POP/ROCK
Before her band heads to Iraq to perform for troops for two weeks, Minneapolis piano popster Keri Noble will play two solo shows here. It'll be the chatty, emotional singer and her electric piano, which she'll probably decorate with a poster of Robert Pattinson. Expect Noble to offer a couple of new songs, which she will offer as exclusive downloads for U.S. service personnel via her website. (7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Maplewood Community Center, 2100 N. White Bear Av., Maplewood. $25-$30.) (J.B.)
Of all the Brit-rocky bands around the Twin Cities, Arms Akimbo can at least claim a little more direct connection to its classic sounds, since its Nick Lowe-style frontman Nick Schaser spent three years living in England. The trio just issued a strong debut EP, "You Want To," and has lined up a couple of older, proven local bands to raise up its Entry gig: fellow Anglophiles the Alarmists and hearty country-rockers the Evening Rig. (9 p.m. Fri., 7th Street Entry. 18 & older. $6.) (C.R.)
One of Minnesota's many great bands-that-shoulda-been-bigger, Arcwelder was part of the mid-'90s heyday roster on Touch & Go Records alongside fellow arty, boisterous noisemakers Shellac and the Jesus Lizard. Thankfully the stormy power trio still gets together a few times a year. There will be extra ear damage this time with fast/furious/fuzzy haze-rock duo Gay Witch Abortion opening. (10 p.m. Fri., Turf Club. $6.) (C.R.)
Back in 1963, New Jersey teen Lesley Gore became a pop star singing strikingly emotional, Quincy Jones-produced hits like "It's My Party" ("and I'll cry if I want to") and "Judy's Turn to Cry." After college, she took to performing in cabarets and contributing to soundtracks for "Fame," "CSI: Miami" and "The L Word." In 2005, Gore released "Ever Since," which shows her to be a moody cabaret performer with heart and depth and an inspired re-imaginer of her own hit, "You Don't Own Me." Read an interview with Gore in Sunday's Variety A+E. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Sun.-Mon., Dakota Jazz Club, $30-$45.) (J.B.)
A flannel-wearing songstress from the Mississippi River town of Rock Island, Ill., Lissie (full name: Lissie Maurus) is earning more than a little love from the Current and other hipster outlets with her sweet gospel/soul-spiked ditty "Little Lovin'." She just finished touring with Ray LaMontagne in support of her debut EP on Fat Possum Records, "Why You Runnin'," which was produced by Band of Horses' Bill Reynolds and falls somewhere between Cat Power and Patty Griffin. Highly recommended. (9 p.m. Wed., Triple Rock. 18 & older. $10.) (C.R.)
A slickly produced piano-led rock quintet from Charlottesville, Va., Parachute has been popping up all over the place to tout its Maroon 5-styled Mercury Records debut, "Losing Sleep," from Nivea skin-care commercials to opening dates with O.A.R. and 3 Doors Down and even Daryl Hall's "Live From Daryl's House." It has only made a minor splash on radio, though, with its power ballad "Under Control." Opener Safetysuit is another highly polished young band from Oklahoma. (9 p.m. Thu., Triple Rock. 18 & older. $14.) (C.R.)
R&B/GOSPEL After her stunning performance in "Caroline, or Change" at the Guthrie Theater, Greta Oglesby gets an overdue opportunity to show a broader range of her musical prowess in "My First Loves," a revue of jazz, gospel and show tunes that also features gospel standout Tonia Hughes and the ever-versatile Yolande Bruce. The program was put together by stalwart Minneapolis music man Sanford Moore, who knows how to make powerhouse vocalists sparkle. (7 p.m. Sat. & 3 p.m. Sun., Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway, Mpls., $20-$25.) (J.B.)
BLUES Chicago slide guitarist, singer and harmonica player Studebaker John has an interesting résumé. Besides the usual gigs at places like Buddy Guy's Legends, he's seen his songs pop up in movies by provocative Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan and the Kiefer Sutherland/Daryl Hannah flick "Cowboy Up." Plus he recorded and toured with fabled English rockers in the Pretty Things/Yardbirds Blues Band in the early '90s (including a fun stop at First Avenue). Studebaker John's driving sound on slide is indebted to departed heroes Hound Dog Taylor, J.B. Hutto and Johnny Littlejohn, while he cites Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson and Paul Butterfield as harp influences. But he's a "Self Made Man" (with the song to prove it) when it comes to songwriting, having composed all 12 tracks on the recent CD "Waiting on the Sun." (9 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Wilebski's Blues Saloon.) (T.S.)
