Hair
@ Pantages Theatre

Hailed as the first rock musical, "Hair" broke down Broadway's traditional barriers of language, action and nudity. Debuting to mixed reviews back in the day, some audiences weren't ready for its daring style and frank commentary on sex, drugs, military service, and organized religion. Now a classic, "Hair" has become synonymous with 1960s Vietnam-era America: The Age of Aquarius. Its excellent score penned by Galt MacDermot helped to define the era with "Aquarius," "Hair," and "Let the Sunshine In." Check out "Hair" this week at Pantages Theatre. It'll be a trip. July 8 - Aug. 1. Tue.-Thu. 7:30 p.m.; Fri. 8 p.m.; Sat. 5 & 9 p.m.; Sun. 2 & 7 p.m. $32.50 - $46.50. Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Ave., Mpls. 612-673-0404. Gyros Papadopoulos

Winnipeg Folk Festival
Birds Hill Park, Winnipeg

Every July for the past 30 years, thousands of people from around the world have gathered at the Winnipeg Folk Festival in Birds Hill Park. From the time the lights go up for the opening concert Thursday evening until the last refrain of the grand finale Sunday night, you'll hear and discover some of the finest musicians on the planet. This year's lineup includes the Buena Vista Social Club, Utah Phillips, Tegan and Sara, Taj Mahal and the Hula Blues, and many, many more. July 8-11. $55 per day; $135 four-day festival fast. Birds Hill Park, Winnipeg, Canada.1-888-655-5354. Papadopoulos

They Might Be Giants
@ First Avenue

Next to Weird Al, no ones made a better living off quirky joke-heavy pop music than They Might Be Giants. Although reknowned for their zaniness, the band's talent shouldn't be overlooked and their way with a pop-rock melody is consistently solid (unlike Yankovic, these guys are actual musicians who write their own songs). The duo of John Linnell and John Flandsburg are going on 20 years of achieving the ultimate "Revenge of the Nerds" coup, morphing from High School wallflowers into bonafide rock stars (of a certain geeky stripe at least). Get ready for accordions people — lots of accordions! With Corn Mo and Common Rotation. 6 p.m. $15. 21+. 701 First Ave. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388. Louis Lenzmeier

Bill Mike
@The 400 Bar

Bill Mike has seen a lot (the man spent a few years pulling roadie duty for both legends and has-beens in L.A. before moving to the Twin Cities and putting his own music down to tape); the experience shows in his music. Although a tantalizing tiny sampler, Mike's latest EP, the three-track Letter To Yourself is a slick and sassy slice of pop (which makes sense when considering Mike's past pedigree as a guitarist with the hip-shakin' Iffy). It will have to do until a full-length drops this fall — Mike is currently spending time between gigs holed up in the studio with the likes of Ev Olcott (12Rods) and Joe Mabbott (who's worked extensively with Atmosphere). As far as what to expect on the forthcoming record, I was given only this cryptic description by the man himself, "the new stuff is probably a tad more on the rock/groove side of things." And to think I already thought things were rockin' and groovin' as is! With Coach Said Not To and Story of the Sea. 9 p.m. $6. 21+. 400 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-332-2903. Rob van Alstyne

The Counting Crows
@ The Basilica Block Party

I know I'm bound to catch tons of crap for this, but it's time I come clean - I like the Counting Crows … a lot. Lead singer/dreadlock-sporting cabbage patch doll Adam Duritz is the sort of polarizing figure that all rock stars should be, you either buy into his heart on sleeve intensity and manic stage energy … or find it really obnoxious. I can't understand why the same histrionics that people love in say, Michael Stipe, are deemed unacceptable from Duritz (maybe it's a facial hair prejudice). Duritz and Co. have continued to crank out some of the best the mainstream has to offer, even as the Crows commercial profile continues to slip steadily out of the superstar spectrum. 2002's Hard Candy was a solid record of Sgt. Peppers inspired studio splendor, but barely got noticed on radio before the ill-advised hidden track take on Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" became an unexpected, and completely facile, hit. The equally questionable "Shrek 2" anthem "Accidentally In Love" is the Crows' latest gambit to stay on the pop radio radar. Here's hoping it fails and the band go back to doing what made them one of the few bright lights during the otherwise dim era of commercial radio in the second half of the '90s - which means getting back to the classic leaning mopey folk-rock they buttered their bread with in the first place. With Wheat, the Honeydogs, Joe Firstman, the Humans, and O.A.R. on two separate stages. Counting Crows at 9 p.m. 5 p.m. $30. All Ages. Corner of Hennepin & 17th Street, 612-317-3511. van Alstyne

TC Electropunk Compilation Release Show
@ Big V's

Everybody get ready to be taken down to funky town as some of the Twin Cities sassiest acts are getting ready to shake their money makers in the confines of Big V's in honor of the release of the Twin Cities first ever electropunk compilation CD. Ten tracks from a wide range of ambitious Twin Cities up and comers with a fascination for all things synthetic. The comp is free and available at shows like this one - which features five bands for the very modest price of five ducats! Featuring Astral Grey, Thosquanta, Telephone, UCKF & Avenpitch. 9 p.m. $5. 21+. 1567 U. Ave. St. Paul, 651-645-8472. Electro Suzy

Stories on a String
@ Midtown Public Market

The Midtown Public Market is no longer simply a place to pick up some fruits and vegetables. Now you can pick up some theater on your trip. For the first time ever, the Market is featuring artists in residence. Kari Tauring and Anne Sawyer-Aitch will perform a puppet show series every Saturday morning from July through September. The performance, entitled "Stories on a String," is inspired by Brazil's popular "Literatura de cordel" or "String Literature" where small chapbooks containing ballads and woodcut illustrations hang from pieces of strings in the market. Adding puppetry and song to tell three different stories, Sawyer-Aitch and Tauring put a Minneapolis spin on the Brazilian tradition. In true market fashion, Chapbooks, CDs and puppets will be available for shoppers to take home. July 10 - Sept. 30 (except July 31). 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12 noon. Free. Midtown Public Market, Lake St. & 22nd Ave., Mpls. 612-376-7502. Katie Bodin

Idiot Box
@ Hey City Theatre

Drop the remote and head to the theatre for a night of virtual channel surfing. Idiot Box, a fast-paced multimedia sketch comedy group will once again bring their unique blend of live performance and video segments to the stage at Hey City Theater. Nothing is sacred in an Idiot Box show — they spoof local celebrities, twist current events, and expose corporate America. It's bawdy, irreverent and it's still chock full of fat men in tights! July 10-31. Sat. 7:30 p.m. $15. Hey City Theater, 824 Hennepin Ave., 612-872-0300. Gyros Papadopoulos

Kurmudgeon
@ Triple Rock Social Club

Maybe it's this whole Braid reunion business that's got me feeling nostalgic for boys with buzzing guitars and emotional issues, but either way, the sound of TC youngster's Kurmudgeon on their debut outing for local all ages scene king Afternoon Records, Cables & Ties, has me doing some pretty fierce head-bopping. Making up what they lack in originality with some seriously passionate and technically impressive playing, Kurmudgeon could easily make a large impact on the emo hungry masses of under-agers populating this great nation. Featuring three vocalists, Kurmudgeon have figured out that the only thing more energetic than one dude belting away is two dudes helping him out (preferably in cool stuttering overlapping patterns). With Cowboy Curtis (see pg. 20 for feature) and TBA. 5 p.m. $7. All Ages. 629 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-333-7399. van Alstyne

Dead Meadow
@ The 7th St. Entry

The typical red-blooded American of today thinks of crooked politicians and expensive Scotch on the rocks when playing word association games with the phrase "Washington, D.C." Which is too bad-because in addition to that crap-there's also a lively music scene, boasting groups like the fun psychedelic/punky hybrid Dead Meadow. If you happen to be checking into the land of power-hungry elected officials anytime soon, Dead Meadow is just one of more than a few rock acts that political wannabes in the nation's capital happen to be privilege to. Although admittedly indebted to Led Zeppelin, Dead Meadow re-energize their '70s rock sound with a refreshing "we don't give a shit attitude. With the Icarus Line and Battles. 9 p.m. $9. 21+. 701 First Ave. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388. Lenzmeier