This week in New Orleans: Aerosmith, Irvin Mayfield and Ernest Gaines, garage rock from Iowa, modern rock from South Africa, PhotoNOLA and a robot parade.

This week, Irvin Mayfield, Aerosmith, Gonn, Los Po-Boy-Citos and more perform.

Friday: Los Po-boy-citos, The Local Skank, 10 p.m., Tipitina's: It's dance night at Tip's with local boogaloo masters Los Po-Boy-Citos and the pop ska of The Local Skank. (tickets) Also on Friday: Vox and the Hound CD-release party with Sports & Leisure, 9 p.m., House of Blues' Parish (tickets); Christmas Bounce with Katey Red, Cheeky Blakk, Gotti Boi Chris, Ha-Sizzle and Magnolia Rhome, 10 p.m., Siberia

Saturday: Ed Volker and Friends, 8 & 10 p.m., Snug Harbor: Volker has always been prolific, and he remains so with work these days that can be heard as a reflection on his Radiator days. Also on Saturday: Honey Island Swamp Band, Tommy Malone, 10 p.m., Tipitina's (tickets); Chapter Soul, 10 p.m., The Maple Leaf Bar; Crushed Out (formerly Boom Chick), DJ Gangbusters, 10 p.m., The Howlin' Wolf's Den (tickets)

Sunday: Gonn, The Sights, Lonely Lonely Knights, DJs Ira and Scott, 10 p.m., Siberia: First generation garage band Gonn returns to New Orleans after a decade to top this garage-oriented bill. (tickets) Also on Sunday: Of Montreal, French Horn Rebellion, 10 p.m., The Howlin' Wolf (tickets)

Wednesday: Civil Twilight, The Coyotes, 10 p.m., The Maison: This serious modern rock band from South Africa is successfully grand and dramatic. (tickets)

Thursday: Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, 7:30 p.m., New Orleans Arena: Aerosmith has become the T.G.I.Friday's of rock 'n' roll, but T.G.I.Friday's has its use. As Cheap Trick demonstrated at Voodoo last year, they remain reliable as well. (tickets)  Also Kenny Brown, 6 p.m., The Ogden Museum of Southern Art

OTHER STUFF

Tonight, Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra will debut "Dirt, Dust and Trees," a tribute to Louisiana writer Ernest Gaines. The music was inspired by Gaines' writing, and CNN's Soledad O'Brien will be on hand to read excerpts of his work.The show will be in The Joy Theater, and tickets are on sale now.

PhotoNOLA is New Orleans' festival of contemporary photography that takes place at venues around the city. Talks and exhibitions take place through the weekend; check its website for details.

Could anything sound more promising than the phrase "Robot Parade"? On Sunday, a parade of moving, mechanical sculptures will trudge, roll and peramubulate through the Bywater starting at 4 p.m. at the Old Iron Works (naturally). 

On Sunday, Buffa's will launch its Sunday nght film series with a screening of Stevenson Palfi's documentary Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together. It focuses on Allen Toussaint, Professor Longhair and Tuts Washington, and it shows at 8 and 10 p.m. 

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