The 10 Best Concerts in Dallas This Week: Black Sabbath, Kraftwerk & More

September's here and things are getting exciting as Dallas gears up for the cooler autumn months ahead. It's not quite time to bust out the sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes, but no matter; a three-day weekend is plenty reason to get in the spirit, and there are plenty of concert happenings to help you do it. Take the opportunity this week to see Black Sabbath on their final tour, get weird with Kraftwerk or dust off those old Chucks and talk about how you were into emo way before it became cool in 2002 with the Get Up Kids.

Beats & Booze with Blue, the Misfit and DJ Niro
10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6, at Andy's Basement Bar and Grill, 122 N. Locust St., Denton, 940-565-5400, or andys.bar, free.
You may be familiar with Blue, the Misfit as one of Dallas’ most decorated up-and-coming musicians. Aside from being a producer and rapper, he’s also a DJ who sets up shop at clubs all around North Texas. Every Tuesday, he and DJ Niro head north of the dial to Denton and tag team a DJ night at Andy’s Bar. It’s a night full of loud rap and electronic tracks and, most importantly, cheap drink specials. Matt Wood

Black Sabbath
With Rival Sons, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, at Gexa Energy Pavilion, 1818 1 Ave., 214-421-1111 or dallaspavilion.org, $20-$250.
Given their reckless behavior and penchant for drug use, it’s a musical miracle that Black Sabbath are still able to go on tour. The heavy metal band that defined the now standard form of self-destructive behavior for all bands who followed them have been rocking for more than 46 years. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1970, kicked off a new wave of dark sounds that molded rock into what it needed to become: more satirical, blunt and edgier. When rock seemed to be forever stuck in an endless loop of sappy love songs, Black Sabbath bathed in the doom of the world like a group of neighborhood kids running through a lawn sprinkler. Hits like “War Pigs,” “Children of the Grave” and “Paranoid” moved rock music away from flower power and into the bleak industrial landscape of their hometown, Birmingham, England. They called for critical attention to the real world that existed outside the realm of the middle class teenager with dark lyrics punctuated by distorted instrumentals and loud, booming melodies. The foremost British metal legends you ever cared about have decided to make one final tour, so you’ll have one last chance to see Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler playing together on a stage when The End Tour makes a stop at the Gexa Energy Pavilion. When they say this is the last chance to see them, you’d better believe it. Have you seen Ozzy lately? Danny Gallagher
Goo Goo Dolls
With Collective Soul and Tribe Society, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, at Allen Event Center, 200 E. Stacy Rd., Allen, 972-912-1048, $30 to $85.
Johnny Rzeznik always had the "bad boy" aesthetic back in the '90s with disheveled blonde hair, tattoos, a raspy voice — oh, and those chokers. Hoo boy. But looks can be deceiving. Him and his band, Goo Goo Dolls, cranked out more pop-friendly alternative rock hits in the '90s than most others, even earning the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top 100 Pop Songs (1992-2012) for the hit "Iris." Which is funny, given the fact that the band started out back in the mid '80s as a punk/metal outfit. These days they're without their original drummer, but Rzeznik remains on vocals and guitar and Robby Takac on bass. Their latest canon of work, Boxes, was released a few months back and reflects the members' inevitable transition into middle age, but with the hooks that made songs like "Names" and "Slide" so freaking catchy. Diamond Victoria 

The Kills
With Kim and the Created, 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, at Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., 214-824-9933 or granadatheater.com, $35.
What happens when New York kids have to grow up? The Kills’ grimy garage rock of the aughts is a genre that’s had to quickly evolve post-2010. The Strokes went ’80s electro, Arctic Monkeys went stoner rock and the Hives vanished. But when the Kills put out this year’s Ash & Ice, it couldn’t help but feel like a retread. Sure, it’s brooding and brash and lo-fi, but it frequently feels like “just another Kills record.” Lyrically, it’s becoming less charming to hear an almost 50-year-old Jamie Hince sing about how exhausting his Cool Urban Life is. He’s already beginning to feel like the dusty dude in a crinkled leather jacket who corners you at an art gallery to explain Warhol. As a producer, Hince still has a huge amount to offer. But his partner Alison Mosshart needs to take the reins and decide what the Kills want to be. On their previous album, she opened up with a few vulnerable tracks that felt like a necessary move for the band. If they can take a minute to stop reminding us how artsy they are, the Kills might be able to rekindle that 2000s garage flame. Matt Wood
AXS TV Concerts Hosted By Mark Cuban: Bad Company
8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, at The Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton St., 214-932-6501, free.
There's nothing complex about the music of Bad Company. This is meat-and-potatoes rock based on the blues, but without the subtleties that Led Zeppelin raised from similar influences. Paul Rogers has a great rock 'n' roll voice, but his lyrics are strictly pedestrian. Nevertheless, the guy can still command a stage. Live, his songs take on a more demanding presence. Hearing Rogers belt out "Ready for Love" is like revisiting a joyful high school memory. Seeing him on stage looking fit and invigorated hopefully will inspire some audience members to mix in a salad and a few hours on the stationary bicycle. Darryl Smyers

The Get Up Kids
7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, at Dada, 2720 Elm St., 214-742-3400, $22.
There is a flip side to the emo revival going on these days; not only are there new bands for fans of the genre to enjoy, but the bands that helped them fall in love with the genre are getting back out on the road on the regular. These days, The Get Up Kids sound as tight as they ever have and seem to be getting along with each other. Dust off Something to Write Home About and relearn the lyrics; everyone else is going to be singing along. Cory Garcia

The Game 
8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9 at Gas Monkey Live!, 10110 Technology Blvd. E, 214-350-1904 or gasmonkeybarngrill.com, $35 to $75.
By most standards, The Game has enjoyed a successful rap career. The rough-and-tumble West coast rapper has sold millions of albums, earned Grammy nominations and been a mainstay in the world of hip-hop for over 15 years, thanks to his true-to-life storytelling raps and aggressive social media presence. But for all the accomplishments, the greatest talking points about The Game’s career are his high-profile feuds with 50 Cent, Jay Z, Suge Knight, Young Thug and even his lowbrow beefs with internet rappers like Stitches and 40 Glocc. Those beefs cost The Game a partnership with Dr. Dre and Aftermath Records, as well as an unknown number of opportunities afterward. The Game’s seemingly done fine without them, considering his last six albums have debuted in the top 10 of Billboard charts, but it’s interesting to think how big of a superstar The Game could have become if he didn’t have a penchant for feuding with anyone and everyone under the sun. Perhaps there’s a change of heart coming for the rapper. He and 50 Cent  allegedly ended their feud earlier this month, as they were seen partying together in L.A. Mikel Galicia
Kraftwerk
8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at The Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton St., 214-932-6501 or thebombfactory.com, $52.50.
Kraftwerk is making their first appearance in Dallas, and only their second appearance in Texas, since the '70s. Their influence stretches far and wide into the foundations of hip-hop, the birth of techno, the electronic pulse of house and disco, the electro-pop sensibilities found in most modern music and pretty much any other aspect of modern music culture that has been touched by electronic gear. On Kraftwerk's current tour, they are raising the bar even higher by traveling with a 3-D multimedia extravaganza. Over the course of an hour and a half, they pull off a grand review of their career highlights. From the standout B-boy classic “Numbers” to their iconic cut “Robots,” performed by actual robots, you are guaranteed a live spectacle unlike anything else you have ever seen or will likely see again. It’s a true glimpse into the future of music by a group that has been setting that standard for over four decades. Wanz Dover Garbage
With Cigarettes After Sex, 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at South Side Ballroom, 1135 S. Lamar St., 972-343-2444 or southsideballroomdallas.com, $35.
Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson and Steve Marker made Garbage a '90s alt-rock radio staple. While trippy production loops and sampling beats made the music stand apart from some of their grunge and alternative comrades, it's always been Manson's sultry and mysterious vocals that stand out. A bit sexy, a bit defiant and a bit matter-of-fact, Manson is a versatile frontwoman, as capable of lovingly belting out torch anthems as she is delivering tales of woe and bad news with a menacing snarl. While they've never matched the chart success of their self-titled debut — "Only Happy When It Rains" and "Stupid Girl" are still ubiquitous ear-worms. Garbage has consistently been recording new music and touring with great frequency. Manson's vocals still pack a punch, and with Vig onstage, it's safe to assume a great deal of sonic wizardry will keep the show fresh and fulfilling. If they've been off your radar for a while, Saturday night would be a good time to get reacquainted. Jeff Strowe
Floating Points
9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, at Dada, 2720 Elm St., 214-742-3400, $16 to $19.
Sam Shepherd, also known as Floating Points, is an electronic musician and neuroscientist. Yeah. He does both of those things. Hailing from Manchester, England, he made his debut in 2009 when the dubstep scene was just beginning to flourish. The thing is, Floating Points doesn't really fit that mold. Although, if you listen to one, you'll likely enjoy the other. His music is slower, and he brings together a variety of different instruments to create a unique sound. His latest album, Elaenia, was released late last year with tracks like "Nespole" and "Thin Air" earning critical acclaim. DV