FRIDAY
Holopaw
In the years since forming in 2001, this Gainesville, Fla., band has morphed from duo to quartet to — at the moment — a sextet that just released album No. 4, “Academy Songs, Volume 1.” It’s a 10-song meditation on the perils and personalities in an all-boys preparatory academy. The subject matter is a perfect match for John Orth’s yearning vocals and the churning musical drama generated by his bandmates.
9 p.m. Feb. 1. $10. The EARL, 488 Flat Shoals Ave., Atlanta. 404-522-3950, badearl.com.

SATURDAY
Delbert McClinton
This rootsy, soulful belter from Texas marked the 40th anniversary of his first release last year. His tunes have been covered by Waylon Jennings and Emmylou Harris, who hit No. 1 with his “Two More Bottles of Wine.”
8:30 p.m. Feb. 2. $30; $27.50 in advance. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-524-7354.

Big Head Todd & the Monsters
This Colorado rock band built a big following through extensive touring in the early 1990s, then gained an even bigger audience with the 1993 album “Sister Sweetly” and memorable mainstream rock hits “Bittersweet” and “Broken Hearted Savior.” The band’s most recent recording project, 2011’s “100 Years of Robert Johnson,” was done under the name Big Head Blues Club and found blues greats such as B.B. King, Charlie Musselwhite, Cedric Burnside, David “Honeyboy” Edwards and Hubert Sumlin joining in on songs by the legendary Johnson. The band has been working on a new album that is expected to be released this year. The shows on this tour are being billed as “An Evening With Big Head Todd & the Monsters,” which means no opening act and two sets of Monsters music.
8:30 p.m. Feb. 2. $31-$26. Buckhead Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-843-2825.

Mingus Big Band
The late Charles Mingus was one of the great jazz composers. He created a highly individual catalog that draws on gospel, blues and classical, melding them with jazz in his own inimitable way. The idiosyncratic nature of his work means that many find it difficult to perform, but there are several tribute acts, including the Mingus Big Band, one of several ensembles managed by Mingus’ widow, Sue.
8 p.m. Feb. 2. $41-$69. Rialto Center for the Arts, 80 Forsyth St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-413-9849.

The xx
Imagine tuneful post-punk kissed with R&B-tinged pop and, if you’re lucky, you’ll get this London quartet. The gorgeous minimalism of their terrific debut album, “xx,” is also present on the 2012 follow-up “Co-Exist,” but it displays the influence of Jamie xx’s between-albums DJ and remix work, with an increase in subtle dance music touches.
9 p.m. Feb. 2. Sold out ($32). Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-659-9022.

TUESDAY
Leon Redbone
Redbone has been resurrecting the music of the early 20th century (like ragtime and early blues and jazz) for more than 35 years. During that time the mysterious singer has lent his distinctive voice to advertising campaigns for Budweiser and All detergent. Even weirder, he sang the theme song to the ’80s television series “Mr. Belvedere.” One of his highest profile gigs of this century was providing the voice of the snowman in the movie “Elf, “ in which he also served up a terrific version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with actress Zooey Deschanel.
8 p.m. Feb. 5. $36; $30 in advance. Eddie’s Attic, 515 N. McDonough St., Decatur. 404-377-4976.

The Residents
San Francisco mysteriosos the Residents have been committing downright weird sonic experiments to tape for nearly 40 years. The group’s extensive discography veers from disquieting soundscapes that find the beauty in strangeness to disturbing deconstructionist freak fests.
8 p.m. Feb. 5. $27.50; $25 in advance. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-524-7354.

THURSDAY
Dwele
This smooth R&B crooner from Detroit first gained notice by selling his demo out of his trunk, leading to a major label deal and his 2003 debut album, “Subject. Since then, he’s released four more albums and has been featured on tracks by Kanye West, Big Sean and Foxy Brown.
9 p.m. Feb. 7. $30; $ 27.50 in advance. Center Stage, 1374 W. Peachtree St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-885-1365.

Shane Harrison, sharrison@ajc.com