Sylvan Esso: After a jubilant two-night stand last summer at First Ave, the North Carolina synth-pop duo with the Upper Midwest/Bon Iver-ian ties is taking it outside this time. Singer Amelia Meath and her production/beats partner Nick Sanborn channeled the hypnotic-to-hyper chemistry of their live shows — more energy than most electronic pop acts typically muster — on last year's breakthrough album "Why Not?," which also showed off their hooky and sharp-tongued songwriting talent. Milwaukee openers Collection of Colonies of Bees are best known as Justin Vernon's collaborators in Volcano Choir. (6:30 p.m. Sat., Surly Festival Field, 520 Malcolm Av. SE, Mpls., sold out.)
Lowertown Blues & Funk Festival: Now in its fifth year, this is the other great free music fest in Mears Park. Friday features the natty Ohio Players, purveyors of such '70s funk classics as "Love Rollercoaster," "Funky Worm" and "Fire," as well as local R&B faves High & Mighty and Free & Easy. Saturday offers various shades of the blues with Texas/Louisiana piano powerhouse Marcia Ball, zydeco star Chubby Carrier, rising Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon plus Minnesota mainstays Crow of "Evil Woman" fame, the versatile Scottie Miller Band and Mae Simpson Band, winners of a local battle of the bands contest. (4:30 Fri. & noon Sat. Mears Park, St. Paul, free, lowertownbluesfestival.com)
Raphael Saadiq: The masterful Bay Area R&B/soul singer is back on the road previewing his long-overdue follow-up to the 2011 album, "Stone Rollin'," a wait made longer by his many high-profile collaborations, including Chromeo, Justin Timberlake and the Mary J. Blige-led song from "Mudbound" heard at the Oscars. He lands here a night before he hits the Pitchfork Music Fest in Chicago. A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed Muhammad opens. (9 p.m. Fri., First Avenue, $35.)
Juice Wrld: Chicago's emo electro-rapper Jarad Higgins, age 19, is blowing up virally with such sing-songy, touchy-feely singles as "Lucid Dreams" and "All Girls Are the Same," so much so he's going to pack Maplewood's mega-club for his Twin Cities headlining debut. No telling what to expect of his live show, though. (7 p.m. Fri., Myth, $35.)
X Games Concerts: Live music is once again a big part of the mix as the X Games take over U.S. Bank Stadium for the second summer in a row, but this time the shows are moving indoors to the newly reopened Armory. Two of the biggest pop stars of the electronic music world will headline two of the gigs, starting with glitzy Chicago mainstay Kaskade on Friday and culminating with Top 40 hitmaker Zedd on Sunday, known from megahits by Alessia Cara, Liam Payne and Selena Gomez. In between, rap icon Ice Cube will share a bill with local hip-hop hero Brother Ali on Saturday. (10:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat., 5:30 p.m. Sun., the Armory, 500 S. 6th St., Mpls., $20/day, $50/three-day, xgames.espn.com)
Luke Bryan: Is the country superstar finally getting mature? On his new "What Makes You Country" album, he mostly avoids the brand of party songs that made him famous (save for the Buffett-like "Drinking Again") and instead delivers such thoughtful fare as "Win Life" and the hit "Most People Are Good," in which he okays same-sex love. Helping Bryan party will be high-energy "Body Like a Back Road" hitmaker Sam Hunt, whose second album is overdue; Jon Pardi, who likes to sing about boots, and newcomer Morgan Wallen, who scored the hit "Up Down" with the help of Florida Georgia Line. (5:30 p.m. Sat. Target Field, $44 and more)
Jerry Lee Lewis: The Killer is still alive, pounding the piano like a pioneer of rock 'n' roll that he is. The 82-year-old has been a little bit country for decades but recent setlists, of course, include the classics "Great Balls of Fire" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." This is an indoor gig. (8 p.m. Sat. Treasure Island Casino, $46 and more)
Jimmie Vaughan: Stevie Ray's older brother is a Grammy-winning guitar star in his own right, known for his years with the Fabulous Thunderbirds. (7 p.m. Sat. Dakota, sold out)
Courtney Barnett: After her inspired outing with Kurt Vile last year, the Australian indie-rock favorite Courtney Barnett has kept her momentum going with her second full-length solo album, "Tell Me How You Really Feel." The songs are noticeably more emotional and serious than her flagship song, 2013's "Avant Gardner," but she still has fun with wordplay and plays a mean guitar. She has two buzzing songwriters opening for her this time, Lucy Dackus and Julien Baker, all spillovers from Pitchfork in Chicago. (5:30 p.m. Sat., Surly Festival Field, $37-$40, First-Avenue.com.)
Northeast Folk Fest: The 20th installment of Grumpy's annual strumathon offers and unusual array of its mostly usual suspects spread across two stages, including Paul Metsa, Billy Dankert, Mike Nicolai, Gabe Barnett, Rich Mattson, Mother Banjo, Dan Israel, Molly Maher, the Liquor Pigs, the Bitter Spills, Martin Devaney and more. (11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat., Grumpy's Northeast, free.)
Nickelback: Nothing will make America love Canada again in the Trump era more than singing, "You look cuter with something in your mouth," and, "I like your pants around your feet," with these Vancouver-reared hard-rock boneheads. Pop Evil opens. (7 p.m. Sun., Treasure Island Casino Amphitheater, $41-$89.)
Vans Warped Tour: The 23rd year for the travelling aggro caravan has been officially declared the last, and it's going out with the usual mix of punk, metal, ska, emo, etc., with Less Than Jake, Every Time I Die, Reel Big Fish, We the Kings, State Champs, 3OH3!, Simple Plan and 30-plus more. (11 a.m. Sun., Canterbury Park, Shakopee, $41-$51.)
Jevetta and Jearlyn Steele: These two sisters from Minneapolis' first family of gospel-soul music have big voices, big personalities, big spirits as well as a big repertoire and a big friendship. Always a treat. (7 p.m. Mon. Dakota, $30-$35)
Joe Jackson: The New Wave hitmaker-turned-pop sophisticate has long distinguished himself with smart, sometimes witty, often eccentric songs, though the unnecessarily cruel "Junkie Diva," about Amy Winehouse, on his most recent album, 2015's otherwise commendable "Fast Forward," soils Mr. Night and Day's reputation. (7:30 p.m. Mon. Minnesota Zoo, $48-$60.50)
The Alarm: Led by three-time cancer survivor Mike Peters, these big-in-the-1980s Welsh alt-rockers ("Sixty-Eight Guns") kick off their tour behind "Equals," their first album in eight years. Their sound is still big, bright and dramatic — and very positive, sort of U2 meets Bryan Adams. (7 p.m. Wed. Dakota, $35-$42)
The Motels featuring Martha Davis: She's the siren behind such 1980s hits as "Only the Lonely" and "Suddenly Last Summer." With a revolving-door backup cast, Davis has kept the Motels in business on and off, this year presenting "The Last Few Beautiful Days," the band's first album of new material in 10 years. Coping with the death of her oldest daughter from opiate addiction, Davis is in a reflective mood with both down-tempo and upbeat music. (7 p.m. Thu. Dakota, $35-$40)
Scarface: After his successful reunion stints with Houston's gangsta-rap pioneers the Geto Boys in the early-'10s, one of hip-hop's most widely revered rappers of all time reiterated his greatness with the 2015 solo album "Deeply Rooted" and is making the rounds on tour again this summer. His local opener, Og Grip, was a hit at Soundset in May and recruited Scarface to guest on his recent track, "Them Days." (9 p.m. Wed., Cabooze, $40.)
Taking Back Sunday & Coheed and Cambria: Two of the 2000s' best-loved metal bands are pairing up to play what's quickly becoming the Twin Cities' best-loved venue for metal shows, with the Story So Far opening. (5:30 p.m. Wed., the Armory, Mpls., $37.)
My Bloody Valentine: Fans of the influential and ever-elusive late-'80s Irish whir-rock band only had to wait five years for their return this summer, following the 21-year-wait that preceded their volume-peaking, rib-rattling 2013 show at Wilkins Auditorium. The venue is better this time, and the band probably is, too, having spent a lot more time together, including work on an album or EP that lead guitarist/guru Kevin Shields promises by year's end. Forget "might;" it WILL get loud. (8 p.m. Wed., Palace Theatre, 17 W. 7th Place, St. Paul, $45-$75, eTix.com.)
Vagical Mystery Tour: Locally reared comedy hero and "Daily Show" co-creator Lizz Winstead is assembling a small army of musicians to fund a get-out-the-vote campaign with Lady Parts Justice League and Women Organizing Women. The musical side of the show will include Jill Sobule, Tina Schlieske, Chastity Brown, Lori Barbero, Janey Winterbauer, Laurie Lindeen and members of Bruise Violet, and together they plan to perform some of rock's most sexist and demeaning classics. Oh fer fun! And such limitless options. Winstead and fellow comedian Jenn Schall will also perform. (8 p.m. Thu., Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Av. S., Mpls., $20-$25, thecedar.org.)
