Even though he was branded the American Elvis Costello many years ago, youthful anger never seemed to suit John Hiatt. That's not to say he didn't make some fine records early on, but Hiatt didn't truly find his footing until he embraced his own life enough to make adulthood his best songwriting subject. Now that he's old enough to be a grandpa, Hiatt sounds fully comfortable at 55 in ways he never did at 25. His new album "Same Old Man" (New West Records) is another solid collection of singer/songwriter blues-rock animated by Hiatt's gruff-yet-lovable character-actor voice. He holds forth tonight at Raleigh's N.C. Museum of Art, backed up by the aptly named Ageless Beauties. Durham's Jon Shain opens.

Benefit shows continue for Cy Rawls, beloved fan of local music, who is battling a malignant brain tumor. Cat's Cradle in Carrboro has a wide-ranging Sunday night bill featuring Polvo (a good chance to catch them if you missed the first big reunion show back in May), Double Negative, Fin Fang Foom and more; and Chapel Hill's Local 506 counters with a Thursday night metal package of Colossus, Tooth and Grappling Hook. Check cyrawls.blogspot.com for more details, and come on out and support -- because you know Cy would do the same for you.

Tonight: Speaking of benefits, Phon and Schooner play one for Raleigh's Lump Gallery; Great Big Gone, a spinoff of Brown Mountain Lights, shows off a new album "Threadbare Heart" at the Bynum General Store; Raleigh's Pour House has a just-about-perfect triple-bill of greasy roots rock with Bleeding Hearts, Goner and Loners; and for something different, the office of Merge Records in Durham has an art show called "Town of Mirrors," featuring the artwork of Robert Pollard (of Guided by Voices fame).

Saturday: Country singer Thad Cockrell plays Raleigh's Pour House, his first local show since moving back from Nashville; Seattle's legendary Melvins rock the Cradle; '90s hitmakers Collective Soul and Blues Traveler come to Cary's Booth Amphitheatre; and The Never is at Carrboro's ArtsCenter.

Furthermore: Smashing Pumpkins' quasi-reunion tour finally makes it to the Triangle with a Sunday date at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium; Gongzilla marks the release of a new album Tuesday at the Pour House; while you're waiting for the Allman Brothers' Oct. 3 show here, you can see Devon Allman's Honeytribe at Raleigh's Lincoln Theatre Tuesday; and Red Collar kicks it at the Pour House on Thursday, the same night G. Love and Special Sauce (see Page 21) play Booth Amphitheatre.

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