The big gigs: 10 concerts to see in the Twin Cities this week

By wazup on July 12, 2023 Comments Closed / 70 views

Thursday, July 13

1. Bela Fleck: His deep and delightful 2021 disc “My Bluegrass Heart,” the finale in a decades-long trilogy, featured the adventurous banjo genius teaming with all-star guests including Chris Thile, Billy Strings, Jerry Douglas and Molly Tuttle. The record earned Fleck his 15th Grammy. Now he is taking these bluegrass tunes on tour with the formidable lineup of Michael Cleveland, Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz and Bryan Sutton. No matter whom Fleck plays with, he’s a marvel and master of innovation and spirit. (6:30 & 8:30 p.m., also Fri., the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $70-$85, dakotacooks.com)

2. Changing the Narrative: Journey North Opera is a local company devoted to putting the stories of women front and center and promoting social change. It’s created some memorable productions like its 2019 version of Benjamin Britten’s “The Rape of Lucretia,” and it will be presenting a Nico Muhly opera this fall. But it will spend this summer night serenading audiences on the very pleasant patio of a St. Paul brewery, showcasing the voices of eight women. (6 p.m. Urban Growler Brewing, 2325 Endicott St., St. Paul, free, journeynorthopera.com)

Also: Fresh off “updating” Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by making it sound even more annoying, Chicago pop/rock mainstays Fall Out Boy are playing a big outdoor gig just across the St. Croix in Wisconsin with openers Bring Me the Horizon and Royal & the Serpent (6:30 p.m. Somerset Amphitheater, $40-$140); the second annual Lutsong Music Festival kicks off in Lutsen along the North Shore with the Scarlett Goodbye and Dusty Heart on Night 1, followed by a weekend of folk and Americana picking with Storyhill, Tina Schlieske, Lanue, Kiss the Tiger, Humbird and lots more (6 p.m., also Fri.-Sun., Caribou Highlands, $45-$80); Shaun LaBelle, former Minneapolis musician who now calls L.A. home, returns behind the single “Feel the Breeze,” which is getting exposure on SiriusXM’s smooth jazz channel Watercolors; he’ll be joined by St. Paul-based star Stokley and saxophonist Randy Scott (7:30 p.m. Capri Theater, $40); Chan Poling, John Munson and Steve Roehm’s jazz-pop remake band the New Standards return to St. Paul’s Lowertown Sounds series with another veteran “new” band, the New Primitives (6-9:30 p.m., Mears Park, free); Twin Cities ambient folk-rock/neo-twang ensemble Fathom Lane, led by frontman Michael Ferrier and co-vocalist Ashleigh Still, celebrate an ornate and elegant new album, “In the Driftless,” with openers Turn Turn Turn (9 p.m. Icehouse, $15-$20); stellar Minnesota singer-songwriter Charlie Parr pairs with washboard percussionist Mikkel Beckmen for the 10th anniversary of acoustic happy hour at St. Paul’s Irish bar (5 p.m. Dubliner, free); rootsy guitar groover and Americana storyteller Erik Koskinen plays the Under the Canopy series with Wisconsinite Derek Pritzl (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder, $20-$30); some band named the Killers are playing some club called First Avenue as a warm-up to their Friday festival set (8 p.m., sold-out).

Friday, July 14

3. TC Summer Fest: While not a real music fest — there’s only one stage, and it’s mostly reserved seating — this new two-day offering from the Twins organization amounts to a couple nicely stacked rock-concert lineups in the festive ballpark setting. Friday’s roster is loaded with acts known for high-energy live shows, including “Mr. Brightside”-hitmaking Las Vegas showmen the Killers, carnivalesque indie-rock faves Flaming Lips and Ben Gibbard’s mightily moody Death Cab for Cutie, plus Cannons and Yam Haus. Another Vegas-born band, “Radioactive” anthem machine Imagine Dragons, tops off the Saturday bill over poppy “Your Shirt” strummer Chelsea Cutler, Oliver Tree, Em Beihold and Talk. (3:30-11 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Target Field, 1 Twins Way, Mpls., $74-$239, tcsummerfest.com)

4. Lakefront Music Fest: The 14th annual country and rock event sponsored by the Prior Lake Rotary has turned to Lynyrd Skynyrd, on its never-ending farewell tour (launched in 2018) despite the death of the last original member Gary Rossington in March. Singer Johnny Van Zant and crew still deliver “That Smell,” “Gimme Three Steps” and the inevitable “Free Bird” with Southern rock swagger. Joining Skynyrd on Friday will be REO Speedwagon and Black Stone Cherry. For Saturday’s country lineup, Darius Rucker tops the bill with his Nashville faves like “Wagon Wheel” and old Hootie & the Blowfish hits like “Hold My Hand.” Also appearing will be Tyler Hubbard, formerly of Florida Georgia Line, and Joe Nichols. (6 p.m. Fri. & Sat. Lakefront Park, 5000 Kop Parkway S.E., Prior Lake, sold out, lakefrontmusicfest.com)

5. Tommy Prine: He sings more like Marcus Mumford and writes with a dramatic flair befitting his mother’s native Ireland, but this buzz-generating Nashville singer/songwriter will nonetheless earn inevitable comparisons to his late father, country/folk hero John Prine. There’s enough heart and humor in his powerful songs to not disappoint. He’s only now releasing his debut album, “This Far South,” at age 27 after Ruston Kelly and Minnesota-raised studio wiz Gina Johnson very deservedly pushed him into the studio as his co-producers, with 400 Unit guitarist Sadler Vaden and other Music City aces for backers. (9 p.m. 7th St. Entry, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $18-$22, axs.com)

Also: Twin Cities experimentalist Ryan Olcott has reformed his cult-loved ’90s whir-rock band 12 Rods with an all-new lineup and is celebrating the first album under that moniker in 21 years, “If We Stayed Alive” (9 p.m. First Avenue, $25-$30); Stillwater’s popular — and free! — Lumberjack Days kicks off with the town’s new resident Your Smith, aka Caroline Smith, preceded by Alan Sparhawk’s funk group Derecho, the Sunken Lands and Ruben (6-11 p.m., Lowell Park); celebrating its 50th anniversary, Kansas carries on with “Dust in the Wind” and heyday members Phil Ehart on drums and Rich Williams on guitar (8 p.m. State Theatre, $59-$129); the Minnesota Orchestra opens its four weeks of “Summer at Orchestra Hall” with creative partner Jon Kimura Parker taking to the keys for Felix Mendelssohn’s First Piano Concerto and Seattle Symphony’s associate conductor, Lee Mills, picking up the baton (8 p.m. Orchestra Hall, $35-$90); Joey McIntyre, the sometimes Broadway performer and perpetual New Kid on the Block, shows off his solo chops (8 p.m. Varsity Theater, $49 and up); St. Paul pianist/accordionist Dan Chouinard leads a Bastille Day celebration with vocalists Bradley Greenwald, Maud Hixson and Prudence Johnson (8 p.m. Crooners, $30-$40); entertaining “Fancy Like” hitmaker Walker Hayes returns to an Applebee’s near you (7 p.m. Vetter Stone Amphitheater, Mankato, $33 and up).

Saturday, July 15

6. International Day of Music: The Twin Cities’ most eclectic one-day music festival features classical from pianist Jon Kimura Parker and the Minnesota Orchestra, but nearly as much African music, hip-hop and pop. Among the performers are Alma Andina, Miloe & the Kabeyas and Luke Turner. There’s a stage devoted to dance, too, featuring Meridian Movement Co. and In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. And it’s all free. (10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. in and around Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., free, minnesotaorchestra.org)

7. Nickel Creek: After the low-key 2014 reunion album “A Dotted Line,” this Grammy-winning bluegrassy trio is back with this year’s deep, ambitious and introspective “Celebrants.” Accompanied by bassist/producer Mike Elizondo and limited percussion, Chris Thile and siblings Sara and Sean Watkins address big topics like anxiety (“One man’s freedom’s another’s fever that keeps rising,” Thile sings in “Holding Pattern”) with graceful harmonies and uncompromising determination. Set lists of this year’s tour suggest that Nickel Creek is celebrating “Celebrants” as well as material from throughout its long, on-and-off and estimable career. Opening is Aoife O’Donovan, who was a favorite of both Thile’s “Live from Here” and Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.” (8 p.m. Palace Theatre, 17 W. 7th Pl., St., Paul, $45-$75, axs.com)

Also: Lumberjack Days continues in downtown Stillwater’s riverfront with the return of Twin Cities rock heroes the Suburbs, plus Kiss the Tiger, Derecho, Monica LaPlante and more (3:45-11 p.m., free); Dove Award-winning contemporary Christian rapper NF is moving up to arenas on his Hope Tour (8 p.m. Target Center, $30-$40); 40 years have passed since the remarkable debut of Marshall Crenshaw featuring his earworm “Someday Someway” (8 p.m. Parkway Theater, $30-$50); the always magnificent Nachito Herrera, the masterful Cuban-American pianist who calls White Bear Lake home, is back at his downtown Minneapolis home (7 p.m. the Dakota, $50-$70); Florida’s Warped Tour vets Yellowcard are together for a 20th anniversary tour of their first major-label album, “Ocean Avenue,” with Mayday Parade and Story of the Year opening (7 p.m. the Armory, all ages, $47-$87); Minnesota guitar stars Pat Donohue and Dean Magraw team with versatile vocalist Judi Vinar for Singin’ It, Stringin’ It & Bringin’ It (7 p.m. Crooners, $25-$35); before the live music check out all the LPs and memorabilia at another Twin Cities Record Show (noon-4 p.m., Minneapolis Cider Co.).

Sunday, July 16

8. Lucy Michelle: After performing around town with the happily strumming Velvet Lapelles and moodier and rockier Little Fevers since her teens, this St. Paul music fixture started assembling her second solo album before the pandemic and labored over it with ample love from crack Minnesota musicians including John Munson, Chris Koza and Dylan Hicks. The results, titled “Womanly,” sound intimate yet expansive like a Bright Eyes album or Norah Jones on a rock kick. Michelle’s familial, big-hearted lyricism shines bright in such highly relatable songs as “American Mom” and “The Comfort I Give.” The Brian Just Bands opens the release party. (7 p.m. Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Av. S., Mpls., $15-$20, theparkwaytheater.com)

9. Bastille Day Block Party: One of Minneapolis’ most popular music-heavy street bashes is back with a strong lineup of revolutionary Minnesota music. Ex-Kitten Forever co-leader Laura Larson’s manic and mischievous power trio Scrunchies headlines over an eclectic mish-mash that includes: ethereally voiced innovator Aby Wolf; heavy hip-hop howlers Mixed Blood Majority; all-star garage-rock band Blue/Green; ex-Brute Heart violaist Jackie Beckey’s arty ensemble Florina; post-punky psychedelic dance band American Cream, and River Sinclaire. Food and drinks are mixed in, too; yes, including cake. (3-9 p.m., Barbette, 1600 W. Lake St., Mpls., free, all ages, barbette.com)

Also: Friends and followers of late Minneapolis music savant Ed Ackerson will celebrate his birthday with another Sussed-tacular party, featuring performances by Kraig Johnson & the Program with guest David Poe, Two Harbors, the Mood Swings and the Blake Babies’ John P. Strohm (5 p.m. Hook & Ladder’s Under the Canopy, $18-$34); Springsteen-esque North Carolina twang-rock band American Aquarium channels more Southern tales and the death of a loved on is moving new album “Chicamacomico” (8 p.m. Fine Line, $30-$40); Turn Turn Turn performs for the Hewing Rooftop series (7 p.m. Hewing Hotel, $30).

Monday, July 17

Walker West Faculty Jazz Quintet is an unflashy moniker but the music should be top-notch with local luminaries pianist Kavyesh Kaviraj, bassist Ted Olson, drummer Kevin Washington, trumpeter Solomon Parham and saxophonist Jack Breen (7 p.m. the Dakota, $15-$20).

Tuesday, July 18

10. Ann Wilson: At 73, she still has that remarkably soaring voice that killed on “Barracuda” and yearned on “Alone.” While her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Heart is on hiatus, she dropped “Fierce Bliss,” a 2022 solo album of covers and originals, and this year joined Dolly Parton for a new version of “Magic Man.” Expect Wilson to offer some originals, lots of Heart and, of course, some Led Zeppelin when she performs with Tripsitter. (7:30 p.m. Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Av. S., $64-$94, ticketmaster.com)