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

1. Finneas: After eight years of standing proudly behind his kid-sister Billie Eilish, the pop megastar’s chief co-writer, producer and sideman is stepping into the spotlight like never before. He skipped out on Billie’s 2024 tour to focus on his second solo album, “For Cryin' Out Loud,” which has earned favorable reviews and some viral traction with a stylish, sometimes dramatic pop sound that’s equal parts Harry Styles and Coldplay. His biggest solo tour to date features fellow L.A. rockers Bad Suns as openers. (7:30 p.m. the Fillmore, 525 N. 5th St., Mpls., resale tickets only, fillmoreminneapolis.com)

2. Poliça: After a vibrant run in the 2010s that saw them playing big fests like Coachella and touring with Bon Iver, ethereally voiced singer Channy Leneagh and her doubly percussive — and still guitarless! — whir-rock band have kept a low profile in the 2020s due to the pandemic and then to bassist Chris Bierden’s brain cancer battle. A reconfigured lineup with electronics guru Alex Nutter has been sporadically gigging of late and plays its biggest hometown gig yet for the Bangers Only Ball, celebrating the kickoff to Minnesota United FC’s season. High-energy Afrobeat/hip-hop/rock blender Papa Mybe also performs. It’s a great chance to catch two innovative and electrifying Twin Cities acts at a low price and early start time. (6:30 p.m. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $15, axs.com)

3. JazzMN Orchestra featuring Morgan James: Classically trained at Juilliard, James is a soul singer who has done Broadway (“Addams Family,” “Godspell,” “Motown: The Musical”) and cabaret (shows about Paul Simon as well as Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon and Carole King). Because one of her cabaret presentations is a tribute to the great vocalist/activist Nina Simone, James is a natural to accompany the veteran JazzMN Orchestra, under the direction of Pete Whitman, in its salute to the “Young Gifted and Black” singer. (6:30 & 8:30 p.m. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $35-$50, dakotacooks.com)

4. Minnesota Opera: The company casts a welcome spotlight upon the talent within its ranks during a three-day mini-festival of concerts. It starts with four of its resident artists singing Neapolitan music, the kind of Italian popular song that could be called the first “classical crossover.” On Friday, the sopranos and altos of the Minnesota Opera Chorus perform scenes with a feminine focus from multiple operas. And a rising star, soprano Ann Toomey, ties a bow on it all with a Saturday recital. (Resident artists, 7 p.m. Thu.; Minnesota Opera Chorus, 7 p.m. Fri.; soprano Ann Toomey, 7 p.m. Sat.; Luminary Arts Center, 700 1st St. N., Mpls., $25, mnopera.org)

5. Guitar Band: Inherently a contender for the most ego-ridden band of all time — that’s just what you get with six guitarists in one group — this experimental psych-rock combo might also be one of the most peculiar and unclassifiable newish music acts in town to check out. The sprawling instrumental combo is led by Adam Zahller (Sick Eagle) with other axe wielders including Toby Ramasway, Erik Fratzke (Happy Apple) and Daisy Swimmer. Their eponymous debut EP for the Bumpy label is equal parts Krautrock, Ry Cooder and Explosions in the Sky. Fratzke’s new jazz unit Fake Accent opens the release party. (7:30 p.m. Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Av. S., Mpls., $18-$23, thecedar.org)

Also: Lanco, Nashville’s “Greatest Love Story” hitmakers, just dropped their long-awaited sophomore album, “We’re Gonna Make It” (8 p.m. Varsity Theater $38 and up).

6. Minnesota Bluegrass Winter Weekend: It’ll be a marathon of pickin’ and grinnin’ with more than 36 hours of programming over three days in Plymouth. About 30 Minnesota bluegrass groups will perform, including Roe Family Singers, Potential New Boyfriend and Mother Banjo. The headliners are Virginia’s old-time duo Adam Hurt & Beth Hartness on Friday and Colorado’s bluegrassers Stillhouse Junkies on Saturday. Between the concerts and the workshops, there will be enough high lonesome sounds to cure whatever ails you. (Fri.-Sun. Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West, 3131 Campus Drive, Plymouth, $25 and up, minnesotabluegrass.org)

Also: From a different side of the bluegrass world, Minnesota-bred string band favorites and Blue Ox Fest hosts Pert Near Sandstone are hosting their own two-night fest, the Winter String Band Gathering, starting on Night 1 with Dig Deep and Katey Bellville (8 p.m. Turf Club, $25 or $45/two-night); Dark Dark Dark and Anonymous Choir leader Nona Invie is performing her new album, “Self-soothing,” in full with a choir featuring Channy Leneagh and Aby Wolf (8 p.m. Berlin, $20); Los Angeles punk hero Lee Ving is touring with a new Fear lineup that includes late Foo Fighter Taylor Hawkins’ son Shane Hawkins sitting in on drums (8 p.m. Uptown VFW, 40); alt-twang hero Erik Koskinen and his band wrap up their February residency at Icehouse (8 p.m., $20-$27); vintage garage-rock bands the 99ers and Silverteens team up with surf-rockers the Swongos (9 p.m. Palmer’s Bar, $10); shoegaze-infused fuzz-rock kids Malamiko pair up with Unstable Shapes (8 p.m. Cloudland Theater, $12-$15).

[See also: ‘SNL’ bad boys Lee Ving and Fear lead old-school punk revival in Minneapolis.]

7. Terri Clark: It’s been a minute since this Canadian cowgirl had a Nashville hit but she commands enough respect in Music City to get some big names to record duets with her. Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Carly Pearce, Kelly Clarkson, Ashley McBride and others joined her on last year’s “Take Two,” on which Clark turned some of her hits, including “Girls Lie Too” and “Better Things To Do,” into duets. (8 p.m. Treasure Island Casino, 5734 Sturgeon Lake Rd., Welch, $25-$55, ticketmaster.com)

8. Houndmouth: After gaining a lot more Minnesota fans last summer opening for Trampled by Turtles’ big Bayfront gig, the rootsy Indiana rock band of “Sedona” fame is coming back around previewing its first new album in four years. Frontman Matt Myers has carried on through lineup changes in recent years; some contentious. But his positive, feel-good songwriting and the band’s loose but lively, Band-like spirit is still intact. South Carolinian rockers Susto opens. (8 p.m. Uptown Theater, 1320 Lagoon Av., Mpls., $41-$71, ticketmaster.com)

Also: Pink Martini, the effervescent ensemble that performs in two-dozen languages and about as many musical styles, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a two-night stand featuring vocalist China Forbes (7:30 p.m. Sat. & Sun. Pantages Theatre, $49-$89); Jesse Welles is gaining a viral following with his folk protest songs “Cancer” and “Was Isn’t Murder” (8 p.m. Cedar Cultural Center, $20-$25); New Standards vibraphonist Steve Roehm steps out again with his all-star jazz-groove ensemble the Neighborhood Quartet (7:30 p.m. Berlin, $15); the second night of Pert Near Sandstone’s Winter String Band Gathering features Bronwyn Keith-Hynes and Feeding Leroy (8 p.m. Turf Club, $25); Ben Glaros hosts another of his new, covers-filled brunch gigs, billed as “the Other Ol' Blue Eyes” (11 a.m.-2 p.m. Icehouse, $8).

9. Nelson Goerner: Because of his way with the solo works of Frederic Chopin, this Argentine pianist is as celebrated in Poland as in his native country. He also has won France’s highest honor for classical recordings (the Diapason d’Or) for albums full of Chopin and Claude Debussy. He’ll offer some of the latter as part of a Chopin Society recital that also features works by Maurice Ravel and a second half devoted to the focus of his latest album, Franz Liszt. Past visits have shown him to be a deeply involving performer. (3 p.m. Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center, 130 S. Macalester St., St. Paul, $20-$40, chopinsocietymn.org)

Also: Strings-fueled Finnish folk group Frigg is in town from Kaustinen for the Midwinter Nordic Dance (6 p.m. Cedar Cultural Center, $25); viral sketch comedy trio the Birthday Boys are touring with their offshoot party-rock band the Sloppy Boys (8 p.m. Amsterdam Bar & Hall, $30); Ben Abrahamson, who plays 6-, 8- and 12-string classical guitars, celebrates his new album, “Things Where the Wild Are,” with help from local guitarist extraordinaire Tim Sparks (5:30 p.m. Crooners, $37.89-$49.05); late ‘90s hitmaker Edwin McCain of “I’ll Be” fame is back with “Lucky,” his first album of new material in 15 years (7 p.m. the Dakota, $65-$75); much admired songwriter Freedy Johnston is still living off his “Bad Reputation” hit from the ‘90s (7 p.m. Parkway Theater, $20-$25); Drew & Ellie Holcomb, a husband-and-wife duo who had separate careers in Americana and Christian music, stand out on the ballads “Brick by Brick” and “Silver Thread” on their brand-new debut album, “Memory Bank” (7 p.m. Fitzgerald Theater, $40 and up).

The Twin Cities’ own Belfast Cowboys bring their horn-fueled Van Morrison repertoire to downtown Minneapolis (7 p.m. the Dakota, $20-$30); jazz stalwarts Chris Bates and Bryan Nichols are pairing up with younger drummer Emma Garau as the BCE Trio (7-10 p.m. Berlin, $10).

10. Bobby Commodore: He’s been a drummer around town for decades, most notably with Moore By Four and Ginger Commodore, his wife, among many others, and he was the sound engineer at the Dakota for many years. In addition to being distinguished Twin Cities musicians, the Commodores are the parents of two standout next gen forces, singer Ashley Commodore, aka Ash Smash, and drummer Brandon Commodore, who has played with Mint Condition, Stokley and his own NRG. Bobby is celebrating his 72nd birthday and, after lugging his drum kit around, he’s retiring from performing. To observe the occasion, he’s invited some old and new friends, including singers Erin Schwab, G Sharp, Sam Brown, John Jamison II and, of course, Ashley Commodore. (7 p.m. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $20-$30, dakotacooks.com)

Also: Irish singer/songwriter Keith Harkin is an alum of Celtic Thunder (7 p.m. Uptown VFW, $20-$25).

Idaho Americana singer/songwriter Eilen Jewell is touring behind her commendable 2023 album “Get Behind the Wheel,” featuring her signature roots noir discussing loss, resilience and redemption (7:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, $30-$45); well-known for his work with Doomtree, Dessa, Mixed Blood Majority and lots more, producer/beatmaker Lazerbeak is promoting his first in a series of instrumental EPs, “A Bridge Under the Alley,” with a new backing ensemble and an opening set by the Nunnery (7 p.m. Berlin, $15-$18); a Brooklyn-based collaborator with Adrianne Lenker and Big Thief, Matthew Davidson’s twangy folk act Twain is on tour with New Orleans' Esther Rose (8 p.m. Turf Club, $25); Serbian-born, L.A.-based award-winning modern blues guitar star Ana Popovic is back at the Dakota (7 p.m., $40-$50).

Classical music critic Rob Hubbard contributed to this column.