Barenaked Ladies, KT Tunstall and Better Than Ezra: In the first of six shows this summer at the Mystic Lake Amphitheater, it's a triple bill for music lovers who were hooked on Cities 97, say, a decade or two ago. Canada's BNL found fans in the '90s with "Brian Wilson," "If I Had $1,000,000" and "One Week," and they're still plying their wit with last year's album "Fake Nudes." New Orleans alt-rockers Better Than Ezra made good in the '90s with the hit "Good," while Tunstall gained attention in the mid-'00s with the Cities 97 faves "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" and "Suddenly I See." (7 p.m. Fri. Mystic Lake Casino Amphitheater, $39.)
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: The droll-rocking former Pavement frontman and indie-rock hero is back with his first album in four years, "Sparkle Hard," a rather standard but still spirited set. We get the tour's kick-off date. (9 p.m. Fri., Turf Club, sold out.)
Vance Joy: The "Riptide" hitmaker and former Taylor Swift opening act finally dropped his second album, "Nation of Two," this winter. Like Ed Sheeran, this acoustic-strumming Aussie singer-songwriter pens romantic ditties, delivered with minimal accompaniment. "Bonnie & Clyde" might be the most interesting lyric here but there's nothing on this sophomore disc that suggests a riptide of success. (7:30 p.m. Fri. Myth, $45.)
Los Lonely Boys: This year's Music in the Zoo series kicks off with one of the beloved outdoor venue's perennials. The three Garza brothers from San Angelo, Texas, burst onto to the scene in 2004 with the adult-contemporary hit "Heaven." But Los Lonely Boys don't dwell on the serene mellowness of that Grammy-winning triumph. In concert, like ZZ Top, that other little blues-rock power trio from Texas, LLB mixes cool showmanship and hot guitar licks. Making the Minnesota Zoo opener doubly appealing is Ozomatli, the vibrant Los Angeles ensemble whose mostly Spanish 2017 album "Nonstop Mexico to Jamaica" has a subtle reggae vibe thanks to producers Sly and Robbie. (7:30 p.m. Sat. Minnesota Zoo, $49-$61.50, etix.com)
Joyann Parker's Patsy Cline tribute: There's more to this emerging Twin Cities rhythm and blues mama than her Joplinesque romps and Ettaesque wails. With her hair all done up 1950s style, Parker summons the requisite sadness and richness to salute the late, great country star. The music is framed wonderfully by grand pianist Tim Wick and ace guitarist Mark Lamoine. And Parker dutifully discusses Cline's career and life during nearly two hours of terrific tunes. (6 p.m. Sat. Dunsmore Room at Crooners, $15-$20)
Parker Millsap: This rootsy but feisty Oklahoma rocker has been gradually building up fans and critical accolades over the past half-decade amid steady touring with the likes of pal Jason Isbell. He's only just turning 25 and seems poised for more of a breakthrough with his fourth album, "Other Arrangements," offering cool traces of everyone from Creedence to Nick Lowe with that Southern-rock oomph that drives his live shows. (8 p.m. Sun., Turf Club, 1601 University Av. W., St. Paul, $16, eTix.com.)
Screamer Powell benefit: Craig "Screamer" Powell, probably best known for his guitar work with '80s Twin Cities funkateers Mazarati and more recently a member of Westside, is having some health issues, so an all-star local lineup is playing a benefit for him. Among the acts are the Maxx Band, Mark Arneson and Friends featuring Maurice Jacox as well as members of Mazarati and Westside. (4 p.m. Sun. Minnesota Music Cafe, St. Paul, $10)
Brent Best: The hard-rocking, hard-twanging frontman for Slobberbone — who frequented the 400 Bar back in the late-'90s/early-'00s — just got the band back together for a 25th anniversary gig in their native Denton, Texas, and is returning to one of his favorite towns to play for a solo gig with fun Ohio yahoos Two Car Garage. (8 p.m. Sun., 7th Street Entry, $15-$17.)
Nicholas David: The Twin Cities soul man who gained visibility thanks to NBC's "The Voice" offers a solo performance before hitting the road as a sideman, playing keyboards for a second generation Allman Brothers group featuring Devon Allman and Duane Betts. (7 p.m. Sun. Dakota, $30-$40)
Liz Phair: The alt-rock heroine is having stage fright. Again. That's because she's on tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her landmark debut "Exile in Guyville." Except she's committed to performing the tunes as they sounded on her original 1991 cassette version of the album, "Girly Sound." In other words, she's had to relearn songs she's been singing for more than two decades. Acclaimed indie singer Soccer Mommy opens. (8 p.m. Mon. Turf Club, sold out)
Peter Asher and Jeremy Clyde: It's a mashup of British Invasion pop duos: Half of Peter & Gordon and half of Chad & Jeremy. In his previous shows at the Dakota, Asher has been an engaging, witty raconteur with stories of the Beatles, James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, among others. Clyde will presumably regale with tales about his '60s hits "Yesterday's Gone" and "A Summer Song" plus his long acting career. (7 p.m. Mon.-Tue. Dakota, $35-$45.)
Eels: On "The Deconstruction," the adventurous Los Angeles group's first album in four years, eccentric leader Mark "E" Everett sounds like his usual neurotic, noirish self, employing a curiously lo-fi electronic sound with occasional orchestral touches and some synth-pop flourishes. And he even offers some melancholy, Tom Waits-ian romantic piano songs. Always an acquired taste. (8 p.m. Tue. First Avenue, $30-$33.)
Shawn Colvin: The veteran singer-songwriter is not touring to promote her new album, "The Starlighter," featuring tunes adapted from the children's music book "Lullabies and Night Songs." Instead, the South Dakota native is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her "A Few Small Repairs," the album featuring her Grammy-winning signature "Sunny Came Home." Regardless of what songs she sings, the often humorous Colvin invariably finds a way to entertain. (7 p.m. Wed.-June 9 Dakota, $45-$60)
Teri Roiger: The Cannon Falls-reared, New York-based jazz veteran is an accomplished and knowing singer. On last year's thoroughly rewarding "Ghost of Yesterday: Shades of Lady Day," she shows her depth and range, sparkling on Gil-Scott Heron's lively, sax-spiked "Lady Day and John Coltrane," the saucy, scat-buoyed "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" and the wonderfully woozy "It's Easy to Remember." Props to her bass-playing husband, John Menegon, who crafted the imaginative arrangements. He will join Roiger for a rare Twin Cities gig (she teaches at SUNY New Paltz, which limits her touring) along with local drummer Phil Hey and pianist Phil Aaron. (7:30 p.m. Wed. Dunsmore Room at Crooners, $12-$15)
Caroline Rose: One of the most exciting new indie songwriters of 2018, this young New York rocker took the SXSW fest by storm dressed her colorful athletic gear, which hints at both the irony and the energy in the songs on her New West Records debut, "Loner." Her tunes have a pop-rocky swagger with a punky snarl that's part NRBQ and Modern Lovers, and her lyrics are loaded with Craig Finn-style stories with feminist undertones. Highly recommended. (8 p.m. Wed., 7th Street Entry, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., sold out.)
