MUSIC
Bikini Kill
At last, the mighty punk trio from Olympia, Wash., that helped make the '90s riot-grrrl movement both a musical and sociopolitical success is coming our way on a reunion outing that started back in 2019. Frontwoman Kathleen Hanna and her "Rebel Girl"-cranking bandmates have been tearing through two dozen songs in under 90 minutes from throughout their original seven-year run at shows, all with plenty relevant still to say about current affairs in the tunes and between them. Here's hoping the all-ages admission gets a new generation of fans in this rare local appearance and not just Gen-Xers. Chicago's CB Radio Gorgeous opens. (7 p.m. Thu., Palace Theatre, 17 W. 7th Place, St. Paul, $50 & up, axs.com)
CHRIS RIEMENCHNEIDER
Lizzy McAlpine
The Philadelphia singer-songwriter, 23, has been gaining traction with her "sad girl" songs, thanks to TikTok, NPR's Tiny Desk Concert and her "Hold On" featured on "Dear Edward" on Apple TV Plus. The stark tunes on her sophomore album, last year's "Five Seconds Flat," are detailed descriptions of relationships that have mostly let McAlpine down. But fans have her back. Tens of thousands of videos featuring a sped-up version of her doleful dream "Ceilings" — usually depicting girls in the rain — have garnered more than 235 million views. McAlpine impresses with the dark humor of "Doomsday" and the forlorn "Chemtrails," a salute to her late dad. (7 p.m. Thu., First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $29.50, axs.com)
JON BREAM
Lewis Capaldi
The Scottish singer of the 2019 smash "Someone You Loved" is previewing his sophomore album, "Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent," due May 19, with what was intended as a making-of-the-album documentary on Netflix. But something happened during COVID-19, as the film "How I'm Feeling Now" illustrates. The 26-year-old is a complicated talent, a mix of self-deprecation and self-doubt who discovers he's suffering from Tourette syndrome and imposter syndrome. Besides the doc, Capaldi also has released three new emo pop songs, the best of which is a power ballad that is the movie's title track. (8 p.m. Thu., the Armory, 500 S. 6th St., Mpls., $37.50 and up, ticketmaster.com)
J.B.
Caroline Rose
From the first time they came around on tour with a band all wearing matching athletic track suits, this North Carolinian rocker has shown admirable exuberance jumping around on stage and on record, too. They have transitioned from garage-y power-pop to danceable synth-pop to a more serious and dramatic sound on their epic new album, "The Art of Forgetting," which includes the Bright Eyes-flavored single "Miami" and many other soaring and ambitious gut-wrenchers that should make for a powerful live show. (8 p.m. Sun., First Avenue, $26, axs.com)
C.R.
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
South African cellist Abel Selaocoe's 2022 SPCO debut became one of the most talked-about classical concerts of the year, a boundary-busting combination of expert playing, singing, dancing and audience participation. He's now an SPCO artistic partner, beginning with a 75-minute intermission-less program that mixes his own compositions with Beethoven, Cristóbal de Morales and Luciano Berio. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Temple Israel, 2323 Fremont Av. S., Mpls.; 8 p.m. Fri., Wayzata Community Church, 125 Wayzata Blvd. E., Wayzata; 8 p.m. Sat., St. Paul's United Church of Christ, 900 Summit Av., St. Paul; 3 p.m. Sun., St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, 900 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi; free-$26; 651-291-1144 or thespco.org)
ROB HUBBARD
The Jasper String Quartet
Arguably America's most celebrated string quartet to emerge in the 21st century, this foursome likes to balance old music with the very new. They'll do so at this Schubert Club Music in the Park Series concert, as a new work by Twin Cities-based composer Reinaldo Moya (with soprano Maria Brea) shares space on the program with Osvaldo Golijov and Beethoven's 15th Quartet. (4 p.m. Sun.; St. Anthony Park United Church of Christ, 2129 Commonwealth Av., St. Paul; $23-$33; 651-292-3268 or Schubert.org)
R.H.
THEATER
'The Pajama Game'
After a financial crisis that threatened its existence, Artistry is coming back with the 1954 musical by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross that includes the classic number "Steam Heat." The Broadway show, about a boy meeting a girl across a picket line, was famously choreographed by Bob Fosse. At Artistry, co-artistic directors Allyson Richert and Ben Bakken are both directing and choreographing a cast that includes Eric Morris, Falicia Nichole and Maureen Sherman-Mendez. (7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Pay-what-you-will May 1. April 20-May 14. Bloomington Center for the Arts, 800 W. Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington. $18-$48. 952-563-8575, artistrymn.org)
ROHAN PRESTON
'This Is How We Got Here'
Keith Barker's drama grapples with gutting grief. A family is tossed into turmoil by the suicide of their teen. Director Rhiana Yazzie stages the show for New Native Theatre, which she founded in 2009, at St. Paul's intimate Dreamland Arts. The production has sensitive subject matter, and post-show discussions follow every performance. (7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. April 19-May 7. Dreamland Arts, 677 N. Hamline Av., St. Paul. $35 or pay-what-you-can. 651-645-5506.)
R.P.
'Returning to Haifa'
In the aftermath of the Six Day War in 1967, two families — one Israeli, the other Palestinian — learn they both have a claim on the same house. Featuring Ernest Briggs and Mohamed Haji, the U.S. premiere of the drama is directed by Dipankar Mukherjee. (7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat, 2:30 p.m. Sun., ends May 6, Mixed Blood Theatre, 1501 S. 4th St., Mpls., $15-$22, pangeaworldtheater.org.)
CHRIS HEWITT
'Othello: The Remix'
One sign that this musical take on Shakespeare's classic tragedy is inventive? There's a DJ. Four actors play all the roles in a hip-hop parody/homage that takes a fresh look at the titular general who is undone by jealousy and a scheming frenemy. (7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sun., April 21-May 7, Phoenix Theater, 2605 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., $18-$35, aboutmmt.org.)
C.H.
'Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help'
Set in 1973, this show focuses on the women of the O'Shea clan as they struggle to tamp down a brewing scandal that is touched off by a chat about the birds and bees. First love and Catholic guilt both factor into the comedy about family. (1 p.m. Wed., 1 and 7 p.m. Thu., 7:30 p.m. Sat., 1 p.m. Sun., April 19-May 14, Minnesota Heritage Center, 11411 Masonic Drive, Bloomington, $27-$38, sidekicktheatre.com.)
C.H.
ART
Roz Chast
New Yorker cartoonist and author Roz Chast presents 21 of her wry, humorous comics in a solo exhibition at ArtReach St. Croix. The cartoons often poke fun at everyday life and its modern-day foibles. Chast made a special cartoon for the show about her first-ever trip to Minneapolis with her husband, who is from here. There's also a delightful photo station where people can step into one of her cartoons, literally becoming the subject. Chast's exhibition coincides with this year's NEA Big Read festival. Her 2014 graphic memoir, "Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?" is one of the featured books. (Ends May 6. 224 4th St. N., Stillwater. Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wed. & Fri., 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thu., noon-4 p.m. Sat., 651-439-1465 or artreachstcroix.org)
ALICIA ELER
Paolo Ventura
During the height of the pandemic, Weinstein Hammons Gallery presented Milan-based artist Paolo Ventura's "Quarantine Diary," ruminations on that difficult period from an artist who was in Italy, the first hardest-hit country. Now he is back at the gallery with 16 new works exploring the stories and architecture of his native Milan. Ventura prints the photograph on multiple panels, stitches them together and then omits and highlights imagery. (Opens April 20, ends June 10, 908 W. 46th St., Mpls. Hours: noon-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat. or by appt. 612-822-1722 or weinsteinhammons.com)
A.E.
FILM
Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival
There's lots to see as MSPIFF continues into its second week, with dozens of titles still to screen. A couple of documentaries to keep in mind: The dreamy visuals and plainspoken narration may make you think of Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven" but "King Coal" is a poetic look at an Appalachian town, through a child's eyes, and "40 Below: The Toughest Race in the World" is a clear-eyed portrait of a bananas event, a 135-mile run/bike/ski in one of the coldest places in America, International Falls, Minn. (Through April 27, the Main Cinema, 115 SE. Main St., Mpls., $15, mspfilm.org)
C.H.
DANCE
Candy Box Dance Festival
Arena Dances' week of performances and classes kicks off Monday with a happy hour showing of Nic Lincoln's engaging piece "Escalade," featuring Gemma Isaacson. Different happy hour artists follow on subsequent days, including showings by Laurie Van Wieren, Cheng Xiong and Javan Mngrezzo. Choreographer Megan Mayer premieres two pieces, including a duet performed by Sharon Picasso and Jamie Ryan-Karels. Mayer shares a bill with Berit Ahlgren of Honeyworks, who explores the history of the Southern Theater and its surrounding neighborhood, and the Chicago-based J'Sun Howard. (Happy hour shows 4-5:15 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; feature shows 7:30 p.m. April 27-28, 2 & 7:30 p.m. April 29, Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Av. S., Mpls., $12 Happy hour, $21 feature shows in advance, $25 after April 23, arena-dances.org)
SHEILA REGAN
FAMILY
Royal Canadian International Circus
Our northern neighbors return with an all-new, thrill-filled show. Joseph Dominik Bauer takes on the Wheel of Destiny along with aerialists and trapeze artists. Once seen on "America's Got Talent," the limber-limbed African Bone Breakers perform eerie contortions. The program containing generational circus families rounds out with jugglers, a crossbow act and the Globe of Death Motorcyclists. (7 p.m. Wed.-Thu.; 4 & 7:30 p.m. Fri.; noon, 4 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., 1 & 5 p.m. Sun. $35-$60. Mall of America north parking lot, American Blvd. & 24th Av. S., Bloomington. rcictickets.ca/Minneapolis)
MELISSA WALKER
