Heiruspecs: Two decades after starting a then-rare live hip-hop band while they were students at St. Paul Central (alongside the city's current mayor), Heiruspecs will once again reconvene for their annual Holiday Classic concert at the club near their old school. But they're not just reliving the good old days this year. The quintet, fronted by dueling wordsmiths Felix (Chris Wilbourn) and Muad'dib (Jon Harrison), have been hard at work on a new full-length album due next year. They'll be joined by veteran DJ Dan Speak and rapper MaLLy, whose "Journey to a Smile" was one of this year's best local albums. (8 p.m. Fri., Turf Club, 1601 University Av. W., St. Paul, $13-$15, eTix.com.)
The Bad Plus: New pianist Orrin Evans had officially been in the Bad Plus for less than three weeks when the Twin Cities-launched jazz trio released "Never Stop II" in January 2018. Now having logged many hours and gigs with bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King, Evans is more integral to the mix on this fall's "Activate Infinity." His post-bop playing and appealing melodicism fuel the Bad Plus' 14th album, which the trio will showcased on their annual late December stint at the Dakota. (7 & 9 p.m. Dec. 25-28, Dakota, Mpls., $40-$45)
Soul Asylum: In the uppermost realm of acts who've most often played First Ave, Dave Pirner and his remade crew return to the workhorse venue they rode in on to wrap up another year of '90s package tours and international dates. For a short string of Midwest gigs at year's end, they dropped a contemplative new single, "Dead Letter," and recruited an opening act whose fiery live shows also have outlasted their '90s radio fame, Illinois-reared "Bound for the Floor" duo Local H. They'll be joined by Porcupine, the locally adored power trio featuring Hüsker Dü bassist Greg Norton. (8 p.m. Fri., First Avenue, Mpls., $30.)
Corky Siegel and Randy Sabien: These veteran virtuosos, who collaborated back at the old Dakota in St. Paul in the early '00s, join forces for a holiday show. Siegel, the harmonica ace and pianist, has long melded classical and blues into something he calls chamber blues. Jazz violinist Sabien did a stint on the faculty of the now-closed McNally Smith College of Music and recorded a 2017 yule CD, "Meet Me Under the Mistletoe," with a host of Minnesota musicians including Mary Louise Knutson and Gary Raynor. A prolific player who has worked with Bela Fleck, Greg Brown and others, Sabien also played on the 2005 recording "Corky Siegel's Traveling Chamber Blues Show!" (7 p.m. Fri., Crooners, Fridley, $30)
Dosh: The annual year-end Cedar gig by drummer/keyboardist Martin Dosh used to mark his return from the road, but in recent years he's been roaming more figuratively via collaborations with the James Sewell Ballet and Heart of the Beast Puppet Theatre. He's finally working on another record as the loop-making, atmosphere-crafting solo act Dosh, and fans can expect a preview here. Two other rhythmic solo innovators open, MAKR and the Nunnery, aka Mark McKee of Marijuana Deathsquads and vocal collagist Sarah Elstran. (8 p.m. Fri., Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Av. S., Mpls., all ages, $15-$20, thecedar.org)
Anonymous Choir: Last seen performing in town as the keyboardist and co-vocalist in Angel Olsen's mighty band at First Ave, local renaissance woman Nona Marie Invie is ending the year with a revival of her earthy, fun women's choir at the chill venue where she also books talent. They're singing songs of the '70s this time out, split up thematically into men on Night 1 and women on Night 2. (8 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Moon Palace Books, 3032 Minnehaha Av. S., Mpls., $15-$20, musicatmoonpalace.com.)
The Honeydogs: After launching his folky trio Turn Turn Turn and doing solo work over the past year, Adam Levy is finally getting back to the Beatles-y Americana rock band that made him a Twin Cities music fixture. The band's first show in more than a year will feature brother Noah Levy back on drums while his steady gig with Brian Setzer is sidelined. To make it even more of a family affair, Adam's daughter Ava Bella will open with her budding band Sapphire. (8 p.m. Fri., Parkway Theater, Mpls., all ages, $17-$22)
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Like fruitcake, this bombastic prog-rock band is an acquired taste that always surfaces at holiday time. Equal parts classical, metal and prog, TSO has continued unabated even though founder-composer-producer-leader Paul O'Neill died in 2017. This is the group's 21st annual Christmas tour. (3 & 8 p.m. Sat., Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, $46.50 and up)
The Klituation: Minneapolis hip-hop stalwart DJ Keezy is bringing back her all-female dance party to the First Ave main room, a show that also marks something of a homecoming for fellow spinner Sophia Eris, who's been on the Lizzo fast-train all year serving as DJ and hypewoman. MCs Maria Isa and Manchita and singer Destiny Roberts again join the fray, plus Krissy Marchante, the Indigo Crew, Karma, EssJay TheAfrocentricRatchet and more. Boys are still welcome off stage. (9:30 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, $10-$12)
PaviElle: She's raised the roof at many a rock club and even the Ordway with her funky rock 'n' soul, but St. Paul-reared powerhouse vocalist PaviElle French is taking over south Minneapolis's newly revived neighborhood theater for a more subdued night of intimate jazz and soul tunes with her band — which should be powerful in a different kind of way. This "evening with" performance — read: no opener — caps off an impressive year that saw the premiere of her mother-inspired classical composition "Requiem for Zula" with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and opening gig with Rev. Sekou and the Freedom Fighters. (8 p.m. Sat., Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Av. S., Mpls., all ages, $17-$22, theparkwaytheater.com)
Gear Daddies: Martin Zellar, who lives in Mexico but visits his home state often, and his Minnesota pals bring "Zamboni," "Stupid Boy" and all those '90s favorites to suburbia. Opening is Chris Kroeze, who was runner-up last year on NBC's "The Voice." (8 p.m. Sat., Medina Entertainment Center, $28-$38)
The New Standards: Following their wildly successful holiday shows with a parade of guests, the jazzy Twin Cities trio offers its annual "Preeners" (pre-New Year's eve) gigs sans guests. Steve Roehm, John Munson and Chan Poling, who is recovering from oral surgery, will reimagine pop songs with loungey panache. (7 & 9 p.m. Sun.-Mon., Dakota, $30-$45)
Flipp: Clowny-looking, seriously rocking '70s/'80s revivalist Brynn Arens and his high-energy band are back in action for a rowdy holiday party featuring young '60s throwbacks the Carnegies, the new all-MN covers band Minnesota Music Machine and ingeniously named Wisconsin hard-rockers Gnarcissus. (7 p.m. Sun., Hook & Ladder, Mpls., all ages, $12.)
Funky New Year: It's been a long time since there was a New Year's Eve party with live music at Paisley Park. With a remarkably modest ticket price, Prince's place presents some Purple associates who throw down live. Andre Cymone, Prince's childhood pal, explores hippie rock on his 2017 CD, "1969." After making one solo album under Prince's funky guidance in 2015, soulful singer Judith Hill dropped her second solo album, "Golden Child," last year. Also appearing are the Funk Soldiers, a mighty collection of NPG alums under the guidance of drummer Kirk Johnson, and DJ Dudley D. (8 p.m. Tue., Paisley Park, Chanhassen, $20.20, prnfamily.com).
Cheap Trick: Opening for ZZ Top at the State Fair this year, these Rock Hall of Famers crushed it in an all too-brief set. Expect a full-on party with golden voiced Robin Zander, fun-loving guitarist Rick Nielsen and company doing "Surrender," "I Want You to Want Me" and other power-pop smashes. (10:30 p.m. Tue., Treasure Island Casino, $59 and up)
Snowta festival: After ponying up for top-shelf DJs Skrillex and Marshmello last year, organizers of Minneapolis' unlikely but oddly well-liked midwinter electronic dance fest are letting their event itself be the star in its fourth year. Twin Cities EDM fans certainly recognize some of the names, though, especially Tuesday night's top dogs Zeds Dead and Zomboy. Repeat players Ganja White Night and Big Gigantic will return Wednesday. Other names through the hi-fi festival's mad whir include 1788-L, Big Wild, Tyro, Vantsen and K.L.O. (6 p.m. Tue. & Wed., Armory, 500 S. 6th St., Mpls., $99-$419/one-day, $180-$220/two-day, snowtanye.com)
See a separate roundup of New Year's Eve gigs at startribune.com/music.
