The Big Gigs for week of 7/6

POP/ROCK DeVotchKa might have to ditch those ceiling-dangling acrobatic dancers for their latest local gig -- unless the zoo lands some monkeys in the meantime. Beloved by 89.3 the Current, the Denver gypsy-folk-rock ensemble should nonetheless sound lovely at an outdoors/sundown gig, even if last year's "100 Years" was a disappointing album. Local openers Caroline Smith & the Good Night Sleeps have a suitably eclectic sound. (7:30 p.m. Fri., Minnesota Zoo amphitheater, $31.) Chris Riemenschneider

Six years and three albums since he last played First Avenue as a member of the Drive-by Truckers, Jason Isbell is headlining the club for the first time with his own guitar-bleeding, bourbon-swilling Southern-rock band, the 400 Unit. It's a well-deserved return, what with the outfit's handful of riveting Turf Club shows and all those vividly drawn story-songs that Isbell has been writing the whole time, including many from last year's "Here We Rest." There are two excellent local openers: Communist Daughter and Red Daughters. (9 p.m Fri., First Avenue. $12-$14.) Riemenschneider

On their new "Rise & Shine" CD, Nikki & the RueMates prove once again that acoustic country blues is a living, breathing, growing thing in Minnesota. They pull off the same re-animation trick for hippie folk-rock, too. Nikki Matteson is a disarming, convincing singer and an unguarded, very personal songwriter. Her beau, Rich Rue, plays a lot of great resophonic guitar and shares in the song creation and production. "Rise & Shine" is, by turns, dreamy, sexy, gritty, smooth and always intimate. (10 p.m. Fri. 331 Club, no cover.) Tom Surowicz

Still around. That's really all there is to say about 311, an up-strokin', bong-rippin' and fan-adored band that formed in Omaha more than 20 years ago. Conventional wisdom suggests that the rap-rock-reggae act peaked in the mid-'90s, relegating it to stoner legacy land. Not the case. 311's 10th album, 2011's "Universal Pulse," peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard charts, proving that they're still commercially viable. Opening is Slightly Stoopid. (8 p.m. Sat. the Brick, $45-$48.) Jay Boller

Recorded over a five-day period at a cabin in Nowheresville, Texas, the Young's sophomore album has a dusty, isolated feel. "Dub Egg" smacks of hearty American rock with Skynyrd-esque solos and invites Neil Young name-checks. The Austin psych-rock quartet's gutsy, lo-fi and ambling fuzz makes for some solid desert highway music for apathetic 20-somethings, but a monochromatic approach feels stodgy at times. Progressive hardcore quintet Ex-Nuns and local punks Wild Child open. (9 p.m. Sun. Triple Rock, $7.) Michael Rietmulder

Still a highlight of the summer for a lot of teenagers -- whose parents might've attended the inaugural trek in 1995 -- the Warped Tour rolls back into town without much major star power. But there are plenty of cult-loved punk or metallic alt-rock bands, including Rise Against, New Found Glory, Taking Back Sunday, Anti-Flag, Every Time I Die, All Time Low and Yellowcard. Local entrants include Mod Sun, who was a finalist in Rolling Stone magazine's "Choose the Cover" contest, and fellow rapper Sean Anonymous (see his own gig blurb on this page). Some of the new names of note include rapper T. Mills, punky indie bands the Constellations and Polar Bear Club and singer/songwriters Brian Marquis and Danielle Barbe. (Noon Sun., Canterbury Park Festival Field, Shakopee. $33.75.) Riemenschneider

A week after their Duluth and Rochester gigs opening for Wilco, Blitzen Trapper returns to more familiar territory as a headliner. Like Wilco, the Oregon quintet continues to stretch the boundaries of the Americana tag with psychedelic experimentation but without losing the essence of good songwriting. Rootsy songstress Sarah Jaffe joins the Blitzen crew fresh from opening for fellow North Texas native Norah Jones. (8 p.m. Sun., First Avenue. $18.) Riemenschneider

The American Idols live tour opens Friday in Detroit so we don't quite know what to suspect. We're stop No. 3 for Phillip Phillips, Jessica Sanchez and the other 10 finalists. Were TV ratings down this season because of the quality of the contestants, boredom with the judges or fatigue from too many singing shows on TV? Maybe "American Idol" tour producers will wise up and not make all the young fans wait till well after 9 p.m. to see champ Phillips, the fifth consecutive cute guy to be crowned Idol. (7 p.m. Mon. Target Center, $29.50-$65.) Jon Bream

He's a movie star, activist and aspiring country singer. Actually, Kevin Costner was a singer before he tried acting. In his recent gigs at the Cabooze and Minnesota Zoo, he charmed crowds with his rootsy Eagles-meets-Seger sounds. Costner's band, Modern West, features hotshot guitarist Teddy Morgan, a Minneapolis native and Lamont Cranston alum. The group has new tunes from this spring's album "Famous for Killing Each Other: Music From and Inspired by 'Hatfields and McCoys," Costner's latest acting endeavor. Plus, his stock is up after his heartfelt eulogy for Whitney Houston. (7:30 p.m. Guthrie, $37.). Bream

Fun piano-pop group Jukebox the Ghost's third album for Yep Roc Records, "Safe Travels," has a whimsical, bouncy sound reminiscent of Ben Folds and Barenaked Ladies, both of whom have recruited JTG for openers. However, Now, Now, the local fuzz-pop trio that recently opened for fun., might be the big draw here, as its new record for Chris Walla's Trans label continues to earn praising press and favorable Tegan and Sara comparisons. Dance-pop duo Savoir Adore also performs. (9 p.m. Mon., 7th Street Entry. $12.) Riemenschneider

Illinois-bred vocal powerhouse Lissie is getting lots of respect in the music biz. She sings backup on the new Snow Patrol album, and her songs have been heard in the movies "Footloose" and "Hall Pass" and numerous TV series, including "Grey's Anatomy" and "Mob Wives." Last fall, she released an EP of covers, including a knock-out, stripped-down version of Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way." Expect her to preview her second album for Fat Possum Records, due in September. (8 p.m. Tue. Varsity, $16-$18.) Bream

One of the most influential living rock guitarists, Dick Dale still tears up a club like a man happily possessed. As his talented son Jimmy Dale fuels the fire on drums, the 75-year-old guitar hero -- not just the king of surf music but a de facto father of heavy metal thanks to his pioneering work with 100-watt amps, reverb and heavy-gauge strings -- delivers "Misirlou," "Let's Go Trippin'|"and other timeless hits. (7 p.m Tue. Cabooze, $23-$25.) Tom Surowicz

After edging toward mainstream rock with their last album, "American Slang," New Jersey heartland punks the Gaslight Anthem appear to be "all in" with their upcoming fourth full-length, "Handwritten," due July 28. They signed a new deal with the revitalized Mercury Records to release it, and they got big-kahuna Springsteen/Pearl Jam cohort Brendan O'Brien to produce it. At least the first single, "45," harks back to the punkier spirit of their classic 2008 disc, "The '59 Sound." Loved Ones frontman David Hause opens. (9 p.m. Wed., Fine Line. $22.) Riemenschneider

His older brother Johnny was such a treat this spring at Famous Dave's that the BBQ joint decided to book Edgar Winter, the keyboardist/saxophonist behind "Free Ride" and "Frankenstein." He delivered those 1970s classics with aplomb two years ago at Mystic Lake Casino with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band. Winter is likely to feature material from his latest album, "Rebel Road," a classic-rock effort featuring Slash, Clint Black and Johnny Winter. (7 p.m. Thu. Famous Dave's Uptown, $25-$50.) Bream

HIP-HOP Minneapolis rapper Sean Anonymous of the Wide Eyes crew should have plenty more name recognition following the string of events surrounding the release of his debut solo EP, "Anonymo." He's part of this week's Warped Tour lineups in St. Louis, Kansas City and Shakopee, and in between those dates he's throwing a two-night album-release party. Backed by Cincinnati beatmaker DJ Corbett (Bun B, Saigon), Sean delivers a strong batch of slow-grooving, weedy, wry jams, including the highlight "No BS," featuring guest verses by Rhymesayers mainstays Blueprint and Abstract Rude. The first night will feature Sean with the whole Wide Eyes crew and openers Illuminous 3 and DJ Snuggles. He will then be backed by improv rockers Dream Crusher on Night 2, with the Unknown Prophets, Duenday and others opening. (10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Nomad World Pub., 21 & older, $5-$7.) Riemenschneider

A touring musician since age 8, electric bass wizard Victor Wooten is now an acclaimed author, owner of a 150-acre retreat/music camp, a record label founder, a naturalist and a five-time Grammy winner. He's on the road with his latest band, which includes young Cincinnati singer Krystal Peterson. (7 & 9 p.m. Mon.-Tue. Dakota, $30-$40.) Surowicz