The Big Gigs for week of 7/29

POP/ROCK

In the era before music blogs and the Current were around to help break acts in this town, the Ike Reilly Assassination did it through a series of riotous Turf Club gigs, critical raves by then-Pioneer Press critic Jim Walsh and one mighty strong debut album that suited Twin Citians' love for blue-collar, sharp-tongued, no-frills rock. Titled "Salesmen & Racists," the disc earned the IRA a brief tenure on Universal Records and boasted such sardonic rock singalongs as "Put a Little Love in It," "Duty Free," "Commie Drives a Nova" and "Angels & Whores." A decade since the CD's release, the Illinois band will play it in its entirety here and in Chicago. Little Man and BNLX open. (9 p.m. Fri., First Avenue. 18 & older. $15.) Chris Riemenschneider

It's not quite as pastoral as his farmland in southeastern Iowa, but St. Paul's urban-oasis park on a hot summer evening should be a great place to take in Greg Brown and his picturesque heartland folk/blues songs, the centerpiece of Saturday's inaugural Lowertown Roots Music Festival. With understated guitar god Bo Ramsey once again by his side, the Midwest music hero put out another inspired album, "Freak Flag," in April on hip North Carolina label Yep Roc Records. Preceding Brown's 8:30 p.m. set will be a rich lineup of traditional local artists, including bluegrass stars Monroe Crossing (7 p.m.), folk vet Spider John Koerner (5:30), violinist Randy Sabien (4), gospel great Tonia Hughes (2:30) and Mexican big band Mariachi Flor y Canto (1). (1-10 p.m. Sat., Mears Park, downtown St. Paul. All ages. Free.) Riemenschneider

Self-made, wholly wholesome Minnesota synth-pop star Owl City is coming home to wrap up his first U.S. leg of touring behind "All Things Bright and Beautiful." The much-scrutinized sophomore album debuted on Billboard last month at No. 6 but has yet to land a radio hit anywhere near as big as "Fireflies." As with its predecessor, the record still demands a total lack of cynicism and an affinity for daydreaming from its listeners. If you read our interview last month with Owl Citizen No. 1 Adam Young at his home in Owatonna (online at Startribune.com/music), you would know that the music is pretty well true-to-life for the conservative Christian singer, 24. He's touring with openers Mat Kearney and Unwed Sailor. (7 p.m. Sat., Roy Wilkins Auditorium. $25-$28.) Riemenschneider

Another weekend, another block party featuring the 4onthefloor and one of the Doomtree rappers. That might not sound like a ringing endorsement of the Red Stag Block Party unless you know how electrifying those acts are on stage (Mike Mictlan representing Doomtree in this case). The rest of the lineup and the actual party setup are above average, too. Other performers include: indie-folk duo Peter Wolf Crier, which has a new album to preview; France-touring soul-punk big band Chooglin'; Fog man Andrew Broder's new band the Cloak Ox; and Americana-playing, Irishmen-fronted Nordeast mavens Romantica. The bash takes place in a cool corner of northeast Minneapolis with food, drink and good environmental practices from the neighboring namesake eatery. Benefits the Ann Bancroft Foundation. (3-10 p.m. Sun., outside Red Stag Supperclub, 509 1st Av. NE, Mpls. Free.) Riemenschneider

While rumors of a full-fledged Beach Boys reunion tour persist surrounding this year's 50th anniversary of the group, the only original member on the current tour is Mike Love, uncle of Timberwolves star Kevin Love (no joke). Bruce Johnston, who joined way back in 1965, is also part of the lineup. The absence of Brian Wilson and Al Jardine might be made up for by the welcome addition of the Twin Cities' new amphitheater, which provides the proper outdoor setting for those endless summer classics. (7 p.m. Sun., Mystic Lake Casino Amphitheater. $16.50-$32.50.) Riemenschneider

After taking a year off for reasons as murky as the Loring Park pond, the Walker Art Center returns to the Summer Music & Movies in the Park series for four nights in August starting with a terrific twofer. Indie starlet Haley Bonar, whose atmospheric-twang-filled fourth album "Golder" has been in steady rotation at the Current, will ride off into the sunset with her ace band. Come dusk, Hitchcock's third-best movie, "Rear Window," will kick off the series' cinematic theme of espionage in grand, semi-twisted fashion, tied to the Walker's fully twisted exhibit, "Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera Since 1870." Which serves as a good reminder: Please turn off your mobile devices during the entertainment. (7 p.m. Mon., Loring Park, downtown Minneapolis. Free.) Riemenschneider

Former Fall Out Boy singer Patrick Stump is making a go of it as a solo artist, kicking off his first tour here in Minneapolis. The Chicago rocker recently teased fans with a mixed-bag EP, "Truant Waves," he's prepping a full-length album debut for a fall release titled "Soul Punk" and has peppered the Internet with fun clips of himself covering Tom Waits and Kanye West. It all seems more promising than the Pete Wentz Experience, or whatever Stump's former mate has planned. Wynter Gordon opens. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Varsity Theater. All ages. $20.) Riemenschneider

C.J. Ramone replaced Dee Dee to become the last bassist of the Ramones in 1989, and he stuck between Joey and Johnny up until the final gigs in 1996. He's tearing through many of the band's classics on a tour that includes Daniel Rey, who produced and co-wrote songs for several of the final Ramones albums. It might be a stretch to call it a Ramones offshoot band, but it's about as close as we can get nowadays and seems to be done in the right spirit. Virgin Whores, Invasion Earth and more open. (7 p.m. Thu., Station 4. 16 & older. $10.) Riemenschneider

She's no Adele -- especially in the vocals department -- but rising British pop singer Ellie Goulding, 24, is a big enough star in her home country to have landed the top-selling debut record of last year and arguably the biggest gig of this year: She played William and Kate's wedding at the invitation of the royal couple. Perfectly dubbed "folktronica" by Rolling Stone, her hit songs such as "Starry Eyed" and "The Writer" have up-tempo spunk and downbeat sass. Like Adele, she is playing a makeup date here for a show postponed by illness. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Fine Line. Sold out.) Riemenschneider

Eric Johnson is not as rapid-fire a guitar player as his G3 Tour mates Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, nor is he as quick when it comes to making albums or hitting the road. The Grammy-winning six-string god from Austin, Texas, finally issued another record last year, "Up Close," featuring guest appearances by Jonny Lang and fellow Texans Steve Miller and Jimmie Vaughan. Fresh from playing New York's Bitter End with members of David Letterman's TV band, he's back out with his own group. (8 p.m. Thu., Varsity Theater. 18 & older. $25.) Riemenschneider

COUNTRYA bunch of rowdy cowboys and way more cowboy wannabes thankfully staying off the roads and in RVs and tents for three nights for what may be the rowdiest annual bash in the Upper Midwest, We Fest is also a pretty terrific setting to catch the hottest names in country music. Brad Paisley is the kickoff-night headliner this year along with Blake Shelton and ol' fiddle meister Charlie Daniels. Acts playing through next weekend include Sugarland, Willie Nelson, Rascal Flatts, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker and Lynyrd Skynyrd. (Aug. 4-6, Soo Pass Ranch in Detroit Lakes, Minn. $75/day, $149/three days, www.wefest.com) Riemenschneider

One of the more versatile and reputable musicians in modern country music, Marty Stuart is coming to one of the more versatile and reputable jazz clubs in the country for an up-close gig with his big band the Fabulous Superlatives. They also have both a matinee and evening gig a day later in St. Cloud. Stuart got his start as a sideman for Lester Flatts and then Johnny Cash (who was also his father-in-law for a spell), but he has done well as a frontman, too, landing '90s hits such as "Hillbilly Rock" and "This One's Gonna Hurt You." (7 p.m. Wed., Dakota Jazz Club, $45. Also 1:30 & 7 p.m. Thu., Paramount Theater, St. Cloud, $22.) Riemenschneider

BLUESGuitarist and singer Larry McCray stops by on his way to a blues festival in Fargo. An Arkansas native who once worked on an auto assembly line in Michigan, he was a frequent visitor in the 1990s, when he made two breakthrough albums for Point Blank/Virgin ("Ambition" and "Delta Hurricane"). McCray sightings have been scarce of late, so catch up with his funky original blues while you can. (7:30 p.m. Fri., Wilebski's Blues Saloon, $15.) Tom Surowicz

For its first-ever "Big Outdoor Tent Party" Wilebski's is bringing back one of the finest, funniest showmen in the blues field -- the rambunctious, remarkable and cheerfully R-rated Bobby Rush. Still an energy-packed sex machine at 75, Rush will have his full band from Chicago, plus those foxy female dancers. He's a soulful singer, an even better all-around entertainer, and a revelation when he chooses to strap on a guitar. You won't stop grinning during his nonstop grooving. There'll be bands all day and night, with Rush onstage from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. (Noon-2 a.m. Sat., 1638 Rice St., St. Paul. $20 advance, $25 at door.) Surowicz

The curiosity gig of the weekend finds Doors keyboardist and composer Ray Manzarek playing original blues-rock with slide guitar master Roy Rogers, known for his many solo albums plus yeoman work with John Lee Hooker. The songs on their new "Translucent Blues" CD have some cool couplets by noteworthy lyricists -- Jim Carroll of "Basketball Diaries" renown, beat poet and playwright Michael McClure, jazz poet Michael C. Ford. There are even some rescued lines from beyond the grave by Warren Zevon, on the depressing but impressive L.A. tableau "River of Madness." Doors fans will immediately recognize the "L.A. Woman"/"Roadhouse Blues"-style drive of "Game of Skill." Manzarek's two-fisted barrelhouse piano and lizard king-worthy belting on the amiably sinister rocker "New Dodge City Blues" pass the acid test, as well. (7 p.m. Sat., Dakota Jazz Club. $35.) Surowicz

JAZZIn its inaugural year, the Midtown Global Jazz Festival sports a diverse talent lineup, with free music happening outside and inside the mighty old Sears building on Lake Street. On the main stage you'll hear intimate and exquisite Bill Evans-style interplay from the Chris Lomheim Trio (noon); samba and bossa sounds courtesy of Ticket to Brasil (2 p.m.); seminal swing fare by Doug Haining and the Twin Cities Seven, graced with guest singer Charmin Michelle (4 p.m.); and Patty Peterson & Friends, featuring the seven-time Minnesota Music Award-winning singer (6 p.m.). And on the Youth Stage, watch out for up-and-coming pianist Quentin Tschofen's collegiate quintet (5:15 p.m.). (Noon-8 p.m. Sat., Midtown Global Market, 920 E. Lake St., Mpls.) Surowicz

Expect intimate and adventurous music as guitar maestro Dean Magraw and avant jazz drummer Davu Seru kick off a new monthly series in St. Paul's Lowertown called "First Tuesdays at the Dog." Magraw's liable to play anything from Coltrane to Irish jigs, but improvisation should be the main bill of fare, since Seru is known for his work with such intrepid artists as Milo Fine and George Cartwright. (7-9 p.m. Tue., Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar, 4th & Broadway Sts., St. Paul. No cover.) Surowicz

Philly's consummate king of the Hammond B-3 and new KeyB organ, the virtuosic Gen-X champion of old-school greasy funkified soul jazz sounds, Joey DeFrancesco grooves hard and joyously, with the world at his fingertips and toes, whether the fare is timeless blues, bracing post-bop, revamped pop tunes, or all of the above rolled into one. It certainly helps that the big fella has associates who react organically to his every musical move -- guitarist Paul Bollenback and drummer Byron "Wookie" Landham. (7 & 9 p.m. Thu., Dakota Jazz Club. $20-$25.) Surowicz