• CONCERTS

TODAY

USM Jazz Ensembles, University of Southern Maine (Corthell Concert Hall), Gorham. www.usm.t.edu. $3-$6. 7:30 p.m.

Nanci Griffith, folk, Strand Theatre, Rockland. $43. 594-0070. 7 p.m.

Noonday Concert with Laura Kargul, piano, and Ronald Lantz, violin, First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, Portland. Free. 775-3356. 12:15 p.m.

Tom Rush, folk; 21-plus. The Landing at Pine Point, Scarborough. www.thelandingatpinepoint.com. 7 p.m.

The Rooster Revue, holiday variety show, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield. $40. www.stonemountainartscenter.com. 11:30 a.m. (doors).

Pete Miller, folk/rock/jazz, with Monique Barrett, One Longfellow Square, Portland. $10 at door; $8 in advance. 761-1757. 8 p.m. 

FRIDAY

Portland Community Chorus Holiday Concert, Scarborough High School. $15 at door. 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday.

Bates College Choir, Bates College (Olin Arts Center), Lewiston. Free; tickets required. www.bates.edu. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

“The Stars Are Brightly Shining,” USM School of Music holiday music scholarship gala, University of Southern Maine (Abromson Community Education Center), Portland. $90; reservations required. 780-5003. 5:30 to 10 p.m.

Nanci Griffith, folk, Jonathan’s Restaurant, Ogunquit. $49 day of show; $45 in advance. jonathansrestaurant.com. 8 p.m. Friday; 7 p.m. Saturday.

Paul Sullivan: “Christmas in Maine,” piano, The Grand, Ellsworth. $18-$20; $8 for ages 12 and younger. 667-9500. 7 p.m.

Alumni Band, holiday concert, Biddeford Middle School. 571-4483. $7 in advance; $10 at door. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

John McCutcheon, balladeer, One Longfellow Square, Portland. $23 at door; $20 in advance. 761-1757. 8 p.m.

Vanessa Torres and Ramblin’ Red, folk, Frontier Cafe, Cinema & Gallery, Brunswick. $12 day of show; $10 in advance. www.explorefrontier.com. 7 p.m.

Phil Poirier, contemporary folk CD-release show, Church Street Commons (Wilde Accents Studio), Livermore Falls. Free. www.philpoiriermusic.com. 7 to 9 p.m.

The Wood Brothers, Chris Wood of Medeski, Martin & Wood with his brother, Oliver; folk-rock, Port City Music Hall, Portland. $15; $25 VIP seated. portcitymusichall.com. 8 p.m.

SATURDAY

Childsplay, large group of fiddlers playing a variety of music, Portland High School. $17-$22. www.childsplay.org. 8 p.m.

Paul Sullivan, jazz piano, Chocolate Church Arts Center, Bath. $17 at door; $15 in advance. chocolatechurcharts.org. 7:30 p.m.

Student Composers Showcase, University of Southern Maine (Corthell Concert Hall), Gorham. Free. www.usm.maine.edu. 8 p.m.

Pan Fried Steel Drum Band, Saco River Grange Hall, Bar Mills. $14; $12 seniors and students; free for ages 12 and younger. 929-6472. 7:30 p.m.

The Trapps, Americana/folk/rock, with Girls Guns and Glory, VENUE Music Bar and Grille, Portland. $8. venuemusicbar.com. 9 p.m.

Railroad Earth, roots/Americana jam band, with Barefoot Truth, Skowhegan Opera House. $25 day of show; $20 in advance. www.sweetpeopleproductions.com. 8 p.m.

George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, funk, State Theatre, Portland. $35 day of show; $30 in advance. www.statetheatreportland.com. 8 p.m.

Howard Fishman, acoustic CD-release show, One Longfellow Square, Portland. $20 at door; $17 in advance. 761-1757. 8 p.m.

Patsy Cline Tribute, country, with Donna Lee and her band, Nasson Community Center, Springvale. $12. 7 p.m.

New Gloucester Village Coffeehouse presents Lynn Deeves, singer-songwriter, First Congregational Church, New Gloucester. $10. 7:30 p.m. 

SUNDAY

Anne Dodson and Friends, annual holiday folk concert, First Congregational Church, Camden. $12 in advance, $14 at the door or adults; $6 in advance, $7 at the door for ages 6 to 12; free for children under age 6. 236-9576. 7:30 p.m.

Unity Community Christmas Concert, Unity Centre for the Performing Arts. 948-7469. 3 p.m.

Jazz Breakfast with the Sally Davis Trio, Portland Museum of Art. Breakfast items available for purchase; concert free with museum admission: $4-$10; free for children under age 6. 775-6148. 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Yuletide Celtic harp concert with Julia Lane and Kristin Tescher, Winter Street Center, Bath. $10; $5 for children. 542-8564. 3 p.m. 

MONDAY

Nanci Griffith, folk, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield. $80. stonemountainartscenter.com. 8 p.m.

Terri Lyne Carrington, drummer performs with jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding and pianist Geri Allen, Bowdoin College (Studzinski Recital Hall), Brunswick. $15. 725-3375. 7:30 p.m. 

TUESDAY

Natalie MacMaster, Canadian fiddler’s Christmas performance, University of Maine (Collins Center for the Arts), Orono. $27. www.collinscenterforthearts.com. 7 p.m.

Teada: “Irish Christmas in America,” traditional Irish music, Unity Centre for the Performing Arts. $20. 948-7469. 7:30 p.m.

Bowdoin College Jazz Ensembles, Bowdoin College (Studzinski Recital Hall), Brunswick. Free. 798-4141. 7:30 p.m. 

WEDNESDAY

Bates College Jazz Band, Bates College (Olin Arts Center), Lewiston. Free; tickets required. www.bates.edu. 7 p.m.

Charo, flemenco guitar, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield. $75. www.stonemountainartscenter.com. 8 p.m.

Natalie MacMaster, Canadian fiddler, Camden Hills Regional High School (Strom Auditorium), Rockport. $25-$45; $8 ages 18 and younger. www.baychamberconcerts.org. 7 p.m.

JT Nero featuring Alli Russell, folk-rock CD-release show, VENUE Music Bar and Grille, Portland. $10. venuemusicbar.com. 8 p.m. 

• COMEDY

Open-mic comedy hosted by comedian Brian Brinegar, Slainte, Portland. 828-0900. 8 p.m. today.

Chris Zito, Comedy Connection, Portland. 774-5554. $7.50, 8:30 p.m. today. With Greg Boggis and Kate Ghiloni ($15), 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 

• BARS/CLUBS

TODAY

Mystic Folk Opera, folk/rock, Blue, Portland. portcityblue.com. 8 p.m.

Samuel James and D. Gross, blues, Blue, Portland. portcityblue.com. 10 p.m.

Help Brian Sing in Europe Party, with The Juice, The Running Gags and Kirk Underwood; 21-plus. Empire Dine and Dance, Portland, $5. www.portlandempire.com. 8 p.m.

A Band Beyond Description, Grateful Dead covers; 21-plus. Big Easy, Portland. www.bigeasyportland.com. 10 p.m.

Blind Albert, acoustic blues, Andy’s Old Port Pub, Portland. andysoldportpub.com. 8:30 p.m.

FRIDAY

Happy hour with Travis James Humphrey, acoustic, Dogfish Bar and Grille, Portland. 5 to 7 p.m.

Charlie Kohlhase, Boston saxophonist, with Curtis Clark, Fitz Jenkins and Jan Van Voorst, Dogfish Bar and Grille, Portland. 8 p.m.

Friday Night Jazz with Tom Porter, Solo Bistro, Bath. 443-3373. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

First Friday with Grupo Esperanza, Latin, Empire Dine and Dance, Portland, $8. www.portlandempire.com. 9 p.m.

Stolen Mojo, rock covers, VENUE Music Bar and Grille, Portland. $5. venuemusicbar.com. 8 p.m.

Andi Fawcett, singer-songwriter; 21-plus. Big Easy, Portland. www.brownpapertickets.com. 6 to 7 p.m.

“The Beat Horizon” with Brzowski, Lady Zen and Dynamo P, hip-hop; 21-plus. Big Easy, Portland. www.bigeasyportland.com. 8 p.m.

Merrily James, soul/funk, Blue, Portland. portcityblue.com. 8 p.m.

OKBARI, Middle Eastern music with belly dancers, Blue, Portland. portcityblue.com. 10 p.m.

Jeff Cusack, acoustic, Andy’s Old Port Pub, Portland. andysoldportpub.com. 8:30 p.m.

Girls Guns and Glory, country/Americana, with Transmission Drop, Bayside Bowl, Portland. baysidebowl.com. 9 p.m. 

SATURDAY

Marion Grace, country, with Bell and The Bees, The Oak and the Ax, Biddeford. theoakandtheax.blogspot.com. 8 p.m.

Dead Season, metal, with Absence of the Sun, Empire Dine and Dance, Portland. $12 day of; $10 in advance. www.portlandempire.com. 5 p.m.

Div Kid, CD-release show, Empire Dine and Dance, Portland. www.portlandempire.com. 9 p.m.

Hoboe and Apocryphonic, metal; 21-plus. Slainte, Portland. 828-0900. 9 p.m.

Jimmy and The Soul Cats, jazz/soul, Big Easy, Portland. www.bigeasyportland.com. 8 p.m.

Matt Meyer & The Gumption Junction, roots/blues, Dogfish Bar and Grille, Portland. 8 p.m.

Joan Hagar Trio, jazz, Blue, Portland. portcityblue.com. 8 p.m.

Alex Prezzano, acoustic, Andy’s Old Port Pub, Portland. andysoldportpub.com. 8:30 p.m. 

SUNDAY

Man the Reformer, with Come Back Pluto, Rogue Opus, The Namesake and Phantom Companion, rock, Big Easy, Portland. $10 day of show; $8 in advance. www.brownpapertickets.com. 5 p.m.

“Kill the Karaoke,” karaoke with live band, Empire Dine and Dance, Portland. www.portlandempire.com. 10 p.m. 

MONDAY

Line of Force, soul; 21-plus. Big Easy, Portland. www.bigeasyportland.com. 6 p.m.

The Stowaways, roots/bluegrass, Empire Dine and Dance, Portland. www.portlandempire.com. 8:30 p.m. 

TUESDAY

Blues jam, with hosts Poke Chop & The Other White Meats, VENUE Music Bar and Grille, Portland. venuemusicbar.com. 8 to 11 p.m.

“We’re 3 Years Old!” Empire’s three-year anniversary party with The Chas Lester Trio, Empire Dine and Dance, Portland. www.portlandempire.com. 9 p.m. 

WEDNESDAY

Hip-hop open mic, with hosts Shupe and Ill Instinct; 21-plus. Big Easy, Portland. $2. www.bigeasyportland.com. 9 p.m.

Mezcalitos, acoustic Western swing, Empire Dine and Dance, Portland. www.portlandempire.com. 8 p.m.

“Kill the Karaoke,” karaoke with live band, Bayside Bowl, Portland. baysidebowl.com. 9 p.m.