WED/ 24
BUDDY GUY, JONNY LANG Guitar legends such as Hendrix and Vaughan count blues slinger Guy as a major influence, as do Clapton and the Stones. Still, his live show can blow hot and cold, shifting from intense to pandering. Opener Lang tossed aside the blues for wimpy Christian rock years ago. $25-$60. 8 p.m. Chastain Park Amphitheatre. 404-733-4949. www.classicchastain.com.
— Hal Horowitz
PAUL VAN DYK Though pigeonholed as a trance DJ, van Dyk’s always been about more than house-based, diva-driven rollercoaster rides. The ex-East German resident’s honed his production skills for 20 years, remixing rockers and veering from chilled-out ambient to chugging dancefloor anthems. $30. 10 p.m. Opera. 404-874-3874. www.operaatlanta.com. — Chris Parker
THURS/25
THOSE DARLINS, THE ELECTRIC CYCLE, CHICKEN & PIGS, MYOPIC I Sweet, sassy and wild, Those Darlins give country a punky boot in the ass. Like the Bakersfield shitkick with a smart mouth, three-part harmonies, and some hustle in the bustle, these Murfreesboro, Tenn., ladies overflow with unpretentious backwoods charm. For more on Those Darlins, see p. XX. $7. 9:30 p.m. Drunken Unicorn. 404-870-0575. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net. — CP
FRI/26
BONE AWL, VOLAHN, OFFERINGS West Coast guitar/drum/noise duo Bone Awl (made up of He Who Gnashes Teeth and He Who Crushes Teeth) create a whirlwind of blown-speaker black metal dirges and single-chord chugs that burn a hole right through your brain and soul. Cosmic and chaotic junk metal heads Volahn and Atlanta's Offerings open. $8. 9 p.m. Eyedrum. 404-522-0655.www.eyedrum.org. — Chad Radford
EAR PWR This Baltimore-based electro dance duo creates synth-driven party music inspired by video games, disco and ‘80s rap. Like Carpark labelmate Dan Deacon, Ear Pwr is known for performing from within the audience. Adventure (also on Carpark) is also on the bill, with Atlanta’s Minidestroy and Rob Wonder opening. $5-$7. 529. 404-228-6769. www.529atl.com. — Jonathan Williams
SAT/27
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Grant Llewellyn, conductor of the North Carolina Symphony, leads an all-Mozart program: the Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro,” “Symphony No. 41,” and “Piano Concerto in D Minor” featuring brilliant Bosnian pianist Pedja Muzijevic. $21-$59. 8 p.m. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. 404-733-4800. www.atlantasymphony.org. — Mark Gresham
LIFETIME SINGERS John Dickson of Mercer University leads a chorus of volunteer singers from across Georgia in music by Faure and Whitacre to conclude the 2009 convention of the Georgia chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. Free. 1:30 p.m. Spivey Hall. 678-466-4200. www.spiveyhall.org. — MG
KEVIN SPEARS Playing African “kalimba” in isolation for a quarter-century, in 2000 Spears emerged into the public ear to become “KalimbaMan,” melding the instrument's idiosyncratic nature and American popular influences into a funky electro-acoustic groove. $7. 8 p.m. Eyedrum. 404-522-0655. www.eyedrum.org. — MG
THE HACKENSAW BOYS, THE SUNDOGS Sometimes the Hackensaw Boys are a bluegrass act holed up in a meth lab barn, ripping mountain string music like Slayer gone to (hay) seed. Other times, they deliver straight-faced Americana built on bright vocal melodies and crisp musicianship. $15. 8 p.m. Smiths Olde Bar. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com. — CP
MARAH These notorious, soulful Philly rockers have been slinging out their trashy, urban drama for a decade, with little to show for it besides dedicated fans who know that every gig is a roaring, sweat-soaked experience in earthy rock ’n’ roll. $10. 9 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — Hal HorowitzMON/29
WOODEN BIRDS, OTHER LIVES, LIZ DURRETT Texas native Andrew Kenny is perhaps best known as the singer/songwriter behind American Analog Set. His other project, the Wooden Birds, focuses on his distinct abilities not only as a songwriter, but as a vocalist. Athens darling and Vic Chesnutt kin Durrett performs a set of stark and stylistically Southern songwriter fare. Other Lives also perform. $10. 8:30 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — CR
TUES/30
M.O.T.O., GENTLEMAN JESSE Chicago's Master of the Obvious (M.O.T.O.), né Paul Caporino, has spent more than two decades perfecting his hook-laden, three-chord chargers that are rife with riffs and tales of debauchery, and marry the best parts of “Yummy yummy yummy” pop and “Gabba-gabba-hey” punk. Gentleman Jesse plays a set of sharp, energetic power-pop anthems. Midnight Creeps open. $8. 9 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — CR
THE EVANGELICALS, THIS PIANO PLAYS ITSELF, SOUND ON FILM Hailing from the dusty planes of Norman, Okla., the Evangelicals craft clunky, acid-drenched and shambling rock songs that give a nod to their legacy of indie-rock forefathers (Pavement, Beck, the Flaming Lips) while fostering their own fractured identity. This Piano Plays Itself and Sound on Film open. $8. 8:30 p.m. The Drunken Unicorn. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net. — CR
