Don't even think about asking Dana Raidt why some of the bands playing Friday's inaugural Girl Germs tribute concert at First Avenue are entirely made up of boys.

"I can't believe how many people seem to have a problem with that," said Raidt, co-organizer of what looks to be a highly entertaining night of songs originated by female artists — just not entirely sung by female artists.

"It's just as sexist to think that the only musicians inspired by women in rock are other female musicians."

Named after a Radio K show that Raidt co-hosted in 2010-11, Girl Germs evolved into a podcast and then a music blog last year, the latter a collaboration with City Pages and Vita.mn music scribe Sally Hedberg. Now it's a tribute show in the vein of First Ave's popular Replacements and Bowie fests.

Just as plenty of women rockers take part in those events, Friday's concert will feature such Y-chromosomed acts as the reverberating power trio Fury Things, playing a set of Hole tunes; dance-pop duo Strange Names, covering the B-52's, and — a surprise on several fronts— psychedelic twangers Night Moves interpreting the Cranberries. "That was a curveball to us, too," Raidt said.

Of course, there's also a heavy female contingent on the lineup, with Pink Mink (doing Bikini Kill covers), L'Assassins (covering British garage-punks Thee Headcoatees), the two "Crystals" of Brute Heart (Sadé) and Bomba De Luz's Lydia Liza (Dusty Springfield). Local punk icon Lori Barbero of Babes in Toyland will be back home to host.

Bikini Kill will be represented during the Girl Germs tribute show by Pink Mink.

"I think it's a really fun mix, whatever the gender of the bands," said Raidt, who also co-organized the mostly all-female Girls Got Rhythm festival (on hold after two well-received but under-attended years). Having the boys aboard also means "we'll have a lot more bands to choose from in the future."

You can read interviews with each band about their respective tributes at GirlGermsMpls.com.

Closing time at Turf Club

Saturday will be the last night for at least two months to take in a show at the Turf Club — and probably the last time ever to endure the shock-and-ewww bathrooms there.

Following First Avenue's purchase of the club late last year, St. Paul's best-loved rock bar is closing for renovation, including the addition of a kitchen. There isn't a concert on the calendar until Sept. 10 (Jackie Greene), but the club will likely reopen sooner. So don't steal the logo-adorned plastic pint glasses, like folks did when the Uptown Bar closed.

How fitting that the last show for now should be a musician from the neighborhood, Mayda, who is celebrating her new album, "Busy Signals, pt. 1." The record follows the singer's remarkable trip last year to meet her birth parents in South Korea, where she also has a new record deal. Musically, it takes her in a more overtly hip-hop/electronic direction, with production from beatmaker Chris Neviator and collaborators including drummer Michael Bland and guitarist Jacob Hanson. All-star indie-rap trio Mixed Blood Majority opens Saturday's party.

Random mix

Funny, true story: A promising young rapper walked into the Triple Rock and unkowingly asked if he could host a party there on July 4, his birthday. Fans of club owner Erik Funk's band Dillinger Four know why he was immediately declined: Tickets are now on sale for another D4'th fest, July 4-5, with a dozen other bands, including Night Birds, the Brokedowns and Vulgaari. …

About as new as new-talent showcases get, the Triple Rock on Friday hosts the 10th and final installment of the Six Months to Live series, in which semi-amateur musicians hook up blind-date-like to rehearse for a half-year to only play one gig (7:30 p.m., $10, benefits Guitars for Vets). … While not so "new," the Fine Line has put together a nice little cluster of almost-famous local bands under the title "Five on the Rise," happening Saturday with Murzik, BBGun, Bigtree Bonsai, Lake Avenue and Herschel & the Detainees (8:30 p.m., $8-$12). …

Girl Germs participants Fury Things just dropped a strong new 7-inch, led by the perfectly timed single "Leave Winter Behind" and available via their Bandcamp Web page. … Guitarist Jason Fladager (God Johnson, Big Wu) is hosting live stagings of his "Fladcast" interview/performance podcasts at Harriet Brewing every other Wednesday, including next week (7 p.m., free). … Also on Wednesday, Pennyroyal will warm up Target Field for Paul McCartney as part of the Twins' Midwest Music Series, leading off a game vs. the Brewers (7 p.m.).

chrisr@startribune.com • 612-673-4658