Gary Allan has become, unexpectedly, one of country music’s most enduring voices.
The singer started his career back in 1979 at the tender age of 12. He didn’t score a big hit for another 17 years, though, when his ballad “Her Man” cracked the charts.
And then the journeyman singer kept plugging away.
Now 46, an age when most singers load their set lists with greatest hits, Allan has finally topped the Billboard 200 with his latest studio album, “Set You Free.”
That record, like other recent albums, found the country star punching out anthems that balance the twang with a little rock ‘n’ roll. The album features several fresh hits, including “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)” and, in line with his early days playing dimly lit bars, “It Ain’t the Whiskey.”
Expect to hear both songs when the singer comes to the WaMu Theater at 8 p.m. Monday for the 94.1 KMPS Shamrock Show.
Tickets are $50.90 to $61.10 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Zakir Hussain and the Masters of Percussion also are headed to Seattle in the coming week, as India’s world music phenom will play the Moore Theatre at 8 p.m. Thursday.
Hussain has been playing the tabla, a form of drum reminiscent of bongos, for a half-century. Like Gary Allan, he started his career as a boy, going on tour by the age of 12.
Now 63, he has become one of world music’s most renowned ambassadors. He has recorded alongside such greats as Van Morrison and George Harrison, and, as a solo artist, he has a Grammy for best world music.
Tickets are $35 to $42.50 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
The Sounds, meanwhile, will hit Neumos for a show at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
The Swedish indie rockers specialize in vaguely retro, synthesizer-infused dance music. Since forming in 1999, the group has cranked out five albums, developing a loyal, if not particularly large, following.
The group is touring now behind its latest album, “Weekend,” which hit stores in October and again showcased the group’s penchant for New Wave hooks and disco-ready beats.
Tickets are $20 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.
Finally, all the kids with glow sticks can head to WaMu Theater at 6 tonight for Lucky 2014, an electronica show featuring 27 different acts.
Most of the names on the bill aren’t household names. Instead, performers like Diplo, Juventa and Kill Paris have carved out names for themselves in the rave-ready dance music underground.
Tickets are $80.45 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
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