Thursday, February 13

Tax Tips for Artists and Music Professionals

North Regional Library, Minneapolis

6:30 p.m., free, all ages

Not a music event, per se, but certainly of interest to those working in the music scene, this free workshop sponsored by the Minnesota Music Coalition and the new community organizing group Music Mafia will offer tax tips and guidance for creative types with help from CPA Brad Begley. More info here.

Atmosphere's Welcome to MN: Duluth

Clyde Iron, Duluth

7 p.m., sold out, 18+

From the earliest days at Pizza Luce to recently selling out Bayfront Park with Trampled By Turtles, Atmosphere has always shown serious love to their Duluth fanbase. Those fans helped sell out this 2014 edition of the Welcome to Minnesota tour headlined by Atmosphere and highlighted by fellow Minnesotans Toki Wright and Big Cats, No Bird Sing, Jimmy2Times and recent Rhymesayers signee Dem Atlas. After the lights go down at Clyde Iron you can keep the party going at the Rex featuring performances by Sean Anonymous and Duluth hip hop stars Jaze and NonFic. The Rex party is free if you show your Welcome to MN ticket stub, otherwise $5 will be required.

Friday, February 14

Lucy Michelle's Valentine Mixtape: Country Western Edition

Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis

7 p.m., $14 adv/$16 door, all ages

Now an annual affair, Lucy Michelle returns to the Cedar with special guests John Mark Nelson, Brian Just, the Cactus Blossoms, and the Current's own Dave Campbell to presents a live "mixtape" of classic love songs. This year's show promises a country flair, and they've enlisted Americana ace Frankie Lee and the Decade to warm up the stage at the beginning of the night.

The Ericksons with Rachel Ries

Icehouse, Minneapolis

11 p.m., $10 (or $45 dinner and show), 21+

Look no further for an impressive late-night date night. Icehouse is calling Friday night's gig a "Valentine's Day Romantic Showcase," for good reason: It'll feature the swooning and sweet harmonies of sister duo the Ericksons, with support from melancholic South Dakota songwriter Rachel Ries.

Private Oates Valentine's Day Special 

Cause Spirits and Soundbar, Minneapolis

9 p.m., $5, 21+

For a more raucous Valentine's experience, this cover night showcases the talents of three '70s-loving groups: Private Oates (a Hall & Oates cover band featuring members of Zamboni, Al Church and State, and Jon Jones), Trompe Le Monde (Pixies tribute), and Kinda Kinky (Kinks tribute).

Wino, WI, The Social Disaster, Hannah Rey

The Rex, Duluth

9 p.m., $10, 21+

What better way to spend a holiday built up by corporations to commodify love than to attend an event celebrating the consequences of asking for consent? Three diverse and talented Duluth acts including Hannah Rey, the Farsights, Wino, WI and new proto-pop quintet The Social Disaster will take the stage Friday in support of this year’s annual “I ❤ Consensual Sex Party,” which promotes the awareness of and celebration of consent. Proceeds from the cover charge, "I ❤" merchandise sales, and donations will benefit the Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault, going directly to provide services to survivors of sexual assault in the Twin Ports.

Saturday, February 15

The Best Love is Free 5

First Avenue & 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis

8 p.m., $15 adv/$20 door, 18+

The fifth and final Best Love is Free hip-hop showcase is spreading out across two rooms at First Avenue. Astronautalis will headline the Mainroom with support from K.Flay, new collaboration VAYNS (Botzy and MunQs), and white-hot rapper Allan Kingdom, while Psalm One will perform in the Entry with openers Symmetry and False Teeth. To celebrate the series' successful run, the organizers will also release a limited edition Best Of: TBLIF compilation on vinyl (free to the first 200 attendees) and CD (free to all attendees).

Shifting Paradigm Records Launch Party

Studio Z, St. Paul

5 p.m., $10, all ages

Want a primer on some of the best and brightest jazz players in the Twin Cities right now? This impressive showcase, which doubles as a launch party for the new Shifting Paradigm Records label, has everything you need. Fat Kid Wednesdays, Atlantis Quartet, Bryan Nichols Quintet, Graydon Peterson Quartet, and the Zacc Harris Group are all slated to perform in what the label calls "a mini-jazz-fest of sorts"—quite a steal for the $10 cover charge. Read Paul Schmitt's feature on the new label here.

Piñata Records: Hit Parade

331 Club, Minneapolis

10 p.m., free, 21+

Local label Piñata Records will host four of its acts at this compilation-release show. The new Hit Parade Sampler features tracks from Southside Desire, Narco States, Black Diet, Mr. Hide, and Mystery Date, and all except Mr. Hide will be in person to perform Saturday night. Read more about the sampler here.

Glean EP-Release Show

Cause Spirits and Soundbar, Minneapolis

9 p.m., $10, 21+

"To get an idea of Glean’s sound, imagine Lana Del Rey as a theatrical goth-rock ghost haunting a sunken ship," KT Lindemann writes in this week's new release spotlight. Glean will perform in celebration of her new EP-1: Echoes and Waves at Cause with support from the Melismatics and the Beatifics.

Wolf Blood, Exiles, Mind Control

Red Star Lounge, Duluth

10 p.m., free, 21+

Finally, after nearly eight months of demands from rabid fans, Wolf Blood will release their debut recording this Saturday at the Red Star Lounge. The doom/psych/stoner sound of Wolf Blood will be available via cassette tape from new Duluth label Heat Street Records, which will mark the label’s first official release. The label got their start handing out a super limited number of white cassettes marked only with the word “Punk” written in Sharpie—which also may be why you haven’t actually heard the new record from Manheat yet. Joining the release show will be the acidic psych rock of Exiles and newcomers Mind Control.