Minnesota appearance, playing songs from their recent CD "Tijuana Bible." To give you an idea of the band's range, the disc includes covers of Elvin Bishop and Rory Gallagher, guest appearances by Bishop, Joe Bonamassa and Wet Willie vet Jimmy Hall, and AC/DC's "Up to My Neck in You." Guitarist Suhler has been a George Thorogood accomplice/sideman for the past decade, so expect rockin' and rowdy all-American sounds. (9 p.m. Sat., Wilebski's Blues Saloon, $10.) (T.S.)

REGGAE Now in its 18th year, the Cabooze's Songs of Freedom: Bob Marley Remembered concerts may carry a little more weight than usual this year. There's a war going on, an impoverished Caribbean nation lies in ruins, and America faces its own rash of hard struggles. Bob's music was made for these times. Club vets the International Reggae All-Stars lead the cast of regulars with singers Lynval Jackson (from Jamaica) and Innocent (from Tanzania). The New Primitives also perform each night. (9:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Cabooze. 18 & older. $10-$15.) (C.R.)

JAZZ An outstanding band with a dull name, the Five is fronted by terrific trumpeter and hilarious emcee Steve Kenny, along with venerable sax elder statesman Dave Karr. They ride happily atop a rhythm section of pianist Mikkel Romstad, bassist Tom Lewis and drummer Kenny Horst. (9 p.m. Fri-Sat., Artists' Quarter. $10.) (T.S.)

Pianist Ellen Lease and saxophonist Pat Moriarty, both impressive composers, reassemble their great quintet, with New York City-based guest Michael Attias (alto sax) filling the chair left vacant when trumpeter Kelly Rossum moved to NYC. Israeli-born, Paris- and Minneapolis-raised, Attias is a former student of Moriarty who's worked with distinguished musicians from all over the planet (Anthony Braxton, Paul Motian and Japanese jazz heroes Terumasa Hino and Masabumi Kikuchi). Highly recommended. (8 p.m. Sat., Studio Z. $5-$10.) (T.S.)

Ever-inquisitive guitar guru Bill Frisell shows off a new world jazz trio that co-stars longtime associate Eyvind Kang, on viola and erhu (the ancient two-stringed Chinese violin), plus oud master and Grammy nominee Rahim AlHaj, an Iraqi refugee, who has recorded with everybody from Ottmar Liebert to R.E.M. Should be a hip string fling. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Sat., Walker Art Center. $25-$29.) (T.S.)

A jazz singing revelation from Italy, Roberta Gambarini is as gifted as she is gorgeous -- imagine the talent and technique of a Sarah Vaughan or Carmen McRae, reincarnated in a young Sophia Loren. She has an enviable range, splendid time sense and an innate understanding of jazz traditions. Hank Jones liked her enough to record an album of duets, James Moody appears on her other two albums, and Dave Brubeck featured her in his 2006 "Cannery Row Suite." (7 & 9:30 p.m. Mon., Dakota Jazz Club. $20-$25.) (T.S.)

When smooth-jazz piano icons Bob James and Keiko Matsui play duets, most of their FM radio trappings disappear and old classical piano studies come to the fore. The result is playful, simpatico chamber music of a high order, with plenty of deft interplay, mixed with a little improv, and a relaxin'-at-the-recital-hall vibe. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Tue.-Wed., Dakota. $30-$45.) (T.S.)

Shell Lake Arts Center in northern Wisconsin hosts a great summer jazz camp for kids, and its faculty has a lot of talented teachers. Violin wizard Randy Sabien is the best known nationally, and he's joined for a Shell Lake showcase by sax men Greg Keel and Michael Walk, trombonists Jeff Rinear and Phil Ostrander, and guitarist Chris Olson, among sundry others. Toss in a set by the hotshot teens of the Dakota Combo, and it should be a good night for sampling. (7 p.m. Thu., Dakota. $5.) (T.S.)

CLASSICAL Now that the Vikings are done for the season, why not fill your Sundays with chamber music? The Musical Offering is ready to help; its all-Russian program combines Shostakovich's dark viola sonata (his last work) with music by Glière, Davidov and Tchaikovsky. (3 p.m. Feb. 7. Sundin Hall, Hamline University, 1531 Hewitt Av., St. Paul. $17 adults, $8 students. 651-523-2459.) Just as helpful are members of the Minnesota Orchestra, who proffer Schoenberg's expansive and poignant Wind Quintet along with Dvorak's marvelous String Quintet, Op. 77. (7 p.m. Sun., MacPhail Center. $40, kids $12.) (L.F.)

Rose Ensemble is joined by the London female ensemble Voces8 for "Voices of Venice & Rome: The Glory of Italian Renaissance Choral Music." This unique concert, performed by candlelight, features works from Palestrina and Tomas Luis de Victoria, capturing the mystery of Rome and the sophistication of Venice. (8 p.m. Fri., Church of Christ the King, 5029 Zenith Av. S., Mpls.; 8 p.m. Sat., Basilica of St. Mary, 88 N. 17th St., Mpls.; 5 p.m. Sun., St. Paul Seminary School, St. Mary's Chapel, 2260 Summit Av., St. Paul. $17-$35, 651-225-4340.) (W.R.B.)

Contributors: Staff critics Jon Bream and Chris Riemenschneider and freelancers William Randall Beard, Larry Fuchsberg and Tom Surowicz.