Bob Mould: The ex-Minnesota rock legend of Hüsker Dü fame is earning some of his strongest raves yet for "Patch the Sky," his third album with steady, steamy bandmates Jason Narducy and Jon Wurster. Suicide Commandos and Fury Things open. (9 p.m. Fri. & Sat., First Avenue, $25.) Chris Riemenschneider
Bleached: One of the buzzingest bands of the Los Angeles rock scene right now and a big hit at last month's South by Southwest Music Conference, this catchy trio harks back to its scene's two classic pioneering women bands, the Go-Go's and especially the Runaways, but with a modern whir-rock bend that also hews toward Best Coast and Silversun Pickups. Sisters Jessica and Jennifer Clavin garnered some attention with their prior group, Mika Miko, and are in breakout mode with Bleached's infectious but riotous sophomore record, "Welcome the Worms," produced by Strokes and White Stripes collaborator Joe Chiccarelli. (9 p.m. Sat., 7th Street Entry, Mpls., $12.) Riemenschneider
Graham Parker and Brinsley Schwarz: Two classic British pub rockers team up — the sharp-tongued Parker, a regular Twin Cities visitor, and Schwarz, in whose band Nick Lowe got his start before Lowe produced Parker and Elvis Costello. Schwarz also played in Graham Parker & the Rumour. (8 p.m. Sat. Dakota, $40-$45.) Bream
Brantley Gilbert: He mixes outlaw country and arena rock with a gritty, muscular swagger. So, of course, he's ready to headline an arena — even if the stage is in mid-arena, playing to the bowl end. Expect to hear Gilbert's hits, including "Bottoms Up" and "Country Is Country Wide," as well as the hits he's written for Jason Aldean, namely "My Kinda Party" and "Dirt Road Anthem." Canaan Smith and Michael Ray open and will likely join Gilbert for "Small Town Throwdown." (7 p.m. Sat. Target Center, $34.75-$39.75.) Bream
Duluth Homegrown Invasion: A taster preview for Twin Cities music fans of the May 1-8 Twin Ports music fest with the Hobo Nephews, Social Animals, Superior Siren and Al Church. (9 p.m. Sat., Turf Club, $8.) Riemenschneider
Rich Mattson Birthday Bash: The Minnesota rock hero celebrates his birthday in typical hard-working fashion, assembling four of his bands: the Bitter Spills, the Northstars, Ol' Yeller and the Tisdales. An extra $10 gets you a limited edition CD of cover songs recorded by Mattson over the years. (9 p.m. Sat., Minneapolis Eagles Club, $5.) Tim Campbell
Adam Meckler: Two years ago, composer-trumpeter Adam Meckler released an auspicious orchestral disc with the appropriately impressionistic title, "When the Clouds Look Like This." Now Meckler is back with another apt moniker for his new quintet recording, "Wander." Many of the songs are multi-themed migrations with colorful pockets of chromaticism and shifts in tempo that feel like big band arrangements writ small. There are extended live tracks and improvisational snippets, a tender ballad called "Little Wild Child," and some anthemic skronk that yields to long guitar and drum solos via the album closer, "Atomium Jules." (9 p.m. Sat., Vieux Carre, $10 cash only.) Britt RobsonAngelique Kidjo: Even though she was backed by the grand sweep of the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg on her 2015 album "Sings," the interpretive power of Kidjo's voice could not be lost. Something of a retrospective on her career, the album earned her another Grammy, for best world music album. The Beninese-born, New York-based vocalist is at her best in concert. Whether opening for Josh Groban in an arena or squeezing onto the stage at the Dakota Jazz Club, Kidjo is electrifying. (7 p.m. Sun. the O'Shaughnessy, St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Av., St. Paul, $25-$45, oshag.stkate.edu, 651-690-6700.) Jon Bream
Napalm Death and Melvins: The pioneering British death-metal band, now led by bassist Shane Embury, is touring with Seattle's bombastic sludge-rock vets and outrageous Japanese noise rockers Melt Banana. Ear plugs and shin pads recommended. (8 p.m. Sun., First Avenue, $25.) Riemenschneider
Nancy Harms: Fresh from two sold-out nights at Dizzy's in Lincoln Center in New York City, Minnesota-bred jazz thrush will celebrate the release of her wonderful new album, "Ellington at Night," on which she demonstrates her ability to be yearning, coy, sexy, playful, knowing and irresistible. (7 & 9 p.m. Mon. Crooners, $15-$40.) Bream
Beach Slang: Philadelphia's reverb-heavy, moody but explosive young indie-rock darlings put out a mighty debut record last year and put on electrifying live shows. (7 p.m. Mon., Triple Rock, $13-$15.) Riemenschneider
Courtney Barnett: Due to her commitment to Rock the Garden last year and her fast ascent in the interim, this best new artist Grammy nominee never got the chance to play First Ave — and now she's too big for it. Thankfully, she came back around and booked a two-nighter rather than miss out. A Melbourne, Australia, native offering of echoes Kurt Cobain, Lou Reed and Liz Phair in her own unique voice, Barnett made her mark with the vividly written, drolly delivered 2014 song "Avant Gardner" and then topped many critics' year-end lists with last year's album, "Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit." She's racking up more airplay now with the ramen-obsessed single "Three Packs a Day," which has us all the more addicted to her. Rosemount native Alicia Bognanno's mighty band Bully is a perfect opener each night. (8:30 p.m. Tue. & Wed., First Avenue, Mpls., sold out.) Riemenschneider
Fanfare Ciocarlia: A dozen Romanian gypsy musicians allowed to practice their raucous craft at wedding, funeral and military rituals in an isolated village during the Cold War, Fanfare Ciocarlia are as campy and virtuosic as you might expect. Think Gogol Bordello in the guise of a Balkan brass band. Their froth and frenzy is big fun indeed, a cartoon carnival run amok. The local septet Ipsifendus Orchestra is the kindred opening act. (7:30 p.m. Tue., Cedar, $20-$25.) Britt Robson
Judy Collins: The folk queen-turned-art song chanteuse has, for the first time in her long career, written and recorded an entire album with another artist. Ari Hest is his name; their album "Silver Skies Blue" is due in June. But they've hit the road together already. He'll open, then she'll headline, with a little help from Hest. (7 p.m. Wed. Dakota, $60-$75.) Bream
The Lowest Pair: After issuing two well-received albums in two short years with Dave Simonett of Trampled by Turtles serving as producer, banjo-picking country/folk couple Kendl Winter and Palmer T. Lee are upping the ante and issuing two albums in one swoop. Titled "Uncertain as It Is Uneven" and "Fern Girl and Ice Man," the albums were made back-to-back with a classic case of striking the songwriting iron while its hot, even though that entailed returning to Lee's native Minnesota during the icy months to reunite in the studio with Simonett. They got away with it thanks to their simple, acoustic recording approach, but there's plenty to chew on song-wise on ewach LP. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Cedar Cultural Center, Mpls., $12-$15.) Riemenschneider
Aaron Carter: He's got a resume of dubious distinctions: tween idol 15 years ago, dysfunctional dude on "House of Carters" and contestant on "Dancing With the Stars." Now, he's trying to carve out a pop career with a sound that invites comparisons to Justin Bieber's current album. (9 p.m. Thu. Mill City Nights, $20-$45.) Bream
Umphrey's McGee: The tradition continues, with three more nights of Chicago's coolest jam band at First Ave. Last year, the group dropped its ninth studio album, "The London Session," which was recorded in merely one day at Abbey Road Studios. (9 p.m. Thu.-April 30 First Avenue, $32.50-$35.) Bream
