Mark Olson: The former Jayhawks co-frontman returns home to celebrate the release of his new album, "Spokeswoman of the Bright Sun." A collaboration with his harmony-singing wife Ingunn Ringvold, it's a collection of 1960s-flavored gently psychedelic folk music about romance and nature. The songs are strikingly short, simple and straightforward. (8 p.m. Sat. Cedar Cultural Center, Mpls, $20-$25, thecedar.org)
Reina del Cid: From a charmingly hippie-ish strummer in her early 20s, Rachelle Cordova has grown into an enticing rock 'n' roll bandleader and enlightening songwriter by her late-20s. Her third album as RdC, "Rerun City," marks a turning point, with a compelling theme tied to digital media's takeover of our lives and a warm, Pachyderm Studio-enhanced sonic niche offering echoes of Jenny Lewis, Iron & Wine and Joni Mitchell. Al Church and Dusty Heart open the release party. (8:30 p.m. Fri., Turf Club, 1601 University Av. W., St. Paul, $10-$15, eTix.com.)
Curtiss A's John Lennon Tribute: It's a Twin Cities tradition, an annual cultural event not to be missed. No, you don't need to there for the entire marathon, which stretches well past three hours. For the 38th consecutive year, the irrepressible Curtiss A plays the songs of John Lennon (and the Beatles) to commemorate the icon's death. (He did the first tribute the night Lennon died.) The local hero is always supported by a large crew of like-minded Minnesota Beatlemaniacs, which makes for too many guitars but more fun. (8 p.m. Fri. First Avenue, Mpls., $20, etix.com)
Merry Flippmas: Throwback hard-rockers Flipp head up an outrageous — and free! — home-for-the-holidays lineup of classic Twin Cities bands, also including pop/punk darlings the Magnolias and monstrous metalists Impaler and Morticia. (8 p.m., Hook & Ladder Theater, free.)
Kelis: After coming to light on Ol' Dirty Bastard's "Got Your Money" and then landing her own 2003 hit "Milkshake," Kelis Rogers remains one of the more enjoyable fun-loving yet musically innovative R&B singers out there, with her 2014 concept album "Food" remaining an underrated gem. (9 p.m. Sat., Skyway Theatre, $15 or $5 with RedBullSoundSelect.com.)
Nachito Herrera and the Universals: The spectacular Cuban-American pianist who calls the Twin Cities home brings his occasional international band to town. It's an exciting ensemble of simpatico players, with violinist Karen Briggs, who has toured with Yanni, and saxophonist Mike Phillips, who was worked with Prince and Stevie Wonder, standing out on solos. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Sat. Dakota, $35-$45, dakotacooks.com)
Tribute to the Replacements: A newer tradition in the vein of the Lennon tributes, this annual marathon tear through Westerberg wordplay and 'Mats mayhem changed venues last year and changed weekends this year, but the format is the same. Mini-sets by Eleganza!, Ahem, Early Eyes and the Mad Ripple Hootenany for Slim crew will precede a live rendering of the glorious new, 1986-era "Live at Maxwell's" double-LP, with the Melismatics as house band and guest singers including Kraig Johnson, Curtiss A, Lydia Liza, J.E. Sunde and Mark Mallman. (8 p.m. Sat., Turf Club, $16.)
Peter Asher: Sort of a Zelig of rock n' roll, he brings his stories, multimedia and music to once again entrance a Dakota audience with his remarkable history. He was a Beatles insider, a recording artist (Peter & Gordon), producer of James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, and manager of Courtney Love, among other things. (7 p.m. Tue.-Wed. Dakota, $35-$45, dakotacooks.com)
Drivin' n' Cryin': After helping spark the alt-country wave of the late-'80s and influencing a generation of rootsy rockers, Atlanta band Drivin' n' Cryin' sputtered out in the '90s while grunge took over and frontman Kevn Kinney issued solo albums. A couple decades of irregularity finally gave way to a more full-time tour schedule last year after an induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, sparking a rabid response from fans around the country who hadn't seen the band in decades and leading to a new outtakes collection, "Archives, Vol. 1: '88-'91." Rich Mattson & the Northstars open. (8 p.m. Thu., Turf Club, 1601 University Av. W., St. Paul, $16, eTix.com.)
