BY MELISSA RUGGIERI/AJC Music Scene
FRIDAY
Alabama
In 2013, the legendary country trio that covered the airwaves starting in the ‘70s with “I Wanna Come Over” set a record with a pair of consecutive sellouts at the Fox Theatre. The shows — Alabama’s first-ever at the Fox — brought in more than 8,500 fans, making it the highest-grossing run by a country artist in the venue’s history. Expect them to break their own record with this three-night stint.
With the Charlie Daniels Band. 7:30 p.m. April 13-14 and 6 p.m. April 15. $36-$146.50. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 1-855-285-8499, foxtheatre.org.
Bush
Before they head out on a shared summer tour with Stone Temple Pilots and The Cult, the Gavin Rossdale-led alt-rockers will headline their own outing in support of 2017’s “Black and White Rainbows.” It’s the band’s seventh album in a nearly 25-year career that peaked in the mid-‘90s with grunge-rock shouters including “Glycerine,” “Everything Zen” and “Machinehead.”
With Atlas Genius and Big Jesus. 7:45 p.m. April 13. $33-$55.Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St., Atlanta. 1-800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
The Commodores
Yes, Lionel Richie is long, long gone. But the storied R&B group revered for classics including “Easy,” “Brick House” and “Three Times a Lady,” will kick off the 2018 season at the Peachtree City venue with a trove of funky hits nonetheless. The Commodores are currently comprised of William “WAK” King, Walter Orange and James Dean “J.D.” Nicholas.
With Bogey and the Viceroy. 8 p.m. April 13. $35-$90. Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater, 201 McIntosh Trail, Peachtree City. 877-725-8849, ticketalternative.com.
SATURDAY
Lorde
Even though she wasn’t granted the performance spotlight at the Grammys, the New Zealander — still only a mere 21 — is filling arenas worldwide on her “Melodrama” outing. Make sure to catch Atlanta’s Killer Mike (with partner El-P) during Run the Jewels’ opening set.
With Mitski. 7 p.m. April 14. $39.50-$99.50. Infinite Energy Arena, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. 770-626-2464, infiniteenergycenter.com.
Weird Al Yankovic
Know this heading into the show – you are not going to hear "Eat It." Or "Smells Like Nirvana." Or "Amish Paradise." No, the parody king is briefly shelving his most recognizable work for the amusingly titled, "Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour," which means Yankovic is concentrating on his formidable catalog of original material (which is still comedic in nature) and ditching his usual manic stage presentation filled with costumes, props and video screens. But if you're hankering for a dose of Yankovic's brilliant ability to recast songs, check out "The Hamilton Polka."
With Emo Philips. 8 p.m. April 15. $69. Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St., Atlanta. 1-800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
MONDAY
Christopher Cross
If anyone tries to make fun of you for appreciating the music of the soft rocker (probably now considered a Yacht Rocker), just reel off Cross' list of early-'80s magic: "Ride Like the Wind," "Sailing," "Never Be the Same," "All Right," and his pièce de résistance, "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do.)" If they still make fun of you, well, clearly they have no appreciation for melody and are to be pitied.
8 p.m. April 16. $35-$85. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. NE, Atlanta. 1-877-987-6487 ticketfly.com.
TUESDAY
Jimmy Buffett
The musician-cum-businessman just celebrated the opening of his Broadway debut, “Escape to Margaritaville,” and will now serve as the opener for the 10th concert season at the Alpharetta venue, his first time playing there. This is also the first time Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band are venturing outdoors in Atlanta since 2014; they last visited town in 2015 with a show at Infinite Energy Arena.
With Caroline Jones. 8 p.m. April 17. $36-$313. Verizon Amphitheatre at Encore Park, 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta. 1-800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
WEDNESDAY
Mother’s Finest
The Atlanta funk rockers continue to blaze across stages around the world with Joyce “Baby Jean” Kennedy and Glenn “Doc” Murdock leading the charge. In late 2014, they released their first new music in more than a decade, “Shut Up,” and the following year dropped “Goody 2 Shoes & The Filthy Beast.” But anyone who knows Mother’s Finest understands that this is a band best appreciated live.
7:15 and 9:30 p.m. April 18-19. $30. Eddie’s Attic, 515-B N. McDonough St., Decatur. 1-877-435-9849, ticketfly.com.
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