The Big Gigs for the week of 12/9

HIP-HOP

To paraphrase the Energizer Bunny, Doomtree's Blowout VII is still going. It started Sunday in the Entry and, barring any hospitalizations or imprisonments over the following four nights there, the Twin Cities hip-hop collective's eight members finally all meet up for two nights in the main room. The group's new all-crew album, "No Kings," will be the centerpiece each night. If you're still unaware of why this event has blown up, these are the shows to catch: nonstop, full-adrenaline, all-in. (9:30 p.m. Fri. & 7 p.m. Sat., First Avenue. Sold out Fri. All ages Sat. $15.) Chris Riemenschneider

Seattle duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis came into Soundset 2011 as relative unknowns and left as arguably the breakout newcomers. Part Slug and part Kurt Cobain, Macklemore -- the rapper to Lewis' DJ/producer -- opens up about his addiction problems and other personal struggles in his performances without sounding after-school-special about it, and he has a lot of fun beyond that. Opening trio Champagne Champagne, also from Seattle, features the former drummer of screamcore band the Blood Brothers on the decks. Macklemore's Step Cousins collaborator Xperience also performs. (7 p.m. Wed., First Avenue. $15.) Riemenschneider

POP/ROCK

Halloween, Alaska has been especially selective with its local gigs of late, partly by default since drummer Dave King has another band or two (or eight), and guitarist Jacob Hanson has been touring with Mason Jennings. Also, frontman James Diers reunited his old group Love-cars last month. However, their electronic-rock quartet recently made it over to England for a tour and showed off just how dedicated and focused they remain on their summer album, "All Night the Calls Came In." The disc was their first made all together in one room, and it traded in some of the icy, ethereal sheen of old for warmer, earthier tones, as heard in the new Current single "Empire Waist." Poliça singer Channy Leaneagh, formerly Channy Casselle of Roma di Luna, will play a solo opening set and Andrew Broder will DJ. (8 p.m. Sat., Cedar Cultural Center. $10.) Riemenschneider

Chicago-based Twin Cities native Matthew Santos got his big break singing on Lupe Fiasco's 2007 mega-hit "Superstar," and now he's continuing with his career as a Jeff Buckley-style soul-folk songwriter. Currently, he's working on a new album with engineer/producer Charles Goodan of the Dust Brothers camp. Madison's Mike Droho opens. (9 p.m. Tue., 7th Street Entry. $10.) Riemenschneider

Mickey Hart, one of San Francisco's more enduring little drummer boys, has a new group, the Mickey Hart Band, that will play some good ol' Grateful Dead as well as new material. The group includes singers Crystal Monee Hall and Tim Hockenberry of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools, guitarist Gawain Matthews, percussionist Sikuru Adepoju and keyboardist Ben Yonas. If this group is half as good as Hart's performance with the Rhythm Devils at the Cedar last year, then Deadheads will be grateful for this fix. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Cedar Cultural Center, $45.) Bream

Once a popular draw in the Upper Midwest, the Blenders only come out at Christmastime. Well, actually they did a Valentine's show this year. But the vocal quartet, born in Fargo and long based in the Twin Cities, is in the midst of its annual three-state holiday tour. They just released their fourth yule album, "Christmas Light." (8 p.m. Fri. & Sat. & 2 p.m. Sun. Pantages Theatre, $38.) Bream

Imagine a superb, adventurous string quartet, with vocal cords in place of strings. Or imagine your favorite male vocal group (Cantus, perhaps, or Chanticleer) shrunk to a foursome. Or better yet, discover New York Polyphony, a Big Apple-based male vocal quartet (countertenor, tenor, baritone and bass) that's rooted in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance but also boasts serious new-music chops. Much lauded, the group makes its Twin Cities debut with excerpts from its 2007 CD "I Sing the Birth," a meditation on the Christmas season. (7:30 p.m. Fri., Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, 511 Groveland Av., Mpls. $34-$75. 1-800-982-2787 or ticketmaster.com.) Larry Fuchsberg

What's more impressive: That Katie McMahon was the original vocalist in "Riverdance" or that she's been presenting her Celtic Christmas show for 10 years in her adopted hometown of St. Paul? The angel-voiced Irish warbler promises a new program of carols and dances from Ireland, Sweden, Germany and the United States. (7:30 p.m. Fri., the O'Shaughnessy, St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Av., St. Paul, $10-$25.) Bream

Putting the holy back in holiday and the go in gospel, the Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir -- famously featuring members of different faiths, races and eras -- presents its annual showpiece, "A Soulful Christmas Concert." Choir director Sandy Robinson Hodges has established herself as a worthy heir to her well-known brother Robert Robinson, who'll make a rare return for this show. Expect plenty of familiar Christmas hymns and carols, plus a few surprises. (4 p.m. Sat., North Central University's Trask Center, 1410 Elliot Av., Mpls. $12-$15. TCCGospel.org or 612-521-0800.) Riemenschneider

If you're dreaming of a green Christmas, one with more flutes than sleighbells, and bagpipes instead of organ pipes, check out the Celtic holiday show with Laura MacKenzie and the Lads -- ace songsmith Gary Rue and savvy hand percussionist Michael Bissonnette -- also featuring rousing Irish step dancers Lillie McAdams and Anna Purtle. (8 p.m. Tue., Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins. $20. 952-979-1111.) Tom Surowicz

Twin Cities piano popster Keri Noble has danced with two major labels but decided to go the Kickstarter route to fund her own recordings. Her backers made a wise move with "More Than Santa," a remarkable collection of 11 seasonal originals that, frankly, is more impressive than Carole King's new holiday CD. (6:30 & 9:30 p.m. Thu. Varsity, $20.) Bream

JAZZ

Compact and consistently inspiring, Red Planet is one of Minnesota's best jazz bands, with the excellent CD "Space Dust" to prove it. The trio of Dean Magraw (guitar), Jay Epstein (drums) and Chris Bates (bass) creates music that's both spiritual and frisky, deep and fun. (9 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Artists' Quarter, $10.) Surowicz

Veteran radio host Arne Fogel and superb jazz and cabaret singer Maud Hixson co-star in "The Crosby-Clooney Story: Fancy Meeting You Here." As a longtime devotee of Der Bingle, Fogel steps into his now-familiar role as Bing Crosby, while Hixson portrays Bing's "White Christmas" movie compadre, frequent duets partner, and George Clooney's favorite aunt, Rosemary Clooney. Since the original "Fancy Meeting You Here" album was a globe-trotting songbook session, maybe the audience will get to visit "Hindustan," "Brazil" and the "Isle of Capri," and take a "Slow Boat to China." (7:30 p.m. Sat., Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington. $16-$22. 952-563-8575.) Surowicz

The second annual Holiday in the Heartland benefit has an outstanding act from the jazz mecca of New York City: jazz singer Teri Roiger and her bassist/composer husband, John Menegon, known for his long tours of duty with Dewey Redman and David "Fathead" Newman. Roiger promises to sing standards, a few Christmas tunes and some Abbey Lincoln material from her forthcoming CD "Dear Abbey." The couple will be joined onstage by pianist Laura Caviani and drummer Jay Epstein. Proceeds go to Camp Heartland. (7 p.m. Mon., Dakota Jazz Club, $40-$150. 1-888-216-2028 or helpkids@oneheart land.org.) Surowicz

BLUES

Twin Cities harmonica legend George "Mojo" Buford, longtime Muddy Waters Band member and mentor to dozens of area bar stars, was known to blues fans all over the world. But while he had his fair share of fame, fortune did not follow. When he passed away in October, he left not only memories but funeral bills. So there's a combination tribute and benefit all day Sunday at Wilebski's, with an illustrious cast including Willie Murphy; Dave "Cool Breeze" Brown; members of the Butanes, the Rough Cuts and the Barking Ducks; KFAI's Harold Tremblay, Maurice Jacox and more. (2-7 p.m. Sun., Wilebski's, donations accepted.) Surowicz

Though he's been living in California, his original home state, for quite a while, and traveling the globe as a blues harmonica star, Lynwood Slim was a longtime fixture of the Twin Cities scene. The cheerful bar warrior with roof-raising harp chops still has hundreds of friends here. Some of them are putting on a benefit for Lynwood, who's been laid low by a series of serious medical maladies, and is too sick currently to appear anywhere but his mom's house -- that's really the blues, folks. The lineup includes Lamont Cranston frontman Pat Hayes; Senders leader Dave "Cool Breeze" Brown; octogenarian singing star Big Walter Smith; Jimi "Primetime" Smith and Big Bob Scoggin. (7 p.m. Thu., Whiskey Junction, $10.) Surowicz

COUNTRY