What exactly lets a group claim the Northwest as its home?
It’s a question fans of the Shins have to ask themselves.
After all, this is a band that got its start in Albuquerque, N.M., but also released some of its biggest and best albums — including the fantastic debut, “On, Inverted World” — on the Seattle-based label Sub Pop Records.
Plus, the group, fronted by the prolific singer James Mercer, now is based in Portland, Ore.
Fans can bicker about the group’s regionalism, or lack thereof, before its 8 p.m. Saturday show at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle.
Expect to hear well-loved favorites like “New Slang” off that aforementioned debut, along with newer hits, including “Simple Song,” from the group’s latest album, “Port of Morrow,” which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
Tickets are $31.25 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
Also Saturday, some of the biggest names in hard rock will play the White River Amphitheatre at the Uproar Festival.
The festival, which starts at 1 p.m., will feature headliners Shinedown, Godsmack and Staind.
All three of those groups can be clumped under the subhead of “nu-metal,” that thudding and angsty brand of rock that sprung up in the wake of grunge.
Tickets are $32 to $101.55 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
On a sunnier note, Jason Mraz will play the Gorge Amphitheatre that same night, with a show that starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Mraz has been a fairly consistent presence on the pop charts for the past decade, with his melodic songs like “I’m Yours” and “I Won’t Give Up” both topping a Billboard chart.
Tickets are $45.50 to $79.90 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
And pianist George Winston will launch the Northshore Performing Arts Center’s new season with a performance Sunday.
The musician has been kicking around the Billboard charts for nearly 30 years, hitting No. 4 on the New Age charts this year for his album, “Gulf Coast Blues &Impressions, Vol. 2: A Louisiana Wetlands Benefit.” Expect to hear pieces off that, along with his well-loved covers of Vince Guaraldi’s “Peanuts” music and more.
Tickets are $20 to $35 at www.npacf.org or by calling (425) 984-2471.
If you can’t wait until the weekend for one of those four shows, then check out Serj Tankian at the Showbox at the Market at 8 p.m. Friday.
It’s been six years since Tankian’s prog-metal group, System of a Down, went on hiatus, but the singer has kept busy, releasing three solo albums in the interim. The most recent, this year’s “Harikari,” debuted at No. 29 on the Billboard 200.
That album has been billed as a return to form for the singer, known for his political bracing rock music.
Tickets are $25 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.
Garbage ended its own hiatus this year, returning to the charts after seven years with “Not Your Kind of People.” Like past efforts, the album found the group producing rock music flecked with dance beats.
The group, fronted by singer Shirley Manson, will play the Showbox SoDo at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Tickets are $35 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.
Finally, Grouplove will headline the Moore Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The brightly lit alt-pop group scored a crossover hit this year with its infectious hit, “Tongue Tied.”
That track gained major traction thanks to its inclusion both in an Apple commercial and on the teen soap, “Glee.”
Tickets are $20 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
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