The Big Gigs: 10 best concerts to see in the Twin Cities this week

1. Third Coast Percussion: You owe it to the kid in your life or your heart to make music with one of the world’s most esteemed percussion ensembles. This Grammy-winning quartet from Chicago commissions and premieres pieces by major composers and some creations of its own. Thanks to the Schubert Club, they’ll offer five concerts in three days, including two “KidsJam” concerts (10:30 a.m. Thu. and Fri.), a courtroom concert for the grownups (noon Thu.) and two sold-out “FamilyJam” concerts at the Schubert Club Museum (10 and 11:15 a.m. Sat.). (Landmark Center, 75 W. 5th St., St. Paul, free, schubert.org)

Also: Christian rock mainstays Toby Mac are heading up a big lineup of contemporary holy rockers, including Cory Asbury, Mac Powell and Tasha Layton (7 p.m. Target Center, $29-$92); Senegalese musician Cheikh Ibra Fam, formerly of Orchestra Baobob, brings his African sounds to the West Bank (7:30 p.m. Cedar Cultural Center, $27-$32); like Savion Glover, Sarah Reich, who has been seen with Postmodern Jukebox and released an album “New Change,” is out to prove that tap dance is musical (7:30 p.m. Crooners, $30-$40); Hippo Campus frontman Jake Luppen is stepping out again with his almost-pseudonymous side project Lupin to headline Minnesota United FC’s Bangers Only Ball with Miloe opening (6:30 p.m. First Ave, $18-$23); there’s another show with youthful local rockers happening at the Fine Line with Rafaella and Why Not (8 p.m., $18-$40); Twin Cities innovative jazz/neo-classical players Davu Seru, Nathan Hanson and DeVon Gray are trying out the new North Loop venue Berlin (7 p.m., free); It Takes Two features Broadway duets delivered by a cast of Minnesota theater vets including Bradley Greenwald and Melody Mendis (6:30 p.m. Dunsmore Room at Crooners, $25-$35).

2. Cat Power: There has been no shortage of Bob Dylan tribute albums over the decades, but few are as exhilarating as Cat Power’s live re-creation/rerecording of his landmark “1966 Royal Albert Hall” concert, with one acoustic half and one electric. Georgia’s dark soul singer Chan Marshall and her band nailed the vehement, visionary energy of Bob and the Band’s groundbreaking period while she put her own emotional spin on the vocals. They’ve taken the show on the road and are rolling into Dylan’s home turf. (8 p.m. Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul, resale only, axs.com)

3. The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company: The company revives one of its namesake tandem’s least performed operettas, “Utopia, Limited,” in an adaptation that’s revised enough from the original to be deemed a world premiere. It’s something of a political satire set on a tropical island, with lots to say about colonialism, sexism and lot of other isms. It also features plenty of Gilbert & Sullivan’s marvelous melodies, wit and whimsical patter. (7:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., through March 24, Howard Conn Theater, Plymouth Congregational Church, 1900 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., $15-$30, gsvloc.org)

4. Delfeayo Marsalis: Wynton plays trumpet, Branford sax, Jason drums and Delfeayo trombone. One of four musical brothers in the celebrated New Orleans jazz family, Delfeayo has produced more than120 recordings, written 16 musicals for a theater he founded and leads the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, which he formed in 2008. Fresh from Mardi Gras, the trombonist brings his horn-happy party ensemble to play tunes by Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Earl King and others. Beads and dancing shoes are in order. (6:30 & 9 p.m. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $35-$45, dakotacooks.com)

Also: After going 28 years between albums, Twin Cities indie-rock darlings Run Westy Run are hyping the release of their second record in two years, “Within Reason,” with Alan Sparhawk’s Black Eyed Snakes opening (8 p.m. Turf Club, $25); fuzz-blaster quartet Crush Scene will host its five-band Crush Fest “celebrating femme’s and them’s” after releasing its debut album “Rejection Theory,” full of wickedly fun and sometimes cringe-y songs such as “Vans Difference” and “Gilmourish” (7:30 p.m. Hook & Ladder Mission Room, $10-$15); part of the great duo Plains with Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield, Texas Americana singer Jess Williamson is coming around again promoting her solo album “Time Ain’t Accidental” (8 p.m. Parkway Theater, $25-$35); in something of a pre-St. Patrick’s Day Irish music summit, Lunasa, the Irish supergroup, teams with JigJam and traditional Irish singer Daoirí Farrell (7 p.m. Pantages Theatre, $29-$84); rootsy Michigan pickers Greensky Bluegrass are back in town with openers the High Hawks, a new band featuring members of Leftover Salmon and Railroad Earth (7:30 p.m. Palace Theatre, $30-$65); another weekend night finds two more ’80s hair bands out at Medina Entertainment Center, Dokken and Bullet Boys (8 p.m., $42-$59); Apple Valley’s own Tina Schlieske celebrates the release of her standards album, “The Good Life” (7:30 p.m. Icehouse, $30-$40); LA Buckner brings the hometown hip-hop/jazz sounds of Big Homie to Crooners (8 p.m., $25-$35); Los Angeles singer/songwriter Em Beihold, who has opened for King Princess, Jonas Brothers and Lewis Capaldi, gets to headline (7:30 p.m. Fine Line, $25-$30).

5. Jason Isbell: With eight albums to his name now — plus cuts off three Drive-by Truckers records, which he still sprinkles into shows — Isbell is doing his faithful Twin Cities audience a solid by settling in for a two-night stand. The set lists should vary each night, aside from the many standout tracks on last year’s Grammy-winning album “Weathervanes.” There’s also more time for his long-cemented band to stretch out, as they did so thrillingly back in their Turf Club days. Sadly, the tour comes amid news of Isbell divorcing wife/bandmate Amanda Shires. Boston indie-rocker El Kempner’s band Palehound opens. (8 p.m. Sat. and Sun., Palace Theatre, 17 W. 7th Place, St. Paul, resale tickets only, axs.com)

6. Tomeka Reid: As virtuosic as Yo-Yo Ma, the celebrated Chicago cellist has made her name as such an adventurous jazz improviser that she received a MacArthur “genius” fellowship in 2022. She’s worked with Anthony Braxton, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Makaya McCraven and others. As a bandleader, she’s made three albums but as a co-leader she’s participated in numerous recordings, including last fall’s alluring, often gripping “Beyond Dragons” with drummer Savannah Harris and saxophonist Angelika Niescier. Reid is embarking on her most ambitious project, Stringtet, a 17-piece chamber orchestra featuring jazz and classical players conducted by Taylor Ho Bynum. (8 p.m. Walker Art Center, 723 Vineland Place, Mpls., $15-$55, walkerart.org)

7. Lil Tecca: At age 17, this New York rapper blew up with help from Juice WRLD’s producers via the poppy, synth-heavy viral hit “Ransom,” which generated enough streams to land him a deal with Republic Records alongside Drake and Taylor Swift. Four years and a billion streams later, the real-life Tyler-Justin Anthony Sharpe is making a big push as a live performer with a headlining tour ahead of summer festival dates following last year’s release of his third album, “Tec,” featuring the catchy, AutoTune-laced minor hits “500lbs” and “Hvn on Earth.” (7:30 p.m. the Fillmore, 525 N. 5th St., Mpls., all ages, $54-$82, livenation.com)

Also: Songwriter/comedian Petey is a big enough deal on TikTok his show here was bumped up to the Mainroom from the Fine Line (8 p.m. First Ave, $25); last week Jon Batiste lit up First Avenue so this week guitarist Louis Cato, his successor as bandleader on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” comes to town with the Huntertones, the horn-driven Brooklyn jazz fusion band (6:30 & 8:30 p.m. the Dakota, $30-$35); DJ OMGigi hosts the Disconcé disco tribute to Beyoncé (9 p.m. 7th St. Entry, $13); stormy indie-rock band Porcupine is celebrating a new album with Madison’s Whippets and more (9 p.m. Mortimer’s, $10).

8. Avery Sunshine: The Pennsylvania-reared, Atlanta-based artist has worked as a music minister, keyboardist for Tyler Perry and Jennifer Holliday, and half of an R&B duo. Like Aretha Franklin in concert, Sunshine, at the piano, transforms songs into personal testimony, whether an original like “Call My Name” or Aretha’s own “Daydreaming.” A generous spirit, she’s known for presenting a mix of pop and R&B hits with heavenly hymns and original tunes. (7 p.m. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $50-$55, dakotacooks.com)

Also: New York singer/songwriter Freedy Johnston, remembered for his 1996 hit “Bad Reputation,” returns (7 p.m. Parkway Theater, $20-$25); piano savant William Duncan pairs with veteran Twin Cities singer Gwen Matthews for a soulful happy hour (4:30 p.m. Crooners, $35-$45); prolific St. John’s University alum John McCutcheon has released 43 albums, some folk music and some children’s records (7:30 p.m. Cedar Cultural Center, $24-$29); local jazz drummer Dave Power is hosting a residency series every Sunday in March at Berlin in the North Loop, starting with the experimental trio Prints (6 p.m., free).

Veteran Twin Cities drummer Bobby Commodore gets into a vintage jazz fusion groove with tunes by Billy Cobham, Roy Hargrove and others, joined by keyboardist Sean Turner, bassist Jay Young, guitarist Dean Magraw, percussionist Daryl Boudreaux, saxophonist Pete Whitman and vocalists Kevin Jackson, Judi Vinar and Ginger Commodore (7 p.m. the Dakota, $20-$30); another reputable local drummer, JT Bates, kicks off a Monday night residency at Icehouse starting with the organ-laced Rhodes Quartet (8 p.m., $20-$30).

9. Aimee Mann: Since leaving her MTV-embraced ‘80s band ‘Til Tuesday of “Voices Carry” fame, Mann has built a career as a smart, often witty and versatile singer/songwriter who has composed for movies as well as her own records. After winning her second Grammy for 2017′s sad, acoustic project “Mental Illness,” she delivered 2021′s “Queens of the Summer Hotel,” inspired by the 1993 memoir “Girl, Interrupted” and 1999 Oscar-winning film of the same name. With theatrical songs like “You Could Have Been a Roosevelt” and “Suicide Is Murder,” the music was conceived for a Broadway musical that was eventually scrapped because of the pandemic. (8 p.m. Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul, $35 and up, axs.com)

Also: Las Migas, the globe-trotting flamenco quartet that won a Latin Grammy in 2022 for best flamenco album for “Libres,” lands in downtown Minneapolis (7 p.m. the Dakota, $40-$45); internationally flavored local jazzists Robert Lehmann and Toby Ramaswamy pair up (7 p.m. Berlin, free).

10. Matisyahu: It’s hard out there for an orthodox Jewish rapper in the year 2024. This always positive-vibing lyricist and rocker recently suffered cancellations in New Mexico and Arizona and has been facing protests and anti-Semitic backlash at other shows due to Israel’s war on Gaza, even though he has long voiced anti-war messages and empathy for Palestinian people. He’s still carrying the torch for peace all over his new EP, “Hold the Fire.” One of his posts on the matter read, “It truly is a sad day when dialogue with those you disagree with is abandoned for hate mongering and silencing artistic expression.” (8 p.m. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $36, axs.com)

Also: Vulnerable pop singer/songwriter Chelsea Cutler, who has recorded duets with Noah Kahan, Jeremy Zucker and Quinn XCII, is supporting her third full length “Stellaria” (8 p.m. Palace Theatre, $35-$55); Cedar Falls, Iowa-reared country singer Jay Allen has released a pedal-steel bathed version of Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” (8 p.m. Fine Line, $30-$55); Alan Doyle, frontman for the disbanded Great Big Sea, is more than a decade into his solo career (7:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, $40-$60).