Old-school metal fans will be hitting Myth nightclub in Maplewood on consecutive weekends in early August, and they might have to bust the bank to get there: The Scorpions have already announced an Aug. 8 Myth date (tickets are already on sale for $48), their first metro area gig in many years. Now Judas Priest will be there Aug. 2, with Metal Church as openers. Those tickets go on sale tomorrow (Sat) for $49. Funny how neither show breaks the $50 mark, as if $1-$2 lessens the blow. Ah well, they’d probably cost even more at an arena. And who didn’t like the Crue’s Myth show over their two at Target Center that followed? I thought Priest were pretty dull and uninspired their last time here at Xcel Center, so I gotta say I’m more excited about the Scorps.

The mainfloor was packed on Saturday (and the upper level closed off by curtains) for this German cult fave. It was Kraftwerk’s first local appearance since 1975. My friend Tim said he was disappointed that they didn’t play “Pocket Calculator.”

Here’s what they did play:

1 MAN MACHINE 2 PLANET OF VISIONS 3 NUMBERS 4 COMPUTERWORLD 5 TOUR DE FRANCE 6 VITAMIN 7 AUTOBAHN 8 COMPUTERLOVE 9 MODEL 10 Neonlicht11 SHOWROOMDUMMIES 12 RADIOACTIVITY 13 Trans Europa Express  ENCORE 14 ROBOTS 15 Elektrokardiogramm 16 Aerodynamik 17 MUSIK NON STOP

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Not sure if it was another instance of him trying to be cute or a real slip of the tongue, but Stephen Malkmus commented how great it was “to be back at Third Avenue” last night (he was performing at First Avenue, of course). If it was a slip-up, then it was just one of many in the rather sloppy and haphazard set. That’s nothing new from the former Pavement frontman, whose old band I saw perform five times, and only one of those gigs I’d actually qualify as “good” (but nothing stronger adjective-wise). The couple of post-Pavement gigs I’ve seen him play with his band the Jicks weren’t any better.

I had higher hopes for Wednesday’s gig, though, considering his new album “Real Emotional Trash” is a real winner, and he has a rock-solid new drummer in his band now, Janet Weiss (ex-Sleater-Kinney). But it was more of the same. “Pencil Rot” had to be started over. He also botched the opening riff of “Baby C’Mon.” And several songs were just plain stagnant. There were some charming moments, though. The crowd helped turn “Baby C’Mon” around, singing the title hook each time. A couple of the new songs were tight and strong, too, including “Elmo Delmo” and especially the title track, which the band turned into a bursting jam.

What did you think of the show? Has the charm worn off on Malkmus’s fumbling rock? Or is the fact that he’s not Yes or ELP the point?

I enjoyed this one more than the Nov. 2 show. How bout you?

Here’s Sunday’s set list:

1. Night 2. Radio Nowhere 3. Lonesome Day 4. Darkness on the Edge of Town 5. Gypsy Biker 6. Magic 7. Reason to Believe 8. Prove It All Night 9. She’s the One 10. Livin’ in the Future 11. Promised Land 12. Waitin on a Sunny Day 13. Backstreets 14. Devil’s Arcade 15. The Rising 16. Last to Die 17. Long Walk Home 18 Badlands ENCORE 19. Girls in their Summer Clothes 20. Jungleland 21. Born to Run 22. Dancing in the Dark 23. American Land

I got a copy of Springsteen’s planned set list, which included “Because the Night,” “Jackson Cage,” “Meeting across the River” and “Kitty’s Back.” Clearly, he called some aubibles. Not on the original list were “Prove It All Night,” “Jungleland” and “Dancing in the Dark.” But the prepared list had 24 songs and Bruce did only 23 on Sunday.

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The Bad Plus, the creative, quirky and masterful jazz trio that the Twin Cities likes to claim as its own, will perform on Conan O’Brien on Friday night. Also appearing are Frank Caliendo and Cheryl Hines. Sounds like must-see TV.

Although there’s a sameness to her material, Frenzy frontwoman Alison Sudol is a star. She demonstrated a compelling voice and a genuineness that was very becoming. Her covers on Tuesday night were smartly chosen (though she oddly plugged Rufus Wainwright more than the Beatles when introducing “Across the Universe”).

Her own “Almost Lover” was almost perfect, aided by moody slide guitar and too-much stage fog. She encored with a new song, “If I Had You,” a country-styled tune that suggests some welcome new horizons. 

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