Big Gigs for Oct. 3-9

To boost his profile with a new generation, Smokey Robinson collaborated this year with producer Randy Jackson on "Smokey & Friends," which pairs the Motown great with mostly younger stars paying homage to him and his jukebox full of classic songs. Ledisi, Mary J. Blige and even James Taylor are good matches, but the rest of the album isn't the best way to approach his masterful music. Thankfully, he isn't bringing any friends on tour. (8 p.m. Sat., Mystic Lake Casino, $59-$69.) Jon Bream

POP/ROCK

Shovels & Rope are like a way cooler and less precious version of the Civil Wars, a Southern-flavored, mostly acoustic boy/girl harmony duo with a streak of Stevie + Lindsey and Gram + Emmylou in them. The Charleston, S.C.-bred wife-and-husband team, Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent, have been working their way up, opening for the likes of Hayes Carll, and have graduated to the main room after their third album, "Swimmin' Time," cracked Billboard's top 20. Turnpike Troubadours alum John Fullbright opens. (9 p.m. Fri., First Avenue, $20.) Chris Riemenschneider

It's probably too late for him to become the Justin Timberlake of the Jonas Brothers, but Nick Jonas can at least hope for a post-boy-band career on par with, say, the New Kids' Jordan Knight. He's starting off with a club tour and two JT-flavored singles, "Chains" and "Jealous," ahead of the Nov. 11 release of his self-titled solo debut album. (8 p.m. Fri., Fine Line, $29.50.) Riemenschneider

Coheed and Cambria's Claudio Sanchez has been one of metal's most impressive frontmen of the past decade. Now, he and his proggy Upstate New York band are going back a full decade to play one of their best albums, 2003's sophomore effort, "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3," in its entirety on tour. (7:30 p.m. Sat., Skyway Theatre, $32-$55.) Riemenschneider

One of metal's heavyweights in the '00s, Godsmack went four years between records but came roaring back in August with "1000hp," partly a throwback album with moderate doses of new, melodic flavor. The always-reliable, grunge-flavored South African trio Seether opens. (7:30 p.m. Sun., Target Center, $26.75-$51.75.) Riemenschneider

It will feel like a hometown pit stop for Home Free, the "Sing-Off"-winning a cappella ensemble from the Twin Cities. This fall's Crazy Life Tour will take the quintet all over the Midwest, the Rockies, Texas, the Southeast and East Coast before it's time for the post-Thanksgiving Full of Cheer Tour, which is all about holiday music (a yule CD is coming soon). The boys reimagine country songs and pop classics, seasoned with humor that's as spot on as their harmonies. (7:30 p.m. Tue., Ames Center, Burnsville, $26.50-$28.) Bream

One year after a charming breakout gig in the Entry the week its debut album "Wildewoman" came out, Brooklyn wham-pop band Lucius lands in the main room. Frontwomen Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig are the unequivocal stars of the band with their girl-group harmonies, matching looks and in-sync stage moves, but they back up the fun shtick with a hammering band and serious vocal power, as evidenced by the Current hit "Go Home." (9 p.m. Tue., First Avenue, $17-$20.) Riemenschneider

The newest faculty member of McNally-Smith College of Music is Wisconsin guitar master Greg Koch, a veteran of 13 CDs and several best-selling guitar method books. Koch's skills in blues, jazz and rock will be on display in a free "Live at Five" concert at his new workplace. (5 p.m. Tue., 19 E. Exchange St., St. Paul.) Tom Surowicz

While the Pixies and Nirvana mastered the loud/quiet/loud dynamic in their songs, J. Mascis handles it deftly from album to album. The alt-rock guitar god has been making lovely acoustic solo discs outside of his roar machine Dinosaur Jr. going back to 1996's "Martin + Me." He just issued his best yet, "Tied to a Star," and will plug it with a solo set for the Sound.Art.MIA series, which kicked off with fellow '90s hero Kim Gordon's Body/Head in February. Opening is Luluc, an Australian duo whose Sub Pop debut was co-produced by the National's Bryce Dessner. (7 p.m. Thu., Minneapolis Institute of Arts, $20.) Riemenschneider

Signed to 4AD Records for its fourth album, "After the End," Tampa quintet Merchandise could have been part of the famed London label's late-'80s roster. Its melancholic but upbeat downer-rock songs hark back to the likes of Dead Can Dance and even Modern English, while frontman Carson Cox has a dramatic bellow akin to Bauhaus' Peter Murphy. (9 p.m. Thu., Triple Rock, $10.) Riemenschneider

COUNTRY

Musically, Kip Moore may have more Springsteen in him than Eric Church does. Moore has a raspy voice, blue-collar aesthetic and a set list of spirited rockers. He made a splash with "Beer Money," "Something 'Bout a Truck" and "Hey Pretty Girl" from his 2012 debut. Nominated for best new artist at next month's CMA Awards, he's dropped two singles from his upcoming sophomore album. Buzzed-about newcomers Sam Hunt and Charlie Worsham open. (8 p.m. Sat., Orpheum Theatre, $31.50-$53.50.) Bream

Merle Haggard's voice may have grown thinner over the years but, at 77, he still boasts a sharp sense of humor, a terrific band and arguably the greatest self-penned repertoire in country music. (Hank Williams wasn't around that long, and Willie Nelson has relied on other writers for many of his hits.) One of country music's essential artists. (8 p.m. Sun., Mystic Lake Casino, $39-$49.). Bream

The last time "guit-steel" guitar great Junior Brown was in town, it was as the surprise guest at a memorial party for the late bassist of the Rich Lewis Band, Dan Schoenbauer. Now Brown is back at one of his favorite nightclubs, with his well-deep baritone voice, 10-gallon hat and slew of hip and often hilarious country tunes. (7 p.m. Sun., Dakota Jazz Club, $45.) Surowicz

Dan + Shay record for a Nashville label, show up on the country charts and sing with a tinge of a Southern accent. But they are pure pop. Think a modern-day England Dan and John Ford Coley. Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney have plied their pleasant voices, handsome looks and generic pop-country into a No. 1 country album, "Where It All Began." At least "19 You + Me" and "Show You Off" are an alternative to bro-country. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Mill City Nights, $18-$20.) Bream

HIP-HOP

Born in France to Chilean activists who fled the Pinochet dictatorship, Ana Tijoux moved back to Santiago as a teen and soon started fighting the good fight as a rapper speaking out for gender equality and economic fairness. She got her start in the group Makal and had a 2007 Mexican hit with Juliet Venegas, "Eres Para Mi." Stateside, her song "1977" — a nod to her birth year — was used in "Breaking Bad." She has a trip-hoppy and soulful new album to promote, "Venga." Puerto Rico-rooted local hip-hop star Maria Isa opens, fresh off her latest record, "Valley of the Dolls." (8 p.m. Sat., Cedar Cultural Center, all ages, $18-$20.) Riemenschneider

REGGAE

Diagnosed with jaw cancer and given six months to live back in 1986, Yellowman — king of the reggae dancehall toasters — is happily still going strong. Once a regular visitor to the Twin Cities, he hasn't come around these parts in a long time, so it'll be a kick to hear his parade of hits — including "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" and that oft-sampled epic riff with the crazy title, "Zungguzungguguzungguzeng" — in person once again. (9:30 p.m. Wed., Cabooze, $10-$15.) Surowicz

JAZZ

When you've played on more than 3,000 sessions with everyone from Pink Floyd to Kenny G, your personal sound can be hard to pin down, but guitar all-pro Lee Ritenour — aka "Captain Fingers" — is best-known for crossover fusion, with detours into Brazilian fare, mainstream jazz a la Wes Montgomery and slick blues. His band includes Louisiana native John Beasley on keyboards, fusion bassist Tom Kennedy and outstanding young drummer Nate Smith, known for his work with Dave Holland and Chris Potter. (7 & 9 p.m. Fri., Dakota Jazz Club, $40.) Surowicz

"Settle" is a strange title for the new album by reedman/composer Ken Thomson and his band Slow/Fast, since it offers a downright exciting mix of bristling modern jazz and equally modern chamber music, with occasional bursts of rock guitar. A member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars and co-founder of the punk-jazz band Gutbucket, Thomson takes grade-A solos on alto sax and bass clarinet, and his writing is fresh and often fiery. His quintet is loaded with talent, including veteran trumpeter Russ Johnson and new guitar hero Nir Felder. Slow/Fast's Twin Cities debut easily rates as the most promising jazz gig of the week. (9:30 p.m. Mon., Icehouse, $10.) Surowicz

Curiosity gig of the week: The Bob Dylan Big Band Project features his songs arranged for big band, with vocals by Janet Planet, Van Morrison's longtime muse, (now ex-) wife and "Brown Eyed Girl." Planet already recorded one edition of Dylan tunes for this project, and just completed a Kickstarter campaign for a second volume. Joining Planet for this gig is Oshkosh, Wis., saxophonist Tom Washatka, one of the arrangers for the project. The set list includes "Like a Rolling Stone," "All I Really Want to Do" and "Song to Woody." (7:30 p.m. Tue., Ted Mann Concert Hall, free.) Bream

NEW MUSIC

An unconventional gig by Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche and Chicago quartet Third Coast Percussion should boost the reputation of SPCO's Liquid Music series for bold programming. The highlight is Kotche's "Wild Sound," a multimedia piece co-commissioned by Liquid Music that includes the playing of instruments as they are constructed and deconstructed, field recordings Kotche collected around the world, and sounds triggered by circuit boards and light sensors. The program includes two other Kotche works and a pair by Steve Reich. (7 p.m. Sun., 7:30 p.m. Mon., SPCO Center, 408 St. Peter St., St. Paul. $15. thespco.org) Britt Robson

CLASSICAL

This we gotta hear. John Storgårds thinks he can come to Osmo-town and conduct Sibelius? The Finn, hailed by the Telegraph as "one of the great Sibelians of our day," will make his St. Paul Chamber Orchestra debut in the Finnish composer's "Pelléas and Mélisande." Latvian violinist Baiba Skride likewise debuts with the SPCO. She will play Frank Martin's Violin Concerto (1951). Last but far from least, Beethoven's spectacular Fifth Symphony. (8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Ordway Center, $5-$40, thespco.org.) Claude Peck

The global roster of pianists landing in St. Paul in 2014-15 for the Chopin Society includes a Czech, an Argentine and three Russians. Born in Ostrava, season opener Lukáš Vondráček plays music of Janáček, Schumann and Brahms. All recitals are at the gemlike Mairs Concert Hall at Macalester College. (3 p.m. Sun., 130 Macalester St., St. Paul, $25, chopinsocietymn.org. ) Peck