Big Gigs for Jan. 22-28: Vicky Emerson, Black Sabbath, Leon Russell, War, Todd Rundgren, 89.3 the Current's anniversary party and more

A two-night affair that always gets to the eclectic heart of the hosting radio station and nightclub, 89.3 the Current's 11th anniversary party returns to its all-local format with a couple of veteran headliners each night and a fun mishmash of up-and-comers. Duluth's slow-burning rock harmonizers Low headline Night 1 after a mesmerizing show there in November supporting the album "Ones and Sixes." Before Low come buzzing pop/rock quartet Bad Bad Hats, all-star hip-hop trio Mixed Blood Majority (Crescent Moon, Joe Horton, Lazerbeak), stylish orchestra-pop tunesmith John Mark Nelson and infectious dance-pop newcomers Bones & Beeker. Tommy Stinson (left) of the Replacements headlines Night 2 with his new quartet, featuring ex-Black Crowes guitar ace Luther Dickinson. They'll be joined by Haley Bonar's fervently rocking side band Gramma's Boyfriend, vintage/timeless sibling country act the Cactus Blossoms, powerhouse singer Jayanthi Kyle's new soul-rock band Gospel Machine and teen punks Bruise Violet. (7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., First Avenue, $20.) Chris Riemenschneider

It's pretty easy for the educators to become the entertainers in the case of Music Lab's fifth anniversary, since the south Minneapolis music school employs a lot of familiar names from the local club scene. Among them: Members of the orchestral folk-rock troupe We Are the Willows, who will headline the party at the school's funky neighborhood theater following a solo set by songwriting instructor Jeremy Messersmith and openers Improvesta. Students will also get the chance to perform. (7 p.m. Sat., Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Av. S., Mpls., $10-$12 adults, $6-$8 under 18.) Riemenschneider

For Night 2 of his Gala Weekend at Paisley Park, Prince will turn to his longtime friend Larry Graham, the legendary bass innovator and funkster from Sly & the Family Stone and Graham Central Station. Dance to the music, indeed. Local dudes Pho open. (9 p.m. Fri. Paisley Park, $50.) Jon Bream

It's a little hard to play on front porches or under big tents like true mountain-music bands do when you're a Minnesota band this time of the year, so Pert Near Sandstone has instead come up with the Winter String Gathering, which carries the spirit of a big outdoor jamboree indoors. The good-timey Minneapolis bluegrass faves change things up a lot and bring along different openers over two nights. Two Many Banjos kick it off Friday, featuring Dave Carroll of Trampled by Turtles and fellow picker Marc Gartman. Cincinnati's Rumpke Mountain Boys open the second night. (8 p.m. Fri.- Sat., Cedar Cultural Center, all ages, $17-$20, or $26 two-night pass.) Riemenschneider

Since he made his comeback in 2011 after a hiatus to raise his daughter, quintessential New York rocker Garland Jeffreys has released two impressive albums ("The King of In Between," "Truth Serum") and given three memorable performances in the Twin Cities. Only one of those gigs was with his band. And he'll bring the group (featuring ace guitarist Mark Bosch) to Minneapolis along with a back catalog of his heartfelt post-"Born to Run" streetwise rock/reggae (including "Wild in the Streets," "35 Millimeter Dreams" and "Ghost Writer") and some tales about his Syracuse University buddy Lou Reed. (7 p.m. Sun., Dakota, $35.) Bream

His past couple of times in town, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Leon Russell has been uncharacteristically chatty, talking about Starkey Hearing (he's a customer), Bob Dylan and sometimes Prince. He's been in good spirits and good voice, whether singing songs identified with him ("A Song for You," "Tightrope," "Delta Lady") or tunes the piano man played on ("Watching the River Flow," "Beware of Darkness," "Day after Day"). A Russell show is a passionate blast of classic rock with his distinctive gospel influences. (7:30 p.m. Sun., Cedar Cultural Center, $40-$55.) Bream

Vicky Emerson has voice like a fallen angel that's as pretty as it is strong, and now she backs it up with growing lyrical depth and richly blue Americana arrangements on her third album, "Wake Me When the Wind Dies Down." The Minneapolis folk/twang tunesmith reunited with producer and guitarist Matt Patrick to craft another record with a rambling spirit but deeply rooted sense of place. Standout tracks include the violin-laced, Rosanne Cash-echoing ballad "Save All My Cryin' (for Sunday Afternoons)" and the bittersweet home-sweet-home ode "Silhouette." Annie Fitzgerald opens this release party. (5 p.m. Sun., Icehouse, $8-$10.) Riemenschneider

First there was the emo-ish California pop/rock band Something Corporate, then frontman Andrew McMahon spun off his solo act Jack's Mannequin, then he came out as Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, and now he's back again with Jack's Mannequin. The occasion is the 10th anniversary of the first Jack's record, "Everything in Transit," which became a fan favorite even though he made it out of his own pocket and was sidelined by leukemia right after its completion. Washington State singer/songwriter Rachel Taylor opens as She Is We. (8 p.m. Sun., First Avenue, sold out.) Riemenschneider

They've been playing songs about destruction and end times for 47 years, and now Black Sabbath itself is facing The End. That's the name that Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler and recent cancer-surviving guitarist Tony Iommi are using for what will almost certainly be their final go-round together. Minneapolis has only the third stop on the tour, which will also feature Tommy Clufetos from Ozzy's solo band filling in on drums for estranged Sabbath co-founder Bill Ward. Southern Californian '70s throwback rockers Rival Sons open. Look for an interview with Osbourne and Butler in Monday's Variety or at startribune.com/music. (7:30 p.m. Mon., Target Center, $35-$149.) Riemenschneider

If you saw "Straight Outta Compton" about N.W.A., you got a sense of how bands fight over the ownership of their monikers. Such is the case with War, the 1970s soul-rock-jazz hitmakers known for "Low Rider," "Cisco Kid" and "The World Is a Ghetto." The band's name is owned by its manager. Hence, the group touring as War features only singer/multi-instrumentalist Lonnie Jordan from the vintage group, whereas the so-called Lowrider Band tours with four other heyday War members. (7 & 9 p.m. Mon.-Tue., Dakota, $30-$50.) Bream

Writing material for Jeff Bridges' Oscar-winning turn in "Crazy Heart" boosted Ryan Bingham's reputation. He's a distinguished Americana figure, but he took a step back on last year's "Fear and Saturday Night" album. The production was minimal, the songs straightforward and direct, perhaps less poetic and not as fully realized as 2012's "Tomorrowland" or the "Crazy Heart" work that earned him an Oscar, Grammy and the Americana Music Association's artist of the year award. Bird Dog opens. (8 p.m. Tue., First Avenue, $25.) Bream

Todd Rundgren was one of the standouts when he performed with Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band last fall in Minneapolis. Now the pop/rock wizard returns with his own band, including John Ferenzik, Jesse Gress, Prairie Prince and Kasim Sulton, to play material from last year's synth-pop "Global," his 25th solo album. Let's hope Rundgren — one of rock's great minor figures who also produced outstanding albums by the New York Dolls, Meat Loaf and Patti Smith — also visits his classics "Hello, It's Me" and "I Saw the Light." (7:30 p.m. Wed., Ames Center, Burnsville, $42.50-$62.50.) Bream

On last year's made-in-New-Orleans "Sermon on the Rocks," the always literate Josh Ritter proved once again to be a nimble wordsmith and a tuneful songwriter with a post-divorce pep in his step. Highlights of his eighth album include the swirling, epic, poetic "Homecoming"; "Cumberland," which sounds like a Paul Simon zydeco bluegrass hoedown, and "Getting Ready to Get Down," a toe-tapping, rap-sing suggestion to a small-town girl to skip Bible college and find herself by seeing the world. Elephant Revival opens. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Pantages, $35-$45.) Bream

Acoustic folk-bluesman Eric Bibb is given to collaborations. He has made albums with Habib Koite, Maria Muldaur, Rory Block and his father, Leon Bibb, among others. In concert, he's worked with the likes of Guy Davis and Ruthie Foster. The Finland-based singer/guitarist will team up this time with kindred Corey Harris, the Denver-bred acoustic bluesman. (7 p.m. Wed.-Thu., Dakota, $25-$30.) Bream

Billy Peterson is a bassist of capacious talent, a bulwark of rhythm who played on Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks," toured and recorded for decades with the Steve Miller Band and ably assisted Leo Kottke on numerous projects. But jazz is Peterson's forte — his night of thrilling bass duets with John Patitucci (of the Wayne Shorter quartet) at the Artists' Quarter remains an indelible memory. He'll be celebrating his 65th birthday with his locally legendary Peterson clan — two brothers, two sisters, a nephew and a daughter — plus smoky-voiced Icelandic singer Anna Mjoll. (11 p.m. Sat., Icehouse, $8-$10.) Britt Robson

Compositions that attempt to fuse the worlds of jazz and classical aren't often convincing, but here's one that is. Minneapolis composer Jeremy Walker's "7 Psalms" premiered a couple of years ago in the Twin Cities, and was immediately recognized as a work of unusual sincerity and resonance. Its revival at Orchestra Hall has Walker at the piano, heading an ensemble of drums, bass and saxophone. Jason Harms is on vocals, with the new Radio Choir from American Public Media sporting its jazz chops under director Tesfa Wondemagegnehu. (8 p.m. Sat., Orchestra Hall, $16.) Terry Blain

Last summer the album release party for "Foreign Territory" by trumpeter John Raymond was one of the highlights of the jazz calendar. Although he didn't bring the entire ensemble (which included sage drummer Billy Hart) to town for the gig, Raymond's tunes were crisp and inventive. Now the Minneapolis native, transplanted to New York in 2009, comes home with his stellar trio of guitarist Gilad Hekselman and drummer Colin Stranahan. The occasion is the premiere of "Real Feels," featuring Raymond on fluegelhorn on traditional tracks ranging from gospel standards "I'll Fly Away" and "Amazing Grace" to covers of tunes by Charlie Parker, Woody Guthrie and Radiohead's Thom Yorke. (9 p.m. Sat., Vieux Carre, $12.) Robson

The last Tuesday of the month is "experimental" music at Bryant-Lake Bowl, and this trio led by special guest guitarist Mike Sopko certainly qualifies. "The Golden Measure," Sopko's new disc of duets with drummer Simon Lott, is tame by his standards, but its 21 tunes fly by as a delightful assortment of conceptual, pacific and shredding workouts. The host rhythm section is Blood Quantum — Happy Apple bassist Erik Fratzke and pummeling percussionist Tim Glenn of Pentacene and the very noisy Squid Fist. Sopko, known locally for his Icehouse gigs with JT Bates, should fit right in. (8 p.m. Tue., Bryant-Lake Bowl, $5.) Robson

Veronika Eberle is still in her 20s, but the young German violinist has a string of prestigious collaborations to her credit, including appearances with the Berlin and New York philharmonics. She returns for four concerts with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and her winning blend of tonal sweetness and elegant articulation should suit Mozart's Fourth Concerto perfectly. Ligeti's Six Bagatelles for Wind Quintet, Haydn's 85th Symphony and a new work for strings by American composer Derek Bermel round out a deliciously eclectic program. (10:30 a.m. & 8 p.m. Fri., 8 p.m. Sat., Ordway Concert Hall, St. Paul; 2 p.m. Sun., Bethel University, Arden Hills; $13-$53, 651-291-1144, thespco.org) Blain