The Big Gigs: Live music options for June29-July 5

ROCK/POP

Both Heart and Joan Jett have been on the ballot for the Rock Hall of Fame but neither has been elected. Headlining the season's first show at the revamped Mystic Lake Casino amphitheater, the Wilson sisters of Heart will make the case for their Zeppelin-inspired folk-rock, which sounded thoughtful and timeless on 2010's "Red Velvet Car." Jett still loves rock 'n' roll, as exemplified on her hard-rockin' 2006 disc "Sinner." (8 p.m. Fri., $35-$47.) Jon Bream

His voice is frayed from the effects of cancer treatment but the potency of John Prine's songs has never diminished. He's one of the all-time greats, a storyteller with unforgettable characters, cutting wit and trenchant messages. Bob Dylan once called Prine's songs "pure Proustian existentialism." A two-disc archival collection of some of Prine's earliest work, "The Singing Mailman Delivers," was released last year. Considering the location, count on the 65-year-old Nashville tunesmith to deliver "Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone." Willie Watson opens. (7:30 p.m. Fri., Minnesota Zoo, $67.) Bream

Still best-known as Jack White's tag-team partner in the Raconteurs, Brendan Benson shows the full range of his songwriting talents on his fifth solo album, "What Kind of World." Tracks range from '70s-lush orchestral piano ballads to Cheap Tricky power-pop to the wigged-out grind-rock you'd expect of a Raconteur. Also now a producer and label operator -- he and Mr. White have a lot in common -- Benson is touring with two young bands he has taken under his wing, the Howling Brothers and Young Hines. (8 p.m. Fri., Varsity Theater, $15.) Chris Riemenschneider

Four albums and eight years of maturation away from the howling angst of their signature song "The Rat," the Walkmen sound mellower, happier but no less more dramatic or unique on their latest album, "Heaven." Opening act Young Man is the nom de indie-pop of St. Paul native Colin Caulfield, who now lives in Chicago and just released his second album of bedroom-dreamed, pillow-soft tunes on Frenchkiss Records, produced by Tortoise's John McEntire and curiously titled "Vol. 1." (7 p.m. Sat., First Avenue. $20.) Riemenschneider

They're billing it as the Capri All-Stars. Singer, actor and bon vivant Dennis Spears has put together a cast of local vocal stars -- Debbie Duncan, Regina Marie Williams, Thomasina Petrus, Charmin Michelle and Rick Carlson & the Wolverines Jazz Trio -- to raise money for the Capri Theater's arts program. (7 p.m. Sat., Capri, $7.). Bream

Wilco fans in the Twin Cities have two options for seeing the Chicago critics darlings in Minnesota this summer: Drive to Duluth to see them in the state's most picturesque outdoor venue, or trek to Rochester to see them inside a civic center. Pretty easy call. Jeff Tweedy and his finely tuned sextet are still picking heavily from last year's candescent "The Whole Love," but otherwise they've been mixing up set lists all summer. So both nights is certainly an option. Blitzen Trapper, another 89.3 the Current twang-rock favorite, opens both shows. (6 p.m. Sun., Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, $36-$46, eTix.com. 7:30 p.m. Mon., Taylor Arena at Mayo Civic Center, Rochester, $42, Ticketmaster.com.) Riemenschneider

Japandroids are on the verge of blowing up big with their sophomore record, "Celebration Rock," so this will probably be the last chance to let them blow you away in the Entry. The British Columbia-based duo -- guitarist Brian King and drummer David Prowse -- took the blissful fuzz-punk noise of their debut, "Post-Nothing," and added more hooks and a bittersweet undercurrent of fleeting youth on the follow-up. It'll easily go down as one of the year's best. Edmonton-reared indie-rapper Cadence Weapon opens. (9 p.m. Tue., 7th Street Entry, $15.) Riemenschneider

Once a semi-unreliable gig as Dillinger Four shows go (if you think they drink a lot on non-holiday gigs ... ), the D4 July 4 show has become the one time hometown fans can expect to catch the band in action. The Minneapolis punk heroes can't remember if this is the ninth or 10th installment of the almost-annual tradition, but they always do a fine job remembering the songs, as do all the fans who shout along. Advance tickets are advised. (9 p.m. Wed., Triple Rock, 18 & older, $10-$12.) Riemenschneider

Missing from last weekend's River's Edge Music Festival was a true jam band. Not Dave Matthews Band, which jammed on only one number, but a group like Dark Star Orchestra. These dedicated Deadheads reprise Grateful Dead set lists from specific concerts. In November, DSO performed its 2,000th concert. The Dead did nearly 2,500. (7 p.m. Thu., Minnesota Zoo, $30.) Bream

HIP-HOPTwo of the most promising (and productive) newcomers in the Twin Cities hip-hop scene, Meta and Audio Perm are teaming up for the latter's ongoing "Permed Out" series. The Perm troupe, anchored by three producers/beatmakers with a rotating cast of MCs, generated a heated dance party at Soundset. Audacious rapper Meta is fresh off his astonishing "May Series," in which he dropped one new song per day online, including some strong cuts with AP's Cory Grindberg. Jason Anxious also performs. (10 p.m. Fri., Cabooze. $8-$10.) Riemenschneider

Having El-P and Killer Mike on the same lineup seems too good to be true. Each released one of the best and most fascinating hip-hop albums of the year, but they otherwise come from two different rapper worlds. El-P (Jaime Meline), the Brooklyn-reared indie-rap guru and Def Jux label proprietor, actually produced the Dirty South protégé's truly killer new one, "R.A.P. Music," which has the playful Southern-boogie flavor of his pals OutKast but also boasts a classic Reagan-era, rap-vs.-the-world gangsta edge. El-P's own new one, "Cancer 4 Cure" -- only his third solo album in over a decade -- has an edge unlike no other, with dark, paranoid overtones meshed over some of the boomingest beats of memory. Newly signed to Universal, Mr. [M.F.] eXquire opens along with Despot. It should be one crazy show. (9 p.m. Thu., Fine Line. $17-$20.) Riemenschneider

CLASSICAL/POPSHarold Arlen never attained the household-name status of Gershwin, Berlin or Porter. But he was one of our most endearing and enduring songwriters, as "Over the Rainbow," an evening-length multimedia retrospective, aims to remind us. Offering new orchestrations of such Arlen standards as "Get Happy" and "Stormy Weather," the show -- which opens this year's displaced, foreshortened Sommerfest -- features vocalists Hilary Gardner and George Bugatti; Sarah Hicks conducts the Minnesota Orchestra. (8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 S. 4th St., Mpls. $30-$65. 612-371-5656 or minnesotaorchestra.org.) Larry Fuchsberg

JAZZThe big draw of this year's Twin Cities Jazz Festival is a surprise -- and likely invigorating -- pairing of sax star Joshua Redman with hometown heroes the Bad Plus (8:30 p.m. Sat.) But there are plenty of other enticing options at the free stages in St. Paul's Mears Park and in the bars afterwards -- though ya gotta laugh that Dokken at Station 4 is part of this "jazz" event. Along with lots of fine student bands and local favorites, and the annual Jon Weber-hosted jam (9 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Artists' Quarter, $10), picks-to-click include trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis with a great sextet that includes saxophonists Victor Goines and Mark Gross (8:30 p.m. Fri., Mears); the lively Araya-Orta Latin Jazz Quartet, featuring two pairs of talented brothers (4 p.m. Sat., Mears); Francisco Mela's Cuban Safari, starring the drummer from Joe Lovano's Us Five band (6 p.m. Fri., Mears) and the Twin Cities debut of freewheeling Italian violin virtuoso Luca Ciarla (6 p.m. Sat., Mears; 6th & Wacouta Sts., St. Paul. Info at hotsummerjazz.com) Tom Surowicz

Guitar guru Bill Frisell lovingly tackled the John Lennon songbook on his recent CD "All We Are Saying." And he's bringing the core band from that cool project -- guitarist Greg Leisz, drummer Kenny Wollesen and bassist Tony Scherr -- on tour to offer idiosyncratic live takes of "Come Together," "Nowhere Man," "#9 Dream," "Please Please Me" and other gems. Only violinist Jenny Scheinman is missing from the CD cast, and all the players are top-notch wizards who can rock out a bit. If Frisell was "jazz Americana" before, is he "Mersey-bop" now? (7 p.m. Sun.-Mon., Dakota Jazz Club, $40-$45.) Surowicz

BLUES/ROOTSBay Area blues dynamo Ron Thompson, one of the best slide guitarists on the planet, has been wowing Twin Cities audiences since his days as John Lee Hooker's bandleader. Thompson, who also plays rockin' piano and squealing Jimmy Reed-style harmonica and sings with soulful abandon, has worked with a bushel of blues legends (Reed, Jimmy McCracklin, Percy Mayfield, Big Mama Thornton), and this weekend he'll be backed locally for the first time by hometown heroes the Butanes. (9 p.m. Fri., Famous Dave's Uptown, $8.) Surowicz

Lady Bianca made her Twin Cities debut in 1984, performing in the all-star documentary "Survivors" with John Lee Hooker, Dr. John and many more at the old Wilebski's in Frogtown. Her claim to fame then was being Van Morrison's backup singer; she'd also worked with Frank Zappa, Taj Mahal and Sly Stone. The charming Bay Area belter and songwriter, who ably boogies the night away on an electric keyboard, has gone on to a nice career with three Grammy nominations, and now fittingly returns to the new Wilebski's on Rice Street. (7 p.m. Fri., $10.) Surowicz