Def Leppard: It's now an annual tradition for the '80s British rockers of "Pour Some Sugar on Me" fame to play Minnesota with a largely unchanged set list but a different radio-friendly classic-rock co-headliner each time. This year it's Poison, celebrating its 30th anniversary with all four original members and a lot of hair dye in tow. In keeping with tradition, Tesla once again opens and is well worth an early arrival. (7 p.m. Fri., Xcel Energy Center, $30-$127, Ticketmaster.com.)
Paul Metsa: The Iron Range's second greatest blues-folk picker is playing up his transplanted roots in Nordeast to tout a new solo-acoustic album, "Judas Sang the Blues," recorded live on reel-to-reel tape in 1991 at the old Guthrie Theatre and now impressively restored. The show benefits the NE Seniors Food Shelf and features opener Baby Grant Johnson. (7 p.m. Fri., Pulaski Hall, 2114 5th St. NE, Mpls., $10, $5 with food item.)
Cornbread Harris: He's been around long enough to have opened for Elvis, played on Minnesota's first rock 'n' roll hit (Augie Garcia's "Hi Yo Silver" in 1955), fathered one of Minneapolis's biggest pop hitmakers (Jimmy Jam) and probably performed more gigs than anyone in town. On the occasion of his 90th birthday, the rollicking piano man is celebrating a new live album at the same place he recorded it a couple months ago. It's loaded with some old R&B chestnuts and new songs, including one autobiographical nugget called "Letter to My Son" that's as moving as Harris' epic life story. (7 p.m. Sat., Hook & Ladder Theatre, 3010 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., $10-$12, TheHookMpls.com.)
Magnetic Fields: A more modest feat compared to his 1999 opus "69 Love Songs," eccentric songwriting hero Stephin Merritt is on tour with an expanded septet lineup of his cult-loved indie-rock band to bring his still wildly ambitious new collection, "50 Song Memoir," to life over two nights. The album marked his 50th birthday with a song for every year and some of his most personal writing to date. They'll perform the songs in order with a specially designed stage production (8 p.m. Sat. & Sun., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul, $25-$75, eTix.com). Merritt is also speaking at the Minnesota Music Summit while in town (11 a.m. Sat., McNally Smith College of Music, $20 pass, MNMusicCoalition.org).
The Damned: One of the original London punk bands of the late-'70s and later part of the '80s goth wave, co-founders Captain Sensible and Dave Vanain and their legendary quintet — best known for their 1976 single "New Rose" — are back on tour touting their 40th anniversary and previewing their first new album in nine years. (8 p.m. Sat., Fine Line, Mpls., sold out.)
Dirty Dozen Brass Band: It has been 40 years since the DDBB revived the venerable New Orleans brass-band tradition in the national consciousness and spawned a slew of similarly ambitious crews. As they did on their 25- and 35-year anniversaries, they're celebrating with a tour. (6 and 8 p.m. Sun., Dakota, Mpls.; $25-$35, dakotacooks.com)
SFJazz Collective: What makes the SFJazz Collective the best repertory jazz ensemble in the world? Each year since 2004, the band's eight members refresh tradition by arranging a song apiece by a legendary composer. This year's pick is Miles Davis, which means creative reconstructions of standards such as "So What," "Nardis" and "Milestones." And there isn't a weak link — among arrangements, compositions or instrumentalists — in the entire enterprise.
Silversun Pickups: The Los Angeles rock quartet of "Lazy Eye" fame and 2013's penultimate Rock the Garden act is back in the main room for the first time in five years, a good spot for their often riveting live shows. (8 p.m. Tue., First Avenue, $28-$30.)
Bill Frisell: Downbeat magazine's Guitarist of the Year for 10 years in a row will introduce the film "Bill Frisell, a Portrait" on Monday and answer questions afterward at St. Anthony Main Theatre. The next night he's with longtime sidemen Kenny Wollesen on drums and Tony Scherr on bass, creating jazz Americana music that manages to be both comfortable and stimulating. (7 p.m. Tue., Hopkins Center for the Arts, $30-$35, students $12, hopkinsartscenter.com)
Tycho: Nominated for best electronic album at the Grammys in February for its sixth effort, "Epoch," the San Francisco trio offers a modern update on the type of mellowed-out, stylish instrumental music made for H&M mall stores and fans too young to own St Germain and Air records. Regardless of how boring it sounds on record, the group has become a popular enough live act to sell out First Ave two nights last time around and earn choice slots at Coachella earlier this month. (8 p.m. Thu., Palace Theatre, 17 7th Place, St. Paul, $30, eTix.com.)
Britt Robson contributed to this week's music picks.
