Spotlight: Andrew Bird

ANDREW BIRD Thursday-Saturday: After building up his live show to dizzying heights with help from a trio of Twin Cities musicians, Chicago indie hero Andrew Bird is throwing fans a powerful change-up by finishing off the year with his so-called Gezelligheid Concerts (loose translation: "cozy"). The whistling, violin-playing, big-word-loving singer lined up a string of solo/acoustic shows in unique, intimate spaces -- venues that will match the ornate and majestic quality of his 2009 album "Noble Beast." Here, in his nearly adopted second hometown, he found a real charmer of a downtown church overlooking Loring Park to spread out over three nights. All but the final show was sold out at press time. (8 p.m. Thu.-Sat. $29-$34. St. Mark's Cathedral, 519 Oak Grove St., Mpls. www.suemclean.com.)

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER