Thursday, May 18
1. Tanya Tucker: Her remarkable renaissance continues. Not only did she make a Grammy-winning comeback in 2019 with "While I'm Livin'" and its hit "Bring My Flowers Now," Tucker was deservedly named this year to the Country Music Hall of Fame. On June 2, the Texas veteran is set to release "Sweet Western Sound," her second consecutive collaboration with co-producers Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings. Tucker already has dropped two singles, the wistful ballad "When the Rodeo Is Over (Where Does the Cowboy Go)" and the late-in-life plea "Kindness." She'll bring her new tunes, frisky personality and classics like "Delta Dawn" to the metro. (8 p.m. Mystic Lake Casino, 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd., Prior Lake, $49-$129, ticketmaster.com)
2. The Shackletons: One of Minnesota's hardest-working young rock acts has not surprisingly turned into one of its best. The band of Stillwater-raised brothers — best known locally from the Current airplay staple "Minnesota Girls" — rolls into its biggest hometown gig of late fresh off a spring tour with Memphis rockers Lucero, whose rowdy yet soulful and intelligent rock is echoed by these Minnesota boys. It's a nice matchup in the Under the Canopy series with throwback rock hero Little Man. The trio then heads to Winona's Mid West Music Fest on Saturday. (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder Theatre, 3010 Minnehaha Av. S., Mpls., $15-$20, thehookmpls.com)
Also: Omaha indie-rock staple Cursive is on tour marking the 20th anniversary of its best-known LP for Saddle Creek, "Domestica" (8 p.m. Fine Line, $25-$30); rootsy Twin Cities players Erik Brandt & the Urban Hillbilly Quartet are back in action with back-to-back gigs starting in Excelsior (8 p.m. 318 Cafe, $18) before a Northfield show on Friday at the Contented Cow; Gabe Barnett & Them Rounders showcase their new single "A Message from U" to preview a new Minnesota music album "Thirst" (8 p.m. Icehouse, $12-$17).
Friday, May 19
3. Liquid Zoo & Whirlygig: The two big live music bashes for Art-A-Whirl this year are at kindred northeast Minneapolis breweries a half-mile apart with a wide cross-section of Twin Cities talent between them. Bauhaus Brew Labs' annual Liquid Zoo party kicks off Friday night with in-house rockers Viva Knievel and has a long lineup Saturday with (in reverse order) Early Eyes, Solid Gold, the Mae Simpson Band, McNasty Brass Band, Birdroom and more. Indeed Brewing's Whirlygig boasts: Nur-D, Mayyadda and Honeybutter on Friday; jazz upstart L.A. Buckner, powwow singer Joe Rainey, Papa Mbye, Denim Matriarch, Creeping Charlie, Room3 and more Saturday; then Turn Turn Turn, the Foxgloves, Cornbread Harris and more Sunday. (5-10 p.m. Fri., noon-10 p.m. Sat & Sun., Bauhaus: 1315 Tyler St. NE; Indeed: 711 NE 15th Av., Mpls.; all-ages, free, bahausbrewlabs.com and indeedbrewing.com)
4. Ambrose Akinmusire: The acclaimed avant-garde trumpeter, who travels in jazz, classical and hip-hop circles, is planning two special evenings in Minneapolis. The first will be a night of improvisation with 10 musicians including buzzy jazz guitarist Mary Halvorson, Mivos String Quartet and rapper Kokayi. On the second night, Akinmusire will offer the world premiere of a lengthy composition titled "Honey from a Winter's Stone." (8 p.m., also Sat., Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Pl., Mpls., $26.50-$33.50, walkerart.org)
5. Minnesota Bach Festival: The Bach Society of Minnesota's annual multi-concert celebration of its namesake's genius features two settings of the "Magnificat" (the Virgin Mary reacting to her pregnancy) by Papa Bach and his talented offspring, C.P.E. Bach. Four outstanding soloists will sing while Matthias Maute conducts a choir and orchestra. Then there will be a week's worth of outdoor chamber music concerts on front porches and in parks and parking lots in the Twin Cities, Rochester, Winona, St. Cloud and Duluth, May 24-28. (7:30 p.m. St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, 519 Oak Grove St., Mpls. (also livestreamed); 7:30 p.m. Sat. St. Thomas More Catholic, 1079 Summit Av., St. Paul, free-$35, bachsocietymn.org)
6. Seal: The British singer and ex-husband of Heidi Klum may get top billing but the key to this concert is Trevor Horn. Not only will he lead the opening act, the Buggles, known for the first MTV clip ever, "Video Killed the Radio Star," but he produced Seal's first two hit albums in the 1990s and will direct the Buggles as Seal's backup band in concert. Those first two Seal albums included such hits as "Crazy," "Prayer for the Dying" and the smash "Kiss from a Rose," which was boosted in the movie "Batman Forever" and captured Grammys for song and record of the year in 1996. (7:30 p.m. Orpheum Theatre, 810 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. $79.50-$179.50, ticketmaster.com)
Also: Rootsy American-Australian singer-songwriter John Butler is leaving his trio behind on his first solo North American tour (8:30 p.m. Fitzgerald Theater, $39.50); get your Van Morrison fix outdoors with the Belfast Cowboys' Under the Canopy gig featuring Linda Ronstadt tribute act de'Lindas (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder, $15-$30); Andrew Walesch, the Minnesota singer-pianist who recently moved to Phoenix, returns to work his Frank Sinatra magic with an orchestra (7 p.m. Dakota, $35-$40); Twin Cities saxophonist Kenni Holmen, who has played with Prince, Celine Dion and Tony Bennett, among others, shares his stories and sounds (7:30 p.m. Crooners, $25-$35); Ahmed & the Creators, led by veteran Minneapolis trumpeter Ahmed Abdulkarim, offer some classic jazz in the intimacy of the Dunsmore Room (6:30 p.m. Crooners, $20-$30).
Saturday, May 20
Only Robert Lamm, James Pankow and Lee Loughnane remain from the beginnings of Chicago, the horn-happy pop-meets-jazz Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band known for such enduring favorites as "25 or 6 to 4" and "Make Me Smile" (8 p.m. Treasure Island Casino, $80-$560); Rock &Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason, a founding member of Traffic and the writer of "Feelin' Alright" and "We Just Disagree," rocks on, with the Outlaws opening (7 p.m. Pantages Theatre, $45.50-$143); Sam Amidon, who has one foot in traditional American folk and the other in the contemporary classical realm, created a new piece, "Driftless," featuring his songs reimagined by fellow composers Nico Muhly, Katherine Bergman, Manami Kakudo and Darian Donovan Thomas; it will be premiered by Amidon and the Winona Symphony (7 p.m. Riverwalk Gardens of the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, Winona, $35); Texas pop-rock trio Fastball, which had an irrepressible hit in 1998 with the road anthem "The Way," returns to Minneapolis to headline the Art-A-Whirl-adjacent, indoor mini-fest Art & Craft at 8:30 p.m. with other performers including the Graveyard Club, Mikel Wright & the Wrongs and Palm Psalms (2 p.m.-midnight, Pryes Brewing, free, all-ages); Bob Dylan turns 82 next week so an all-star Twin Cities lineup of Dan Israel, Curtiss A, Dave Russ, Steve Brantseg and others salute the bard (8 p.m. Turf Club, $20-$35); tender and harmonious folk favorites Johnny Hermanson and Chris Cunningham are back as Storyhill with opener Edie Carey (8 p.m. Cedar Cultural Center, $27-$32); Turn Turn Turn share its harmonies in a program for Music Mission, which provides aid in northern Mexico; a short documentary film will be screened, as well (noon RoK Eatery, free); soulful Minneapolis singer-guitarist Jesse Larson, who made noise on NBC's "The Voice," fronts his band (7:30 p.m. Crooners, $25-$35); Twin Cities guitar star Deevo, who has played with the Commodores, Sounds of Blackness and others, leads his ensemble Guilty Pleasure Society (8 p.m. Crooners, $25-$35).
Sunday, May 21
7. Andrea Bocelli: After a U.S. holiday tour last year, the Italian classical crossover superstar is back in the States for a brief spring engagement. The six-concert swing follows the April documentary "The Journey," in which Bocelli was seen performing with Tori Kelly, Michael W. Smith and 2Cellos. He also managed to squeeze in a performance of "You'll Never Walk Alone" at King Charles' Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle. On tour this month, Bocelli's program has included works by Verdi and Puccini, tunes from "West Side Story" as well as instrumentals of Harry Potter songs by an orchestra under the direction of Steven Mercurio. (7:30 p.m. Target Center, 600 1st Av. N., Mpls., $80-$330, targetcenter.com)
8. Y La Bamba: Blending her Mexican parents' music influences from rancheras and corridos with her own modern electro-pop and psychedelic-folk tastes, the Portland, Ore., singer/songwriter born Luz Elena Mendoza has garnered lots of NPR airplay and critical buzz with quirky but meaningful and truly original new album, "Lucha." Her supporters and collaborators in her decadelong rise have included Los Lobos' Steve Berlin, Neko Case and members of Calexico. (8 p.m. 7th St. Entry, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $20-$25, axs.com)
Also: Norwegian indie-pop favorite Sondre Lerche takes on a more intimate and posh venue this time around (7 p.m. the Dakota, $30-$40); Broadway veteran Ann Hampton Callaway explores movie tunes (4 p.m. Crooners, $40-$50); Twin Cities roots-rocker Leslie Rich revisits childhood memories and offers echoes of Hayes Carll and John Hiatt on his new EP, "Jumpstart," which he's promoting with guest/friend Robert Wilkinson of the Flamin' Oh's (7 p.m. Icehouse, $17-$20).
Monday, May 22
Ella Mai, the British soul singer who seduced with the Grammy-winning "Boo'd Up" in 2018, finally dropped her sophomore LP, "Heart on My Sleeve," last year and seems stuck in a slow-jam groove (7:30 p.m. Fillmore Minneapolis, $35 and up).
Tuesday, May 23
9. Billy Porter Jr: The multi-hyphenate singer-actor-songwriter-screenwriter-playwright-producer-fashionista is on his first extensive concert tour. He promises a retrospective on his career, embracing dance music (including his No. 1 hit "Love Yourself"), '90s R&B, Broadway (especially "Kinky Boots"), some politics and a generous serving of the upcoming "The Black Mona Lisa," his first collection of original material since 1997. And, of course, there will be fabulous outfits. (7:30 p.m. State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., $63-$129, ticketmaster.com)
Also: Remarkable harpist Brandee Younger, who has worked with Beyoncé, Lauryn Hill and John Legend, is celebrating "Brand New Life," a striking tribute to pioneering post-bop harpist Dorothy Ashby (7 p.m. the Dakota, $30-$35); Hot Chip, U.K.'s dance-loving poptronica group, is touring behind last year's "Freakout/Release," which mixes the traumatic and the absurd (Samuel Beckett giving Andre the Giant a ride to school) (8 p.m. First Avenue, $34.50); JazzMN Orchestra salutes Louis Armstrong and the sounds of New Orleans with guest trumpeter Byron Stripling of the Count Basie Orchestra (7:30 p.m. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, $44).
Wednesday, May 24
10. Rickie Lee Jones: One of popular music's most original artists reunited with Russ Titelman, the producer of her first two most excellent albums, which led to a Grammy for best new artist. Instead of recording her own new tunes, Titelman convinced Jones to tackle standards, material she's known since her dad used to sing to her as a kid. "Pieces of Treasure" is a wonderfully understated treatment of classics like "Just in Time" and "Nature Boy" interpreted by a jazzy voice that sounds both young and mature at the same time. Expect Jones, always a compelling live performer, to focus on standards, not hits like "Chuck E's in Love." Look for an interview with Jones next week at startribune.com/variety. (6:30 & 9 p.m., also May 25, the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls. $40-$65, dakotacooks.com)
Also: Cannon Falls-raised Nashville fixture Caitlyn Smith plays the second show of her Minnesota Residency series for her new album "High & Low" with an intimate full-band gig (8 p.m. Turf Club, $25).
Classical music critic Rob Hubbard contributed to this column.
