The Big Gigs: 10 best concerts to see in the Twin Cities this week

1. Zeitgeist and No Exit: For nine years, Zeitgeist, the dean of Twin Cities new music ensembles, has been collaborating annually with its Cleveland-based kindred spirit, No Exit. After premiering four new pieces — and accompanying films — in Cleveland, they bring them west, each taking for inspiration the dream world and the 20th-century surrealists who explored it. The concerts will feature films and music by Timothy Beyer, James Praznik, Luke Haaksma, Philip Blackburn and Zeitgeist. (7 p.m. Thu., Anderson Center, 163 Tower View Drive, Red Wing; 7 p.m. Fri. and Sat., Studio Z, 275 E. 4th St., St. Paul, $15-$25, zeitgeistnewmusic.org)

Also: After an ultra-hot reception at the Minnesota State Fair's bandshell this past summer, zydeco music heir CJ Chenier and his Red Hot Louisiana Band are offering two sets of their funky, bluesy bayou boogie in one night (6:30 & 8:30 p.m. the Dakota, $25-$35); marimba player Jenny Klukken leads Marimbista, a Twin Cities combo, in an evening of Latin jazz (6 p.m. Crooners, $25-$35); New Primitives, featuring Twin Cities percussion aces Stan Kipper and Chico Perez, return to Shaw's (7 p.m., free); Twin Cities guitarist Tommy Vote helms Self-Titled in its salute to Jeff Beck (7:30 p.m. Crooners, $25-$35); Upper Peninsula to Minneapolis transplant Eli Gardner is celebrating the release of his second record, "Transient," with a stark but evocative folk/Americana sound that's part Steve Earle and Vic Chesnutt (7:30 p.m. Turf Club, $12-$15).

2. First Avenue's Best New Bands of 2023: This year's roster of promising Twin Cities newcomers — curated annually by First Ave staffers to keep us warm every January — is as musically diverse as a good weekend-long festival. Indie-pop singer Ber of "Superspreader" Current rotation will bump up against young shoegaze guitar whirrers She's Green. Stirring Americana songwriter Laamar will blend with iTunes-charting jazz funk troupe L.A. Buckner & Big Homie. And alt-twanger Clare Doyle will stir it up with two very different R&B/neo-soul groovers, Barlow and Reiki. Never heard of them, you say? Here's a great chance to catch up. (7 p.m. First Ave, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $12-$15, axs.com)

3. The Silent Treatment: Your new favorite punk band might not be a bunch of snotty kids, but rather this quartet of middle-aged Minnesota scene vets and parents who are royally p.o.'d at the world we're leaving those kids. Frontwoman Claire Luger — an educator and Wyoming City Council member by day — channels Joe Strummer and Kathleen Hanna by night with ace backers Keely Lane (Trailer Trash), Rob Sells (Low Rats) and Dave Randall (Kinda Kinky). They're releasing their smartly smarmy, blisteringly boisterous debut album, "Suplex in 10!," at what promises to be a rowdy party with the Mood Swings, Spit Takes and Loki's Folly. (8:30 p.m. 7^th St. Entry, 701 1^st Av. N., Mpls., $12-$15, axs.com)

4. Mama Digdown's Brass Band: A blast of New Orleans music is the perfect way to warm up in January — even if the funky brass band comes from Madison, Wis. Mama Digdown's has been playing second-line NOLA sounds since 1993. The energetic 12-man combo has released eight albums, the latest being a spirited live set recorded at the Green Mill in Chicago. The group is working on an album of brassy arrangements of Michael Jackson material. Opening is the Akie Bermiss Trio, featuring the sweet Brooklyn soul man best known as the keyboardist/singer with Lake Street Dive. Comedian Trish Cook is the night's emcee. (8 p.m. Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Av. S., Mpls. $25-$33, Eventbrite.com)

5. St. Paul Peterson: He started Funk Friday during the pandemic as a weekly Zoom-aided mini-jam web series. To celebrate his 200th episode, the Twin Cities singer and multi-instrumentalist known for his work with the Time and the Family (aka fDeluxe) will play a full-blown concert with many special guests. Some of them have been among the more than 230 musicians featured on Funk Friday. Among those slated to join Peterson are R&B star Stokley, Roger Smith of Tower of Power, Dr. Fink of Prince & the Revolution, Mike Scott from Justin Timberlake's band, Ricky Peterson from Stevie Nicks' band, and Lenny Castro, who has played with John Mayer and Toto. (7 p.m. Green Room, 2923 Girard Av. S., Mpls., $20-$40, greenroommn.com)

Also: Celebrate David Bowie's birthday with the annual Acoustic Bowie tribute show, led by local rock journeymen Chris "Little Man" Perricelli and John Eller with loads of talented friends (8 p.m. Hook & Ladder Theater, $25-$38); Minneapolis percussionist Dave King of the Bad Plus is back with his jazzy trio Happy Apple, also featuring saxophonist Michael Lewis and bassist Erik Fratzke (8 p.m., also Sat., Icehouse, $25-$35); it's a reunion of the funky reggae-ish 1990s Twin Cities band the Mubbla Buggs featuring two current Cedar Cultural Center staffers Eric Hohn and Jared Hemming (8 p.m. the Cedar, $20-$25); two months after debuting his new "Paths" live show at Red Rocks in Denver, British DJ/producer G. Jones is bringing it indoors here (8 p.m. the Fillmore, $30); Urban Classic salutes Earth, Wind & Fire with saxophonist Kenni Holmen and bassist Yohannes Tona sitting in with these Twin Cities all stars (7 p.m. the Dakota, $30-$40); only Pat Hayes knows how to boogie Minnesota style with Lamont Cranston (7:30 p.m. Crooners, $35-$45); a rare gig in the Turf Club's Clown Lounge seems like a great setting for retro-pickers Jack Klatt and Molly Dean (6:30 p.m., $15); former GRRRL Prty partners Shannon Blowtorch and Sophia Eris are pairing up again for the Pv$$y Control dance party (10 p.m. Mortimer's, $10).

6. Arcwelder: Twenty-four years since releasing its last in a series of LPs for the fabled noise-rock label Touch & Go (see also: the Jesus Lizard, Butthole Surfers), the masterfully stormy Minneapolis power trio finally dropped the new album "Control" last week via Bandcamp after years of teasing new work and playing almost-annual reunion gigs. Sibling co-leaders Bill and Rob Graber and drummer/co-vocalist Scott Macdonald worked with J. Robbins of Jawbox fame on mastering the new record, whose manic but melodic songs should appeal to modern fans of bands like Japandroids or Metz. They're playing two sets at the release party, one with the new stuff and one their classic material. Eleganza opens. (8 p.m. Turf Club, 1601 University Av. W., St. Paul, $20, axs.com)

7. Larry Long: A folk singer from the old school, the St. Louis Park-reared singer troubadour is about building community, on- and offstage. For more than 40 years, he's sung about struggling farmers, struggling workers, struggling veterans, underrepresented communities and the like. He has just donated his life's work — recordings, oral histories, posters, personal writings, school workshops, etc. — to the University of Minnesota Libraries Performing Arts Archives. And Long continues to perform, with his ongoing American Roots Revue, this time featuring Barbara Cohen, Robert Robinson, Tonia Hughes Kendrick, Alana Dickenson-Gaabay Aniikwaad and a band led by Michael Bland and Billy Steele. (6:30 & 8:30 p.m. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $20-$40, dakotacooks.com)

Also: Philly's G. Love & Special Sauce are celebrating 30 years of serving up tasty bluesy hip-hop (8 p.m. First Avenue, $39.50-$70); it's the 17th annual birthday salute to Janis Joplin featuring Jill Mikelson, Katy Hays and Jacy Smith tribute (8 p.m. Fitzgerald Theater, $25-$35); Colorado's Big Head Todd and the Monsters return for some "Bittersweet" blues with Martin Zellar, the Minnesotan living in Mexico, opening (7:30 p.m. Palace Theatre, $35-$80); Iowa folk-rocker Lissie will play all by her lonesome self for an intimate second week in her January residency at the Parkway Theater (8 p.m., $29-$49); Twin Cities indie-rap vet Sean Anonymous is partying for his own birthday once again, this time backed by a full band and with opening sets by pals Chance York and Sophia Eris, the latter previewing new jams with producer Makr (8 p.m., 7th St. Entry, $15); the New Riverside Ramblers are hosting their winter Cajun dance party (7:30 p.m., Minneapolis Eagle's Club, $10); high-spirited pickers the High 48s are resuming their bluegrass brunch shows every Saturday in January and February at the Aster Cafe (11 a.m.-6 p.m., $6); it's going to get loud and rowdy with James Eugene Russell and Pretty Boy Thorson teaming up at Cloudland Theater (8:30 p.m., $15); the soulful Akie Bermiss Trio featuring the singer/keyboardist from Lake Street Dive serenades during brunch (11 a.m. Icehouse, $10).

8. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute: For 43 years, the University of Minnesota School of Music annually has been paying tribute to the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King with performances that speak to his dream of equality in America. This year's concert is curated by VocalEssence's G. Phillip Shoultz III and will feature performances by vocal activist Melanie DeMore, mezzo-soprano Mikalia Bradberry, VocalEssence Singers of This Age, members of the University of Minnesota Gospel Choir and dance troupe Jornae. (3 p.m. Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 S. 4th St., Mpls., free, diversity.umn.edu/MLKTribute)

Also: Minnesota storyteller extraordinaire Kevin Kling teams with Children's Theatre maestro Victor Zupanc for "In Praise of Winter" (4:30 p.m. Crooners, $20-$35); gritty local Americana singer Nathan Griner performs as part of the Music Under Glass series (4:30 p.m. Como Conservatory, free).

9. Rebirth Brass Band: Coming just four days after fellow Louisiana music legend CJ Chenier also hits the Dakota stage, this New Orleans institution has been a big part of the NOLA-MN musical pipeline for decades and knows how much fans here appreciate a winter warmup. The funky troupe carries on its city's rich tradition of funeral-related second-line brass band music with pride but has also been playing with and modernizing the genre for 40 years now. It'll play two shows here and then get back home in time for its long-standing Tuesday night gig, which has moved to a new venue called the Rabbit Hole from the Maple Leaf Bar. (6:30 & 8:30 p.m., the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $35-$45, dakotacooks.com)

Also: The JAMuary Monday night jam-band series at 7th St. Entry continues with Buffalo Galaxy, New Salty Dog and Dream of the Wild (8 p.m., $12-$15).

10. Billy Prine: The late, magnificently great John Prine used to refer to Billy as his "big, little brother." Billy stands 6 foot 6, towering a foot over John, seven years his senior. Like John, Billy grew up in Maywood, Ill., and eventually made his way to Nashville. Billy rocks a lot harder than his famous bro, but he's a storyteller reminiscent of Jerry Jeff Walker. Billy and his Prine Time Band will pay tribute to brother John, doing "Hello in There," "Paradise" and possibly some deeper tracks. (7 p.m. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $40-$45, dakotacooks.com)

Veteran smooth jazz saxophonist Najee brings slow jams and good grooves to the Dakota for the first time (6:30 & 8:30 p.m., $40-$65); psychedelic indie-rock band Yellow Ostrich's winter residency series continues with Honeybutter and Zak Khan (8 p.m. Icehouse, $12); vintage twanger Cole Diamond leads the Whiskey Wednesdays series at Palmer's Bar (8 p.m., free).

Classical music critic Rob Hubbard contributed to this column.