3 Tucson shows, 3 excuses to sneak out

Judging from the slim pickings in live entertainment this weekend, Tucson is all partied out.

But we did find three concerts that might inspire you to get off the couch, put down the last of the eggnog and join the land of the living.

‘80s Hangover at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St.

Featuring: A quartet of national touring tribute bands — The Cured (The Cure), Arena (Duran Duran), Blonde Day (Blondie), Careless Whisper (George Michael).

When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4; doors open at 7

Tickets: $20 at rialtotheatre.com

Et cetera: This is an all-ages show so grab your teens and party like it’s 1980! “’80s Hangover” is a package tour that’s criss-crossing the country with a couple different iterations. We get The Cure, Blondie, Duran Duran and George Michael with some throwbacks to his sugar-sweet pop band Wham. How do they sound? “If you drink more, the suspension of disbelief goes away,” says Michael Twombly, the tour manager as well as frontman for Cured. He also chimes in on keyboards for Arena. Here’s what we are guessing you’re going to hear: Wham’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’; George Michael’s “Careless Whisper”; Blondie’s “Call Me”; the Cure’s “Just Like Heaven”; and Duran Duran’s “Notorious.”

The Wooden Ball at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St.

Featuring: Bekkah Rolland, Billy Sed, Chris Holiman, David Slutes and Robin Johnson, Joe Pena, Josh Brown, Katie Haverly, Little Cloud, Mute Swan, Rough Draft and Sweet Ghosts.

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When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4

Tickets: $6 at hotelcongress.com or at the door

Et cetera: This also is an all-ages show. Some of Tucson’s most popular musicians turn off the power to their guitars and play their music stripped down, semi-acoustic. There’s a certain purity to playing acoustic, a rawness that reveals layers of musicianship that can sometimes get lost in the clatter and squeal of electric guitars.

Eric Tessmer at The Rock, 136 N. Park Ave.

Featuring: Austin blues guitarist Eric Tessmer with special guests The Black Cat Bones.

When: Tuesday, Jan. 7, doors open at 7 p.m.

Tickets: $5 at rocktucson.com or at the door

Et cetera: This is a 21-and-older show. Tessmer is super popular in his native Austin. Hometown newspaper the Austin Chronicle polled readers and they agreed Tessmer was the best guitarist in the city — regardless of genre — in 2017-18.