Critics’ picks: The 13 best things to do and see in the Twin Cities this week

It’s hard to know what to expect from Los Angeles rap ace Tyler Okonma on any given day, but that’ll be especially true Tuesday. The former Odd Future teen star — who’s become a top draw at festivals and on Spotify at age 33 — is kicking off his Chromakopia Tour in St. Paul. His new album of the same name is a surprisingly serious and emotional effort that riffs on his estranged relationship with his dad and prominently features his proud mom. Will the show be similarly dramatic? Or will it offer more of the cartoony mega-production of his 2022 Target Center gig or the punky mayhem of his previous First Ave and Soundset appearances? Probably a little of all of that. Lil Yachty and the duo Paris Texas open. (7:30 p.m. Tue., Xcel Energy Center, 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, $153-$357, ticketmaster.com)

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

After doing a 20th anniversary tour for his hit “White Ladders” album and its massive single “Babylon” in 2020-22, the British singer/songwriter went back in the studio with his longtime producer Ben de Vries and crafted “Dear Life.” Released this month, Gray’s 13th studio album collects detailed short stories about relationships from both the male and female perspectives, prompting Gray to call this his “Blood on the Tracks” album (in reference to Bob Dylan’s 1975 album). Gray’s 50-city Past & Present Tour kicked off last week. (7:30 p.m. Mon., State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., $75 and up, ticketmaster.com)

JON BREAM

Live shows by Mayberry’s globally popular synth-pop band Chvrches have always centered around her charismatic, glitter-pixie stage presence and disarming voice. So it’s not much of a leap for her to be going solo for the first time. The Scottish singer’s new album, “Vicious Creature,” does take her in new musical directions, though, most significantly in a more overtly poppy, radio-hooky sound that’s part ABBA and, yep, part Taylor Swift. Looks like she’s mostly sticking to songs from the one album on tour. (8 p.m. Mon., Fine Line, 318 1st Av. N., Mpls., $35, axs.com)

C.R.

Formerly known as Christian Scott, this New Orleans musician made his mark primarily as an adventurous jazz trumpeter who invents his own instruments. However, on 2023’s “Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning,” he abandoned trumpet in favor of a West African n’goni as well as a bowed string instrument he created. Moreover, he explores a different vibe, mixing Western African sounds with Black American music elements, especially from NOLA. With mostly chanted vocals, the music on his 14th studio project is innovative, often hypnotic but in a different realm from his earlier genre-blending modern jazz works. (7 p.m. Sun., the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $45-$50, dakotacooks.com)

Looking for something new and/or cheap among live music options? This 14th annual series is a sure bet in both cases. It draws on a grant from the Jerome Foundation to showcase up-and-coming composers and musicians who are paid to debut new work, with an eye for diversity and innovation. Night 1’s lineup includes meditative Apache musician Phillip Saint John, Pakistan-rooted lyricist Hibah Hassan and interdisciplinary artist A.P. Looze. Night 2 features Hmong music-inspired pop act Yeej, electronic musicmaker May Klug and bluesy Afrocentric singer John Jamison II. (7:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Av. S., Mpls., $15 or $25/two-night pass, thecedar.org)

C.R.

There once was something called a “Schubertiade,” a combination of party and recital, often with a heavy dollop of music by proto-romantic Austrian Franz Schubert. Beloved Twin Cities baritone Bradley Greenwald revives the tradition with a twist: He’s invited an assortment of local musicians from the realms of jazz, rock, classical and other to put their own spin on some of Schubert’s voluminous catalog of songs. Among the performers are rockers Kiss the Tiger, classical mezzo Clara Osowski, jazz singer Thomasina Petrus and a reunion of the experimental cello duo Jelloslave. (3 p.m. Sun., Amsterdam Bar & Hall, 6 W. 6th St., St. Paul, $33, 651-291-3268 or schubert.org)

ROB HUBBARD

Minnesota audiences know George Keller for her eight-year run as the bride in “Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding” as well as for a raft of witty, sometimes powerhouse performances for companies such as the Brave New Workshop, Guthrie Theater, Penumbra and Ten Thousand Things. But Keller also is a writer, and she’s pulling back the curtain on this aspect of her talent with a staged reading this weekend of a light autobiographical piece. “The Bear” revolves around two sisters revisiting their childhood haunts on Madeline Island, with tensions and laughs bubbling up from their memories. The show kicks off Yellow Tree’s One Woman Playwright Festival. (7:30 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Yellow Tree Theatre, 320 5th Av. SE., Osseo, $30, 763-493-8733 or yellowtreetheatre.com)

Years in development, this new musical by composer Christian Magby and lyricist Christian Albright draws on contemporary styles to tell of a kid who dreams a world. Milo, the subject of Matt de la Peña’s and Christian Robinson’s children’s book, from which this is adapted, thinks of the back stories of fellow passengers on a train. Toussaint Francois Battiste, most famous for playing Jessica Chastain’s son on Apple TV’s “The Savant,” headlines as Milo. Feb. 4-March 9. (7 p.m. Tue.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 3rd Av. S., Mpls., $15-$78, 612-874-0400 or childrenstheatre.org)

R.P.

Fresh off her triumphant role as host of the Golden Globes Awards, comedy’s sharpest roaster brings her Alive and Unwell Tour to the Twin Cities. Glaser has long been fearless, especially when it comes to zinging fellow celebrities. But her Golden Globes experience and memorable turn at the dais during the Tom Brady roast has elevated her to the next level, which explains why both shows are currently sold out. (8 p.m. Thu. and Fri., Mystic Lake Casino, 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd., Prior Lake, $39-$47.55, mysticlake.com)

NEAL JUSTIN

South African photographer Ernest Cole documented images of Black lives in the United States from the late 1960s to the early 1970s, an era of social change. Cole, who fled apartheid in South Africa, offers a glimpse into what he witnessed, capturing hope, freedom, inequality and racism. This series of photos was believed to be lost, but resurfaced in 2017. Feb. 1-June 22. (10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue., Wed., Fri.-Sun., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thu., Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 3rd Av. S., Mpls., free, 612-870-3000 or new.artsmia.org)

Mixed media artist Moira Bateman’s work looks at humans’ impact on the environment. This new body of work comes from her summer 2024 residency in Ålvik, Norway, and explores the sea’s current and tides, whales, underwater noise and more. Jan. 30-March 8. Opening reception Feb. 1 from 4-6 p.m. (Noon-6 p.m. Thu.-Sat. and by appt., Form + Content Gallery, 210 N. 2nd St., Mpls., free, 612-436-1151 or formandcontent.org)

A.E.

A few years ago, youth dance troupe Out on a Limb Dance Theater Company and School formed a new troupe for young adults — Branches Contemporary Dance, directed by Mykala Micek. The group will perform its third company show called “Living Room,” which is part of a yearlong investigation into domestic spaces called “Your Body/A House.” A cast of 16 dancers explores moving through intimate spaces in a piece that opens questions about discovering our authentic selves. (4 & 7 p.m. Sun., the Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Av. S., Mpls., $22, southerntheater.org)

SHEILA REGAN

Explore the Black diaspora through the eyes of European and American filmmakers during the screening of more than a dozen shorts, features and documentary films. Two free short films, “Here Ends the World as We Know It” and “Atopias: The Homeless Wanderer,” highlight the cultural experiences of residents from the Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe, and a documentary, “Edelweiss,” about Black people’s experiences while living in Austria, kick off the four-day festival. Other films include “The Black Sea,” about how a young American navigates being the only Black man in a small town in Bulgaria, “The Gravity,” a sci-fi/crime drama set in France, and a silent film, “Dark Skin” (accompanied by live music), that depicts the triumphs and challenges of a former Detroit factory worker who moved to the Soviet Union after enduring racism in America. Q&A sessions with the films’ directors will follow most films. (Thu.-Sun., check website for hours. Free (registration required)-$10, Main Cinema, 115 SE. Main St., Mpls.; Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 3rd Av. S., Mpls.; Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway, Mpls.; Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Av. S., Mpls., mspfilm.org/series/black-europe-film-festival)

Experts will demonstrate how to run your home more efficiently and give tips and offer deals on upgrades. Those looking for inspiration can view the ultimate backyard greenhouse, Tomorrow’s Designer Showcase with lighting fixtures by students at Dunwoody Technological College and take the Art Walk with solutions on filling blank spaces. Featured celebrity speakers on the main stage include Craig Conover from Bravo’s “Southern Charm” and Patric Richardson, “The Laundry Guy.” (10 a.m.-7 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., $4-$12. U.S. Bank Stadium, 401 Chicago Av. S., Mpls., minneapolishomeandremodelingshow.com)