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

1. Pink: She wowed with her high-flying gymnastics at Target Field in 2023. But there’s more than derring-do to the Philadelphia pop singer. Pink brings plenty of pageantry and emotive vocals as well as an in-the-moment realness that is rare among pop performers. She’ll say whatever’s on her mind. And, of course, she will deliver bravura renditions of “Raise Your Glass” and “What About Us” as she makes her second visit to the Twin Cities since releasing “Trustfall” last year. Opening are the Script and KidCutUp. (7:30 p.m. Thu. & Fri., Xcel Energy Center, 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, $95 and up, ticketmaster.com)

2. Psychedelic Furs and the Jesus and Mary Chain: Each is led by a pair of brothers. Both have had their music play pivotal roles in classic lost-youth movies since (see: ”Pretty in Pink,” ”Lost in Translation”). Otherwise, the stories behind these melodic U.K. fuzz-rock bands have varied greatly since their ‘80s heydays, with the Furs’ Richard and Tim Butler working smoothly all along with a consistent live set filled with hits such as “Love My Way,” “Ghost in You” and “Heaven.” The JAMC’s Jim and William Reid, however, have feuded often, split up a few times and never been consistent on tour. Their hits such as “Just Like Candy,” “Head On” and “Sometimes Always” were strong enough to always give them a chance, though. (7 p.m. Palace Theatre, 17 W. 7th Place, St. Paul, $55-$125, axs.com)

3. Adeem the Artist: On this year’s “Anniversary,” acclaimed Tennessee singer/songwriter Adeem — part twanger, part heartland rocker, part humorist, part John Prine acolyte — delivers country love songs and addresses issues like racism and trans bigotry. Adeem is adept as a protest singer (“Nightmare,” “Plot of Land”) and as a country storyteller (“One Night Stand”) but will remain a proudly Nashville outsider despite working with insiders like producer Butch Walker. Let’s hope the entertaining and empathetic singer/songwriter offers their oldie “For Judas,” which is set in northeast Minneapolis. (8 p.m. Turf Club, 1601 W. University Av., St. Paul, $17-$20, first-avenue.com)

4. Rick Wakeman: For his final U.S. tour, the former Yes keyboardist promises something special. He will be premiering a new piece, “Yessonata,” a half-hour instrumental featuring Yes melodies and themes braided into sonata form. In this solo piano concert, the prog-rock guru, who was a key session player in England with David Bowie, Cat Stevens and others, also has been playing material from his Yes and solo catalogs as well tributes to the Beatles and Bowie. (8 p.m. Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul, $45 and up, first-avenue.com)

Also: Cult-loved Nashville singer/songwriter John Hiatt of “Thing Called Love” and “Memphis in the Meantime” renown continues his three-night solo acoustic engagement (7 p.m. Thu. & Sat., the Dakota, $100-$160); award-winning, dusky voiced Danish jazz vocalist Sinne Eeg is accompanied by pianist Josh Nelson and bassist Billy Peterson (7 p.m. Crooners, $40-$50); Georgia’s indie-pop violinist/singer Kishi Bashi returns with Sweet Loretta (8 p.m. Amsterdam Bar, $25-$30); the new all-star experimental group Vertighost features Crescent Moon, Martin Dosh, Jacqueline Ultan, Jeremy Ylvisaker and Mark Erickson (7 p.m. Berlin, $15).

5. L.A. Buckner & Big Homie: Four years after his debut album made it No. 1 on iTunes’ jazz chart at the height of the pandemic, one of north Minneapolis’ biggest music stars of the modern era is paying tribute to his neighborhood on his long-awaited follow-up. The drummer and bandleader blends royally Prince-inspired funk with a grab-bag of jazz influences on his new album, “Norfside,” which was mastered by Mariah Carey and LL Cool J collaborator Herb Powers. Tunes like showcases other homegrown talent such as rappers Muja Messiah and Maya Marchelle as well as Buckner’s well-jelled band. (8 p.m. Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway, Mpls., all ages, $25-$30, thecapri.org)

6. Minnesota Sinfonia: For 35 years, the Sinfonia has been evangelizing for the power, beauty and educational importance of classical music by bringing free concerts to Twin Cities parks and churches and presentations to schools in low-income areas. But local corporations and foundations seem no longer interested in funding such things, so this weekend marks the final concerts for founder/conductor Jay Fishman and the orchestra, although “Music in the Schools” will continue through 2025. The orchestra’s public farewell will feature a work by Sergei Prokofiev and symphonies by Mozart and Felix Mendelssohn. (7 p.m. Fri. First Covenant Church, 1280 Arcade St., St. Paul; 2 p.m. Sun. Basilica of St. Mary, 1600 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., free, mnsinfonia.org)

Also: Following another rift in the press with his former bandmate Morrissey, the Smiths’ guitarist and co-leader Johnny Marr is sticking to playing his long-past and more recent music on a co-headlining tour with fellow Mancunian rockers James, who also still put on a solid live show (7:30 p.m. Palace Theatre, $50-$75); Mexican rock star Juanes is out on his worldwide Vida Contidiana Tour (8 p.m. Myth, $78-$208); Twin Cities funkster Paul Peterson of the Time and the Family fame celebrates his 60th birthday with a performance by St. Paul & the Minneapolis Funk All-Stars (7 p.m. the Dakota, $50-$60); EDM duo Sofi Tukker gives a jolt to the Armory (9 p.m., $49 and up); the Chicago duo Arab Blues, featuring Rami Gabriel and Karim Nagi, has been described as a Middle Eastern garage band (8 p.m. Cedar Cultural Center, $18-$23).

7. Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion: Winner of a Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy, composer Shaw thrives on collaboration, and she’s now created two albums full of songs that she sings with Brooklyn-based quartet Sō Percussion, 2021′s “Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part” and the new “Rectangles and Circumstance.” It’s music both hypnotic and invigorating, somewhere between contemporary classical compositions and pop tunes, even dipping into a bit of Abba along the way. Prepare to be mesmerized when they perform at the Walker. (7:30 p.m. McGuire Theater, Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Mpls., $25-$45, walkerart.org)

Also: Andre 3000, the hip-hop hero from OutKast, threw a curveball — or should we say screwball? — last year when for his long-awaited first solo project, “New Blue Sun,” he made an album of experimental flute music typified by the 12-minute piece “I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a Rap Album But This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time” (8 p.m. the Fillmore, $56 and up); a warm-up to Day of the Dead, Tex-Mex bands Piñata Protests and the Tiarras are making the trek up I-35 to headline Festival de las Calaveras with more music, food and vendors (5-11 p.m. Hook & Ladder, all ages $5-$15); “Worn Me Down” hitmaker Rachael Yamagata, who has contributed a ton of songs to films and television, visits the West Bank (8 p.m. Cedar Cultural Center, $30 and up); Rondo ‘56, the powerful original musical about the St. Paul Black neighborhood displaced by I-94, lands in a theater with Thomasina Petrus, T. Mychael Rambo, Charmin Michelle and Dan Chouinard (7:30 p.m. History Theatre, $30-$40); Kansas City’s cult-loved indie-rap hero Tech N9ne is out on his X-Raided Sort Tour and has local star Dwynell Roland and others opening (8 p.m. Palace Theatre, sold out); after playing Outside Lands and End of the Road festivals, Long Island’s Lemon Twigs land in Minneapolis, supporting their fifth studio LP, “A Dream Is All We Know” (8:30 p.m. Fine Line, $25-$40); local tribute band the Shabby Road Orchestra will play “Abbey Road” in full and more (7:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, $25-$55).

Two alt-rock bands with big early-’90s radio hits, “Santa Monica” hitmakers Everclear and “Sex and Candy” creators Marcy Playground are out on tour together (7 p.m. First Avenue, $36-$41); another nostalgic rock twofer, Christian-themed favorites Skillet and ’00s-pust-grunge band Seether pair up for a double header of anthemic hard-rock (6 p.m. the Armory, all ages, $53); on his first studio album in nine years, Philly neo-soul veteran Bilal gets cosmic on this year’s “Adjust Brightness” (6:30 & 9 p.m. the Dakota, $40-$45); Nashville vet Crystal Gayle, who is Loretta Lynn’s kid sister, became one of country’s biggest crossover artists of the ‘70s thanks to “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” and “Talking in Your Sleep” (7 p.m. Parkway Theater, $59-$89); Minneapolis gospel star Darnell Davis is playing a Sunday brunch set at Icehouse (noon, $25-$30); Twin Cities jazz man Ted Olsen leads the third annual Nancy B. Nordgren Memorial Concert, a benefit for ovarian cancer research, honoring his mother, a former Star Tribune editor (1 p.m. Eagles Club, $20).

Liv Warfield, the former Prince protégé who has thrilled with her funk-rock conviction and recently made it to the quarterfinals on “America’s Got Talent,” is back in town, supported by such local players as Sonny Thompson, Mike Scott and Brandon Commodore (7 p.m. the Dakota, $50-$55).

8. Leon Bridges: Is there a smoother cat delivering sweet soul music right now? The retro-leaning, ultra-soothing R&B singer/songwriter from Fort Worth, Texas, has released one of his most inspired and content-sounding records yet in “Leon,” a travelogue of sorts with scenes from around his native state and a truly peaceful, easy feeling throughout. After a well-received coming-out at the Austin City Limits Festival, he’s leaving Texas to promote the new record with intoxicating instrumental guitar duo Hermanos Gutierrez opening. (8 p.m. the Armory, 500 S. 6th St., Mpls., all ages, $73, ticketmaster.com)

9. Iron Maiden: There’s not an older metal band than Maiden still going as strong. Twin Cities fans learned this when the veteran British unit finally returned for two Xcel Center shows in the late-2010s after a 16-year hiatus in Minnesota. The band has uniquely retained five of its heyday-era members. More crucially, frontman Bruce Dickinson has also retained most of the firepower in his aces-high voice. They’re also still writing epic new material, with this tour highlighting tunes from 2021′s “Senjutsu.” On tour, they also still find clever ways to incorporate their skeletal mascot Eddie into the production. Mongolian trio the Hu opens. (7:30 p.m. Xcel Energy Center, 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, $50-$180, ticketmaster.com)

10. Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn: The former Danity Kane singer from MTV’s “Making the Band” has been in the news for suing Sean “Diddy” Combs last month for allegedly sexually assaulting her, depriving her of food and sleep, and refusing to pay her adequately back in the ‘00s. On the good news front, the New Orleans singer deserves attention for the striking “Quiet in a World of Noise,” her brand-new album and second collaboration with Zahn after a few progressive R&B records. It’s a mesmerizingly hushed collection of raw vulnerability with Richard reflecting on her cancer-afflicted father, murdered cousin and unrequited love, set to Zahn’s atmospheric minimalism. In the end, though, she finds her resilience. (7 p.m. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $35-$40, dakotacooks.com)

Also: With frontman Andrew Eldritch long voicing his distaste for the music business, goth-flavored British alternative rockers Sisters of Mercy are touring America for the first time in 14 years and not showing any mercy on ticket prices (8 p.m. the Fillmore, $82).

Steep Canyon Rangers, the Grammy-winning North Carolina bluegrass combo, returns without their sometimes guest Steve Martin, the banjo-playing comic (6:30 & 9 p.m. the Dakota, $35-$50); Lawrence, the New York sibling pop act that impressed opening for the Jonas Brothers, is back (8 p.m. the Fillmore, $40 and up); three short films by director Digger Kohler about West Bank music heroes —Willie Murphy, John Beach and Spider John Koerner — will be screened (7 p.m. St. Anthony Main, $10).

Classical music critic Rob Hubbard contributed to this column.