Thursday, Nov. 9
1. Del McCoury Band: One of the giants of bluegrass, he started performing with Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys in 1963. A gifted singer and guitarist, McCoury has collected two Grammys and nine trophies for entertainer of the year from the International Bluegrass Music Association. He's performed with Phish, Steve Earle, String Cheese Incident and Preservation Hall Jazz Band and his songs have been recorded by everyone from the Lovin' Spoonful to Tom Petty. Delheads flock to DelFest every May in Cumberland, Md., where McCoury performs nightly along with a parade of pickers. With sons Ronnie on mandolin and Rob on banjo, the 84-year-old veteran is touring behind last year's "Almost Proud," which features the nifty "Honky Tonk Nights" with Vince Gill. (6:30 & 8:30 p.m. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $50-$75, dakotacooks.com)
Also: Monster bassist Victor Wooten, known for Bela Fleck & the Flecktones and seen recently with Cory Wong, leads the Wooten Brothers (8 p.m. Fine Line, $40-$60); Trace Adkins, the country star-turned-actor known for scoring the hits "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing" and "You're Gonna Miss This" and winning "The All-Star Celebrity Apprentice" in 2013, returns (8 p.m. Mystic Lake Casino, $49-$129).
Friday, Nov. 10
2. Billy Joel/Stevie Nicks: His touring partner, Elton John, has retired from the road. Her band, Fleetwood Mac, is still in mourning after the death of Christine McVie. So Joel and Nicks, a couple of 1970s stars who are in their mid 70s, have teamed up for a stadium tour. Both won Grammys for album of the year, she for Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours," he for "52nd Street." He hasn't released an album of new songs since 1993 but he's got a jukebox full of hits. She has had a continuing career with Big Mac and her solo work, which landed her in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for a second time. (7 p.m. U.S. Bank Stadium, 401 Chicago Av. S., Mpls., $79.50-$1,850, ticketmaster.com)
3. Muun Bato and Chatham Rise: How about a little hypnotizing whir-rock from some of the Twin Cities' finest psychedelic rock acts of the day to levitate your mind out of the gray weather and bad news of the moment? Joe Werner and his reverberating unit Muun Bato have been steadily blending early-Floyd-style haze with shoegazer roar since their excellent 2021 LP, "Paraphonic Vapors." Chatham Rise is finally back with a gorgeous new single, "Here She Comes," echoing an '80s-Manchester melodic buzz. Wild Lyre and newcomers Lumari will add to the lush noise. (8:30 p.m. Hook & Ladder, 3010 Minnehaha Av. S., Mpls., $15-$20, thehookmpls.com)
4. Bag Men: The new kid in town has a new band. Steve Gorman debuted in January as the new morning DJ on KQRS. He's also a drummer, having done stints in Black Crowes and Trigger Hippy. He's got a new power trio featuring guitarist Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi AllStars, Black Crowes) and singer/bassist Nick Govrik (Trigger Hippy). Bag Men's repertoire includes such originals as "I Can Feel It" and "Boil Away" and covers of the O'Jays' "Love Train" and Jimi Hendrix's "Fire." Curiosity of the week. (8:30 p.m. 7th Street Entry, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $25, axs.com)
5. John Michael Montgomery and Eddie Montgomery: What do you do when the partner in your country duo dies unexpectedly in a helicopter crash? You tour solo and you also call your bro for the Brotherly Love Tour. Eddie lost Troy Gentry in 2017 but he continues to sing all those Montgomery Gentry country hits like "Where I Come From" and "Hillbilly Shoes." He's joined on tour by his little brother, John Michael, who had a string of 1990s Nashville triumphs including "I Swear" and "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)." As kids, they played in their family band and John Michael became lead singer after their parents divorced. (8 p.m. Treasure Island Casino, 5734 Sturgeon Lake Rd, Welch, $42-$62, ticasino.com)
6. José González: Although he announced a 20th anniversary celebration of his debut album, "Veneer," for next year, the soothing Swedish acoustic bard is trying something new on tour this fall. He's offering "evening with" shows — no opener — which will start with a screening of "A Tiger in Paradise," a documentary about González's creative process, followed by a discussion with the film's director Mikel Cee Karlsson. Then comes a regular, old, wonderful solo performance. (8 p.m. Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul, $35, axs.com)
7. Sound Unseen Afterparty: Did you think the 24th annual film festival for music lovers wasn't going to also host a little live rock 'n' roll this week? They've assembled a fun lineup to finish off a day of screenings anchored by Scrunchies, the raw and riveting power trio led by former Kitten Forever howler Laura Larson with Bruise Violet drummer Danielle Cusack. In the middle slot are Black Widows, the stylish surf-rock/punkabilly trio coming off a year of touring and fun appearances. Bluesy and manic soloist Theyself opens. (9 p.m. Green Room, $10, soundunseen.com; see our roundup of the fest here.)