The 11 best things to do and see in the Twin Cities this week

Despite being sidelined most of the year by a debilitating stroke, John Munson wasn’t about to miss this trio’s annual Holiday Shows. Pentatonix, Stella Cole and others have already presented their yule shows in the Twin Cities, but the holiday spirit really doesn’t kick in until Munson, Chan Poling and Steve Roehm stage their delightful, surprise-filled Holiday Show with a parade of guests who are never advertised in advance. The New Standards’ jazzy arrangements of pop and seasonal favorites and the priceless repartee between Munson and Poling are worth the price of admission, but the guests are the brandy in the New Standards’ eggnog. (8 p.m. Fri. and 4 & 8 p.m. Sat., State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., $75 and up, ticketmaster.com)

JON BREAM

It’s a rattle-your-jewelry kind of year for the local Beatles love fest that started in 7^th St. Entry hours after John Lennon’s murder in 1980 and has been held next door at First Avenue for the past 43 years. This year it’s moving to the more-regal Fitz, which is owned by First Ave and offers something that the event’s longtime attendees now love almost as much as hearing “She Loves You” and “All You Need is Love” every year: seats. Curt Almsted and his army of Twin Cities musicians aren’t benching their usual approach, though, covering the breadth of Lennon’s canon, including solo work. (8 p.m. Mon., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul, axs.com)

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

When the Grammy nominations were announced last month, people wondered who is this Leon Thomas who received six nods, including best new artist and album of the year? He’s the soul man behind the hit “Mutt,” the dreamy ballad about taking a chance on love even though he might get burned again. Thomas is not exactly a newcomer. As a kid, he appeared on Broadway in “The Lion King” before going on to become a successful songwriter/producer for Ariana Grande, Drake, Toni Braxton, Post Malone and SZA, whose “Snooze” led to Thomas’ first Grammy for best R&B song. His Mutts Don’t Heel Tour, which kicked off Oct. 30, makes a Minneapolis stop. (8 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, 701 1^st Av. N., Mpls., axs.com)

J.B.

Punk rock is the most timeless type of rock ’n’ roll, and D4’s new album proves it. Largely, frustratingly inactive through much of the 2010s, the Twin Cities punk vets capped off several recent years of festival appearances and short tours by finally offering up new product, albeit an LP made of older material. “This [Expletive] Is Geniuser” compiles a trove of the quartet’s 7-inch tracks and other assorted nuggets, including “An American Banned,” “Twin Cities Sinners United” and “Like Sprewells on a Wheelchair,” the latter a 2004-era “Rock Against Bush” compilation track that sounds too timeless. The two-night hometown release party features three noisy openers each night. (8 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Turf Club, 1601 University Av. W., St. Paul, $35, axs.com)

The Minnesota treasure’s annual post-Thanksgiving Twin Cities concert has creeped into December for a second consecutive year. The Guitar Player Hall of Famer, 80, has been doing these late-in-the-year hometown concerts for 40-some years. Kottke will take Minnesotans on an unpredictable adventure on six- and 12-string guitars, punctuated by an occasional baritone vocal number and his idiosyncratic yet invariably humorous stories. Opening is the OK Factor, the Twin Cities classical crossover duo of cellist Olivia Diercks and violinist Karla Peters. (7 p.m. Fri., Ordway, 345 Washington St., St. Paul, $50-$75, ordway.org)

J.B.

Before joining the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra for Handel’s “Messiah” later this month, this excellent 40-plus-voice choir will bring its sumptuous harmonies to three concerts full of Christmas-themed music. The concerts they call “What Sweeter Music” are always a soothing salve for any agitated heart or mind. Matthew Culloton will conduct works by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Morten Lauridsen, Stephen Paulus, Dale Warland and others. (3 p.m. Sun., Westwood Lutheran Church, 9001 Cedar Lake Road, St. Louis Park; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 4801 France Av. S., Mpls.; 2 p.m. Dec. 14, Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church, 1938 Stanford Av., St. Paul, $38, singersmca.org)

ROB HUBBARD

Penumbra Theatre’s holiday show has reached its Jesus year. Director Lou Bellamy and maestro Sanford Moore stir up spirits with the company’s 33rd anniversary production of “Black Nativity,” Langston Hughes’ music-infused retelling of the story of Jesus’ birth. This year’s show is headlined again by narrator Jennifer Whitlock with singers Greta Oglesby, Deborah Finney and Dennis Spears. The holiday’s most soulful show includes performances by vocal powerhouses Shirley Marie Graham, choir director Angela Stewart and Minnesota stage legend Jevetta Steele, who, with niece Jhadiya Steele, has joined the chorus. Marciano Silva dos Santos choreographs a visceral accompaniment performed by dancers Albert “Coco” Conteh and MerSadies McCoy. (7:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 2 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., 4 p.m. Sun. Ends Dec. 24. Penumbra Theatre, 270 N. Kent St., St. Paul. $20-$45. 651-224-3180 or penumbratheatre.org.)

If “The Phantom of the Opera” is for grown-ups, then “R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium” takes the story down a notch while upping the fun quotient. The story is about the ghost of a drama teacher that haunts a high school auditorium where youngsters are trying to put on a show. The cast has several high schoolers and recent graduates of the University of Minnesota’s BFA program, all under the sure-handed direction of Ellen Fenster-Gharib. (7 p.m. Thu.-Sat., 2 & 7 p.m. Sun. Ends Dec 14. Park Square Theatre, 20 W. 7th Pl., St. Paul. $15-$65. 651-291-7005 or parksquaretheatre.org.)

R.P.

Two years ago, Los Angeles-based artist Edgar Arceneaux set up a studio at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design as part of a collaborative residency with the Walker Art Center. Northeast Minneapolis gallery Dreamsong presents the culmination of that body of work: abstract paintings inspired by Minnesota’s seasons. Arceneaux’s painting centers race and memory in American history, drawing connections between past and present. Ends Dec. 20. (Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat. 1237 4^th St. NE., Mpls., free. 646-703-4473 or dreamsong.art)

ALICIA ELER

New York-based Navajo artist Matthew Kirk makes his paintings and sculptures using materials he finds on his daily travels. Kirk uses objects from his own childhood and his current family life in these works: arrows, rope, a basketball hoop and balls, as well as construction and packing materials. This is Kirk’s first solo exhibition with Bockley Gallery. Ends Jan 10. (Noon-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat., 2123 W. 21^st St., free. 612-377-4669 or bockleygallery.com)

A popular event that often sells out transports guests to Germany for the holidays. The Haus will be Christmas photo ready from the Rathskeller to the ballroom with music and seasonal goods for sale. Take part in Christmas crafting, hear holiday tales and view the German model trains and toy exhibit. Sankt Nikolaus makes an appearance to greet children. A heated, outdoor tent makes a great spot to cheer friends with glühwein (hot mulled wine) or a bite of German cake and other foods. (Timed entry slots 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun. $5-$10. Germanic-American Institute, 301 Summit Av., St. Paul. gaimn.org)