Thursday, Oct. 10
1. Savion Glover: The Tony-winning tap dance savant has collaborated with musicians, including Bobby McFerrin live and Prince, Talib Kweli and Abbey Lincoln in the studio. Now he’ll bring his own band, Project 9, featuring his drum kit as lead instrument. Yes, he’s a drummer. In fact, he studied drums before diving into tap dance. Don’t fret, Glover will also provide some fascinating rhythms with his tap-happy feet. He’s composed the music but some of the performance — only the second gig for the vocal-and-instrumental ensemble — will be improvised. (7 p.m. Thu. & Fri. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls. $50-$70, dakotacooks.com)
2. A Boogie Wit da Hoodie: Seven years since his Drake-co-signed coming out on Atlantic Records with his first single “Drowning,” Bronx native Julius Dubose hasn’t become a mainstream star, but he has carved out his own unique, largely viral niche between emo-rap and trap hip-hop circles. The 28-year-old rapper and singer is touring behind his fourth album, “Better Off Alone,” featuring guests such as Young Thug, Future and Mariah the Scientist — but the album title hints at a more solitary and personal vibe that’s carrying over to his shows. (8 p.m. the Armory, 500 S. 6th St., Mpls., all ages, $46, ticketmaster.com)
Also: Louisiana’s seedy and druggy hip-hop duo $uicideboy$ are cashing in on cultish viral fame with an arena-headlining tour featuring gifted Florida rapper Denzel Curry among several opening acts (6:30 p.m. Target Center, $50-$300); Arizona’s bedroom-pop strummer Alec Benjamin of “Let Me Down Slowly” is out promoting his new album, “12 Notes” (6:30 p.m. the Fillmore, all ages, $59); soulful power couple the Muatas play the free Open Door Series at the Hook & Ladder’s Mission Room (7 p.m.); St. Paul keyboardist/vocalist Daniel Williams leads Quarteto Carioca in the sounds of Brazil (6:30 p.m. Dunsmore Room at Crooners, $25-$35); Nunnabove, the soulful sibling quartet from Woodbury, will headline a benefit for COMPAS, presented by PRN Alumni Foundation of Prince associates (6 pm. Green Room, $25-$95).
Friday, Oct. 11
3. Cody Johnson: Having self-released six albums on his CoJo label, the country twanger became so big in his native Texas that he landed a deal with Warner Music Nashville in 2019. The George Strait-influenced traditionalist’s national career soon took off, with 2021′s “‘til You Can’t” grabbing awards for best song at the Grammys and CMAs. Now he’s headlining his first arena tour. Opening are veteran Sammy Kershaw and newcomer Drew Parker, who co-wrote “Homemade” for Jake Owen and “Forever After All” for Luke Combs. (7:30 p.m. Xcel Energy Center, 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, $50 and up, ticketmaster.com)
Also: It’s the last go-round for Frankie Valli, 90, the “Jersey Boy” who may be lip-syncing on “Walk Like a Man,” “Sherry” and other Four Seasons classics (8 p.m. Mystic Lake Showroom, $49-$159); an influential late-‘70s indie-rock band from New York whose members went on to play with R.E.M., Steve Earle and Big Star tribute shows, the dB’s are on tour with all four original members playing their first shows in over a decade tied to a reissue of their debut LP (8 p.m. Amsterdam Bar & Hall, $30); the “One of Us” hitmaker and one-time Dead touring vocalist Joan Osborne is on the road supporting her 11th studio record, the pensive “Nobody Owns You,” which features the tune “Great American Cities” that mentions St. Paul; singer/songwriter Joshua Radin opens (8 p.m. Hopkins Center for the Arts, $57-$67); last seen opening for Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and playing guitar in their band at Mystic Lake Amphitheater, locally beloved Tulsa retro rocker JD McPherson returns to sing about his “North Side Gal” (8 p.m. First Avenue, $30-$35); a tradition that dates back a decade before John Prine’s death, the “Big Fat Love” half-birthday tribute to Prine returns with Mother Banjo and other local pickers (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder, $15-$25); Minnesota’s fusion-loving Galactic Cowboy Orchestra marks its 15th anniversary with the release of its sixth record, “Lost in the Numbers” (8 p.m. Crooners, $28-$38).
Saturday, Oct. 12
4. MJ Lenderman: After serving as a sideman to Waxahatchee and guitarist in the buzz band Wednesday, this North Carolina alt-twanger has been bumped up to It Boy status with the release of his second solo album, “Manning Fireworks,” one of the year’s best-reviewed rock records. Story-driven songs like “Joker Lips” and “She’s Leaving You” show an uncanny blend of humor and despair sung in the 25-year-old’s distinctive, nasally drawl. He’s already proven to be a fiery guitarist, too. After a big coming-out at Americana fest in Nashville last month, Lenderman and his band the Wind are blazing through a month and a half of mostly sold-out club dates across the country. (8 p.m. First Avenue, 701 1st Ave. N., Mpls., $20-$25, first-avenue.com)
5. Christian McBride & Ursa Major: Last year, the ever-adventurous jazz bass giant came to the Dakota with his New Jawn, a group of veteran jazz men. This time, the eight-time Grammy winner returns for a four-show engagement with a new ensemble, Ursa Major, featuring fresh faces some of whom are still touting their college credits. Pianist Mike King, an Oberlin Conservatory grad, tours with Dee Dee Bridgewater. Guitarist Ely Perlman is a third-year student at Berklee College of Music. Saxophonist Nicole Glover performs with Wynton Marsalis’s Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and drummer Savannah Harris has played with Cecile McLorin Salvant. (6:30 & 9 p.m. Sat. & Sun. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $30-$40, dakotacooks.com)
Also: Ohio electro-rock duo Twenty-One Pilots of “Heathens” and “Stressed Out” hitmaking fame are on another high-production arena tour supporting their latest album, “Clancy” (7:45 p.m. Target Center, $95-$485); hopeful and bright pop-rocker Matthew Caws and his band Nada Surf are earning high marks again with their latest album, “Moon Mirror” (8:30 p.m. Fine Line, $30); Kennedy Honors songbird Amy Grant released two singles in 2023, “Trees We’ll Never See” and “What You Heard,” and then this fall dropped a new holiday album with hubby Vince Gill, “When I Think of Christmas” (8 p.m. Mystic Lake Casino, $49 and up); country rabble-rouser Cody Jinks celebrates his new-found sobriety on this year’s “Change the Game,” with Cadillac Three and Calder Allen (7 p.m. the Armory, $30 and up); North Carolina indie-folk favorite MC Taylor, who earned local fans early on at Bon Iver’s Eaux Claires fests, is playing a solo set as Hiss Golden Messenger promoting the new record “Jump for Joy” (8 p.m. Amsterdam Bar & Hall, $30); with heyday members Tommy Shaw, James Young and Chuck Panozzo still on board, Styx reprises “Babe” and “Renegade” from its classic-rock songbook (7:30 p.m. Orpheum Theatre, $55-$155); Vancouver pop rock quartet Marianas Trench is promoting its sixth album, “Haven,” with Cassadee Pope opening (7:30 p.m. Fillmore, $45 and up); Samarth Nagarkar Khayal Ensemble offers a program of Indian ragas (8 p.m. MacPhail Center for Music, $5 and up); accompanied by pianist Rick Carlson, local singers Maud Hixson and Erin Schwab reprise the Guthrie show “Coward’s Women,” focusing on Noel Coward’s catalog (6:30 p.m. Dunsmore Room at Crooners, $30-$40).