Los Lobos
One of America's most satisfying roots bands, the guys from East Los Angeles explored their hometown roots on last year's "Native Son," a collection of songs by L.A. artists including Buffalo Springfield, Jackson Browne and War (a jazzy "The World Is a Ghetto"). In concert, this terrific live band is doing a small sampling of "Native Son" as well as an assortment from their deep and stellar catalog, including Latin numbers. Wisconsin's Them Coulee Boys open what will be Los Lobos' first gig at First Avenue since 1996, which they'll follow Saturday by returning to the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, for the annual Winter Dance Party salute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. (8 p.m. Fri. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $35, first-avenue.com)
JON BREAM
Our Friday best: Los Lobos, robo-dinosaurs, Minnesota film 'Hockeyland' and a dance on St. Paul's Como Lake
Critics' picks for entertainment in the week ahead.
'Hockeyland'
The season-long rivalry between two northern Minnesota hotbeds of hockey is the subject of a surprisingly intimate documentary set during the 2019-20 school year. Eveleth-Gilbert faces extinction, with the tiny school on the verge of merging with a neighbor, while Hermantown is a powerhouse that won back-to-back state titles in 2016 and 2017. Director Tommy Haines capitalizes on extraordinary access to the candid players and their families and the close-up, in-game action is thrilling. (6 p.m. Sat., Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Av. S., Mpls., $10, theparkwaytheater.com)
CHRIS HEWITT
'Jurassic Quest'
Claiming to be the world's largest dinosaur event, Jurassic Quest returns with life-size animatronic dinosaurs including Apatosaurus, Spinosaurus, T. rex and a towering 50-foot-long Megalodon. Young paleontologists can dig fossils, meet baby dinos and view the Ancient Oceans exhibit to discover prehistoric sea turtles and dolphins. Other activities include themed rides, shows, crafts and interactive activities. (9 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 9-6 Sun. $19-$36. Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 2nd Av. S., Mpls. jurassicquest.com)
MELISSA WALKER
'Lunar New Year' with the Minnesota Orchestra
The orchestra will set aside the Western European repertoire for a weekend and present music entirely of Asian origin to mark the holiday. Junping Qian will conduct works by seven Chinese composers, with the orchestra's Rui Du soloing on the "Butterfly Lovers" Violin Concerto by He Zhonhao and Chen Gang, and Twin Cities-based pipa master Gao Hong presenting a work of her own. Sunday afternoon's bargain concert is designed for families. (8 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $12-$67, 612-371-5656 or minnesotaorchestra.org)
ROB HUBBARD
Ghost & Volbeat
After working their way up the chain over the past decade via opening slots for the likes of Metallica and Iron Maiden, these two Scandinavian metal bands are sharing headlining duties on their own arena tour. Sweden's fantastically gloomy Ghost, led by papally costumed singer Papa Emeritus, usually offer an impressive stage production on tour, while Danish rockers Volbeat turned a bit more melodic without losing their might on new album "Servant of the Mind." Twin Temple opens. (6:30 p.m. Sat., Target Center, 600 1st Av. N., Mpls., $36-$100, ticketmaster.com)
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
'Slow Show'
Choreographer Dimitri Chamblas' last big splash in the Twin Cities was an improv performance in 2019 with former Sonic Youth bassist and singer Kim Gordon at the American Swedish Institute. Here's hoping his "Slow Show" is just as thrilling. A trance-inspired, slow-moving dance piece featuring 50 local participants on Como Lake, it's set to a score of electronic music and guitar by Eddie Ruscha. (1 & 2 p.m. Sat., 1360 N. Lexington Pkwy., St. Paul, free, thegreatnorthernfestival.com)
SHEILA REGAN
'Not for Sale'
A drama about housing discrimination in the 1950s and '60s crystallizes around Twin Cities realtor Arnold Weigel, who works with families of color as they attempt to buy houses in all-white neighborhoods. Andrew Erskine Wheeler, Charity Jones and Ron Collier lead the cast of a world premiere by Kim Hines and Barbara Teed. (7:30 p.m. Thu.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul, $30-$53, historytheatre.com)
C.H.
Annie Humphrey & Corey Medina
These two distinctively moving Native American singer/songwriters are pairing up for a show in conjunction with the Great Northern Festival as a fitting reminder of what makes Minnesota great. Anishinaabe freedom fighter Humphrey threatened to steal the show from Bon Iver at this summer's Water Is Life Festival with her poetic and soulful folk tunes. Navajo-rooted, Bemidji-based Medina and his band Brothers move in a more physical way with their grinding blues-rock. (8 p.m. Sat., Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., $15-$25, icehousempls.com)
C.R.
Warren Wolf
There is a pizazz factor to this vibraphone virtuoso that extends beyond the rhythm and resonance of his phrasing into a muscular joy. Now 42, with longtime memberships in top ensembles like Christian McBride's Inside Straight and the SF Jazz Collective and a half-dozen albums as a bandleader, he'll show off his stylistic breadth in a two-night stand. On Tuesday his quintet presents "The History of the Vibraphone," playing tunes by Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Roy Ayers and more. On Wednesday, he'll delve into more groove, R&B and fusion material, leaning into his recent album "Reincarnation" and adding vocalist Imani-Grace Cooper. (7 p.m. Tue., 7 & 9 Wed., Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $20-$40, dakotacooks.com)
BRITT ROBSON
'Sundown'
This drama, starring Tim Roth, gives us a (cinematic) vacation in Acapulco but makes us pay for it. Mexican director Michel Franco's follow-up to his ferocious "New Order" revisits that movie's examination of privilege and colonialism, this time with a group of four whose trip to an exclusive, wildly picturesque resort is shattered by a series of tragedies. The fun of the movie is how Franco doles out information gradually, forcing us to jump to (incorrect) conclusions until finally all is revealed. (Various local theaters.)
C.H.
Critics’ picks for entertainment in the week ahead.