Nooky Jones: The kind of stylish, versatile, virtuosic and clean-cuttingly sexual R&B band that Prince likely would have loved, the horn-laden Twin Cities sextet is the first act to get a green light (or is it purple?) to host an album release party at the late legend's studio complex since its conversion into a museum. Singer Cameron Kinghorn and his tight crew are touting "Like Candy," a six-song EP with a little bit of everything that has made them rising local stars, including the hip-hop funkified "Gimme Some More" and the Motown-charmed title track. Admission includes a pre-show Prince dance party. (7:30-11 p.m. Sat., Paisley Park, 7801 Audubon Rd., Chanhassen, $30, universe.com.)
Martin Garrix: The 23-year-old Dutchman has become another DJ/producer who gets top billing over his singers. He's collaborated on hits with Bebe Rexha ("In the Name of Love"), Dua Lipa ("Scared to Be Lonely"), Troye Sivan ("There for You"), Khalid ("Ocean"), Macklemore & Patrick Stump ("Summer Days") and others. A Tiesto discovery, this rising EDM hero has been featured at the Winter Olympics and such festivals as Coachella, Ultra Music and Tomorrowland. (9 p.m. Fri., Armory, Mpls., $50 and up, ticketmaster.com)
Shabby Road Orchestra: After forming two years ago to celebrate "Sgt. Pepper's," the all-star collective of Beatles-loving Twin Cities club vets is moving on to its namesake LP, "Abbey Road." Members include the Honeydogs' Adam Levy, Six Mile Grove's Brandon Sampson, Bowie tribute leader John Eller, producer John Fields, cellist Jacqueline Ultan and many more. (8 p.m. Fri., Parkway Theater, Mpls., $20-$25.)
Andrew Bird: Nobody puts on a show like this locally beloved, classically tinged Illinois folk-rocker, who playfully sings, strums, bows and whistles through his sets while also picking out songs that can be heartbreaking, odd and/or joyous. His newest album, "My Finest Work Yet," actually comes close to living up to its title, too. Southern California's Madison Cunningham opens. (8 p.m. Fri., Palace Theatre, St. Paul, $30-$60.)
Four Bitchin' Babes: Folk picker Christine Lavin has rejoined Sally Fingerett, Debi Smith and Deirdre Flint in thus fun-loving song-and-quip quartet, who are calling their latest revue-style tour "Hormonal Imbalance v2.5." (8 p.m. Fri., Ames Center, Burnsville, $30-$40.)
Luke Combs: After his 2017 debut album spent 44 weeks at No. 1 on the country charts — a record for a male artist — this North Carolinian is finally set to drop his sophomore effort, "What You See Is What You Get," in November. He's already offered two new singles, "Beer Never Broke My Heart," his sixth No. 1 hit, and "1, 2 Many," a beer-drinking boogie featuring Brooks & Dunn. Opening are the Cadillac Three and Jameson Rodgers. (7 p.m. Sat., Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, $25-$50)
The Waterboys: Veteran poetic Scottish rocker Mike Scott has been on a prolific roll since 2015. This year's "Where the Action Is" tips its hat to the Clash's Mick Jones, Bruce Springsteen and, of course, Van Morrison. But there are also elements of dance-rock here. More than 70 musicians have been in the Waterboys since the group's "Fisherman Blues" heyday in the late 1980s, with fiddler-mandolinist Steve Wickham being Scott's longest current collaborator. (8 p.m. Sat., Varsity Theater, 1307 4th Av. SE., Mpls., $47 and up, ticketmaster.com)
The Temptations: The venerable Motown institution still features original member Otis Williams (who owns the group's name) plus a revamped cast, including tenor Larry Braggs, who was a standout in recent years with Tower of Power. Despite the lineup changes, the repertoire remains the same with "My Girl," "Just My Imagination," "Cloud Nine" and other classics. (8 p.m. Sat., Mystic Lake Casino showroom, $29 and up)
Brett Cobb: While his cousin Dave Cobb is the scene-making Nashville producer behind Chris Stapleton, the Highwomen, Jason Isbell and many others, Brett has made his mark as songwriter for the likes of Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney and Miranda Lambert and has earned accolades with his own trio of rootsy and grooving singer/songwriter albums. (8 p.m. Sat., Cedar Cultural Center, $18.)
Ben Lubeck: The frontman for Farewell Milwaukee strips back the rowdy, rollicking flavor of his regionally adored alt-country band for a solo album. "For You Again" is a raw, mellow but emotional affair with ambient guitars and strings and a touching theme based around family life. It's some of the best songwriting yet by one of the Twin Cities' most intriguing song pickers. Romantica's Ben Kyle makes a perfect opener. (8 p.m. Sat., Parkway Theater, $15-$20.)
Gov't Mule: Touring behind Mule's five-hour live album "Bring on the Music," jam-band guitar hero Warren Haynes is doing a run of fall dates with his 25-year-old main band before he joins the all-star Last Waltz Tour with Lukas Nelson, Don Was, Jamey Johnson and others. (8 p.m. Sat., Palace Theatre, $30-$50)
The Jayhawks: Two resilient and beloved Minnesota institutions meet up as the alt-twang/Americana pioneers head to Red Wing's historic Sheldon Theater after weeks of working on new material for the follow-up to last year's "Back Roads and Abandoned Motels," a chronicle of frontman Gary Louris's many songwriting collaborations over the years. (7:30 p.m. Sat., $35-$60.)
Bruce Cockburn: Last week the veteran Canadian singer-songwriter dropped his 34th studio album, "Crowing Ignites," his second all-instrumental collection. It's a versatile, intricate work, embracing elements of folk, jazz, world music, classical, old-time and blues, notably on the slide fueled highlight "Blind Willie." In concert, the accomplished guitarist will be accompanied by his guitar-playing nephew, John Aaron Cockburn, doing a mix of new and old material. (7:30 p.m. Sun., Cedar Cultural Center, Mpls., $40-$50)
Dark Star Orchestra: While the Grateful Dead toured for about 30 years, the greatest Dead tribute band has been going strong for 22 years and more than 2,800 gigs recreating vintage Dead set lists. In concert, DSO is more consistent than the Dead. Smoke 'em if you got 'em. (7:30 p.m. Mon., First Avenue, Mpls., $30-$35)
Nick Cave: The darkly gothic Australian rock legend surprised fans and critics alike with the announcement of his "Conversations" tour, a rare solo outing in which he is taking questions from the audience, telling stories behind his songs and playing a decent and assorted allotment of them, too. It seems the imposing and enigmatic songwriting genius is suddenly being personable and forthcoming. Adding even more intrigue is news that he and the Bad Seeds have a new album dropping Oct. 4. (8 p.m. Tue., Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., sold out.)
Billy Cobham: With top-notch trumpeter Randy Brecker on board, the great jazz-rock fusion drummer celebrates his 75th birthday by revisiting "Crosswinds," his important 1974 project. His ensemble includes guitarist Fareed Haque and bassist Tim Landers. (7 & 9 p.m. Tue., Dakota, Mpls., $25-$45)
Toto: On the final leg of their 40th anniversary tour, these renowned L.A. studio denizens find themselves more popular than ever, thanks to Weezer's cover of Toto's "Africa" and EDM remixes of their songs by Skrillex and others. Co-founder Steve Lukather, last seen in town playing guitar with Ringo Starr, is still on board, along with singer Joseph Williams, son of famous composer John Williams. (8 p.m. Tue., State Theatre, Mpls., $55-$245)
Branford Marsalis and Jean-Willy Kunz: Now that Northrop's mighty 1932 Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ has been restored, the University of Minnesota is featuring it in a series of adventurous concerts. The first pairs Kunz, organist in residence for the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, with saxophonist/composer Marsalis, of New Orleans' remarkable jazz family, who in addition to his own chart-topping work has performed with the New York Philharmonic and Sting and led the "Tonight" show band. Their repertoire will include classical and jazz pieces. (7:30 p.m. Tue., Northrop auditorium, University of Minneapolis, Mpls., $21-$45)
Clairo: Another fast-rising bedroom pop artist of the Billie Eilish and Khalid variety who went viral before she was old enough to go to a liquor store, the 21-year-old from the Boston area first took off in 2017 with the lightly adamant track "Pretty Girl," which spawned a purported record-label bidding war. Her debut album for the Fader label, "Immunity," landed last month, and it falls somewhere between Eilish and Snail Mail on the sonic scale, with soft-bobbing, lo-fi guitar pop and a little electronic ambience. London electro-pop singer Beabadoobee opens. (7:30 p.m. Wed., Varsity Theater, 15 & older, $41-$140, ticketmaster.com.)
New Pornographers: Canadian power-pop guru A.C. Newman and his fluid unit carry on strong without co-founder Dan Bejar for the politically tinged new album "In the Morse Code of Brake Lights." Co-founder Neko Case is all over the record and is currently on tour with them. (7:30 p.m. Tue., First Avenue, $35-$40.)
Mac DeMarco: Indie-rock's lackadaisical slacker is back with his fifth album, "Here Comes the Cowboy," for better or worse laden with the same sort of hazy, warped, low-energy guitar-rock that has earned him a cultish following. (7 p.m. Wed., Palace Theatre, $42.)
Bon Iver: Is Wisconsin's brooding, experimental, falsetto-singing indie-folk guru really an arena-rock act? We'll see, but we know from Justin Vernon's Eaux Claires festivals that he loves big-scale productions and has a knack for making large crowds feel intimate. Read our interview with Vernon's bandmates on the making of the new album "i,i" in Sunday's Variety section. (8 p.m. Thu., Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, $28-$97)
Marilyn Maye: After charming crowds at Crooners in March, the 91-year-old cabaret queen returns for five shows. A marvelous entertainer, she has impeccable timing whether delivering zingers or phrasing lyrics with poignant pauses as she interprets the Great American Songbook. She will be accompanied by New York pianist Tedd Firth and a local rhythm section. (7:30 p.m. Oct. 2-4; 5:30 & 8 p.m. Oct. 5. Crooners, Fridley, $40-$50)
Lewis Capaldi: The 22-year-old Scottish heartthrob behind the smash single "Someone You Loved" makes his first Twin Cities headline appearance. He's a cousin to "Doctor Who" actor Peter Capaldi but apparently no relation to the late Traffic drummer Jim Capaldi. (7 p.m. Thu., First Avenue, sold out)
