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

1. Morgan Wallen: For his first headline show in the Twin Cities, the country superstar is performing at U.S. Bank Stadium. For two nights! Yes, he’s become that big that fast since opening for Eric Church at the Vikings stadium two years ago. Nearly as hot as Taylor Swift, Wallen has sold more than 21 million albums of mostly his last two double discs, “Dangerous” and “One Thing at a Time,” while making headlines for late-night bad behavior. He’s crossed over from country to pop with “Last Night,” “Wasted on You” and his new No. 1 collaboration with Post Malone, “I Had Some Help.” Opening are Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith and Bryan Martin. (6 p.m. Thu. & Fri., U.S. Bank Stadium, 401 Chicago Av. S., Mpls., $100 and up, ticketmaster.com)

2. The Pixies and Modest Mouse: Since playing their first reunion gig in Minneapolis in 2005, Frank Black and his old Boston-based crew have been a more consistent live act than they ever were back in their ‘87-’93 heyday. Sounds like that’s still the case as the fiery alt-rock heroes break in a new bassist this year, Emma Richardson of Band of Skulls, the third to fill original Pixie Kim Deal’s big shoes. They’re kicking off the Surly Field concert season on a cool triple bill with “Float On” hitmakers Modest Mouse, who’ve also seemingly gotten past their spottier years. Opener is impactful dark balladeer Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, whose Dylan tribute show in March was stunning. (5:45 p.m. Surly Brewing Festival Field, 520 Malcolm Av. SE., Mpls., resale tickets only, surlybrewing.com)

3. Nicole Zuraitis: A trained opera singer, she was a late bloomer to jazz. In 2015, at age 30, she was runner-up in the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and one of the judges, jazz bass major domo Christian McBride, remembered her later at an encounter at a New York City restaurant. They collaborated on last year’s “How Love Begins,” a deeply felt collection of striking originals that deservedly earned the Grammy for best jazz vocal album over more famous singers like Patti Austin, Esperanza Spalding and Cecile McLorin Salvant. While that was Zuraitis’ fifth album as a leader, the singer/pianist established her prowess as a vocal stylist on earlier recordings of Prince’s overbaked “I Would Die 4 U” and Dolly Parton’s hauntingly jazzy “Jolene,” which received a Grammy nomination for best arrangement. (7 p.m. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $30-$35, dakotacooks.com)

Also: The New Standards, Minnesota’s favorite lounge lizards, are dubbing their annual Lowertown Sounds appearance as “Sun Drop” because it’s on summer solstice and doubles as a prequel to the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, with the highly recommended Laamar opening (6 p.m. Mears Park, free); after issuing the charmingly intimate “Live at the Bryant-Lake Bowl” acoustic album, Jeremy Messersmith is back with his ornate-sounding full band to play the Under the Canopy series with opener Anna Graves (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder, $24-$36); Grammy-winning Twin Cities gospel troupe Darnell Davis & the Remnant lead a Juneteenth Celebration (7 p.m. Icehouse, $20); singer/pianist Bryan Eng, a TV and Broadway actor, does his Nat “King” Cole thing (7 p.m. Crooners, $35-$45); it’s National Accordion Month (of course, you knew that) so Dan Newton has assembled five local accordionists for Accordion-O-Rama (8 p.m. Belvedere tent at Crooners, $30-$40); Curtiss A and his bluesy garage-rock unit the Dark Click have moved their monthly gig to St. Paul (7 p.m. Minnesota Music Cafe, $10); Mary Bue joins the Martin Devaney & Friends series at White Squirrel Bar (8 p.m., free).

4. Twin Cities Jazz Festival: This annual event could be the best two-day free outdoor music fest in town. The main action is in lovely Mears Park in the Lowertown section of downtown St. Paul with jazz songbird Karrin Allyson and vibraphone ace Stefon Harris on Friday and Kandace Springs, Prince’s soulful, jazzy piano-playing pal, and saxophonist Joe Lovano on Saturday. There are more than 80 acts in about 20 different venues, mostly in St. Paul but also in Minneapolis, Bloomington and Fridley. Many of the St. Paul spots are within walking distance of one another. Grab a bite from a food truck as you meander. (2 p.m. Fri. & noon Sat., various venues, free, twincitiesjazzfestival.com)

5. Black Pumas: After their cool-grooving 2019 sleeper hit “Colors” turned them into unlikely pop stars and even earned them a best new artist Grammy nomination, Texas studio partners Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada made good on the buzz by beefing up their band and putting on some true soul-stirring live shows. They continue to grow and strengthen on their long-awaited follow-up album, “Chronicles of a Diamond,” which leans into Burton’s Al Green-smooth voice and puts some innovative spins on modern soul music. Opener Abraham Alexander is another Lone Star State soul man who went over big at the Current’s last anniversary bash. (7 p.m. Surly Brewing Festival Field, 520 Malcolm Av. SE., Mpls., $50, axs.com)

6. Middle Kids: After hustling their way up the indie route and lighting up 7th St. Entry in their 2017 Twin Cities debut, these riveting loud-quiet-loud Australian rockers are teetering on mainstream success. Their last record won them an ARIA (Aussie Grammy) for best rock album. Their new one, “Faith Crisis, Hot Line,Pt. 1,” was co-produced by the 1975′s collaborator Jonathan Gilmore, adding new-wavy flavor to frontwoman Hannah Joy’s colorfully tortured confessional tunes. Young opener Gordi, aka Sophie PaytenPayton, is a rising Aussie electro-pop singer featured on a couple of Troye Sivan’s tracks. (8:30 p.m. Fine Line, 318 1st Av. N., Mpls., $23, axs.com)

7. Bach Roots Festival: Now in its fifth year, this summertime celebration of the music of J.S. Bach is tackling its most ambitious project yet with two performances of the composer’s magnum opus, the Mass in B Minor. Matthew Olson will lead a choir, chamber orchestra, nine vocal soloists and two instrumental soloists from the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. If you haven’t experienced a performance of one of humanity’s great artistic achievements, you really should. (7:30 p.m. Fri. Westwood Lutheran Church, 9001 Cedar Lake Road, St. Louis Park; 7:30 p.m. Sat. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 S. Snelling Av., St. Paul, $5-$25, bachrootsfestival.com)

Also: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, established in 1966, is about to go dark so cofounder Jeff Hanna and company are on a farewell tour singing “Mr. Bojangles,” “Fishin’ in the Dark” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” one more time (7:30 p.m. Vetter Stone Amphitheater, Mankato, $52-$325); Russ, the Atlanta rapper, built an underground rep with his 11 self-released albums before signing with Columbia Records, which released his latest, “Santiago”; 6LACK and Melii open (8 p.m. Xcel Energy Center, $39.50 and up); Trip Shakespeare’s frontman takes an elegant string-band approach as Matt Wilson & His Orchestra, playing the Under the Canopy series with pop-punker Christy Costello (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder, $24-$34); emo-y Long Island rock band Taking Back Sunday, a staple on the Warped Tours in the 2000s, is back out touting a new album, “152″ (8 p.m. the Fillmore, $53); Alan Sparhawk’s funky unit Derecho Rhythm Section returns to Icehouse (7 p.m., $15-$20); a cool basement twangathon is happening in the Turf Club’s retro basement with Jack Klatt and Becky Kapell (6:30 p.m. Clown Lounge, $16-$18); San Francisco’s jangly popsters the Umbrellas are pairing up with local cult fave Jim Ruiz (9 p.m. Cloudland Theater, $15).

8. One Voice Mixed Chorus: In honor of its 35th anniversary, one of the nation’s first choirs founded on the principle of LGBTQ folks singing alongside their straight allies will look back at its beginnings, singing music that explores its original mission of seeking connection and belonging and how it’s evolved over the decades. “The Art of Joy” closes Kimberly Waigwa’s first season as One Voice’s artistic director, celebrating community bonds, found and chosen family, and home. It should be an inspiring program. (7 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Ordway Concert Hall, 345 Washington St., St. Paul, $27-$47, ordway.org)

Also: To celebrate the 40th anniversary of “Purple Rain,” the Revolution will reconvene twice at the site of the movie; Friday’s show is for Celebration 2024 ticket-holders, Saturday is open to the public (8 p.m., also Sat. First Avenue, $55 and up); Morris Day does a gig without the Time on a bill that also includes members of New Power Generation, as part of Celebration 2024 that’s open to the public (8 p.m. State Theatre, $180, ticketmaster.com); as part of Twin Cities Jazz Festival, the JazzMN Orchestra plays a free show with guest vocalist supreme Jennifer Grimm (4 p.m. Belvedere tent at Crooners, free); Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon is promoting his third Alligator Records album “Shut Up and Play” (8 p.m. Uptown VFW, $25-$30); veteran Twin Cities pianist Benny Weinbeck is joined by bassist Adam Linz and drummer Phil Hey (8 p.m. Berlin, $15); California’s stormy indie-rock vet David Bazan is out again with Pedro the Lion and an opening solo set by Ella Williams aka Squirrel Flower (8 p.m. Turf Club, $25); Deadheaded groovers the Big Wu make their annual pilgrimage to the Under the Canopy series with soul man Nicholas David in tow (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder, $20-$40).

9. New Kids on the Block: Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh! Donnie Wahlberg, star of TV’s long-lived “Blue Bloods,” and the rest of NKOTB are back on tour. You can’t tell who’s having more fun after 40 years — the still limber New Kids or their middle-aged Blockheads hearing “You Got It (the Right Stuff)” and “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)” once again? To add to the nostalgia, the openers are DJ Jazzy Jeff (sans the Fresh Prince) and Paula Abdul, who might be remembered more for her stint as an “American Idol” judge than for her hits “Straight Up” and “Forever Your Girl.” (7 p.m. Mystic Lake Amphitheater, 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd., Prior Lake, $69 and up, ticketmaster.com)

Also: Even though its namesake leader died 40 years ago, the Count Basie Orchestra — with vocalist Carmen Bradford, since 1983 —is still so swingin’ that they won a Grammy this year for best large jazz ensemble for “Basie Swings the Blues” (4:30 & 7:30 p.m. Belvedere tent at Crooners, $50-$60); Twin Cities composer/experimentalist Chris Strouth and his all-star unit Paris1919, featuring Natalie Nowytski on vocals, will perform an original score to the rather twisted Victor Hugo 1928 film “The Man Who Laughs” (7:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, $12-$17); Americana music hero Chuck Prophet, whose tunes have been sung by the likes of Heart and Alejandro Escovedo, is on tour with the Mission Express for backers (8 p.m. Turf Club, $30); there’s a rowdy, gritty twofer of East Coast barroom rock with the Menzingers and Lucero (7:30 p.m. Varsity Theater, $53); Dutch pianist Joep Beving, whose work lives in the intersection of classical, new age, ambient and jazz, settles into downtown Minneapolis (7 p.m. the Dakota, $40-$45); inveterate Twin Cities crooner and broadcaster Arne Fogel celebrates his 75th birthday with the Wolverines Trio (6 p.m. Crooners, $25-$35); “Protest — A Revolutionary Rock Opus” will feature a mix of original protest songs as well as classics by Bob, Dylan, John Fogerty, Patti Smith and others, delivered by a big Twin Cities cast including Janely Rodriguez, Ashley DuBose, Linnea Mohn, Barbara Cohen and Kymani Kahlil. (7 p.m. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, $44).

10. Los Lobos: After a string of local indoor shows, including their overdue return to First Ave, the rock legends of East Los Angeles are finally booked for another Minnesota outdoor gig reminiscent of the ultra-warm vibes they generated over the decades at Music in the Zoo, the Basilica Block Party and other local locations. The repeat Grammy winners of “La Bamba” soundtrack fame and so many Americana classics of their own are celebrating their 50th anniversary on tour this year with all four original members in tow, plus longtime sideman/producer Steve Berlin. St. Louis Park’s own native son Dan Israel opens at the venue that doubles as a canopied ice rink in winter. (7 p.m. the ROC, aka Recreation Outdoor Center, 3700 Monterey Dr., St. Louis Park, $40, etix.com)

Wunderkind guitarist Taj Farrant, the 15-year-old phenom launched by “Australia’s Got Talent,” makes his Twin Cities headline debut (7:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, $35-$40); the Mary Cutrufello Band continues the twangy Tuesday happy-hour tradition at the White Squirrel Bar (6-8 p.m., free).

Eddie Spaghetti and his Arizona-reared grunge-twang unit the Supersuckers are back on tour and sounding as grimey as ever (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder Theater, $20); dramatic Utah rock unit the Used is on tour promoting a new B-sides collection, “Medz,” with fellow 2000s-era rockers Story of the Year (6 p.m. Uptown Theater, all ages, $64-$92).

Classical music critic Rob Hubbard contributed to this column.