'Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites'
Literature comes to life in this new exhibit at the Minnesota Children's Museum. Such tales as "The Snowy Day," "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" and "Where's Spot" have been turned into a three-dimensional play space where children can interact with the story and characters. Children can build vocabulary while searching for Peter's lost belongings, or sort and match letters in "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom." ($14.95, advance reservations required. 10 W. 7th St., St. Paul. 651-225-6000. mcm.org)
MELISSA WALKER

Megadeth
A smorgasbord-like concert for quarantine-starved headbangers, Dave Mustaine's enduring '80s thrash band is heading up the not-so-grandiosely named Metal Tour of the Year, with 2000s-era favorites Lamb of God, Trivium and Hatebreed. Mustaine has endured cancer and another split with Minnesota-reared co-founding bassist Dave Ellefson over the past year along with ample media attention for slamming COVID vaccine requirements — of which there are none for this show. (5 p.m. Tue., Armory, 500 S. 6th St., Mpls., $67, ticketmaster.com)
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

'Hamlet'
The brooding Danish prince will do his to-be-or-not-to-be in the present in Classical Actors Ensemble's production, which aims to emphasize the concerns of Shakespeare's younger characters, including Hamlet, Ophelia and Laertes. Masks are required, regardless of vaccination status. (7:30 p.m. Thu.-Sat., 2:30 p.m. Sun., Elision Playhouse, 6105 42nd Av. N., Crystal, ends Oct. 17, $18-$42, classicalactorsensemble.org)
CHRIS HEWITT

Franconia celebrates 25
Franconia Sculpture Park is throwing itself a big birthday filled with art events galore. Jessica Turtle and David Aichinger set up "Elm Tree Story Booth," a tree-shaped phone booth to record people's interactions with nature. The University of Minnesota leads a program on plants and animals of the area. Franconia Executive Director Ginger Porcella leads a tour of the park's new sculptures. Stay for the opening receptions of "After, Other and Before," a group exhibit of diasporic artists curated by Emerging Curators Institute Fellow Kehayr Brown-Ransaw, and the FSP Artist Billboard Project. Catch a concert by up-and-coming hip-hop musician Nur-D, a fashion show with Joshua McGarvey, and video installations and DJs as the sun sets. (11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat., 29836 St. Croix Trail, Shafer, Minn., franconia.org/25th-anniversary)
ALICIA ELER

Madeleine Peyroux & Paula Cole
These two distinctive song stylists made their names in the 1990s, Cole with the powerful originals "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone" and "I Don't Want to Wait" (the theme for TV's "Dawson's Creek") and Peyroux with imaginative interpretations of tunes associated with Bessie Smith, Edith Piaf and Hank Williams. The sublime Peyroux has continued to impress with both covers and self-penned, often jazzy tunes, including co-writes with Bill Wyman of Stones fame. Cole's 2021 album "American Quilt" tries to weave together the Great American Songbook with folk, blues and country songs rendered by her forceful yet nuanced voice. (7:30 p.m. Mon., Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., $44-$74, ticketmaster.com)
JON BREAM

Bob Mould Band
The pioneering indie-rock hero of Hüsker Dü and Sugar fame returns to his old haunt with a batch of fiery new songs from last year's politically tinged album "Blue Hearts." He's also picking out a few lesser-played songs off his new post-Hüskers box set "Distortion." Get there early for noisemaking Nova Scotia openers Kestrels. (8:30 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $30, masks and vaccine or test results required, axs.com)
C.R.

Rene Izquierdo
The Minnesota Guitar Society returns to live concerts with a season-opening recital by this outstanding Cuban classical guitarist. Known for his rare combination of expressiveness and exquisite technique, Izquierdo is both a proponent of new compositions and fresh arrangements of old ones. Mask up and have your vaccination card ready for what should be an evening of intimate, masterful musicianship. (7:30 p.m. Sat., Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University, 1531 Hewitt Av., St. Paul, $25-$10, 612-677-1151 or mnguitar.org)
ROB HUBBARD

Solidarity Street Gallery
This arts and culture fest that centers Indigenous voices and environmental justice began Thursday along Payne Avenue on St. Paul's East Side, with a lineup of performers such as interactive dance group Don't You Feel It Too, vocalists Maria Isa and Mayyadda, and spoken-word artists Tall Paul, Marcie Rendon and Hawona Sullivan Janzen. Look for visual art by Angela Two Stars, Graci Horne, as well as protest artwork preserved by Memorialize the Movement. There's also kids-focused drumming and dancing by the Montessori American Indian Center, a performance by Z Puppets Rosenschnoz and a St. Paul Public Library bookmobile. (5-9 p.m. Fri., noon-10 Sat., free, details at solidaritystreetgallery.org)
SHEILA REGAN

Julien Baker
Like her Boygenius bandmate Phoebe Bridgers, this Memphis-area native went from a young indie buzz to releasing one of 2021's most acclaimed rock albums. "Little Oblivions" adds brighter, fuller sounds to her often dark tales about addiction and growing up in the conservative South. Thao Nguyen of the Get Down Stay Down fame is a nice bonus as opener. (8:30 p.m. Fri., First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $25-$30, vaccine or test results required, axs.com)
C.R.

NPG
Former Prince stalwarts Sonny Thompson, Levi Seacer Jr., Tony Mosley and Morris Hayes are back on tour celebrating the Purple catalog, joined by Virginia-reared singer MacKenzie. After two nights in Minneapolis, NPG heads to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Chicago. Vaccine or negative COVID test required. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Thu.-next Fri., Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $60-$80, dakotacooks.com)
J.B.