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To most of us, the words "baritone ukulele" sound like an oxymoron. But to Lena Elizabeth, it's her instrument of choice for crafting tunes that similarly sound heavy but playful.
The promising young Minneapolis-raised singer/songwriter and McNally Smith College of Music grad takes over the Icehouse on Wednesday to promote her Nashville-made debut EP, "The Line." From the baker family that owns Patisserie Margo, Lena (real name: Lena Elizabeth Bredeson), 23, sounds like a Midwestern Brandi Carlile with a meaty voice and dramatic delivery in the electrified opener "In Time" and standout track "Doe Eyed Lady," but she also puts on a coolly hippie-ish air alongside her band's New Bohemian grooves in "Shoulda Coulda Woulda." Definitely a coming-out effort worth noticing. Hannah von der Hoff opens Wednesday's party (9 p.m., $6-$8). …
Justin Roberts celebrates his 20th year as a kids-music performer with a morning gig on Saturday at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, 511 Groveland Av., Mpls. (10 a.m., $10). The show follows the release of his Parents Choice Award-winning 13th album, "Lemonade," which he wrote with children at a local Step by Step Montessori School. … Parkway Theater in south Minneapolis is screening a quartet of documentary movies related to the Rhymesayers hip-hop empire this weekend, starting with the Blueprint feature "King No Crown" with the rapper himself in attendance Friday (7 p.m.), followed by "Elements of Style" and "Hip-Hop Below Zero" on Saturday (7:30 and 9:15 p.m.) and then "The World Has No Eyedea" on Sunday (7 p.m.). …
Close friend Gordy Johnson will help lead a tribute to Minneapolis hitmaker Michael Johnson ("Bluer Than Blue") along with his family and other friends Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Dakota. Admission is free but reservations are advised (612-332-1010). It will include eulogies and stories along with some of Johnson's music. … The fifth installment of the Evening of Tributes charity gigs takes place Friday at the Turf Club with Jeremy Ylvisaker's and Andra Suchy's Mötley Crüe vehicle 2F4D, the Weezer-fan-pleasing Pleezer and hosts Trompe le Monde, who will play the Pixies' "Doolittle" album in full (9 p.m., $10). …
A good excuse to hit northbound I-35, Duluth's Red Herring hosts its Super Big Block Party 3 on Saturday with Dem Atlas, Gramma's Boyfriend, Frankie Lee, Actual Wolf, Ness Nite, Superior Siren and Nashville R&B buzzer R.LUM.R. (noon-10 p.m., $15-$25). … After subbing for Lizzo at last weekend's State Capitol reopening party, Cloud Cult added a second spring concert with the Minnesota Orchestra on April 8 since the April 7 gig already sold out (minnesotaorchestra.org). …
To celebrate the blue-ribbon array of homegrown music at the Minnesota State Fair, I will host a live interview with one of the state's most storied rockers, Curtiss A, on opening day next Thursday at 3 p.m. on a new stage at the Star Tribune booth by the grandstand ramp on Carnes Avenue. Curt plays three sets at the Ramberg Center earlier in the day with his Hank Williams tribute band, the Cold Cold Hearts. If his interview doesn't put us out of business, I will also host a chat with Romantica on Aug. 31 at 4 p.m. before their second night headlining the West End stage.
