My Chemical Romance, like countless bands before it, has ditched the moody, makeup-heavy persona that propelled it to fame the past decade in favor of a more simplistic and pop-oriented approach. Of course, one listen to new album “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys” reveals the same bloated, histrionic emo sound that helped the New Jersey quartet go multiplatinum in the 2000s, but it seems the boys are starting to think about how their teen-baiting theatricality is going to look (and feel) in their 40s. Then again, it worked for Kiss, didn’t it? Tickets for the group’s April 9 concert at the Fillmore Auditorium are on sale. ($32.50-$35, )
Keller Williams is best known as the one- man-jam-band with blindingly fast instrumental skills and a loyal college following, but he’s recently carved another niche: children’s artist. Not only is his 16th album aimed at the little ones (titled, appropriately, “Kids”) but his first children’s book, “Because I Said So,” will be published on Tuesday. Williams is promoting both with a trio of Colorado appearances, Jan. 13 at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek, Jan. 14 at the Sheraton Ballroom in Steamboat Springs and Jan. 15 at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins — all with the Keels. Tickets are on sale. ($20-$37, )
Tab Benoit, the Louisiana-born blues guitarist who has been compared to Albert King and Jimi Hendrix, leads the Voices of the Wetlands All Stars, a musical collective dedicated to preserving the disappearing wetlands of southern Louisiana. He’ll be joined on Feb. 3 at the Boulder Theater by a host of sympathetic musical friends, including Anders Osborne, Cyril Neville, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Jumpin Johnny Sansone and Waylon Thibodeaux. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Dec. 3. ($32, )
Dropkick Murphys, the Boston-born Celtic punks, are mounting a St. Patrick’s Day-themed national tour, including a March 1 stop at the Fillmore Auditorium. Tickets for the show, with opener Against Me!, are on sale. ($25-$28, )
Nathaniel Rateliff, the Denver indie-folk songwriter who recently released the stellar album “In Memory of Loss,” will lead KBCO’s Holiday Show with friends Ian Cooke, the local art-pop cellist, and new Meese brothers’ project Centennial — all hosted by comedian Chuck Roy. Tickets for the Dec. 18 show at Boulder’s Fox Theatre are on sale. ($13-$16, )
The Wailers never seem to pass up an opportunity to play in Colorado, given the legendary reggae band’s constant appearances here. The group returns to the Ogden Theatre Jan. 30 to play its 1980 album with Bob Marley, “Uprising,” in its entirety. Tickets are on sale. ($23.50, Ticketmaster)
