Picks of the week

Rock picks

Tonight: Nickelback is at the Tweeter Center with Staind and Daughtry; Solid Gold Dance Party, with the Village People, Maxine Nightingale, A Taste of Honey, Peaches and Herb, and others rolls into the Bank of America Pavilion; the Sterns top the bill downstairs at the Middle East; Neptune, Helms, Chris Brokaw and Geoff Farina, and Drew O'Doherty perform at a benefit concert at P.A.'s Lounge to raise money for local rockers J. and Janet Robbins's son Callum, who has spinal muscular atrophy (continues tomorrow with the Thalia Zedek Band , Ida, Mark Robinson, and the Secret Stars); Superhoney plays at Johnny D's; Harris, Static of the Gods, and the Snowleopards are at Bill's Bar.Tomorrow: Diana Krall performs at the Bank of America Pavilion; Bowling for Soup is at Axis with Quietdrive and Army of Freshmen ; the Boston Hip Hop Fest featuring Slaine, JtheS , Golden Brown, and others is downstairs at the Middle East.

Jazz picks

Tonight: Pianist Eric Zinman with his trio, followed by Raquib Hassan's Interdimensional Science Orchestra presenting "From Pyramids to Star Clusters Vol. 2 -- An Audio Drama," at the Lily Pad. Puerto Rican pianist Jose Negroni brings his trio to Ryles. Sunday: Vocalist/songwriter Steve Thomas and the Co-Conspirators will perform original jazz songs from their CD, "Spirits Passing Through," at Third Life Studio in Union Square, Somerville. Tuesday: Smooth jazz saxophonist Andre Ward kicks off the Elma Lewis Playhouse in the Park free summer performing arts series in Franklin Park. Wednesday: Improvising cellist/composer Erik Friedlander celebrates the release of his new disc "Block Ice and Propane," a rootsy, lyrical evocation of the American road, at the Lily Pad.