Iron & Wine and Calexico: When Sam Beam was still known only as the soft-voiced solo indie-folkie Iron & Wine in 2005, he paired up with Arizona's great Mexi-Cali folk-rock ensemble for "In the Reins," a gorgeous EP that became a cult fave and proved he's great with a band, too. Fourteen years and several more volumized Iron & Wine albums later, the two enduring and self-inventing units paired up again for an excellent full LP, "Years to Burn," and now they're finally on the road together. Fellow best Americana album Grammy nominee Madison Cunningham opens. (7:30 p.m. Fri., Palace Theatre, St. Paul, $40-$60, eTix.com.)

Sonny Landreth/Marcia Ball: Get a double dose of great Louisiana music for two nights with the masterful zydeco-influenced slide guitarist from Lafayette and the hard-pounding pianist from Vinton who's schooled in a gumbo of New Orleans sounds as well as Texas blues. (9:30 p.m. Fri. & 7 p.m. Sat., Dakota, Mpls., $50-$75)

Heart Bones: Each a big talent/personality in their hometowns, Austin's wild-eyed rocker Sabrina Ellis (of A Giant Dog and Sweet Spirit) and Minneapolis' funky crooner Sean "Har Mar Superstar" Tillmann combined a friendship into an electro-pop collaboration that could have long-term potential. Their debut album, "Hot Bones," arrives next week loaded with breezy '80s pop and new wave influences, sly innuendos and "Darling Nikki"-like blushing moments, from the modern-romantic single "Open Relationship" to one would-be anthem that's truly a sign o' the times, "Don't Read the Comments." They're hosting a release party with the Trappestines ahead of an April 2 gig for First Ave's 50th anniversary weekend. (9 p.m. Fri., Turf Club, St. Paul, sold out.)

Ellis Delaney: One of the Twin Cities' most enduring and endearing folk singers of the past two decades reiterates her warm, earthy and soulful style on her new album, "Ordinary Love," perfectly timed for release to Valentine's Day. Songs such as "The Finest Adventure" are built around themes of kindness and everyday beauty through big things like raising a family and simple gestures such as sharing pie. You can feel the love from the LP's all-star backing band, too, including Lori Dokken, Adam Levy, Richard Medek and Liz Draper. Desdamona, the OK Factor and JJ Jones open. (8 p.m. Fri., Cedar Cultural Center, Mpls., all ages, $20-$25.)

The Suburbs: "Love Is the Law" and "Turn the Radio On" might be the 'Burbs idea of Valentine's Day songs as frontman Chan Poling returns to his original band after missing months worth of gigs last year due to oral surgery. With Miloe and DJ Jake Rudh. (9 p.m. Fri. First Avenue, Mpls., $25-$30)

Black Eyed Snakes & Left Lane Cruiser: Duluth's rowdy and rambling two-drummer blues-rock quartet, led by Low frontman Alan Sparhawk, returns to town to pair up with Indiana duo Left Lane Cruiser, a longtime local favorite going back to the Deep Blues Fests. (9 p.m. Fri., Hook & Ladder Lounge, Mpls., $12)

Star Tribune, Star Tribune
Meshell Ndegeocello

Sudaka Fest: KFAI-FM (aka Fresh Air Radio) and the Cedar Cultural Center have long explored the diverse cultures in this area. Sudaka is billed as a "tropical and Afro-Indigenous urban music festival," celebrating the South American roots of three Twin Cities ensembles. The 10-piece Chico Chavez Orchestra is led by a percussionist from Lima, Peru, who offers his versions of cumbia and chicha, blending psychedelic rock with traditional sounds. A group for seven years, Alma Andina features musicians from Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States delivering a fresh mix of danceable sounds. Los De Arriba favors Latin grooves with songs in both Spanish and English. (8 p.m. Sat., Cedar Cultural Center, $15)

Meshell Ndegeocello: Paisley Park is launching an occasional live series, Musicology 2020, based on Prince's mantra of "real music by real musicians." The bass-playing blender of soul, hip-hop, jazz, rock and politics will kick it off with a show billed as "Reimagining Prince." Ndegeocello interpreted his "Sometimes It Snows in April" on her 2018 covers collection, "Ventriloquism," but recent set lists indicate that she has been revisiting her 1990s material. (8 p.m. Sat., Paisley Park, Chanhassen, $60-$75)

Ed Ackerson Celebration of Life: Four months after his death from cancer, the influential bandleader and producer for Minnesota rock royalty is being celebrated by friends and accomplices including the Jayhawks, Kraig Johnson, Mark Mallman and Two Harbors as well as remade lineups of his own bands Polara and BNLX, the former featuring John Strohm of the Blake Babies and the latter with Ed's wife Ashley Ackerson. Read our feature on the benefit event at startribune.com/music. (6 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, $20.)

Ruthie Foster: Musically, this veteran blues-soul-gospel-folk singer can't decide on a style. But she's found a Twin Cities hang in Hopkins. In concert, the Texan invariably lives up to the title of her best album, 2007's "The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster." (8 p.m. Sat., Hopkins Center for the Arts, $32-$42)

Rosanne Cash: After her prominent appearance in Ken Burns' doc "Country Music," she returns to being a trenchant titan of Americana, singing poetic, poignant tunes about life and death from her latest, "She Remembers Everything," as well as her distinctive interpretations of classic songs by Bobbie Gentry and Johnny Cash. Read an interview with Cash in Monday's Variety. (7:30 p.m. Mon., Guthrie Theater, Mpls., $35-$75)

Paul Peterson and Sinbad: They're calling it "Funkedy," as in funk and comedy. Sinbad, the comic who went from "Star Search" to a long TV career on "A Different World" and "The Sinbad Show" and an even more impressive stand-up career, will provide the comedy while his pal St. Paul Peterson, formerly of the Time and the Family, will deliver the funk with the Minneapolis Funk All Stars. (7 & 9 p.m. Mon., Dakota, Mpls., $40)

Garrison Keillor and Heather Masse: Whether you consider him a #MeToo pariah or one of Minnesota's revered folkloric legends, Mr. Prairie Home Companion remains a master storyteller and old-school humorist who taps into the zeitgeist of Gopher State culture with words and songs. He'll be joined by Masse, the versatile Maine vocalist who also sings with the Wailin' Jennys, and longtime PHC piano savant Rich Dworsky. (7 p.m. Tue.-Wed., Dakota, $30-$40)

Lexii Alijai Foundation Benefit: First Ave's second musical memorial of the week lands just six weeks after the shocking news of the St. Paul rapper's death at a mere 21. She earned a lot of big-name admirers in her short career, including "Good Life" and "The Way" R&B singer Kehlani, who featured Lexii on her 2017 hit "Jealous." The Bay Area hitmaker is leading the cast in a fundraiser concert to benefit recording scholarships in the name of the Creative Arts Secondary School alum. (7 p.m. Wed., First Avenue, all ages, $35.)

Joe Henry: Given only a few months to live because of stage 4 prostate cancer in late 2018, this poetic singer-songwriter/Grammy-winning producer experienced a songwriting burst and then cut some stripped down demos that he released as a brave, penetrating album about faith and love, "The Gospel According to Water," one of the most remarkable records of 2019. He's in remission and on tour again. Read an interview with Henry in Tuesday's Variety. Birds of Chicago open. (7 p.m. Thu., Dakota, $30-$45)

Tove Lo: Like a raunchier and rowdier version of her fellow Swedish export Robyn, this electro-pop singer has made a bigger splash in dance clubs and viral listening quarters than on pop radio, enough to earn her a sizable underground following. She sticks to the trashy Eurodisco beats and good-timey vibes on her fourth album, "Sunshine Kitty," featuring Kylie Minogue on the single "Really Don't Like U" and bringing her to town for an overdue headlining appearance. (7 p.m. Thu., Palace Theatre, $35)

Lil Tjay: Bronx-reared rapper/singer Tione Jayden Merritt started a viral buzz out of his bedroom at age 16. He began working with producer Cash Money AP, with whom he sparked the streaming hits "Leaked" and "Brothers." He just dropped his debut album via Columbia Records, "True 2 Myself," laden with sultry/horny and poppy tunes befitting a kid who's still just 18. (7 p.m. Thu., First Avenue, all ages, $30-$25.)