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)
Trey Anastasio: Following an appearance last weekend on "Live From Here With Chris Thile," he is going on a solo Phishing expedition for the second half of October. After those 11 acoustic gigs, he will lead Phish into its New Year's Eve run at Madison Square Garden before returning to the road in January with his eponymous band. Phish-heads got a look into Anastasio's life with the 2019 doc "Between Me and My Mind," now on iTunes and Amazon. (7:30 p.m. Sat., State Theatre, Mpls., $65-$85)
MC Hammer: Time to unearth those parachute pants from the closet for the Oakland MC who's decided he's "2 Legit 2 Quit" because "U Can't Touch This." Here's hoping Hammer doesn't hurt himself with his old-school dance moves when he headlines a hip-hop oldies show featuring "Wild Thing" rapper Tone Loc, Kid 'N' Play of "Funhouse" fame and "It Takes Two" hitmaker Rob Base. (8 p.m. Sat., Treasure Island Casino, Red Wing, $49 and up)
Galactic: After fun forays into hip-hop and traditional Carnivale music on past albums, the veteran New Orleans funk ensemble sticks to rather straight-ahead butt-shaking NOLA grooves and R&B hooks on its latest, "Already Ready Already." They're touring with singer Anjelika "Jelly" Joseph. (9 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, Mpls., $26.)
Twin Cities Fall Jazz Festival: Every summer, the free Twin Cities Jazz Festival is a huge success in and around Mears Park in St. Paul's Lowertown. The same promoters also stage indoor jazz fests in fall and winter to raise money for the summer event. In two rooms at Crooners, there will be jazz a-plenty Sunday afternoon. Prolific New York pianist Kenny Werner, who wrote a book on the psychological aspects of music, and Chicago pianist Jon Weber, a fest regular, will be featured along with Tony-nominated vocal star Ann Hampton Callaway, who is focusing on her new album, "Jazz Goes to the Movies." Also performing are Minnesota teen saxophone phenom Sophia Kickhofel as well as local vocal faves Patty Peterson and Dennis Spears. A jazz film from the Bob DeFlores collection kicks off the afternoon. (12:30-6 p.m. Sun., Crooners, Fridley, $40)
Tom Morello: The politicized guitar hero is promising less talk and more rock on his Atlas Underground Fall Offensive Live, with visuals by Roger Waters' artistic director, Sean Evans. The show will focus on last year's adventurous EDM-meets-agit-rock "Atlas Underground," but Morello is likely to pull anything out of his arsenal. Maybe a Springsteen gem or John Lennon rally cry — or something from his great bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave or his acoustic folkie persona, the Nightwatchman. Unpredictable but guaranteed to rattle your psyche and senses. (8 p.m. Mon., Varsity Theater, Mpls., $35 and up)
Michael Franti & Spearhead: Though still topical and semi-political at times, the venerable hip-hop/reggae/folk-rocker and his groovy band are staying positive on their pair of new albums, "Stay Human, Vols. I & II," which are feel-good enough to have landed them an opening slot on Kenny Chesney's stadium tour next summer. (7:30 p.m. Tue., State Theatre, $40-$70.)
Rickie Lee Jones: Now in her 40th year as a remarkable but intermittent singer-songwriter, she is also an inspired interpreter of songs, as evidenced on this year's "Kicks." With a stripped down, late-night New Orleans vibe, she reimagines material from the 1950s to the '70s, ranging from Johnnie Ray's sad plaint "Cry" and Dean Martin's boho-cool "Houston" to America's child-like "Lonely People." In concert, she's unpredictable but nearly always richly rewarding. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Cedar Cultural Center, Mpls., $45-$60)
Tina & the B-Sides: Tina Schlieske and her high-energy '90s crew are settling into a low-key, cozy new venue for another of their occasional local reunion gigs. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Hook & Ladder, Mpls., $20-$25.)
Bob Dylan: At 78, the enduring bard returns to his home state for the first time in two years, and his first performance in Mankato since 1996. Set lists on this leg of his Never Ending Tour (31 years and counting) have been an appealing mix of 1960s classics, a healthy serving of 2012's "Tempest" and 1997's "Time Out of Mind," and even "Gotta Serve Somebody" from his born-again days — and usually nothing from his recent repertoire of standards. (8 p.m. Thu., Mankato Civic Center, $49.50-$89.50, ticketmaster.com)
Twenty One Pilots: After making Xcel Energy Center one of the first stops on their Bandito Tour almost exactly one year ago, singer/bassist Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun of "Stressed Out" and "Ride" hitmaking fame are coming back around to play the arena across town as one of their last shows before Joseph becomes a dad. It looks as if the duo's heavily formatted/pre-recorded show hasn't changed much since the first go-round, but fans certainly enjoyed the high-energy, effects-ridden, stunt-filled affair enough to want to see it again. (8 p.m. Thu., Target Center, 600 1st Av. N., Mpls., $36-$89, AXS.com.)
