The 10 Best Concerts of the Week: Matt and Kim, Wild Detectives' 4-Year Anniversary Party, Jean-Michel Jarre and More

Good music is in bloom this spring. Catch the French pioneer of experimental and ambient music, Jean-Michel Jarre, on Monday night; indie rock duo Matt and Kim on Saturday; several of the best in local talent at The Wild Detectives' fourth anniversary all day Saturday and several others this week.


Jean-Michel Jarre
7:30 p.m. April 9, Verizon Theatre, 1001 Performance Place, Grand Prairie, 972-854-5111, verizontheatre.com, $49-$199.50

Jean-Michel Jarre is one of the most important figures in the history of electronic music, a trailblazer whose influence is immeasurable and a builder of rich digital worlds. From the cool and crisp environs of ambient to the future-shocked abstraction of avant-garde techniques, Jarre can conjure almost any type of sound environment — including synth pop. As as performer, Jarre has done for electronic what stadium rock did for radio music. His live, often outdoor shows are immersive events, massive multimedia spectacles that transform an art form typically enjoyed solo into a shared, communal experience. Laser lights will dance across the sky. Synths will rumble and ripple. Expect to be awed and transported. Jonathan Patrick


King Krule
7 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, at Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., 214-824-9933 or granadatheater.com, $36

King Krule exists in a space all his own, and he evidently prefers it that way. His music sounds like nothing else around, often borrowing from a wide array of genres, such as post-punk, jazz, blues and hip-hop, while maintaining his unique delivery that’s close to a pained drawl that a terrible hangover might induce. No matter how enigmatic or withdrawn the 23-year-old crooner has been throughout his career, he garners an exuberant amount of attention from critics and fans. That’s been the case since 2010, when he first released music as Kid Zoo. Inspired by Elvis Presley’s film King Creole, he changed his name to King Krule, but that’s where the comparisons to the King stop. Whereas Presley lived in the limelight and welcomed a chaotic celebrity lifestyle, King Krule has tempered his career on many occasions. He told The New York Times last year, “I wanted to develop and preserve my art.” That explains why such a young, talented and celebrated artist only has two albums to his name despite being a darling of the indie world. It also makes this appearance at a historic venue like Granada Theater all the more special. Mikel Galicia


Big K.R.I.T.
With Cyhi The Prince and Childish Major, 7 p.m. Friday, April 13, The Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton St., 214-932-6501 or thebombfactory.com, $25-$75

The South has produced a long line of culture-shifting acts like UGK, Outkast, Young Jeezy and Three 6 Mafia, but few who followed in the lineage of these greats have borne reputations resembling Big K.R.I.T.’s. Since the release in 2011 of his seminal project, K.R.I.T. Wuz Here, which earned the Mississippi rapper a record deal from Def Jam, K.R.I.T. has been the leader of country rap tunes, an unofficial hip-hop subgenre that is unabashedly Southern, heavy on the bass, unique to the region and often attributed to the stylings of the late great Pimp C. NPR’s Randy Carmichael aptly describes Big K.R.I.T.’s body of work as “balanced between strip club rituals and Sunday morning salvation.” The artist’s latest album, 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time, is a 22-track double-album that explores the dichotomy of his stage persona and private life that are far from the same, as alluded to in the tour’s name, Heavy Is the Crown. Mikel Galicia


Brad Paisley
7 p.m. Friday, April 13, Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, 300 W. Las Colinas Blvd., 972-810-1499 or toyotamusicfactory.com, $35-$79.95

When Brad Paisley isn't writing and performing sweet, tender songs that make women melt into big piles of mush — or even haunting songs about death — he's writing some hilarious, off-the-wall, kind of stupid songs about the things happening to or around him. That's the charm of Paisley, though: He's the perfect balance of sweet and salty. While other country crooners might be singing about a woman's tight jeans and lipstick (not that Paisley doesn't sing about that, too), Paisley's strength is observing his surroundings and singing about them with some, or a lot of, humor sprinkled in. Paige Skinner


The Funeral Portrait
With Oh, Weatherly, Offended By Everything, Southway and Tiger Parade, 7 p.m. Friday, April 13, RBC, 2617 Commerce St., 469-487-6149, $13-$15

Post-hardcore band The Funeral Portrait released a new album in January. A Moment of Silence is the band's full-length debut and presents a concept album for life after death in a world with no higher being. Talk about packing in as much emotional punch as possible. The quartet from Atlanta began in 2014 and has since shared stages with We Came as Romans, Silverstein, Dance Gavin Dance and others. Diamond Victoria


Powerman 5000
With Bit Rot, Scary Cherry & the Bang Bangs, Junk and Mammothor, 8 p.m. Saturday, April 14, Trees, 2709 Elm St., 214-741-1122 or treesdallas.com, $16

Powerman 5000 continues to be an outlet for Michael Cummings, known best as Spider One. The lineup he had for the group’s breakthrough, Tonight the Stars Revolt!, has long since left, but he keeps the name going. Backed by musicians who joined the band in the past handful of years, Powerman 5000 has a new album called New Wave. It's sci-fi allegory for the metal and hard rock crowd. It's not meant to be high concept, but it's not meant to be stupid, either. Eric Grubbs


Matt and Kim
8 p.m. Saturday, April 14, The Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton St., 214 932-6501 or thebombfactory.com, $42

Fresh off a year-and-a-half hiatus and on the verge of their first new album in three years, longtime couple and indie darlings Matt and Kim are on a bit of a career renaissance. Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino recently released a third single off their upcoming album, Almost Everyday. The song is notably personal on an album that looks to touch on the inner workings of Matt and Kim more than any other. They’re known for putting on free-flowing shows that quickly devolve into mass parties and harken back to their early days playing Brooklyn lofts. The singles off of their upcoming May 4 release, like “Happy if You’re Happy” and “Forever,” pack enough energy to blow any household fuse. While the most recently released single, “Happy if You’re Happy” comes off a little spritely, it’s inspired by Kim’s difficult recovery after tearing her ACL at a show in Mexico and comes as close to a true love song as the duo ever has. “Forever,” a collab with Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus and punk band SWMRS, is a different beast entirely, showing a more visceral side of the group. The time to jump on the Matt and Kim bandwagon is here and now. Nicholas Bostick


Scott Bradley's Postmodern Jukebox
7 p.m. Saturday, April 14, Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, 1001 Performance Place, 972-854-5111 or verizontheatre.com, $29.75-$79.95

Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox has become a huge sensation over the past several years. By working out creative interpretations of hits by acts like The White Stripes, Lorde, Radiohead and Maroon 5, the collective has amassed an astounding 740 million YouTube views, was on Good Morning America and NPR, and consistently hits the top of the iTunes charts. Jeff Strowe


Wild Beats — The Wild Detectives' 4-Year Anniversary Party
With Ley Line, Skinny Cooks, M3cca, Adam & The Figurines, Black Taffy, Sam Lao, Ronnie Heart and Tempranillo, 2 p.m. Saturday, April 14, Wild Detectives, 314 W. Eighth St., 214-942-0108 or thewilddetectives.com, $15 (full day)

The Wild Detectives might just be our favorite little Oak Cliff culture hub. With locally roasted coffee beans, a great selection of beer and wine, a retail floor filled with literary gems and concerts on a regular basis, it's no wonder the WD has approached its fourth year as a successful business. For its four-year anniversary, check out some great local music from hip-hop soul act M3CCa, the ambient and experimental Black Taffy, rapper Sam Lao, and other local and out-of-town acts. DV


KNON’s Chili Cook-off and Concert
Noon Sunday, April 15, Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill, 10261 Technology Blvd E., gasmonkeybarngrill.com, $15

Know what goes great with live music? Chili — and lots of it. Local nonprofit radio station KNON (89.3 FM) welcomes you to its fifth annual Chili Cook-off and Concert, featuring live music courtesy Colton Turner and Midnight Country. Think you make a mean bowl of chili? Head over to knon.org to register for the competition. There will also be a raffle for ticket-holders. The cooking begins at 8 a.m. and the judging at 10:30, with doors opening to the public at noon. If you consider yourself a big supporter of local music and culture, try to attend. This event benefits KNON, one of our city’s finest local stations. Jonathan Patrick