The Big Gigs: Upcoming shows in the week of entertainment

Longtime Minneapolis guitar picker Peter Lang is best known for his acoustic virtuosity that warrants putting him in the same sentence with John Fahey and Leo Kottke. (The three of them made an unforgettable album together in 1974.) On this year's "Testament," Lang demonstrates a new persona -- singing bluesman. Joined by drummer Dave King, bassist Steve Larkin and harmonica player/producer Michael Tanner, Lang travels down the roads of his youth. He dusts off such classics as "Stackolee" and "Delia" as well as the African folk song "Guabi Guabi" with equal elan. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Sat., Dakota, $25 & $20.) (J.B.)

St. Paul's Red House Records celebrates its 25th anniversary this month with a defining compilation CD, "Our Side of Town," and a series of concerts, most notably one that teams two underappreciated acts, Lucy Kaplansky and Storyhill. A licensed psychologist, Kaplansky explores family relationships on 2007's "Over the Hills," her sixth CD for Red House. Storyhill, the duo with the pretty Simon & Garfunkel-evoking harmonies, has released one studio disc on Red House after putting out four on their own label. (8 p.m. Sat., Fitzgerald Theater, $28.50.) (J.B.)

The rerelease of Bon Iver's self-made, cathartic album "For Emma, Forever Ago" in February not surprisingly earned ample print praise to go with last year's blogger buzz. Now, Justin Vernon -- the Eau Claire, Wis., native behind the alias -- is gaining more raves on tour, re-creating an album that could have been quite difficult to re-create. After a sold-out tour kickoff at the Turf Club in February, he opted for two nights this time. Tickets to both shows are already gone. (9 p.m. Sat., 7 p.m. Sun., Turf Club.) (C.R.)

Throat cancer left John Prine with a ragged croak of a voice, but his songs are filled with such whimsy and wisdom that he remains a must-see. The Chicago-turned-Nashville troubadour looks at life's absurdities and revels in the pain and joy with twisted humor. His stuff from the 1970s ("Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore," "Souvenirs") still rings as true as his recent material (2005's "Crazy As a Loon" from the very good "Fair and Square"). Don't be surprised if he throws in a few country covers from last year's collaboration with Mac Wiseman, "Standard Songs for Average People." Opening is Paul Thorn, Mississippi's answer to Springsteen, whose latest, "Long Way From Tupelo," oozes bluesy grit. (8 p.m. Sat., State Theatre, $55.50-$58.50.) (J.B.)

On record, Ontario-reared psychedelic rock troupe Caribou is mainly a one-man band (super-nerd Dan Snaith), but it really comes to life onstage, echoing the likes of Neutral Milk Hotel and/or a guitar-lite My Bloody Valentine. Snaith's herd is on tour with the F--- Buttons, a British electronic duo that earned a buzz at South by Southwest. (10 p.m. Sat., Triple Rock. $12-$15.) (C.R.)

Violin-armed New York rocker Bitch -- yep, just Bitch! -- was one of the first acts the owners of Pi Bar brought to town after opening, and now they're bringing her back with her full band, Bitch and the Exciting Conclusion. Her Patti Smith-inspired punk-poet songs have been featured on "The L Word," and she got her first bit of national fame appearing in the movie version of "Hedwig & the Angry Inch." (9 p.m. Sun, Pi Bar. 18 & older. $6.) (C.R.)

Former Toad the Wet Sprocket frontman Glen Phillips' fifth solo release is a little bit different. "Secrets of the New Explorers" is a six-track EP that explores space in a down-to-earth way. He may be singing about "Solar Flare" and "The Spirit of Shackleton" (a salute to Antarctic adventurer Ernest Shackleton), but the sounds are more universal pop than space-age rock. (7:30 p.m. Sun., Cedar Cultural Center, $18-$22.) (J.B.)

Pittsburgh quartet Anti-Flag beat fellow politico-punks Against Me! by one year when it made the controversial decision to sign with a corporate record label in 2006. Fresh from an Australian tour with Rage Against the Machine, the band just issued its second album for RCA, "The Bright Lights of America," with the same kind of call-to-arms chants and riotous rock anthems it made before selling out. (5:45 p.m. Tue., First Avenue. All ages. $15-$17.) (C.R.)

Back for its fourth run in five years, the "Voltage: Fashion Amplified" show is the one time of the year when local bands proudly go about playing makeup and wearing guitars. Each act is dressed up by a local fashion designer and then plays a short set while models work the runway. It's never about the music, but then most live gigs rarely offer this much visual pizazz. This year's lineup includes garage-punk duo the Birthday Suits, classic pop-rockers White Light Riot, novelty rap duo MC/VL, electro-kitsch band Zibra Zibra, plus Bella Koshka and the Haves Have It. (7:30 p.m. Wed., First Avenue. 21 & older. $18-$20.) (C.R.)

After countless cross-country tours, the finest punk band of Bremerton, Wash., MxPx, is keeping things interesting on its current outing, the so-called "Karaoke Nights Tour." Fans in each city have a chance to get onstage with the band to sing their favorite MXPX songs. Go to mxpx.com to be eligible. (6 p.m. Wed., Varsity Theater. All ages. $12.50-$15.) (C.R.)

Best known as that guy who used to sing part time in the New Pornographers, Dan Bejar just issued his eighth album under the band moniker Destroyer, "Trouble in Dreams." His Robyn Hitchcock-like folk-rock acidity takes some getting used to, but he's developing a cult following all his own. (9:30 p.m. Wed., 400 Bar. 18 & older. $12-$15.) (C.R.)

Del Amitri frontman Justin Currie's solo debut, "What Is Love For," is a collection of dreary dirges, full of self-pity and regret. The real prize is the finale, "No Surrender," a seven-minute, Dylan-meets-Van Morrison diatribe about pop culture, politics and everything that's wrong with England. (9 p.m. Thu., Fine Line, $20.) (J.B.)

He's back. Poison frontman Bret Michaels is back at the Myth, where he rocked on New Year's Eve, and he's back on VH1 with "Rock of Love 2." He's still promoting his solo CD, "Custom Built." Downtread and Crash Anthem open. (8 p.m. Thu. Myth, $28-$35.) (J.B.)

HIP-HOP It's a rare chance to get up close and personal with pioneering rapper KRS-One, who rivals Chuck D as the most important socio-political MC ever. He's touring behind the new album "Adventures in Emceeing," with guest spots by Rakim, Nas and the aforementioned Mr. D. He's still stirring up trouble, too, evidenced by his continued comments blaming the Sept. 11 attacks on the Reagan and Bush administrations. An impressive local roster has lined up to open for him, including Truthmaze, Muja Messiah, Kanser, Maria Isa and more. (9 p.m. today, Trocaderos. 18 & older. $25-$50.) (C.R.)

DANCE British DJ giants Sasha and John Digweed launched their first U.S. tour in six years at last month's Winter Music Conference and are one of the big draws at the Coachella fest later this month. In the meantime, they return to the site of their last local performance (when it was the Quest). The duo's sold-out gig in 2002 was one of the most mesmerizing nights of electronic music this town has ever seen, as they spun separately and then together -- competitors, then compatriots. There's no reason to doubt they still have it. (10 p.m. Tue., Epic. 18 & older. $20-$25.) (C.R.)

COUNTRY If the Myth can bring an eclectic lineup to Maplewood, why can't Bogart's do the same for Apple Valley? Tone Loc brought his old-school hip-hop to the southern suburbs a few weeks ago and now it's Halfway to Hazard, the harmony-happy duo from Kentucky best known for last year's radio-friendly "Daisy" and rockin' "Countrified" with its noisy guitars. With October Road. (9 p.m. today, Bogarts. $15-$18.) (J.B.)

Texas honky-tonk hero Dale Watson has played Lee's so often he even wrote a song about the place ("Louie's Lee's Liquor Lounge," after the bar's owner). The outlaw countryman also charmed daytime crowds at the State Fair last summer, proving you don't have to be a hardened trucker, heavy drinker or heartbroken lover to appreciate his bottomless batch of truckin', drinkin' and lovin' songs. (9 p.m. Wed., Lee's, $15.) (C.R.)

JAZZ Three star singers -- Maud Hixson, Lucia Newell and the ebullient Dennis Spears -- celebrate Duke Ellington and his right-hand man/soulmate Billy Strayhorn in a "Jazz From J to Z" concert, backed by a rather unusual quartet. Led by adroit pianist and arranger Rick Carlson, it features Gary Schulte on violin -- perhaps injecting some Ray Nance licks. (7:30 p.m. Sat., Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd. $16-$19. 952-563-8575.) (T.S.)

Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis' all-star "Tribute to Louis Armstrong" features a whole lot of New Orleans and a little bit of New York, including modern-jazz trumpet titan Nicholas Payton, always-entertaining trumpeter, singer and bon vivant Kermit Ruffins, sublime Broadway bop pianist Bill Charlap and Crescent City-bred greats Herlin Riley (drums), Victor Goines (sax) and Reginald Veal (bass), along with local nightclub gem Charmin Michelle as guest vocalist. I count four or five headliners"in that group, and no slouches. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Orchestra Hall, Mpls. $45-$65.) (T.S.)

WORLD Touring in support of his splendid CD "Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey," Debashish Bhattacharya will show off his prowess on the 24-string hollow neck Chaturangui and the 14-string Gandharvi -- self-designed guitars with resonating and drone strings that excel at rendering ragas and echoes of the human voice. Maybe he'll also break out the Anandi, a four-string slide ukulele, to play "Gypsy Anandi," a catchy new track with a Hawaiian flavor. (8 p.m. today, Cedar Cultural Center. $18-$20.) (T.S.)

BLUES Looking for a cheap double bill? Catch the always-potent "Braille Blues Daddy" of New Orleans, Bryan Lee, headlining a show with Milwaukee's Alex Wilson, whose fine band recently spent a month in Beijing, backing harp legend Charlie Musselwhite. (9 p.m Thu., Famous Dave's Uptown. $3.) (T.S.)

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