Concert Previews

Toronto's Broken Social Scene is a collective, with a couple dozen members cycling in and out when they are on reprieve from other bands such as Stars, Metric or Apostle of Hustle. But with the release of a "solo" album from one of its leaders and main vocalists, Kevin Drew, BSS is now also a franchise.

Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew Spirit If. . .

is the unwieldy full title for Drew's record, and most BSS regulars are present, at least occasionally. It's a bit darker and less sprawling than a BSS album might be, but otherwise, the difference is primarily one of nomenclature. At the Filmore, Drew will lead a comparatively compact six-piece band. Or maybe that should be a "collective," since it includes folks from Metric, American Analog Set and, of course, Broken Social Scene.

- Steve Klinge

Taking their cues from the Ramones' garage punk and the Dadaist nonsense of early rock-and-roll, the Japanese duo Shonen Knife came on the scene singing high-speed, apparently guileless tributes to Barbie dolls and Choco Bars, which was enough to earn them the musical admiration of Nirvana and Sonic Youth.

Now, 25 years later, they're still at it, musically more proficient but still treating the English language like so much raw material. For this anniversary tour, founding member Atsuko Yamamoto, who quit to move to the United States, returns to the fold. Copies of the import-only Fun! Fun! Fun!, which includes a song called "Ramones Forever," will be sold at the show.

- Sam Adams

What better way to spend Thanksgiving Eve than with the Pied Piper of R&B, the auteur of the deliciously lewd and lurid Trapped in Closet videos series and the man who has avoided standing trial on 21 child pornography charges for five years now? Last time, R. Kelly played the Wachovia Center, he lip-synced. Perhaps this time around the undeniable talent behind this year's often excellent Double Up will see fit to actually sing for his supper, as his impressive array of openers, who include Keyshia Cole, J. Holiday and Ne-Yo, undoubtedly will.

- Dan DeLuca