The Best Concerts in Dallas This Week: Chris Brown, Dia De Los Toadies and More

Another holiday has come and gone, and what do we have to show for it? If you did Labor Day right, probably a sunburn, a hangover and a healthy dose of guilt about overeating. Fortunately, you can make yourself feel better (although there's not much you can do about the sunburn) by indulging in some concerts during the special short workweek that's left. With Chris Brown, Dia de los Toadies and the Tallest Man on Earth all hitting town, among others, there will be plenty of options to choose from, too.
The Free Loaders
7 p.m. Tuesday, September 8, at The Free Man, 2626 Commerce St., 214-377-9893, Free
The Free Loaders have earned their praise in this city. They haven't been sitting around on their asses all these years. They’ve played show after show, no matter if it was in a club, at a party or some boogie event where the music isn't meant to be appreciated. This band of blues, jazz and swing musicians ranges from three to eight members depending on the situation. However, expect a great show packed with fun from experts at their craft. And, if we're all lucky, Mavericks owner and dance savant Mark Cuban will show up and teach us how to do some line dancing. H. Drew Blackburn
Three Bad Jacks
With High School Caesar and Five Pound Knockout, 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 9, at Gas Monkey Bar 'N Grill, 10261 Technology Blvd. E., 214-350-1904 or gasmonkeybarngrill.com, $5-$15
As self-proclaimed rock 'n' roll prophets, Three Bad Jacks have had their work cut out for them. But by playing upwards of 250 shows a year, they've taken on the title fearlessly and without losing momentum. Just this month, the band has packed 20 tour dates across 30 days, extending from Texas to California. If you long for an era when good ol' rock 'n' roll and hard work meant a little bit more, you'll feel right at home at a Three Bad Jacks show. Matt Wood
The Atomic Bitchwax
With MOS Generator, Against the Grain and Spacebeach, 9 p.m. Wednesday, September 9, at Three Links, 2704 Elm St., threelinksdeepellum.com, $15-$18
The technical genre of the Atomic Bitchwax is "Super Stoner Rock," which I've yet to distinguish from regular stoner rock besides the fact that it's super. A bit psychedelic, a bit progressive and entirely riff-oriented, these guys have had their stoner rock anthems blasted on Jackass, where it just feels right. I mean, if a couple Atomic Bitchwax songs can't get you in the mood for smashing things, you might just be too old for the show. MW
Chris Brown
With Kid Ink and Omarion, 7 p.m. Thursday, September 10, at Gexa Energy Pavilion, 1818 1st Ave., 214-421-1111 or gexaenergypavilion.net, $29.50-$125
Controversial and polarizing R&B performer Chris Brown lives in infamy, stemming from numerous high-profile, off-stage legal transgressions. On the stage and on the music charts, 26-year-old Brown miraculously remains a bona fide superstar who shows no signs of slowing down. Just a couple months shy of the 10-year anniversary of his self-titled debut album, Brown has plans to release his seventh album this fall, titled Royalty after his daughter. Fans attending the artist’s One Hell of a Nite tour will undoubtedly hear new tracks from the upcoming album as well as the numerous club hits and bedroom jams Brown has stacked up over the course of his career, and bear witness to his awe-inspiring dance choreography. Kid Ink and Omarion round out this Top 40 bill.  Mikel Galicia
The Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton Tour
Featuring Peanut Butter Wolf, J. Rocc, Guilty Simpson and Homeboy Simpson, 8 p.m. Thursday, September 10, at Crown & Harp, 1914 Greenville Ave., thecrownandharp.com, $25
Hard to believe it, but Stones Throw Records has been around for nearly 20 years. The Los Angeles independent record label is known for putting out classic records from producers like MF DOOM and Madlib. Peanut Butter Wolf, the producer who also founded the label, will lead the Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton Tour into Crown & Harp, a major land for the small Lower Greenville bar. Also on the bill are J. Rocc, Detroit rapper Guilty Simpson and Homeboy Sandman, a rapper from Queens with an incredible body of work. There will also be a DJ set from local vinyl connoisseur JT Donaldson, one of the co-founders of Josey Records. In conjunction with the live show, earlier in the evening at 5 p.m. there will be a meet and greet with a showing of the feature-length documentary about the label, Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton, at Epocha in Deep Ellum (2540 Elm St.). Admission to the meet and greet, which will also feature a live performance from –topic, is free with a ticket to the Crown & Harp show or $10 at the door.Jeremy Hallock
Dia de Los Toadies
With the Toadies, Sarah Jaffe, Burden Brothers and more, 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, September 11 and 12, Panther Island Pavilion, 395 Purcey St., Fort Worth, diadelostoadies.com, $35-$138
Over the past couple years, and especially since its move to the Toadies’ hometown turf in Fort Worth, the annual Dia de los Toadies has grown into a proper festival. Last year, Vaden Todd Lewis and crew made their DDLT set the final stop on their almost yearlong Rubberneck 20th anniversary tour, which coincided with fellow festival act Old 97’s, who were starting up their run of 20th anniversary shows for Hitchhike to Rhome. This year, the two-day fest offers another glimpse of past local-rock glory, but also a full-on view of what the future holds for the new, more acoustic-driven Toadies. A one-off reunion of Lewis’ beloved, eyeliner-sporting Burden Brothers will precede the standard Toadies headline slot on Saturday night. If that’s not cool enough, on Friday night, after Sarah Jaffe plays a rare acoustic gig, the Toadies will unveil songs from their new record, Heretics. Kelly Dearmore
Hand Drawn's Cancer Jam
Andrew Tinker, Brand Callies Band, Exit 380 and more, 8 p.m. Friday, September 11, Courtyard Theater, 1509 H Ave., Plano, cancerjamtx.org, $12-$40
Hand Drawn Records co-founder Dustin Blocker has a highly personal investment in his label's Cancer Jam — his own mother was recently diagnosed. So the label's wide range of artists has banded together for the benefit concert's second year. The long list includes Whiskey Sour, Andrew Tinker, Exit 380, Un Chien and Dustin Blocker himself, plus solo artists backed up by a soul-revival house band. Hand Drawn believes music is healing, and after seeing what they've done for Blocker's mother and many others, we can only agree. MW
The Tallest Man on Earth
With Lady Lamb, 9 p.m. Friday, September 11, at House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., 214-978-2583 or houseofblues.com/dallas, $27.50-$35
Put Dark Bird Is Home in your ears and it will stop you dead in your tracks. The first studio album from The Tallest Man on Earth since the bold, crystal clear There’s No Leaving Now has an earnestness that plants your feet and commands attention. This isn’t generic, sad folk music; it’s bright, intimate and poignant. If you have seen Swedish singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson live, you know that he generates and feeds off that same attention on stage. With only a guitar and a pick, he has an arresting power. He’s bringing that show to Dallas’ House of Blues again on Friday, and the 32-year-old is working off Dark Bird’s fleshed-out, yet still raw, song list. Opening is American singer-songwriter Lady Lamb, who reveals her own electricity in her latest album, After.  Nick Rallo
Billy Cobham's Spectrum 40
8 p.m. Saturday, September 12, at Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., 214-824-9933 or granadatheater.com, $29-$42
Only calling Billy Cobham a drummer would be an enormous disservice. He's an experimental bandleader and composer, mixing and matching genres to create exciting jazz-fusion arrangements. Even if he's obscured by a towering drum set, all eyes will be trained on Cobham and his staggering percussive virtuosity. MW
Wanz Dover Benefit Show
With Rick Rick Simpson, Luke Sardello, Mr. Rid and more, 3 p.m. Sunday, September 13, at Off the Record, 2716 Elm St., 214-745-1402
Wanz Dover is a 25-year vet of the Dallas music scene, working pretty well every night of the week (and the month) between gigs like DJing at Blixaboy or playing in bands like the Black Dotz. So when Dover had a scary medical emergency last week, it brought his friends in the music scene together to try helping him out. As from setting up a GoFundMe page, they've organized a benefit show at Off the Record with a host of Dover's fellow DJs, including Gabe Mendoza, DJG and Oliver Sheppard, all of whom have been featured in the weekly Mixtape series that Dover curates for the Dallas Observer. Jeff Gage