The Goods: James McMurtry, The Gourds, Brother Mule, Buckethead, Oktoberfest

By Aaron Davis (for JHWeekly.com)Double troubleAustin staples James McMurtry and The Gourds are on tour together, making a stop through Teton Valley for one of the more intimate shows of the run. Though McMurtry has been a frequent festival guest at Targhee and Music on Main, an indoor club like the Knotty Pine will further contain his fierceness and cynical grace. McMurtry will appear with his rhythm section. Fellow alt-country veterans The Gourds just released album number 10: Old Mad Joy. Splicing eccentric character and sonic range, the quintet has toured relentlessly for 17 years. James McMurtry and The Gourds, 8 p.m., Friday, at the Knotty Pine in Victor. $20 advance or $22 day-of-show, available at the Knotty Pine. 208-787-2866.Driggs Harvest Fest meets OktoberfestThe City of Driggs is hosting its inaugural Annual Driggs Harvest Festival. The valley-wide, three-day affair features an evening sponsored by Teton Regional Land Trust with Sandhill Cranes (5:30 p.m., Thursday), Teton Slow Food’s Taste of Teton Valley and Salsa Contest featuring world-class string band Brother Mule as well as potato sack races, and a scarecrow contest (4 to 8:30 p.m., Friday, downtown Driggs). Full details at Driggs.GovOffice.com. On Saturday, it’s Teton Valley Foundation’s Oktoberfest at Grand Teton Brewing Company in Victor – a benefit for the Kotler Ice Arena with all proceeds going towards the purchase of a zamboni. Celebrate the art of beer, food, crafts and music with Brian Maw and Friends followed by Ken Dolman and The Alta Boys (12 to 6 p.m., Saturday). Shredder maniaBreaking down the wall between performance art and musicality, the Buckethead extravaganza brings heavy instrumental rock mixed with experimental metal, electronica and avant-garde craziness. Behind the creepy white mask and a Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket top-hat is Brian Caroll, an epic shredder that has performed in 14 different bands in addition to his solo work since 1991, including a four-year stint with new Guns N’ Roses and Colonel Claypool’s Bucket of Bernie Brains. It appears that he has been performing 80-minute sets, solo, with backing tracks. Buckethead, 10 p.m., Monday, at the Pink Garter Theatre. $20 advance or $25 day-of-show, available in person at The Rose, or online at PinkGarterTheatre.com. 733-1500.