THE DEAD WEATHER Wednesday: Just a year after making its memorable First Ave debut, the Dead Weather is already back with a better album, "Sea of Cowards," which could lead to an even more relentless, manic, thundering live show. Although he spends most of the time behind the drum kit, White Stripes frontman Jack White, left, is the unequivocal leader of the hard-stomping neo-blues/sludge-metal/space-rock quartet, which also features the Kills' howler Alison Mosshart, right, on vocals, Queens of Stone Age guitarist/keyboardist Dean Fertita and White's bandmate from the Raconteurs, bassist Jack Lawrence. Opening band Harlem is a '60s-fried Texas garage-rock trio well worth catching. (9 p.m. Wed. Sold out. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388.)