The Pines & Frankie Lee: Two of the Twin Cities' most reputable and original Americana acts are pairing up the day after Thanksgiving, each with a 2016 album to be thankful for. The Pines' "Above the Prairie" offered more of their shimmery, willowy folk-rock that waves like the tallgrass in their bandleaders' native Iowa, while Lee captured his rambling-man spirit and sandy voice beautifully on the aptly titled "American Dreamer." It promises to be the kind of low-key, aurally rich that go over best at the listener-friendly Cedar. (8 p.m. Fri., Cedar Cultural Center, all ages, $18-$20, Ticketfly.com.)
Joey Molland's Badfinger & the Litter: The lone survivor of Beatles protege band Badfinger, Molland continues to play their classics "Baby Blue," "No Matter What" and "Come and Get It" abroad while calling Minnesota home. The Litter's three surviving psychedelic pioneers Zippy Caplan, Denny Waite and Tom Murray — who had a hit with "Action Woman" in 1967 and played First Ave when it was still The Depot — are marking their 50th anniversary and suggesting this could be their final show. The Wayward Boys Klub and Animals tribute band AnimaLegacy open. (7:15 p.m. Fri., Myth, 3090 Southlawn Dr., Maplewood, $25-$50, eTix.com.)
Flipp: Throwback frontman Brynn Arens is sticking to his pledge to bring the fun back in rock 'n' roll. His face-painted, stunt-pulling band played its first show in 13 years this summer and is already doing another. (9:30 p.m. Fri., Cabooze, $15-$20.)
Joe Cocker & Leon Russell tribute: Launched last year by local blues and soul rocker Mick Sterling, this tribute takes on added meaning this year in the wake of Russell's death just two weeks ago. The Tulsa piano plunker led Cocker's mammoth Mad Dogs & Englishman Tour, which landed opening night at First Ave (then The Depot) in 1970 and will be recreated here with help from a 13-member ensemble featuring other TC music vets such as Billy Franze, Bobby Vandell and Stan Kipper. (8 p.m. Sat., Parkway Theater, $20, VitalCulture.com.)
Tribute to the Replacements: Cozier spaces could mean a crazier time as First Ave's ninth annual 'Mats marathon moves to its sister venue but keeps the same two-stage format. The Melismatics will anchor a main set with guest vocalists, while Eleganza, Private Interests, Nato Coles, Mary Bue, Kid Dakota, Monica LaPlante and others lead their own mini-sets, plus the Mad Ripple Hoot to Slim Dunlap. (8 p.m. Fri., Turf Club, $15, benefits Twin Cities Music Community Trust, eTix.com.)
Children of Bodom: The final concert at Mill City Nights before the venue shuts down happens to be a big one for extreme metal fans. Still going strong 20 years on, guitar-wiz frontman Alexi Laiho downscaled C.O.B. to a four-piece without losing any of their thunder on the latest album, "I Worship Chaos." The Finnish vets are on tour with black-metal artist Abbath, Californians Exmortus and prog-rocky Canadian band Oni. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Mill City Nights, $25-$30, AXS.com.)
Darlene Love: For 28 years, Darlene Love sang "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)" on the Letterman show and now she's going to sing it in St. Paul for the first time. In fact, this will be the Twin Cities debut for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who was featured in the Oscar-winning film "20 Feet from Stardom" and on such records as "He's a Rebel" and ""Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah." She also sang backup on many hits including the Ronettes' "Be My Baby," Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash" and Frank Sinatra's "That's Life." Last year, she released an impressive comeback album, "Introducing Darlene Love," produced by Steve Van Zandt. (7:30 p.m. Wed. Ordway, St. Paul, $38-$78, ordway.org)
Jim James: My Morning Jacket's frontman trimmed back on guitars but still piled on many layers of spacey, slow-grooving, R&B-infused rock on his second solo album, "Eternally Even," which he's promoting with members of opening band Twin Limb as his backers — and no MMJ songs on the setlist. (7:30 p.m. Thu., State Theatre, $36.)
