Top concerts playing Phoenix in March: Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Chris Stapleton, 50 Cent
Festival season is officially in full swing as the opening weekend of March finds Innings Festival going into Extra Innings at Tempe Beach Park while M3F Fest moves into its new location at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix.
March also brings the Glendale Folk & Heritage Festival, the Chandler Ostrich Festival, the Tough Luvv Fest, the Smoke Show BBQ & Country Music Roundup, the Arizona Jazz Festival, and PHXLIGHTS: Supernova.
That’s a lot of festivals.
Here’s a look at those and other highlights of the month in metro Phoenix concerts, from Sleater-Kinney at the Marquee Theatre to Nicki Minaj, Madonna, Blake Shelton and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band.
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Sleater-Kinney
The indie-punk legends are touring the States in support of "Little Rope," a cathartic masterstroke completed in the aftermath of a fatal car accident in late 2022 that claimed the lives of singer-guitarist Carrie Brownstein's mother and stepfather. As DIY summed up the album's appeal, it’s "about as straight-up and purified an experience as any Sleater-Kinney observer-slash-enthusiast could ever hope to have in 2023." And don't miss the opening set by Black Belt Eagle Scout.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, March 1. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $46.60 and up. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.
Extra Innings at Tempe Beach Park and Arts Park
Chris Stapleton will headline the opening night of the inaugural Extra Innings Festival on Friday, March 1, with Turnpike Troubadours, Ryan Bingham with the Texas Gentlemen, Elle King, Charlie Crockett, Shane Smith & the Saints, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Donavon Frankenreiter, Kaitlin Butts, Goodnight, Texas, and the Takes.
Dave Matthews Band will headline Saturday, March 2, with Noah Kahan, Sheryl Crow, Morgan Wade, Gin Blossoms, Larkin Poe, Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners, Jade Bird, Josiah & the Bonnevilles, and Ben Goldsmith.
The baseball-themed festival also features Major League Baseball legends including Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Braun, Tim Raines and Rollie Fingers, as well as an on-site talk show, "Off the Mound with Ryan Dempster."
Details: Friday and Saturday, March 1-2. Tempe Beach Park and Arts Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway. $160 and up a day; $310 and up for a two-day pass. inningsfestival.com.
M3F Fest at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix
The nonprofit festival moves to Steele Indian School Park with Dominic Fike and Lane 8 topping the bill. In keeping with tradition, the festival formerly known as McDowell Mountain Music Festival has assembled a diverse array of talent, from EDM to indie, pop and R&B.
Friday's bill is topped by Fike with Arlo Parks, Bakar, Coco & Breezy, Dayglow, Edapollo, Elderbrook, Hippo Campus, Jules Duke, SG Lewis, Tommy Newport, Vandelux, WhoMadeWho and Young Franco.
Lane 8 headlines Saturday with Barrett, Bennett Coast, BUNT., Drama, Duke Dumont, Fiji Blue, Gordo, Gorgon City, it's murph, KOL, Poolside, Roosevelt, Shifty, Tim Atlas and Valley.
Details: Friday and Saturday, March 1-2. Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $90 and up daily; $135 and up for a weekend pass. m3ffest.com.
Disturbed
The Disturbed tour was supposed to play an outdoor venue in July but the concert had to be rescheduled when the heavy-metal hitmakers' equipment wouldn't work in the excessive heat. The high that day, the 23rd day in a row with a high of at least 110 in a record-breaking summer, was 116 degrees. They're joined by Falling In Reverse and Plush.
Details: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 2. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
Phoenix Symphony: Music of Queen
Conductor Martin Herman leads a rock band and the Phoenix Symphony in a tribute to one of modern music's most beloved bands, performing classic songs as timeless as “Another One Bites The Dust,” “We Will Rock You,” “We Are The Champions” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Freddie Mercury's parts will be handled by MiG Ayesa, whose credits include a West End production of "We Will Rock You," a jukebox musical based on the music of Queen.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 2. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $48.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
Mahalia
This U.K.-based neo-soul singer is touring the States in support of last year's "IRL," a soulful treasure of a sophomore album that makes the most of her fluid, at times conversational delivery as she applies that stunning voice to songs inspired by the trauma of a breakup and the therapy that followed. It pulled in raves from NME to DIY, whose critic wrote, "Striking a perfect balance between familiarity and unpredictability, immediate choruses coexisting with a relaxed, breezy sound, ‘IRL’ is a delight."
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, March 2. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $29.50. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.
Glendale Folk & Heritage Festival
The 34th annual Glendale Folk & Heritage Festival is back at Sahuaro Ranch Park to celebrate the folk tradition that gave us Bob Dylan, for which we should all be eternally grateful, even those among us who profess to not enjoy his singing. Weirdos. The festival features hundreds of performers, as well as workshops, vendors, activities and food trucks.
Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 2-3. Sahuaro Ranch Historic Park, 9802 N. 59th Ave., Glendale. Free. glendaleaz.com.
50 Cent: The Final Lap Tour
The hip-hop legend was originally scheduled to perform an outdoor show in Phoenix last August. That show was rescheduled due to excessive heat. The Final Lap Tour with Busta Rhymes and special guest Jeremih will feature fan favorites and chart-topping hits along with tracks that have not been performed live in decades as part of a global tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of 50 Cent's debut, "Get Rich or Die Tryin’."
Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, March 3. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.
The Wailin' Jennys
Starting as a happy accident of solo singer-songwriters getting together for a one-time-only performance in Winnipeg, The Wailin’ Jennys have grown over the years into one of today’s most beloved international folk acts. They've sent two albums to the top of Billboard's Bluegrass charts, "Bright Morning Stars" and "Fifteen."
Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, March 3. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave. $28-$48. 480-782-2680, chandlercenter.org.
HEALTH
The noise-rock veterans arrive in support of "Rat Wars," a welcome addition to their catalog that more than lived up to their reputation for bringing the noise in the name of catharsis. Sputnikmusic declared it "a record that’s more cinematic, darker, louder, heavier and harder than anything we’ve heard from them before today," adding "and frankly, I’m here for it." They're joined at the Nile by Pixel Grip and King Yosef.
Details: 7 p.m. Monday, March 4. The Nile, 105 W. Main St., Mesa. $27. 480-559-5859, theniletheater.com.
Crosses
Chino Moreno of Deftones brings his side band to Phoenix in support of last year's excellent "Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete," an album that brilliantly blurs the line between industrial metal, shoegaze and something much closer in spirit to Depeche Mode at their gloomiest while also, on occasion, channeling Moreno's work with Deftones on "White Pony." It also features guest vocals on a brooding track called "Girls Float Boys Cry" by the man who told you "Boys Don't Cry," the legendary Robert Smith.
Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 5. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. Resale ticket prices vary. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.
Golden Hour Concert Series: decker.
This is the first of three outdoor performances in Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts' new concert series, where local artists perform as night falls on the West Bowl and audiences relax in the grass. Sedona's Brandon Decker will lead the ensemble that shares his name in presenting songs from "Ouroboros," a richly orchestrated existential masterstroke whose central themes he likes to say are “grief, loss and transcendence.” The concert begins with another great local act, Harrison Fjord.
Details: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 7. Scottsdale Civic Center West Bowl, 7380 E. Second St. $25. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org.
Rx Bandits
Rx Bandits had to add a second show at Crescent Ballroom to meet the demand for a tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of "The Resignation." As Brooklyn Vegan summed up the album's enduring appeal, "They’d come up with a fusion that pulled from ska, reggae, punk, post-hardcore, progressive rock and more, and 20 years later, I’ve still never heard another album that sounds like 'The Resignation.'"
Details: 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, March 7-8. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $34.50-$44.50. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.
John Waite
This British rocker topped the Hot 100 in the '80s with a solo hit called "Missing You" after making a name for himself as the voice of the Babys (whose hits include "Isn't It Time" and "Every Time I Think of You") in the '70s. He returned to No. 1 in 1989 with "When I See You Smile" at the helm of a supergroup featuring members of Journey and the Babys (including Jonathan Cain, who holds the distinction of having been in Journey and the Babys).
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, March 8. Talking Stick Resort, Loop 101 and Pima Road, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. $25 and up. 480-850-7734, talkingstickresort.com.
The Phoenix Symphony
Guest conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya leads the Phoenix Symphony in Jessie Montgomery’s "Hymn for Everyone," a meditation for orchestra, and Antonín Dvo?ák’s cheery and lyrical Symphony No. 8, inspired by the Bohemian folk music of his native land. The program also features the return of the sensational Joyce Yang, a laureate of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, on Sergei Rachmaninoff’s towering Piano Concerto No. 2.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 8. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. $48-$96. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.
Chandler Ostrich Festival at Tumbleweed Park
The 34th annual Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival returns to Tumbleweed Park on Friday, March 8, with Shaggy headlining a bill that also features Paul Russell. The bill Saturday is topped by Big & Rich with Gretchen Wilson and Cowboy Troy while Los Tucanes de Tijuana headline the first Sunday. Week 2 brings Yung Gravy Friday, Chris Lane with Lauren Alaina and Madeline Edwards Saturday, and Wynonna Judd Sunday.
Details: 2 p.m. Friday, March 8; 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 9-10; 2 p.m. Friday, March 15; 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17. Tumbleweed Park, 745 E. Germann Road, Chandler. $20 and up per day; $45 weekend pass. ostrichfestival.com.
Tough Luvv Fest
This bill at this underground hip-hop fest is topped by shock-rap powerhouses Three 6 Mafia and City Morgue with special guests Jesus Piece, Lil Tracy, Joeyy, Puzzle, Glare, Trauma Ray, 2SDXRT3ALL, Bayymack, Pink Michigan and Unity. After breaking through with an influential cult classic called "Mystic Stylez," Three 6 Mafia won Best Original Song at the Academy Awards for "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from "Hustle & Flow."
Details: 1 p.m. Saturday, March 9. Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St. $52.50 and up. 480-644-2560, mesaamp.com.
Lukas Nelson + Promise of the Real
Led by Willie Nelson's son, they've toured as Neil Young's backing band and tore it up at Country Thunder Arizona in 2018 with a set that left me wondering how they haven’t graduated to their own arena tours. There are obvious echoes of the singer’s legendary father in his vocals, both in terms of tone and phrasing. But he doesn't use that as a crutch. It's just one flavor in the mix of a powerful instrument, which he uses to brilliant effect on last year's "Sticks and Stones."
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, March 9. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $36.52 and up. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.
Deadmau5
Splash into pool season with an opening weekend performance at Maya Dayclub by Canadian EDM superstar Deadmau5, whose sense of showmanship goes well beyond the wearing of a mouse head.
Details: Noon, Sunday, March 10. Maya Day & Nightclub, 7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale. 480-625-0528, tixr.com.
The Kills
Alison Mosshart has always been brilliant at seamlessly blurring the lines between sexy and dangerous, and that much is certainly true on last year's "God Games," where she even makes "You taste just like New York before a storm takes hold" sound sexy. Anyone could make that thought sound dangerous. The album earned a perfect score at DIY Magazine, whose critic praised it as "their most ambitious and handsome release yet."
Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 12. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $53.50. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.
Nicki Minaj
The one and only queen of hip-hop is joined on the Nicki Minaj Presents: Pink Friday 2 World Tour by Monica. Minaj is the first woman to score 100 Billboard Hot 100 hits with an astounding 133 total entries to date (the most among female hip-hop acts). These include three No. 1 hits, more than 70 Top 40 hits (also a record among female hip-hop acts) and 23 Top 10 hits (yet another record among female hip-hop acts).
Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 13. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $74.50 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.
Darkest Hour
These D.C.-based metalcore veterans earned raves in 2017 for the brutal aggression of "Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora," an album Revolver said was "as driven and vicious as anything the band has released." They're playing Mesa in support of "Perpetual | Terminal," the long-awaited follow-up, with Mouth of War, Filth Is Eternal, IAM, and Somnuri.
Details: 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 13. The Nile, 105 W. Main St., Mesa. $23. 480-559-5859, theniletheater.com.
Grupo Marca Registrada
This norte?a quartet from Culiacan, Sinaloa, whose band name refers to a registered trademark, has been earning an average of 5 million streams a month across digital platforms and more than 110 million views of their videos on YouTube. They topped the Regional Mexican Airplay charts in 2023 with a single titled "Di Que Si," which has earned more than 246 million streams on Spotify.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, March 15. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $60-$100. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.
Madonna
Madonna was forced to "pause all commitments," including the Celebration Tour, last summer while recovering from a serious bacterial infection that led to a several-day stay in the ICU. The tour's eventual debut in London was greeted with near-universal acclaim. The Times of London praised the two-and-a-half-hour concert, which featured nearly 40 songs, as "essentially a nightclub performance on an arena scale: camp, exhibitionist, tightly drilled."
Details: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 16. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $300 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.
Smoke Show BBQ & Country Music Roundup
Parker McCollum, Trace Adkins, Rodney Atkins, George Birge, HunterGirl, Joe Peters and Luwiss Lux are playing the inaugural edition of this festival presented by Boots in the Park and KNIX. The website promises "a day full of live music from chart-topping artists, BBQ from 30+ local vendors, whiskey tasting, line dancing and so much more!"
Details: Noon-10 p.m. Saturday, March 16. Gilbert Regional Park, 3005 E. Queen Creek Road, Gilbert. Price TBA. bootsinthepark.com.
MercyMe
The Grammy-nominated Christian rockers bring their Always Only Jesus Tour to Glendale with Newsboys and David Leonard. The tour takes its name from their latest release, which topped the Billboard Christian albums chart and sent two singles to the top spot, “Then Christ Came” and “To Not Worship You.”
Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, March 16. Desert Diamond Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. $25 and up. 623-772-3800, desertdiamondarena.com.
Descendents and Circle Jerks
It's been 45 years now since Descendents started brewing up their overcaffeinated blend of hardcore punk and instantly engaging pop hooks, as brilliantly captured on such pioneering classics of the pop-punk form as "Milo Goes to College" and the aptly titled "I Don't Want to Grow Up." They're joined by hardcore legends Circle Jerks, led by former Black Flag vocalist Keith Morris and Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetson. Their "Group Sex" album is a classic of the genre.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, March 15. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $52.63 and up. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.
Lil Tecca
Born in Queens to Jamaican immigrants, Lil Tecca exploded on impact, hitting No. 4 on Billboard's Hot 100 with "Ransom," the second single from a debut mixtape called "We Love You Tecca." Now considered his signature song, it's gone seven times platinum and been streamed more than a billion times on Spotify. Lil Tecca's other hits include "Did It Again," "Never Left" and "500lbs."
Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, March 17. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $46.60 and up. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.
Toto
We're in the midst of a Toto resurgence. Their greatest hits collection "40 Trips Around The Sun" topped the charts in eight countries in early 2018. Then Weezer covered "Africa" and a new generation blessed the rains. As individuals, Toto members can be heard on an astonishing 5,000 albums with combined sales of half a billion and more than 200 Grammy nominations. As Toto, the band has more than a billion streams worldwide on all streaming services.
Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, March 17. Talking Stick Resort, Loop 101 and Pima Road, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. $30. 480-850-7734, talkingstickresort.com.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
This Footprint Center date was among the concerts the legend was forced to reschedule while recovering from peptic ulcer disease. The last time Springsteen and the E Street Band played in Phoenix was in 2016 when the River Tour played at that same venue. Rolling Stone hailed the opening night of the E Street Band's return, a 28-song set in Tampa, as "ecstatic and emotional." Spin called it a "must-see."
Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 19. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $275 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.
Busta Rhymes
Renowned for unforgettable, high-energy performances, Busta Rhymes will bring his first headlining tour in support of "Blockbusta" to downtown Phoenix two weeks after sharing a stage with 50 Cent on a rescheduled Final Lap Tour date. "Blockbusta" was the hip-hop icon's 10 full-length release to crack the Top 10 on the R&B charts.
Details: Wednesday, March 20. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $81.95 and up. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.
LANY
The LA alternative rockers (and M3F veterans) are touring the states in support of "A Beautiful Blur," their fifth studio album. LANY's hits include "ILYSB," "Super Far," "Malibu Nights" and "Mean It" (with Lauv).
Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, March 21. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $47.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
Desert Sol Jam with Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers
Enjoy an Arizona icon and an Arizona sunset in one beautiful location when the legendary Roger Clyne and his Peacemakers top the bill at Scottsdale Civic Center's Desert Sol Jam. They're joined Cody Canada & The Departed, The White Buffalo, Willy & Micky Braun are bringing a mix of Americana, Rock and Country music. They will also be joined by The Cole Trains, Waves in April and Prefect. A portion of the proceeds the JoyBus.
Details: 2 p.m. Saturday, March 23. Scottsdale Civic Center East Bowl, 7380 E. Second St. $35-$150. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org.
SFJAZZ Collective
They've been called “contemporary jazz’s premier all-star band” by the New York Times. Now, they're headed to Scottsdale on a tour celebrating their 10th season by performing a wide selection of material chosen and arranged by the members, from new compositions to timeless classics and everything in between.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 23. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St. $45-$65. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org.
Russell Dickerson
The man has sent four singles to the top of Billboard's Country Airplay chart — the triple-platinum "Yours," "Blue Tacoma," "Every Little Thing" and "Love You Like I Used To." His latest single, "God Gave Me a Girl," came close but stalled at No. 2. Dickerson is joined on the Big Wheels & Back Roads Tour by Hannah Ellis.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, March 22. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $41.25 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
The Phoenix Symphony
Tito Mu?oz leads the Phoenix Symphony in two works by Richard Strauss, his witty tone poem Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, and Four Last Songs, featuring radiant soprano Maria Valdes as soloist. The dynamic pianist Conrad Tao joins the orchestra for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, a pinnacle of the repertoire as well as the final work for piano and orchestra that Beethoven performed personally. Opening the program is Christopher Cerrone’s The Age of Wire and String, a six-part orchestral suite that Cerrone composed especially for his good friend Mu?oz to premiere.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 22. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. $48-$96. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.
Arizona Jazz Festival on High Street in Phoenix
Promising "the best smooth jazz experience" in the United States, this festival returns to High Street for three days in March with Charlie Wilson, Keith Sweat, Jodeci, Babyface, Anthony Hamilton, Teddy Swims, Robin Thicke, Johnny Gill, SWV, Boney James, Dinner Party (featuring Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington), Levelle featuring After 7, Eric Benet, Tower of Power and Damien Escobar. As often happens in these situations, the headliners are R&B, not jazz.
Details: Friday-Sunday, March 22-24. High Street, 5415 E. High St., Phoenix. $435 and up for a weekend pass. 602-244-8444, azjazzfest.com.
Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton is joined on his Back to the Honky Tonk Tour by Dustin Lynch and Emily Ann Roberts, a rising country star fans may recognize from NBC’s “The Voice.” The Louisville Courier-Journal raved about a concert on the first leg of the tour: “For two hours, Shelton made (the) arena feel like a wild country bar, where just about anything could happen and he was the bartender, slinging out music instead of shots.”
Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, March 23. Desert Diamond Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. $49 and up. 623-772-3800, desertdiamondarena.com.
All You Need is Love
Coming to take you away on a magical mystery tour through the extensive discography of The Beatles, this all-star lineup features Kasim Sulton, Steve Kimock, Prairie Prince, Bobby Lee Rodgers, Gil Assayas, Mark Rashotte and Andy Forgie, with narration by Michael Des Barres. The tour features state-of-the-art production and visuals, creating an immersive experience that will transport audiences through the golden era of The Beatles.
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, March 23. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $30-$94. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.
Authority Zero and Teenage Bottlerocket
Mesa punk veterans Authority Zero are playing a homecoming show at the Nile on a 10-date co-headlining tour with kindred spirits Teenage Bottlerocket with Mercy Music and Manic Dotes. Lead singer Jason Devore is the only member of the current lineup who was there in 2002 when Authority Zero launched their career with "A Passage in Time," establishing their trademark brand of classic SoCal punk with ska and reggae seasoning. But they're still going strong, as evidenced by "Ollie Ollie Oxen Free," an album they released in 2021.
Details: 6 p.m. Saturday, March 23. The Nile, 105 W. Main St., Mesa. $23. 480-559-5859, theniletheater.com.
Neko Case
The acclaimed singer-songwriter, who often lives and/or records in Tucson, made the rounds of year-end critics lists, from Paste to Uncut and the A.V. Club, with her latest album, "Hell-On." The Guardian called it "yet another high point in Case’s unstintingly stirring career." A good part of that stirring career has been spent at the helm of Canadian indie-pop supergroup the New Pornographers, whose latest album, 2023's "Continue as a Guest," is a must for fans of Case's breathtaking way with a melody.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, March 29. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St. $59.50-$64.50. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org.
PHXLIGHTS: Supernova at Phoenix Raceway
This is Relentless Beats’ OG festival, originally known as Phoenix Lights. In 2024, the festival will land a little earlier than in years past. Seven Lions and NGHTMRE top the bill on Friday, March 29, with Joyryde b2b Habstrakt, Alok, goddard., SABAI and Residuo. Kaskade and Deorro b2b Valentino Khan are Saturday's main attractions with Dr. Oliver Tree, Apashe, Alleycvt, Levity and Mamba rounding out the lineup.
Details: 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 29-30. Phoenix Raceway, 7602 Jimmie Johnson Drive, Avondale. $139.50 and up for a two-day pass. phxlightsfest.com.
Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Biggest Phoenix concerts in March: Madonna, Nicki Minaj, 50 Cent