Mr. and Mrs. Nashville
You won't see either Tim McGraw's or Faith Hill's name on the country singles charts these days. Nashville's No. 1 couple are a classic act, a husband-and-wife duo with past individual hits that endure and a chemistry that makes their duets sparkle. They're promising to drop a duets album this year, with a preview during their third duo tour — their first North American trek in 10 years. Opening is Natalie Hemby, writer of such hits as "Pontoon," "Drinks After Work" and "White Liar."JON BREAM
7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, $69.50-$119.50, ticketmaster.com.
Her Super Bowl appearance was a big win for Lady Gaga, who was coming off her least successful album, "Joanne." The halftime slot helped boost the ballad "Million Reasons" into the Top 10 but it hasn't saved "Joanne," which is the focus of her current tour that launched on Aug. 1. Thankfully, there are enough Gaga classics and, of course, magnificent sets, colorful outfits and that bravura voice to carry the evening.
Jon Bream
7:30 p.m. Mon., Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, $47.50-$252.50, ticketmaster.com.
Writer William Kent Krueger hit crossover success several years ago with his literary novel "Ordinary Grace," but mystery lovers have long been die-hard fans of his Cork O'Connor novels in which half-American Indian, half-Irish P.I. O'Connor solves crimes — and usually takes on thorny social issues, as well. In Krueger's new book, "Sulfur Springs," O'Connor leaves Minnesota for Arizona to find his missing stepson.
LAURIE HERTZEL
7 p.m. Tue. Once Upon a Crime, Mpls., 7 p.m. Wed. Barnes & Noble, Roseville; 10 a.m. Fri. Lake Country Booksellers, White Bear Lake; 7 p.m. Aug. 28 SubText Books, St. Paul.
Atlanta's 2 Chainz will be the first mainstream hip-hop artist to hit St. Paul's newly remade theater riding a buzz for his questionably titled fourth record, "Pretty Girls Like Trap Music." With such guests as Drake, Nicki Minaj and Migos, the album boasts the usual slow-throbbing beats and quizzical references — dude likes Benihana a whole lot — which promises for an odd show, but hopefully charmingly so. He's bringing the so-called Trap Choir with him as well as Memphis opener Young Dolph.
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
8 p.m. Fri., Palace Theatre, St. Paul, $40, eTix.com.
When Haydn wrote his marionette opera "Philemon and Baucis" in 1773, he couldn't have visualized anything like this Twin Cities production. Mixed Precipitation gives Haydn's tale of classical gods disgusted with humanity a modern slant by blending in blasts of Queen and Freddie Mercury.
TERRY BLAIN
4 p.m. Sun., Skidmore Park Community Garden, St. Paul; 7 p.m. Fri., Loring Park, Mpls.; 2 p.m. Sat., Summit Hill Community Garden, St. Paul; 6:30 p.m. Sun., Caponi Art Park, Eagan; more Twin Cities parks through Sept. 24; $10-$20 suggested donation, reservations at mixedprecipitation.org.
The Textile Center is hosting a festival of fiber art-making experiences for families. The center's parking lot will have a community dye vat. Participants will use indigo-dyed yarn to learn kumihimo, a Japanese braiding technique. Elders associated with the Somali Museum of Minnesota will teach their techniques for making plied bracelets. Take a guided tour of the Textile Center's current exhibitions, and shop for locally made wares at a fiber art market.
MELISSA WALKER
1-4 p.m. Sat., Textile Center, Mpls. Textilecentermn.org.
Have you ever wondered what it's like to have an art gallery on your porch? Ponder no more, and instead head over to the literal Porch Gallery, where you'll find Daniel Jaffe's art exhibition "Ripe," a ceramic fruit stand filled with more bananas than humanly possible.
ALICIA ELER
Ends Sept. 6. Porch Gallery, Mpls., theporchgallery.com.
Two months shy of 90, saxophonist Lee Konitz was there when Miles Davis was birthing "cool" jazz and when Lennie Tristano was creating new ways to organize and improvise. Konitz has inhaled the best of the music — with an emphasis on the inimitable swing of Lester Young — and made a dry, wise catalog all his own. He'll be with Dan Tepfer, an accomplished pianist who has earned his place onstage beside the master.
BRITT ROBSON
5 & 7 p.m. Sun., 7 & 9 p.m. Mon., Crooners, Fridley, $20-$55, croonersloungemn.com.
Best known for his time in the latter-day Black Crowes, Memphis guitar slinger Luther Dickinson first earned great respect as a hard-grooving bluesman with the North Mississippi All-Stars. He's touring behind a new double LP of acoustic blues and Southern folk music, "On Blues & Ballads (A Folk Singer's Songbook)," which should be a hit with Koerner, Ray & Glover-loving Twin Cities fans.
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
7 p.m. Tue., Dakota Jazz Club, Mpl.s, $32-$40, DakotaCooks.com.
