Courtesy photos

Alisa Turner

Saffire -- The Uppity Blues Woman

FRIDAY

Saffire -- The Uppity Blues Women

If you're a fan of Saffire, this is the time to catch the act. The Uppity Blues Women are on their farewell tour, after 25 years of recording and performing together. The band's Gaye Adegbalola said the women want to concentrate on their own projects now and go out on a high note. The concert is a benefit for Women's Resource Center of the New River Valley. Go to the music blog, blogs.roanoke.com/cutnscratch for a podcast with Adegbalola.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday. Christiansburg Event Center, Christiansburg. $35. (540) 639-9592, www.wrcnrv.org, uppityblueswomen.com.

FRIDAY

Alisa Turner

With Due Panic

Not only does Turner have a sweet voice and some sharp songwriting skills, she's a survivor of mercury poisoning. Go to the music blog to hear Turner tell her story on a podcast and hear her original music. Asheville, N.C.-based Due Panic is a raw power-pop trio whose songs are often spooky.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday. Kirk Avenue Music Hall, Roanoke. $10. myspace.com/kirkavenuemusic, myspace.com/alisaturner, myspace.com/duepanic.

TONIGHT

Angry Johnny and the Killbillies

This band bills itself as Norman Rockwell's worst nightmare come to life. The music, however, is great fun to listen to -- even the staid Rockwell would likely rock out, were he living.

Details: 10 tonight. Martin's Downtown Bar & Grill, Roanoke. Free. 985-6278, martinsdowntown.com, myspace.com/angryjohnnyandthekillbillies.

The Ministers of Soul

Hoppie Vaughan and the boys have a new CD called "Work." The title is apropos, because work is what they do.

Details: 7 tonight. Annie Moore's Irish Pub, Roanoke. Free. 904-5466, anniemooresirishpub.com, hoppievaughan.com.

Blue Mule

The Mule recently jammed with Tony Rice and Larry Keel at a barn party in Culpeper. Go to the music blog to see video.

Details: 9 tonight. Allsports Cafe, Salem. Free. 389-4647, allsportscafeinc.com, bluemulemusic.com.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY

Julius C

With Apollo Run (Friday and Saturday) and Nu Groova (Saturday)

These New York City rockers bring eclectic new music to the valleys for shows at Awful's Blacksburg and Towers. Their tour buddy this time out, Apollo Run, also can run wildly from one genre to the next while keeping it rocking. Nu Groova (formerly Groova Scape) co-headlines the Saturday show at Towers. Nu Groova has gone through some lineup changes lately but remain grooving. Or would that be groova-ing?

Details: 10 p.m. Friday at Awful Arthur's, Blacksburg. Cover charge TBA. 443-9109, myspace.com/awfularthur39sblacksburg. 10 p.m. Saturday at Awful Arthur's, Towers Shopping Center, Roanoke. $5. 777-0007, myspace.com/awfularthurs, myspace.com/juliusc, myspace.com/apollorun, myspace.com/thegroova.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

11th Annual Lebanese Festival

With Al Layali

Ever heard Lebanese music before? You have plenty of chances this weekend. Al Layali, an Ohio-based band, will play many sets during the Lebanese Festival. Festival organizers say you should come ready to dance.

Details: Band plays 5:30 p.m. Friday; 12:30 and 7 p.m. Saturday; noon and 5:30 p.m. Sunday. St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church, Roanoke. Free. steliaschurch.org, mideasternband.com

FRIDAY

Monkey Fuzz

Perennial Roanoke Times Music Poll favorites end their break and hit their home base, Awful's Towers, with helium in tow.

Details: 10 p.m. Friday. Awful Arthur's, Towers Shopping Center, Roanoke. Free. 777-0007, myspace.com/awfularthurs, monkeyfuzz.net.

The Diana Situation

With Midair, Silence in Central Park, Kinjac, My Empty Phantom

A variety of electronic situations, from laid-back and trippy shoe-gaze to uptempo and trippy dance.

Details: 7 p.m. Friday. The Water Heater, Roanoke. $5. theh2oheater.com, myspace.com/theapollocollective, myspace.com/kinjac, myspace.com/emptyphantommusic.

Kerosene Willy

The Willy lays down some mighty Dead-ish grooves.

Details: 10 p.m. Friday. Martin's Downtown Bar & Grill, Roanoke. Free. 985-6278, martinsdowntown.com, myspace.com/officialkerosenewilly.

SATURDAY

Larnell Starkey & the Spiritual Seven

Good, old soul-gospel from a Franklin County group that delivers it the way you need to hear it. Check the band's ReverbNation.com page to hear the goodness.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday. Central Church of the Brethren, Roanoke. Free. 342-0337, reverbnation.com/larnellstarkeythespiritualsevengospelsingers

Tony Ellis

With Scotia

You get your Scots and your Scots-Irish music here. Ellis, whose first gig was with Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, plays original and classic roots covers on banjo and violin. Scotia, from Glasgow, Scotland, plays the traditional music of its home country.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday. Blue Ridge Music Center, milepost 213, Blue Ridge Parkway (rain site: Fairview Ruritan Club). $10; children free. (276) 236-5309, blueridgemusiccenter.org.

Trashed on Fiction

With Nancy & Two Meteors, The Situationist

Brooklyn, N.Y.'s Trashed on Fiction claims such influences as Gram Parsons, Wilco, Neil Young and The Band, but sounds like it has mashed those influences into its own indie-rock stew.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday. The Water Heater, Roanoke. $5. theh2oheater.com, myspace.com/trashedonfiction, myspace.com/thesituationistmusic.

The Pullouts

The Roanoke rockers have a new CD, "Negotiating the Pop," featuring smart work such as "The Future's In Sleaze" and "30 Miles to Bedford."

Details: 9 p.m. Saturday. Coffee Pot, Roanoke. Free. 774-8256, myspace.com/coffeepotroadhouseinc, myspace.com/thepull0uts.

TUESDAY

Twelve O'Clock Knob

With Commonplace, John Pence, Ryanhood, Adam Finchler, David Greenberg

A pack of singer-songwriters, ranging from earnest to anti-folk, with headliners Twelve O'Clock Knob and Commonplace cranking up a little ampage.

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday. The Water Heater, Roanoke. $7; all ages. theh2oheater.com, myspace.com/TwelveOClockKnob, myspace.com/ryanhood, myspace.com/johnpencemusic.

WEDNESDAY

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles

This roots-rocking bar band mixes hot originals with unexpected covers. Borges sings good and hard with a bad-girl attitude. Read more about the band in Monday's Extra.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Kirk Avenue Music Hall, Roanoke. $10. myspace.com/kirkavenuemusic, sarahborges.com.