NEKO CASE
Wednesday-Thursday: After looking toward the sky and Mother Nature on her stormy 2009 album "Middle Cyclone," the redheaded, golden-voiced, torch-and-twang singer turned inward with tornado-like results on her lengthily titled new record, "The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You." It's Case at her most personal, which is maybe why the Vermont-based indie heroine chose to revert to the cozy territory of First Avenue over two nights instead of one night at a theater. Her band includes longtime vocal partner Kelly Hogan and new guitarist Eric Bachmann of Archers of Loaf notoriety. Openers are Trampled by Turtles electric offshoot Dead Man Winter (Wed.) and folk-family heir Lucy Wainwright Roche (Thu.). (7 p.m. Wed.-Thu. $30. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388.)
Chris Riemenschneider
