Critics’ picks: The 10 best things to do and see in the Twin Cities this week

A band that has lived on via different all-star tours since the death of frontman Alex Chilton in 2010, the highly influential Memphis rock quartet Big Star is being celebrated again with its only surviving original member, drummer/co-vocalist Jody Stephens, and four name-brand admirers who’ve been in the mix before. They are: R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills, Wilco guitarist/keyboardist Pat Sansone, the dBs’ Chris Stamey and the Posies’ Jon Auer, who was also part of the revived Big Star lineup with Chilton and Stephens in the ’90s and ’00s. They’re picking songs off all three of the band’s albums. Stamey also is serving as the opening act. (7 p.m. Wed., First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $30, axs.com)

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

The three Villarreal Vélez sisters from Monterrey, Mexico, have been rocking since 2013, with two indie albums and two for Lava/Republic along with 20 videos. Their 2024 full length, “Keep Me Fed,” shows they know their way around both metal and garage rock, while their recent collab with Dead Poet Society, “Hurt,” pairs slow, moody verses with blistering choruses and buzzing guitars. The Warning sisters are concert veterans, too, having toured with Halsey and rocked at festivals from South America to Europe. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Fillmore Minneapolis, 525 N. 5th St., Mpls., $35 and up, ticketmaster.com)

JON BREAM

After taking her 25th anniversary tour of “On How Life Is” to Europe this summer, the “I Try” hitmaker is back in the States. With her distinctively pinched raspy girlish voice, the Grammy-winning vet has been surveying her career in concert from “Sex-O-Matic Venus Freak” to “Relating to Psychopath” as well as covers of Radiohead’s “Creep” and Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny.” She’s been trying to find where she fits in these days. While on one hand she has appeared on TV’s cheesy “The Masked Singer” in Australia, the States (she finished fourth in 2023) and England this year, she collaborated in 2023 with California Jet Club on “The Reset,” a modern R&B/jazz/hip-hop collection that was heavy on social commentary, notably about rogue police. Then this month Gray dropped a new single with a different vibe, “No One,” a spare, raw expression of love with an island flavor. (7 p.m. Sun., Fillmore Minneapolis, 525 N. 5th St., Mpls., $50 and up, ticketmaster.com)

J.B.

After spending the past decade focused on other projects — like frontman Adam Levy’s newer trio Turn Turn Turn and drummer Noah Levy’s tours with Brian Setzer and Soul Asylum — the members of this almost-famous, heartland-rootsy Twin Cities rock band have come full circle in a full-bore way. They’ve put their original lineup back together, with guitarist Tommy Borscheid back in from Houston alongside bassist Trent Norton. They also got cranking on a new album, “Algebra for Broken Hearts,” which truly does crank. Loud guitars, hard-driving rhythms, big choruses, heart-on-sleeve lyrics. It’s as if they’re still in their 20s just trying to impress a 400 Bar crowd. Mission accomplished. This day-of-release party features pal Molly Maher as opener. (7:30 p.m. Fri., the Green Room, 2923 Girard Av. S., Mpls., all ages, $25, greenroommn.com)

After six summers, effervescent and uber-talented pianist Jon Kimura Parker is reaching the end of his tenure as creative partner for the Minnesota Orchestra’s Summer at Orchestra Hall concerts. He’s going out with an ultra-Romantic bang, performing piano concertos by Robert Schumann this Friday and Edvard Grieg at the Aug. 1 festival finale (both at 8 p.m.). In between, he’ll play some chamber music with members of the orchestra (7 p.m. Sat.) and team up with three other pianists for the “Grand Piano Spectacular” (7 p.m. July 31). (Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $20-$100, 612-371-5656 or minnesotaorchestra.org)

ROB HUBBARD

A couple of Broadway legends were back in the pop culture spotlight over the past few years, what with the death of composer and librettist Stephen Sondheim and Bradley Cooper’s Oscar-nominated film about composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, “Maestro.” Conductor Matthew Mehaffey and the Oratorio Society’s Summer Chorus will pay tribute to both at a concert full of show tunes, including from the Bernstein/Sondheim collaboration, “West Side Story.” They’re joined by a pair of impressive soloists in soprano Sarah Lawrence and baritone Bradley Greenwald. A streaming option also is available. (7:30 p.m. Sat., Roseville Lutheran Church, 1215 W. Roselawn Av., Roseville, $10-$33, oratorio.org)

R.H.

As a companion to Eduardo Navarro’s work shown as part of the “Ways of Knowing” exhibition on view at the Walker Art Center, the museum is hosting an outdoor performance featuring the Argentinian artist’s cloud sculpture/costumes. Displayed as cloud-like jackets, skirts and headpieces, the work invites the audience to consider nonhuman perspectives. University of Minnesota students, professional dancers and community members let natural forces guide them in the work that emphasizes intuition, sensory presence and emotional energy over scripted choreography. (7 p.m. Fri. Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Mpls. Free. 612-375-7600, walkerart.org)

The Pride Cultural Arts Center in Loring Park hosts an exhibition of more than 20 queer artists hailing from Minnesota, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Argentina. The exhibition includes sculpture, photography, painting and installation. “In a moment where queer bodies and stories are under attack across the country, ‘Chromatic Metamorphosis of Queerness’ insists on joy, visibility and collective imagination,” said Mikhamik, a queer, nonbinary, Venezuelan artist who curated the exhibition. Opening reception Fri. 5-8 p.m., exhibit runs July 25-Aug. 9. (Noon-8 p.m. Mon., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue., noon-8 p.m. Wed., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thu., 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fri., 1201 Harmon Place, Suite 104, Mpls., free, tcpride.org/pride-cultural-arts-center or 612-255-3260)

ALICIA ELER

Beloved Ojibwe artist Jim Denomie, who used dark humor to deliver serious social commentary from a uniquely Native American perspective, died in 2022, but his art collection and generous spirit live on. A new exhibition from Denomie’s personal collection also functions as a fundraiser for the Jim Denomie Memorial Scholarship, benefiting emerging Native artists. Nearly all of Denomie’s collection of artworks from friends, colleagues, relatives, mentors, students and strangers will be on sale, with affordable prices ranging from $100-$500. Opening celebration and potluck (bring a dish!) noon-5 p.m. Sat. Ends Aug. 2. (Noon-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat., Bockley Gallery, 2123 W. 21st St., Mpls., free, bockleygallery.com or 612-377-4669)

A.E.

The official launch of Pillsbury Creative Commons will be celebrated with an artist market, live DJ sets, family-friendly activities and tours of the arts and economic development hub. Check out the Technical Arts Training shop and try pizza and pasta from Jakeeno’s. The campus is home to Pillsbury House + Theatre, Full Cycle Bike Shop and Pillsbury Creative Commons. (1-5 p.m. Sat. Free. 3501–3529 Chicago Av. S., Mpls. pillsburyhouseandtheatre.org)