FRIDAY

Blue Highway 15th Anniversary Show

This show was originally set for Dec. 18, but our crazy snow season kicked off that weekend, and the band stayed off the white highway. The band is still celebrating 15 years of outstanding picking and singing, and no one seems to be expecting any snow on Friday, so go catch the band. Check out the story and podcast we did in December at roanoke.com/wb/xp-229728.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Jefferson Center, Roanoke. $20 advance; $25 door; $70 VIP tickets. 345-2550, jeffcenter.org, bluehighwayband.com.

FRIDAY

StereoSin

Members of Roanoke and New River valley bands such as Drivn, Burning Bridges and Frontiers have joined forces with a new act. StereoSin makes its Roanoke debut, and Trampus Stamper, Shane Hager, Tommy Nunley, Kenny Seay and Mike Feamster mean to slay you with some modern rock action, regional supergoup style. Should be loud and grooving.

Details: 10 p.m. Awful Arthur's, Towers Shopping Center, Roanoke. $5. 777-0007, myspace.com/awfularthurs.

SATURDAY

Alma Church Choir

With Peter Piek

A couple of bands from Germany are passing through Roanoke on their way to the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. The Alma Church Choir is making some atmospheric folk/rock music. Peter Piek does the Americana thing a bit harder and more up-tempo. Who knows, maybe these acts will hit, and you can say you saw them at little old Blues BBQ.

Details: 10 p.m. The Blues BBQ Co., Roanoke. Free. 344-5683, bluesbbqco.com, myspace.com/thealmachurchchoir, myspace.com/peterpiek.

SATURDAY

Eternal Summers

With Reading Rainbow

Speaking of South by Southwest, Roanoke's own Eternal Summers is headed that way and is liable to turn some people on. Before the act heads southwest, though, it's having an EP release show. The duo's Philadelphia-based pals, Reading Rainbow, open the show and will head to SxSW, too. Get there early to hear two intriguing but fun bands.

Details: 9:30 p.m. Bazaar Consignments, 675 Brandon Ave. S.W.Roanoke. $5; all ages; alcohol free; limited capacity. 309-0928, myspace.com/eternalsummers, rreadingrrainbow.blogspot.com.

TONIGHT

Jennifer Knapp and Derek Webb

After selling a bunch of records and touring with the likes of Jars of Clay, Knapp took a seven-year break from the music business. She returns with a new disc, "Letting Go," a spot on this summer's revived Lilith Fair tour and -- wouldn't you know it -- a stop at SxSW.

Details: 8 p.m. Kirk Avenue Music Hall, Roanoke. $12. kirkavenuemusic.com, kirkavenue@gmail.com, jenniferknapp.com, derekwebb.com.

The Black Twig Pickers

This band might ultimately be best known for its collaborations with the late Jack Rose, but The Black Twig Pickers is on its own a worthy old-time act.

Details: 7 p.m. Gillie's Vegetarian Cuisine, Blacksburg. Free (donations to musicians accepted). 961-2753, myspace.com/gilliesmusic, myspace.com/blacktwigs.

Grass Monkey

Party-ready bluegrass music with shades of punk, a la Old Crow Medicine Show.

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

FRIDAY

The Young Sinclairs

With Werewolves, Eureka California

Stylistically, the Sinclairs are old-school, harking to The Byrds, The Association et al. But the band's lo-fi approach is a breath of clean air in these days of auto-tune and overproduction.

Details: 9 p.m. Bazaar Consignments, 675 Brandon Ave., Roanoke. $5; all ages; alcohol free; limited capacity. 309-0928, myspace.com/theyoungsinclairs.

Kafei Band

Indie pop/rock band out of Pennsylvania brings the textures, tight musicianship and way catchy tunes.

Details: 9:30 p.m. Gillie's Vegetarian Cuisine, Blacksburg. Free (donations to musicians accepted). 961-2753, myspace.com/gilliesmusic, myspace.com/kafeimusic.

Big Lick Brass

You want good second-line jams? You don't have to go to New Orleans to get them.

Details: 10 p.m. The Blues BBQ Co., Roanoke. Free. 344-5683, bluesbbqco.com, biglickbrass.com.

Nikki Barr Band

With City Riots

Barr, who performed at Kirk Avenue Music Hall last year, is a tiny ball of atomic energy with a huge set of pipes and a powerful backing band.

Details: 8 p.m. Kirk Avenue Music Hall, Roanoke. $10. kirkavenuemusic.com, kirkavenue@gmail.com, nikkibarr.com, cityriots.com.

Mac Traynham & Friends

With Down Home Gospel and The Buck Mountain Band

Hear some heartfelt tunes from deep in these old mountains.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Floyd Country Store, Floyd. $4. (540) 745-4563, floydcountrystore.com, macandjenny.blogspot.com.

SATURDAY

The Pawn Shop Lifters

This Norfolk band brings some rough-and-ready style country, with shades of Southern Culture on the Skids thrown in.

Details: 10 p.m. Awful Arthur's, Towers Shopping Center, Roanoke. $5. 777-0007, myspace.com/awfularthurs, thepawnshoplifters.com.

Bebop Hoedown St. Patty's Celebration

Celebrate the green early with this fun act.

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

Robotic Jive

Kelly Scott and Dave McDonald cover the stylistic waterfront.

Details: 7:45 p.m. Pomegranate, Troutville. Free. 966-6052, pomegranateva.com, Roboticjive@cox.net.

The Fat Daddy Band

This is always a fun blues show.

Details: 9 p.m. Blue 5 Restaurant, Roanoke. Free. 904-5338, blue5restaurant.com, thefatdaddyband.net.

SUNDAY

Nancy & 2 Meteors

With The Aurora Observatory, The Situationist, CBZL

Indie rock, electro and pop at Happy's Flea Market. That's all you need to know!

Details: 6 p.m. Just Embrace Love Please, at Happy's Flea Market. $5. myspace.com/nancyandtwometeors, myspace.com/theauroraobservatory.

MONDAY

Southwest Virginia Songwriters Showcase

Songwriters from the Roanoke/Blacksburg region show you what they're working with.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Kirk Avenue Music Hall, Roanoke. $5 (half the take goes to Music Lab at Jefferson Center). kirkavenuemusic.com, kirkavenue@gmail.com, svsasongs.com.

TUESDAY

Corey Smith

On the surface, Smith is a purveyor of feel-good music. His recent success may rely more the actual depth of his songwriting skills. For evidence, check out his new song, "Keeping Up with the Joneses," at MySpace.com.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Commonwealth Ballroom, Virginia Tech. $16; $12 for Virginia Tech students. www.uusa.vt.edu, myspace.com/coreysmithmusic.

Perpetual Groove

P-groove lays down long but tightly constructed jam music that goes down best with its high-tech light show.

Details: 9 p.m. Attitudes Bar and Cafe, Blacksburg. $15 advance; $18 door; 18 and older. 552-7001, inticketing.com, attitudesbar.com, pgroove.com.

Acoustic Lounge: St. Patrick's Edition

With Billy Chase, Chris Henson, Lance Smith, Mark Perry

It's the greening of the lounge. Check out some high-quality songwriters, and maybe get a chance to come up and do your own song.

Details: 8 p.m. Studio Roanoke, Roanoke. Free. info@studioroanoke.org

WEDNESDAY

Steve Forbert

Forbert has been at it since the 1970s, when his "Romeo's Tune" was a smash hit. Read more on Forbert in Saturday's Extra.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Kirk Avenue Music Hall, Roanoke. $25. kirkavenuemusic.com, kirkavenue@gmail.com, steveforbert.com.

Misery Index

With DooM Syndicate, Gigan, Overt Enemy, Human Infection, Dysphagic

Baltimore, Md.-based death metal act Misery Index headlines this hard-hitting bill that includes Roanoke's own death-metal meisters, DooM Syndicate. Get there early enough to hear Overt Enemy, another Roanoke act crafting some progressive death thrash.

Details: 8 p.m. La Finca, downtown Roanoke. $8; all ages. 343-0801, myspace.com/miseryindex, myspace.com/doomsyndicate, myspace.com/overtenemymetal.

Tim Shepherd and the Velveetas

Featuring Chimps & Lewds

Shep and his wacky pals do up St. Patty's Day and welcome members of the band Warpipe.

Details: 8:30 p.m. Fork in the Alley, Roanoke. Free. 982-3675, forkinthealley.com.