Best concerts playing Phoenix in September: Peso Pluma, Green Day
Peso Pluma returns to Phoenix for a Footprint Center concert in a month that also brings arena tours by regional Mexican music acts Banda MS, Carin Leon (who opened for the Rolling Stones in May at State Farm Stadium) and Christian Nodal.
Other big September concerts in the Valley run the gamut from Jason Aldean rocking Boots in the Park for fans of mainstream country to Green Day revisiting “Dookie” and “American Idiot” at Chase Field on a tour that also features Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and the Linda Lindas.
Here’s a look at those and other concert highlights in Phoenix in September, from Slipknot rocking the great outdoors at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre to Kacey Musgraves with Father John Misty at Desert Diamond Arena and Bret Michaels throwing a pool party at Talking Stick Resort.
We'll be updating throughout the month with smaller shows so do check back to keep an eye on things you may not want to miss.
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Jared Leto scaled the outside of the Empire State Building to promote his Massive Seasons tour with Thirty Seconds to Mars. The man knows how to hype a show. The tour is in support of 2023's "It's the End of the World But It's a Beautiful Day," the actor's first release in five years with the band he formed in 1998 with brother Shannon Leto. AFI, Poppy and Kenny Hoopla will also perform.
Details: 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $35.30 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
Switchfoot, Blue October and Matt Nathanson
Shinedown hit the mainstream in 2002 when four of their songs were featured in the Mandy Moore coming-of-age film "A Walk to Remember." Houston alternative-rock veterans Blue October could pack a set with alternative-radio hits, including the platinum "Hate Me" and "Into the Ocean." Nathanson's 2007 album “Some Mad Hope” produced the million-selling breakthrough hit “Come on Get Higher.” The followup, “Modern Love,” topped the iTunes Pop Chart and featured the hit singles “Faster” and “Run,” the latter featuring Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush.
Details: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $64 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
Aaron Frazer
A member of Durand Jones & The Indications, Frazer is touring the States in support of a second full-length solo effort, this year's soulful-as-expected "Into the Blue," on which he manages the daunting trick of making retro-soul sound utterly contemporary — in part by recasting his sweet soul falsetto in the context of songs who moody sense of atmosphere finds him drawing on elements of trip-hop and hip-hop, even adding twangy surf-guitar licks to the mix. It's an understated gem of an album.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $20; $15 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.
Eric Gales
This blues-rock guitar hero sounds like he's channeling Jimi Hendrix in some of the more incendiary leads on "Crown," a Grammy-nominated album co-produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith. That he does it while reflecting on his struggles with substance abuse, his hopes for a new era of sobriety and the sorry state of race relations in America just makes it that much more compelling.
Details: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $44.50-$49.50. 480-478-6000, mim.org.
Creed
The Summer of '99 Tour marks the multiplatinum, Grammy-winning rockers' return from an 11-year hiatus. They'll be joined by 3 Doors Down and Finger Eleven. Formed in 1994, Creed stands alongside Van Halen, Guns N’ Roses and Metallica as one of very few hard rock bands to have an album be certified diamond for U.S. sales of 10 million. The album, "Human Clay," is one of three multiplatinum albums Creed delivered in their prime while topping Billboard's mainstream rock chart with "What's This Life For," "Higher," "With Arms Wide Open" and "My Sacrifice."
Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $122 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
Dan + Shay
Three-time Grammy-winning duo Dan + Shay are bringing the Heartbreak on the Map Tour to town with special guests Jake Owen and Dylan Marlowe. The tour takes its name from a song on the duo’s fifth studio album, “Bigger Houses.” Dan + Shay have sent eight songs to No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay charts, including "From the Ground Up," "Tequila," "Speechless," "All to Myself" and "10,000 Hours," a Grammy-winning collaboration with pop star Justin Bieber.
Details: 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $41.30 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
Banda MS
The name Banda MS is short for Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizarraga. The regional Mexican outfit was formed in 2003 by brothers Sergio and Alberto Lizárraga in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, (hence the MS) and features more than a dozen musicians. Their biggest stateside hit, "Sin Evidencias," reached the Hot Latin Tracks chart in 2009.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $69 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.
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Los Lobos
A lifetime down the road from conquering the mainstream as the guys who covered Ritchie Valens on the soundtrack to "La Bamba," those who took the time to get to know Los Lobos know them as one of America's most ambitious rock 'n' roll bands. But they're still great at doing other people's music justice, as their latest album, "Native Sons," reminds us, from "The War Is a Ghetto" by War to "Sail on Sailor" by the Beach Boys.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Gila River Reservation. $45 and up. 800-946-4452, playatgila.com.
There Is No Us release show
The local industrial-metal group fronted by acclaimed rock photographer and music video director Jim Louvau will celebrate the release of their debut on Cleopatra Records, a self-titled effort mixed by Sean Beavan, best known for his work with Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Guns N' Roses and A Perfect Circle, among others. There is No Us also features Andy Gerold, a high school friend who toured with Marilyn Manson and Ashes Divide. Revolver magazine praised the group's "punchy industrial riffs and Louvau’s impressive scream-growling." They're joined at the release show by Don't Panic and Jane N the Jungle.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $15. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.
Alec Benjamin
Born and raised in Phoenix, this singer-songwriter broke through in 2018 with "Let Me Down Slowly," a quadruple-platinum duet with Canadian singer Alessia Cara that Billboard called Benjamin's "vulnerable breakout hit." He's touring in support of this year's model, "12 Notes." In reviewing the album, PopMatters wrote, "Benjamin is an essential, if underappreciated, pop artist because he is a true writer. His doggedness at telling flushed-out stories in songs sets him apart from his idol John Mayer."
Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $34.75 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
Airborne Toxic Event
They've always made excellent use of dynamics to take you from moments of trembling vulnerability to anthemic choruses that sound like they were written for the back rows of a stadium. And that certainly holds true on "Hollywood Park," where the anthems aren't shy about tipping a hat to the stadium-rocking bombast of Bruce Springsteen at his most romantic. That the understated moments are just as effective only makes it that much more compelling. Classic Rock Magazine praised the album as "an hour of sheer roar-along brilliance."
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $56 and up. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.
Morris Day & the Time
It's the 40th anniversary of "Purple Rain," the film that made a full-blown icon out of Prince while Morris Day was doing all he could to steal the spotlight with his star turn as Prince's rival, turning in stellar performances of "Jungle Love" and "The Bird." By the time he hit the cineplex, Day was already a star in the making, having sent two singles to the upper reaches of the Billboard R&B charts from his first album with the Time, a self-titled effort of synthesizer-driven party-funk written by Prince and members of the Revolution.
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Gila River Reservation. $39 and up. 800-946-4452, playatgila.com.
$uicideboy$
Ruby da Cherry and Scrim rose to fame as Soundcloud rappers with songs about substance abuse and suicide. In reviewing their first album, "I Want to Die in New Orleans," HipHopDX wrote, "Have they actually changed the world of music itself? It’s possible to chalk it up to typical artist bravado, but after yet another well-received release, they certainly have the evidence to argue their case." Since its inception in 2019, their annual Grey Day Tour has propelled the $uicideboy$ into the Top 20 on Billboard's ranking of the highest-grossing hip-hop touring acts of all time. They're joined on this year's tour by Denzel Curry, Pouya, HAARPER, Shakewell and Ekkstacy.
Details: 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 7-8. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $155 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.
Avatar: The Last Airbender in Concert
This concert is a live orchestral rendition of the animated series’ soundtrack paired with a nearly two-hour recap of all three seasons displayed on a full-size cinema screen. The projection will feature the original dialogue and sound effects without any pre-recorded music, allowing the live orchestra to perform the acclaimed score live and in perfect sync with the show scenes. They're promising "a truly immersive and grandiose concert experience that breathes new life into "Avatar: The Last Airbender."
Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8. ASU Gammage, Mill Avenue and Apache Boulevard, Tempe. Resale ticket prices vary. 480-965-3434, asugammage.com.
Chandler Symphony Orchestra
Chandler Symphony Orchestra is a nonprofit orchestra of professionally trained musicians who volunteer their time and talent to bring classical music to the community in a series of free concerts. "Fantastique" is the opening show of their 32nd season. The program features the work of three French composers: Jacques Offenbach's "La Vie Parisienne Overture," Charles Gounod's "Ballet Music from Faust" and Hector Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique."
Details: 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave. Free. 480-782-2680, chandlercenter.org.
Ritmo: A Celebration of Hispanic Music Influence
Pijama Piyama and Media Pinto present a celebration of Hispanic music influence at Crescent Ballroom with Glamorpuss y Los Chingaderos and DJ CRVNT3S. It's an evening of cumbia, salsa, Latin funk and more. The bill appears to be topped by Pijama Piyama, whose sound is on the psychedelic side of Latin jazz, as brilliantly captured on last year's "Pijama Piyama y Los Ninos de Rana." According to their bio, "Inspired by cumbias, salsa, Frank Zappa and the world of psychedelics, their music aims to capture a playful amalgamation that spawns a synergy — a cheeky collision of tangible past and pixelated present." Media Pinto is a Latin folk fusion from Phoenix performed on violin, cuatros, tambor redondo and more.
Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $20; $15 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.
Lindsey Stirling
In addition to her genre-bending virtuosity on violin, the former Gilbert resident has dazzled audiences with her extraordinary talents as a dancer — an element she brings to the stage as part of a spectacular live show known for integrating intricate choreography, aerial lyra acts and stunning costumes, all of which she designs herself. Stirling has sold more than 1 million tickets throughout her career. This tour with Saint Motel is in support of "Duality," her seventh album in a row to top Billboard's classical music chart.
Details: 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $50 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.
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Five Finger Death Punch
Having taken one of modern metal’s most inspired band names from a fatal blow in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Vol. 2,” these Las Vegas metal heavyweights have sent 15 singles to the top of Billboard's Mainstream Rock charts, from "Coming Down" to "This is the Way," the fourth song from their latest album, "AfterLife," to do the trick. They're touring with Marilyn Manson and Slaughter to Prevail.
Details: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $54.35 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
Train and REO Speedwagon
Train and REO will end their co-headlining Summer Road Trip Tour in Phoenix with special guests Yacht Rock Revue. With more than 50 million albums sold worldwide, 32 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 and 28 albums on the Billboard 200 albums chart between them, the diamond-selling headliners are promising hours of hits, from chart-topping anthems to timeless fan favorites.
Details: 6:25 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $48.65 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
The Marley Brothers
Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani and Damian Marley have come together for the first time in two decades to celebrate the timeless music and enduring impact of their father, the iconic Bob Marley, on the Legacy Tour. For more than three decades, the brothers have established themselves as solo artists, with 22 Grammy wins among them. Now they're reuniting to honor their father's legacy with a mix of their own individual hits and reggae classics from the catalog their father left behind.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $42.30 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
Carin Leon
The regional Mexican music sensation continues his rapid ascent after a monumental year in which he won a Latin Grammy for Best Norte?o Album for “Colmillo de Leche” and released two massive hits, “Primera Cita” and “Según Quién,” both of which charted on Spotify’s Top 25 and went Top 30 on Billboard’s Global 200. He recently completed an extensive sold-out run of U.S. arenas with his Colmillo de Leche Tour and turned in a fantastic set at State Farm Stadium when the Rolling Stones had him over to introduce their fans to something they wouldn't have picked up on classic rock radio.
Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $124.50 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.
El Alfa
This Dominican rapper is known in certain circles as the King of Dembow, an offshoot of reggaeton spawned in the Dominican Republic. He's touring the States in continued support of 2023's "El Rey del Dembow," his third release to crack the Top 10 on the Billboard Latin Rhythm charts. His biggest U.S. hits include collaborations with Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee, Camilo and Becky G.
Details: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12. Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St. $55; $49.50 in advance. Pit tickets $99.50. 480-644-2560, mesaamp.com.
Method Man & Redman
They were both doing well for themselves before the team-up. Method Man had Wu-Tang Clan and Redman topped the rap charts with his first hit, "Blow Your Mind." But when they did hook up, sparks flew on the platinum album, "Blackout!" — spinning off three classic rap hits, "Tear It Off," "Y.O.U." and "Da Rockwilder." Two years later, they starred in a film adaptation of one of their songs, "How High." Since then, they've had their own sitcom called "Method & Red" on Fox and dropped a sequel to their breakthrough, "Blackout! 2."
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $45-$65. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.
Rodrigo y Gabriela
This Mexico City acoustic guitar duo won a Best Contemporary Instrumental Album Grammy Award in 2020 for "Mettavolution," an album AllMusic said would "send listeners on a holistic journey of musical discovery and emotional resonance." Four years later, they're headed to Phoenix in support of "In Between Thoughts... A New World," which finds them fleshing out their sound with the help of the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra to dramatic, cinematic effect while retaining the essence of what they've taught us to expect.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix. $37.50-$87.50. 800-282-4842, etix.com/ticket.
Dorsten and JTM3
Sophie and Alex Dorsten are a pair of Phoenix siblings who perform as Dorsten. They’ve toured Europe, recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, where the Beatles changed the course music history, and garnered attention with a full-scale reimagining of one of Alice Cooper’s greatest hits, “I Never Cry.” Those are all quite newsworthy distinctions. But the reason you should see them at the MIM with JTM3 has more to do with the breathtaking allure of Sophie's vocals, as brilliantly captured on their latest EP, “To the River,” where the cinematic sweep of their haunting Americana may remind you of Mumford & Sons in their folk-rocking prime.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $28.50-$38.50. 480-478-6000, mim.org.
Bush
The multiplatinum U.K. grunge sensations are bringing their 30th-anniversary celebration, Bush - Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour, to Phoenix with special guests Jerry Cantrell and Candlebox. In a review of Bush’s 2023 tour, Billboard wrote that frontman Gavin Rossdale “seems driven to connect with his audience and remind them that Bush is not just a heritage act, but very much alive and well and making new music.”
Details: 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $41.30 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
Peso Pluma
After selling out 54 shows in 2023, breaking numerous records and winning a Grammy for his album “Genesis,” the regional Mexican music breakout act returns to Phoenix with an all-new show at the helm of his amazing band, including a fully reimagined set design and setlist as part of the Exodo Tour. He last played metro Phoenix in December as a clear fan favorite at TikTok in the Mix, the first live global music event staged by the social media platform. If you haven't seen him yet, you're really missing out.
Details: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $74.50 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.
Kandace Springs
This piano-playing vocalist, whose music is a captivating blend of jazz and soul with elements of hip-hop, is almost certainly the only artist to have dropped her first release on Blue Note Records and collaborated with Ghostface Killah in the same year. That was 2014, the same year Springs was tapped by Prince himself to close a show celebrating the 30th-anniversary show of “Purple Rain” at his home recording studio, Paisley Park, in Minnesota. Prince, who would go on to note that "Kandace has a voice that could melt snow," reached out via Twitter after seeing her cover Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me.” Springs arrives in support of a deeply soulful new collection of original material titled "Run Your Race."
Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway. $20-$45; free for members. 480-352-2822, tempecenterforthearts.com.
The Sugar Thieves
These local roots revivalists named their latest EP "Good Ole Time Tonight," and they are guaranteed to live up to the promise of that title at the Rhythm Room, with two distinctive vocalists and a repertoire that ranges from the T. Rex-worthy swagger of that title track to the smoldering balladry of "Fast Train."
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. Rhythm Room, 1019 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $20. 602-265-4842, rhythmroom.com.
Slipknot
The Here Comes the Pain Tour finds the masked heavy-metal avengers celebrating the 25th anniversary of their seminal debut, a self-titled effort that was voted the best debut of the last 25 years by the readers of Metal Hammer magazine in 2011. The setlist will draw heavily from that debut. The tour, which includes Slipknot’s homecoming show at Knotfest Iowa, features support from Kentucky’s hardcore/metal forerunners Knocked Loose. The Phoenix date will also feature Vended opening.
Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. Verified resale ticket prices vary. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
Ray LaMontagne and Gregory Alan Isakov
The acclaimed singer-songwriters are playing Phoenix on a 17-date co-headlining tour with special guests the Secret Sisters opening. LaMontagne picked up a Best Folk Album Grammy for 2010's "God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise," also earning a coveted Song of The Year nomination for “Beg Steal or Borrow.” Isakov is touring in support of "Appaloosa Bones," his first release in nearly five years, which Uncut hailed as "Isakov's most panoramic album."
Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $75.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
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Childish Gambino
Donald Glover is touring as Childish Gambino again, bringing the New World Tour to Phoenix with special guest Willow. This is Glover’s first Gambino tour since 2018-2019, and follows the release of “Atavista,” an album he’s said is the “finished version of 2020’s '3.15.20.'” That last tour, which was named for his “This Is America” single, played in Glendale in December 2018.
Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $174.50 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.
DPR
The South Korean collective and record label, whose name is short for Dream Perfect Regime, will bring the Dream Reborn World Tour to downtown Phoenix. The label was founded by DPR Ian (the former leader of Yedang Entertainment boy group C-Clown), South Korean rapper DPR Live, DPR Cream and DPR REM. In 2021, DPR Ian and DPR Live released "Diamonds + Pearls" as part of the soundtrack to the Marvel Film "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings."
Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $76 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
Chromeo and the Midnight
These Canadian electro-funk sensations made a name for themselves in 2004 with a debut called “She’s in Control,” which had critics invoking the names of Daryl Hall and John Oates. Twenty years later, they're still getting into the groove on a coheadlining Chrome Nights tour with the Midnight in support of 2024's "Adult Contemporary." In an interview with iHeartRadio, they talked about the album as their "most thematically cohesive" effort, focused on "the vicissitudes of staying funky in your 30s and 40s." And they are definitely staying funky.
Details: 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $59 and up. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.
Sun Order EP release show
These local rockers are back with more new music, releasing the seven-song “Reveal Yourself” EP at Rebel Lounge with special guests Bury the Darkness, Nino Lucarelli (who also guests on “Alive,” the third single they shared in advance of the EP’s official release) and Modern BC. Their sound is heavy and intense, blurring the lines between post-hardcore screaming, alternative-metal and the dramatic side of ‘90s grunge. As their Facebook bio sums it up, “Born from static electricity and the dry desert heat, SUN ORDER brings a crushing, heroic, and epic take on modern rock.”
Details: 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $15. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.
Glass Animals
The 41-date Tour of Earth sees Glass Animals headlining the biggest rooms of their career to date. The British rockers cracked the U.S. market in 2014 with the double-platinum breakthrough single "Gooey" from their first album, "Zaba." They're best known in the States, though, for "Heat Waves," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2002 after blowing up on TikTok, inspiring a Best New Artist Grammy nomination eight years into their career.
Details: 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $41.80 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
Stephen Sanchez
If Stephen Sanchez has even heard a record made since 1962, he's clearly not the type to let that compromise the beamed-in-from-another-era charms of last year's "Angel Face," a deeply soulful concept album in which a character known as the Troubadour Sanchez rises to fame in 1958. As DIY magazine noted, "His voice is stunning, a far-reaching, emotive vibrato evoking Roy Orbison."
Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $76 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
Peter Hook & the Light
The legendary post-punk bassist launched the Light in 2010 to celebrate the life of former bandmate Ian Curtis with a live performance of "Unknown Pleasures" in full on the 30th anniversary of the Joy Division singer's death. Since then, he's expanded the scope of his tribute to include his other former band, New Order. This time out, he's playing songs from both bands' "Substance" compilations. If you haven't seen him do one of these shows, you're missing out.
Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $48 and up. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.
Green Day
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Green Day’s 10-times-platinum breakthrough, "Dookie," and the 20th anniversary of "American Idiot," one of rock 'n' roll's great comeback albums. To celebrate, the pop-punk standard-bearers are playing both albums on the Saviors Tour, named for their latest release, which hit the U.S. album charts at No. 4 in January. The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and the Linda Lindas will also perform when the tour hits Phoenix.
Details: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson, Phoenix. $31.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
Beat
Former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin will be joined by guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and Tool drummer Danny Carey as the Beat on a tour that makes its way to Phoenix for a show at the historic Celebrity Theatre on Sept. 28, 2024. The concert features a creative reinterpretation of three classic Crimson albums from the ‘80s – “Discipline,” “Beat” and “Three of a Perfect Pair.”
Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $89-$119. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.
Ben Folds
It's been nearly 30 years since this piano-rocking songwriting prodigy grabbed our attention at the helm of Ben Folds Five with his disarming mix of heart and humor on an album whose highlights included a heartbreaking imaginary conversation between Howard Cosell and Muhammad Ali. And he's still going strong, as evidenced by the quality of writing on his latest effort, 2023's "What Matters Most." He's taking song requests received by paper airplanes on the aptly titled Paper Airplane Request Tour.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St. $66-$106. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org.
Samara Joy
A rising star in the world of jazz, this 23-year-old won Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album at the Grammy Awards in 2023 in response to an album called "Linger Awhile" that featured her taking on standards as timeless as "Round Midnight," "Misty" and "Someone to Watch Over Me." The album also topped the Billboard jazz charts while earning critical acclaim. Jazzwise called it "a staggeringly fine album" while All About Jazz said the album "confirms all the good things that have been said about her: unusual interpretative maturity for her age, fresh chromatic variety, creative flair, intense feeling."
Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. $40-$85. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.
Eden Munoz
The regional Mexican singer's hits include “Chale,” which has more than 500 million views on YouTube, “Simplemente Gracias," “Siempre Te Voy A Querer," “A La Antigüita," “Contigo” and “Creo En Ti." His songs have been covered by Alejandro Fernández, Pepe Aguilar, Maluma, Carlos Rivera, Banda MS and Yuridia, among others.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $75.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
Dave Mason's Traffic Jam
Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam includes fan favorites and deep cuts from Traffic, a solo career that peaked commercially with “We Just Disagree” and other surprise songs spanning more than 50 years, complete with multimedia visuals and stories of his life in music. In addition to being enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Traffic, Mason appears on such classic recordings as the Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'," George Harrison's “All Things Must Pass,” the Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man" and the Jimi Hendrix Experience's definitive recasting of Bob Dylan’s "All Along the Watchtower."
Details: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $35-$125. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.
JT
The Miami rapper, former of City Girls, is on a club tour in support of "City Cinderella," a debut mixtape with guest appearances from DJ Khaled, Stunna Girl and Jeezy that hit No. 27 on the Billboard album charts, outperforming any City Girls release. JT may be best known in the mainstream for "Ex for a Reason," a collaboration with R&B great Summer Walker that peaked at No. 33 on Billboard's Hot 100.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $41.95 and up. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.
Coconino Campout
Relentless Beats is rolling out another new festival concept at the Pepsi Amphitheater in Flagstaff, Arizona. The three-day camping festival will highlight an eclectic array of global, national, and regional talent, along with captivating art installations and immersive experiences. This year's headliners are LSDream, CLBZee and Liquid Strangers. Other performers include Daily Bread, Detox Unit, G Jones, Tape B, Truth and Zingara.
Details: 3 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Sept. 20-22. Pepsi Amphitheatre, Fort Tuthill County Park, Flagstaff. $124.99 single day; $279.91-$344.53 three-day pass. coconinocampout.com.
Bret Michaels
The leader of Poison is headlining a pool party at Talking Stick Resort. Long before the legendary singer moved to Arizona and won "The Celebrity Apprentice 3," he ruled the pop charts of the Spandex-rocking '80s, fronting Poison on a string of timeless hits, from the glam-punk abandon of breakthrough single "Talk Dirty to Me" to "Nothin' But a Good Time" and, of course, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." And he's still out there giving 120%. As The Republic responded to Poison emerging as the highlight of the Stadium Tour in 2022, "As for Poison? Well, Bret Michaels is a force of nature, as he proved from the second he stormed on stage to join his bandmates on "Look What the Cat Dragged In."
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, Loop 101 and Pima Road, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. $25 and up. 480-850-7734, talkingstickresort.com.
Future Islands
These Baltimore synth-pop revivalists have one of modern music’s most distinctive vocalists in Samuel T. Herring, who enunciates like David Bowie with a diction coach. And it suits the drama of their music. It's been a decade since their hit, "Seasons (Waiting on You)," was named Song of the Year by NME and Pitchfork, but they're still playing to the strengths that made them what they are on the album that brings them to Phoenix, the breathtaking "People Who Aren’t There Anymore." As Paste magazine wrote, they're "still finding new ways to polish a diamond on this album."
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $50.75 and up. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.
Falling in Reverse
Ronnie Radke had plenty of time to sort through the emotions expressed with conviction and rage on "The Drug in Me Is You," his first release with Falling in Reverse, having served two years in prison while his former bandmates in Escape the Fate moved on without him. Thirteen years later, Falling in Reverse returns to Phoenix on the Popular MonsTOUR II: World Domination with special guests Black Veil Brides, Dance Gavin Dance and Tech N9Ne, and an opening set by Jeris Johnson.
Details: 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $41.30 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
Lucinda Williams with Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs
This is an outstanding double bill. Williams is one of American music's most compelling voices. Campbell was Tom Petty's right-hand man as the lead guitarist for the Heartbreakers. He also stepped in on guitar for Fleetwood Mac on their most recent (and most likely final) tour. The poster for this show says "Alone and Together (Come Hell or High Water)." That sounds promising. I've seen Campbell twice now with the Dirty Knobs and they are truly committed to keeping the rock 'n' roll spirit their leader once personified in the Heartbreakers alive and well.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. $45-$95. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com
Anderson .Paak
The alternative-hip-hop-by-way-of-neo-soul outlier will play his Grammy-nominated second album, “Malibu,” in its entirety with special guests Maurice Brown and GAWD. Released in 2016, “Malibu” made the rounds of year-end critics lists, with Top 10 honors at Consequence, the Skinny and the Independent, whose critic noted, “Listening to this record is a near-religious experience," which is true.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $34.80 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves is bringing the Deeper Well World Tour to Glendale with special guests Father John Misty and Nickel Creek. This is Musgraves’ most extensive tour, in support of “Deeper Well,” her fifth release to top the Billboard country chart. The Telegraph responded with a rave that summed the album up with "Ultimately, this is a brilliant record about clearing out the emotional crap and stripping things back to their essence – the perfect soundtrack to lull us out of our collective wintering and into some mental spring cleaning."
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27. Desert Diamond Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. $25 and up. 623-772-3800, desertdiamondarena.com.
Little River Band
If you're into reminiscing, you're in luck. The '70s soft-rock sensations who ruled the airwaves of a generation with hits as guaranteed to make your trip down memory lane a pleasant one as "Happy Anniversary," "Lady," "Lonesome Loser," "Cool Change" and, of course, "Reminiscing," are on their way to Talking Stick Resort. No less an authority on peaceful, easy feels than the Eagles' Glenn Frey once told a crowd in Australia he considered Little River Band "the best singing band in the world!”
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27. The Ballroom at Talking Stick Resort, Loop 101 and Pima Road, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. $25-$150. 480-850-7734, talkingstickresort.com.
Andre 3000
It seems safe to say to say no one expected the man who gave the world "Hey Ya" and "Ms. Jackson" to launch his post-Outkast solo career with a deeply spiritual album of ambient New Age instrumentals with Andre on lead flute, but here we are. It's a mesmerizing detour that met with mostly positive reviews and topped the New Age album charts, Pitchfork declaring it both is "the most emotionally direct music André has ever made" and "among the most fascinating artistic left turns in recent memory." Now he's bringing the album to life on the road with four of the musicians who helped him bring the album to fruition in the studio: Carlos Ni?o, Surya Botofasina, Nate Mercereau and Deantoni Parks. Sudan Archives open.
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. $40-$85. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.
Boots in the Park with Thomas Rhett and Jason Aldean
Boots in the Park returns to Tempe Beach Park with Thomas Rhett and Jason Aldean headlining the festival's third year in Tempe. Friday's lineup features Rhett with Riley Green, Trace Adkins, Corey Kent, Ella Langley and Redferrin. Saturday brings Aldean with Jon Pardi, Ian Munsick, Jackson Dean, Chayce Beckham and Greylan James. DJ Luwiss Lux will be there both days. The festival website promises two days of “chart-topping country artists, line dancing, beer and craft cocktails, locally curated food vendors, art installations, beautiful AZ views and so much more.”
Details: 12-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28-29. Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway. $125 and up. bootsinthepark.com.
Christian Nodal
Among the most important artists in the regional Mexican music scene, the six-time Latin Grammy winner brings his long-awaited Pal Cora Tour to Glendale. The singer's recent European tour was the first solo tour by a regional Mexican artist to play large European venues. In a press release, Nodal said, “I'm working very hard to make Pal Cora tour even more surprising than the previous one. Get your Don Julio tequila ready so we can toast together.”
Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29. Desert Diamond Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. $39 and up. 623-772-3800, desertdiamondarena.com.
Fontaines D.C.
These Irish post-punk sensations exploded on impact in the U.K. with a debut titled "Dogrel," voted Album of the Year by Rough Trade and BBC Radio 6 Music. Five years and three albums later, they're touring the States in support of a strong contender for the year's best album by a rock act. "Romance" finds them expanding the scope of their sound, from the Madchester redux of "Starburster" to the jangle-rocking effervescence of the album-closing "Favourites," while also playing to the very strengths that made them matter in the first place.
Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $41.75 and up. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.
Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more. He did the same in Pittsburgh for more than a decade. Follow him on X and Instagram @edmasley and on Facebook as Ed Masley. Email him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Best Phoenix concerts in September: Peso Pluma, Green Day
