Live music fills holiday weekend, with reggae, patriotic odes

Yes, it’s hot as heck, but hey, we get a long weekend — filled with grilling and chilling to savor the dog days of summer.

And once the sun goes down, it’s the perfect time to sneak into an air conditioned theater or relax in the not-so-hot-as-daytime cool of night and enjoy live music — a simple pleasure that the COVID-19 pandemic stole from us last Fourth of July weekend.

There aren’t many shows on the books this weekend, and most venues are closed on Sunday, July 4, in honor of the Independence Day holiday. But we found a few shows with mostly local bands to fill the rest of the weekend. (Note: Because the Fourth falls on Sunday, we get to take Monday off.)

Here are the shows heading our way this weekend.

Monterey Court

505 W. Miracle Mile; montereycourtaz.com

Porch Rockers, Tucson’s melting pot of get-up-and-move music — blues, rock, jump, swing and a whole lot of fun — are on stage at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 1. Admission is free.

Giant Blue, Anna Warr’s all-star jazz and blues band, gets the courtyard stage hopping at 7 p.m. Friday, July 2. Tickets are $10.

After 7, the seven-piece rock/country/pop band known for its blended harmonies and energetic stage shows, is on deck at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 3. Admission is free.

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The Rock

136 N. Park Ave., rocktucson.com

How about a little reggae at The Rock. Add some good vibrations to your holiday weekend with the double bill of reggae bands LakeDub out of Long Beach, California, and Tucson’s own ZeeCeeKeely. The 21-and-older show starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 3, and tickets are $12.

Gaslight Music Hall

13005 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley, gaslightmusichall.com

It’s hard to pay tribute to Dolly Parton without including one or two of her duet partners. Which is what makes Backwoods Barbie such a treat. The husband-wife Gaslight Theatre couple Erin and Todd Thompson trace Parton’s hits including her bluesy “Jolene,” the poppy “Nine to Five” and her duets with Kenny Rogers and Porter Wagoner among them. Tickets are $27.

One of the country’s top ABBA tribute bands ABBAFab is doing two shows — 2 and 6 p.m. — on Saturday, July 3. Expect to hear the biggest hits from the Aussie pop quartet’s catalogue including “Dancing Queen,” “Honey Honey,” “Waterloo,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You” and “Fernando.” Be warned: You will be humming and singing these songs long after the show ends. Tickets are $31 with discounts.

Tucson’s own Armen Dirtadian joins the perfect harmony of the Manhattan Dolls for a tribute to America. There will be two performances of “Salute To America” — at 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday, July 4 — but seating is limited. Tickets are $31 with discounts. (The show will be repeated at 6 p.m. Monday, July 5, at the Music Hall’s sister venue Gaslight Theatre, 7100 E. Broadway; $31.)