Ingrid Michaelson: After establishing herself with romantic pop tunes like 2007's Old Navy-loving "The Way I Am," she has made a curious move — recording an album of mostly synth-defined tunes inspired by Netflix's sci-fi horror series "Stranger Things." "Stranger Songs" is a concept album that will connect with the "Stranger" crowd perhaps more so than with Michaelson's fan base from the '00s. (8 p.m. Fri., Orpheum Theatre, Mpls., $47.50-$64.50)
Martin Zellar: The Gear Daddies frontman takes a page out of his past and reprises his Neil Diamond tribute, which was popular long before the current wave of tribute shows by local barroom vets. Opening are the Belfast Cowboys, doing their spot-on Van Morrison salute. (8:30 p.m. Fri., Medina Entertainment Center, $16-$25).
Big K.R.I.T.: The Mississippi rapper hasn't matched the commercial success of his 2011 breakout single "Country S — -," but he has kept up a faithful following with his uniquely Southern, soulful brand of funky, as heard on the new full-length "K.R.I.T. Iz Here." North Carolinian Rapsody will add her own Southern charm as opener. (8 p.m. Fri., Varsity Theater, Mpls., $28.)
Frank Turner: Fans who favor the British folk-rock troubadour's solo sets over his electric full-band sets or vice-versa don't have to choose this time around, as he's performing one of each on tour behind his new feminist-themed record, "No Man's Land." Kayleigh Goldsworthy opens. (7 p.m. Fri., Pantages Theater, Mpls., $40-$60.)
Justin Townes Earle: The long, cool son of Steve has been as prolific as his songwriting legend dad in recent years. He continues to carve out soulful, tender, witty and rollicking fare on his latest album, "The Saint of Lost Causes." (8:30 p.m. Fri., Turf Club, St. Paul, sold out.)
Mpls. Ltd. XX: Minneapolis music booster/fanatic Christian Fritz celebrates his 20th anniversary of fostering psyche-rock, synth-rock and experimental none-of-the above acts over two nights at two venues, starting with rare reunions by Mercurial Rage and Fire in the Northern Firs at the Eagles Club along with Bug Fix, Lazear and three other bands spread across two stages. Saturday's Kitty Kat lineup features the returns of First Communion Afterparty and Bridge Club alongside enduring haze makers the Flavor Crystals and the Cult of Lip. (9 p.m. Fri., Minneapolis Eagles Club #34, $5; 9 p.m. Sat., Kitty Kat Club, $5.)
Explosions in the Sky: For a band out celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, this all-instrumental Texas quartet has played surprisingly few times in Minnesota over those two decades. That's largely because it's been busy scoring film and TV projects, particularly those of Peter Berg. The Macalester College-educated filmmaker first enlisted the celestial-sounding, three-guitar-driven ensemble for the original "Friday Night Lights" movie, which led to work on the TV series. The band's own albums are wonderful headphone-ready/zone-out collections, and its live shows — the few we've seen, anyway — are surprisingly dramatic and riveting aural affairs. (8:30 p.m. Sat., Palace Theatre, 17 W. 7th Pl., St. Paul, $30-$50, eTix.com.)
John Hiatt: The celebrated Indianapolis-to-Nashville singer-songwriter is touring with a solo acoustic show behind another top-notch effort, 2018's introspective "The Eclipse Sessions," on which he takes stock of various aspects of his life. Hard-core fans can look forward to Hiatt's December boxed set, "Only the Song Survives," featuring 11 albums from this century. (8 p.m. Sat., Pantages Theatre, Mpls., $48.50)