The Big Gigs for week of 9/9

POP/ROCK

While the buzz in downtown St. Paul is over at the new Amsterdam Bar & Hall, the Concrete & Grass Festival returns as a reminder of Lowertown's still-bustling vibe and a lineup more geared to aging music lovers than young hipsters. Soul Asylum frontman Dave Pirner plays a rare solo gig in Mears Park for opening night, also featuring local blues/R&B legend Willie Murphy, a Minnesota Opera mini-performance, Nikki & the Ruemates and Speed's the Name. Kansas songwriter Freedy Johnston of "Bad Reputation" notoriety headlines an eclectic Saturday bill with piano rocker Alison Scott, the Jim Behringer Band, New Primitives, Alma Brasileira and Bomba de Luz. Sunday afternoon finds Martin Devaney before a St. Paul Chamber Orchestra performance. (5:30-11 p.m. Fri., 1-10 p.m. Sat., 1-4 p.m. Sun., Mears Park, 221 E. 5th St., St. Paul. All ages. Free.) Chris Riemenschneider

After making its last few albums piecemeal between busy schedules and long distances, Halloween, Alaska produced its new record the way its members have largely recorded in their other bands: All together in the same room in one weeklong session. The results are a more organic-sounding and rockier collection titled "All Night the Calls Come In," which still offers the ambient, laptop-honed sonic layering that helped earn this quartet of seasoned players a buzzing presence. New bassist William Shaw has permanently joined alongside his old 12 Rods mate Dave King (drummer for the Bad Plus, Happy Apple), frontman James Diers (Love-Cars) and guitarist Jacob Hanson (Haley Bonar). The first single, "Dance by Accident," has been mistaken for a Sting cut in its heavy Current rotation, but there are a lot more powerful tracks on the album. Communist Daughter and We Are Willows open the release party. (7 p.m. Sat., First Avenue. $10-$12.) Riemenschneider

You don't need to be a beer lover to enjoy the Summit 25th Anniversary Party's well-crafted brew of music, all locally made just like the proud St. Paul brewery. Neon dance-rock favorites Solid Gold headline, and all-star veteran band the X-Boys make a welcome return, featuring members of the Suburbs, Suicide Commandos and Wallets. St. Paul's own Lucy Michelle and her gypsy folk-pop band the Velvet Lapelles also perform, along with bluegrassy pickers Pert Near Sandstone and young reggae students the Prizefighters. (11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., Summit Brewery, 910 Montreal Circle, St. Paul. 21 & older. $12.) Riemenschneider

A favorite for many years at the Minnesota State Fair, Aussie acoustic guitar hero Tommy Emmanuel is a fancy finger-picker of many styles -- bluegrass, folk, jazz, new age. Last year's double-disc "Little by Little" finds the Chet Atkins acolyte teaming up with several guests including bassist Victor Wooten and singer Pam Rose on a wide range of tunes, from "The Tennessee Waltz" and "Moon River" to tasty originals. In concert, the one-man band impresses with his speed and showmanship. (8 p.m. Sat., Burnsville Performing Arts Center, $34.50-$40.) Jon Bream

Two nights of Basia weren't enough this week. The Poland-bred, samba-loving jazz-pop-dance thrush, who made a splash in the late 1980s and early '90s, will return with her extremely talented band and twin backup singers for one more night -- and two shows -- to promote "It's That Girl," her first studio album in 15 years. (7 & 9 p.m. Sun., Dakota Jazz Club, $45.) Bream

"The Voice" finalist Beverly McClellan has been in the Twin Cities writing songs with Kevin Bowe and Bruce McCabe so she might as well do a gig. The firebrand vocalist from Florida loves Etta James but she can also rock out on Led Zeppelin. McClellan plans to release her next album -- her fifth indie project -- via E1 Music, working with producer David Z, who has worked with Prince, Jonny Lang and James, among others. (7 p.m. Mon. Dakota, $20.) Bream

We didn't get the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss tour, and reviews indicate that Krauss, on tour with her usual group, Union Station, is not offering anything from the Plant/Krauss Grammy album of the year, "Raising Sand." But Krauss, who has won more Grammys than any other woman and ranks third overall, is digging deep into her bluegrass catalog, including some tunes from this year's solid but unspectacular "Paper Airplane." Always part of shows starring Alison Krauss + Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas -- the formal moniker -- are stirring instrumental solos by all the players and Krauss' corny jokes. (7:30 p.m. Tue., Orpheum, $51.50-$85.) Bream

After a summer of festivals and European dates, the Foo Fighters are returning to U.S. arenas for a fall tour. The trek starts at the familiar confines of the X, where Dave Grohl & Co. last played as openers for Bob Dylan. There's not much that's Dylanesque about the group's new disc, "Wasting Light," a return to roaring form that should make this an extra powerful outing. Opening are Chicago's topical howlers Rise Against and L.A. punk band the Bronx's Mexi-Cali offshoot, Mariachi El Bronx. (7 p.m. Wed., Xcel Energy Center. $34.50-$54.50.) Riemenschneider

"Midnight at the Oasis" hitmaker Maria Muldaur went to New Orleans to record her latest, the swampy "Steady Love," due Sept. 27. Backed by her Red Hot Bluesiana Band, she'll preview the funky, bluesy and gospel-infused tunes (the title track was penned by Greg Brown) from her 12th album in the past 10 years. She always fills the Dakota with her voice and personality. (7 & 9 p.m. Wed., Dakota Jazz Club, $20-$25.) Bream

The pioneering Canadian punk band that used to put up Hüsker Dü on trips to Vancouver and Seattle, D.O.A. never really died. Frontman Joe Keithley has carried on his leftist and laugh-filled group through 31 years and almost as many different band members, and has lived to write about it. He's touting a fun new book, "Talk - Action = 0: A Visual History of D.O.A." The Quincy Punx reunite to open. (9 p.m. Wed., Triple Rock. $12.) Riemenschneider

Per usual with the Jonas brand, Joe Jonas is premature. The middle Jonas Brother -- the handsome one -- is going on tour a full month before his solo debut disc, "Fast Life," is released. He's already dropped two singles; the latest, "Love Slayer," is a clubby, synth-drenched, generic dance-pop single. To warm up for his opening slot on Britney Spears' European tour, Jonas is touring with Jay Sean, a talented U.K. singer/rapper who has visited the U.S. top 10 with "Down" and "Do You Remember." Oh, Joe promises to do some Jonas Brothers songs. (6:30 p.m. Thu., First Avenue, $40.) Bream

The 10th annual Unplugged festival in Grand Marais, Minn., will be recorded for the first time by NPR's "Mountain Stage" radio show. Host Larry Groce will be on hand Thursday and next Friday to witness performances by country-folk star Kathy Mattea, hot picker Tim O'Brien, "Prairie Home Companion" guitar ace Pat Donohue, "Bluer Than Blue" vet Michael Johnson, Twin Cities troubadour John Gorka and Twin Cities-bred, Grammy-winning Nashville songwriter Jon Vezner, the event organizer, who has penned tunes for John Mellencamp and Faith Hill. The four-day fest, held at the North House Folk School, is a fundraiser for the school. (Sept. 15-18, Grand Marais, $20-$50, northhouse.org or 1-218-387-9762.) Bream

CLASSICAL