Friday, Jan. 25
Velvet Revolver @ The Rave, 8 p.m.
A group that pairs the bulk of the classic Guns N’ Roses lineup with former Stone Temple Pilots addict Scott Weiland, Velvet Revolver has thus far largely lived up to the tricky challenge of selling themselves as a new commodity without alienating old fans.
The group avoids nostalgia-act pandering, but amicably tosses concertgoers a bone in the form of the occasional old GNR or STP hit. Velvet Revolver reportedly will be working on a new album this spring, but that album risks being overshadowed by the members’ legacy bands: Weiland has hinted there may be a Stone Temple Pilots reunion brewing, while Axl Rose has indicated that GNR’s long-awaited Chinese Democracy is finally in the can- of course, fans know better than to believe any Chinese Democracy rumors at this point.
Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood @ The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.
While affable libertarian Drew Carey has moved on to bigger, more prestigious game shows, filling Bob Barker’s sizable shoes on “The Price is Right,” his “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” co-stars have found a lucrative gig touring behind a stripped-down version of their late improv-comedy show. (Also Jan. 26.)
Saturday, Jan. 26
Loretta Lynn w/ Lee Rocker @ The Potawatomi Bingo Casino, 8 p.m.
In the early ’60s, Loretta Lynn’s misleadingly sweet voice seemed to herald the arrival of another country star in the acquiescent spirit of the handful of other female country singers who’d already achieved bona fide stardom, like Patsy Cline and Skeeter Davis, but Lynn’s jaded, feminist songs introduced her as an altogether new genre archetype: the strong independent woman. Lynn raked up two decades’ worth of hitssongs like “Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” as well as more contentious fare like “The Pill” and “Rated X”before she faded from the spotlight. She made a glorious, logical return in 2004 with Van Lear Rose, a fierce comeback album recorded with Jack White.
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moe. w/ Cornmeal @ The Rave, 8 p.m.
After nearly two decades together, moe. still treads closely to the heavily improvised, traditional American rock that’s since served as the starting point for the rest of the sprawling jam-music scene, but in recent years the New York group has placed a renewed emphasis on studio albums. Last January, they released The Conch, a CD that prioritized songs over jams, and this week they followed it up with another studio album, Sticks and Stones. Interestingly, the cover art for this new album takes unusual artistic license by capitalizing the “M” in moe.’s adamantly ungrammatical moniker.
Poetry Marathon and Benefit @ The Woodland Pattern Book Center, 10 a.m.
The Woodland Pattern Book Center’s annual benefit returns for 15 continuous hours of poetry and music from 150 different performerscan you handle it?
David Daniell w/ Jon Mueller, Jim Schoenecker and A Volition Trio @ The Borg Ward, 8 p.m.
The Borg Ward Collective, 823 W. National Ave., hosts this all-ages, experimental music bill, headlined by minimalist Chicago guitarist (and Rhys Chatham collaborator) David Daniell. Afterward, at 10 p.m., the River Horse bar in Riverwest spins rare vinyl as part of a benefit for the Borg Ward, which is soliciting funds for a new furnace.
Brewcity Bruisers @ Milwaukee County Sports Complex, 7 p.m.
Milwaukee’s high-contact roller-derby girls finish their season tonight with a climactic 7 p.m. championship bout, but, as usual, the girls are as interested in the party as they are the competition. A shuttle bus will transport East Siders (from Landmark Lanes) and Bay Viewers (from Club Garibaldi) to the game, and afterward another shuttle stop, Liquor Sweets, at 3000 S. 13th St., hosts a party with DJs.
Sunday, Jan. 27
Richie Havens @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.
Since Richie Havens gave a legendary performance at 1969’s Woodstock, improvising an intense cover of the spiritual “Motherless Child,” the spirit of the ’60s has continued to pump through his veins. However, he hasn’t been nearly as industrious as many of his peers, like his frequent muse Bob Dylan, who continued the soundtrack for changing times long after the glory days ended. The idiosyncratic folk guitarist goes long stretches without recording anythinglet alone writing new songsbut last year he did find the time to revisit Dylan again, singing “Tombstone Blues” in the experimental Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There.
Tuesday, Jan. 29
Queensryche @ Potawatomi Bingo Casino, 8 p.m.
Queensryche were never the most popular of the 1980s hair-metal bands, but they emerged from the heyday of heavy metal with a prestige many of their contemporaries lost (or never had in the first place), thanks to their political, prog-metal ambitions. In 2006, they issued a mostly well-received follow-up to their 1988 masterwork, Operation: Mindcrime, that, if nothing else, reminded metal fans how great the first Mindcrime album was (and also won points for its imaginative use of guest Ronnie James Dio). They returned last November for Take Cover, an incessantly heavy covers album, featuring songs from Pink Floyd, The Police and Black Sabbath. (Through Jan. 31.)
Wednesday, Jan. 30
Kid Rock w/ Rev. Run @ The Eagles Ballroom, 8 p.m.
Detroit’s favorite rapping cowboy expanded his live band for an elaborate show he’s deeming “Kid Rock’s Rock ’N’ Roll Revival Tour,” an homage to the raunchy music that he reminds us at every chance he loves so much. Rev. Run, the more spiritual half of Run-D.M.C., will join Kid for part of his setthe pair have long promised a collaborative album, so perhaps they’ll test out new material (although more likely than not they’ll just do “Walk This Way”)and J. Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf will also make an appearance.
