The big gigs

HOLIDAY Curtis & Loretta wear Victorian outfits and play Old World instruments like the celeste. So it's not surprising that it took the husband-wife duo 17 years to release their fine "Christmastide" album on CD (it was issued on cassette in 1991). They will be joined by the perfect musical complement: Bittersweet Christmas Band, a female-dominated folk quartet from Chicago. (8 p.m. today, Cedar Cultural Center, $15; 7:30 p.m. Sat., Hobgoblin Music, Red Wing, Minn., $12-$15; 7:30 p.m. Sun., Bo Diddley's Deli, St. Cloud. Info at Curtisandloretta.com) (J.B.)

Eartha Kitt couldn't make it, so the Minnesota Orchestra turned to another ageless diva who also made her movie debut opposite Sidney Poitier: Diahann Carroll. A self-described "rampant careerist," she published her autobiography, "The Legs Are the Last to Go," in September. She made her Broadway debut in 1954, starred in the 1960s sitcom "Julia" and, in the 1990s, performed in the musical "Sunset Boulevard" and the touring show "Almost Like Being in Love: The Lerner and Loewe Songbook." She will offer holiday and pop favorites with the orchestra. (8 p.m. today-Sat., Orchestra Hall, $22-$53) (J.B.)

Now in its 13th season, Exultate is a professional chamber choir and orchestra, founded and conducted by Thomas Rossin, with 15 recordings to its credit. Its Christmas program, "Tidings of Joy," features music by Bach, Britten and John Rutter, as well as favorite carols, and is coming soon -- and exultantly -- to a venue near you. (7:30 p.m. today, Oak Knoll Lutheran Church, 600 Hopkins Crossroad, Minnetonka; 7:30 p.m. Sat., Chapel of the Incarnation, Luther Seminary, 1490 Fulham St., St. Paul; 4 p.m. Sun., Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church, 5011 31st Av. S., Mpls. $15-$20. 651-707-0727 or Exultate.org.) (L.F.)

As you'd expect, the National Lutheran Choir's Christmas Festival concerts, held for 22 years at the Basilica of St. Mary, are steeped in tradition. But that doesn't exclude a healthy helping of new and newish music by composers such as Conrad Susa, Dale Warland, Stephen Paulus and Britain's exceptional Will Todd, who's not yet 40. The 60-voice choir, led by David Cherwien, is artful in its use of the cathedral space; spoken poetry complements the musical selections. (4:30 & 8 p.m. today, 8 p.m. Sat., Basilica of St. Mary, 17th St. and Hennpein Av. S., Mpls. $10-$25. 612-722-2301 or NLCA.com.) (L.F.)

The Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus presents an eclectic program that includes holiday favorites such as "Silent Night" and "O Holy Night," but moves beyond them to celebrate the possibilities of peace. From "Peace Like a River" and Holly Near's "The Great Peace March" to Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Dona Nobis Pacem" and intimate works by 16th-century composer Guilio Caccini, this is a unique approach to the holidays. (8 p.m. today & Sat., 2 p.m. Sun, Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 4th St. S., Mpls. $18-$38. 612-624-2345.) (W.R.B.)

Making her first stage appearance since hip-replacement surgery, eternally hip jazz matriarch Jeanne Arland Peterson celebrates the season with a three-generation family show. The Twin Cities piano institution will have her children (Linda, Billy, Patty, Ricky and Paul) and some grandchildren (Jason, Isaac) on the bandstand for plenty of Peterson-style Christmas cheer. (7:30 p.m. today, Willmar Education and Arts Center in Willmar, Minn.; 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., Hopkins Center for the Arts; 7:30 p.m. Tue., Paramount Theater, St. Cloud. www.thepetersonfamily.info) (J.B.)

The Cantus holiday concert is the male vocal ensemble's typical blend of the sacred to the silly, including everything from chant to world music. A highlight is a set of English carols arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams for overseas troops in World War I. From the glowing chords of "Silent Night" to a hot and jazzy arrangement of "Deck the Halls" to a doo-wop "White Christmas," Cantus creates a joyous expression of the holiday season. (7:30 p.m. Sat., St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel, 2115 Summit Av., St. Paul, 4 p.m. Sun., St. Bartholomew's Catholic Church, 630 E. Wayzata Blvd., Wayzata, 10:30 a.m. Dec.19, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 12th St. & Nicollet Mall, Mpls. $10-$25. 612-435-0055.) (W.R.B.)

POP/ROCK Hot Buttered Rum is a young all-acoustic group from San Francisco that cherry-picks bluegrass styles and mixes them with its Grateful Dead influences, sort of like a mellower and jazzier version of local favorites Trampled by Turtles. The quintet has been praised as a leader in environmental practices for touring bands. Pert Near Sandstone and all-female string band the White Ditch Lillies open. (8:45 p.m. Sat., Cabooze. 18 & older. $10.) (C.R.)

Blessed with the most gorgeous male pop voice in the Twin Cities, Grammy-winning Dan Wilson will present his songs in two contexts -- solo and with a full band. Expect material from his excellent 2007 disc "Free Life," as well as his work with Semisonic, the Dixie Chicks, Mike Doughty and Jason Mraz. Wilson requests that concertgoers bring a toy for Reuben Lindh Family Services. (8 p.m. Sat., Pantages Theatre, $23-$26.) (J.B.)

Last seen in the Twin Cities with a New Orleans musical entourage during the Republican convention, piano pounder Marcia Ball will bring her unbeatable Louisiana/Texas repertoire back to the Dakota. Expect a large helping from her latest, "Peace, Love & BBQ," her first studio CD in five years. She kicks it off with Bobby Charles' festive "Party Town" and surprises with her eerie "Miracle in Knoxville" about a preacher dying at a tent revival. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Sun. Dakota, $35 $25.) (J.B.)

Using a PBS special to launch its career in the States, Celtic Thunder -- five male singers from Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, ages 16 to 41 -- turn on the Irish charm. Formed in 2007, they redo pop hits (the Eagles' "Desperado," Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms") in addition to traditional tunes and richly romantic originals, swelling with strings and Celtic touches. Each song features a different vocalist. (8 p.m. Mon., Target Center, $37.50-$57.50.) (J.B.)

Peers of the Strokes in New York's burgeoning scene of the early-'00s, Longwave was sidelined by record-label downsizing. Frontman Steve Schlitz toured in Albert Hammond Jr.'s solo band in the meantime. The noisy melody makers come back strong on a new indie CD, "Secrets Are Sinister," full of big, swirling guitars and Thom Yorke-ish vocals. Detroit psychedelic pop quintet The Silent Years and local buzz band Wishbook open. (9 p.m. Tue., 7th Street Entry. 18 & older. $8-$10.) (C.R.)

After dialing it down on Janis Ian's "At 17" for the Grammy nominations TV concert last week, Celine Dion will unleash her stratospheric voice to test the new acoustic improvements at Target Center. Between costume changes on her in-the-round stage, the French Canadian diva-turned-Vegas-queen will offer everything from Ike & Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High" to her "Titanic" classic "My Heart Will Go On." Tickets from the Oct. 30 postponed concert will be honored. (8 p.m. Thu., Target Center, $49.50-$187) (J.B.)

HIP-HOP The notion of a Malibu rapper may sound like an oxymoron but the hip-hop duo known as Shwayze, from the tony L.A. beach community, has created a buzz with its MTV reality show, the catchy, summery single "Buzzin'" and the followup "Corona and Lime." The slacker duo's singer/producer, Cisco Adler, grew up in Hollywood where his dad, producer Lou Adler, launched the career of original slacker duo Cheech & Chong. With Krista and the Knux, the New Orleans-spawned rap-rockers who come across like a melody-loving version of N.E.R.D. (8 p.m. Thu., Station 4, $16-$18.) (J.B.)

Second only to Scarface in the pantheon of Southern hip-hop godfathers, Bun B is aging like a fine wine. The big-voiced Texas rapper helped put the South on the map in the mid-'90s as half of UGK. Since losing partner Pimp C. to prison and then a drug overdose, he has emerged as a sought-after solo artist, providing guest verses for any hot Southern rapper who came calling. He's also released two solid solo albums, including this year's "II Trill." While his younger contemporaries stick to the club-song formula, Bun B sells records with an old-school, no-nonsense approach to songwriting. This is another free show courtesy of hip-hop-loving car company Scion. (9:30 p.m. Mon., Varsity Theater. 21 & older. RSVP at Scion.com/livemetro.) (T.H.)

JAZZ

One of the busiest and bubbliest jazz singers in the Twin Cities, Christine Rosholt celebrates her new live CD "Lipstick" at the Dakota, where it was recorded. The disc has a "you're at the gig" feel, with instrumentalists tuning up, emcee work by Bobby Commodore and a hard-swinging warm-up number by sax great Dave Karr and her backing quartet. Rosholt's program is long on Harold Arlen (four selections, none from "The Wizard of Oz"), and others from the Great American Songbook. Karr interjects lots of nifty flute, while pianist Tanner Taylor sparkles throughout. Surprises? A version of Bob Dorough's 1950s hipster classic "Devil May Care," made more famous in the '60s by Miles Davis, and a fair amount of bawdy banter that survived the final cut. (7 p.m. Wed., Dakota. $5.) (T.S.)

Best known for his two tours of duty with local band Boiled in Lead, Todd Menton celebrates a gripping new 13-track CD. "The Dolmen Field" is mostly tweaked traditional Celtic material, with a few fine originals. It shows off Menton's stirring singing, plus his ample guitar, harmonica, tin whistle, bouzouki, mandolin and hand-drumming skills. The release party will feature some guests on the album: Lehto & Wright -- whose own mix of hard Celtic folk with prog-rock flourishes is quite appealing on their recent compilation CD "Between the Jigs and the Reels"-- famed storyteller Kevin Kling, and industrial percussion marauders Savage Aural Hotbed. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Cedar Cultural Center. $10-$12.) (T.S.)

Contributors: Staff critics Jon Bream, Chris Riemenschneider and Tom Horgen and freelancers William Randall Beard, Larry Fuchsberg and Tom Surowicz.

After a three-year hiatus, ambient/spacey rock quintet Mercury Rev came back this year with not one but two records, "Snowflake Midnight" and "Strange Attractor," the latter available for free at the band's website. The non-gratis album has already landed on year-end lists at Mojo and Uncut magazines and is loaded with more mesmerizing soundscapes by the Buffalo, N.Y., band, still led by singer David Baker and one-time Flaming Lips guitarist Jonathan Donahue and featuring -- only on the records -- producer David Fridmann. Blondie-like British band the Duke Spirit, who played Letterman on Monday, opens. (9 p.m. today, Fine Line. 18 & older. $21.50-$23.) (C.R.)