Music
Playboi Carti
Last seen in town in June opening the Weeknd’s stadium tour, the Atlanta rapper born Jordan Carter has stepped up to arena-headliner status on his own at age 30 with his third album, “Music,” alternately (if not humbly) titled “I Am Music.” The soft-voiced hip-hop star got a big profile bump as a featured guest on Travis Scott’s megahit “Fein.” Now, he has Scott, Kendrick Lamar and the Weeknd guesting on his new record, the latter’s turn in “Rather Lie” helping turn it into a rather big hit. Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely and Homixide Gang are opening. (7 p.m. Thu., Grand Casino Arena, 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, $44-$459, ticketmaster.com)
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
Chris Botti
The well-traveled trumpeter gets typecast as a smooth jazz musician. That’s only part of his Grammy-winning résumé. He’s a serious jazz man, too, having toured with Buddy Rich and the Brecker Brothers, and a versatile trumpeter, who’s recorded with Sting, Barbra Streisand and John Mayer. He’s also a bandleader of a highly entertaining and musically satisfying Ed Sullivan-like variety show, this time featuring violinist Anastasiia Mazurok and vocalists John Splithoff and Veronica Swift, a jazzer who has branched out with Postmodern Jukebox as well as the hard-rock Dame. (6:30 & 9 p.m. Thu.-Sat., the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $92.42 and up, dakotacooks.com)
J.B.
Animales BBQ kickoff
Alongside the buzz for the food menu at the popular food truck’s new permanent space just west of downtown Minneapolis, there’s also excitement for the similarly meaty performance calendar. The restaurant will double as an Americana-flavored live music venue starting this week. The main opening party Saturday features the busiest 98-year-old in town, Cornbread Harris, with synth-rock mainstays Solid Gold (8 p.m.). Dexterous rocker Al Church will perform solo on Thursday (8 p.m.) and then with a band on Saturday afternoon (3 p.m.). Former Pines co-leader David Huckfelt and his neo-Americana band Mystery Lights perform Friday (8 p.m.). Indigenous singer/songwriter Laura Hugo plays Sunday (3 p.m.). There’s no cover charge in all cases. (Animales BBQ, 241 Fremont Av., Mpls., animalesbbq.com)
C.R.
Kathleen Edwards
In her post-Justin Vernon world, the Canadian-reared, Florida-based Americana singer/songwriter is rocking harder, with a fuller and often louder sound on this summer’s “Billionaire,” only her second album in 13 years. Credit coproducers Gena Johnson, a Minnesota State Mankato alum, and Jason Isbell, whose guitar is all over Edwards’ sixth full length. The Current has been spinning the single “Save Your Soul” and the title track, which is about the richness of life, not a tax bracket. (8 p.m. Sun., Fine Line, 318 1st Av. N., Mpls., $53 and up, axs.com)
J.B.