Thursday, June 29
Twin Cities popmeister Jeremy Messersmith does it outside (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder, $24-$36); Joyann Parker croons with her always recommended Patsy Cline tribute show (7:30 p.m. Crooners, $30-$40); what better way to end a steamy June than with a trip through Stevie Wonder's "Hotter Than July," featuring Kathleen Johnson, Lamont Keten and other Minnesota all-stars (7 p.m. Crooners, $30-$40).
Friday, June 30
1. Erykah Badu: It's her Unfollow Me Tour because, as Badu explained to Vibe, "So following me wouldn't really benefit you because you are on your journey." The title also alludes to cancel culture. No need to cancel the high priestess of neo-soul because she hasn't released a proper studio album since 2010. She promises to present "Appletree," "On & On" and other classics with a fresh vibe and cosmic visuals. Always a captivating live performer, she was a mesmerizing treat at the Armory in Minneapolis in 2021. Now she steps up to an arena, with the help of hip-hop ace Yasiin Bey, best remembered for "Body Rock" when he was known as Mos Def. (7:30 p.m. Xcel Energy Center, 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, $43-$450, ticketmaster.com)
2. Ava Max: The L.A. dance-pop star made the news last week when a crazed fan charged the stage at the Fonda Theatre and slapped Max during "The Motto." She continued to dance and then ran offstage, according to the Los Angeles Times; her eyes were closed during a post-show meet-and-greet. Best known for 2018's "Sweet but Psycho" (nearly 1.5 billion streams), the club-loved star is touring behind her delectably danceable sophomore effort, "Diamonds & Dancefloors," which peaks on "In the Dark," which breaks the mold of her club bangers. (7:30 p.m. Varsity Theater, 1308 4th St. SE, Mpls., $29.50 and up, ticketmaster.com)
3. The Honeydogs: A sweet flashback for '90s music scenesters in the Twin Cities, St. Paul-reared brothers Adam and Noah Levy are reuniting with other early era members of their jangly, Beatles-gone-Americana rock band to celebrate the first vinyl release of their 1996 album, "Everything, I Bet You." The Honeydogs' independently issued sophomore record helped them land a deal with Mercury Records and get out on the road with such earnest, bright-eyed ditties as "Your Blue Door," "Miriam" and "Bad Day, Good Night." The show quickly got bumped up from the Turf Club and is still close to being a sell-out. Humbird and Jake La Botz open. (8 p.m. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $25, axs.com)
Also: Personable Brit James Hunter returns with his popular retro soul originals (6:30 & 8:30 p.m. the Dakota, $40-$50); Florida's Selwyn Birchwood, who pairs gritty vocals with his expressively bluesy guitar, shows why he's a next-gen blues star on the new "Exorcist," his fourth and best effort for Alligator Records (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder tent, $20-$30); local singer Wayne Anthony adds butter to Bread's "Make It with You," "If" and other lite-FM favorites (7:30 p.m. Crooners, $35-$45).
Saturday, July 1
4. Talib Kweli: The influential Brooklyn hip-hop vet certainly isn't the first rapper to perform at the Minneapolis supper club famous for jazz, but he's probably the biggest. He first made his mark with Yasiin Bey (then known as Mos Def) as the duo Black Star and their landmark 2002 debut album, which they finally followed up last year. In the interim, Kweli amassed an impressive and innovative eight-LP solo discography, which he'll be spotlighting here with a funky and — yes! — jazzy live band. (6:30 & 9 p.m. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $45-$55, dakotacooks.com)
5. Tommy Stinson's Cowboys in the Campfire: More than any other record he's made since he was still a teenager skipping high school to play bass in the Replacements, it sounds like Stinson is having loads of fun on the debut LP by his long-festering duo with ex-uncle-in-law Chip Roberts. The album, "Wronger," is a rootsier, twangier set with ramshackle anthems like "Mr. Wrong" and "Fall Apart Together," plus a few tender heart-tuggers — some featuring punk legend John Doe of X on bass. Stinson is coming home to kick off the tour. His daughter Ruby and the Shackletons' Colin Campbell open. (8 p.m. Fine Line, 318 1st Av. N., Mpls., $20-$40, axs.com)
Also: Last year, Seattle's the Head and the Heart got back in the radio groove with "Virginia (Wind in the Night)" from "Every Shade of Blue," their fifth album; the Revivalists and Jaime Wyatt open (6:30 p.m. Ledge Amphitheater, Waite Park, $47-$127); "Country Grammar" and "Hot in Herre" rapper Nelly hits the hinterlands (6:30 p.m. Grand Casino Hinckley, $60-$150); Laura MacKenzie leads the local ensemble Brass Lassie, a Celtic big band (7:30 p.m. Crooners, $20-$30); Pat Hayes brings the boogie with the enduring Lamont Cranston (8 p.m. Crooners tent, $35-$45); Flamin' Oh's, popular '80s Twin Cities rockers who delivered "I Remember Romance," team up with Annie & the Bang Bang for a benefit for the Parkinson's Foundation (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder tent, $30-$40).