The Big Gigs: Shows to watch for in the next week

POP/ROCK Country queen Reba McEntire is from Oklahoma and "American Idol"-launched pop star Kelly Clarkson is from Texas. They'll put aside their chauvinistic loyalties and stylistic differences for an evening of duets. That's right, everything they'll sing -- more than two dozen selections -- will be a duet. Look for some curveballs, including Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams." (8 p.m. today, Target Center. $49.50-$59.50.) (J.B.)

Amy Ray might be closer to fine when she's half of the Indigo Girls, but she's quite excellent in her more rocking solo ventures, too. Ray is touring behind her third disc, "Didn't It Feel Kinder," her most ambitious and noisiest yet. She's backed by two ex-members of the Butchies. Arizona, a Mamas & Papas-ish rock quartet from North Carolina, opens. (9 p.m. today, Fine Line. 18 & older. $16.50-$18.50.) (C.R.)

Working for the Independent Film Channel and Vanity Fair of late, punk icon Henry Rollins has no shortage of topics for his latest spoken-word outing, the "Recountdown" tour, which kicked off last month and will last through election season. (8 p.m. today, Pantages Theatre. $23.50.) (C.R.)

The faithful know the funky power of Little Feat. But the enduring swamp/blues/jazz/folk/funk rockers have never gotten their due, so they've teamed up with some famous folks -- Bob Seger, Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris, Jimmy Buffett, Vince Gill, Bela Fleck and even the late Feat founder Lowell George's daughter Inara -- to revisit a bunch of Feat favorites on the country-tinged new album "Join the Band." Indeed, join the band sans guests in St. Paul. (8 p.m. today, Fitzgerald Theater. $34.50.) (J.B.)

Former Be Good Tanyas alt-folkie Jolie Holland sounds like Lucinda Williams' quirky kid sister on her latest album, "The Living and the Dead." Following a string of charmingly rustic but spotty discs, Holland fleshed out a more impressive, contemporary, neo-twang sound with help from the likes of Marc Ribot, M. Ward and My Morning Jacket's Jim James. French folk duo Herman Dune opens. (8 p.m. Sat., Cedar Cultural Center. $18-$20.) (C.R.)

Michelle Malone has more singing talent than Sheryl Crow, as much guitar-playing and bandleader know-how as Susan Tedeschi and a smart songwriting style akin to Patty Griffin. What the Georgia-reared blues-rocker doesn't have, of course, is the same level of fame, but it's not for lack of critical acclaim or trying on her part. She's playing here with one of the Twin Cities' most promising young singer/songwriters, the soulful Chastity Brown. (9 p.m. Sun., 400 Bar. 18 & older. $12-$15.) (C.R.)

Almost a year since he tested out songs at the 400 Bar, Conor Oberst returns triumphant from a year spent on his eponymous solo debut. The Omaha-reared Bright Eyes frontman headed to Mexico to make the twangier (and kookier) album. Its themes of escapism and self-discovery are as enjoyable as his usual Dylanesque songwriting style. He put together a new group for the album, the Mystic Valley Band -- and thus won't be doing songs from the Bright Eyes discography. All Smiles and Matt Focht Band open. (8:30 p.m. Wed., First Avenue. 18 & older. $24.) (C.R.)

COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS What Lee's favorite Dale Watson is to Merle and Waylon, Wayne (The Train) Hancock is to Hank. Another veteran of Texas honky-tonks (and hip Austin dive bars), Hancock has a sweet vintage nasal voice and a bass-slapped bounce that could make him a shoo-in to sing for the next Hank Williams biopic. But his three recent albums for Bloodshot Records show that he writes his own clever hillbilly songs, too. Joe Buck Yourself and Bitch N' Brown open. (9 p.m. today, Lee's Liquor Lounge. $15.) (C.R.)

Loretta Lynn gave an especially erratic performance at Mystic Lake back in 2004 that makes her return to the casino a real gamble, but hey, she's still Loretta Lynn -- an American music icon and renowned survivor. (8 p.m. Sat., Mystic Lake Casino, Prior Lake. $35-$45.) (C.R.)

Nashville family band Cherryholmes sounds like a novelty act, but it's one of the brightest new stars in bluegrass. With Mom and Dad leading the way with their Celtic-styled musicianship, and a quartet of gifted young sibling pickers as its engine, the group has issued three albums for Ricky Skaggs' label; the first earned a Grammy nomination and the latest ("III") debuted at No. 3 on the bluegrass chart this month. (7:30 p.m. Sun., Cedar Cultural Center. $20-$25.) (C.R.)

Prolific songwriter Fred Eaglesmith is probably the only artist to be covered by both Toby Keith and the Cowboy Junkies. Often cited as a musical poet of small-town America -- a Joe Sixpack voice, if you will -- Eaglesmith is actually from rural Ontario. Known for his animated live performances and a dedicated core of followers known as Fredheads, Eaglesmith has carved out an enviable cult niche. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Cedar Cultural Center. $15-$18.) (T.S.)

JAZZ One of the finer composer/guitarists in modern jazz -- idiosyncratic, Americana-leaning Joel Harrison -- has joined with Christian Howes, the finest, fieriest jazz violinist since Billy Bang, for a tour and a record on St. Paul's Innova label. "The Wheel," featuring a gripping five-part suite for jazz quartet, string quartet and Harrison's guitar, is a hip head trip bridging jazz, classical and world music. They'll commune for two late-night shows with busy NYC bassist Fima Ephron and drummer Jordan Perlson. (11:30 p.m. today-Sat., Dakota. $10.) (T.S.)

Though his recording career has been hit- or-miss, Stanley Jordan never disappoints in person. The trailblazer of the "tapping" guitar technique has a two-handed, pianistic soloing approach that always makes jaws drop in concert. And Jordan never fails to have new tricks up his sleeve, whether it's playing guitar and keyboard (or two guitars) simultaneously, or drifting off into Mozart one moment, Led Zep the next. His current trio is easily his best, starring one of the greatest bassists alive, Charnett Moffett, and drummer Kenwood Dennard. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Mon-Tue., Dakota. $25-$35.) (T.S.)

Eldar, a piano prodigy from the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan, amazed listeners at his Dakota Jazz Club debut three years ago, proving himself not just a flashy virtuoso and stylistic chameleon, but a musically mature young master. Now 21 and living in New York City, with three major-label CDs and a Grammy nomination under his belt, he's gone on to experiment with electronics and "melodramatic popular song," though acoustic post-bop fireworks remain his forte. His latest trio co-stars Cuban bass great Armando Gola (seen previously with Arturo Sandoval and Gonzalo Rubalcaba) and California drummer Justin Brown, a prodigy himself who started at age 2. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Wed., Dakota. $20-$30.) (T.S.)

HIP-HOP Cheech & Chong aren't the only famous duo in town this week to revisit their smoky past. Method Man and Redman -- they of "How High" big-screen fame and a short-lived small-screen series -- recently reunited to make their first album together in seven years, "Blackout 2," a sequel of sorts to their 1999 debut. The disc won't be out until December, but they're out supporting it on their "Still High" tour. Here's hoping it's better than the last Wu-Tang Clan album that Method was involved in. (9 p.m. Mon., First Avenue. 18 & older. $22.) (C.R.)

Contributors: Staff critics Chris Riemenschneider and Jon Bream, and freelancer Tom Surowicz.

The heart pounding will go on -- and on -- as Celine Dion, the queen of Las Vegas, takes her Taking Chances World Tour on the road. Expect big vocals, lots of costume changes, a phalanx of dancers and maybe something in French. (8 p.m. Thu., Target Center. $49.50-$187.) (J.B.)