If there's anyone in the '80s whose career singlehandedly foreshadowed the current indie-punk dichotomy of singer-songwriter-identified dudes like Dashboard Confessional versus the cracked-lens pop hardcore of the Get Up Kids, it's former Replacement Paul Westerberg. His career falls into two distinct periods -- the wild, drunken, but well-crafted songs of the early Mats balanced against the increasingly middle-of-the-road power pop of the later Mats and his major-label solo career. So it's fitting that Westerberg's return to indie recording should be a split-personality affair. Stereo (Vagrant) is a stripped-down, lo-fi, warts-and-all pop release, but there's also a raw-and-rocking "Mono" bonus disc credited to Westerberg's Grandpaboy alter ego. Who'll show up on tour? Just one man and his guitar will arrive at the Somerville Theatre (617-625-4088) on Friday and at Pearl Street (423-584-0610) in Northampton on Saturday.

The Disney-engineered teen-pop rage was fun while it lasted -- wasn't it? -- but the mouse ears are beginning to show a few wrinkles. Latest bummer: Radio Disney's summer tour has been downgraded from an outdoor shed gig to an indoor club affair. The Swedish disco quartet A*Teens (latest album swaps Abba songs for Alice Cooper, with no noticeable dropoff in catchiness), dog-letter-outers Baha Men, and Making the Band finalists LMNT (that's right: they're the guys who weren't good enough to be in O-Town) are at Avalon (617-423-NEXT) in Boston on Saturday and at Meadowbrook Farm Musical Arts Center (603-293-4700) in Gilford, New Hampshire, on Sunday.

Advance rumor that the genius pairing of Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth on one stage would be dubbed the "Sans Halen" tour turned out to be merely hopeful, as did rumors that they were bringing along the original Sam & Dave for the opening act (hold your e-mail: yes, we're aware Dave Prater's dead). Catch the new Sam and Dave tonight at Meadows Music (203-265-1501) in Hartford; Sunday at Champlain Valley Expo (802-878-5545) in Essex Junction, Vermont; Tuesday at Meadowbrook Farm; and Wednesday at the Tweeter Center (617-931-2000) in Mansfield.

Wayne Newton is at the Calvin Theatre (413-584-0610) in Northampton on Tuesday. The Temptations are at the South Shore Music Circus (781-383-1400) in Cohasset on Friday, the Cape Cod Melody Tent (508-775-9100) in Hyannis on Saturday, and North Shore Music Theatre (978-232-7200) in Beverly on Sunday. Buddy Guy and Shemekia Copeland are at Toad's Place (203-562-5589) in New Haven on Tuesday, at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom (603-929-4100) in New Hampshire on Wednesday, at the South Shore Music Circus next Thursday, August 29, and at the Cape Cod Melody Tent next Friday, August 30.