Thursday, Dec. 7
1. Doja Cat: Expect a lot of twerking and rapping when the "Say So" hitmaker hits town on her first arena-headlining tour with a certain red-hot newcomer in tow. Ice Spice, 21, might even now be the bigger draw in the opening slot, following her high-profile collaborations with Nicki Minaj ("Barbie World") and Taylor Swift ("Karma"). But the Los Angeles-reared Doja, 28, has the deeper catalog and stronger rap delivery, as evidenced by her harder-edged new album, "Scarlet." She's performing nearly all of the new LP on tour alongside her older pop hits, also including "Kiss Me More" and "Need to Know." (7:30 p.m. Target Center, 600 1st Av. N., Mpls., $55-$175, ticketmaster.com)
2. Arlo Parks: Before going viral on her way to earning a Mercury Prize and best new artist Grammy nomination with her soothing 2021 debut album "Collapsed in Sunbeams," this jazzy British soul-pop singer famously spent years holed up in her West London bedroom writing songs and poetry. She's revisiting that intimate energy on a short U.S. radio-promotion tour billed as "Arlo Parks: Unplugged Music & Poetry," which is Night One of the Current's Winter Warmer weekend. It follows the release of Parks' more eclectic and high-energy second album, "My Soft Machine," and the publication of her poetry book, "The Magic Border." Local picker Laamar makes for a well-suited opener. (7 p.m. Fine Line, 318 1st Av. N., Mpls., $35-$50, axs.com)
3. St. Paul Chamber Orchestra: The SPCO continues a December tradition by performing five of J.S. Bach's "Brandenburg" Concertos, arguably the peak of baroque instrumental music. You'll rarely hear them played better than by the SPCO's brilliant bunch. (7 p.m. Thu., Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, Apple Valley; 7 p.m. Fri., St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church, Plymouth; 7 p.m. Sat., Ordway Concert Hall, St. Paul. $5-$55, students and children free, thespco.org)
4. Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor: Here's a match made in 1970s singer/songwriter heaven. Best known for her hit "Personally," Bonoff also penned prominent songs for Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt and Wynonna Judd, among others. She released her first holiday album, "Silent Night," in 2020 and dropped a Christmas duet with Michael McDonald the following year. Bonoff will duet with Taylor, younger brother of James and singer of his own winners "First Time Love" and "I'll Come Running." As the show unfolds, Bonoff and Taylor will weave solo pieces between the duets. (7 p.m. Thu. & Fri. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $60-$75, dakotacooks.com)
5. Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real: Having long since come out from under his iconic dad Willie Nelson's cloud, er, shadow, Lukas and his road-tested band issued their best album yet in 2023, "Sticks and Stones." The LP showcases the tastefully jammy tendencies they honed as Neil Young backers, the Southern rocky vibe they contributed to the "A Star Is Born" soundtrack, the bluesy sounds Lukas soaked up as a part-time Texan and the country styling heard in the hit duet with Lainey Wilson, "More Than Friends." Nelson is touring the mainland before heading home to Maui to head up a big benefit concert for wildfire victims. Tennessean Meg McGee opens. (8 p.m. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $30-$35, axs.com)
Also: Ed Robertson leads Barenaked Ladies for its holiday show featuring seasonal favorites "Feliz Navidad," "Green Christmas" and "I Have a Little Dreidel" as well as "Brian Wilson," "One Week" and tunes from the group's new 14th album "In Flight" (8 p.m. Mystic Lake Casino Showroom, $59-$129); Dave Wakeling brings his latest incarnation of the English Beat for an intimate show after its 1980 classic ska debut "I Just Can't Stop It" was reissued last month in an expanded edition on Record Store Day (7:30 p.m. Woman's Club, sold out); indie country singers Drake White and William Clark Green team up (8 p.m. Varsity Theater, $25 and up); Twin Cities guitarist Joel Shapira presents We Three Strings, his interpretations of holiday music delivered on three different guitars — jazz archtop, acoustic steel string and nylon string (6:30 p.m. Dunsmore Room at Crooners, $25-$35); Indiana's the Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band returns, offering selections from its 10 country-blues albums (8 p.m. Turf Club, $17-$20); Alan Sparhawk's funky quartet Derecho Rhythm Section returns to Icehouse (8 p.m., $12-$15).
Friday, Dec. 8
6. John Lennon Tribute: With a little help from his many friends, the indomitable Curtiss A will deliver his 44th annual Lennon show. This always marvelous marathon will feature Beatles favorites, Lennon solo cuts and maybe even the new/old "Now and Then." Don't expect any AI, but don't be surprised if the Twin Cities dean of scream throws in some social commentary as he's wont to do. The rotating all-star cast usually includes longtime Curtiss A cronies Steve Brantseg, Gregg Inhofer and Johnny Haga, among others. (8 p.m. First Avenue, 701 1st Av N., Mpls., $25-$30, axs.com)
7. Cantus: The low-voice Twin Cities octet gets around almost as much as Santa in presenting its annual Christmas program, this year built around Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and Christine Le's "The Hawai'i Snowman." (11 a.m. Fri. & 3:30 p.m. Dec. 16, Westminster Hall,, Mpls.; 7 p.m. Sat., Zumbro Lutheran Church, Rochester; 3 p.m. Sun., Trinity Lutheran Church, Stillwater; 11 a.m. Dec. 14, Meetinghouse Church,, Edina; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15, St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church, Plymouth; 3 p.m. Dec. 17, Hamline Church, St. Paul; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19, Capri Theater, Mpls.; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21, Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Paul; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 22, Ordway Concert Hall, St. Paul. $5-$48, cantussings.org)