POP/ROCKCelebrating its 40th anniversary, Chicago is a band that evolved from revered to, well, reviled. Originally an innovative horn band that mixed jazz, R&B, classical and pop, the group developed a soft pop underbelly on such sappy hits as "If You Leave Me Now" and "Hard to Say I'm Sorry." By 2006's melody-obsessed "Chicago XXX" (produced by Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus), the evolving vocal lineup included high-voiced Jason Scheff, raspy-voiced Bill Champlin and original vocalist Robert Lamm. Also on board from the beginning are trumpeter Lee Loughnane, trombonist James Pankow and reeds player Walt Parazaider. (8 p.m. today, Orpheum Theatre, $49.50-$95.) (J.B.) Canada's obsessive indie-pop-making sisters Tegan and Sara followed their 2004 breakthrough album "So Jealous" -- featuring the irrepressible single "Walking with a Ghost" -- with a prettier and more adventurous CD, "The Con," produced by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla. Reviews are mixed, but the Quin twins and their band have a knack for bringing their albums' many odd ghosts to life in concert. Long Island, N.Y.-reared all-female trio Northern State opens. (8 p.m. today, Pantages Theatre. Sold out.) (C.R.) Japanese pop-punkers Shonen Knife got their big (and unlikely) break when superfan Kurt Cobain brought them on tour with Nirvana. Mistaken for a novelty act simply because they sang in Japanese, the band slipped off the radar but maintains a cult following. Touring the States again, co-founding sisters Naoko and Atsuko Yamano sound utterly unchanged on the aptly named new album "Fun! Fun! Fun!" The Last Conservative and Verona Grove open. (9 p.m. Sat., Triple Rock. 21 and older. $12-$14.) (C.R.)With keyboardist Steve Molitz back from another Phil Lesh & Friends tour, Particle is doing a short tour of its "favorite markets" to get its groove on before finishing a new album for release next year. The California jammers always go over big at the 10,000 Lakes Fest and are bringing along their pal Josh Green of Tea Leaf Green for this in-town gig. House of Fools opens. (9:30 p.m. Sat., Cabooze. 18 and older. $14-$17.) (C.R.) Having toured incessantly since his 2001 album "Lonelyland" landed the hits "Metal & Steel" and "Big Blue Sea," Bob Schneider is paying back fans for their support on his current acoustic outing, the "Songs Sung & Played on Guitar with People in the Room" tour. Recordings of each performance will be available after each show. The coy and kooky Texas rocker also is selling a new "Greatest Hits Live" CD and a new rock opera, whose foul-mouthed title won't help lift his ban from the Basilica Block Party. New Orleans-reared tunesmith AM opens. (8 p.m. Sun., Varsity Theater. 18 and older. $16-$18.) (C.R.) Seether's latest claim to fame came when Evanescence's Amy Lee wrote a song about frontman Shaun Morgan, the not-so-ironically seething "Call Me When You're Sober." Morgan went through rehab last year but his band still seems to be in recovery on its third CD, "Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces." Guitarist Pat Callahan has quit the group and his ex-bandmates are stuck in grunge-regurgitation mode. They're still big enough to headline the latest 93X Nutcracker, though, also featuring Drowning Pool, Hurt and Red. (6 p.m. Sun., Myth. All ages. $25.) (C.R.) After mysteriously canceling its second set of a two-night stand in April, Modest Mouse finally returns to appease the rabid fans who couldn't catch the new lineup featuring legendary British guitarist Johnny Marr (ex-Smiths). The "Float On" hitmakers didn't exactly carry on career-wise with this year's marine-themed follow-up CD, "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank." Who among you is still listening to it months later the way you did 2004's "Good News for People Who Love Bad News?" However, that one Orpheum performance in April was way better than any they did supporting the previous album. (7:30 p.m. Mon., Orpheum Theatre. $32.) (C.R.) R&BThe notion that long-lost soul singer Bettye LaVette is making a comeback is outdated. With the release this fall of the terrific "The Scene of the Crime," it's clear that LaVette, 61, has found her groove. Made in Muscle Shoals, Ala., with Southern rockers the Drive-By Truckers and veteran keyboard ace Spooner Oldham, this CD feels different from its two predecessors. It's grittier, greasier and sadder -- and very Southern-fried in its haunting minimalism as the Michigan native interprets songs by Willie Nelson, Elton John and Frankie Miller. The tunes will be strong and fittingly moody additions to LaVette's concert repertoire, and you know she'll throw her entire body and soul into them onstage. Highly recommended. Read an interview with LaVette in Sunday's Arts section. (7 and 9:30 p.m.Tue.-Wed. Dakota Jazz Club, $18-$30.) (J.B.)JAZZ"Love's Refrain" is a delectable new CD of intimate Great American Songbook duets by understated singer Maud Hixson and her hubby, Basie-loving pianist Rick Carlson. Hixson manages to be sultry yet never vampish, and grabs listeners in a conversational manner, always in the service of the lyric. If you're looking for belting or scatting, go elsewhere. Carlson's piano accompaniment is similarly devoid of flash -- sensitive always, sublime often. (9 p.m. today-Sat., Artists' Quarter. $10.) (T.S.) After several visits to Minneapolis this year, New Orleans trombonist, composer and record producer Delfeayo Marsalis makes one more trip upriver as "special guest" soloist/mentor of the talented-teen group the Dakota Combo, led by trumpeter and MacPhail educator Kelly Rossum. The current band features trumpeter Jake Baldwin, saxophonist Stephanie Wieseler, guitarist Jeff LaCrone, pianist Jacob Wittenberg, bassist Corey Grindberg and drummer Matt Roberts. (8 p.m. Sat., Dakota Jazz Club. $12.) (T.S.)FOLKTogether since 1991, the Canadian trio the Arrogant Worms specializes in "musical comedy at its folkiest." This terminally silly yet popular group is known for its songs about Great White North topics, some of which are MPR "Morning Show" favorites ("Me Like Hockey," "Celine Dion," "The Mountie Song"). The Worms probably will feature ditties from their holiday release, "Christmas Turkey," including the gleeful "Santa's Gonna Kick Your Ass," dedicated to bad girls and boys. Bill Isles opens. (7:30 p.m. Sat., First Unitarian Society, 900 Mount Curve Av., Mpls. $18 advance, $20 door, $10 students.) (T.S.)HOLIDAYAt 86, Jeanne Arland Peterson is finding something new to do with her career. This holiday season, she is undertaking the first tour with her famous three-generation ensemble, the Peterson Family. OK, it's just a four-city tour. But the trek is to celebrate a new holiday CD, "Blessings," by Minnesota's first family of jazz. My favorites are grandson Jason crooning "What Are You Doin' New Year's Eve" and Jeanne's jaunty, jazzy piano on the Hornheads-accented instrumental "Sleigh Ride." (2 and 8 p.m. Sat. Hopkins Center for the Arts; 7:30 p.m. Mon. Paramount Theater, St. Cloud, Minn.; Dec. 7, Mayo Civic Center, Rochester, Minn.; Dec. 9, Center for the Arts, Fergus Falls, Minn.; www.thepetersonfamily.info) (J.B.) "Radio Songs," the new album by Robin & Linda Williams, is a collection of folk, vaudeville, World War II, blues, country and original tunes that the husband-and-wife duo has performed on the air (chiefly "A Prairie Home Companion"). But for their Holiday Harmonies concert, they are likely to lean on material from their wonderful 2004 CD "The First Christmas Gift," which contains originals plus lesser-known holiday selections by John Prine, Steve Earle and Roger Miller. Also appearing is their Red House Records labelmate, splendid singer/songwriter Eliza Gilkyson. (8 p.m. Sat., Fitzgerald Theater, $27.50 and $32.50) (J.B.) For his fifth annual Christmas in the City show, Minneapolis singer/actor John Trones will be joined by pop piano hero Jim Brickman along with Joanna Jahn, Jimmy Martin and Drew Jansen. Trones, who has toured as vocalist in Brickman's holiday shows, is co-starring in "The 1940s Radio Hour," which opens Thursday down the street at Hennepin Stages. (7 p.m. Sun., Pantages Theatre, $34.) Brickman also will perform and sign autographs at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Mall of America rotunda. (J.B.) There's lots of cool news from the camp of Brave Combo, the musical marauders from Denton, Texas, who first made their mark by rocking the stuffing out of polkas. The band's music was heard last month on the ABC series "Ugly Betty," and bandleader Carl Finch is scoring a forthcoming PBS animated series based on the whimsical and practical radio show "Car Talk." Oh, yeah, the quintet also has a new CD, "Polka's Revenge," the first to feature funky bassist Ann Marie Harrop. Hokey-pokey, anyone? (7:30 p.m. Sun., Cedar Cultural Center. $16-$18.) (T.S.)CLASSICALOrchestras are breeding grounds for chamber ensembles. Case in point: the recently organized Reinhold Trio, which combines two Minnesota Orchestra players, violinist Helen Chang and cellist Arek Tesarczyk, with pianist Claudia Chen (Tesarczyk's spouse). Their program Sunday comprises trios and duos by Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms (the great C-Minor Trio) and Russian composer Reinhold Glière, whose name the group has evidently appropriated (although he never wrote a piano trio). (7 p.m. Sun., Colonial Church of Edina, 6200 Colonial Way, Edina. $15. 952-925-2711, ext. 504.) (L.F.) Contributing: Staff critics Jon Bream and Chris Riemenschneider and freelancers Tom Surowicz and Larry Fuchsberg.

After fronting the Doors for more than three years, Ian Astbury has rejoined the Cult (well, guitarist Billy Duffy and a new rhythm section) to record "Born Into This." Produced by Youth (Beth Orton, Crowded House, Killing Joke), the album is more of a throwback to the hard-rocking Cult of the '80s than a continuation of the group's arty experimentation during the past two decades. Maybe that's why the Cult has been asked to open Led Zeppelin's 2008 tour -- or so said Astbury onstage recently. Opening this Jagermeister Music Tour are Action Action, the Cliks and Mindsight. (7 p.m. today, Myth, $35.) (J.B.)