Music: the week ahead

BOWLING FOR SOUP The madcap Texans unafraid to put the pun in punk-pop return to the Hub on the heels of their latest release “Fishin’ for Woos,’’ a typically enjoyable romp complete with giddy good humor, cranked up guitars, and pop culture-saturated lyrics. May 12, 8 p.m. Tickets: $17. Middle East Downstairs. 866-468-7619, www.ticketweb.com

BRUCE COCKBURN For forty years this well-respected Canadian troubadour has been releasing albums of meticulous craft and thoughtful musing in various strains of folk, jazz, pop, and rock, occasionally intersecting with the US mainstream with hits like “Wondering Where the Lions Are,’’ “Lovers in a Dangerous Time,’’ and “If I Had a Rocket Launcher.’’ His latest, “Small Source of Comfort,’’ continues his vaunted songwriting tradition. Violinist-singer Jenny Scheinman, who makes big contributions to “Small,’’ will open and join Cockburn onstage. May 14, 8 p.m. Tickets: $36.50-$39.50. Berklee Performance Center. 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com

SULLY ERNA Godsmack will hit the Comcast Center this July as part of the sure-to-be-loud Mayhem Festival with Megadeth and Disturbed, but before he hooks up with his band of merrily metallic men, frontman Erna is scaling things down to promote his more reflective and musically exotic 2010 solo album, “Avalon.’’ May 17, 8 p.m. Tickets: $35. Wilbur Theatre. 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com

DAVID CROSBY & GRAHAM NASH The C and N of CSNY spend a couple of nights working through that vaunted catalog as well as tunes from their own duo albums. Expect a little social commentary to be served up alongside the harmonies, storytelling, and humor between the longtime friends and collaborators. May 18-19, 8 p.m. Tickets: $60-$80. Wilbur Theatre. 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com

SARAH RODMAN

FOLK, WORLD & COUNTRY

IRIS DEMENT Nearly 20 years since the release of her celebrated debut, “Infamous Angel,’’ DeMent is still a pleasure to experience live. With no new album to plug, her shows these days are wide-ranging affairs, usually with just DeMent accompanying herself on guitar and piano. May 14, 8 p.m. Tickets: $30. Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley. 978-425-4311, www.bullrunrestaurant.com

HENRY WOLFE Listen closely, and you’ll hear the influence of quintessential pop artists in the music of this up-and-coming troubadour from Los Angeles. In fact, Wolfe’s new album, “Linda Vista,’’ was inspired by Harry Nilsson’s “Nilsson Sings Newman’’ and Paul McCartney’s “Ram.’’ May 15, 8 p.m. Tickets: $10. T.T. the Bear’s. 617-492-2327, www.ticketweb.com

FOR THE SAKE OF THE SONG Presented by the concert series For the Sake of the Song, this benefit show will feature local artists saluting a classic of the folk-rock canon, Neil Young’s “Harvest.’’ Singer-songwriters including Sarah Blacker, Danielle Miraglia, the Autumn Hollow Band, and Patrick Coman, among others, will be performing songs from the 1972 album, including “Heart of Gold’’ and “Old Man.’’ Proceeds will go to the Music Drives Us Foundation. May 18, 8 p.m. Tickets: $10. Middle East Upstairs. 617-864-3278, www.ticketweb.com

JAMES REED

JAZZ, BLUES & CABARET

JULIA & THE ZEROUNIAN ENSEMBLE A throwback to glamorous days of international cabaret, the soulful-voiced Zerounian performs French, Armenian, Persian, Yiddish, and Latin tunes, as well as American Songbook classics, backed by a septet led by her husband, pianist Sarkis Zerounian. May 12, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $22. Regattabar. 617-395-7757, www.regattabarjazz.com

ROBERTA GAMBARINI The native Italian vocalist is an improbably complete singer in the classic mold, boasting a warm, velvety tone, near-flawless pitch, multi-octave range, and impeccable diction. She is as dazzling singing scat as she is interpreting standards, and she swings like mad. May 13, 8 and 10 p.m. Tickets: $25. Scullers. 617-562-4111, www.scullersjazz.com

JOE FIEDLER TRIO The versatile trombonist has played in bands big and small with jazz greats including Andrew Hill, Lee Konitz, and Cecil Taylor. And he’s also a member of the Captain Beefheart tribute group Fast and Bulbous. For this gig, he helms his unusual trombone/bass/drums band to celebrate the release of its excellent new CD, “Sacred Chrome Orb.’’ May 14, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $10. Lily Pad,1353 Cambridge St., Cambridge. www.lily-pad.net

BLUES AFTER HOURS TRIBUTE TO MAI CRAMER An all-star tribute to the late, beloved Boston blues radio host, featuring, among others, the Duke Robillard Band, Guy Davis, Sugar Ray & the Bluetones with Monster Mike Welch, David Maxwell, Toni Lynn Washington, Shirley Lewis, and Sunny Crownover. All proceeds will benefit the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. May 14, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $25-$28. Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St., Arlington Center, Arlington. 781-646-4849, www.regenttheatre.com

KEVIN LOWENTHAL

CLASSICAL

CANTATA SINGERS The chorus concludes its season with a performance of works by Vaughan Williams (Mass in G Minor), Bernstein (Chichester Psalms), Herbert Howells, and Ives. David Hoose conducts. 8 p.m., May 13. First Church Cambridge. 617-868-5885, www.cantatasingers.org

RADIUS ENSEMBLE The adventurous chamber troupe, recently appointed to a new residency at the Longy School of Music, performs works by Beethoven, Bozza, Rota, Daughtery and others. May 14 at MIT’s Killian Hall; May 15 at Rivera Hall in Weston. 617-792-7234, www.radiusensemble.org

BOSTON CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY Martin Beaver (violin), Ronald Thomas (cello), and Mihae Lee (piano) team up for a program of trios by Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Brahms. 7:30 p.m., May 15. Sanders Theatre. 617-349-0086, www.bostonchambermusic.org

MUSICA SACRA Mary Beekman leads the chorus in a program titled “Love, Lust, and Laudations,’’ devoted to Flemish choral music of the Renaissance period. 8 p.m., May 14. First Church Cambridge. 617-349-3400, www.musicasacra.org

JEREMY EICHLER