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

1. Megan Moroney: “Tennessee Orange,” about falling in love with someone who roots for your football rival, was the first hit for Moroney, who favors her home state University of Georgia Bulldogs. She rises above those Southern and country music tropes on her second album, “Am I Okay?” Tracks like the title song, “28th of June” and “No Caller ID” make it clear that self-love during the ups and downs of relationships is a priority for her. She showed her considerable charm opening for Kenny Chesney at U.S. Bank Stadium last year. Now, like Kelsea Ballerini and Maren Morris, Moroney will make her first Twin Cities headline appearance at the Armory. Charlie Worsham opens. (8 p.m. Thu., the Armory, 500 S. 6th St., Mpls., resale only, ticketmaster.com)

2. Minnesota Orchestra: Now a two-time Grammy winner and Gramophone magazine’s 2021 Artist of the Year, Canadian violinist James Ehnes began his ascent to stardom as a teenager by winning a Minnesota Orchestra young artists’ competition. Thursday and Friday, he’ll return with English conductor Edward Gardner for Antonín Dvořák’s sumptuous Violin Concerto, part of a Czech-heavy program that also features music by Leos Janacek and Bedrich Smetana. Saturday afternoon, he’ll perform Beethoven’s Septet on a chamber music concert with music by Gabriella Smith, David Sterrett and Philip Glass. (Orchestra concerts: 11 a.m. Thu., 8 p.m. Fri.; chamber music: 2 p.m. Sat., Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $15-$111, minnesotaorchestra.org)

Also: Dark Star Orchestra does its Grateful Dead thing, recreating a setlist from the Dead’s storied past (7:30 p.m. Palace Theatre, $46.03 and up); one of the Zelig’s of pop music, charming U.K. raconteur Peter Asher concludes his two-night stand featuring songs and stories from the Beatles, Peter & Gordon, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt and others (7 p.m. the Dakota, $58.43 and up); Matthew Logan Vasquez of San Diego’s truly spirited rock unit the Delta Spirit is back out on a solo tour (8 p.m. 7th St. Entry, $20).

3. Greg Norton & Büddies: Timed to the 40th anniversary of Hüsker Dü releasing two landmark indie-rock albums in the same year, “New Day Rising” and “Flip Your Wig,” the Nirvana- and Green Day-influencing Twin Cities punk trio’s bassist is topping off an all-Hüskers marathon inside and outside Palmer’s. Norton put Büddies together last year as an ongoing salute to his old band with guitarist Jon Snodgrass and drummer David Jarnstrom, plus a cast of eager guest vocalists. Here, they’ll be sandwiched between tribute sets by Citric Dummies, Rad Owl, Oyster World, Wowsville and Denver’s Spells. (7 p.m. Palmer’s Bar, 500 Cedar Av. S., Mpls., $10-$20, palmers-bar.com)

4. St. Paul Chamber Orchestra: Each year, the SPCO invites a composer to spend a season with them and create new pieces as part of its Sandbox residency. This season, that composer has been Valerie Coleman, founder and longtime flutist for an outstanding woodwind quintet, the Imani Winds. Conductor William Eddins and the SPCO will premiere her brand new piece, “All the People,” on a concert that also includes music by Igor Stravinsky, George Walker and Alberto Ginastera. (11 a.m. Fri., 7 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Ordway Concert Hall, 345 Washington St., St. Paul, $16-$68, thespco.org)

5. Larkin Poe: The Lovell sisters are a femme answer to the Robinson brothers of the Black Crowes except their Southern rock can be a lot more muscular as evidenced on “Nowhere Fast” and “Bluephoria” on Larkin Poe’s “Bloom.” The January release is the blues-rock duo’s eighth studio effort and their first since their Grammy-winning “Blood Harmony” in 2022. Singer/guitarist Rebecca Lovell brings the fire (particularly on “Pearls”), and Megan Lovell adds the sweetening on dobro, lap steel and vocal harmonies. (8 p.m. First Avenue, 701 1st Ave. N., Mpls., $30-$35, axs.com)

Also: The Art-A-Whirl parties kick off in northeast Minneapolis with highlights including Early Eyes at Indeed Brewing, Big Salt outside the 331 Club and Carnage the Executioner’s “The Collaboratory” at Twin Ignition Garage; Swedish indie-pop duo Peter, Bjorn & John are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their breakthrough album “Writer’s Block,” featuring the irrepressible whistler hit “Young Folks” (8 p.m. Fine Line, $30); Michigan alt-rock balladeers the Verve Pipe are also on tour revisiting “The Freshman” and other ’90s hits (7 p.m. the Dakota, $46-$56) renowned Milwaukee trumpeter Eric Jacobson is bringing his namesake quartet to town (7:30-10 p.m. Berlin, $25); L.A. singer/songwriter Jensen McRae just dropped her sophomore album, “I Don’t Know How But They Found Me,” her first for Dead Oceans, the label of Phoebe Bridgers and Mitski (8 p.m. Varsity Theater, sold out).

6. Art-A-Whirl gigs: They start on Friday afternoon and continue into Sunday, but the free parties with live music that surround Northeast Minneapolis’ sprawling art crawl are turned up to 11 on Saturday. Bauhaus Brew Labs’ Liquid Zoo party includes the return of Vicious Vicious, the new duo White Boy Summer, Tabah, Faith Boblett and more (noon-10 p.m.). Indeed Brewing’s Whirlygig bash features Black Market Brass, Obi Original, Dylan Salfer, Juice Lord and Anita Velveeta. East Co-op’s mini-fest has Dr. Mambo’s Combo, Bathtub Cig, Greg Grease, Eleganza! and more (noon-5:30 p.m.). Other highlights include Creeping Charlie and Fanaka Nation at Elias Metal Studio (noon-8 p.m.), Harlow and Keep for Cheap at Sociable Cider (noon-10 p.m.) and the nonprofit DEMO’s party at Twin Ignition with Cornbread Harris, Keith Secola and Dan Israel (1-8 p.m.). See our hour-by-hour Art-A-Whirl music recommendations.

Also: Face-paint-loving Twin Cities hard-rock revivalists Flipp are reviving their original lineup (8 p.m. Turf Club, $30); the Wailers are still jamming through Bob Marley’s classics led by Aston Barret Jr., son of Marley’s old bandleader (6:30 & 9 p.m. the Dakota, $35-$50); Irish-bleeding rockers the Belfast Cowboys return to the Under the Canopy series with Marc Joseph & American Soul and the de’Lindas (7 p.m. Hook & Ladder, $25-$40); folky, rootsy Minnesota singer/songwriter Katy Tessman celebrates the release of her third album, “Turnbuckles,” with Favourite Girl (6 p.m. Icehouse, $18-$25); Twin Cities blues fans may want to take a roadtrip to the historic Silverdome Ballroom in Neillsville, Wis., for its blues fest featuring Mississippi’s DuWayne Burnside and the Kenny Brown Trio with Milwaukee’s the Altered Five Blues Band (6:30 p.m., $20); Sacramento-reared electro-hip-hop groovers Hippie Sabotage stop in on their Echoes of Time Tour (7 p.m. the Fillmore, $45); ex-members of Milwaukee’s influential noise-rock unit Die Kreuzen now lead the Crosses (8 p.m. Cloudland Theater, $20); the Devil Makes Three, Americana veterans of many a Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, are on tour in support of their seventh studio record, “Spirits” (8:30 p.m. First Avenue, $30-$35).

7. Benmont Tench: There is life after Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Since Petty died in 2017, Heartbreakers keyboardist Tench has recorded with Ringo Starr, Chris Stapleton and the Rolling Stones. He has played gigs with Phil Lesh and all-star salutes to Willie Nelson and Patti Smith. And now he’s released his second solo album, the aptly titled “The Melancholy Season.” After an off-and-on battle with cancer, Tench has returned to the road, playing solo, which allows him the flexibility to play his own and Heartbreakers songs as well as those from the catalogs of Bob Dylan, the Replacements and others he has worked with. (7 p.m. the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $40-$45, dakotacooks.com)

Also: Minnesota’s soulful blues rocker Annie Mack opens the Summer Rooftop series at the Hewing Hotel (7 p.m., $30); the Bird Show will find songbirds Ann Reed, Claudia Schmidt, Joan Griffith and Dan Chouinard performing songs about, um, birds (4 p.m. Belvedere tent at Crooners, $37.80 and up); Minnesota piano maven Lori Dokken, who has produced all kinds of themed shows, continues her Just Me (Volume 2) series, cherry picking material from her eclectic repertoire (5 p.m. Crooners, $37.89 and up).

8. Slim Dunlap Tribute: “One of the deepest and truest rock ‘n’ roll souls I’ve ever heard.” So said Bruce Springsteen of Bob “Slim” Dunlap, the Minnesota music legend who joined the Replacements in 1987 and went on to release two charmed solo albums in the ‘90s. He died in December after 12 years of convalescence. His family — including wife Chrissie Dunlap, a prominent First Ave staff alum — put a lot of thought and heart into this public memorial. It will feature live music by a couple of his favorites, Trailer Trash and the Cactus Blossoms, as well as a Slimboree Singers all-star tribute and a listening party of sorts, plus lots of stories from friends. Those might wind up being the de facto headliner. (7 p.m. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., $12, axs.com)

9. Momma: One of the buzziest bands of late to come out of Brooklyn, N.Y., the earnest quartet blends elegant shoegazer guitar fuzz with bright and poppy hooks and lyrics. Co-leaders Allegra Weingarten and Etta Friedman sing about getting old in their late-20s on their current breakthrough album, “Welcome to My Blue Sky,” which earned them a four-star Rolling Stone review and opening dates with the Marias later this year. Indianapolis-reared opener Wishy has garnered some good press, too. (8 p.m. Fine Line, 318 1st Av. N., Mpls., $25, axs.com)

10. The Big Ass Stadium Tour: I guess Post Malone and Jelly Roll didn’t want to call it the Face Tattoo Tour. The bromance seems like a good fit between Posty, who is a little bit country, a little bit hip-hop and a little bit pop, and Jelly, who is largely country, a little bit hip-hop and sometimes rock ‘n’ roll. Both singers have had their share of crossover success, they’ve been known to do covers in various genres, and they’ll even sing together on this tour. Don’t underestimate them, though, because they have serious material like Jelly’s “I Am Not Okay” and “Save Me” and Posty’s “Better Now” and “Goodbyes.” Be sure to arrive early to experience quirky Grammy-winning Americana singer Sierra Ferrell. (7:30 p.m. U.S. Bank Stadium, 401 Chicago Av. S., Mpls., $95 and up, ticketmaster.com)

Also: Oklahoma-raised musical cross-pollinator Bartees Strange teamed up with producer Jack Antonoff and continues to produce vibrantly uncategorizable, soul-tinged Americana rock on his latest album, “Horror” (8 p.m. Fine Line, $25); industrial-rock pioneer Al Jourgensen is back out with Ministry focusing on the band’s earlier, less metallic synth-pop albums “With Sympathy” and Twitch,“ with a couple other vets for openers, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult and Die Krupps (7:30 p.m. Palace Theatre, $63-$95); Boston-launched singer/songwriter Deb Talan, who used to be half of the Weepies, is on tour, touting her new album “I Thought I Saw You” (7:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, $25-$35).

Denver’s well-coiffed pop experimentalist wife-and-husband team Tennis is on tour for what it’s calling its final album, “Face Down in the Garden” (8 p.m. First Avenue, $40); soulful Twin Cities piano man Scottie Miller, who tours in Ruthie Foster’s group, offers an evening of poetry and song, highlighting material from his latest full-length “Carnival Cocoon” (5:30 p.m. Dunsmore Room at Crooners, $37.89 and up); MN Jazz Orchestra‘s salute to the Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Orchestra will feature veteran Twin Cities jazz drummer Joe Pulice (7 p.m. the Dakota, $52.25 and up); experimental Twin Cities rock trio Alpha Consumer with Jeremy Ylvisaker, Michael Lewis and J.T. Bates returns to Icehouse (8 p.m., $18); hip-hop producer Medium Zach‘s En el Momento series continues at Berlin with Chicago multi-instrumentalist Sir Spencer (7-9:30 p.m., $10).

Classical music columnist Rob Hubbard contributed to this column.