FRIDAY, OCT. 3

VICENTE FERNANDEZ

El Rey: One of Mexico’s mighty men of song, Fernandez is a master of the ranchera, one of his country’s more traditional musical styles, with origins in the nation’s folklore. Ranchera can be political, but it’s more often about love. Vicente’s son, Alejandro, is also a major musical star, but the elder Fernandez is the one they call the king.

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Chris Zane

The Walkmen

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• 7 p.m. $55-$250. Gwinnett Arena, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. 770-813-7600, 404-249-6400, www.gwinnettcenter.com.

LUKE BRYAN

Country dad: The South Georgia singer made a terrific debut last year with “I’ll Stay Me, ” a little chunk of country comfort highlighted by the hangover anthem “All My Friends Say” and the self-explanatory “We Rode in Trucks.” The Leesburg-reared Bryan had a hand in another production he seems very proud of: Thomas Boyer Bryan, born on March 14. Bryan’s latest single, “Country Man,” is now a Top 15 hit on the country singles chart.

• 9 p.m.$9-$72. Wild Bill’s, 2075 Market St., Duluth. 678-473-1000, www.wildbillsatlanta.com.

THE WALKMEN

Walk this way: Experimental post-punk is rarely as tuneful as the stuff on this Brooklyn-based band’s new album, “You & Me.” It’s a musical meat grinder that pumps out tasty stuff like “Canadian Girl,” which channels a doo-wop-like melody through the Velvet Underground, and “Donde Esta La Playa,” with its echoes of “Saucerful of Secrets”-era Pink Floyd.

• 9:30 p.m. $12. The Earl, 488 Flat Shoals Ave. S.E., East Atlanta. 404-522-3950, 1-800-594-8499, www.badearl.com.

SATURDAY, OCT. 4

ALAN JACKSON

Home again: His 2008 album “Good Time” is a solid piece of neo-traditional country, and Jackson still sounds like he’s having a blast more than 18 years after releasing his debut album. And like fellow traditionalist George Strait, Jackson’s winning streak on the charts shows no sign of stopping. Both the latest album’s title track and “Small Town Southern Man” climbed to No. 1 this year.

• 7:30 p.m. $64.50; $39.50 lawn. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta. 404-733-5010, 404-249-6400, www.vzwamp.com.

NANCI GRIFFITH

Lone star sweetheart: An ace songwriter and Grammy-winning master of the unfettered folk melody, this longtime cult favorite casts a fragile, almost precious spell in concert. The gentle-voiced Texan can tread a little too closely to adult contemporary pop, but when she keeps things quaint, colorful and country-tinged, she makes magic.

• 8 p.m. $40. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Little Five Points. 404-521-1786, www.variety-playhouse.com.

MONDAY, OCT. 6

THE ROOTS

Stronger stuff: It seems unjust that this Philadelphia combo isn’t one of the biggest hip-hop acts on the planet. They continue to wipe the floor with bigger stars who sell far more discs. Long after many of today’s shooting stars have become trivia questions, this band’s albums will stand as classics.

• 7:30 p.m. $37.50. The Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-659-9022, 404-249-6400, www.livenation.com.

TUESDAY, OCT. 7

KATHY MATTEA

Mining musical gold: The Grammy Award-winning country singer headed back to her roots on the 2008 album “Coal,” which takes inspiration from her West Virginia heritage. The Sago Mine disaster of 2006 was the impetus for the project, but Mattea’s own background lends a truckload of Appalachian authenticity to the project. Both of the Coalwood, W.V.-raised singer-songwriter’s grandfathers were miners, and her album is a powerful tribute to those who toiled in those deep, dark holes.

• 8 p.m. $20. Gaines Chapel in Presser Hall, Agnes Scott College, 141 E. College Ave., Decatur. 404-471-6430, www.agnesscott.edu.