The Big Gigs, March 25-30: Secret Stash Revue, Soul Asylum, Scotty McCreery

Secret Stash Soul Revue: Minneapolis' great retro-groove record label that brought you the Twin Cities Funk & Soul All-Stars and Sonny Knight & the Lakers has a new all-star project to unveil, this one boasting some younger voices and a wider variety of material. The mighty Lakers will serve as the house behind a rotating cast of singers including Knight, PaviElle French, Gospel Machine's Jayanthi Kyle, Nooky Jones' Cameron Kinghorn and powerhouse gospel ensemble James Grear and Company. They're reinterpreting the definition of a "soul" tune, with songs by Molly Maher, Willie Nelson and Patsy Cline among the promised mix. (8 p.m. Sat., Fitzgerald Theater, $17, eTix.com.) Riemenschneider

Soul Asylum: Fresh off playing six gigs in three days last week at Austin's South by Southwest festival — the band's first time there in 18 years — Dave Pirner's remade unit is back in town to tout its half-new lineup and its all-new album, "Change of Fortune." For better or worse, the record sounds like it could have been made in the '90s, with a lot of polished-up bash-and-pop tracks that sound primed for REV-105 airplay, including the first single "Supersonic." The quartet hits the hometown circuit with an in-store performance and then a return to the main room. (7 p.m. Fri., Electric Fetus, Mpls., free; and 9 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, Mpls., $20, First-Avenue.com.) Riemenschneider

Scotty McCreery: He certainly doesn't have the most versatile voice heard on "American Idol" in recent memory. But he's the only "Idol" champ since Jordin Sparks in 2007 to make a mark in the music world. The boyishly charming McCreery, now only 22, is country music's deep-voiced prince of aw-shucks sincerity. He's delivered two No. 1 country albums and a handful of modest hits, including "The Trouble with Girls" and "See You Tonight." However, this winter, he was dropped by Mercury Records. McCreery's been busy writing his book, "Go Big or Go Home: The Journey Toward the Dream," to be published in May. He calls it a travelogue, not an autobiography. (8 p.m. Fri. Mystic Lake, Prior Lake, $39 & $47, ticketmaster.com) Bream

Young Fathers: The pummelingly rhythmic, Mercury Prize-winning Scottish electro-spaz-rap trio put on one of the most visceral Entry gigs of late, and last year's album "White Men Are Black Men Too" added more thought-provoking tunes to the mix. With Kanye protege HXLT. (9 p.m. Fri., Fine Line, Mpls., $15-$17.) Riemenschneider

Eric Paslay: As luck would have it, this rising country star from Texas best known for the hit "Friday Night" arrives in Minneapolis on said night. (9 p.m. Fri. Mill City Nights, $23-$50.) Bream

Big Cats: One of the Twin Cities' premier hip-hop and electronic beatmakers/producers drops another of his own sonically kaleidoscopic albums, "What If It Doesn't Get Better?" with guest vocalists including Eric Mayson and Lydia Liza. (9 p.m. Sat., Amsterdam Bar & Hall, St. Paul, $10-$15.) Riemenschneider

Water for Flint: Paul Metsa leads 30-some Minnesota roots music vets to raise money for water-sickened Flint, Mich., including Sherwin Linton, three different Willies (Murphy, Walker and West), Mick Sterling, Pat Hayes and Andra Suchy. (7 p.m. Sat., Parkway Theater, Mpls., $30.) Riemenschneider

Jonathan Richman: The Modern Lovers leader who helped blueprint punk with "Roadrunner" remains a steadfast, entertaining indie darling, performing this time in conjunction with his pal Steve McClellan's nonprofit DEMO. (8 p.m. Sat., Cedar Cultural Center, $15-$20.) Riemenschneider

Robby Krieger: After keyboardist Ray Manzarek died in 2013, guitarist Robby Krieger decided to stop performing Doors music. But he changed his mind last year, revisiting "Light My Fire," "Touch Me," "Love Her Madly" and all those 1960s/early 70s classics he cowrote. Krieger's son Waylon is handling the lead vocals, and, unlike the Doors, Krieger is touring with a bassist. (7 p.m. Sun. Dakota, $55-$75, dakotacooks.com) Bream

Patty Griffin/Sara Watkins/Anais Mitchell: Maybe Patty Griffin finds comfort traveling in a three-female format. Last year, she toured with Mavis Staples and Amy Helm. This year, the veteran Americana warbler is teaming up with Sara Watkins, the Nickel Creek fiddler/singer who is one of Garrison Keillor's favorites, and Anais Mitchell, a promising folkie from Vermont. Griffin is promoting her self-released 2015 album "Servant of Love," an eclectic discussion of the complexities of romance. (7:30 p.m. Mon., the O'Shaughnessy, St. Catherine University, St. Paul, $35-$50, oshag.stkate.edu) Bream

Thao & the Get Down Stay Down: Arty pop-rocker Thao Nguyen and her San Francisco band keep rolling after their 2013 hit "Holy Roller" with another well-reviewed album and buzzing openers Saintseneca. (8:30 p.m. Wed., Fine Line, $20.) Riemenschneider

Aoife O'Donovan: A "Prairie Home Companion" regular, this New England singer-songwriter also has toured in the folk trio I'm With Her with "PHC" faves Sara Watkins and Sarah Jarosz. (7:30 p.m. Wed. Cedar Cultural Center, Mpls., $22-$25.) Bream

Skating Polly: Teenage punk duo Kelli Mayo and Peyton Bighorse have come roaring out of Oklahoma City with equally loud support from such fans as Wayne Coyne and Babes in Toyland. Catbath, Cherry Cola and Bruise Violet all open. (9 p.m. Wed., 7th Street Entry, $8.) Riemenschneider