Our Friday Best: Ani DiFranco, Winstock, Wacipi dance

While returning to the road this summer mostly at festivals and outdoor venues, Ani DiFranco will revisit the friendly confines of First Avenue, promoting this year's "Revolutionary Love." As always, she mixes the political and the personal on this gentle-sounding yet richly musical collection, her 27th release on her Righteous Babe Records. Recorded in North Carolina before the pandemic, the album calls for change, individually and communally. The highlight is "Shrinking Violet," a slow blues with searing slide guitar about an abusive relationship. Expect an earful of inspiring conversation and music from this compelling indie force. (8 p.m. Sat. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $46, axs.com.)

JON BREAM

Even though the 27th annual Winstock country music hoedown has been delayed twice because of the pandemic, organizers of the fundraiser fest in Winsted, Minn., are undaunted. They still boast last year's scheduled Saturday-night star, Luke Combs, country's most exciting new headliner since Chris Stapleton, and enlisted high-energy Sam Hunt of "Body Like a Back Road" and "Breaking Up Was Easy in the '90s" fame to sub for Darius Rucker, who had a scheduling conflict for Friday. Also slated are Big & Rich, Brett Eldredge, Chris Janson, Phil Vassar and Elvie Shane, who is making noise with the new single "My Boy," about a stepson. (12:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Winsted Airport, Winsted. $165 for two-day ticket, winstockfestival.com.)

JON BREAM

It's no longer in Lowertown, but this eclectic two-day music marathon is still based around all things six strings. Friday night's kickoff features Congolese soukous specialist Siama Matuzungidi and neo-soul experimenter Mayyadda. Saturday's sprawling three-stage affair includes fingerpicking guru Pat Donohue, indie-folkie Humbird, jazz wiz Elijah Johnson, Mike Michel with Terrell X (aka rapper Carnage the Executioner), Derecho with Alan Sparhawk and Al Church and a sound installation by Jeremy Ylvisaker, concluding with a ticketed performance of the local "Last Waltz" tribute show. (6:30 p.m. Fri., 11 a.m. Sat., Como Lakeside Pavilion, St. Paul, free, musicmissionmusic.com.)

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

Fresh off a high-profile set at Lollapalooza, the 22-year-old Ohio singer/rapper born Michael White II, aka Trippie Redd, is hitting the road as a headliner to tout his new album "Trip at Knight." It's due next week following a strong buildup with the Lil Uzi Vert- and Auto-Tune-accompanied single "Holy Smokes." Less than four years have passed since Trippie's breakout single, "Dark Knight Dummo" with Travis Scott. "Mood" hitmaker Iann Dior and SoFaygo open the show. (7 p.m. Wed., the Armory, 500 S. 6th St., Mpls., all ages, $57-$67, ticketmaster.com.)

After establishing himself as one of the most politically incorrect comics on the planet, Stephen Lynch snagged a Tony nomination for his role in "The Wedding Singer." But don't be tricked into thinking he's cleaned up his act. He's still performing songs about confronting a Nazi girlfriend, hating Charlie Brown and making love to Lady Diana's corpse. Expect as many gasps as belly laughs when he brings his "Time Machine" tour to the Twin Cities. (7 p.m. Fri., Varsity Theater, 1308 SE. 4th St., Mpls. $40.25. varsitytheater.com.)

NEAL JUSTIN

The trauma of the Vietnam War bleeds into the next generation in Teresa Mock's solo performance piece, created with Heidi Arneson. The first show in Open Eye Theatre's space in 18 months, "Uncertainty" uses music, sound and puppets to explore the experience of Mock's father, who grew up in Minnesota and served in Vietnam. In the show, she grapples with how that experience affected her dad and her relationship with him. (7:30 p.m. Wed.-Aug. 28, 2 & 7:30 p.m. Aug. 29, Open Eye Theatre, 506 E. 24th St., Mpls. $10-$15, openeyetheatre.org.)

Chris Hewitt

Soprano Carole Schultz and pianist Elizabeth Chua are Overdressed, a duo that's been performing free concerts of operatic arias and songs on a southwest Minneapolis street at 6 p.m. every first and third Friday this summer. For the next two Saturdays, they'll head to a backyard on that block and team with Journey North Opera, performing while circus artists twirl, contort, juggle and dance. Reservations required. (7 p.m. Sat. & Aug. 28; 4909 Drew Av. S., Mpls. $28-$10. overdressedduo.com.)

Dressed in outfits adorned with intricate beadwork and plumery, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community dancers convene to demonstrate and compete in various Wacipi dance styles including traditional, fancy, grass and chicken. Each day begins with a Grand Entry led by a color guard, visiting dignitaries, tribal royalty and dancers. Dine on traditional and contemporary Native American foods and buy arts, crafts, jewelry and paintings. (7 p.m. Fri.; 1 & 7 p.m. Sat.; 1 p.m. Sun. Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Pow Wow Grounds, 3212 Dakotah Pkwy., Prior Lake. 651-214-6937. smscwacipi.org. )

MELISSA WALKER

Crash Dance Productions first presented "Sui Generis" in 2014 when exploring what it meant to be one of a kind. The work follows threads that make up the human experience, from beginnings to transformations, using athletic, fast-paced contemporary dancing to present a portrait of the journey of life. This week at the Southern, CDP's preprofessional student company, CDP2, features the work along with reprises of the company repertory and also new pieces choreographed by emerging dancers. (7:15 p.m. Fri., 4:30 p.m. Sat., Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Av. S., Mpls. $25, southerntheater.org.)

SHEILA REGAN