Big Gigs for Feb. 12-18: AC/DC, Buckwheat Zydeco, Bullet for My Valentine, Badi Assad, In Defence, more

A mainstay of the Twin Cities hardcore punk and thrash scene and staunch advocate of taco appreciation, In Defence is in transition as it marks its 10th anniversary: Singer/guitarist Ben Crew is leaving the group to focus on other pursuits, including his newer band No Skin. He's playing one last show before I.D. carries on without him — with his blessing. Triple Cross opens with a new LP to tout, plus Naive Sense, Decomposer and Bruise Violet. (9 p.m. Sat., Triple Rock, $10.) Chris Riemenschneider

Sure, "Whole Lotta Rosie," "Sin City" and "Given the Dog a Bone" aren't exactly romantic, but longtime AC/DC lovers will be swooning if those songs get played this Valentine's Day when the Aussie legends return to town as their "Rock or Bust" tour enters its second year. Those are some of the older nuggets the band has been dropping into recent set lists, along with the more standard classics such as "Shook Me All Night Long," "Highway to Hell" and "Let There Be Rock" and a few cuts off the latest record. Guitar legend Angus Young, "Back in Black"-era singer Brian Johnson and longtime bassist Cliff Williams are soldiering on with 1989-94 drummer Chris Slade back behind the kit, and with Angus' nephew Stevie Young filling in for Angus' ailing brother Malcolm on rhythm guitar. Johnson's voice is pretty shaky nowadays, but you should know the words by now anyway. (7:30 p.m. Sun., Xcel Energy Center, $117-$142.) Riemenschneider

Valentine's Day has become a love affair for the Cedar, which is producing another fun, unique show this year headed up by Chris Koza of Rogue Valley and Lucy Michelle of Field Trip, two of our scene's more tenderhearted and sweet-voiced singer/songwriters of late. They will perform separately and together with musical accompaniment from the New Standards' John Munson and drummer Richard Medek, plus they're inviting lots of guest serenaders such as Adam Levy, Alexei Casselle, Leah Ottman and Brian Just. (7:30 p.m. Sun., Cedar Cultural Center, all ages, $15-$18.) Riemenschneider

New Orleans piano man Davell Crawford was so well received in his tribute to Crescent City legend Allen Toussaint last month that the Dakota is bringing him back for two more nights. Toussaint, a Dakota regular in recent years before his death last fall, was a songwriter/producer/arranger/singer who worked on numerous hits including "Mother in Law," "Lady Marmalade," "Southern Nights, "Working in a Coal Mine" and "Right Place, Wrong Time." (7 & 9 p.m. Tue.-Wed., Dakota, $20-$35.) Jon Bream

One of the big names on this summer's newly announced Rock Fest lineup in Cadott, Wis., Welsh metal imports Bullet for My Valentine are out on their own headlining tour this winter following the release of their fifth album, "Venom." The record reunited the melodic thrashers with the producer from their first two albums, Colin Richardson. It also marks the debut of new bassist Jamie Mathias, formerly of Revoker. They're touring with a couple of other British bands, Asking Alexandria and While She Sleeps. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Myth, all ages, $30-$35.) Riemenschneider

After a brief foray under the not-so-secretive pseudonym Parkay Quarts, New York's wild-eyed, post-punky, garage-rocky quartet Parquet Courts is back to its old name and getting more serious about a lot else based on the buzz surrounding its upcoming Rough Trade album, "Human Performance," due April 8. The band's fifth LP in as many years is said to have grown out of a lot of turmoil and struggle, and the first single, "Dust," indeed sounds wickedly baked. They're previewing it on tour with Love of Everything, featuring Joan of Arc's Bobby Burg. Gem Jones opens. (9 p.m. Thu., Triple Rock, $15-$17.) Riemenschneider

The guys in Old Dominion certainly know how to craft a country hit. Various members have co-written the Band Perry's "Better Dig Two," Tyler Farr's "A Guy Walks Into a Bar" and Chris Young's "Neon." With their own debut album, the awkwardly titled "Meat and Candy," Old Dominion has found its own place in Nashville. They sound closer to Rascal Flatts than to bro-country with nice harmonies, easy on the ears music with a slight hip-hop undercurrent, and lyrics that combine sweetness, clichés and cheesiness. Somehow it all works as the hit single "Break Up With Him" proved. The guys are pretty savvy about the music biz, allowing K102 to sponsor one night and BUZ'N the second night of a two-concert engagement. (8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Varsity Theater, $15-$17.) Bream

Last seen kicking up a dance party at the State Fair in 2014, Buckwheat Zydeco has been squeezing out a strong Twin Cities since the '80s, when First Avenue's Steve McClellan ignored conventional wisdom for an indie rock club and started booking him. The 67-year-old Louisiana dance-hall veteran — born Stanley Dural and a protégé of late zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier — has since recorded with the likes of Eric Clapton and Keith Richards and was coolly invited to perform "On a Night Like This" for Jimmy Fallon's last show before moving to "The Tonight Show." (7 and 9 p.m. Fri., the Dakota, $20-$30.) Riemenschneider

Badi Assad is a superb guitarist and vocalist and a wonderful conceptualist from Brazil who will be playing four distinctive local shows over a two-day period. The first is a performance of her award-winning children's songs, "Cantos de Casa," during a Saturday matinee at the annual Carnaval Brasileiro fest. Later that night she will perform upbeat material from her extensive catalog at the fest's masquerade ball in front of a samba-reggae band (4 & 10 p.m. Sat., International Market Square, $10-$15 & $20-$40). On Sunday evening, Valentine's Day, she will play romantic songs accompanying a four-course meal, then finish her stay with a livelier "cocktail" set at the club, occasionally accompanied by guitarist Robert Everest (6 & 9 p.m. Sun., Dakota, $102 includes dinner, $42 for cocktail show). Britt Robson

There's a good reason why the Hot Club of Cowtown may be a notch above the myriad "Hot Club" bands that have proliferated in the past couple of decades. By definition there is fidelity among all these ensembles to the swing jazz of guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli from the original Quintette du Hot Club de France. But HCoC is a trio based in the musical hotbed of Austin, Texas, and adds the Texas swing of Bob Wills and rootsy Americana to the mix. Slap bassist Jake Erwin is a particular delight. (7 p.m. Mon., Dakota, $35-$50.) Robson

Naughty By Nature is one vintage hip-hop trio that has worn well, perhaps because they were always able to straddle the divide between pop chart success and street credibility. For that they can thank Treach, the group's charismatic lead MC, who comes forth rugged even when delivering the chant-song phrases of early 1990s hits like "O.P.P." and "Hip Hop Hooray." They swung through town a year ago, but only played a cameo set at halftime of a Timberwolves game; for better or worse, this 25th-anniversary tour will go deeper into their catalog. (9 p.m. Wed., Mill City Nights, $25-$50.) Robson

Even in an era blessed with exceptionally gifted young classical pianists, Russian Igor Levit stands out. Still in his 20s, he shot to international prominence three years ago with a universally lauded debut recording of Beethoven's notoriously taxing late sonatas. Since then Levit has been garnering rave reviews for live performances, and he brings Beethoven's "Tempest" Sonata for two recitals in the Schubert Club's International Artist Series, along with works by Bach, Prokofiev and Schubert. A prodigious talent, on the path to pianistic glory. (7:30 p.m. Tue., 10:30 a.m. Wed., Ordway Concert Hall, $16-$66.) Terry Blain