It’s not exactly inviting travel weather here in the Midwest, but that’s not stopping a hearty group of top-name comedians from braving the elements to travel to bring some laughs to the metro area this weekend.

Among those on the docket are …

• Kevin Hart brings his latest stand-up show, “Acting My Age,” to town for three shows at the Fox Theatre — 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 10-11, and 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12. 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.

• Veteran comic Geoff Tate is on the mic through Saturday, Jan. 11 at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle, 310 S. Troy St., Royal Oak. 248-542-9900 or comedycastle.com.

• Cam Rowe, who stands an imposing 6 feet 9 inches, headlines at 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 10 at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.

• Charlie Berens, a veteran of MTV’s “Choose or Lose” and creator of the “Manitowoc Minute,” performs twice on Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St. Doors at 5 and 8 p.m. 248-399-2980 or royaloakmusictheatre.com.

• Cedric The Entertainer makes one of his regular metro area appearances at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11 at Sound Board in the MotorCity Casino Hotel, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit. 800-745-3000 or soundboarddetroit.com.

• Not for the faint of heart, Quinn Dale brings his unapologetically coarse and politically incorrect act to the Crofoot ballroom at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11. 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.

The year 2024 in music has been consigned to the rearview mirror with best-of lists, overviews, commentaries and other annual rites of retrospection.

Now, on to the next one.

There will no doubt be a great deal of music during the next 12 months that we’ll still be talking about at the end of 2025, some of which has yet to be revealed. But from what we know so far, these are the 25 things we’re most looking forward to in the new year …

AC/DC: It’s been nearly nine years (2016 at the Palace of Auburn Hills) since the Hell’s Bells rang in the metro area, but the Highway to Hell is leading Angus Young, Brian Johnson and the latest incarnation of the stalwart rock act back this way for an April 30 show at Ford Field — which already has an impressive concert lineup ahead with Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks on March 29, Post Malone and Jelly Roll on May 18, and Kendrick Lamar with SZA on June 10.

“Becoming Led Zeppelin:” A new, band-sanctioned documentary with some fresh interviews and never-seen-before concert footage opens Feb. 5 in select IMAX theaters, then in 200 more two days later and in more than 1,000 standard theaters on Feb. 14 — a valentine trip up the “Stairway to Heaven” for all those rapid fans.

Beyonce: Mark Jan. 14 as the day Queen Bey will announce … something, per her social media posts following her killer Christmas Day NFL halftime show in Houston. Speculation is either the announcement of a tour promoting last year’s “Cowboy Carter,” an appearance Feb. 2 at the Grammy Awards (where she’s nominated for a field-leading 11 trophies) or a new album to complete her “Renaissance” trilogy. A combination of two is possible, too, or all of the above. Stay tuned.

Alice Cooper: The Detroit-born shock rocker will be back on the road this year, with guitarist Orianthi returning while Nita Strauss takes a leave of absence, as well as work with the all-star Hollywood Vampires. We’re hearing about a new album, too — a follow-up to 2023’s “Road” that may involve members of the original Alice Cooper Band.

The Cure: The British group’s first new album in 16 years, “Songs of a Lost World,” was one of 2024’s best. And frontman Robert Smith says there’s more to come, including one he’s said is ready to go and yet another that will head in a different sonic direction. Rest assured that it’s “Never Enough” for fans, as Smith sang in 1990.

“Deliver Me From Nowhere:” Scott Cooper’s film based on Warren Zanes’ book about the making of Bruce Springsteen’s “Nebraska” album, starring Jeremy Allen White as the Boss, is in progress and expected out this fall, with Springsteen’s full blessing, buy-in and participation. Springsteen, meanwhile, will be on the road again this year, starting in Europe, and will be releasing “never-before-heard material” — perhaps the long-awaited sequel to his 1998 “Tracks” box set.

Don Was Pan-Detroit Ensemble: The all-star group the Grammy Award-winning producer from Oak Park launched last year has been in the studio and plans to release an album during the spring, which will include a mix of originals, covers and live tracks. The troupe also is performing Feb. 21-22 at the Blue Llama in Jazz Club in Ann Arbor. Was produced a new album for rock legend Mitch Ryder that’s also expected to drop this year.

Violet Grohl: Dave Grohl’s 18-year-old daughter has done her share of singing with Foo Fighters. Now she’s reportedly working on a debut album, using studio time she received from dad as a birthday present.

“I Dream of Joni:” With Joni Mitchell back and more active after a near-fatal 2015 brain aneurysm rupture, author Henry Alford offers “A Portrait … in 53 Snapshots” — vignettes, anecdotes, quotes, etc. — in a book that will be published Jan. 21 by Gallery Books.

Elton John: After a year of farewells, including the Disney+ documentary “Never Too Late,” the Rocket Man won’t be touring, but is promising some more crocodile rockin’ — including what he’s said is an album written with longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin. “The juices have never dried up,” he told Stephen Colbert.

Lady Gaga: Following her co-starring role in “Joker: Folie a Deux” and its companion album, Gaga is setting up her next pop album. She told the Los Angeles Times that “Die With a Smile,” her 2024 single with Bruno Mars, is part of the plan, and the rest of the set — rumored for February release — will feature “so many different genres, so many different styles, so many different dreams.”

“Ladies & Gentleman: 50 Years of SNL Music:” The Roots’ Questlove, who won an Academy Award for 2021’s “Summer of Soul,” directed this three-hour documentary as part of SNL’s 50th anniversary ceremony. It airs Jan. 27 on NBC (WDIV, Channel 4 in Detroit), with plenty of archival footage and interviews with Mick Jagger, Mack White, Elvis Costello, Billie Eilish, Dave Grohl, Hal Wilner and cast members past and present. Another Questlove-directed doc, “Sly Lives!” about Sly Stone, premieres Feb. 13 on Hulu.

Madonna: The Material Girl has been busy on two fronts since wrapping her Celebration Tour in May. A planned biopic with “Ozark’s” Julia Garner is being retooled, possibly for streaming, while her first new album since “Madame X” in 2019 is in motion. She wrote on Instagram that she’s been “working on new music” with regular collaborator Stuart Price, adding: “Who wants to hear new music in 2025!” Does she really have to ask?

Paul McCartney: Just before Christmas, McCartney revealed a resolution to finish a new album — his first since 2020’s “McCartney III” — in the new year. “I’ve been working on a lot of songs,” he said via his website, “and have had to put it to the side because of the (Got Back) tour. So, I’m hoping to get back into that and finish up a lot of these songs.” Plenty of fans are surely hoping it happens, too.

Oasis reunion: Were they really playing a long con or did they really hate each other? Regardless, Noel and Liam Gallagher have made their own hell freeze over and will bring Oasis back on the road this year, starting July 4 in Wales and with seven North American dates in just four cities during August and early September. Surely more than a few venues will be selling Champagne Supernova craft cocktails.

Iggy Pop: No new music from the sole surviving original Stooges member, but a fire-breathing concert album “Live at Montreux Jazz Festival 2023,” coming Jan. 24 — from a 2023 concert in Switzerland — that’s worth getting excited about.

Ed Sheeran: After a relatively quiet 2024, The British troubadour says he’s “back into big pop for the first time in a long time,” with a new album finished (release date TBA), videos already filmed and, we can expect, some live performances looming, as well.

Spinal Tap: Rob Reiner, aka Marty DiBergi, is back at the helm directing another mockumentary about the fictional(ish) rock band led by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. The follow-up to the 1984 classic features cameos by Paul McCartney and Elton John, who will perform on a new set of Tap tunes, as well.

Ringo Starr: After five EPs since March 2021, the Beatles drummer delivers his “Look Up,” his first full-length in six years, on Jan. 10. He’s joined by Billy Strings, Alison Krauss, Molly Tuttle, Larkin Poe, Lucius and T Bone Burnett, who produced and wrote most of the songs.

Thin Lizzy: Founding guitarist Eric Bell is bringing the late Phil Lynott back to life, using his vocals on nine songs from the band’s first three albums plus new, stripped-down instrumental recordings for “Acoustic Sessions,” which will be released Jan. 24. It also features Brian Downey’s original drum tracks and stands as the first “proper” album under the band name since 1983.

The War and Treaty: The Americana duo from Albion has become the darling of Nashville and beyond. Michael and Tanya Trotter are keeping their foot on the pedal this year with a new album, “Plus One” (Feb. 14), and a tour that stops March 29 at Detroit’s Saint Andrew’s Hall.

The Weeknd: His new album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” comes out Jan. 24 — but wait, there’s more, in the form of a psychological thriller feature film of the same title that will be in theaters May 16 in which he’ll star alongside Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, with Trey Edward Shults directing.

Jack White: After spending 2024 playing “gotcha!” with the surprise “No Name” album and hit-and-run tour, the Detroit-born rebel will be spending the year on a more traditional trek, with two dates — April 12 and 13 — already sold out at the Masonic Temple Theatre.

“Wicked 2:” While “Wicked” continues to defy gravity at the box office (streaming and home video expected for March), its sequel “Wicked: For Good” is on tap for a Nov. 21 release, while its creators are talking about even more installments beyond that. All of those, we suspect, will be just as “Popular.”

Peter Wolf: The frontman for adopted Detroit favorite the J. Geils Band has penned a memoir, “Waiting on the Moon: Artists, Poets, Drifters, Grifters, and Goddesses” (Little Brown and Company) publishing March 11 and telling characteristically colorful tales about moving around the luminaries (including ex-wife Faye Dunaway) in the world of music and movies.

It’s been 25 years since Trans-Siberian Orchestra began touring — starting with just seven shows during December 1999, including a date at Detroit’s State Theatre (now the Fillmore Detroit).

The orchestral rock troupe had a hit single, “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24,” and two multi-platinum albums to its credit, but guitarist and musical director Al Pitrelli acknowledges that: “We didn’t know if people would come out to see us or not. Records are one thing, selling tickets is another. It was a brave new world.”

Any concerns were quickly dispelled, however, and TSO — founded in 1996 by the late Paul O’Neill and members of the band Savatage — is now a holiday season monolith with two companies that cross-cross North America each November and December presenting pyrotechnic-laden spectacles twice daily in most cities. Last year, the group sold 920,000 tickets and grossed $66.7 million, with $1 per ticket donated to local charities.

And on Nov. 16, meanwhile, the group celebrated its 20 millionth fan in Denver.

For this year’s trek, TSO is commemorating the 20th anniversary of “The Lost Christmas Eve,” the double-platinum third album in its Christmas trilogy, by playing it in its entirety for the first time since 2013, along with other TSO and Savatage favorites. “We like to change it up,” Pitrelli, 62, explains. “The people we see every year — I consider them ‘repeat offenders.’ They’ve made (TSO) a part of their holiday tradition. They love the stories and they want to come in and be comfortable and familiar, but we want to keep them on their heels as well and do something different.

“So we change it up enough, musically, to make it interesting, and with the advances in technology, what the crew can do now is unbelievable compared to the last time we did it. It’s new but very familiar, which is the balance I like to keep.”

The year’s TSO tour wraps up on Dec. 30, and Pitrelli says ideas for next year’s production are already being discussed. Meanwhile, there’s the perennial question of new TSO recordings, as O’Neill had begun work on several projects before he died in 2017.

“It’s the biggest punch in the gut ever when you lose a family member like that,” Pitrelli explains. “We’re still catching our breath and continuing his legacy. Paul left us a lot of demoed work, half-started things we want to kick the tires on and bring to life.

“We’ll get to it. I wish I could tell you, ‘There’s these three songs that are gonna come out’ but, no, not yet. All of us … the question we always ask is ‘What would Paul do?’ We were all fairly well trained by him, but at the end of the day, it’s about him and honoring his vision, so we’re taking our time to make sure it’s right.”

Trans-Siberian Orchestra performs at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28 at Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit.  313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.

Other music events of note this weekend (all subject to change) include …

FRIDAY, DEC. 27

• Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley will be back in the Detroit Rock City groove at 7:30 p.m. at the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.

• Poor Player celebrates the release of a new album at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. Joe Serrapere and Mike Galbraith also perform. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.

• Sidepiece, Botex and Sillygirlcarmen man the decks in Building 6 at the Russell Industrial Center, 1600 Clay St, Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 248-434-7699 or paxahau.com.

• The Beastie Boys tribute Imposters in Effect hosts a “Fake Ass NYE Party” at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.

• Drummer Jeff Canady and his band hold forth through Saturday, Dec. 28 at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, 97 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5399 or dirtydogjazz.com.

• Trumpeter Karim Gideon and his Quartet play through Saturday, Dec. 28 at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• Virtual: Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros — including Detroit native Don Was — livestream at 7:30 p.m. from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and also on Saturday, Dec. 28 as well as Dec. 30-31 via nugs.net.

• Virtual: Kitchen Dwellers play at 8 p.m. from Ardmore, Pennsylvania, for subscribers to nugs.net.

• Virtual: “Grammy Greats: The Stories Behind the Songs,” hosted by Mickey Guyton and Gayle King and spotlighting award-winning tunes by Adele, Alicia Keys, Bonnie Raitt, Sting, the Doobie Brothers and more, airs at 9 p.m. on CBS (Channel 62 in Detroit) and Paramount+.

SATURDAY, DEC. 28

• Homegrown rock favorite Sponge will plow through at 8 p.m. at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.

• Bane, Koffin Cats, Throw Rag and Bill Kozy and His Rising Force are among nearly three dozen acts playing as part of a Black Christmas festival at 3 p.m. throughout the Majestic complex, 4120-4140 Woodward Ave. 313-833-9700 or majesticdetroit.com.

• Michigan favorite Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers bring a joyful noise to the Crofoot Ballroom, 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.

• Rapper Jahshua Smith celebrates the release of his new album, “But I Do,” at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. Joe Serrapere and Mike Galbraith also perform. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.

• Jim McCarty & Mystery Train keep the blues rockin’ at 8:30 p.m. at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.

• Turner Porter, 800cc and four others play a fundraiser for the American Civil Liberties Union at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.

• Tribute acts The Nightmare (Alice Cooper) and Ten Years Gone (Led Zeppelin) rock at 8 p.m. at the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.

• Crossroads Celli offers a night of between-holidays Celtic fare at 8 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.

• Virtual: Twin Atlantic’s “Meltdown: Live in the Studio” documents the Scottish alt-rock band during the recording of its latest album, in Glasgow, at 3 p.m. Tickets via veeps.com.

• Umphrey’s McGee plays at 10 p.m. and again on Sunday, Dec. 29, from Denver, for subscribers to nugs.net.

SUNDAY, DEC. 29

• MJ Live pays tribute to Michael Jackson at 7:30 p.m. at Sound Board in the MotorCity Casino Hotel, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit. 800-745-3000 or soundboarddetroit.com.

• RJ Spangler and James O’Donnell’s All-Stars play a 3 p.m. matinee, followed by the Leftovers Jaxx Sextet at 7 p.m. at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.

• The In The Tradition ensemble blends styles at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• Virtual: Icelandic singer Laufey hosts “A Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl” at 3 p.m. Tickets via veeps.com.

• Virtual: The Decemberists hold a Veeps Watch Party at 8 p.m., via veeps.com.

• Virtual: Billy Strings livestreams at 8:30 p.m. from New Orleans, for subscribers to nugs.net.

• Virtual: “Grammy Greats: The Most Memorable Moments,” hosted by Jimmy Jam and Gayle King and featuring performances by Dua Lipa, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Keith Urban, St. Vincent and more, airs at 9 p.m. on CBS (Channel 62 in Detroit) and Paramount+.

• Pianist Jon Cleary performs at 10:30 p.m. from the legendary Tipitina’s in New Orleans, for subscribers to nugs.net.

One thing’s for sure about this year’s Planet Antics variety show — you won’t get bored.

The fourth annual celebration of the creative community built around the Planet Ant Theatre in Hamtramck features a diverse night of entertainment on Saturday, Dec. 28.

Live music? Check, from Detroit favorite Duende and Alison Lewis. Improv? Check, from the Planet Ant Home Team and Soul-Prov’s blend of “R&B, Soul & Fun.” Performance art? Yes, from Hot Talent Buffet. There will be more comedy from the Planet Ant Farm Team and the Independent Comedy Club, videos by Aaron Johnstone and Big Big Baby, and performances from Rouge Reveal, Lilith’s Big Ol’ Golden Show and Midnight Garden.

The evening also includes special episodes of Planet Ant’s monthly blind-dating show Match Made on Stage and the Tapes only live VHS movie-watching series, while Devin Jetski and DJ PP Girlfriend host an after-party.

Festivities begin at 8 p.m. at the theater, 2320 Caniff St. 313-403-1814 or planetant.com for tickets and other information.

Hannah Jewel Kohn has a clear memory of hearing Neil Diamond’s music for the first time. It was during a friend’s bat mitzvah party while growing up in West Bloomfield.

“I remember hearing ‘Sweet Caroline’ being played over the loudspeakers and every person in that room loving the song,” she recalls. “I just remember everyone dancing and singing and going, ‘ba, ba, ba!’ It was just, like a huge celebration, so joyful.

“Ever since then, I’ve become such a big fan, and I think it’s really interesting that everyone has a memory tied to a lot of Neil Diamond’s music.”

These days, Kohn, 29, is much more than just a fan.

She’s portraying Diamond’s second wife, Marcia Murphey, in the first national tour of “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical,” which opened in Boston and then on Broadway in 2022, ending its run at the Broadhurst Theatre this past June 30.

A production assistant who became Diamond’s wife in 1969 and stayed married to him for more than 25 years, with two sons, Murphey was a significant force in Diamond’s life and in the musical with Kohn leading performances of Diamond hits such as “Forever in Blue Jeans” and dueting on “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers.”

“One of the biggest things I’ve learned from doing this show about Neil Diamond is how much women have played a pivotal part in his career, his life, his success,” Kohn says. “His first wife, Jaye (Posner), was believing in him and always pushing him to believe in himself, and then he had Marcia, kept him from his negativity and his doubts and insecurities and pushed him to believe in himself and his gifts.”

Kohn has met Katie McNeil, Diamond’s wife since 2012 (Diamond himself is planning to attend the tour’s upcoming Los Angeles run), and finds her “just lovely.” But the divorce from Murphey still stings in the show. “It’s really heartbreaking,” Kohn notes. “They finish with ‘You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,’ and that’s pretty much where their story ends.”

Bob Gaudio, the former Four Seasons member who went on to produce and write for Diamond and is a co-producer of “A Beautiful Noise,” concurs that Murphey plays a key role in Diamond’s ascent to pop icon status.

“Neil and I had the same manager, and Marcia was his Girl Friday and always there,” Gaudio notes. “I like to call her a visionary; she saw things in Neil I don’t think anybody realized, just from his songs. She saw bigger things. I think she was very responsible for helping Neil cross that line from songwriter to performer, and the rest is history.”

“A Beautiful Noise” is a high mark in Kohn’s theatrical history, meanwhile.

She “started tapping my toes at age 2” but started training, in dance first, at 10 years old. A transitional moment was seeing a production of “Mary Poppins” on Broadway as an adolescent. “I looked over at my mom and said, ‘I want to be up there doing what she’s doing!'” Kohn remembers. “My family are huge supporters in chasing your dreams. She said, ‘Let’s make it happen. …'”

Kohn spent two years at West Bloomfield High School, where a starring role in “Annie” “was the moment where I really started to take it seriously and hone in my craft.” She then moved to a homeschooling program at Dance Dynamics in Walled Lake, which included traveling to New York to network and audition “and see what that life was like and if it’s something I wanted to try out.”

Upon graduation, Kohn moved straight to Manhattan and “gave myself three months to book a job.” The backup plan was studying at Pace University. That wasn’t necessary, however, as Kohn scored a lead role in a production at Bush Gardens, and then on the national tour of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”

That in turn led to roles in Disney’s “Frozen” (as Princess Anna on the first national tour) and in “Come Fall in Love,” “South Pacific” and on FX’s “Fosse/Verdon.” Kohn also appeared with the New York City Opera, the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey and the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse in Auburn, New York.

“I’ve been really lucky,” Kohn acknowledges. “It comes from a lot of hard work and a lot of rejection. One of the main things I’ve learned through this whole process is how often your castmates can become the people behind the table, producing a show you’re auditioning for or directing or choreographing. That really taught me to be kind to every single person and to really work as hard as I can and do the best I can, because it’s all about connections and networking and who you know and word of mouth.

“I’ve just worked really hard to have a reputation as someone who’s reliable and who shows up and does their job 150 percent, even on the hard days, and who’s kind to people and loyal … and I think that’s paid off.”

Being part of “A Beautiful Noise,” Kohn says, “means so much to me because I’m able to do all three things I love doing, which is acting, singing and dancing.” And her favorite moment of the show comes during its second act.

“‘Forever in Blue Jeans,’ I get to sing my face off, then break out into a dance break, then go back to singing — all that while I’m telling a story about how money does not fill you up and all Marcia really wants is her husband to be there for her,” Kohn says. “She doesn’t care about diamonds or Malibu houses or at; she cares about spending time with her husband in blue jeans, just chilling on the couch, enjoying each other.

“It’s really exhilarating. I’m so grateful to be doing this and doing something that is so fulfilling and so rewarding.”

Kohn is just three months into her yearlong contract with “A Beautiful Noise” and says a future goal is to originate a role in a new musical. “I’m really interested in collaborating and building something that feels truthful and meaningful and real,” she says. Being “on the other side of the table,” which she’s “dabbled in,” is also appealing, she adds, but not in the immediate future.

“I absolutely loved it, and I do plan on doing that in the future,” she says, “but right now I have that hunger to perform every night, to be on stage. It really does fill me up and it’s so rewarding. So that’s what I really want to do.”

“A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” opens Tuesday, Dec. 24 and runs through Jan. 4 at the Fisher Theatre, 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit. 313-872-100 or broadwayindetroit.com.