Metal Masters coming to suburbs

Metal Masters Tour

Sorry, Maiden. This package is the best old-school heavy metal jaunt of the summer. Headliners Judas Priest just released the bloated two-disc concept album "Nostradamus," but Heaven and Hell (aka Dio-era Black Sabbath), Motörhead and especially Testament pick up any slack left by the Leather Lords.

5:30 p.m. Tuesday at First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, 19100 S. Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park. $20-$125. (312) 559-1212.

Jimmie Van Zant Band

The youngest performer to carry on the Van Zant family tradition naturally plays Southern rock. Vocalist Jimmie, cousin of .38 Special's Donnie as well as Ronnie and Johnny of Lynyrd Skynyrd fame, mixes country twang and hard rock chops on his recent "My Name is Jimmie," which includes - believe it or not - a pretty smokin' cover of Styx's "Blue Collar Man."

@x BTO factbox text bold with rule:8 p.m. Thursday at The Fuel Room at Austin's Saloon and Eatery, 481 Peterson Road, Libertyville. $12. (847) 549-1972.

Eddie Vedder

Pearl Jam frontman (and Evanston native) Eddie Vedder is on his first solo tour. He focuses on tunes from his ethereal, folky soundtrack to Sean Penn's 2007 film "Into the Wild," but some covers and PJ favorites aren't out of the question. Anyone who has a ticket for these sold-out shows should already expect EdVed's stage banter to include plenty of audience engagement and leftie rants.

7:30 p.m. Thursday and Aug. 22 at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, Chicago. $62-$77/sold out. (312) 559-1212.