Preston’s picks: Kenny Rogers at Verizon Theatre; Explosions in the Sky at Bomb Factory

Kenny Rogers at Verizon Theatre

For the modern generation of country music fans, Kenny Rogers is likely more punchline than legend: the chicken restaurants, the Geico ads, the cringe-inducing plastic surgery. But make no mistake, underneath all The Gambler wisecracks and ironic appreciations of Islands in the Stream, Rogers is one of country music’s last truly iconic talents — the Country Music Hall of Fame inductee has sold more than 120 million albums worldwide, garnering a panoply of awards in the process. But last year, the 77-year-old Houston native explained that it was time to hang it up and spend more time with his family, hence this extended farewell passing through town. This concert should prove to be an emotionally charged experience, as fans gather to pay their respects to an all-time great. With Linda Davis.

8 p.m. Saturday. Verizon Theatre, Grand Prairie. $39.75-$99.

Explosions in the Sky at the Bomb Factory

The Austin post-rock foursome Explosions in the Sky is one of the state’s finest musical exports, lauded beyond our borders as being one of the more interesting bands in the modern landscape. After a five-year detour into film scores (including contributions to Lone Survivor and Manglehorn), Explosions in the Sky returned to its own catalog earlier this year, releasing The Wilderness, its first full-length since 2011’s Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. Chris Hrasky, Michael James, Munaf Rayani and Mark Smith have only intensified their panoramic, richly textured approach, making The Wilderness one of the year’s most absorbing albums — and one that should prove downright transcendent in concert. With Preoccupations.

8 p.m. Monday. Bomb Factory, Dallas. $25.

This story was originally published August 17, 2016 at 10:57 AM with the headline "Preston’s picks: Kenny Rogers at Verizon Theatre; Explosions in the Sky at Bomb Factory."