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Buckethead performs at the Barrymore Theater on Sunday. - Wikipedia

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The guitarist known as Buckethead may be best known, well, for the bucket on his head. To be precise, an empty KFC bucket that the former Guns 'n' Roses member turned upside-down and plunked on his noggin, which makes the white plastic mask he also always wears in public look almost normal.

But put aside his weird get-up, and Buckethead is a thrillingly out-there guitarist, playing rat-a-tat experimental prog metal (with some unexpectedly gorgeous interludes) that you don't often hear outside the highest levels of "Guitar Hero III."

Fans will be excited to hear that some of Buckethead's earliest recordings, collected as "From the Coop," will be out on CD June 10. Buckethead will be performing live at the Barrymore Theatre, 2090 Atwood Ave., at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 in advance through the Barrymore and its outlets, online at www.barrymorelive.com, or by phone at 241-8864; they are $23 at the door, and That 1 Guy opens the show.

"Long, tall Marcia Ball" will bring her infectious and energetic take on New Orleans boogie-woogie blues to the Majestic Theatre, 115 King St., at 8:30 p.m. Friday. Ball is touring in support of her new "Peace, Love and BBQ" CD, featuring guest spots by fellow Big Easy legends Dr. John and Wayne Toups. Tickets are $23 through www.majesticmadison.com, and The Midwesterners open the show.

Because they hit the national spotlight at about the same time, the French Kicks got lumped in with fellow New York City bands like The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. But the band's sound, which features three different members on lead vocals, is dramatically different, sporting a dreamy, '60s-style Brit pop feel on the new "Swimming" album.

The French Kicks headline a hefty rock show at the High Noon Saloon, 701 E. Washington Ave., at 9 p.m. Friday. Also on the bill are Frightened Rabbit, Brighton, MA and One for the Team. Tickets are $10 in advance through www.brownpapertickets.com or $12 at the door.

When guitarist Nels Cline joined Wilco in 2005, many fans thought the experimental guitarist would push the band's sound in wild new directions. Instead, last year's "Sky Blue Sky" harnessed Cline's inventiveness within some deceptively simple-sounding songs, and it took a few listens to realize how complex some of the two-guitar and three-guitar arrangements were.

In concert with Wilco, Cline has proven to be a real force with his incredible solos. A new Wilco tour is scheduled for later this summer, but in the meantime Cline is playing a few dates with his instrumental side project, the Nels Cline Singers, including a stop at the High Noon Saloon at 8 p.m. Monday with Painted Saints. Tickets are $16 in advance through www.brownpapertickets.com or $18 at the door.

Here's an interesting way for a record store to keep its name out there in the age of ITunes: sponsor a tour.

The venerable West Coast institution Amoeba Music, which has stores in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, is sponsoring a tour featuring headliner Kate Walsh. No, not the former "Grey's Anatomy" star and Cadillac pitchperson -- this Walsh is a Verve recording artist known for her "glass-clear" singing voice.

The tour, also featuring Quincy Coleman and Brandi Shearer, will stop at Cafe Montmartre, 127 E. Mifflin St., at 10 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $10 in advance through www.trueendeavors.com.