7 must-see acts at this weekend's Summer Set music fest

Deadmau5: His mouse-head costume and arsenal of visual tricks is cartoony, yes, but it takes a big outdoor festival set like this one — one never seen in our neck of the woods — to take the EDM star more seriously. The dude knows how to work the biggest crowds into a frenzy. This is also his first area performance since a 2010 gig at Epic. (9 p.m. Sun., Main Stage)

Die Antwoord: A love/hate act if there ever was one, with its jarring beats, obnoxious-sounding wording and pseudo-sci-fi imagery, this South African techno-rap duo will at least have everyone agreeing on one thing: It's unlike anyone else at the fest. Or in the world, thank goodness. (6 p.m. Sun., Main Stage)

The Weeknd: His tender slow jams such as "Earned It" might be a bit of a downer for the rowdy festival atmosphere, but this willowy-voiced Toronto R&B singer, Drake associate and Taylor Swift chum is doing vibrant, innovative work that should prove exciting enough to well-attuned attendees. (9 p.m. Sat., Grove Stage)

BadBadNotGood & Ghostface Killah: Whether he's performing solo, as a duo with Raekwon or with the entire Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface is always a forceful rapper in concert. He hits extra hard and seems to be having a blast, too, when backed by this electronic-tinged Toronto jazz/funk band, whose coming-out sets at South by Southwest in March came off like a Roots/Wu-Tang mash-up. (6:30 p.m. Fri., Grove Stage)

Tune-Yards: Merrill Garbus and her New York urban-assault art-rock ensemble had the typically immobile hipsters at Rock the Garden 2012 dancing earnestly to their dizzying sonic loops and jungly drums, so they could spark an earthquake at Summer Set. (4:15 p.m. Sun., Grove Stage)

The locals: OK, that's not one act, but many of the Twin Cities acts on the lineup have one thing in common. Lizzo, Cloud Cult, Hippo Campus and John Mark Nelson each have ambitious new albums in the pipeline and will preview unreleased tracks at the fest. Lizzo especially earned a rave response with her new tunes at last month's Eaux Claires festival. (Various times/stages).

Tone Loc: Say what?! That's right, the raspy, monotone-voiced rapper behind the late-'80s hits "Funky Cold Medina" and "Wild Thing" is playing the after-party, which promises to be a hoot. Too bad the fest's old-fart attendees who remember him will probably all have crashed by then. (After midnight Sat., Grove Stage)

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER