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

1. Herbie Hancock: Whether he is interpreting Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints” or his own “Chameleon,” the jazz keyboard giant keeps it fresh. That’s why Hancock has commanded so much respect since his days with Miles Davis in the 1960s to his influential “Head Hunters” in ‘73 and his 1983 electronic hit “Rockit” to his Grammy-winning Joni Mitchell tribute album in 2007. At 83, the Kennedy Center Honors winner will make his first Twin Cities appearance since 2017. (7:30 p.m. State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. $60-$130, ticketmaster.com)

2. The Last Dinner Party: Working their way across America for big coming-out appearances at California’s Coachella festival, the women in this stylish, post-punky London quintet have kicked up a sizable U.S. buzz with their debut album for Island Records, “Prelude to Ecstasy,” and especially the FCC-testing single “Nothing Matters.” Their music variously recalls Florence + the Machine, Pulp and St. Vincent, but their look and approach seems one-of-a-kind. Miss Grit, aka sci-fi-channeling New York musician Margaret Sohn, opens (7:30 p.m. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $22, all ages, $22, axs.com)

Also: Ace New York clarinetist Anat Cohen and seven-string guitarist Marcello Goncalves are revisiting their Grammy-nominated 2017 album “Outra Coisa: The Music of Moacir Santos,” interpreting his Brazilian big-band arrangements as a duo (7 p.m. the Dakota, $40-$45); Tennessee Americana star Lilly Hiatt is becoming almost as reputable and reliable a songwriter as her dad John (8 p.m. 7th St. Entry, $15-$20); for his follow-up to his Erykah Badu album, Minneapolis-reared jazz-styled singer Jose James is offering original material on “1978″ (his birth year) and signing and selling copies in his hometown a day before its official release (5 p.m. Electric Fetus, free).

3. Nur-D and the Minnesota Orchestra: One of the Twin Cities music scene’s most fun and energetic entertainers is pairing up with an institution not exactly known for either trait. So there should be plenty each side can learn and benefit from in this two-night stand, which will show just how serious Matt “Nur-D” Allen is being taken as a wordsmith rapper despite or maybe because he’s so playful with the genre. He’ll be paired with conductor Sarah Hicks, whose meldings of the orchestra with Dessa were a smash success. Expect guests and props. (8 p.m., also Sat., Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $33-$83, minnesotaorchestra.org)

4. Dan + Shay: The hit country-pop duo became burned out and estranged from each other after their tour ended in 2022. They almost broke up. They even made a video talking about their feelings and their ultimate reconciliation (“The Drive”). But they’re back in a big way. Dan + Shay are the first tandem coaches on NBC’s “The Voice,” and they are on tour again, supporting their fifth album, “Bigger Houses.” It’s packed, of course, with romantic tunes that could be played at a wedding as well as some heartbreakers. With Ben Rector and Hailey Whitters. (7 p.m. Xcel Energy Center, 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, $34.50-$160, ticketmaster.com)

5. St. Paul Chamber Orchestra: When superstar violinist Joshua Bell brought the SPCO to Colorado’s Bravo! Vail Music Festival a few years ago, the festival’s artistic director — the excellent pianist Anne-Marie McDermott — was reminded what a fine orchestra it is. So she commissioned American composer Chris Rogerson to write a piano concerto for her to premiere with the SPCO. It will be presented in an expanded version this weekend with McDermott also joining SPCO musicians for chamber works by Francis Poulenc and Ernest Chausson. (11 a.m. Fri., 7 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ordway Concert Hall, 345 Washington St., St. Paul, free-$55)

Also: ”Every Time I Think of You” hitmakers the Babys join veteran Canadian rockers April Wine, who will dust off ‘80s hits “Enough Is Enough” and “Just Between You and Me” (8 p.m. Medina Entertainment Center, $44-$63); Nadah El Shazly, an actor, singer, producer, composer and sound artist from Cairo, Egypt, is a regular at electronica festivals (8 p.m. Icehouse, $20-$30); Toronto’s Connor Price, the actor who raps, is touting his second album, “Spin the Globe: Season 2″ (8 p.m. Uptown Theater, $35 and up); the 27th annual Marvin Gaye tribute, “What’s Goin’ On,” will feature a Twin Cities all-star cast including Jay Bee, Erica West, Lynval Jackson and Maurice Jacox (9:30 p.m., also Sat., Bunkers, $20-$25); Action Bronson, the New York City rapper, TV host and wrestler, throws down (8 p.m. First Avenue, $39.50 and up); guitar guru Dean Magraw will reunite with his all-star Twin Cities jazz trio the Red Planet (7-10 p.m. Berlin, $25); a good warm-up for the return of Jeff Lynne’s ELO this fall, local tribute band ELnO returns to the Uptown VFW (8 p.m., $25-$30).

6. Fall Out Boy: After some darker and more experimental years, the Chicago pop-punk darlings reminded fans of their fun, bright and bubbly side on tour with Green Day in 2021, and then they did it again in last year’s return-to-form album “So Much (for) Stardust.” Bandleaders Pete Wentz and Patrick Stump are touring without guitarist Joe Trohman this time out but seem to be carrying on happily. No doubt having resurging Arizonans Jimmy Eat World of “The Middle” fame on tour with them helps. Younger turks Hot Mulligan and Carr open. (6:30 p.m. Target Center, 600 1st Av. N., Mpls., $53-$186, ticketmaster.com)

7. Chris Stapleton: The Kentucky cowboy has been a no-nonsense performer, mixing some blues and Southern rock with twang, in a compelling style that doesn’t sound like the cookie-cutter Nashville country machine. And the industry has responded, honoring Stapleton with 10 Grammys (including best country album three times) and 15 CMA awards (album of the year twice, male vocalist of the year seven times). After opening for George Strait at the Vikings stadium in 2021, it’s Stapleton’s turn to headline. For his All-American Road Show, he’s bringing along awards-sweeping, reigning CMA entertainer of the year Lainey Wilson and blues-rock guitar monster Marcus King. (5 p.m. U.S. Bank Stadium, 401 Chicago Av. S., Mpls., $54.50 and up, ticketmaster.com)

8. Semisonic: It took them 22 years to finally put out a new full-length album, so what’s one more year when it comes to waiting for a hometown release party? The pop-rockers of “Closing Time” fame — whose frontman Dan Wilson has been busy writing Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated tunes — will use only their second gig of the year to spotlight songs from last year’s hopeful, meaningful and mighty catchy LP, “Little Bit of Sun,” solid proof they never lost their love of playing together. Don’t miss locally buzzing, Americana-tinged opener Laamar. (8 p.m. Palace Theatre, 17 W. 7th Place, St. Paul, $45-$65, axs.com)

9. Take3: Before the modern “guitar god,” there was the flamboyant, attention-grabbing solo violinist of centuries past. After years of serving in that role for new-age-y former Twin Citian Yanni, Lindsay Deutsch is clearly out to again make a place for the showy showstopper of a violinist. That’s what she does when she leads the all-woman trio, Take3, which offers high-energy classical-rock mashups, blending Beethoven and Bach with Imagine Dragons and Lynyrd Skynyrd with only a violin, cello and piano. (7:30 p.m. the O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Av., St. Paul, $5-$33, oshag.stkate.edu)

Also: British singer/songwriter Sampha dropped his sophomore album, “Lahai,” last fall, offering an airy, spiritual, meditative collection featuring “Jonathan L. Seagull,” inspired by the 1970 Richard Bach novel (8 p.m. First Avenue, $35-$40); actor/singer Linda Purl of “Happy Days” and “The Office” fame, showcases her cabaret and Broadway bona fides, accompanied by ace New York pianist Tedd Firth (7 p.m. Dunsmore Room at Crooners, $35-$45); Aussie pop/rockers Lime Cordiale, led by brothers Louis and Oli Leimbach, land in downtown St. Paul (8:30 p.m. Amsterdam Bar, $25-$35); Afrobeats Dance Party is returning to the Cedar Cultural Center with Fananka Nation and Dynamq (8 p.m., $23-$28); with KJ’s Hideaway in St. Paul now closed, the Steve Kenny Quintet is moving its usual jazz gig to the new venue in Minneapolis’ North Loop (8 p.m. Berlin, $15); Martin Zellar, the enduring Minnesota singer/songwriter who calls Mexico home, returns for two sold-out performances (5 & 8 p.m. Crooners).

Texas punk quartet the Marked Men is back in action and playing two all-ages shows in one day (3 & 7 p.m. Cloudland Theater, $22); local guitar innovator Mike Michel’s trio the Orange Goodness will make its debut at Berlin (7-10 p.m., free); St. Olaf Jazz 1, a 21-piece St. Olaf College band under the direction of Joseph L. Jefferson, showcases in a premier club (4 p.m. Crooners, sold out).

10. Raul Malo: He’s the bravura Orbisonesque voice of the Mavericks, America’s greatest dance band for baby boomers, but Malo marvels as a solo artist, as well. Maybe he’s added words to the sexy film noir instrumentals he offered on last year’s “Say Less.” Nevertheless, he has plenty of solo material from eight previous albums, including 2021′s “Quarantunes.” His first solo gig in Minneapolis since 2007 is one of only 11 shows on his spring trek. (7 p.m. the Dakota, Mpls. 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., sold out, dakotacooks.com)

Last year, Mexico-born, New York-based pianist Arturo O’Farrill, leader of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra who is bringing his quintet to Minneapolis, collected his sixth Grammy, for “Fandango at the Wall in New York” (7 p.m. the Dakota, $40-$45); a modern-day Texas icon like his author dad Larry, Austin’s James McMurtry channels the state’s dirt and character in both his gritty guitarwork and evocative songwriting (8 p.m. Fine Line, $25-$45); harrowing Texas metal vets Kublai Khan are out on their first headlining tour in four years (7:30 p.m. First Avenue, $25-$30); Peter, Paul & Mary’s Peter Yarrow , who was formerly married to a Minnesotan, shares songs and stories (7:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, $45-$65); spunky rocker Jeff Rosenstock, who has been vocal in the fight about artist’s share of merchandise sales at gigs, is touring behind his latest, “Hellmode” (6:15 p.m. Varsity Theater, $37 and up).

Somber-toned, elegantly noodling New Jersey indie-rock band Real Estate is coming back around touting their new album with Domino Recordings, “Daniel,” produced by Kacey Musgraves collaborator Daniel Tashian (8 p.m. Fine Line, $30-$45); soulful singer and Broadway composer Martha Redbone, who identifies as both Black and Native American, brings her Roots Project to Minneapolis (7 p.m. the Dakota, $40-$45); bluesy, wild-eyed Texas Americana songwriter Scott H. Biram is touring for his latest in a long line of Bloodshot Records releases, “The One and Only Scott H. Biram” (8 p.m. Turf Club, $15-$20); the Bygones, the retro-loving Nashville indie-folk duo of Joshua Lee Turner and Allison Young, will drop their self-titled debut this week (7:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, $20-$30); top-shelf Minnesota singer/songwriter Erik Koskinen continues his Icehouse residency celebrating his commendable new full length, “Down Street: Love Avenue,” with special guest Jeremy Moses Curtis (8 p.m. $25-$35).

Classical music critic Rob Hubbard contributed to this column.