Critics’ picks: The 11 best things to hear, do and see in the Twin Cities this week

The foremost contemporary music ensembles of Minnesota and Cleveland renew their annual collaboration before taking it to Ohio. Zeitgeist performs works by John Cage and Jin Hi Kim, while Cleveland’s No Exit offers a new piece by Timothy Beyer and James Praznik and premieres pieces by much-decorated American composer Douglas Knehans and Mexico’s Luis Daniel Jiménez. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Hastings Art Center, 216 E. 4th St., Hastings; 7:30 p.m. Fri., MetroNOME Brewery, 385 Broadway, St. Paul; 4 p.m. Sat., Anderson Center at Tower View, 163 Tower View Drive, Red Wing. $15-$20. zeitgeistnewmusic.org)

ROB HUBBARD

A Glasper weekend is not quite the same as his Robtober takeover of the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City, where a parade of special guests joins him. As demonstrated in his two Dakota engagements in 2023, the pianist’s expansive, genre-blending music is rooted in jazz but he brings in elements of hip-hop, R&B, gospel, rock and pop. He’s just as likely to pull out a Phil Collins tune, a Radiohead riff or a Kendrick Lamar joint. The five-time Grammy winner is comfortable in any genre, as he has demonstrated on his collaborations with Common, Herbie Hancock, Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige and Stevie Wonder, among others. (6:30 & 9 p.m. Thu.-Sat. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $55-$75, dakotacooks.com)

JON BREAM

After performing mid-lineup at the Current’s 19th birthday party and the Best New Bands of 2023 showcase, northern Minnesota native Berit Dybing is headlining First Ave’s Mainroom for the first time and is mighty excited, per social media posts. “I’ve dreamed of playing this room since I was 8,” the viral indie-pop heartache specialist enthused. The big gig comes after another year of sporadic touring and random song drops with production support from the duo Now Now, including the five-song EP “Room for You,” highlighted by the title track and romantic piano ballad “It’s Impressive.” Another new single, “Oh, to Be Cool,” revisits the fun pop-punk snarkiness of her 2022-23 breakout hits “Boys Who Kiss You in Their Car” and “Slutphase.” Her guitarist Landon Conrath will step up with her one night after his second set in a January residency at the Turf Club. Ryan Kemp’s Chutes opens for Ber. (7:30 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls. $25, axs.com)

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

An ever-touring band that has long counted the Twin Cities as one of its strongholds, Colorado’s blues-rock songwriter Todd Park Mohr and his namesake crew are rightfully hyping their longevity this time around. We are the third stop on their 40th anniversary celebration tour, which won’t entirely be a trip down memory lane since they also just dropped their first album in seven years in 2024, “Her Way Out.” Still, the many faithful fans here can expect to hear more than “Bittersweet” from the band’s late-’80s/early-’90s ascent. A special treat just for us, longtime chum Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket is joining them as the opener. (7:30 p.m. Sat., Palace Theatre, 17 W. 7th Place, St. Paul. $35-$75, axs.com)

C.R.

“Time & (Trans)formation” is the title of this pair of concerts by one of America’s largest choirs made up of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender singers and their straight allies. The program will feature music that invites some New Year’s-appropriate examination of how we change and how we spend our time. Kimberly Waigwa will conduct works by such transgender and gender-expansive composers as Mari Esabel Valverde, Stevie Hirner and Emily Boyajian. (3 p.m. Sun., the O’Shaughnessy, St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Av., St. Paul; 4 p.m. Jan. 26, Ordway Concert Hall, 345 Washington St., St. Paul; $15-$29; onevoicemn.org)

R.H.

Yale’s first all-female a cappella singing group was founded in 1977 by a group of intrepid women who came in the wake of the once all-male Ivy League school going co-ed. Now women are a majority of the student body and the group, still going strong, sings and swings with swagger. They excerpt from a repertoire of jazz and pop for this free concert. (7 p.m. Fri., Breck School, 123 Ottawa Av. N., Golden Valley)

ROHAN PRESTON

Frozen fun awaits at this arctic winter wonderland, which kicks off Friday and takes over TCO Stadium. Walk through the world’s largest ice maze, whiz down the ice slide and around the skating rink. Guests can also play ice games and sign names into the ice signature walls. Take respite from the cold in the warming house with food from local food trucks, including Que Tal Street Eats and Rollin Nolen’s BBQ. The Carver Cup takes place with ice sculpting teams competing from across the country from Jan. 30-Feb. 1. (4-10 p.m. Thu., Fri.; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat.; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun. Runs through Feb. 16. $12.99-$24.99. Viking Lakes, 2645 Vikings Circle, Eagan. minnesotaicefestival.com)

MELISSA WALKER

This poignant and heartwarming comedy is about two isolated Asian immigrants who become fast friends on Thanksgiving Day in 1973. Outgoing Luna and shy Jane meet at a supermarket not knowing what to do on this American holiday before Luna invites Jane over to her apartment. Under the expert direction of May Adrales, actors Jenna Agbayani and Juyeon Song find the wistfulness, verve and wry wit so redolent in Lloyd Suh’s poetic script. (7:30 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 1 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., 1 & 7 p.m. Sun. Ends Jan. 25. Guthrie Theater, 818 S. 2nd St., Mpls. $29-$85, 612-377-2224, guthrietheater.org)

R.P.

DANCE

Taiko drumming, contemporary dance and ballet are brought together for a new year’s celebration of dance presented by Yuki Tokuda. The choreographer, who typically sets ballet dance to classical music, this time teams up with drummers from TaikoArts Midwest, known for their highly physical dynamic drumming style. Joining the collaboration will be contemporary dancer and choreographer Darrius Strong, who performs a solo called “Naihatsu” (translates to “burst of energy from within”), and a duet with Tokuda titled “Impermanent Wind.” Tokuda also will dance a solo, “Shunpuu” (spring breeze), and eight of her students will perform a work called “Pounding Hooves.” (2 p.m. Sat., Sundin Music Hall, 1531 Hewitt Av., St. Paul. Free. eventbrite.com)

SHEILA REGAN

Subtitled “A View From the Side,” this pop-up exhibition is of the famous Swedish photographer, best known for documenting bland corporate office spaces in Tokyo, Stockholm and New York. The series was published in 2001 and known simply as “Office.” The cinematographer of “Severance” drew inspiration from this series as well. Sat.-Feb. 9. (10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue., Wed., Fri.-Sun.; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thu. 2600 Park Av. S., Mpls., $8-$20. Free for ages 5 and under. 612-871-4907, asimn.org)

ALICIA ELER

Pueblo pottery innovator Jody Folwell’s exhibition “O’Powa O’Meng” (translates to “I came here, I got here, I’m still going” in Tewa) includes works by her and her family. From commentary on American politics to tongue-in-cheek jokes, her pottery works contain text and imagery that have changed, and continue to impact Native art over the past five decades. Ends Jan. 26. (10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue., Wed., Fri.-Sun., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thu. Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 3rd Av. S., Mpls. Free. new.artsmia.org, 612-870-3000)

A.E.