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

1. Sheila E.: Prince helped turn this Latin percussion ace into a rock star with “The Glamorous Life” and “A Love Bizarre.” After receiving a lifetime achievement award at the Latin Grammys in 2021, she just dropped her first salsa album, “Bailar,” even though “I don’t speak Spanish,” as well as a new R&B album, “Hella Fonke,” that can be purchased only at her gigs. She’s spirited, passionate and funky as she and her band, E Train, will demonstrate over three nights in her return to downtown Minneapolis. (6:30 & 9 p.m. Thu., Fri. & Sat. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $65-$75, dakotacooks.com)

2. Nathalie Joachim: Liquid Music likes to present artists who combine contemporary classical music with other genres, and there are few composer-performers creating a bigger buzz at that confluence than Joachim. A former member of renowned new music ensemble Eighth Blackbird, she explored her Haitian roots with 2019′s Grammy-nominated “Fanm d’Ayiti,” and continues the quest with the recently released “Ki moun ou ye.” A singer, flutist and programmer, the Princeton University composition professor will perform it in a solo setting at Berlin, a night after having an orchestral work premiered in Chicago’s Grant Park. (6:30 p.m. Berlin, 204 N. 1st St., Mpls., $35, liquidmusic.org)

3. The Summer Singers: Vocalists from some of Minnesota’s top choirs gather to form this excellent off-season chamber choir, this year presenting a program of contemporary choral music focused upon summer, naturally. Conducting is Adam Reinwald, a longtime Cantus member and artistic director of one of those top choirs, Kantorei. (7:30 p.m. Thu. the Luminare, 770 SE. 9th St.., Mpls.; noon Sat., Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls.; 7:30 p.m. Sat. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 3920 N. Victoria St., Shoreview; 3 p.m. Sun. Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 4801 France Av. S., Mpls., free-will donation, summersingers.org)

Also: The 10th annual Great Midwest Ribfest offers three nights of BBQ and free music outdoors, with country vet John Michael Montgomery of “I Swear” fame on Thursday, War of “The World Is a Ghetto” renown on Friday and “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” hitmakers Five for Fighting on Saturday (4 p.m. Mystic Lake Casino, free); the Verve Pipe, the Michigan alt-rockers remembered for the ‘90s hit “The Freshmen,” are back (9 p.m. Uptown VFW, $35-$38); California bedroom pop artist Still Woozy delivered his second album, “Loveseat,” in June (8 p.m. the Armory, $44.50 and up).

4. Palmfest: The event that introduced many of us nonsmokers to the cool patio behind one of Minneapolis’ most beloved dive bars, it returns with an action-packed lineup of 40 punk, garage-rock and rootsy acts on two stages over three days. Saturday’s lineup boasts a reunion by Chicago punk heroes the Arrivals, Detroit’s Narcos y Horcahata, Wet Denim, Christy Costello, American Cream, Whiskey Rock and Roll Club MPLS and more. Sunday’s wild mix includes Murf, the Black Widows, Monica LaPlante, the Silent Treatment, Cindy Lawson, the Unnamed and Goo Goo Mucks. Getting things started Friday are Supportive Parents, Miracle Debt, Loss Leader, Pleasure Cube and more. (5 p.m. Fri., noon Sat. & Sun., Palmer’s Bar, 500 Cedar Av. S., Mpls., $10/day only at door, palmers-bar.com)

5. Seun Kuti & Egypt 80: A surprise-hit when they funked up the sweaty crowd before local punk legends Babes in Toyland at Rock the Garden in 2015, Kuti, the youngest son of late Afrobeat world-music icon Fela Kuti, joined his dad’s old band as a saxophonist and percussionist at age 12. Now 41, he’s leading the remnants of the band on another U.S. tour that includes opening dates with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They also recently toured with the Roots’ Black Thought, and Kuti was featured on a Janelle Monáe single. Find out why they have such high-profile fans. Local hip-hop innovator Fanaka Nation opens. (8:30 p.m. Fine Line, 318 1st Av. N., Mpls., $30-$50, axs.com)

6. Dawes: We get excited for almost every show at the Twin Cities amphitheater that should. The core of Dawes, the Los Angeles folk-rock group beloved in Minnesota for nearly 15 years, is now down to the Goldsmith brothers, Taylor and Griffin. They see it as a rebirth as they prepare to drop their eighth album, “Oh Brother,” in October. This month, they previewed the record with a beachy new single, “House Parties.” Aided by a video featuring crowd-sourced drinking scenes, the song urges skipping tourist attractions and just checking out house parties and local bands. Fittingly, two local acts, Ber and Landon Conrath, will open. (7 p.m. Hilde Performance Center, 3500 Plymouth Blvd., Plymouth, $40-$120, etix.com)

Also: Back on tour with the band he founded 30 years ago, Primus, singer/bassist Les Claypool, has been busy of late. He just released “Adverse Yaw,” a five-album collection of his solo career, and last year reunited with his Fearless Flying Frog Brigade (with Sean Lennon) and recently toured with Puscifer and A Perfect Circle to celebrate Maynard James Keenan’s 60th birthday. Coheed and Cambria open (6:30 p.m. the Ledge Amphitheater, Waite Park, $59 and up); it’s time to rock at Wild Nights at the Minnesota Zoo with the impressive original band Kiss the Tiger and Mall Rats cover band (8 p.m., $30-$40); top Twin Cities jazz drummer Joe Pulice leads a big-band salute to the legendary Buddy Rich (7 p.m. Crooners, sold out); surf-rock party band the Intoxicats are hosting their Beach Ball with bluesy opener Jake LaBotz (7 p.m. Parkway Theater, $20-$25); local punk and metal shop Extreme Noise Records’ 30th anniversary party series kicks off with Fargo thrashers Maul and Ossuary (7 p.m. Cedar Cultural Center, $30-$35); First Ave’s second annual Rock Lottery features five bands of musicians blended together randomly to create music just for this event, including Martin Dosh, Mae Simpson, members of Yam Haus and Gully Boys and more (7:30 p.m., $15-$20).

7. Music by the Mississippi: Treasure Island Casino doesn’t want to be left out of a summer full of music festivals. So, they’ve put together Music By the Mississippi featuring a host of Upper Midwest acts. OK, bands identified with Minnesota and Wisconsin. Headlining are the BoDeans of “Good Things” fame, one of Milwaukee’s finest even though lead singer Kurt Neumann has long lived in Texas, and Gear Daddies of “Zamboni” fame, the pride of Austin, Minn., even though frontman Martin Zellar has long lived in Mexico. Also appearing are barroom favorites G.B. Leighton, those harmonious brothers known as the Cactus Blossoms and Marcy Playground, named after a site in southeast Minneapolis frequented by lead singer John Wozniak. (4 p.m. Treasure Island amphitheater, 5734 Sturgeon Lake Rd., Welch, Minn., $40 and up, ticketmaster.com)

Also: His Lordship, which is the Pretenders minus Chrissie Hynde, warms up before their Sunday Target Field gig (8 p.m. Cloudland, $22-$25); MonoNeon, former Prince bassist, serves up his experimental funk in downtown Minneapolis (8:30 p.m. Fine Line, $30-$50); it’s the annual Day of Music at Orchestra Hall with 11 hours of sounds from various genres featuring FPA, Aida Shahghasemi and Nima Hafezieh, Corda, WANAKV, Yalla Drum! Ensemble, Carnage the Executioner, Havana String Quartet and the Minnesota Orchestra playing three times (9 a.m.-10 p.m. Orchestra Hall, free); after rocking the Palace Theatre last year, longtime Twin Cities favorites Big Head Todd & the Monsters take their Colorado blues-rock outside, with local openers Shannon Curfman and the Foxgloves (7 p.m. Hilde Performance Center, $45-$140); indie rapper/singer Mike, who was mentored by Earl Sweatshirt early on, has been prolific, dropping eight full lengths since 2016, including this year’s “Pinball” with Tony Seltzer (9 p.m. the Armory, $35 and up).

8. Foo Fighters: It’s been a long road back to Minnesota for Dave Grohl and his “Everlong”-hitmaking crew. Their 2022 show at the Gophers’ stadium was scratched by COVID protocols, and then the rescheduled date at U.S. Bank Stadium was canceled by drummer Taylor Hawkins’ death. In the end, they’re thankfully back in an outdoor stadium, and with a very worthy replacement drummer, ex-Vandal Josh Freese, whose local ties include his stint in the Replacements reunion run. Best of all, fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famers the Pretenders signed on to join the Foo, a year after playing a thrilling gig a block away at 7th St Entry for Chrissie Hynde’s 72nd birthday. She truly seems ageless. This could be a show for the ages, also with “Pretend We’re Dead” grunge heroes L7 as openers. (6:30 p.m. Target Field, 1 Twins Way, Mpls., $80-$450, ticketmaster.com)

Also: Sherwin Linton, Minnesota’s longest purveyor of country music and close friend of Johnny Cash, celebrates his 85th birthday (5 p.m. Belvedere tent at Crooners, $30-$40); Vanessa Carlton, remembered for the 2002 hit “A Thousand Miles,” plays a free outdoor show (7 p.m. Mayo Park, Rochester, free); Secret Number, an all-female K pop sextet, is on its first U.S. tour (7 p.m. Cedar Cultural Center, $39, all ages); Polica frontwoman Channy Leaneagh‘s third and final night of her Berlin residency will feature Lazerbeak and Ben Ivascu (7 p.m., free); the Twin Cities’ own 12-piece Shabby Road Orchestra, featuring singers Adam Levy and John Eller, once again visits the Beatles catalog 1966-70 (4 & 7 p.m. Crooners, $40-$50).

The Boat Note Five, essentially an abbreviated incarnation of the Twin Cities’ New Orleans-loving Southside Aces, salute Louis Armstrong on the 123rd anniversary of his birth (7 p.m. the Dakota, $25-$25); reuniting after nearly 20 years, Movable Feast is a Twin Cities funk-jazz supergroup featuring Kevin Washington, Tommy Barbarella, Jeff Bailey and Peter Vircks, with Thoughtcast (7 p.m. Icehouse, $18-$24); one of last year’s entries in First Ave’s Best New Bands showcase, sister-led fuzz-rock band Creeping Charlie plays a special outdoor gig (7 p.m. Lake Harriet Bandshell, free); TaliaKnight, a Chilean DJ and producer at 89.3 the Current, will offer a DJ set of house music (7 p.m. Berlin, free).

9. Vampire Weekend: It’s a drag one of indie-rock’s sunniest bands is holing up indoors for two nights during summer rather than playing an outdoor venue, like in nearly every other city on its tour. But it will be nice to have Ezra Koenig and his buoyant, harmonious, Afropop-influenced crew stretching out and mixing up their setlists over two shows now that their rather lush and intricate new album, “Only God Was Above Us,” has added even more new favorites to fans’ already deep playlists, including “Capricorn” and “Classical.” Fellow New York art-rockers Ra Ra Riot are back from a pre-COVID hiatus to open. (7 p.m. Tue. & Wed., the Armory, 600 S. 5th St., Mpls., all ages, $56, sold out Tue., ticketmaster.com)

Also: Now a quarter century into her career, luxe New York jazz vocalist Jane Monheit returns, touting her latest, “Come What May,” with noteworthy treatments of “When a Woman Loves a Man” and “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” (7 p.m. the Dakota, $45-$55).

10. Future and Metro Boomin’: After cancelling his Target Center show on short notice last year, Atlanta’s prolific and enduring trap rapper of “Masks Off” and “Low Life” fame seems poised to make it up to Twin Cities fans this time around. He’s pairing up with one of his most trusted collaborators Metro Boomin,’ a producer/DJ whose innovative beats have also graced recordings by 21 Savage, the Weeknd and Young Thug. The two longtime cohorts have put out two new collaborative albums, “We Don’t Trust You” and “We Still Don’t Trust You,” producing at least one more megahit so far, the Kendrick Lamar-accompanied “Like That.” The first set of their tour at the Rolling Loud festival featured a long list of hits from both of their discographies. (8 p.m. Xcel Center, 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, $53.50-$600, ticketmaster.com)

Also: After rocking the big Minnesota Yacht Club fest, enduring Soul Asylum dials down for Cities 97′s “Live at the Lake,” with Blue October (4-7 p.m. outside Lord Fletcher’s, free); since they are not on tour backing either Brandi Carlile or Allison Russell, Milwaukee’s SistaStrings will offer their own music again at the West Bank (7 p.m. Cedar Cultural Center, $25-$30); Wu-Tang Clan cofounder GZA & the Phunky Nomads, featuring ODB’s older brother and GZA’s cousin Ramsey Jones, add a jazzy vibe to some Wu-Tang and GZA material (6:30 & 9 p.m. the Dakota, $45-$60).

Classical music critic Rob Hubbard contributed to this column.