Thursday, June 9
1 Kandace Springs: A former Prince protegee who penned her own piano songs, the Nashville songbird realized her potential as a jazz stylist on 2020's outstanding "The Women Who Raised Me." With imagination and grace, she interpreted tunes made famous by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Roberta Flack, Sade and others. Avishai Cohen's lonely trumpet punctuates an unforgettable "I Can't Make You Love Me," and Springs inhabits Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You" like she wrote it. This year, Springs offered an esoteric curio, "My Name Is Sheba," a soundtrack to the podcast of the same name. (7 & 9 p.m. Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $30-$45, dakotacooks.com)
2 Lowertown Sounds: Downtown St. Paul's enduring summer concert series makes a welcome return with two new-ish rock acts making some noise in the local scene. Monica LaPlante and her fuzz-punky band have been tearing it up post-lockdown after landing on the Current's playlist with "Hope You're Alone" and "Compression." They'll be joined by theatrical rock throwbacks Annie & the Bang Bang and the usual caravan of food trucks and local brewery and wine options. (6:30 p.m., Mears Park, St. Paul, free, lowertownsounds.com)
Also: St. Paul resonator guitar ace Jeff Ray & the Stakes celebrate their new folk-blues-psychedelic album "In the Fire," which they developed while playing yard concerts during the pandemic (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder, $15-$25); former Odd Future singer/rapper Syd dropped her second album "Broken Hearts Club" in April (8 p.m. Varsity, $35 and up)
Friday, June 10
One of the biggest pop stars to emerge from West Africa, Nigeria's Tiwa Savage mixes Afrobeat with contemporary R&B. She's been recruited by Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z and Beyonce for projects, and she features Brandy and Nas on her new EP (8 p.m. Varsity, $33 and up); popular Twin Cities rockers Kiss the Tiger kick off a new outdoor series across the St. Croix River (7 p.m. Tattersall Distilling, River Falls, Wis., $15-$20); fresh off recording, Jeremy Messersmith and his band pair up with sibling rockers Durry for the Under the Canopy series (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder, $22-$32); garage-rock vets the Mighty Mofos and Silverteens take it outside (7 p.m., Palmer's Bar patio, $20); veteran Mississippi singer-songwriter Paul Thorn returns (7 & 9 p.m. Dakota, $20-$45)
Saturday, June 11
3 Rock the Garden: Denver soul-rock groovers Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats and groundbreaking Olympia riot-grrrl heroes Sleater-Kinney make for very different but equally proven, lively co-headliners as the Walker's and the Current's big garden party returns after a two-year hiatus. Duluth's storied rock trio Low top the second stage in the Sculpture Garden with hand-picked openers Dam Funk and Divide & Dissolve. Viral London art-pop star Beabadooboo and can't-miss desert-rock guitarist Bombino open the big stage. (2:30 p.m., outside Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Mpls., $84, rockthegardenfestival.com)
4 Eric Church: This is one Church session that will keep you standing for more than two hours. Of course, the country superstar's "One Hell of a Night" concert in Minneapolis — one of only two stadium shows on his schedule — will last much, much longer. The party starts with "Flower Shops" hitmaker Ernest, a rare Nashville-born singer, before the infamous Morgan Wallen takes the stage. The Nashville pariah's "Dangerous: The Double Album" has become a blockbuster despite limited radio airplay but maximum publicity because he was caught on camera last year uttering a racial slur. Church is nothing if not a risk taker. (6:30 p.m. U.S. Bank Stadium, Mpls., $89-$650, ticketmaster.com)
5 Turnpike Troubadours: After some abrupt concert cancellations and an indefinite hiatus that lasted three years, the cult-loved Oklahoma sextet is back. During the break, lead singer Evan Felker married his wife a second time, got sober and became a father for the first time. The versatile Americana group returned to the road in style this summer at the magical Red Rocks amphitheater near Denver. New songs like "Cat in the Rain" have been cropping up but expect a heavy dose of red dirt introspection and whimsy. Also appearing are Rhett Miller's alt-country crew Old 97's and simpatico twanger Steve Earle, who is touting his new tribute album "Jerry Jeff," about the late gonzo Texas troubadour Jerry Jeff Walker. (7 p.m. Ledge Amphitheater, Waite Park, $59.50-$125, ticketmaster.com)
6 Venus de Mars & All the Pretty Horses: The Twin Cities' pioneering transgender glam-rock star and her darkly metallic band are celebrating a new album that was a long time coming. "I Think the Darkness" is tinged with Trump-era angst and filled with hard-hewn characters and stories, including epic originals such as the title track and "Jackie Ray" as well as coolly remade covers of the Velvet Underground's "Heroin" and David Bowie's "Hallo Spaceboy." Chaotic punks Big Salt open the outdoor release party. (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder, 3010 Minnehaha Av. S., Mpls., $15-$20, thehookmpls.com)
Also: After a COVID cancellation in Prior Lake last summer, renamed country hitmakers Lady A will promote 2021's album "What a Song Can Do" (7 p.m. Grand Casino Hinckley, $50 and up); versatile Grammy-winning saxophonist David Sanborn, who has played with everyone from Aretha Franklin and the Eagles to George Benson and Chris Botti, is back for two nights (7 & 9 p.m., also Sun., Dakota, $35-$70); Ben Nichols of the cult-loved Memphis twang-rock band Lucero again headlines the Boom Boom cancer benefit at his favorite Minneapolis bar with Monica LaPlante, Chemistry Set and others (1-6 p.m., Grumpy's Northeast, $40); Greazy Gravy Blues Band returns with guest harmonica blower Steve Vonderharr (8 p.m. Shaw's, free); ex-Pines folk-rock troubadour David Huckfelt and his all-star band the Unarmed Forces are playing outdoors at Icehouse every Saturday in June, with Jackie Bird opening this week (7 p.m. Icehouse, $15-$20); community-oriented rap vets Toussaint Morrison and Carnage the Executioner top off the the Riverside Invitational (6 p.m. Palmer's Bar patio, $20); wild-eyed punk groovers the Bad Man share a release party with Valors and Jason Olson (9 p.m. Mortimer's, $15-$18).
Sunday, June 12
7 Bach Roots Festival: This annual week-long summer celebration of all things J.S. Bach opens with two "Bach & Brews" programs, where you can quaff a craft beer while being serenaded (and singing along) with some of the composer's secular fare. (7 p.m. Como Lakeside Pavilion, 1360 N. Lexington Parkway, St. Paul, $20-$5; 7 p.m. Mon. Utepils Brewing Beergarden, 225 Thomas Ave. N., Mpls., free.) But the sacred is center stage for the festival's main event, a performance of the epic "St. Matthew Passion," featuring two orchestras, three choirs and 16 vocal soloists. (7 p.m. June 17 Westwood Lutheran Church, 9001 Cedar Lake Road, St. Louis Park; 7 p.m. June 18 Roseville Lutheran Church, 1215 W. Roselawn Ave., Roseville; 2 p.m. June 19 Boe Chapel, St. Olaf College, Northfield; $30.) There's also a family concert at which the "Coffee Cantata" becomes the "Juice Cantata." (10 a.m. June 18 Minnehaha Park Bandshell, Mpls., free.)
Also: On a new high these days, reformed '80s/'90s indie-rockers Run Westy Run take it to new heights in the Hewing's rooftop series (6 p.m. Hewing Hotel, $20); Lucero's Ben Nichols plays his second gig in town this weekend (7:30 p.m. Fine Line, $26); the all-star Twin Cities gospel lineup of Tonia Hughes, Sara Renner and Billy Steele explores the Andrae Crouch songbook (4:30 p.m. Crooners, $35); never one to sit still, Twin Cities drummer Dave King is teaming up with LA. pianist Will Kjeer and locl bassist Charlie Lincoln in a new jazz trio (7:30 p.m. Crooners, $20-$25).
Monday, June 13
Award-dominating Christian music superstar Chris Tomlin is touring behind his 12th album, this year's "Always" (7 p.m. Target Center, $20-$130); Throwing Muses alt-rock heroine Kristin Hersh croons (8 p.m. Turf Club, $20-$22); a protegee of the great Django Reinhardt, veteran French jazz guitarist Biréli Lagrène has branched beyond the hot-club sound (7 p.m. Dakota, $40-$50).
Tuesday, June 14
8 New Kids on the Block: The enduring boy band's Mixtape 2022 Tour is an ingenuously conceived marathon revue in which Salt-N-Pepa, En Vogue and Rick Astley are sprinkled in between large blocks of NKOTB performances. It's like your own mixtape back in the day with "My Favorite Girl," "Let's Talk about Sex," "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" and "Never Gonna Give You Up." Expect three dozen songs, no intermission and all the right ('90s) stuff. (7:30 p.m. Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, $25-$311, ticketmaster.com)
9 Tash Sultana: Working as a one-person band with rhythmic loops and lots of nifty tricks, the reggae-sun-splashed Australian singer/songwriter has risen up to be a festival favorite since the release of their 2016 viral hit "Jungle" while still a teen. The "MTV Unplugged" brand has been revived to showcase Sultana's prowess as a live act via a new concert album featuring emotional tunes as well as a cover of Bon Iver's "Flume." (7:45 p.m. Palace Theatre, 17 W. 7th Place, St. Paul, $45, axs.com)
10 Jackson Browne: The quintessential 1970s Los Angeles singer-songwriter has a soft spot for Minnesota. His grandmother migrated here from Norway, and his mother was born in St. Paul. Last year in the Capitol City on a bill with James Taylor, Browne introduced some political songs from his downbeat 2021 album "Downhill from Everywhere," including the powerful "The Dreamer," about a Mexican immigrant. He has a long history of poignant songs, including "Fountain of Sorrow," to mix with old rockin' favorites like "Running on Empty" and "Doctor My Eyes." (7 p.m. Ledge Amphitheater, Waite Park, $45-$150, ticketmaster.com)
Wednesday, June 15
L.A. Celtic punks Flogging Molly return with Dublin-born frontman Dave King (6:30 p.m. Armory, $42.50 and up); rapper Lil Tracy hypes his brand-new third album "Saturn Child" (7 p.m. Varsity, $24 and up); French psych-pop vets La Femme land in St. Paul (8:30 p.m. Turf Club, $18-$20)