First Ave's Best New Bands of 2017: This annual roundup of buzzy newcomers is as good an excuse to get out of the house as it is a great way to stay in touch with the local music scene. The truly diverse and fun-loving lineup this year includes emotive guitar wiz and Picked to Click poll winner Thomas Abban, Rock the Garden-bolstered rapper Dwynell Roland, '80s-flavored R&B powerhouse Lady Lark, the Blind Shake co-leader Mike Blaha's offshoot group Blaha and indie-rock bands Sass, Early Eyes and the Bad Man. (8 p.m. Fri., First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $10-$12.)
Lana Del Rey: Emerging in 2011, she seduced with the mesmerizing misery of "Video Games" and "Summertime Sadness." A master of artifice, the L.A. cult figure has seen her past four albums land at No. 1 or No. 2 on Billboard's album chart. Last year's "Lust for Life" finds her uncharacteristically smiling on the cover and crafting what could be classified as singer-songwriter work (with help from Stevie Nicks, A$AP Rocky, Sean Lennon and the Weeknd). Del Rey makes her overdue Twin Cities debut on the opening night of her first arena tour. (8 p.m. Fri. Target Center, Mpls, $41.50-$127, axs.com)
Rebirth Brass Band: One of the many New Orleans music mainstays supported by the Dakota after Hurricane Katrina, the resilient eight-member funk troupe is paying back the club just by agreeing to bring their heat in January. They count Kermit Ruffins and Glen David Andrews as alumni, were regulars on HBO's "Treme," toured with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and won the first regional roots Grammy Award in 2012, but Rebirth's unfailingly lively Tuesday night hometown gigs at the Maple Leaf might be their greatest legacy. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Dakota Jazz Club, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $35-$40.)
Birthday Suits: The mighty noise-punk duo with Hideo Takahashi and local ramen king Matthew Kazama are throwing another aptly named, top-volume Blowout, this one featuring the Blind Shake offshoot Shadow in the Cracks and Fury Things. (9 p.m. Sat., Turf Club, $8-$10.)
Flobots: Innovative purveyors of live hip-hop when they emerged in the mid-'00s, Flobots are now veterans of the indie rap world whose topical tunes sound as relevant as ever in today's sociopolitical environment. The Denver band came back into vogue this past year with YouTube sensation Logan Paul's sendup of their 2005 hit "Handlebars," which they slammed for being sexist and stupid while unleashing their own mindful and intelligent new tunes via the 2017 album "No Enemies." (8:30 p.m. Wed, Turf Club, 1601 University Av. W., St. Paul, $15-$18, eTix.com.)
Christine Lavin: She could be described as a versatile New York folk singer, but that wouldn't do her justice. Take her 2017 album, "Spaghettification." It features a kids' tune ("Hole in the Bottom of the Sea"), hip-hop ("Sinkholes"), humor ("Getting Weighed") and poignancy ("It's Your Funeral. Discuss"). But the comical — and the political — always seem to rise to the top with the music vet. After all, she titled one of her albums "Folk Zinger," a most apt description. (7:30 p.m. Wed. $22-$25. Cedar Cultural Center, Mpls. thecedar.org)
Bases Loaded: The first weekly gig at the newly rocking Mortimer's promises an all-star, all-bass-guitar band — hence the name — with the Rock 'n' Roll Whiskey Club and Martin Devaney for guests next week. (9 p.m. Wed., Mortimer's, 2001 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., free.)
Devil Makes Three: The bluegrassy Southern California acoustic trio has played pals Trampled by Turtles' fest and is headed back to the Blue Ox Festival next summer, and sometimes they perform indoors, too. (8:30 p.m. Thu., First Avenue, $27.50.)
