The Pines & Phil Cook
The rare chance to hear one of Minnesota's most elegant and expansive folk-rock bands, the Pines, spread out in the First Ave main is doubly enticing thanks to the gig also being an overdue opportunity to hear one of the standouts from last summer's Eaux Claires festival, Phil Cook and his band the Guitarheels. Cook's gospelized 2015 solo album, "Southland Mission," capped off a career that includes stints with Megafaun and Justin Vernon's first band DeYarmond Edison and producer jobs for Charlie Parr and Hiss Golden Messenger. The Pines are also promoting a strong new album, "Above the Prairie." (9 p.m. Fri., First Avenue, Mpls., $15, First-Avenue.com.)
José González
Known for his prowess to turn a big rock venue into a quiet church all by his lonesome, the Swedish Argentinian acoustic bard is changing things up this time in what might have even more equally mesmerizing results. He is touring with New York's burgeoning chamber sextet yMusic, whose neoclassical talent has recently graced albums by Sufjan Stevens and Ben Folds. They will tout González's latest LP, "Vestiges & Claws," and rework many older tunes. What a perfectly intimate and regal room for them, too. (7:30 p.m. Sun., Pantages Theatre, Mpls., $33-$43, Ticketmaster.com.)
Lucius
After charming local audiences from 7th Street Entry two years ago to Rock the Garden festival last summer, dually dazzling singers Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig and their artfully rhythmic Brooklyn-based pop-rock band return in support of their sophomore album, "Good Grief." No slump here. The quintet tightened up as a band after two years of touring and took a mightier but also poppier turn on the record, as evidenced by the spiky first single "Born Again Teen." They're returning to clubs between a busy South by Southwest Music Conference run last week and a summer festival of dates. (8 p.m. Wed., First Avenue, $20-$22, First-Avenue.com.)
Korda 3 Showcase: The artist-run co-op label hosts late-'80s shimmer-pop band the Ocean Blue, the Jim Ruiz Set, Hang Ups co-founder Jeff Kearns' Deep Pool and the Starfolk with power-folk couple Brian Tighe and Allison LaBonne. (8 p.m. Fri., 7th Street Entry, $12-$17.)
The Mavericks: One-time Nashville hitmakers have one of the best singers and liveliest live sets in all of Americana land. (8 p.m. Sat., State Theatre, $47-$59.)
