The Cactus Blossoms: Twelve months ago Minneapolis' classic-twanging, timelessly harmonious brothers Page Burkum and Jack Torrey topped off their breakout year with their first First Ave headlining show. They're back on the same weekend not only to tout their continued success — including a way-cool appearance on David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" and another go-round of international touring — but also to mark the eighth anniversary of the best all-twang show on Twin Cities radio, Bill DeVille's Saturday morning Current affair "United States of Americana." Canadian cousins Kacy & Clayton open behind their New West album "The Siren's Song." (9 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls. $20, eTix.com.)
A Perfect Circle: Just five months after Maynard James Keenan returned to St. Paul's hockey arena with his better-known prog-metal band Tool, the lanky frontman is back with the slightly more accessible but still artfully powerful hard-rock group he started in 1999 with guitarist Billy Howerdel. Like Tool, the band doesn't have a new album out but is playing new songs. Ex-Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha is still in the lineup, while bassist Paz Lenchantin (now with the Pixies) has been replaced by Eagles of Death Metal's Matt McJunkins, who also plays with opening band the Beta Machine. (8 p.m. Sat., Xcel Energy Center, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, $52-$72, Ticketmaster.com.)
Alex Lahey: Yet another promising young indie-rocker from Down Under, this 25-year-old Melbourne native earned buzz off her fun single "Wes Anderson" and offers an accessible but artful blast of bouncy but bombastic, Elastica- and Fratellis-echoing fuzz-rock on her debut album for the Dead Oceans label, "I Love You Like a Brother." (8:30 p.m. Sat., 7th Street Entry, $12-$14.)
Melissa Manchester: A Twin Cities favorite since her "Midnight Blue" hit in 1975, this enduring middle-of-the-road star just dropped "The Fellas," her luxuriously arranged tribute to male singers that assures us that she's still in terrific voice. Old pal Barry Manilow joined her on one song but neither he nor an orchestra will be with her when she returns to her husband's home state to visit those standards and her own big ballads including "Don't Cry Out Loud" and "Through the Eyes of Love." (6 & 8 p.m. Sun., 7 p.m. Mon. Dakota Jazz Club, Mpls., $35-$45, dakotacooks.com)
Chad Hanks memorial: This benefit turned into a memorial last week when the influential bassist/songwriter for American Head Charge died at 46, but his friends and admirers from the Twin Cities metal scene still intend to rattle your rib cages to help cover his medical costs, including Blue Felix, Black Flood Diesel, the Omega Sequence, Outside the Murder and more. (7 p.m. Sun., First Avenue, $15.)
Leo Kottke: The revered Minnesota guitarist/humorist has taken pride in presenting intriguing opening acts for his annual post-Thanksgiving hometown concerts. He's tapped everyone from cabaret star Nellie McKay and two members of Los Lobos to Wally Pikal, who played three trumpets simultaneously while jumping on a Pogo stick. This year Kottke has enlisted guitarist/singer Todd Park Mohr, lead singer of the popular blues-rockers Big Head Todd and the Monsters. (7:30 p.m. Mon., Guthrie Theater, Mpls., $40-$62, guthrietheater.org)
Linda Eder: The big-voiced Broadway star from Brainerd brings her holiday show to the Twin Cities once again. Much of the material will be drawn from her special "Christmas Stays the Same," which was broadcast on Bravo in 2001 and became a DVD. (7:30 p.m. Tue., Ordway Center, tickets start at $37)
Jake Bugg: The Rick Rubin-buoyed British rocker of "Two Fingers" and "Trouble Town" notoriety is already four albums into his career at age 23. He's promoting the latest, "Hearts That Strain," with a solo acoustic tour. (8 p.m. Tue., Fine Line, $25-$40.)
Gary Numan: There's a lot more to this U.K. music vet than his 1980 mega-hit "Cars," and his status as an innovator of dance-y synth pop has made him a hero to many modern bands and added to the buzz behind his 22nd album, "Savage (Songs From a Broken World)." Me Not You opens. (8 p.m. Tue., First Avenue, $25.)
The Suffers: This buzzing Houston big band stands out from other retro-soul revivalists with their affinity for slower-grooving, sultrier '70s sounds of the "Let's Stay Together" variety, and for singer Kam Washington's undeniably godly talent. They're opening for funky, novel Brooklyn band Turkuaz. (8:30 p.m. Wed., Cabooze, $15-$18.)
Thomas Rhett: With three albums and eight No. 1 songs, the 27-year-old son of country star Rhett Akins is stepping up as a first-time arena headliner. Just back from a series of concerts in England and Scotland, Rhett will be joined by Old Dominion and Walker Hayes. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, tickets start at $27.75, ticketmaster.com)
Brandy Clark: She received recognition as one of Nashville's finest songwriters for penning "Mama's Broken Heart" for Miranda Lambert and "Better Dig Two" for the Band Perry. Since then, Clark has proved that she's a first-rate singer-songwriter with two albums that capture small-town life with insight, poignancy and humor. Her single "Stripes" is a classic, as she refuses to shoot her cheating lover because "I hate stripes and orange ain't my color." (8 p.m. Thu., Turf Club, Mpls., $20, etix.com)
