Basilica Block Party: Time to stock up the church beer coolers again. This year's party lineup has many middle-of-the-road pop/rock bands safe to bring home to Father Bauer, including Saturday night's "How to Save My Life" headliners the Fray and Friday's fast-ascending middle-slot bands American Authors and X-Ambassadors. More interestingly, Texas blues rocker Gary Clark Jr. (pictured) will show off just how godly his talent is Friday opposite indie-rock mavens Death Cab for Cutie, and with mesmerizing R&B/soul newcomer Andra Day's local coming-out. Saturday also boasts Americana songwriting hero Ryan Adams, who's been unusually steady of late, plus the Hold Steady's Craig Finn and German groover Milky Chance. (5 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Basilica of St. Mary, Mpls., $60-$65/night, $110/two-night, BasilicaBlockParty.org.)
Hunter Hayes and Alabama: Summer is a time for country music festivals. And Grand Casino Hinckley has come up with back-to-back concerts that could qualify as a mini-festival. Hunter Hayes, the high energy hitmaker behind "Wanted," is touring behind his third album, "The 21 Project," in which he presents seven songs in three different versions. Cassadee Pope, the former champ from "The Voice," opens. Alabama has enough hits in its catalog that there's no need or time for experimenting; the reunited trio has to play "Mountain Music," "Song of the South" and "Dixieland Delight." (Hayes 7:30 p.m. Fri. $25-$60; Alabama, 7:30 p.m. Sat. $40-$85, grandcasino.com.)
Frankie Lee: Given how prevalent and beloved this sandy-voiced Americana twanger has become in the Twin Cities music scene, it's hard to believe he is just now putting out his first full-length album. Actually, "American Dreamer" — featuring all-star backers JT Bates, Jeremy Ylvisaker and Mike Lewis — did come out last year in Europe via the London label Loose, which has also issued albums by Neko Case and Sturgill Simpson across the pond. It's finally getting its stateside release with hype already including a nice RollingStone.com write-up, an appearance on NPR's "World Cafe" and more signs that our love for Lee wasn't just local favoritism. (9 p.m. Sat., Turf Club, $6; also: in-store set 7 p.m. Fri., Electric Fetus, Mpls.)
Trampled by Turtles: After a long break, the acoustic sextet is back for its fourth annual summer homecoming gig in the state's most scenic outdoor venue, boasting another fun all-Minnesota lineup with Hippo Campus, the Cactus Blossoms and the Pines. (4 p.m. Sat., Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, $35-$30, First-Avenue.com.)
Billy Idol: The snarl-faced, bleach-blonde pseudo-punk of MTV fame is eschewing the casino circuit and playing a $70 gig at the club he played way back in 1982 between the ascension of his earliest hits, "Dancing With Myself" and "White Wedding" — a gig that ended with him giving a police report. This one will hopefully just be criminally fun. (8 p.m. Sun., First Avenue, sold out.)
Sarah Jarosz: Nominated for a best folk album Grammy in 2013 when she was a mere 22, this versatile singer/multi-instrumentalist from Austin, Texas, has been coming to Minnesota often of late for regular appearances on "A Prairie Home Companion." This time, she's bringing along her own band and settling in for two nights to tout another mellow but mesmerizing new album, "Undercurrent." (7 p.m. Tue.-Wed., the Dakota, $30-$35.)
Big Thief: With a Feist-like frontwoman and wonderfully frayed guitars, this Brooklyn band is the most buzzing new act in years to be launched via Omaha's Saddle Creek label. (8:30 p.m. Tue., Triple Rock, $10-$12.)
Swans: After relaunching his influential New York noise-rock band in 2010 and earning great reviews for this year's album "The Glowing Man," Michael Gira is hinting this could be his final road trek — or swan song, if you will. (8:30 p.m. Thu., Fine Line, $25.)
