The Big Gigs: Mason Jennings, Beach Boys, Ruben Studdard

You know Mike Love gets around. This winter, he dropped the solo single "Pisces Together," a salute to George Harrison. This weekend, he brings his version of the Beach Boys — with Bruce Johnston but not Brian Wilson or Al Jardine — to sing "California Girls," "I Get Around" and all those sunny, contagious classics. He will not, however, get a chance to see his nephew Kevin Love, since the Timberwolves are in Florida this weekend enjoying Beach Boys-type weather. (8 p.m. Fri., Mystic Lake Casino, $47 & $55.) Jon Bream

After making a strong first impression opening Trampled by Turtles' Midwest dates last month, folksy alt-twang duo the Lowest Pair steps out for a release show behind its stark but potent debut album, "36¢." The pair in question is local boy Palmer T. Lee, from the far rowdier picking crew Boys n' the Barrels, and his Olympia, Wash.-reared partner Kendl Winter, who recalls the down-home rural charm of Victoria Williams. Their record was produced by TBT frontman Dave Simonett and boasts the hallowed, boy/girl dynamic of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings' rawest work. Palmer's Bar regulars the Dead Pigeons open. (8 p.m. Fri., Cedar Cultural Center, all ages, $10-$12.) Chris Riemenschneider

Punk-rock co-op record store Extreme Noise is celebrating 20 years of keeping it crusty with a three-part anniversary bash this year. Part I hits the Triple Rock this weekend with two nights of mid-'90s nostalgia, bringing together bands featured on 1995's fabled "No Slow, All Go!" compilation. Friday's bill stars seminal Minneapolis hardcore band Code 13, Oswald Armageddon, the Quincy Punx, plus a screening of Patti Rhodes' 1996 documentary "When We Play for Real" about the Twin Cities' punk scene. Local pop-punk kings Dillinger Four, the Strike, Man Afraid, Threadbare, Dirt Poor, Scooby Don't, Kung Fools and Bombsite play Saturday. A Memory Lanes parking lot party is slated for June 21-22 and a fall event is in the works. (6 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Triple Rock, 18-plus, $15 per night, $25 both.) Michael Rietmulder

Matthew Morrison — Mr. Schue, to you "Glee" watchers — will bring his song-and-dance-man act to Minnesota for a second time. The first time, oddly enough, was opening for New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys at Target Center in 2011. (He is actually a boy-band alum, having been in the long-forgotten LMNT.) This time, the smooth showman will perform with the Minnesota Orchestra, under Sarah Hicks, doing Broadway favorites, standards and, of course, "Sway (Dance With Me)" from "Glee." (8 p.m. Sat., Orchestra Hall, $30-$95.) Bream

After manning his recent albums himself, Mason Jennings found a great producer in Bo Ramsey for his latest effort, "Always Been." The Iowa folk/blues guitar vet brought a rugged elegance to the Minneapolis indie-folk star's latest batch of tunes, which ranged from the sweet, poetic homage "Patti and Robert" to the bleak, confessional "Wilderness." Jennings returns to one of the most elegant venues in town with his band and a special guest opener, Iris DeMent, the "Prairie Home" favorite and Ramsey/Brown family member who also sang on Jennings' album. (8 p.m. Sat., State Theatre, $31.50-$36.50.) Riemenschneider

After a decade-long hiatus that finally ended with bassist Cris Kirkwood's rehabilitation, Arizona-bred twang-punk acid rockers the Meat Puppets sure are making up for lost time. The Kirkwood brothers and drummer Shandon Sahm (son of Sir Doug) have another delightfully scatterbrained new album to promote, "Rat Farm," and have played a string of memorable Twin Cities gigs in recent years. They seriously have never been better live. Maybe ex-SST labelmate Grant Hart, whom they were calling for last time, will show this weekend. Moistboyz open. (9 p.m. Sat., Cabooze, $15.) Riemenschneider

The timing for Keb' Mo's appearance couldn't be better. The veteran Delta-leaning bluesman has a tasty new album, "BluesAmericana," ready to drop on April 22. Let's hope we get a preview of this deeply soulful collection, with the steel-body resonating "The Worst Is Yet to Come," the electric note-bending "Move," Jimmy Rogers' slide-spiked "That's Alright," the New Orleans-seasoned, horn-dominated "The Old Me Better" and the soothingly spiritual "For Better or Worse." This effort is less sunny than some of its predecessors — and that's a good thing. (7:30 p.m. Mon., Guthrie Theater, $46 & $48.) Bream

"Experience Hendrix" is a compelling name for a guitar geeks gathering featuring some fairly big names playing songs made famous by the biggest guitar name of them all. An occasional tour launched by the Jimi Hendrix estate in 2004, this incarnation will feature Minneapolis-launched Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Dweezil Zappa, Taj Mahal, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes, Brad Whitford of Aerosmith, Mato Nanji from Indigenous and Doyle Bramhall II. They'll be backed by bassist Billy Cox, who played with Hendrix, and drummer Chris Layton, who played with Stevie Ray Vaughan. Janie Hendrix, Jimi's sister, is traveling with the tour, promoting the new Jimi Hendrix postage stamp. (7:30 p.m. Tue., State Theatre, $53.50-$104.) Bream

Four albums deep into his audiovisual experiment Tycho, unlikely IDM sensation Scott Hansen has formally and seamlessly morphed the project into a live band. Joined by guitarist/bassist Zac Brown and drummer Rory O'Connor, the graphic designer-turned-ambient-composer delivered another chill-out tapestry of swirling synths, fleshy bass lines and soporific grooves with last month's LP "Awake." Hansen's soft-psych visuals aid the trio's soothing live show, lending an aesthetically appropriate morning glow backdrop for the San Francisco-based troupe's tranquil instrumentals. Moody dream-pop duo Gems open. (8 p.m. Tue., First Avenue, 18-plus, $15-$17.) Rietmulder

Juana Molina's approach is to establish a brief melody line, loop it and then add layers of electronica and her feathery voice. This one-woman, many-keyboards band makes entrancing music, though last year's "Wed 21" isn't as fascinating as 2006's "Son." But there is plenty of humor and more varied instruments this time in the Argentinian's musical architecture. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Cedar Cultural Center, $15-$18.) Bream

After kicking around Australia's metal scene for a few years, King Parrot got its global break last year when acclaimed U.K. label Candlelight Records re-released its debut album, "Bite Your Head Off." Machine-gun blast beats, dizzying fretboard work and vocalist Matt Young's piercing shriek-shout balance occasional Southern-inflected deathcore grooves from the Phil Anselmo-approved band, which already had a reputation as a blistering live act. New Hampshire's melodic black/doom metal troupe Vattnet Viskar opens. (9 p.m. Wed., Triple Rock, 18-plus, $12.) Rietmulder

He's an "American Idol" champ, and she's soul music royalty. Lalah Hathaway, often dubbed the first daughter of soul (her dad is the late Donny Hathaway), and Ruben Studdard, winner of Season 2 of "Idol," are teaming up for three evenings here. There will be duets featuring his sweet croon and her sexy contralto, as well as solo numbers. Each has released six albums, including Studdard's brand-new "Unconditional Love" featuring a duet with Hathaway on "If This World Were Mine." Read an interview with Studdard in Saturday's Variety section. (7 & 9 p.m. Sun.-Tue., Dakota Jazz Club, $35-$50.) Bream

Southern rap legend Bun B became an unlikely coloring book pitchman last year, lending his name to the Shea Serrano-authored "Bun B's Rap Coloring and Activity Book." The head-turning partnership earned the surviving UGK member some well-timed blog love ahead of his feature-heavy "Trill OG: the Epilogue," comprising leftover tracks from his "Trill OG" sessions. This "Trillest" tour pairs the pioneering Texas emcee with Houston upstart Kirko Bangz, who first broke out with his for-the-ladies hit "Drank in My Cup" in 2011. Last week Bangz dropped his beat-borrowing, Auto-Tune-drenched "Progression IV" mixtape ahead of his summer-slated debut album, "Bigger Than Me." (8:30 p.m. Sat., Fine Line, 18-plus, $25-$55.) Rietmulder

Though hardly a household name, Efrain Toro is a master of modern percussion who has worked with everyone from Placido Domingo to Stan Getz to Kiss. The Puerto Rican-born session man and educator will conduct a master class and solo performance during his visit to promote his new e-book "From Linear to Harmonic." You don't have to be a drummer, just someone interested in the nuts and bolts of music, to get excited. (7 p.m. Mon., Jazz Central Studios, 407 Central Av. SE., Mpls. $15, which includes the e-book.) Tom Surowicz

Ever-inventive jazz pianist, composer and bandleader Brad Mehldau is presented in two very different settings next week. The rather grandly titled "Intuitive Expression: A Brad Mehldau Celebration" finds him playing duets the first night with Nonesuch Records labelmate and bluegrass crossover star Chris Thile (Nickel Creek, Punch Brothers), then communing with his long-running jazz trio (Larry Grenadier, bass; Jeff Ballard, drums) on night two. (8 p.m. Tue.-Wed., Walker Art Center, $26-$30.) Surowicz

What sets Matt Slocum apart from other great young jazz drummers of our day, besides his lyricism, restraint and insistence on a clearly defined ensemble sound, is a flair for composition that has earned the St. Paul native a handful of prestigious grants and commissions. You don't have to know the American Indian back story of Slocum's ambitious new CD, "Black Elk's Dream," to realize how thoughtful and adept the New York City-based sticksman is. Slocum is back for a two-night-stand featuring his trio with the great Sam Yahel on keyboards and European drummer Massimo Biolcati, plus an enticing "duo drum dialogue" with Slocum's former teacher Phil Hey. Wednesday's show also has a set by Hey's quartet, while Thursday offers some Bryan Nichols solo piano plus a set by venerable sax man Dave Karr and his cross-generational band. (8 p.m. Wed.-Thu., Landmark Center, 75 W. 5th St., St. Paul. $15-18.) Surowicz

The Marsalis brother with the most unusual name — trombonist, educator and Grammy-winning producer Delfeayo Marsalis — makes one of his regular visits to the Dakota. You can expect cheerful, bluesy modern jazz in the rich New Orleans tradition. Marsalis worked early in his career for two of the greatest modern jazz drummers, Elvin Jones and Max Roach, so he's certainly well-schooled. (7 & 9 p.m. Thu., Dakota Jazz Club, $25-$30.) Surowicz