Critics' picks: The 15 best things to do and see in the Twin Cities this week

MUSICMegan Thee Stallion

Because Minneapolis has the opening date on her first arena-headlining trek, it's hard to know what to expect of the Houston rapper's Hot Girl Summer Tour, which comes just three weeks after her collaborator in the single of the same name, Nicki Minaj, lit up the same venue. The "Hiss" and "Savage" hitmaker earned high marks for her incendiary delivery and highly choreographed twerking at festival gigs over the past two summers. She's bringing along rising Tennessee rapper GloRilla, who is featured on Megan's new single "Wanna Be." (7 p.m. Tue., Target Center, 600 1st Av. N., Mpls., $35-$830, ticketmaster.com)

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

Trey Anastasio

After a trippy and triumphant run at the Sphere in Las Vegas with Phish (68 different songs in four nights), the singer/guitarist will visit the Midwest with Classic TAB (bassist Dezron Douglas, drummer Russ Lawton, keyboardist Ray Paczkowski) before they land for three nights in Brooklyn and he performs with National Symphony Orchestra on June 25. In St. Paul, expect a mix of songs from Phish and Anastasio's solo catalog, including 2022′s "Mercy." Meanwhile, Phish returns to the road in July for its residency-focused run of outdoor shows. (7:30 p.m. Fri., Palace Theatre, 17 W. 7th Place, St. Paul, $59.50 and up, axs.com)

JON BREAM

Teezo Touchdown

Recently seen on the cover of Rolling Stone's Future of Music issue and on many of Travis Scott's tour dates (alas, not ours), the 31-year-old rapper and singer harnessed high-profile features on Tyler the Creator and Drake songs to build up momentum for last year's debut album "How Do You Sleep at Night?" Tracks like "Impossible" and the Janelle Monáe-accompanied "You Thought" show off a wide, hip array of alt-rock, R&B and electronic influences to sound like little else on the hip-hop charts at the moment. That variety bodes well for his local headlining debut, which got bumped up to the Mainroom from the Amsterdam Bar. (7 p.m. Fri., First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls., all ages, $25, axs.com)

C.R.

Scott Sansby benefit

If it's any indication how respected and loved percussionist and graphic artist Scott Sansby was in the Minnesota music community, more than 20 artists have volunteered to play at a two-day benefit marathon for him this weekend. Sansby, a Twin Cities musician for more than 50 years who also created posters for performers, was partially paralyzed after a fall last summer. He played percussion in numerous local groups including Passage, Doug Maynard Band, Zarathustra and Scottie Miller Band and he toured with Leon Russell and Mary McCreary. Among those appearing at the benefit are the Butanes, Rich Dworsky & Richard Kriehn, Lisa Wenger, Maurice Jacox and the We Still R Band, the New Primitives, Jimmi and the Band of Souls, Dean Magraw, Bobby Schnitzer & Dan Neale and the Peterson Family. (Noon to midnight Sat. & noon to 8 p.m. Sun., Shaws, 1528 University Av. NE., Mpls., $20 suggested donation)

J.B.

Hermanos Gutiérrez

Fresh off a string of dates with another band that's making groovy instrumental music cool again, Khruangbin, brothers and dueling guitar partners Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez blend the cultural influences from their upbringing between Ecuador and Switzerland into a similar hybrid of international musical styles. They're releasing a new Dan Auerbach-produced LP next month and were a big hit at last month's Coachella fest, which suited their tunes' desert-baked psychedelic style. (8:30 p.m. Sat., First Avenue, $30, axs.com)

C.R.

Minnesota Orchestra

Hong Kong-born conductor Elim Chan's ascent to stardom has been meteoric. She was still in graduate school at the University of Michigan when she was named assistant conductor of the London Symphony, subsequently winning jobs with Swedish opera company NorrlandsOperan, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Belgium's Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. Her Minnesota Orchestra debut features Peter Tchaikovsky's Second Symphony (inspired by Ukrainian folk tunes), a piece by Unsuk Chin and Erich Korngold's Violin Concerto, with fast-rising American violinist Benjamin Beilman as soloist. (11 a.m. Thu., 8 p.m. Fri., Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., $25-$106, 612-371-5656 or minnesotaorchestra.org)

ROB HUBBARD

St. Paul Chamber Orchestra

The always enjoyable English conductor, harpsichordist and SPCO artistic partner Richard Egarr departs from his customary baroque fare to explore Mozart (the Overture to "The Magic Flute") and Charles Ives ("The Unanswered Question"). But the best reason to go is to experience him leading this excellent orchestra in a masterpiece too rarely performed around here, Franz Schubert's Ninth Symphony, nicknamed "the Great" for a reason. (7 p.m. Fri. and Sat., Ordway Concert Hall, 345 Washington St., St. Paul, 2 p.m. Sun., Benson Great Hall, 3900 Bethel Drive, Arden Hills, $11-$55 (students and children free), 651-291-1144 or thespco.org)

R.H.

THEATER'MJ'

Talk about an adrenaline rush. The bio-musical is shot through with the energy and thrill of a live Michael Jackson concert, including a re-creation of some two dozen songs that sound like studio recordings. How they do it must be some sort of trade secret. Winner of four Tonys, the show's book writer is two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. The narrative sketches Jackson's life as he gets ready for the 1992 Dangerous Tour — a frame that avoids his later controversies — while interspersing hits such as "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and "Smooth Criminal." (May 14-26: 7:30 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 2 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., 1 & 6:30 p.m. Sun., Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. $50-$199. hennepintheatretrust.org)

ROHAN PRESTON

'Sea Cabinet'

British singer-songwriter Gwyneth Herbert premiered this nautical-themed song cycle as a concert back in 2010. It made its U.S. theatrical premiere, with a book by Heidi James, at Minneapolis' Southern Theater in 2019 under the aegis of Theatre Elision. Now Elision is bringing the 70-minute one-act back with singers Emily Dussault and Vanessa Gamble among the headliners. Colonial Britain presided over one of the world's largest empires from the mid-18th-century through World War II with a navy to match. That history is in the air as the show features sea shanties and waltzes with unique instrumentation evocative of life on the shoreline. (7:30 p.m. Thu.-Sat. & Mon., 2:30 p.m. Sun. Ends May 18. Elision Playhouse, 6105 42nd Av. N., Crystal. $15-$55. elisionproductions.com)

R.P.

ARTMother's Day weekend pottery tour

The St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour, now in its 32nd year, takes pottery lovers through the ceramic mindscapes of 70 potters at various studio sites. Particularly of note is potter Guillermo Cuellar's new work with environmentally friendly pots; he's replacing fossil fuel with renewable energy to fire the work, and switching to electric firing. He and his daughter Alana operate one of the seven studios open to the public. Bonus: Delicious snacks also abound. (10 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri. and Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., various locations in the St. Croix River Valley, free, for more info visit saintcroixvalleypotterytour.com)

ALICIA ELER

'Techniques for Ecstasy'

Artist Alexandra Beaumont's new immersive textile exhibition pays homage to a sweaty, joyful evening of dancing with friends at Public Functionary back in March 2023. Using images and remembering the experience of that evening, Beaumont's textile collages lift up the dance floor and community, literally stitching it together, celebrating the power of bodies, especially those who are members of marginalized communities. Artist talk May 23. Ends May 25. (Noon-9 p.m. Thu, noon-6 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Public Functionary, Northrup King Building, 1500 NE. Jackson St., Studio 144, Mpls., publicfunctionary.org, 612-978-5566)

A.E.

DANCE'Émume'

Experience dances from Gambia, Togo and Nigeria's Igbo tribe at this event that celebrates the vibrant cultures of West Africa. Live music by Carolyne Naomi and the band Gifted Handz accompanies professional dancers from Korma Afrocontigbo Danse and community members as they perform traditional and contemporary moves. The West African dance celebration, supported by a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, also features foods from the three featured countries. (12:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. Sat., Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway, Mpls., $15, www.eventbrite.com)

SHEILA REGAN

'Battle! Hip Hop in Armor'

Back in 2018, the Metropolitan Museum of Art commissioned some street and subway dancers to create a piece that juxtaposed rap battle culture with medieval armor. To wit, the dancers representing a variety of New York street styles donned replica armor, articulated gloves, helmets, chin plates and the like as they flexed and busted some 21st-century moves. Now some of those dancer-choreographers are further refining their work during a two-week residency at the Anderson Center in Red Wing. (7 p.m. Sat., Anderson Center at Tower View, 163 Tower View Drive, Red Wing, $10 or pay-what-you-wish. 651-388-2009, andersoncenter.org)

R.P.

MOVIES'Wham! Bam! Here Comes Pam!'

The beloved star of "Fort Apache the Bronx," "Jackie Brown" and "Coffy" will discuss her more than half-century of filmmaking after a 50th-anniversary screening of "Foxy Brown" at the Parkway Theater during her chat with comedian Miss Shannon. Pam Grier, who also appeared on TV in "Miami Vice" and "The L Word," is currently preparing a biopic that will be based on her 2010 memoir, "Foxy: My Life in Three Acts." (7 p.m. May 15, $49-$89, Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Av. S., Mpls., theparkwaytheater.com)

CHRIS HEWITT

FAMILYShepherd's Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival

The fleece will fly during the state's largest shearing competition. View fleece skirting, shearing and sheep dog herding demonstrations and local guilds will have displays. More than 150 fiber vendors will feature items that keep shoppers warm on cool days. Those who want to learn how to make their own wearables can take classes in spinning, knitting and other skills. (9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun., $5, free for ages 8 and under, Washington County Fairgrounds, 12300 N. 40th St., Lake Elmo, shepherdsharvestfestival.org)

MELISSA WALKER