The Big Gigs for week of 11/18

POP/ROCK

Probably now America's most-loved indie-rock couple (following Thurston's and Kim's split), Mates of State partners Jason Hammel (a southern Minnesota native) and Kori Gardner eschew their happy-home image with a dramatic new album, "Mountaintops," loaded with songs about struggle, conflict and change - which is pretty much parenting in a nutshell. The Connecticut-based piano/drums duo (a quartet on stage) still sounds as harmonious and infectious as ever, with some of today's sharpest pop hooks and energetic, giddy live shows. Openers the Generationals are another clever duo from New Orleans. (9 p.m. Fri., Fine Line. 18 & older. $18-$20.) Chris Riemenschneider

Los Lobos' David Hidalgo and Louie Perez will team up for a duo concert. Backed by a rhythm section, Dos Lobos will emphasize songwriting, not musicianship, as they explore tunes they've written for their band, the side project Latin Playboys and their own duo album "The Long Goodbye." Read an interview at www.startribune.com/music. Folklorist David Greenberger opens, backed by Paul Cebar. (8 p.m. Fri., Varsity, $30-$33.) Jon Bream

Fresh from opening Tommy Stinson's gig last Monday, Twin Cities quartet High on Stress lets its Replacements freak flag wave on its third and best album yet, "Living Is a Dying Art." The disc features a guest spot by Whiskeytown's Caitlin Cary on one of its softer gems, "Head," but is mostly loaded with hard-bashing, semi-twangy barroom rock centered around Minot, N.D.-reared frontman Nick Leet's clever everyman lyricism. The Rockford Mules and Little Man make the release party a triple serving of classic guitar-bled rock. (9 p.m. Fri., Amsterdam Bar & Hall. $7.) Riemenschneider

Rosanne Cash is going where she's never gone before -- performing with a symphony. The Minnesota Orchestra approached her to be part of its singer-songwriter series and Cash commissioned arrangements of nine of her tunes. She also will sing several songs with her own band. Sarah Hicks conducts the orchestra. Read an interview with Cash at startribune.com/music. (8 p.m. Fri., Orchestra Hall, $30-$60.) Bream

A former clarinetist in Devotchka and sideman for Luaka Bop artist Jim White, Paul Fanfara transplanted from Denver to Minneapolis and brought us the Painted Saints as an introductory gift. The eclectic, carnival chamber-folk ensemble serves up hair-raising echoes of Beirut, Neutral Milk Hotel, Nick Cave, old klezmer music and Fanfara's past projects on its second album, "The Bricks Might Breathe Again." Special film clips will accompany the music for this release party. Nona Marie & the Choir, led by Dark Dark Dark singer Marie, opens along with Dreamland Faces and Mike Gunther. (8 p.m. Sat., Cedar Cultural Center. All ages. $8-$10.) Riemenschneider

Since his Wilkins Auditorium show in July, Owatonna synth-pop star Owl City (Adam Young) has literally been around the globe with his surprisingly sophisticated, string-laden band. Their evolution as a live act will be spotlighted in a "Live in Los Angeles" DVD due Dec. 6. Young is coming home to wrap up the busy year, and this time he's not letting those pesky post-collegiate adults in to spoil all the fantastical fun. This free show is exclusively for college students, with U of M enrollees allowed in first. (6 p.m. Sat., University of Minnesota Fieldhouse, 1800 University Av. SE., Mpls. Details at PulseCampus.com.) Riemenschneider

Best known for her powerful dramatic performances, Minneapolis actress Regina Marie Williams will exercise both her musical and theatrical chops in a tribute show to Nina Simone. Fresh from "Burial at Thebes" at the Guthrie, Williams will explore Simone's diverse repertoire for the first time in concert, accompanied by pianist Sanford Moore, bassist Jay Young and drummer Kevin Washington. (7 p.m. Sat. & 3 p.m. Sun., Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway, Mpls. $25.) Bream

It might sound like something out of The Onion: Corey Taylor, the masked and tortured lead screamer in Slipknot, is on a speaking tour. Turns out the Iowa metal legend -- who always spewed a lot of philosophy onstage with the Knot -- has turned into quite the motivational speaker after publishing a well-received memoir/handbook, "Seven Deadly Sins." He will read passages from the book and play acoustic covers and his own songs, including ones by his maskless side band Stone Sour. (9 p.m. Tue., Varsity Theater. 18 & older. $25.) Riemenschneider

After filling the Varsity with a young crowd this summer, falsetto-heavy Australian electro-pop quintet Architecture in Helsinki is going straight to the heart of its collegiate following for a pre-holiday blowout at Macalester College. The Melbourne band sounded overly precious but still pretty fun on its latest album, "Moment Bends." Hazier Boston popsters Dom and Swedish duo Lo-Fi-Fnk make it a dance-rock blowout. (7:30 p.m. Tue., Leonard Center, Snelling & Grand Avs., St. Paul. Free for Macalester students, $5-$10 tickets at Macalester.edu/pb.) Riemenschneider

From gigging in a graveyard to issuing his own Occupy Wall Street-inspired song -- "Blue Sky (Corporations Are People My Friend)" is now up on his website -- Jeremy Messersmith continues to surprise his audience even in a year between albums. The soft-voiced, richly melodic Minneapolis tunesmith is sticking to the obvious on Thanksgiving Eve, though, wrapping up a short Midwest tour at an intimate hometown venue with his regal, Beatles-y, string-accompanied band. Soul-folkie opener Chastity Brown is bringing her own ensemble to debut new material. (8 p.m. Wed., Cedar Cultural Center. All ages. $15-$18.) Riemenschneider

"The first one really felt like an accomplishment, because it was the first time we played there and everybody knew all the words to the songs." So remembers the Ike Reilly Assassination's namesake leader, talking about his band's first Thanksgiving Eve concert at First Avenue in 2003. Reilly even allegedly told the club's old manager Steve McClellan that night, "I'll do [the gig] 'til the day I die." Ike's not dead yet, and neither is Twin Citians' love for this ninth annual holiday tradition/escape. The wily rockers from Libertyville, Ill., revisited their 2001 debut "Salesmen & Racists" here over the summer, so this will be a chance to show off more of the great work they've done since. (8:30 p.m. Wed., First Avenue. $15.) Riemenschneider

COUNTRY

When it comes to studio albums, the Grammy- and CMA-winning Zac Brown Band impressed on its debut ("The Foundation") and struck out on its popular sophomore effort (the unimaginative "You Get What You Give"). But when it comes to live performance, ZBB is consistently spot on -- eclectic, organic and exciting. Opening are two acts on Brown's label, Nic Cowan and Sonia Leigh. (7:30 p.m. Sun. Target Center, $27.50-$62.50.) Bream

Despite the death last month of longtime keyboardist Taz DiGregorio in a traffic accident, the Charlie Daniels Band presses on. At 75, Daniels plays a ferocious fiddle and a better version of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" than the one you might hear from fellow Georgian Zac Brown and his band elsewhere in the Twin Cities tonight. (7 p.m. Sun., Mystic Lake Casino, $29-$38.) Bream

ROOTS

It's rather telling that C.J. Chenier's latest album, "Can't Sit Down," includes the umpteenth zydeco version of "Hot Tamale Baby" alongside a coolly updated rendition of Tom Waits' "Clap Hands." The Texan son of zydeco-music godfather Clifton Chenier, C.J. has always had one foot deep in his father's legacy while the other is constantly moving forward to modern rock, blues and R&B influences. He and his Red Hot Louisiana Band are becoming Dakota regulars for good reason. (8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Dakota Jazz Club. $25.) Riemenschneider

A Brooklyn-based sextet of musicians from around the country, the Sweetback Sisters play classic and modern honky tonk music of all stripes -- vintage, hardcore, folksy, rockin', silly, time-tested and original. They're liable to cover anything from Hazel Dickens' hard-hitting "Don't Put Her Down, You Helped Put Her There" to Roger Miller's absurd "My Uncle Used to Love Me But She Died." Whatever the fare, faux fraternal sisters Emily Miller and Zara Bode harmonize beautifully. (8:30 p.m. Fri., 400 Bar, $5.) Tom Surowicz

A soft-spoken fellow, acoustic guitar master Phil Heywood is not only a past National Fingerpicking Champion, but an accomplished songwriter, a decent singer and a perfect attraction for an intimate java and vino room. (8 p.m. Sat., Riverview Cafe and Wine Bar, 3745 42nd Av. S., Mpls. $13.) Surowicz

WORLD

It's an intriguing concept: Still Black, Still Proud: An African Tribute to James Brown features two of the Godfather of Soul's top sidemen -- saxophonists Maceo Parker and Pee Wee Ellis --and two prominent world musicians: Senegalese singer-guitarist Cheikh Lô and politicized South African folk singer Vusi Mahlasela. We're the fifth stop on a six-city tour, so this Afro-funk band should be in the groove. (7:30 p.m. Tue., Ordway, $20-$38.) Bream

JAZZ

One of the busier pianists in town, Laura Caviani will showcase her latest outstanding trio, with "Prairie Home Companion" favorite Gary Raynor on bass and simpatico sticksman Jay Epstein. They'll play original songs and classics by great composer-pianists, including Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver and Mary Lou Williams. (9 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Artists' Quarter, $10.) Surowicz

The JazzMN big band salutes trailblazing trumpeter and composer Miles Davis in a special concert. From "The Birth of the Cool" to "Kind of Blue" and "Bitches Brew," there's a lot of essential music to plunder. (7:30 p.m. Sat., Hopkins High School Performing Arts Center, 2400 Lindbergh Dr., Minnetonka. $17-$31. jazzmn.org) Surowicz

You may have heard her backing Connie Evingson or Debbie Duncan, or performing with her own trio. Wonderful Minneapolis pianist/composer Mary Louise Knutson is celebrating her second album of instrumentals, "In the Bubble." While describing it as mainstream to modern, Knutson is a smart, versatile player who knows how to dress up a familiar melody and to craft her own intelligent works, including the sprightly title track. On disc, she's accompanied by bassist Gordon Johnson and three different drummers, Greg Schutte, Craig Hara and Phil Hey, her usual trio member. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Artists Quarter, $10.) Bream