Britney Spears, Thursday, April 9: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, break out those low-rise pants, because Britney SpearsaE™ circus is coming to town. Under the Big Top (ok, the Tacoma Dome), Britney Spears will crack the whip as ringmaster for what could easily turn from sexy sideshow to complete freakshow. Will she deliver the goods, or should we brace ourselves for a live, in-person taste of BritaE™s crazy tabloid antics? At this point, no one really knows what to expect, which makes it all the more exciting. If an MTV.com review of BritneyaE™s Pittsburg show is to be trusted, we do know one thing for certain: the female audience members will outnumber the men. IaE™m predicting an older audience of fans than on BritneyaE™s previous tours; the tweens have forsaken Britney for the likes of the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus, and BritneyaE™s oldest fans are well out of grade school. See, unlike Miley, weaE™re actually old enough to remember when Brit was still dating Justin. You know, when she wasnaE™t a girl, but not yet a woman. Thing is, since the aEœSlave 4 UaE video we havenaE™t been virgins, either. So donaE™t be afraid to get dirty, Britney: by this point in your career, itaE™s safe to say that most of your fans are ready, willing and totally legal. With the Pussycat Dolls. Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. D. St, Tacoma. 253-272-3663. 8 p.m., $35-$96. All ages. Note by KASSI RODGERS

Duff McKaganaE™s Loaded, Thursday, April 9: Since Velvet Revolver went on hiatus last yearaE”you know, the band all the best G aE˜n R alums formed after they got sick of Axl RoseaE™s megalomaniaaE” one-time G aE˜n R bassist Duff McKagan found himself with more time to concentrate on fronting his own band, Duff McKaganaE™s Loaded. Though McKaganaE™s best-known for manning the bass, heaE™s also a capable guitarist. If Loaded remains somewhat obscure, though, itaE™s probably because the band hasnaE™t put out a full-length record since 2001, what with Velvet Revolver sucking up most of DuffaE™s time and all. Upcoming Loaded album Sick will finally break that cycle. A rock and roll record with a metal edge, Sick is worth checking out, but if youaE™re expecting G aE˜n R II, Sick will inevitably prove disappointing by default. While McKagan is just as skilled with six strings as he is with four, Loaded comes off less like arena rock and more like an enthusiastic garage band thataE™s still honing its sound. But thataE™s a hell of a lot better than sounding like an old, jaded musician who only continues making music in order to rake in the last few fallen leaves from that once-lush rock and roll money tree. Duff McKagan still loves what he does. And that, not name recognition, will make the difference between success and failure for Loaded. With Acid Angels. The Crocodile, 2200 2nd Ave. 8 p.m., $10 adv. Note by SARA BRICKNER

The Roots, Thursday, April 9: You never know what you’re going to get when you see The Roots in concert. The band has over 15 years of material to draw from and ten albums full of hits that often keep audiences dancing from the start of their concerts until the last note is played. They thoroughly wear the title legendary well not just because they’re one of the best hip-hop groups of all time (which they are), but collectively, they’re one of the best bands of the 20th century, period. ItaE™s no secret they recently started working as the house band for the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon showaE”a sort of precarious gig that initially set the Internets on fire with anticipation and angst. Having watched a couple of episodes personally (the band sports tuxedos and full late night regalia) The Roots donaE™t seem nearly as out of place as Fallon does. TheyaE™re always the masters of the ceremony wherever they go, and their short stint out to the Pacific Northwest this week will be no different. Expect a party rocking set of music thataE™s as diverse and genre crossing as anything youaE™ve ever seen within the realm of hip-hop. IaE™ve seen them cover G aE˜n RaE™s aEœSweet Child of MineaE and Lil WayneaE™s aEœA MilliaE back to back if that gives you a clue. Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine Street, 467-5510. 8 p.m., $35. All ages. Note by JONATHAN CUNNINGHAM

Spinderella, Friday, April 10: Back in the 1980s, there werenaE™t a lot of female DJs to look up to within hip-hop. Currently, that hasnaE™t changed a whole lot, but Spinderella of Salt-N-Pepa was undoubtedly a pioneer who made it cool for women to rock the wheels of steel. She was a core part of the groupaE™s persona in the late aE™80s and early aE™90s and was sort of like the female counterpart to Jam Master Jay. Countless young girls dressed up like the trio every Halloween for over a decade, and an entire generation of women can recite their songs like aEœShoop,aE aEœPush it,aE and aEœLetaE™s Talk About SexaE at a whim. While Spinderella wasnaE™t the one rapping on those tracks, she was doing all the scratches and making sure everyone sounded good during live performances. Why her name isnaE™t mentioned more often is a mystery. Now that Salt-N-Pepa is retired, Spinderella is still out playing records at clubs and co-hosting a weekly radio show in Los Angeles. SheaE™s coming to town this weekend to spin true school hip-hop — which can mean anything, as long as itaE™s good. But donaE™t expect her to be wearing those big door knocker earrings and dookie rope chains from her heyday. War Room, 722 E. Pike St. 328-7666. 9 p.m., $10. Note by JONATHAN CUNNINGHAM

X, Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11: When bands reunite after decades apart, the results can be as invigorating as laying eyes on the long-rotted corpse of someone you love — no matter how much you dry-clean the clothes they were buried in, you just canaE™t trick yourself into believing theyaE™re alive again. Nor should you. For the legendary X, which helped kick-start the LA punk scene in the late aE˜70s with music that still sounds fresh, fertile, and full of promise today, that rule apparently does not apply. Age, it would seem, has done nothing to diminish the bandaE™s power. Whether or not it was evident at the time that X first burst onto the scene, there was always more to the bandaE™s sound than the raw, singleminded aggression that fueled the majority of its peers. The hidden treasures in XaE™s vocabulary have aged well, and seeing the band now only highlights the artful flair with which frontwoman (and self-avowed non-musician) Exene Cervenka, guitarist Billy Zoom, co-frontman John Doe, and drummer D.J. Bonebrake turned punk on its head and wedded it to rockabilly, thus creating a hybrid that still endures and warrants interest. Perhaps X has managed to proceed unscathed by the passage of time because the band has never gone away for too long — having gotten back together several times since first going into a slow decay in 1986, and now existing in a perpetual state of on-again, off-again, weaE™ll-probably-be-back-eventually kind of mode. Of course, it doesnaE™t hurt that X was a blow-the-doors-off live act to begin with (just ask any of the bandaE™s contemporaries), but fans should never take appearances for granted. You just never know if this chance to catch X will be your last, and they just donaE™t make aE˜em built to last like this any more. With Steve Soto and the Twisted Hearts, the Heels (Friday), Visqueen (Saturday.) Showbox at the Market, 1426 1st Ave, 628-3151. 7 p.m., $25. Saturday show all ages. Note by SABY REYES-KULKARNI

Heartless Bastards, Saturday, April 11: The Mountain shares little in common with its predecessors All This Time and Stairs and Elevators. Where these latter titles are stripped-down affairs documenting Heartless BastardsaE™ bare-knuckled, heartland-brand of indie-bar-rock, the groupaE™s new album is sprawling, varied and utterly ambitious. In addition to the heavy jams weaE™ve come to expect from the group, there are British folk-inspired anthems (aEœHad To GoaE), singer-songwriter lullabies (aEœSo QuietaE) and proggy throw downs (aEœWide AwakeaE). The one and only constant is Erika WennerstromaE™s voice, a gnarled chunk of beauty that draws you into her soul before spitting you back out. And donaE™t forget: as good as The Mountain is, Heartless Bastards are always 100 times better live. TheyaE™ve been known to put on some truly epic shows in terms of raw emotion and pure grit. The Crocodile, 2200 2nd Ave. 8 p.m., $12. Note by JUSTIN F. FARRAR

Reckless Kelly, Sunday, April 12: There was a time when the differences between Nashville country and alt-country were loud and clear. The former was slick and smooth; the latter, rough and raw. Reckless Kelly, however, is proof that none of this really matters anymore. Over the last decade the Austin act has perfected a punchy fusion of country-rock and power pop that begs the question: Is this the sound of a childhood weaned on both Alan Jackson and the Smithereens? Reckless KellyaE™s latest album, the critically lauded Bulletproof, just might be their most polished to date. At the same time, the album is a fairly scathing indictment of modern American life, touching on everything from Katrina to Iraq. Spinning this record is basically like watching a three-mile parade packed with hurricane refugees, drug-addled vets and subprime victims. Fun! With Micky & the Motorcars. Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave. N.W., 789-3599. 8:30 p.m., $13 adv., $15 dos. Note by JUSTIN F. FARRAR

Franz Ferdinand, Monday, April 13: Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand first won us over five years ago with the sexually charged anthem Take Me Out. But having an acclaimed debut album under their belt quickly went from being a blessing to a curse when the quartet’s highly anticipated sophomore effort failed to take off outside the U.K. Fortunately, Franz Ferdinand has redeemed itself with a third album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, that is its best to date. The band has spiced up its trademark rock sound with Jamaican dub beats and disco funk, while retaining its brazen lyrical content (Flick your cigarette, then kiss me/ Kiss me where your eye won’t meet me.) Lead singer Alex Kapranos saunters his way through subjects like getting high, hooking up at bars, and feeling remorseful the morning after with such ease that you get the feeling he and his band mates have engaged in more than their fair share of debauched behavior. Moore Theatre, 1932 2nd Ave., 467-5510. 8 p.m., $32.50 adv., $36 dos. All ages. Note by ERIKA HOBART

The Round 47, Tuesday, April 14: If youaE™re one of those artistic types with trust and/or intimacy issues, I suggest you avoid playing Seattle staple The Round. Now in its 47th incarnation, The Round comes off like a singer/songwriter group therapy session. The performance format is much more open than traditional show boundaries; at The Round, artists can collaboratively explore covers, sing their own or their stagematesaE™ aEœclassics,aE try out new material or take a crack at improv in a relaxed environment. This anything-goes format has got to be the musical equivalent of throwing yourself backwards into an awaiting crowd, not only hoping youaE™ll not only be caught, but held up and praised. This monthaE™s show features Jesy Fortino (Tiny Vipers), Grant Olsen (Arthur & Yu), John Van Deusen (Lonely Forest), and poet Maya Hersh, quality performers whoaE™ll surely use The RoundaE™s element of surprise to theiraE”and the audiencesaE™aE”benefit. Fremont Abbey Arts Center, 4272 Fremont Ave. N., 7:30 p.m., $5-$10. All ages. Note by MAaE™CHELL DUMA LAVASSAR

The Whip, Tuesday, April 14: The UK-based dance/rock quartet The Whip emphasize instrument-fueled musicianship as much they do machine-powered mechanization on their debut disc, X Marks Destination, released March 3. ItaE™s a combo that makes for potent, refreshing listening reflective of lead-singer/guitarist Bruce Carter and keyboardist Danny SavilleaE™s background playing in the band Nylon Pylon, as well as their previous lives as club promoters. Think Fleetwood Mac meets Felix Da Housecat. Rave-rock opener aEœTrashaE loops fuzz and bass around a teenage anthem-style hook that proclaims, aEœI wanna be trash!aE More dance-centric jams include aEœFire,aE a blazing inferno of feedback and metallic pulsation, and aEœSister Siam,aE a sonorous electro-fied re-configuration of a Nylon Pylon tune. The Whip arenaE™t the next big thing, but theyaE™ll make you pine for some E. With Late Of The Pier. Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison St., 324-8000. 8 p.m., $12.50 adv., $14 dos. Note by KEVIN CAPP