The Big Gigs: Tribute to Bowie, Gogol Bordello

POP/ROCK Hopefully, this is all the information you need on the eighth annual "Rebel, Rebel: Rock for Pussy" concert, since it's not an event you want look up via Google: A tribute to David Bowie that benefits feline rescue services via the Minnesota Valley Humane Society, this year's show will feature Dan Wilson and John Munson of Semisonic, Ciaran Daly of Idle Hands, Laurie Lindeen of Zuzu's Petals, Lori Barbero of Babes in Toyland, Janey Winterbauer and Christian Erickson of Astronaut Wife, Chris Perricelli of Little Man, Jim Walsh of the Mad Ripple and many, many more Twin Cities music vets. You can expect to hear rowdy covers of all the Bowie classics and quite a few of his nuggets. (9 p.m. Fri., First Avenue. 18 & older. $8-$10.) (C.R.)

Hard to believe it, especially since frontman John Freeman still looks like a spry young punk, but the Magnolias are turning 25. The local pop/punk darlings will mark their silver anniversary with a two-night stand in the club that always fit their little-brother image so well. "When I'm Not" still sounds like a classic anytime it pops up on the radio, and the band still offers up a youthful blast of melody and twin-guitar licks whenever it hits the stage. North of Grand opens both nights, with Ten Ton Bridge and Whole Lotta Loves alternating Friday and Saturday, respectively. (9 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 7th Street Entry. 18 & older. $8-$10.) (C.R.)

If you don't get enough drum soloing at a String Cheese Incident concert, Eoto features the Incident's two percussionists, Jason Hann and Michael Travis, improvising over electronic, trip-hop style beats. Heavyweight Dub Champion opens. (9:45 p.m. Fri., Cabooze. 18 & older. $15-$17.) (C.R.)

With the mesmerizingly melancholy Sigur Ros on hiatus to deal with new babies, frontman Jonsi will bring his otherworldly voice, acoustic guitar and ambitious stage production to perform music from "Go," a blissfully bouncy electronica solo CD orchestrated by Nico Muhly. Jonsi actually sings in English (instead of the made-up language of the epic Sigur Ros) accompanied by celeste, piano, fire and animation. (7:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun., Pantages Theatre, $32.50.) (J.B.)

What more can you ask in one concert than fire dancers, acrobats, burlesque dancers and passionate music from Russia, Romania, Slovakia, Italy, Mexico and America? That's what you get with New York-based, Eastern European-blooded gypsy-punk band Gogol Bordello and Denver's elegant and enchanting mariachi-chamber-folk-rock ensemble DeVotchKa. Both acts are favorites at festivals and on the Current, and each offers up unforgettable live shows. No surprise they sold out both nights of a two-night stand. Former D Generation rocker Jesse Malin opens with his band St. Marks Social. (6 p.m. Sat., 7 p.m. Sun., First Avenue. Sold out.) (C.R.)

Former Massive Attack and Zero 7 singer Sia has proven to be a versatile vocalist with a potty mouth. (The British press likes to compare this Aussie to a sober Amy Winehouse.) After doing alt-jazz, soul/pop and alt-pop (remember her "Breathe Me" from "Six Feet Under" in 2005?), Sia is about to go disco on "We Are Born," due for a June 7 arrival. (9 p.m. Sat. Fine Line, $25-$27.) (J.B.)

After reminding fans of his singing voice and half-quirky, half-sophisticated songwriting talent at last month's sold-out Pantages concert with his brother Dan, Matt Wilson is tackling another theater with his full-time band of late, the Twilight Hours, whose debut album "Stereo Night" was a favorite among local critics last year. The band is also led by his former Trip Shakespeare mate John Munson, with Munson's New Standards cohort Steve Roehm on drums and producer Jacques Wait on guitar. (7:30 p.m. Sat., McGuire Proscenium Stage, Guthrie Theater. $20.) (C.R.)

Trans-Siberian Orchestra is making a rare non-holiday appearance to celebrate its 2000 CD, "Beethoven's Last Night." This rock opera tells the story of two forces -- a woman and the devil -- who promise to restore Beethoven's hearing in exchange for his compositions. Expect theatrics, lasers and string-coated bombast. (8 p.m. Sat., State Theatre, $45-$55.) (J.B.)

En route to such big gigs as New Orleans Jazz Fest, Bonnaroo and a Dave Matthews Band tour, Massachusetts acoustic soulman Martin Sexton is playing small rooms to showcase his tastefully understated April release, "Sugarcoating." Don't be surprised if he includes his acoustic treatment of Prince's "Purple Rain." (7:30 p.m. Sun., Fitzgerald Theater, $27-$29.) (J.B.)

Thanks to their Minnesota roots, we'll be seeing a lot of Free Energy, the Philly band blowing up via its deal with the LCD Soundsystem-affiliated label DFA. The Thin Lizzy-copping hippie pop-rockers return seven weeks after playing the Entry, and they will be back June 6 for St. Paul's Grand Old Day. Since their third single, "Boom Pop," is as catchy as its predecessors "Dream City" and "Free Energy" -- all from the digital LP "Stuck on Nothing" (finally in stores May 4) -- it seems like these guys are indeed here to stick. Leisure Birds open. (10 p.m. Sun., Triple Rock. 18 & older. $8.) (C.R.)

With last year's "Get Lucky," Mark Knopfler now has made as many studio albums as a solo act as he did with Dire Straits. The new disc continues his familiar style of mellow story songs with meticulous guitar shadings. Knopfler does summon his inner J.J. Cale on "Cleaning My Gun," which is on his tour set list along with such solo faves as "Sailing to Philadelphia" and four or five Dire Straits classics. (7:30 p.m. Sun., State Theatre, $66-$106.) (J.B.)

Still the frontman for the on-hiatus Wallflowers, Jakob Dylan has released his second solo album, "Women + Country," a decidedly singer/songwriter effort. With organic production by T Bone Burnett that recalls the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss Grammy winner "Raising Sand," this penetratingly low-key disc is easily Dylan's deepest, most mature work. His touring band includes alt-country goddesses Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, who both sing on the album. See an interview with Dylan in Sunday's Variety A+E. (7:30 p.m. Tue., Fitzgerald, $30-$32.) (J.B.)

New York experimental dance-pop band Yeasayer had one killer debut single, "2080," but at last year's Rock the Garden it looked like it was still getting its (inarguably inventive) act together. Its second album, "Odd Blood," comes nearer to cohesion even while sounding like an underwater blend of Depeche Mode, "Yoshimi"-trippy Flaming Lips, Erasure and Anglicized Afrobeat music. Opener Sleigh Bells is a boy/girl electronic duo featuring ex-Poison the Well punk Derek Miller, who rung up a buzz at the SXSW fest. (9 p.m. Tue., First Avenue. Sold out.) (C.R.)

Yet another Polaris Prize-nominated buzz band from Montreal, the Besnard Lakes come off like a just slightly colder-weather version of the Raveonettes, with a man and woman duo as co-leaders (husband and wife, in this case) and a fuzzed-out, atmospheric pop sound. The band's third album for Jagjaguwar Records, "The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night," offers more My Bloody Valentine-style guitar drone, which explains why many critics are eating it up. Local rockers Small Cities open. (9 p.m. Tue., 7th Street Entry. 18 & older. $10.) (C.R.)

His soulful voice, personal songs and quick wit are three reasons why Philly singer/songwriter Amos Lee, a Cities 97 mainstay, sells out all the time in the Twin Cities. Opening is underappreciated North Carolina alt-country thrush Tift Merritt, whose June release "See You on the Moon" features some gems including "After Today." (8 p.m. Wed., Varsity. Sold out.) (J.B.)

As a tuneup for this summer's Lilith Fair, three original members of the Bangles -- singer/guitarist Susanna Hoffs, drummer Debbi Peterson and guitarist Vicki Peterson -- are doing four shows in the Midwest this spring. An occasionally exciting 1980s band steeped in Los Angeles pop traditions, the Bangles reunited in 2000, made an album in 2003 (the hit-and-miss "Doll Revolution") and have toured sporadically with various sidewomen since then. Will Hoffs' old pal Prince show up for his "Manic Monday"? (8 p.m. Thu., Fine Line, $25-$27.) (J.B.)

FOLK By day a St. Paul alternative school counselor and teacher, by night a globe-trotting musician and political activist, Mitch Walking Elk has released five albums and toured Europe 14 times, but he's still waiting to become an "overnight success." A new CD might help. The folk and blues man's last release was back in 2004, and in the intervening years the AIM member has been working on an autobiography. He'll share a bill with Native American rocker Wade Fernandez and his band the Black Wolf Group. (7:30 p.m. Sun., Cedar Cultural Center. $10.) (T.S.)

Making her Twin Cities debut, Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen, now something of a sensation in New York clubland, will celebrate the release of "Clarinetwork," a live CD recorded at the fabled Village Vanguard and inspired by Benny Goodman's centennial. It features the world-class rhythm section of Benny Green (piano), Peter Washington (bass) and Lewis Nash (drums), all of whom will join her in Minneapolis, and a batch of tunes you know well ("Sweet Georgia Brown," "Body and Soul," et al.), if not in Cohen's freewheeling versions. See an interview with her at startribune.com/music. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Sun., Dakota Jazz Club. $20-$30.) (T.S.)

In a show called "Blue," singers Katie Gearty, Rachel Holder and Nancy Harms investigate new and old songs with an indigo hue. Coincidentally, Harms' CD "In the Indigo" was one of 2009's more dazzling local discs. Pianist Tanner Taylor backs up the three bluesketeers with his very fine trio of bassist Graydon Peterson and drummer Jay Epstein. (3 p.m. Sun., Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway Av., Mpls. $15-$18.) (T.S.)