Rock for Pussy: The 14th almost-annual David Bowie tribute by an all-star cast of Twin Cities club vets — which doubles as a feline-rescue fundraiser — took on a new life following the Starman's death in 2016. But it's the same classic approach, with the John Eller-led house band and guest singers including Har Mar Superstar, PaviElle, Jeremy Messersmith, Lady Lark, Venus DeMars, the Prairie Fire Lady Choir and lots of surprises. (9 p.m. Fri., First Avenue, $17-$20.)
Audra McDonald: A classically trained soprano, she has captured more Tony Awards for acting — six — than anyone else. Performing with the Minnesota Orchestra, McDonald will take a tour of Broadway, visiting famous ("My Fair Lady," "Porgy and Bess") and less known shows ("She Loves Me," "The Grass Harp"). Many of these pieces can be heard on her new concert album, "Sing Happy," recorded with the New York Philharmonic. McDonald can soar with thrilling trills and swing with jazzy panache. And she can surprise with playful humor on "Facebook Song." (8 p.m. Fri. Orchestra Hall, Mpls., sold out.)
Lakefront Music Fest: Splintered again into a rock and country night, Prior Lake's annual outdoor bash features "It's About Time" pop-rockers Young the Giant with the Revivalists and Coin on Friday, followed by a much more marquee-worthy Saturday lineup with Louisiana hunk Hunter Hayes and "Redneck Woman" hitmaker Gretchen Wilson, plus local faves the Chris Hawkey Band. (5 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Lakefront Park, Prior Lake, $40/night, lakefrontmusicfest.com.)
Mary Chapin Carpenter: On this year's "Sometimes Just the Sky," the veteran literate singer-songwriter revisits earlier material with a stripped down, quieter approach. This is the opposite tact that she took with 2014's "Songs from the Movie," for which she re-recorded old material with a full orchestra and choir. This time around her songs resonate with a quiet intimacy and deeper introspection. (7:30 p.m. Fri. Minnesota Zoo, $47-$59.50)
Moore By Four: This jazzy vocal ensemble used to be everywhere in the Twin Cities in the 1980s and 1990s. But, in recent years, Dennis Spears and Sanford Moore have focused on theater while Connie Evingson, Ginger Commodore and Yolande Bruce have concentrated on solo careers. These reunions are always spirited, swingin' evenings. (7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Crooners, $20-$25)
The Bacon Brothers: Kevin is the famous six-degrees-of-separation actor from "Footloose" and "Mystic River." Michael is an Emmy-winning composer ("The Kennedys") and college teacher. Kevin is more of rocker, Michael more of a folkie; they write songs separately but perform them together. Their new album, "The Bacon Brothers," their ninth in 21 years, kicks off with "Tom Petty T-Shirt," which is not about Petty but about patching up a rocky relationship. (7 p.m. Fri. Dakota, $60-$100; 3:30 p.m. soundcheck and meet-and-greet, $200)
Roots, Rock & Deep Blues Festival: Always one of the most musically rich and communally vibed block parties in town, the five-stage, 27-band, zero-waste affair offers some real treats from out of town in its eighth this year. Duluth's spiritually kindred but sonically opposite blues purveyors the Black Eyed Snakes and Charlie Parr top off the lineup along with Mississippi music heir Kent Burnside (RL's grandson) and Left Lane Cruiser. Local greats on the bill include Davina & the Vagabonds, Willie Murphy, Big George Jackson, Cornbread Harris, the Bad Man, Angie Oase, the Shackletons and Savage Aural Hotbed. (2 p.m.-midnight Sat., outside the Hook & Ladder, 3010 Minnehaha Av. S., $20-$25, rootsrockdeepblues.com.)
Turnpike Troubadours, Old 97s: Mankato's great downtown amphitheater landed one of the coolest stacked lineups for alt-country fans this summer, led by the Oklahoma-tough Troubadours and featuring Dallas' enduring pop-twang punks the Old 97s, Waylon's well-proven worthy heir Shooter Jennings and St. Louis's barroom stalwarts the Bottle Rockets. (6 p.m. Sat., Vetter Stone Amphitheater, Mankato, $33-$67, Ticketmaster.com.)
The Dream Syndicate: Back together behind their first album in 30 years, the influential L.A. paisley-pop band earned raves off its appearance last December and is playing a much better club this time. Local vet Kraig Jarret Johnson of Run Westy Run, Golden Smog, etc., opens touting his excellent, new self-titled album with his all-star band the Program. (9 p.m. Sat., Turf Club, $20.)
The Pretenders: Chrissie Hynde entitled 2016's album "Alone," the Rock Hall of Fame band's first in 10 years, because she's the only member of the Pretenders on the record. Produced by Dan Auerbach with studio musicians, it's a loose but soulful affair, filled with typical Hynde attitude and sharp lyrics. Original drummer Martin Chambers and ex-Twin Cities guitarist Eric Heywood are among the players on board for the tour. (8 p.m. Mon. State Theatre, Mpls., $49.50-$89.50, ticketmaster.com)
Anoushka Shankar: Daughter of the legendary Ravi Shankar and half-sister of the Grammy-grabbing Norah Jones, she is one of the foremost practitioners of the sitar. The San Diego-reared, London-based instrumentalist weaves an exotic tapestry of dramatic international sounds on her latest, 2016's "Land of Gold." That year Shankar appeared in concert in Berlin with violinist and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra artistic partner Patricia Kopatchinskaja performing "The Raga Piloo," a Ravi Shankar piece recorded in 1968 with Yehudi Menuhin. (7 p.m. Mon.-Tue. Dakota, $55-$75.)
D.O.A.: The pioneering Vancouver punk band that recorded for the Dead Kennedys' label and helped Hüsker Dü develop its tour legs is still at it under singer/guitarist Joey "S---kicker" Keithley's leadership, with the politically charged new album "Fight Back" and a 40th anniversary to promote. (8:30 p.m. Mon., Turf Club, $17-$20.)
Train: After sharing a bill at Xcel Energy Center this May with Hall & Oates, the San Francisco mainstream rockers headline their own gig to showcase early hits ("Meet Virginia," "Drops of Jupiter") and recent ones ("Hey, Soul Sister," "Marry Me"). (8 p.m. Tue. Treasure Island Casino amphitheater, $49-$89)
George Clinton: Six days before his 77th birthday, the ageless godfather of funk will bring the Parliament-Funkadelic Mothership back to Minneapolis, with a colorful array of characters and musicians and a party-hearty repertoire ("Flashlight," "Atomic Dog," "One Nation Under a Groove") that even ignited a Paisley Park crowd in the middle of the afternoon last year. Clinton is reportedly going to retire in 2019. (8 p.m. Tue. Varsity Theater, $47)
Tony Peachka: The fun and quirky but smart and fiery Minneapolis rock quartet is coming to an end as singer/guitarist Melissa Jones leaves town. Their farewell gig will feature the Florists and City Counselor, a new dance-pop band featuring members of Fort Wilson Riot and Lunch Duchess. (8:30 p.m. Wed., 7th Street Entry, $10.)
X Games Pre-Party: ESPN's hip alt-sports organizers once again turned to the local Rhymesayers hip-hop crew to kick off their big week in town, with Prof returning to the club fresh off releasing his sometimes-whack, sometimes-dramatic new album "Pookie" alongside Atlanta's soulful wordsmith Sa-Roc and young St. Paul go-getter Cashinova. (10 p.m. Thu., First Avenue, $25.)
