POP/ROCK

Gogol Bordello is too hyper and dangerous to be cooped up inside a club. With their flaming tricks and other circus-like antics, the Eastern European gypsy punks make a perfect act to take outside into the parking lot and let loose. They've tightened up musically but sound as boisterous as ever on a new album, "Pura Vida Conspiracy." Opening band Viza is another large ensemble with international origins that has toured and recorded with Serj Tankian. (7 p.m. Fri., Cabooze Plaza, $30.) Chris Riemenschneider
Dobro king Jerry Douglas has collected 13 Grammys and performed on more than 1,600 albums. A featured member of Alison Krauss + Union Station, he also has a flourishing solo career, including last year's "Traveler" album featuring Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Paul Simon and Mumford & Sons. At the Dakota last fall, the musicianship of the dobro master/lap guitarist and his band (especially bassist Viktor Krauss and drummer Omar Hakim) was more impressive than the compositions. But instrumentals composed by Weather Report, Krauss and Bill Frisell were essential choices. (7 & 9 p.m. Fri., Dakota, $35-$45.) Jon Bream

Like Hootie & the Blowfish's Darius Rucker, Sheryl Crow is ready to go country. Her first album for Warner Music Nashville arrives Sept. 10. Meanwhile, she'll be stylin' with a few songs at Macy's Glamorama along with Cirque du Soleil and models wearing Diesel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Tommy Hilfiger and other designers. Read an interview with Crow at www.startribune.com/music. (8 p.m. Fri., State Theatre, $75-$1,000.) Bream

This year's Red Stag Block Party could be renamed the Incestuous Music Scene Block Party: A lot of the bands feature the same musicians, many of them better known from other bands. Members of the Haley Bonar-fronted New Wave/punk band Gramma's Boyfriend, for instance, also perform in the tribute band All Tomorrow's Petty (yep, they play "American Girl"), and some of that band also is part of Actual Wolf, the '70s-ish folk-rock band that features members of Retribution Gospel Choir and Low. Also on the bill are Chooglin's Southern-boogie offshoot Eleganza, Southern-styled rapper Greg Grease and collegiate indie-rock trio Bad Bad Hats. Proceeds from the locally generated beer and food booths benefit the Youth Farm Market & Project. (5-10:30 p.m. Sat., outside Red Stag Supper Club, 509 1st Av. NE., all ages, free.) Riemenschneider

Eilen Jewell's "Queen of the Minor Key" was the undiscovered Americana gem of 2011. The Boise-bred, Boston-based singer/songwriter mixes alt-country with a little jazz, blues, rockabilly and surf-rock to create an alluring old-school vibe. Jerry Miller's versatile guitar is as emotional as Jewell's lonesome voice. She suggests an older, darker Norah Jones who starts writing songs three whiskeys after midnight. Opening is essential Minnesota folk-bluesman Spider John Koerner. (8 p.m. Sat., Dakota, $20.) Bream

Since Pantera will probably never reunite without late guitarist Dimebag Darrell (nor should it), the Texas thrash-metal band's frontman Phil Anselmo will always hold fans' interest even when he's testing it. His first-ever solo album, "Walk Through Exits Only," isn't as trying as some of his past ventures but it is more of a wild experiment than his regular band of late, Down. He and his new group the Illegals throttle furiously through a giant wall of angry diatribes, crashing rhythms and rapid-fire riffs, at times sounding more unhinged and manic than Pantera. If you can believe that. They're touring with Warbeast and Author & Punisher. (9 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, $25.) Riemenschneider
Weird Al Yankovic has long explained that his core audience is 11-year-old boys — or people in touch with their 11-year-old selves. The pop parodist must have broader appeal because his 2011 children's book, "When I Grow Up," spent six weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. He's still promoting 2011's "Alpocalypse," which includes sendups of songs by Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. (8 p.m. Sat., Mystic Lake Casino, $31-$39.) Bream

The Red House Barnfest from St. Paul folk and roots label Red House Records takes place in Red Wing, but the actual barn in question is green. This year's fifth annual lineup — celebrating the label's 30th anniversary — is anything but green, with veterans John Gorka and Michael Johnson headlining along with Oregonian tunesmith Tracy Grammer, whose unreleased material with late partner Dave Carter was recently issued by Red House. From the Twin Cities music scene, rootsy club favorites Chastity Brown, the Roe Family Singers and Molly Maher will all trek to the farm. The fest includes a large kids' area, plus Chef Shack and other food trucks. (1-7:30 p.m. Sat., Hobgoblin Music Barn & Outdoor Amphitheater, 920 Hwy. 19, Red Wing, kids 12 and under free, $25-$30, 651-644-4161 or RedHouseRecords.com.) Riemenschneider

Eilen Jewell

After performing its entire "Love" album on tour two years ago, British goth-metal band the Cult is back playing all of the follow-up, "Electric." The 1987 record is not as fondly remembered as its predecessor, nor was it as successful as 1989's "Sonic Temple." But it actually holds up better than both, with "Love Removal Machine" and "Lil' Devil" for singles and plenty more worth hearing again. Hazy New York rockers White Hills open. (8 p.m. Tue., Varsity Theater, sold out.) Riemenschneider

Between a run at big amphitheaters and a performance at the Sturgis motorcycle rally in South Dakota, ZZ Top is going to squeeze in a little ol' club gig in Maplewood. This year, the band dropped a 10-CD boxed set, "The Complete Studio Albums 1970-1990." More important, last year Billy Gibbons and the boys hooked up with superproducer Rick Rubin for "La Futura." A return to their classic dirty boogie, it's ZZ Top's strongest album in years, though Gibbons' gritty, slightly fading voice sounds as coarse as #30 grit sandpaper. (7:30 p.m. Tue., Myth, $54.50.) Bream

A superstar in his native England, Albert Lee is just an in-demand session guitarist in the States, where he has lived since 1974 . He's played with everyone from Eric Clapton and Bo Diddley to Emmylou Harris and the Everly Brothers. A sometimes solo artist with a bent toward country music, Lee is known for his tasty guitar licks and good taste in music — on his 2011 live album he covered songs by Jesse Winchester, John Hiatt and Ray Charles. (7 p.m. Tue.-Thu., Dakota Jazz Club, $30.) Bream

The summer of nostalgia continues at the Minnesota Zoo with the Rock N Blues Fest. Boogie kings Canned Heat of "Goin' Up the Country" fame and blues-rockers Ten Years After of "I'm Going Home" each boast three members who performed at Woodstock, but not the lead singers from that era. Filling out the bill are Canadian rocker Pat Travers and two alums of Ringo Starr's All Starr Band: Rick Derringer, the voice behind the McCoys' "Hang on Sloopy" and his own "Rock 'n' Roll Hootchie Koo," and keyboard freak Edgar Winter, known for "Frankenstein." (7:30 p.m. Wed., Minnesota Zoo, $54-$68.50.) Bream

With the Mickey Hart Band, you get both a Grateful Dead fix and a world-music journey. The Dead percussionist extraordinaire returns in support of last year's "Mysterium Tremendrum," a cosmic collection featuring the words of Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. Hart's intense, trippy and long shows always feature a sampling of Dead songs; recent set lists included "Brokedown Palace" and "I Know You Rider." Hart's three-year-old group includes St. Paul-bred keyboardist Ben Yonas, who co-wrote some pieces on the album. Tea Leaf Trio opens. (9 p.m. Wed., Mill City Nights, $30.) Bream

R&B

After being M.I.A. for a decade, sexy soul man D'Angelo is returning to Minneapolis for his second performance in six weeks. This time he's bringing his band, which includes bassist Pino Palladino (the Who, John Mayer) and guitarist Jesse Johnson of the Time. With the sidemen, D'Angelo should be more focused, with more personality on display than at his duo gig with Questlove in June. D'Angelo promises to preview his long-awaited third album, due this year. Opening is LP Music, a new project featuring Eric Leeds, Paul Peterson and Stokley Williams. (8:30 p.m. Tue., First Avenue, $41.50.) Bream

FOLK

The concept was odd and ambitious: Take the poems of William Blake and set them to Appalachian music. But Martha Redbone has pulled it off on "The Garden of Love" with the help of producer John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Once described as "the Aretha Franklin of Indian Country," she has a blues-soul voice that's the right blend of depth and gentleness to fit the indelible words and the graceful string-band music. Redbone is traveling with guitarist Alan Burroughs and keyboardist/musical director Aaron Whitby. (7:30 p.m. Sun. Cedar Cultural Center, $15-$18.) Bream

Spending a half-century in folk showbiz is no mean feat, but New England legend Tom Rush, the best interpreter a singer/songwriter could hope for, is no ordinary fellow. He's the guy who first introduced listeners to the work of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Jackson Browne and other greats, and he's always been convincing on blues numbers, too. A stellar live performer, his forthcoming CD/DVD package "Tom Rush Celebrates 50 Years of Music" spans his career, including a fresh recording of his own resilient gem, "No Regrets" and guest appearances by old friends David Bromberg and Jonathan Edwards and new pal Don Flemons of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Cedar Cultural Center, $30.) Tom Surowicz

JAZZ

The Twin Cities' most ambitious trad jazz ensemble, the Southside Aces celebrate their 10th anniversary with a party on the south side of Minneapolis — where else? — and a rather unexpected new recording that gives Lady Gaga's mega-hit "Bad Romance" a New Orleans classic jazz makeover. It works so well you'll wonder why the Lady G version didn't have a liquid clarinet solo, or some bragging brass licks. The first 100 attendees receive a free download card for it, but even if you show up fashionably late, it only costs one buck, 10 cents for each of those 10 happy years. (8 p.m. Thu., Minneapolis Eagles Club, $5.) Surowicz