Super Bowl weekend kicks off with great roots music in the clubs. Sassy country-pop upstart Maren Morris graces the Paradise Rock Club on Friday ahead of her multi-nominated night of playing the Grammy Awards on Feb. 12. Boston’s folk-rock favorites the Ballroom Thieves (pictured), comprised of guitarist Martin Earley, cellist Calin Peters and percussionist Devin Mauch, merge voices at the Sinclair both Friday and Saturday behind last fall’s sophomore effort Deadeye.

Plus there’s a Friday double-shot in Somerville. Thunder Road presents an early show with the swinging all-star blues crew Sugar Ray & the Bluetones, sporting singer/harpist Sugar Ray Norcia, guitarist Monster Mike Welch, keyboardist Anthony Geraci, bassist Mudcat Ward and drummer Neil Gouvin. And at Once Ballroom, there’s Barnstar!—the bluegrassy, harmony-rich supergroup with singer/guitarist Mark Erelli, multi-instrumentalist Charlie Rose, bassist Zach Hickman (Josh Ritter, Ray LaMontagne) and the mandolin/fiddle tandem of father/son Taylor and Jake Armerding.

Also on Saturday (in stylistic contrast to the Ballroom Thieves and their opening one-man phenom the Suitcase Junket that night), consider hitting Great Scott for the evolving post-punk melody, abrasion and dynamics of DC outfit Priests, fronted by singer Katie Alice Greer.