Big Gigs for Sept. 2-8: Leona Lewis, Isley Brothers, Wolf Alice, Def Leppard, Lianne La Havas, Madonna and more

On her Rebel Heart Tour, the supposedly maturing Madonna, 57, will celebrate her latest album of the same name (expect several selections from that disc) but the three-week-old tour is also heavy on greatest hits re-imagined, including "Lucky Star," "Like a Virgin" and "True Blue." She even dusts off "Who's That Girl" for the first time in 30 years on tour, and offers a ukulele treatment of the Edith Piaf signature "La Vie En Rose." This concert has been described as Madonna's lightest roadshow, which is a good thing after the dark, violent MDNA Tour of three years ago. (8 p.m. Thu., Xcel Energy Center, $42.50-$357.50.) Bream

Last year, British pop star Leona Lewis wrote an open letter to her fans about her split from Syco Music and its founder Simon Cowell. "I cannot make music that does not speak to my soul, and as scary as it seemed, I could no longer compromise myself, and so I decided to leave." After making four albums with the guru who discovered her on England's "X Factor" and scoring the 2007 smash "Bleeding Love," Lewis released "I Am" in September. With a nod perhaps to Adele, the 30-year-old shows a strong, multi-octave voice on songs about resilience and confidence, though none of her three singles from the album has had any impact in the States. Lewis' KS95 radio-sponsored Twin Cities show also features "Fight Song" hitmaker Rachel Platten, X Ambassadors and Life of Dillon. (7:30 p.m. Fri., Varsity, listen to KS95 to win tickets.) Jon Bream

In 2014, the 50th anniversary of influential folkies Peter, Paul & Mary was recognized with a PBS documentary, a commemorative book and a concert disc featuring mostly songs they never released on studio albums. Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey continue the celebration this year in concert, saluting the music they made with Mary Travers, who died in 2009. (7:30 p.m. Fri., St. Joan of Arc, 4537 3rd Av. S., Mpls., sold out.) Bream

One of the classic names in R&B since the early 1960s, Rock Hall of Famers the Isley Brothers are back on tour after a hiatus. Actually, there are only two Isleys left — Ron Isley, that Mr. Biggs balladeer, and guitar hero Ernie Isley, last seen on a Jimi Hendrix tribute tour. After Ron served time for income tax evasion, he and Ernie reunited in 2011 to revisit such nuggets as "That Lady," "It's Your Thing," "Fight the Power" and "Twist and Shout." With Dwele and Paris Bennett. (8 p.m. Sat., Orpheum, $59-$179.) Bream

The trio Battles has always thrived on the tension between edgy rock and more experimental, computerized music. On their third full-length, the just-released "La Di Da Di," they tilt toward the conceptual by dispensing with guest vocalists for an instrumental extravaganza laden with looped riffs and beats. Even so, rhythmic complexity takes precedence over squirrelly textures, thanks to ex-Helmet drummer John Stanier, who keeps the focus on thrust over gizmos. The absent vocals are missed, but the music remains fascinating and intense. (8 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, $20.) Britt Robson

Much like his grunge-era cohort Eddie Vedder, Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell has carved out a respectable niche as a quieter acoustic performer on the side of his hard-rocking band. His new solo album, "Higher Truth," emphasizes his Zeppelin and folk music influences without wussing out on vocals. He's singing the new songs on tour alongside Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of the Dog tunes and a grab bag of covers, including ones from both of Minnesota's two biggest music icons. Opener Hemming is a Philadelphia singer who got her break on Linda Perry's VH1 show "Make or Break." (8 p.m. Mon., State Theatre, $49.50-$75.) Chris Riemenschneider

Wolf Alice's local debut at the Turf Club in May is already one of those shows more people claim to have attended than the club actually holds, and even the liars all agree it was stellar. The bombastic, booming but often richly melodic British rock quartet — led by whisper-to-roar-prone North London native Ellie Roswell — has since made a splash on the summer festival circuit and lived up to the hype with its first album, "My Love Is Cool." This one really could be a show to remember. Fellow Brits Drenge and Buffalo, N.Y.'s Made Violent open. (8 p.m. Mon., First Avenue, $16.) Riemenschneider

Prince praised British pop singer Lianne La Havas' first album (and he performed in her London living room), and critics have been applauding her second effort, "Blood," one of the year's more intriguing albums. It's eclectic from the sexy electronica of "Never Get Enough" to the sunny soulfulness of "What You Don't Do." Her voice may seem slight, but she sings with authority on various aspects of romance over layers of alluring sounds. (8 p.m. Tue., Varsity, $26-$38.) Bream

Kraftwerk's influence has continued to grow even since its last Twin Cities gig at Myth in 2008. You can hear the influence of Germany's pioneering '70s synth-rock band echoed in corners of modern music ranging from Daft Punk's dance hits to Chvrches' indie-pop to all things Kanye. Co-founder Ralf Hülter was honored with a lifetime achievement Grammy Award last year. He and longtime replacement members Henning Schmitz and Fritz Hilpert are matching the band's evolving reputation by upping the visual scheme behind their latest outing, the so-called 3D Tour, based on ambitious staging they did at New York's Museum of Modern Art. (8 p.m. Wed., Northrop, $59.50-$79.) Riemenschneider

While rumors persist that the heyday Guns N' Roses lineup might reunite on tour next year, Slash is on the road in the meantime proving he has kept his chops up on tour with his own band, the Conspirators. The guitar god and his crew — featuring go-to hard-rock fill-in vocalist Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge and Led Zeppelin audition notoriety — put on a meat-headedly macho but ultimately impressive display at the same venue in 2012 and are back with a "Live at the Roxy" DVD/album to promote, featuring GNR, Velvet Revolver and Slash's Snakepit tunes. RavenEye opens. (9 p.m. Wed., Mill City Nights, $42.50-$45.) Riemenschneider

On his new "Positive Songs for Negative People," British folk-punk vet Frank Turner tries to make the best of bad situations. "Get Better" is a Springsteenian rocker about rebounding, "Glorious" is a gospel-tinged song of hope and "Silent Key" is built around astronaut Christa McAuliffe's final radio transmission from the fateful space shuttle Challenger. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Varsity, $25-$30.) Bream

A Toronto native who now calls Nashville home, Lindi Ortega doesn't sound as clever as Kacey Musgraves on her new "Faded Gloryville." But on her sixth album, Ortega sounds comfortably lonely. "I Ain't the Girl" works on many levels, and "Half Moon" is hopelessly dreamy. While this disc isn't as arresting as 2012's more traditional "Cigarettes & Truckstops," it does serve notice that the self-styled Ortega is an Americana contender. Smooth Hound Smith opens. (7:30 p.m. Wed., the Cedar, $15-$18.) Bream

After having their rapprochement on the 2014 Grammy-nominated tribute album to Big Bill Broonzy, Phil and Dave Alvin have bounced back with another collection of vintage blues, "Lost Time." While the Broonzy salute was acoustic, the Alvin brothers go electric here on such nuggets as Willie Dixon's "Sit Down Baby," Big Joe Turner's "Feelin' Happy" and James Brown's "Please Please Please." It's spirited stuff but not as fiery as blasts from the Alvins' days with the Blasters, their terrific 1980s roots-rock band with which Phil still performs. (7 p.m. Thu.-Oct. 9., Dakota, $40.) Bream

For those weaned on the "new wave" offshoot of punk music in the late '70s, Ought provides a visceral thrill. Tim Darcy's observational talk-sung vocals blend the whimsy of Talking Heads' David Byrne and the snarl of The Fall's Mark E. Smith, while the swelling, scabrous beauty of the guitars likewise are in debt to The Fall, along with Television and Sonic Youth. As befits a 2015 band from Canada, however, the working-class politics that animate the ruckus aren't borrowed from anybody. (8 p.m. Thu., 7th St. Entry, $8-$10.) Robson

The chance to hear modern Arabic music is rare enough up here on the prairie. When the musician is Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, aka Jerusalem in my Heart, collaborating with visual artist Charles-Andre Coderre, the rarity becomes especially rich and enticing. Moumneh is from Montreal and Beirut, Coderre from Montreal. Both have an ancient-to-the-future spirituality in their experimental craft, via song chants, drones and jump-cut imagery. Sponsored by the Cedar, naturally. (8 p.m. Wed., Bryant-Lake Bowl, $12.) Robson

The latest visit by Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Toure was supposed to be with Julian Easterlin in support of their duo album "Touristes." But a family emergency forced Easterlin to pull out for the remainder of the tour. Local songstress Chastity Brown has been added to the bill and will play her own roots-oriented material as the opener and perhaps join Vieux for a few tunes. Either way, Toure's filigreed picking figures to be marvelous, whatever the context. (8 p.m. Sat., Dakota, $35.) Robson

Nashville Renaissance man Marty Stuart is a five-time Grammy winner, Grand Ole Opry member, first-call picker, musical archivist, Southern culture historian, TV show host and a darn good bandleader of the aptly named Fabulous Superlatives. He showcased his versatility and eclectic tastes on last year's "Saturday Night & Sunday Morning," featuring one disc of honky-tonk tunes and another of gospel material, with the Staple Singers featured on one selection. (8:30 p.m. Fri., Medina Entertainment Center, $23-$36.) Bream