Big Gigs for Sept. 11-17: Ed Sheeran, Ratatat, the Suburbs, Damian Marley, Dierks Bentley, Patricia Barber, more

Ed Sheeran is a dreamy, ginger-haired British pop star who sings heartfelt, romantic songs that make young girls swoon and raps with the furious flow of Eminem but without the offensive words. And he performs all by his lonesome in an arena — with the help of a guitar, loops and striking video displays. Last year at sold-out Target Center, he drove the teen girls Ed-sane. l. Opening are Christina Perri and Jamie Lawson. (7:30 p.m. Tue., Xcel Energy Center, $59.50-$69.50.) Bream

You can tell how old and wide the Dwarves' influence in hardcore punk circles has been by the long list of labels they've recorded for, including Epitaph, Sub Pop and Fat Wreck Chords. Frontman Blag Dahlia and guitarist HeWhoCannotBeNamed sounded as smarmy as ever on last year's album "The Dwarves Invented Rock 'n' Roll." They're making a rare stop in town on their way back to Chicago for RiotFest. Virgin Whores and Trim Reaper open. (10 p.m. Fri., Triple Rock, $10-$12.) Chris Riemenschneider

Halfway between the summer block parties and Oktoberfest tent celebrations in both atmosphere and timing, the Summit Backyard Bash reunites the 29-year-old brewery with 38-year-old dance-punk band the Suburbs of "Love Is the Law" notoriety, whose remade lineup has been tearing it up of late. New 'Burbs guitarist Jeremy Ylvisaker will also perform alongside Haley Bonar in their freak-fried art-rock group Gramma's Boyfriend. Topical rap vet Toki Wright, harmonious pop-rocker Al Church and 10-man Afrobeat blasters Black Market Brass also perform. Benefits the Minnesota Music Coalition's noble efforts promoting and assisting musicians statewide. (Noon-7 p.m. Sat., Summit Brewery, 910 Montreal Circle, St. Paul, $15-$20.) Riemenschneider

Who says the 1990s more than Soul Asylum and the BoDeans? Like Soul Asylum, the BoDeans have undergone personnel changes with frontman Kurt Neumann still carrying the banner, buoyed by big-name drummer Kenny Aronoff. Soul Asylum founding frontman Dave Pirner has his own mighty drummer in Michael Bland. (6 p.m. Sat., Wayzata Beach, 294 Grove Lane E., Wayzata, $30-$95, wayzatabeachbash.com) Jon Bream

On their new sophomore album "1 Hopeful Rd.," punk-funkers Vintage Trouble travel down a traditional vintage soul road, which is just fine if you dig soulful old-school ballads. On the opening "Run Like the River" and "Another Baby," Ty Taylor and his Los Angeles quartet summon the vibrant soul/rock of their 2011 debut that landed them opening slots on tours with the Who and AC/DC. (9 p.m. Sat., Mill City Nights, $18-$35.) Bream

After a hard push for their internationally released 2011 second record, "Garden of Arms," Peter Pisano and Brian Moen of the jaggedly catchy Twin Cities indie-rock duo Peter Wolf Crier splintered off to different ends of North America for nonmusical pursuits. They regularly met back up in Minnesota, though, and finally finished their third album, "Plum Slump," a more overtly hooky, fist-pumping rock fest of a record that's almost T. Rex-like at times. Their release party also serves as a celebration for opener Matt Latterell's "Phase & Field." The Zoo Animal and Velvet Lapelles guitarist's solo album is full of breakup drama and raw, experimental folk-rock of the Neutral Milk Hotel variety. (8 p.m. Sat., Cedar Cultural Center, all ages, $12-$14.) Riemenschneider

Twelve years into a career that has seen them tour with the likes of Interpol and Vampire Weekend, Brooklyn's instrumental dance-rock duo Ratatat has become their own marquee topper. Partners Evan Mast and Mike Stroud's airy, guitar-noodly grooves sound truly Air-like — as in the French electronic duo Air — on their fifth record, "Magnifique," but it will take a "Star Trek"-worthy light show for the tracks to not drag a bit in concert. Sounds like they have just such a production. Hot Sugar opens. (9 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, sold out.) Riemenschneider

Rootsy singer Sarah Morris offers a Norah Jones-like approach to Americana/alt-country, smoothing over its rough edges with a butter-velvety voice and an intimate songwriting style. After studying music at Lawrence University and a stint in Nashville, she landed back in the Twin Cities and headed to RiverRock Studio with her sturdy band to record her second album, "Ordinary Things," featuring guest players such as Prince alum Tommy Barbarella and Vagabonds trumpeter Dan Eikmeier. Her release party features Tim Houlihan and Kevin Bowe & the Okemah Prophets. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Cedar Cultural Center, $12-$15.) Riemenschneider

"Jamrock" hitmaker Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley and his producer brother Stephen Marley are back on the road together as the Catch a Fire Tour, honoring what would have been their late father Bob Marley's 70th birthday. Damian is a uniquely gifted rapper and dynamic stage performer, while Melody Makers alum Stephen has chops as a reggae singer and guitarist. They're bringing some other second-generation reggae acts: Morgan Heritage, featuring sons of Bob's Jamaican peer Denroy Morgan, and Tarrus Riley, whose dad is Jimmy Riley. (6 p.m. Sat., Cabooze Plaza, $36-$40.) Riemenschneider

If there were justice in country music, Dierks Bentley would be an arena-headlining star. He's a crowd-pleasing entertainer, an emotional singer and a resourceful songwriter. He can win you over with the recent "Drunk on a Plane" or the sentimental "Home," which he co-wrote with former Minneapolitan Dan Wilson. Opening are "Love You Like That" hitmaker Canaan Smith and those fresh-faced upstarts, Maddie and Tae, who triumphed with "Girl in a Country Song" and impress on their debut album "Start Here." (6 p.m. Fri., Wayzata Beach, 294 Grove Lane E., Wayzata, wayzatabeachbash.com) Bream

It's sad that there is even a perceived need for an ensemble named the Heritage Blues Orchestra, dedicated to reminding us of the cultural roots — and relevance — of the blues with "encyclopedic" diligence. But if the intent is a tad pedantic, the details retain their joyous noise: Sly slide and sizzling electric guitars. A punchy horn section abetted by a harp player. Vocals that fold in field hollers, hand claps and gospel testimony. (7 & 9 p.m. Wed., Dakota, $35-$45.) Britt Robson

Chicago pianist/singer Patricia Barber is a jazz rarity, an artist who is as intellectual in her lyric writing as she is in her playing. Whether writing about lost love (2013's "Smash"), discussing relationships as food metaphors (2002's "Verse"), doing a song cycle about Ovid (2006's "Mythologies") or re-imagining standards (2008's "The Cole Porter Mix"), she pulls listeners in with her remarkable words and compelling music. (7 p.m. Thu., Dakota, $35.) Bream

The bouquet of vocal harmonies from the Zedashe Ensemble have almost literally been aged like fine wine. A zedashe is an earthenware jug buried under family homes in the medieval fortress city of Sighnaghi in eastern Georgia, to be tapped each year to venerate the ancestors. Zedashe's multi-part vocals (spread over nine voices) likewise seem spiritually marinated in cultural tradition, backed by various lutes, goat-skin bagpipes and accordion. Minneapolis is the first stop on the group's four-week U.S. tour. (7:30 Fri., Tapestry Folkdance Center $5-$8; 7:30 p.m. Sat., St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, $18; 7:30 p.m. Mon., Cedar Cultural Center, $18-$20.) Robson

Star of Broadway, concert artist, operatic singer — the phenomenon that is soprano Audra McDonald comes to front a pair of concerts opening the Minnesota Orchestra season. Selections from "My Fair Lady," "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "The Sound of Music" highlight McDonald's show-tune chops, while the orchestra contributes items by Mozart, Copland, Barber and Offenbach, conducted by music director Osmo Vänskä. (8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Orchestra Hall, $45-$125.) Terry Blain

Issues of consent surrounding aggressive male sexuality are much in the headlines at present, but they are not new. Mozart's opera "Don Giovanni" is dominated by them, and lurches between uneasy, locker-room humor and dark acts of sexual coercion and murder. The opera's relevance is examined in what promises to be an edgy new production by Twin Cities Fringe Opera featuring talented local singers, and the operatic debut of director Amanda Carlson. Doug Freeman stars as the leering, lascivious Don, with Amy Wolf as his victim Donna Elvira. (7 p.m. Fri., 2 p.m. Sun.; Anne Simley Theatre, Hamline University, 1530 Taylor Av., St. Paul; $10-$15, www.tcfodongiovanni. brownpapertickets.com) Blain

Jeremy Denk is a rarity, a classical performer who can also write with insight and incision about music. A glinting intelligence informs his piano playing, and also the program he's helped curate to launch the new St. Paul Chamber Orchestra season. Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" is the headliner, in the much-leaner, punchier original version for jazz band and soloist. Jazz licks also fleck "Le Boeuf sur le Toit," a peppery ballet score by Darius Milhaud. Ives' Third Symphony and Bartók's Contrasts for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano also feature. (8 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Ordway Center, $15-$53.) Blain