POP/ROCK It should be a great weekend to revisit the pre-Replacements/Hüsker Dü Twin Cities punk scene. For the Suburbs, it's the same lineup that was so spirited in February's salute to the band's late heart and soul, Bruce Allen: original members Beej Chaney, Chan Poling and Hugo Klaers, with Steve Price on bass and Steve Brantseg on guitar. And the Suicide Commandos generated uncomplicated fun in this summer's reunion gig at the Concrete and Grass festival in St. Paul. (9 p.m. Fri. & 7 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, $20.) (J.B.)
Two years ago when she came to town, Broadway star Idina Menzel wanted to show off her pop voice. She was promoting her "I Stand" album produced by Glen Ballard, who helped launch Alanis Morissette's career. Now the Tony-winning, green-faced star of "Wicked" is coming to show off her Broadway voice with the Minnesota Orchestra. For a story, see startribune.com/music. (8 p.m. Fri. Orchestra Hall, $22-$65.) (J.B.)
Named after a character in the fuzzy '80s fantasy flick "The Neverending Story," Atreyu has had something of a storybook career for an underground hard-rock band, working its way out of puny clubs to play summer fests and then opening gigs with Linkin Park and Korn. The melodic but mighty Southern California quintet spent much of 2010 on tour in support of its fifth album, "Congregation of the Dead," and will end it in Australia playing the Sleep Til Festival tour with Megadeth. Its current outing features Chiodos, Bless the Fall, Architects UK and Endless Hallway as openers. (5:30 p.m. Fri., Cabooze. All ages. $20-$22.) (C.R.)
A self-described "antique English pop musician," Wreckless Eric is best known for his 1977 two-chord classic "Whole Wide World." But he may be doing his finest work right now in a duo with American songwriting spouse Amy Rigby, who correctly calls herself "pop's sweetest cynic." This fun couple of international rock just put out an album of offbeat cover tunes ("Two-Way Family Favourites") showcasing their takes on everyone from the Turtles to Abba. (8:30 p.m. Fri., 400 Bar. $8.) (T.S.)
The rare act that fits both the Cedar's worldbeat side and its underground-rock DNA, Os Mutantes formed in Brazil way back in 1966 as a psychedelically rocky entrant in the Tropicàlia movement and issued several influential albums over the next decade before calling it quits. Egged on by such famous fans such as Kurt Cobain, David Byrne and Beck, the band burst back to life in 2006. Last year's wild album "'Haih ... or Amortecedor" was worth the wait. They're on tour with Los Angeles' young time-warped band Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, last seen in town with the Flaming Lips. (10 p.m. Sat., Cedar Cultural Center. All ages. $18-$20.) (C.R.)
Brandon Flowers has occasionally lived up to the hype he often self-generated as the frontman of Las Vegas' '80s-flavored mega-band the Killers, and he similarly conjures up a few moments of greatness on his solo debut, "Flamingo." The album is lighter musically and loftier lyrically than his Killers work, but it mostly follows the same Springsteen/U2 pattern as the band's recent efforts. Which is to say, it's still charmingly grandiose. On tour, Flowers has been rounding out his set lists with a fun '80s cover and a couple Killers tunes. Opener Fran Healy is another frontman gone solo, coming out of Scottish rock band Travis. (7 p.m. Sun., First Avenue. 18 & older. $27.50.) (C.R.)
On his first theater tour in decades, Rock Hall of Famer John Mellencamp will open his concert with "It's About You," a documentary film about his 2008 stadium tour with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. Then, working either solo acoustic or with a full electric band, he'll play hits, album favorites and selections from "No Better Than This," his 2010 stripped-down roots album produced by T-Bone Burnett in such historic places as Sun Studios in Memphis and a San Antonio hotel room where blues pioneer Robert Johnson recorded. Mellencamp promises that he'll play guitar more than he ever has in concert. (6:45 p.m. Mon.-Tue., Orpheum Theatre, $39.50-$121.50.) (J.B.)
Nick Cave performances in the Twin Cities are all too rare, so don't let the fact that Australia's king of gloom and doom is coming with his merciless side band Grinderman fool you into thinking this is any less a noteworthy event. For starters, the quartet is really just a whittled-down, whacked-out version of his bigger and better-known unit, the Bad Seeds, including violinist/guitarist Warren Ellis (also of Dirty Three fame). More important, Cave's unmistakable howl and soul-punching poetry are still what drive this noisemaking band -- and he drives it straight into the earth with the gory impact of a BP oil drill on the group's second album, "Grinderman 2." Highly recommended, but not for the faint-hearted. Armenian/Iranian performance artist Armen Ra opens. (8 p.m. Tue., First Avenue. 18 & older. $25.) (C.R.)
