The 10 Best Concerts of the Week: The Mountain Goats, Alice in Chains and More

Tip your hat to September with this week's lineup of music – including '80s metalheads to singer-songwriters to indie bands. Kicking things off is Ben Harper, who teams up with Charlie Musselwhite for an unforgettable show Monday night. The Mountain Goats play Canton Hall midway through, and rounding out the week is the rescheduled Scorpions show from last year at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory.


Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite
8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 3, at House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., $42 and up at livenation.com

Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite put out a record in March called No Mercy In This Land. It's not the first time they've worked together, having put out a record back in 2013. Musselwhite is a legendary harmonica player who fits perfectly with Harper's blues and gospel vibe. Harper is a man of reinvention, having cut many records as a solo artist and with bands. The guy's got a lot of soul in that voice of his. Though he's never been a superstar, his commitment to making strong music has never fallen flat on his audience. Eric Grubbs


The Mountain Goats
7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6, at Canton Hall, 2727 Canton St., $26 at ticketfly.com

Mountain Goats frontman John Darnielle has long been considered one of the best storytellers in modern rock. Hell, fans even tried to get him named U.S. Poet Laureate back in 2012. His voice and lyrics have helped to garner the band a devoted fan base as well as 16 studio albums and more than 20 EPs. He's confronted such topics as drug addiction on “Dilaudid” to his own temperamental upbringing on “This Year,” and The Mountain Goats even put out a full album concerning professional wrestling of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Their eclectic themes all come from the through line that is Darnielle. Their latest album, Goths, focuses on exactly that, inspired by bands of Darnielle’s youth such as The Cure, Bauhaus and Joy Division. And for the first time in Mountain Goats history, Goths excludes Darnielle’s and everyone else's guitars. They opted instead for the less intrusive and warm sounds of keyboards and choirs, which allows the story and verse to take the center-stage spot. The album is part love letter, part cautionary tale, but it more than lives up to the Mountain Goats' illustrious reputation. Catch them if you can at Canton Hall. Nicholas Bostick


Dale Watson
with Summer Dean, 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, at Mama Tried Deep Ellum, 215 Henry St., 214-258-5573, free

Dale Watson was a staple in the Austin country, swing and rockabilly scene for years, playing regular gigs at nightclubs like The Continental Club with his backing band. But recently he moved to Memphis, just a mile from Graceland, where his music is sure to impress the locals. The singer, guitarist, songwriter and author penned the genre Ameripolitan, which consists of contemporary Western swing, honky-tonk, rockabilly and outlaw country. Diamond Victoria


Shawn Colvin
8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, at The Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis St., 214-272-8346, thekessler.org, $32 and up

You likely remember Shawn Colvin's single "Sunny Came Home," but her 30-year career as a singer-songwriter boasts more than the Grammy Award-winning 1997 hit. After a steady string of albums since then, Colvin's latest, this year's The Starlighter, is a collection of children's songs taken from the book Lullabies and Night Songs. This unique canon of music comes after a collaboration in 2016 with Steve Earle and a subsequent tour. Tonight's show at The Kessler sees Colvin by herself, though, and perhaps without lullabies. DV


Shane Smith & The Saints
10:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, at Billy Bob's Texas, 2520 Rodeo Plaza, 817-624-7117, billybobstexas.com, $16-$22

Austin-based Shane Smith & The Saints blend country, Americana, folk and rock together for a rootsy sound inspired by the likes of Ray Wylie Hubbard, Bob Dylan and Mumford & Sons, to name a few. They're a country band for folks who don't like country, and the band's latest album, 2015's Geronimo, has gone over tremendously well with critics and fans. DV


Alice in Chains
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, 316 West Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, $25 and up at livenation.com

Alice in Chains just put out a new LP called Rainier Fog, so they're fresh and ready to play again. Co-frontman William DuVall has proved to be a reliable member of the band, replacing mythic original vocalist Layne Staley over 10 years ago. The rest of the band remains solid, with fellow co-frontman Jerry Cantrell harmonizing perfectly with DuVall. Though they could play things safe and play only the old stuff, the band plays material from all of their albums. Lately, they've played a lot of songs from their biggest album, Dirt, so it serves as a way of embracing the past and present. Eric Grubbs


Luke Bryan
7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at Dos Equis Pavilion, 1818 First Ave., 214-421-1111, $45 and up at livenation.com

Luke Bryan is considered the King of Bro Country, a title he seems to embrace while also hoping to be treated as a serious artist. Count all the lyrical references to alcohol, trucks, gurrls (not just girls), rural settings and catfish you like. Thing is, the thousands of people who will come to AT&T Stadium want to have a good time, pure and simple. This four-act blockbuster show is what country music sold to a mass audience looks like these days, but it gets some real credibility from openers like Little Big Town and country’s latest ordained savior, Chris Stapleton. Most mainstream country music is for people who grew up on Garth Brooks, Bob Seger, Tim McGraw and Def Leppard, and weren’t afraid of hip-hop, either. Plus, it’s family entertainment. As easily mocked as the bro country genre is, it sure isn’t losing any steam by snark from those who don’t get it. Eric Grubbs


The Rich Girls
9:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at The Rustic, 3656 Howell St., 214-730-0596, therustic.com, free

The Rich Girls remain one of the best local cover bands. After forming as a New Year’s dare in 2010, the Hall & Oates tribute band quickly gained a local fan base, and the unforgettable group won a Dallas Observer Music Award for best cover band in 2014. Daniel Rodrigue


Gary Numan
8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, at Canton Hall, 2727 Canton St., $27.50 at ticketfly.com

The veteran art-rocker, most famous for his 1979 hit, "Cars," is back out on the road at age 60. Though he'll forever be associated with "Cars," Numan has, in fact, been consistently making music for decades. With elements of synth-pop, industrial rock and new wave all filtered through his minimalist delivery and arrangements, Numan has been a cult favorite around the globe. He's also written a memoir, worked on film and video game soundtracks, and received a celebrated innovation award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. The cozy confines and dimly lit corners of Canton Hall will be a unique and intimate setting to take in his expertly crafted live show. And, yeah, he'll probably play "Cars," too. Jeff Strowe


Scorpions
7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, 300 W. Las Colinas Blvd., $35 and up at livenation.com

German band Scorpions were a heavy metal mainstay from the late '70s to the early '90s with hits like "Rock You Like a Hurricane." After releasing almost 20 albums throughout their career with the band, members announced in 2010 that they'd be retiring from the game. But Klaus Meine and company released the album Return to Forever a few years later in 2015, and tonight's appearance is the rescheduled show from a year ago when Meine came down with laryngitis. DV