The Big Gigs for week of 8/12

POP/ROCK One of the Twin Cities' more high-profile singers in the 1980s and '90s, Mary Jane Alm is celebrating her first proper studio album in 25 years. Produced by ex-Flyte Tyme engineer Steve Hodge, "Me and the Wild Blue" sounds like the kind of album Linda Ronstadt might have made after "Heart Like a Wheel." There are a few sweet-voiced originals (best is the title track) plus covers of Patty Griffin, Kathleen Edwards, Julie Miller, Amy Grant and Joni Mitchell. Alm is big on ballads and medium-tempo tunes about affairs of the heart, with minimal accompaniment. Opening is local singer Pamela McNeill, who co-writes with Alm. (8 p.m. Fri., Loring Theater, $15-$20.) Jon Bream

After the huge turnout for the Journey and Foreigner show two weeks ago, surely there's a decent demand around these parts for fellow power-puff rockers Whitesnake. Even at these high-roller casino prices. Singer David Coverdale doesn't have Tawny Kitaen dancing half-naked on his car hood anymore, nor any of his bandmates from the group's mid-'80s heyday, but he's still singing "Is This Love," "Here I Go Again" and "Still of the Night" like he wants to score with every woman in the room. (8 p.m. Fri., Treasure Island Casino, Red Wing. $40-$50.) Chris Riemenschneider

As resilient as the motherland it celebrates -- and as green, too, thanks to all the rain this summer -- the Irish Fair of Minnesota has outlived Taste of Minnesota to salvage a weekend of free music on St. Paul's Harriet Island. The musical flavor is largely the same as past years, with Chicago sextet the Tossers providing two kilt-kicking sets of Celtic punk-rock (7 p.m. Fri., 8:30 p.m. Sat.), last year's big newcomers the High Kings returning with their traditional folk sounds (5 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun.), longtime old-school favorites Altan (5:30 p.m. Sun.), local Irish siren Katie McMahon (12:30 p.m. Sun.) and more. It all goes with the usual mix of food, dances and family-friendly fun. (3-11 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun., Harriet Island, downtown St. Paul. Free.) Riemenschneider

One of the original bands on the Wax Trax! label alongside Meat Beat Manifesto and Front 242, German industrial engineers KMFDM have maintained a cult following under the leadership of Sascha Konietzko and have a new record to show for it, aptly titled "WTF?!" They're on tour with young Italian industrial group Army of the Universe, plus 16 Volt and Human Factors Lab. (9 p.m. Fri., First Avenue. 18 & older. $22.) Riemenschneider

Chicago's spirited, smirk-inducing alt-country vet Robbie Fulks used to operate at 120 miles per hour but has slowed to about average speed of late. He's working on his first all-original new album in four years and making a somewhat overdue return with his band to one of his favorite touring outposts. Local Fulks fan Martin Devaney and country harmonizers the Cactus Blossoms open. (10 p.m. Fri., Turf Club. $10.) Riemenschneider

Regular Twin Cities visitor Chris Isaak is one of those acts worth seeing again and again. The forever sexy "Wicked Game" guy is a cute cut-up, sad crooner and retrobilly dandy. (8 p.m. Sat., State Theatre, $42.50-$52.50.) Bream

It's time to gas up the "Hot Rod Lincoln" and get "Lost in the Ozone Again" with one of the great entertainers of the heady, hippie '60s -- Commander Cody (aka visual artist George Frayne). The good Commander is still "trying to pound my piano into submission," with a fresh and frisky new version of his Lost Planet Airmen. Boogie-woogie, western swing, rock 'n' roll, acid country, trucker tunes, big laughs, novelty numbers -- the Airmen deliver all that and more at their rockin' revels. (8 p.m. Sat., Dakota Jazz Club, $25.) Tom Surowicz

So what if one of the guys doesn't tour anymore? Trimmed to a trio, Boyz II Men were a surprise hit at the State Fair bandshell last year with their soulful romantic harmonies. It's date night, with a trip back to the '90s with "End of the Road," "On Bended Knee" and "I'll Make Love to You." Heatbox opens. (7:30 p.m. Thu. Minnesota Zoo, $40.) Bream

Lyle Lovett, he of dry humor and sly Texas songs, has performed in more Twin Cities concert halls than maybe any other out-of-town artist since he started making regular visits in 1987. Now he'll try out a splendid new venue in the suburbs. (8 p.m. Thu., Burnsville Performing Arts Center, $57-$63.) Bream

Frank Sinatra was her godfather, and Prince seems to be her current benefactor. He tapped Nikka Costa to open some of his 21 shows in Los Angeles because she gets down and gets funky. The daughter of Sinatra arranger/producer Don Costa, she has been making music for 30 years, concentrating on retro soul for most of her adult career. However, the 39-year-old's new EP, "Pro Whoa," finds her obsessed with electronica and sassy vocals. (8 p.m. Thu., Varsity Theater, $18-$20.) Bream

BLUES/SOUL There are a lot of reasons to travel to the 23rd annual Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth. There are two stages of fun plus some cool nightclub gigs. It's easy to get excited about headliners Vicci Martinez, a finalist on NBC's "The Voice" (performing Sun.); Todd Park Mohr's Big Head Blues Club (Fri.) and Tommy Castro (Sat.), winner of the entertainer of the year at the 2010 Blues Music Awards. Others worth checking out include 12-year-old phenom Quinn Sullivan, Devon Allman's Honeytribe, zydeco party master C.J. Chenier and boogie-woogie piano man Commander Cody. More info at BayfrontBlues.com. (11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-7:15 p.m. Sun., Bayfront Park, Duluth, $40 for one day, $95 for three.) Bream

"Girls With Guitars," a package tour mounted by Germany's Ruf Records, stars three crossover-minded women in their 20s with a fair amount of road and studio experience. Dani Wilde, from Brighton, England, has two CDs, the most recent ("Shine") produced by fabled U.K. veteran Mike Vernon. Samantha Fish, just 21, is popular in her native Kansas City. And from Colorado, Cassie Taylor previously made a nice impression at the Dakota, touring with her bluesman dad, Otis Taylor. (8:30 p.m. Fri., Wilebski's Blues Saloon, $15.) Surowicz

What do these six classic soul songs -- "I'm Your Puppet," "Dark End of the Street," "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man," "You Left the Water Running," "It Tears Me Up" and "Out of Left Field" -- have in common? They were all co-written by the great and underappreciated Dan Penn, a studio mainstay and songwriter supreme. Penn is one of the best interpreters of his own fabled work, though he rarely tours to prove it. For a hotly anticipated visit, he'll be joined by an old pal: keyboardist Bobby Emmons, whose own fabled history includes work with Elvis, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Hi Records, and who's penned some big hits, too -- remember, "Luckenbach, Texas"? (7 p.m. Sun., Dakota Jazz Club, $30.) Surowicz

JAZZ A consummate entertainer and thorough charmer, singer/pianist Freddy Cole nevertheless had to wait a long time to get the recognition he deserved. Now acknowledged as one of the country's top vocal jazz attractions, a casual and bluesy master interpreter of Great American Songbook gems, Cole never disappoints in person with his frequent-flier quartet, including the excellent young guitarist Randy Napoleon. (7 p.m. Wed.-Thu., Dakota Jazz Club, $25.) Surowicz

COUNTRY Wisconsin-bred country singer Josh Thompson has been building a nice little career with modest hits about, naturally, beer ("Beer on the Table"), bad luck in love ("Won't Be Lonely Long") and small towns ("Way Out Here"). Jason and the Haymakers open. (7 p.m. Thu. Cabooze plaza, $20-$25.) Bream

WORLD Twin Cities-adopted Irish music star Daíthí Sproule hadn't made a solo album prominently featuring his vocals in 16 years. So he pulled out all the stops for "Lost River: Vol. 1," which features collaborations with Peter Ostroushko, Randal Bays, Dean Magraw, Paddy O'Brien and Laura Mackenzie, all of whom will be around for Monday's CD-release gala. There's also a track with his Trian bandmates Billy McComiskey and Liz Carroll; two songs co-starring fiddler Seamus McGuire, and an exclusive live recording by Altan, the internationally acclaimed band with which Sproule has long toured. (7:30 p.m. Mon., Celtic Junction, 826 Prior Av., St. Paul. $15. 612-722-7000 or thecelticjunction.com) Surowicz

A full moon is on tap for the already semi-lunatical Square Lake Film & Music Festival, an eclectic, arty, Earth-friendly rock 'n' roll campout that continues to grow after nine years. This year's lineup includes two sets by the M.I.A.-of-late pioneering jazz trio Happy Apple along with a new original score from the Orange Mighty Trio to the 1962 short film "La Riviere Du Hibou." Other performers include hip-hop experimentalists Kill the Vultures, stark songwriting troubadour Ben Weaver, Night Moves, Molly Dean and Humanda. (2:30 p.m.-midnight Sat., Square Lake County Park, Stillwater. $20 or $5-$10 for bicyclists. Free for 12 & under. Details at SquareLakeFestival.com.) Riemenschneider