Big Gigs for Aug. 28-Sept. 3: State Fair concerts, X, Robert Randolph, Grrrl Prty, more

It's just a good coincidence that the unofficial reopening party for First Avenue happens to be the summer-closeout blowout by Grrrl Prty. The rowdy, raucous and just sometimes raunchy five-woman crew — rappers Lizzo, Sophia Eris and Manchita with DJ Shannon Blowtorch and hypester Quinn Wilson — have been saving up momentum and making big plans for the show. They just dropped the new Bionik-produced single "Grrrl Anthem" timed to it and have a bevy of guests lined up, including Bionik, Caroline Smith, Mina Moore, Aby Wolf and BdotCroc. (9 p.m. Fri., First Avenue, $10-$12.) Chris Riemenschneider

Sad news but extra reason to catch the latest tour by X: Los Angeles' most revered punk band is touring without its sturdy and impeccable guitarist Billy Zoom, who is fighting bladder cancer. His bandmates are raising money and awareness for his GoFundMe website on the road with an admirable and adventurous choice of a fill-in player, Jesse Dayton, a mainstay of the Austin, Texas, scene who also played with Waylon Jennings and should emphasize X's twangy underbelly. Meanwhile, co-leaders Exene Cervenka and John Doe still have a burning chemistry unlike few other duetting ex-couples. Rootsy L.A. band Dead Rock West opens. (9 p.m. Sat., Mill City Nights, $20-$25.) Riemenschneider

Folky Swedish singer/songwriter Kristian Matsson, who records as the Tallest Man on Earth, is touring with a full backing band for the first time in his heretofore all-acoustic/solo career, and the members of the group all hail from Minnesota and Wisconsin. That's because he recorded his latest album, "Dark Bird Is Home," far away from home at Justin Vernon's studio near Eau Claire using some of Vernon's Bon Iver bandmates. Largely inspired by divorce, the new songs nonetheless proved uplifting in concert at the Eaux Claires fest last month. Read an interview with Matsson from the fest at startribune.com/variety/music. (9 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, $30.) Riemenschneider

Norwegian experimental singer-songwriter Jenny Hval is a provocateur who arrays conundrums, absurdities and dirty secrets about sexuality, religion, gender and politics into musical performance art. Despite the challenges, her material is both amiable and alluring — she operates in a musical and philosophical zone between the pixie-dust of Björk and the hardscrabble of PJ Harvey while clearly being influenced by both. Her new, third CD, "Apocalypse, girl," fronted by the brilliant video for "That Battle Is Over," is one of the year's best. Promising newcomer Briana Marela opens. (7:30 Tue., 7th St. Entry, $10.) Britt Robson

Ever proud of their heritage and history, Asleep at the Wheel recently released "Still the King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys," their third tribute to the Western swing pioneer. It's a nifty album, thanks to bandleader Ray Benson's unrelenting dedication and a cavalcade of first-rate guests including Merle Haggard, George Strait, Lyle Lovett, the Avett Brothers, Elizabeth Cook and Jamey Johnson. Don't be surprised if this disc earns the Wheel its ninth Grammy. (7 & 9 p.m. Thu. Dakota, $30-$45.) Jon Bream

Partying at the zoo is old hat by now for Robert Randolph and the Family Band, but the electrifying pedal steel guitarist is never at a loss for lengthy solos parlayed from melodic anthems. It might be "Amped Up" or "Brand New Wayo," off their most recent disc, "Lickety Split," or an old chestnut from Slim Harpo or Elmore James, or a more contemporary cover from Jimi Hendrix or Bobby McFerrin. Randolph and his crew galvanize them all in the golden bliss of sacred steel music. (7 p.m. Thu., Minnesota Zoo, $39-$51.50.) Robson

Ever since he recorded some of his bloody-faced 2001 debut album "I Get Wet" in Minneapolis with producer John Fields, classically trained hard-rock party man Andrew W.K. has kept up appearances in the Twin Cities when he's not busy blowing things up on TV or writing an advice column for the Village Voice. He's stopping in again on a solo tour, which could prove as weirdly successful as most everything else unusual that he does. His local spirit animal Mark Mallman opens. (8:30 p.m. Thu., Triple Rock, $30.) Riemenschneider

Ever since his formative stint with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, trumpeter/composer Terence Blanchard has been a bulwark of bop-rooted jazz (and evocative soundtracks for Spike Lee films). But his latest, "Breathless," is his most electronic, groove-oriented, fusion-jazz effort thus far, featuring a new band, the quintet E-Collective. Holdover keyboardist Fabian Almazan plugs in, and electric guitarist Charles Altura gravitates to fusion pyrotechnics. Politics is another element: The title of the album refers to the late Eric Garner's statement, "I can't breathe" while being choked by police, and the group covers the feisty tune "Compared to What." (7 & 9 p.m. Mon., Dakota, $40 & $25.) Robson

Small jazz ensembles that span different generations often produce distinctively piquant, nuanced and versatile music, and the trio led by 80-year-old drummer Tootie Heath with pianist Ethan Iverson and bassist Ben Street is a prime example. On their third disc together, "Philadelphia Beat," Heath, who played with John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk among many others, spearheads a collection that includes Monk's "Bye-Ya." They roam backward to Bach and Eubie Blake, and forward to the disco anthem "I Will Survive" that was spruced into jazz by Iverson's ensemble, the Bad Plus. It's a trio brimming with old tricks and new wrinkles. (7 p.m. Sun., Dakota, $22.) Robson

Complicated plot lines, extravagant vocal decorations and irrelevant ballets — at a stroke Christoph Willibald Gluck swept all of these from the table in 1762, when his revolutionary opera "Orfeo ed Euridice" was first staged in Vienna. In its place Gluck put a new "noble simplicity" of music and action, with a direct emotional appeal to audiences. Two concert performances of "Orfeo" starring young Panamian countertenor Fernando Bustos and Minneapolis-based soprano Linh Kaufmann bring this year's vibrant Twin Cities Early Music Festival to a thrilling conclusion. (8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, 511 Groveland Av., Mpls., $5-$20, tcearlymusic.org) Terry Blain

He's got a jukebox full of hits, a striking tenor voice and more hot guitar licks than any country star. Not to mention a famous wife in Nicole Kidman. Keith Urban has won four Grammys and a shelf full of country awards, including CMA entertainer of the year. But he's never headlined at the Minnesota State Fair — until now. Opening is Kelsea Ballerini, the 21-year-old newcomer whose debut single, "Love Me Like You Mean It," shot to No. 1. (7:30 p.m. Fri., grandstand, sold out.) Jon Bream

The best hidden gem among the fair's free stages this year: Louisiana's hot Cajun revivalists the Pine Leaf Boys put a rowdy and rocky spin on the old-timey music but also have firm ties to its roots. Singer/accordionist Wilson Savoy is the son of bayouland heritage specialists Marc and Ann Savoy, and fiddler Courtney Granger is a descendant of the legendary Dewey Balfa. They jammed with Steve Earle on HBO's "Treme" and have already earned four Grammy nominations. (3:30 and 4:45 p.m. Sat. & Sun., Leinie Lodge Bandshell, free.) Riemenschneider

For a third consecutive night of country, the grandstand turns to old favorite Alan Jackson, the soft-spoken star who is making his eighth appearance at the State Fair. After recent detours into gospel and bluegrass, he returned to his sweet spot of traditional country on this year's "Angels and Alcohol." Maybe he'll shoehorn in "Jim and Jack and Hank" from the new album amid his parade of hits including "Don't Rock the Jukebox" and "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)." Opening is Brandy Clark, a splendid singer-songwriter who has penned such country hits for others as "Mama's Broken Heart" and "Follow Your Arrow." (7:30 p.m. Sun., grandstand, $40.) Bream

For the fifth consecutive year, the Turtles bring their Happy Together Tour of 1960s oldies but goodies to the grandstand. This year's lineup includes Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere & the Raiders ("Kicks," "Hungry"); the harmony-loving Association ("Cherish," "Windy"); the Buckinghams ('Kind of a Drag," "Mercy Mercy Mercy"); the Grass Roots ("Midnight Confessions," "Live for Today"); the Cowsills ("The Rain, the Park & Other Things," "Indian Lake") and, of course, the Turtles, who combine humor, harmony and hits ("Happy Together," "It Ain't Me Babe"). (8 p.m. Mon., grandstand, $21.) Bream

It's a bummer that Meghan Trainor of "All About That Bass" fame, the hottest new name at the State Fair, canceled because of vocal cord hemorrhaging. Ouch! So fair officials quickly turned to R5, who are all about sibling harmonies. The California pop group features three brothers and a sister (their first names all begin with "R") — plus a friend because every family band needs a ringer who can shine on an instrument (drums in this case) and has a distinguished name (Ellington Ratliff). While R5 has enough of a following to have its second album, "Sometime Last Night," land in Billboard's Top 10, the music is generic if well-crafted melodic pop. Before You Exit opens. (7:30 p.m. Tue., grandstand, $30.) Bream

She doesn't have the big hair anymore but Patti LaBelle still has a big voice. And it's overwhelmingly soulful. The "Dancing With the Stars" star can wail, whisper or woo you in her own special way. It doesn't matter if she's singing one of her hits like "Lady Marmalade" and "On My Own" or Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" or "Over the Rainbow," because she owns every song she sings. Opening are the Commodores, who no longer have Lionel Richie but still have hits like "Still" and "Brick House." (7:30 p.m. Wed., grandstand, $45.) Bream

All of Lynyrd Skynyrd's hits belong to another era but the current lineup has been together longer than the heyday incarnation. From '73-'77, Skynyrd defined Southern rock with such classics as "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird." A plane crash in 1977 killed three members, including frontman Ronnie Van Zant. Undaunted, Skynyrd has been carrying on with his younger brother, Johnny Van Zant, on lead vocals since 1987. Guitarist Gary Rossington is the lone original member. With Collective Soul, the 1990s rock band best remembered for "Shine." (7:30 p.m. Thu., $42.) Bream