HIP-HOP How will the Wu-Tang Clan fare without its leader? That remains to be seen on the hip-hop platoon's so-called Rebirth Tour, which not only will be RZA-less -- he's out making another movie -- but will also be its first show in quite a long time at any place other than First Avenue. Look for all the other core members, though: Method Man, GZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God and Masta Killa. You can also expect to see auxiliary members Cappadonna, Allah Mathematics and new guy Young Dirty Bastard, son of the late ODB. (10 p.m. Sun., Epic. 18 & older. $30-$45.) (C.R.)
POP/ROCK The idea behind The Onion's 1,143rd Twin Cities Issue Celebratory Gathering might be humorous, but the lineup assembled by the satirical alt-weekly is quite a serious affair -- yet another great all-local bill to keep First Ave warm over the winter. Drums/keys/loops maestro Dosh headlines after touring for much of 2010 behind his most accessible album to date, "Tommy." Pink Mink, BNLX and former Lookbook co-leader Grant Cutler's Gorgeous Lords will be there, too, previewing/preempting their slots in the club's Jan. 26 Best New Bands showcase. Thundering garage-rockers the F--- Knights and DJ Jake Rudh also perform, with the Infernal Singalong Machine leading karaoke in the Entry. (7:30 p.m. Fri., First Avenue. 18 & older. $8.) (C.R.)
Unlike the Cabooze's upcoming tributes to Johnny Cash and Janis Joplin, the format of The Big Pink: A Tribute to the Last Waltz is pretty much set in stone. The show runs in the same order and loose spirit as Robbie Robertson and the Band played it for their star-studded 1976 farewell concert/movie, though without the noticeable line of cocaine coming out of Kent Militzer's (aka Neil Young's) nose. Other stand-ins include Dan Israel as Bob Dylan, Randy Casey as Eric Clapton, Trailer Trash's Nate Dungan as Ronnie Hawkins, Lamont Cranston's Pat Hayes as Paul Butterfield, Big George Jackson as Muddy Waters and Belfast Cowboys' Terry Walsh as (who else?) Van Morrison, and a house Band featuring Robert Hillstrom, Dave Russ, Pete Sands and other MVP sidemen. (9 p.m. Sat., Cabooze. 18 & older. $12.) (C.R.)
Debbie Reynolds is unsinkable. Known for the 1957 hit "Tammy" and such film musicals as "Singin' in the Rain" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," she has been receiving rave notices for her theater production "Debbie Reynolds: Alive and Fabulous." In concert with the Minnesota Orchestra, Reynolds -- the TV mother of Debra Messing's Grace on "Will & Grace" and the real-life mother of Carrie Fisher -- will focus on such classics as "S'posin'," "Singin' in the Rain" and "Am I That Easy to Forget?" (2 p.m. Sun., Orchestra Hall, $22-$60.) (J.B.)
An all-star crew of local R&B, soul and blues vets are paying homage to one of their own: Bob Pontious, keyboardist with the Soul Tight Committee and Whitesidewalls and writer/producer of the Nat King Cole tribute "Straighten Up and Fly Right!," died of throat cancer in November. Among the participants are the rest of Soul Tight, Jay Bee & the Routine, Willie Walker, Blueprint and the Casablanca Orchestra. All the money raised will go to Pontious' family. (3 p.m. Sun., Minnesota Music Cafe. $10.) (J.B.)
Ann Marsden has photographed a who's who of local performers -- as well as Barack Obama, Minnie Pearl and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Now a cavalcade of Twin Cities musicians are pitching in to help her battle cervical cancer, including the New Standards, T. Mychael Rambo, Prudence Johnson, Connie Evingson, the Warblers, Dan Chouinard, Dean Magraw, Ann Reed and members of the Minnesota Orchestra. There will be a live and silent auction. (6 p.m. Mon., Dakota Jazz Club, $25-$50.) (J.B.)
Oleta Adams was a hotel lounge singer who made it big. Discovered by the Brit duo Tears for Fears in a Kansas City hotel, she reached the Top 10 in 1991 with the aching Gulf War anthem "Get Here." Over the years, Adams has developed her own style of jazz-blues-gospel, offering distinctive renditions of "New York State of Mind" and "Feelin' Good" (heard on her 2009 disc "Let's Stay Here"). Her band includes Minnesotans Paul Peterson (bass) and Jason Peterson DeLaire (sax). (7 & 9 p.m. Tue.-Wed., Dakota, $30-$40.) (J.B.)
Turns out the postponement of Ozzy Osbourne's concert last month due to an alleged ear infection may have been a good thing. That was the weekend we wound up with 18 inches of snow and found out just how much plowing budgets have been cut. We also should wind up getting the Ozzman in good voice and spirits now that we are the first date on the 2011 leg of his tour behind the decent new album "Scream," on which he's debuting his first new guitarist in two decades -- a Greek hotshot named Gus G -- and playing several Sabbath rarities. The one negative was losing Rob Halford as an opener and not picking up Slash, who's on later dates. At press time, the slot was still TBA. So is the amount of walk-up ticket sales. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Target Center. $29.50-$79.50.) (C.R.)
