The Big Gigs: Upcoming shows in the week of entertainment

Reviews from Stone Temple Pilots' first few gigs in eight years have been mostly favorable, but expectations are about ankle-high. Frontman Scott Weiland slumped into the reunion after botching things up again with the law and his bandmates of the past five years (Velvet Revolver). His battle with addictions is so well-chronicled, his arms need their own publicist. And let's not forget that STP -- with brothers Dean and Robert DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz -- was hit-or-miss even in its '90s heyday. Many fans turning out for the reunion no doubt grew up hearing hits like "Plush," "Vasoline" and "Interstate Love Song" on the radio but were too young to see the quartet in concert, so for them at least, the gig could provide a first-time high. (7:30 p.m. today, Roy Wilkins Auditorium. Sold out.) (C.R.)

Indie goddess Ingrid Michaelson, the darling of MySpace, Old Navy commercials and "Grey's Anatomy," offered a plucky presence and an unforgettable rendition of Radiohead's "Creep" at the Fine Line in March. Now, she returns to headline her own show, begging the faithful to love her "The Way I Am." That would be as a purveyor of melancholy lyrics set to almost-sunny melodies. Opening is laid-back Greg Laswell, another alum of the Hotel Cafe Tour. (8 p.m. today Fine Line, $16.50.) (J.B.)

With Prince turning 50 Saturday, the second annual Prince Family Reunion has upped the ante with two special guests. Dez Dickerson, the Revolution's first guitarist, is coming in from Nashville, and Prince's sister, Tyka Nelson, will be a featured singer. The band includes former Purple sidemen Dr. Fink, Eric Leeds, Michael Bland and Sonny Thompson as well as Odell, Billy Franze and Jerry Hubbard. (9:30 p.m. today, Cabooze, $15-$20.) (J.B.)

Rolling Stone called Zappa Plays Zappa rock's best tribute band. As a new live double-DVD shows, this is an extraordinary group of musicians -- including guitarists Dweezil Zappa and Steve Vai, and drummer Terry Bozzio -- performing extraordinary music by the late, great, wonderfully wacky Frank Zappa. He may be more famous for his quips to Congress and novelty hit "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow," but he's best remembered as a musical savant who ingeniously melded rock, jazz, classical and hip humor into terrifically underappreciated art. His underrated guitar-playing son and ZPZ make a strong case for the dad's brilliance. (9 p.m. today, First Avenue. $30.) (J.B.)

Brooke Fraser comes across as New Zealand's answer to a young Sarah McLachlan: pretty voice, ornate piano pop and an earnestness and inspirational vibe. (She started on the Christian circuit.) Don't be surprised if Cities 97's Thorn M.D. tries to turn this Anne Hathaway look-alike into the next Brandi Carlile. (8 p.m. Tue., Varsity Theater, $15.) (J.B.)

He was once such a lo-fi, mellow tunesmith that he brought on as many zzz's as A-list critical accolades. But Sam Beam -- the bearded indie-folk icon better known as Iron & Wine -- has slowly come out of his shell, culminating in last year's excellent album "The Shepherd's Dog." It featured a full cast of musicians (including his new-ish tour band) and a wide variety of arrangements, ranging from rustic Americana to bouncy Afrofunk to even a little danceable pop. Let's hope Beam still finds time to mope in concert. Oklahoma City's psychedelic folk ensemble the Uglysuit opens. (8:30 p.m. Wed., First Avenue. 18 & older. $20-$22.) (C.R.)

A band as extraordinarily odd as Gogol Bordello deserves a venue as unique as the Cabooze parking lot. On stage, the New York gypsy-rock group (most of them Eastern European immigrants) blurs the boundaries of a punk show and a carnival. It also tests fire codes, a good reason to have them outside, just as it was for the raved-about set last month at Coachella. (7 p.m. Thu., Cabooze. All ages. $22-$25.) (C.R.)

It will be another wonderful summer of outdoor music at the Minnesota Zoo's Weesner Family Amphitheater. The series kicks off with one of the least sunny singers on the planet, Aimee Mann. Her new "@#%&*! Smilers" -- the title flips a middle-finger at smiley people -- is another somber, folk-flavored collection filled with dark characters who deal with aging, addiction and heartache. It's easy to admire her literate downbeat tales but not to sit through 13 similarly styled songs in one show, although Mann's dry wit will bring respite. Ben Kweller opens. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Minnesota Zoo. $30.) (J.B.)

New York-reared electronic metal band Mindless Self Indulgence has landed an unlikely No. 1 dance hit, ironically titled "Don't Want to Dance," giving their young, diehard, goth-leaning fans more ammunition that this is one of the most overlooked and misunderstood bands in America. So does that mean we're supposed to take frontman Jimmy Urine seriously? The Birthday Massacre and Dirty Little Rabbits open. (6 p.m. Thu., First Avenue. All ages. $22-$25.) (C.R.)

Rick Ross has become as big in the music biz as he is in real life. With help from the T.I.-accompanied single "The Boss," the 300-pound Miami rapper landed another No. 1 album two weeks ago with "Trilla," the long-awaited follow-up to his 2006 debut "Port of Miami." Like "Port," it has infectious beats but some of the most overplayed gangsta-rap ploys in the game, all suggesting that the booming-voiced MC is the king of Miami's drug trade and is unstoppable. Yawn. Let's just hope his watch doesn't stop and he shows up on time. (10 p.m. Sun., Epic. 18 & older. $30-$75.) (C.R.)

The Los Angeles Times gushed that Kanye West's Glow in the Dark Tour "raises the bar for arena tours as no show has since U2's 1992 Zoo TV." It's a one-man lost-in-space adventure by hip-hop's most obsessively innovative and artful master, featuring the hits he's made with Coldplay, Daft Punk and Jamie Foxx. The supporting cast is stellar, too, with versatile pop-soul princess Rihanna, rising Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco and rap-rockers N.E.R.D. It could be the best arena show of 2008. (7 p.m. Wed., Target Center, $38-$128.) (J.B.)

Now part of the Alligator Records blues stable, Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King play indoors and outdoors this weekend, showcasing their new CD "Blood Brothers." In addition to Kubek's guitar fireworks and King's soulful vocals, it spotlights some tunes that venture beyond their trademark shuffles, including the bracing Southern rock of "Troubled Dreams," the FM-radio friendly "Bumpy Ride" and the stinging Albert Collins tribute "Freezer Burn." (9 p.m. today, Famous Dave's Uptown. $5. 7:30 p.m. Sat. at blues festival; see below.) (T.S.)

Fiercely energetic and frequently amazing Bay Area blues dynamo Ron Thompson headlines another strong Famous Dave's BBQ & Blues Festival (1-10:30 p.m. Sat., Peavey Plaza, 10th St. & Nicollet Mall, Mpls. Free.) Besides Thompson's riveting slide guitar, squealing harmonica and piano-pounding wizardry (9 p.m.), early attendees will hear the greatest sax honker of them all: proto-rock hero Big Jay McNeely, still blowin' strong in his 80s and making his first Twin Cities appearance in decades (3 p.m.). Also enticing: Singer and 1970s guitar queen Ellen McIlwaine, who mates blues, rock and soul with Indian raga beats (5:30 & 7 p.m.); acoustic guitar hero Peter Lang (4 p.m.); Texas electric guitar slinger Andrew (Jr. Boy) Jones (4:30 p.m.); salty singing star Barbara LeShoure (noon); Crescent City singer Willie West (1:30 p.m.), and old-school trio the Brass Kings, local purveyors of back-porch blues on resonator guitars, washboard and washtub bass (2:30 p.m.). Add Kubek and King (see above), and it's quite a parade of hip acts for a free event. (T.S.)

For those who have trouble keeping up with the Marleys (most of us), Bob's second-eldest son, Stephen Marley, is better known as a producer and arranger behind brothers Ziggy, Julian and Damien/Jr. Gong. Stephen finally stepped out on his own last year with "Mind Control," featuring his now-signature blending of hip-hop, rock, reggae and his dad's social commentary, with guests including Snoop Dogg, Mos Def and Ben Harper. This one's got it, too. (9 p.m. Tue., First Avenue. 18 & older. $22-$25.) (C.R.)

The ageless wonder of jazz drumming, the man who's played with everyone from Louis Armstrong and Lester Young to Pat Metheny and Chick Corea, Roy Haynes brings his terrific Fountain of Youth Band for an intimate one-night stand. With Father's Day around the corner, Haynes will likely feature the best-ever modern jazz version of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy." (7 & 9:30 p.m. Mon., Dakota Jazz Club. $30-$40.) (T.S.)

For their latest CD and tour, the Yellowjackets have expanded to a quintet with guitar star Mike Stern, known for his fusion CDs, his alliances with Jaco Pastorius and Michael Brecker and his controversial days in the Miles Davis band. The union of Stern and the 'Jackets proves a natural, organic fit on the new CD, "Lifecycle." One track, "Country Living," seems tailor-made for his loping, potent, menacing-sounding electric ax, and Stern's own "Double Nickel" is a post-bop barnburner in which the whole band -- Russell Ferrante (keys), Bob Mintzer (reeds), Jimmy Haslip (bass) and Marcus Baylor (drums) -- gets to do 80 m.p.h. in a 55 zone. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Tue.-Wed., Dakota. $30-$40.) (T.S.)

Legendary Nashville renegade David Allan Coe is proudly redneck, sexist and rock 'n' roll -- in other words, a role model for Kid Rock. In 1985, when Coe was seemingly mismatched by playing at First Avenue, this bad boy -- known for the hits "Drank My Wife Away," "The Ride" and "You Never Even Called Me by My Name" -- covered songs by Prince and Bob Dylan. (8:45 p.m. Thu., Cabooze, $20-$22.) (J.B.)

Contributors: Staff critics Jon Bream and Chris Riemenschneider and freelancer Tom Surowicz.

It's hard to say what's more exciting about the second annual Finnegan's ShamRock: Another chance to drink excellent local beer in the name of charity, or the almost-as-rare opportunity to catch a hot touring band like Built to Spill on an outdoor stage in the city. BTS is between albums and only doing a short U.S. tour this summer. The Idaho-bred quartet pulls off mesmerizing guitar jams -- think: Crazy Horse meets My Bloody Valentine -- and has a canon of high-impact songs. The rest of the lineup is a playful mix, including madcap punkabilly band Slim Cessna's Auto Club, gospel benders A Night in the Box and two locally beloved twang-rock bands, Romantica and Ol' Yeller. (2-10 p.m. Sat., outside the Cabooze. 18 & older. $20-$25. All proceeds to Heading Home Hennepin.) (C.R.)