10 Best Concerts of the Week: Toto, Bush and Marilyn Manson

It's another great week of concerts, including everyone's favorite, Marilyn Manson.



Outward Bound Mixtape Sessions
10 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, RBC, 2617 Commerce St., 469-487-6149 or rbcdeepellum.com, free

We actually look forward to Mondays now, thanks to the work of Stefan Gonzalez. The lineup he curates on that day every week at RBC makes it one of the best places in the city to discover new music. Outward Bound Mixtape began a few years ago at Crown and Harp on Lower Greenville before it moved to Deep Ellum, where it offers the same opportunity for local and touring acts to try out something new in front of an enthusiastic and open-minded crowd of regulars, whether that means a first show, new songs or a sound that defies genres. If you ask the act du jour in Dallas — noise, punk, goth or free jazz — where it played some of its first shows, you'll likely be told Outward Bound, so attend Mondays and stay ahead of the curve. Caroline North


Funky Knuckles
9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, Three Links, 2704 Elm St., threelinksdeepellum.com, free

The Funky Knuckles have been together for almost a decade. In 2014, the band's second album, Meta-Musica, hit No. 1 on iTunes’ jazz chart the first day of its release. The band has played with major national and local acts such as Beyoncé, Erykah Badu, Chrisette Michelle, Talib Kweli, Puff Daddy and the Polyphonic Spree. The band incorporates elements of improv and thoughtful compositions into its sets. Last year's release, New Birth, has seen much critical acclaim within the jazz community. Diamond Victoria


Toto
8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14 at The Theatre at Grand Prairie, 1001 Performance Place, Grand Prairie, $39-$69 at axs.com

The longtime running Toto is enjoying some hip cachet this summer since Weezer covered "Africa." The band has returned the favor by covering Weezer's "Hash Pipe," which they may very well play at the newly named Theatre at Grand Prairie. No longer called Verizon Theatre, Nokia or NextStage — it's just The Theatre at Grand Prairie. Since Toto is not co-headlining or opening for anyone, they get to play longer than usual, including all the big hits and beloved album cuts. This is for the hardcore fans, and something they haven't been able to do for a few tours. Eric Grubbs


Anthrax & Testament
With Napalm Death and Shattered Sun, 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14 at Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill, 10110 Technology Blvd E., $32.50 and up at ticketfly.com

If Anthrax are the polished thrash metal act even grandparents can get behind, Napalm Death have traditionally been the lightning-fast, crunchy grindcore that soundtracks those same grandparents’ nightmares. That’s precisely what makes this lineup so promising; it offers a wide scope of metal’s various attitudes and textures, if admittedly a touch outdated. Anthrax, Testament, Napalm Death and Shattered Sun on the same bill promises at the very least a full evening of spectacle and nostalgia — and loads and loads of faux-angry, middle-aged dudes ready to mosh with the best of ’em. A history lesson in metal drawn out in the flesh. Jonathan Patrick


Bush
With Stone Temple Pilots and The Cult, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14 at Toyota Music Factory, 316 West Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, $18 and up at livenation.com

Those looking for a dose of rock-infused nostalgia should mark their calendars for the alternative trio of Bush, Stone Temple Pilots and The Cult at Toyota Music Factory. The three bands will be stopping in Irving as part of their 20-city The Revolution 3 Tour, where ’90s rock favorite Bush will be closing out the show. Gavin Rossdale and crew will be singing hits from their debut album, Sixteen Stone, alongside hits from throughout their career. For Stone Temple Pilots, X Factor alumni Jeff Gutt is taking over the lead vocalist spot, the role previously occupied by both the late Scott Weiland and the late Chester Bennington. Brad LaCour


Summer Slaughter Tour
2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17 at Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill, 10110 Technology Blvd, E., $29.50 and up at ticketfly.com

Billed as “The Most Extreme Tour of the Year,” the Summer Slaughter Tour stops in Dallas to satisfy the most die-hard metal fans with a darker taste. On the lineup this year are acts Between the Buried and Me, Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, Erra, The Agony Scene and many more. With so many bands performing, the Summer Slaughter Tour is an all-day event starting right after the doors open at 2 p.m. and goes late into the night. For lovers of death metal with cash to burn, VIP tickets grant early admission and include a guitar pick set, a tour shirt, a tour grinder and an exclusive backpack to put all the other things in. Brad LaCour


Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson
7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16 at Dos Equis Pavilion, 3839 S. Fitzhugh Ave., $18-$140. livenation.com

On their Twins of Evil tour, Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson co-headline sheds across the country, including a stop at the old Starplex. Expect each act to stick to the hits with a few new tunes here and there. Zombie is OK with playing songs from his old band White Zombie, in addition to his many hits as a solo act. Manson has plenty of hits to play but still has last year's Heaven Upside Down to promote as well. It's quite a good pairing, and they've been known to duet on each others' sets, so you might have some nice surprises. That said, Manson's had some really erratic performances in the last year, with short sets and meltdowns, so it might be train-wreck city. Eric Grubbs


J. Cole
With Young Thug and Jaden Smith, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18 at American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave., tickets start at $49 at ticketmaster.com

In effect, there are two sides to North Carolina rapper J. Cole, whose album KOD is one of the most divisive hip-hop records of the year. Like many MCs, J. Cole is at his best when he comes across messy, broken and emotionally distraught; this is when he’s at his rawest, at his most genuine. But for a rapper best known for his focus on social and cultural issues — so called “conscious” raps — the MC is, surprisingly, at his weakest when engaging in lyrical grandstanding, often scanning as preachy instead of enlightening. But when J. Cole’s on, he’s on, capable of standing toe to toe with the most technically gifted rappers in the game, moving through beats with a smooth efficiency most MCs spend a lifetime reaching for. Special touring guest Young Thug — an artist as unapologetically non-conscious as they come — is easily one the game’s most unusual and thrilling talents. His warbled, serpentine delivery transforms hip-hop into an abstract stream of infectious melodies and scat-singing exhibitions. You’d be hard-pressed to find two rappers as different as J. Cole and Young Thug. And for this reason alone, you’d be hard-pressed to find a concert as promising as this one right here. Jonathan Patrick


Ice Cube
With Bun B, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18 at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, 300 West Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, $25 and up at livenation.com

Only a handful of rappers can claim to have a better resume than O’Shea Jackson. A founding member of N.W.A., Ice Cube is a rap pioneer and for more than one reason. A lengthy list of TV and film credits made him a household name and at one point threatened to overtake Cube’s music career. He’s even dipped his toes into the world of sports, organizing his own three-on-three basketball league Big3, which is also making its way to Dallas this week. However, with a 10th studio album (Everythang’s Corrupt) in the works, as well as the increased attention brought on by the N.W.A. bio-drama Straight Outta Compton, it seems Cube is primed for a comeback. Texas rapper, Bun B, will open the show and is also in the midst of a career resurgence, having just announced an end-of-August release date for Return of the Trill, the first new album from B since 2013. Nicholas Bostick


The Alarm
7:30p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19 at Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill, 10110 Technology Blvd, E., $15 and up at ticketfly.com

Back in the early to mid 1980s, Welsh rock band The Alarm were traveling parallel lines to such Top 40 staples as U2 and Simple Minds. They toured with those acts, hit the charts themselves with songs like "Sold Me Down The River" and made headlining appearances at all the big benefit shindigs of the time. Though worldwide fame eluded them, longevity hasn't. The band has continued to perform and record, largely on the back of lead singer Mike Peters. After multiple cancer scares and more recently a leukemia diagnosis, in addition to the cancer that also unfortunately plagued his wife Jules, the fact that he's touring at all is a testament to his true rock n' roll spirit and fearless tenacity. Jeff Strowe