Critics' picks: The 10 best things to do and see in the Twin Cities this week

Sarah Silverman

Since breaking into the big leagues in the mid-1990s, Silverman has shown her chops as a TV producer, serious actor and political advocate. The two-time Emmy winner did such an impressive job filling in on "The Daily Show" last month that she deserves to be a serious candidate to become permanent host. However, she's still at her best as a stand-up comic. The 52-year-old talent isn't as obsessed these days with addressing social taboos, but she's still finding creative ways to make you squirm. Her latest tour, "Grow Some Lips," is bound to be one of this year's comedy highlights. (7:30 p.m. Fri., State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. $49-$69.50, hennepintheatretrust.org)

NEAL JUSTIN

Kelsea Ballerini

Fresh from performing on "Saturday Night Live," the country star is bringing her Heartfirst Tour to Minneapolis. The tour was conceived to support her 2022 album "Subject to Change," but then last month she dropped a new EP all about her divorce, "Rolling Up the Welcome Mat." In fact, the two tunes she offered on "SNL" — "Blindsided" and "Penthouse" — were from the EP. The tour set lists indicate a heavy mix of "Subject to Change," a taste of the EP plus earlier favorites like "Hole in the Bottle" and "Miss Me More." Georgia Webster opens. (8 p.m. Fri., the Armory, 500 S. 6th St. Mpls., $47 and up, ticketmaster.com)

JON BREAM

Morgan Wade

Last seen in town opening Chris Stapleton's Xcel Center show, this wow-generating Virginia singer/songwriter has been toeing the line between Americana rock crowds and more mainstream country since she first played First Ave opening for Lucero in 2021. She could conquer either domain. Her long-awaited local headlining gig got bumped up to the Mainroom from the Fine Line as sleeper-hit status has built up around her debut LP "Reckless," made with help from members of Jason Isbell's 400 Unit. Nate Frederick opens. (8 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, 701 1^st Av. N., Mpls., $25, axs.com)

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

Benjamin Grosvenor

Here's a wunderkind who's grown up gracefully. After making his Twin Cities debut at age 13 with a Chopin Society recital, this English pianist graduated to the Ordway Music Theater by 22. Now 30 and the most celebrated pianist that his country has produced in decades, he's back at Mac for a recital featuring music by J.S. Bach via Ferruccio Busoni, as well as a Robert Schumann Fantasy, a Sergei Prokofiev sonata and Maurice Ravel's "Le tombeau de Couperin." (3 p.m. Sun.; Mairs Concert Hall, 130 Macalester St., St. Paul; $20-$40; 612-822-0123 or chopinsocietymn.org.)

ROB HUBBARD

'The Sorcerer'

Love and trickery are in the air in Gilbert & Sullivan's 1877 comic opera, in which a young besotted couple contrive with a sorcerer to concoct a magic potion that causes the townsfolk to fall in love with the first person they see. Their idea of love regardless of rank or social class soon reveals comically mismatched twosomes, including their own parents. The show, presented by the Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company, is directed by Gary Briggle. (7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. and March 25. Ends April 2. Howard Conn Fine Arts Center, 1900 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls. $18-$28, 651-255-6947, gsvloc.org)

CYNTHIA DICKISON

Dirty Dozen Brass Band

Between Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest down in New Orleans, many of the city's finest live music acts are finding their way north to warm up winter-weary Minnesotans at the Dakota, and this one is arguably the highlight on the calendar. Now in their 45^th year, the institutional second-line brass specialists just won their first Grammy for best American roots performance with their Aaron Neville collaboration, "Stompin' Ground." They always stomp out the blues with their funky party jams and soulful gospel classics. (7 p.m. Sun., the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $40-$45, dakotacooks.com)

C.R.

'Looking Back/Moving Forward'

In 2018, artistic director Jolene Konkel choreographed the piece "Ode to Opus Jazz" with Rhythmically Speaking at Southern Theater. Since then, she's shared the work with the University of Northwestern in Roseville and Belhaven University in Jackson, Miss. She now is bringing it back to the Southern as part of the "Looking Back/Moving Forward" performance, along with two premieres by guest choreographers Steve Rooks, a former principal dancer with Martha Graham Dance Company, and Cynthia Gutierrez Garner, artistic director of Company Movimiento in Eugene, Ore. The program will feature six modern and jazz dance works performed by 15 dancers. (7:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Av. S., Mpls., $25, southerntheater.org)

SHEILA REGAN

Insight into design

The Walker Art Center's Insight Design Lecture Series dives into the design world from the perspective of those in it. This year the in-person lecture series, which runs through April 4 with a different speaker each week, focuses on the relationship between identity and design practice. Up next, Brooklyn-based studio WeShouldDoItAll (WSDIA) talks about the possibility of design as an expansive practice. WSDIA works on branding, spatial, environmental, interactive and print projects. Most recently, WSDIA worked as the creative lead for the Community Galleries at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. (7 p.m. Tue., Walker Cinema, 725 Vineland Place, Mpls. $24, $19 Walker and AIGA members, $10 students. walkerart.org)

ALICIA ELER

Ari Lennox

Last June she performed at the Afropunk festival in north Minneapolis and then in September, the Washington, D.C., R&B singer dropped "Age/Sex/Location," one of the best albums of 2022. Equal parts neo-soul, hip-hop and jazz, the album is an irresistibly intimate discussion of dating, love and independence, with guest appearances by Lucky Daye, Summer Walker and Chloe Bailey. Issued on J. Cole's Dreamville label, Lennox's project owes debts to Erykah Badu, Toni Braxton, Janet Jackson and Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir "Eat, Pray, Love." Nonetheless, Lennox triumphs with her own voice and vision. (7 p.m. Tue., Fillmore Minneapolis, 525 N. 5th St., Mpls., $39.50 and up, ticketmaster.com)

J.B.

'Twin Tracks'

A new prototype exhibit at the Minnesota Transportation Museum highlights the contribution of Black railway workers of the early 20th century. The "Twin Tracks" exhibit focuses on the challenges and discrimination the workers faced on the job during the early days of railroads as well as how these jobs supported growing and successful families. A dedication takes place with a ceremony including personal stories from community leaders and children and grandchildren whose ancestors worked on the railroads. There also will be refreshments, a museum tour and a short train ride. (Ceremony at 11 a.m. Sat, Museum hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. Museum fees waived until noon, $8-$16 after noon. 193 E. Pennsylvania Av., St. Paul. trainride.org.)

MELISSA WALKER