This weekend might be the busiest concert weekend Tucson has seen post-pandemic.
Between Thursday, April 27, and Sunday, April 30, there will be 24 concerts, from the pop-country band Old Dominion at the AVA at Casino del Sol to the legendary punk band Psychedelic Furs at the Rialto Theatre downtown.
Deciding what to see and what to skip might take more than a simple coin toss, especially given the range of genres that will populate our stages.
The Century Room at Hotel Congress is double-booked with jazz shows every day this weekend, with early and late shows in conjunction with the Agave Heritage Festival that runs through Sunday.
At the other end of Congress Street at the Fox Tucson Theatre, Americana/country great Marty Stuart and rocker Melissa Etheridge bookend the weekend that includes a premiere Eric Clapton tribute band.
Comedian Nikki Glaser opens the Rialto’s weekend, which includes a dance party hosted by a child actor now moonlighting as a DJ, while Rialto’s sister venue 191 Toole has a pair of hip-hop/rap shows before closing the weekend with women who rock.
And way across town, at the Pima County Fairgrounds, a country star and rapper close out the 2023 fair concert series.
Way too many choices to just coin-toss a decision.
So we’re going to give you a little primer to help you decide.
Singer Melissa Etheridge returns to Fox Tucson Theatre after a five-year absence.
Fox Tucson Theatre
17 W. Congress St., foxtucson.com; 520-547-3040
Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives are every bit the country traditionalists with some experimental twists, from bluegrass to pop country. They take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday; $38.50-$63.50.
The Cream of Clapton Band is not your run-of-the-mill Eric Clapton tribute band. It’s comprised of four musicians with musical and familial ties to the 78-year-old Brit rocker and guitar great, including his nephew Will Johns on lead guitar and vocals. The band performs some of Clapton’s iconic hits, including “Sunshine of Your Love” and “Layla,” beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday; $32.50-$52.50.
Melissa Etheridge opened her “Yes I Am” 25th anniversary tour at the Fox in 2018. Her show at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, her first at the downtown venue since that sold-out 2018 performance, is sold out.
Comedian Nikki Glaser opens the Rialto’s weekend.
Rialto Theatre
318 E. Congress St.,
rialtotheatre.com; 520-740-1000
Comedian Nikki Glaser‘s “The Good Girl” tour is sure to make some men in the audience blush as she delves into her sex life and topics most people would never dream of sharing with strangers.
Glaser takes the stage at 8 p.m. Thursday; $39.75-$49.75.
In a previous life, Matt Bennett was the dorky sidekick Robbie Shapiro on the Nickelodeon sitcom “Victorious.” Today at 31, he’s an energetic DJ spinning and sometimes singing along to songs from Disney and Nickelodeon shows. This all-ages show was originally set for the smaller 191 Toole but ticket demand prompted the move to the much larger Rialto. He takes the stage at 9 p.m. Friday; $20.
The legendary Psychedelic Furs was born out of London’s mid-1970s post-punk era and grew up in the indie/alternative rock and New Wave generation. Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando opens the show at 8 p.m. Saturday; $39.50.
191 Toole
191 E. Toole Ave.,
Houston underground rapper Devin the Dude has been called rap’s best-kept secret, one that’s been under wraps since he launched his career in a series of hip-hop ensembles in the late 1990s. He may not have gotten any mainstream traction, but his shows are legendary, fans say. He takes the stage at 8:30 p.m. Thursday with Klassic MC and Marley B; $25.
Thelma and the Sleaze perform at 191 Toole on Sunday, April 30.
Tucson prog-rock power trio Insound (singer/guitarist Justin Martinez, drummer Devin Davis and bassist Ryan Zamora) take their musical cues from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, Jane’s Addiction and Tool and are known for their impressive musicianship and daring experimentation. They are the early show from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday; Tucson DJ Flow follows from 10 to midnight; $10.
If Harry Styles, One Direction, Justin Bieber and Big Time Rush are your jam, you’re gonna find nirvana at “Harry’s House of Styles” dance party, with a DJ spinning all things danceable beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday; $16.
Lauren “LG” Gilbert leads the Nashville all-female, queer Southern rock band Thelma and the Sleaze, writing most of the band’s songs and serving as its social media poster girl. Tucson’s own all-female Surfbroads open the show at 8 p.m. Sunday; $12.
Hotel Congress
311 E. Congress St., hotelcongress.com;
520-622-8848
At the Century Room:
Saxophonist Hiram Perez and his all-star Latin jazz band have the 7 p.m. slot on Thursday; $20-$30. The Danny Brito Latin Jazz Trio follows with a free show at 9.
Saxophonist Hiram Perez and his all-star Latin jazz band are hitting the stage on Thursday.
Larry Redhouse Quintet makes its second consecutive Agave Festival appearance at 7:30 p.m. Friday; $15-$35.
Percussionist Homero Ceron and pianist Amilicar Guevarra lead the Tucson Latin Jazz Nonet, a supergroup of local jazz musicians, at 7 p.m. Saturday; $20-$35. The Danny Brito Latin Jazz Trio plays the 10:30 show; $10-$15.
Tucson Jazz Festival hosts Wild Katz Jazz Quintet in a free show at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Zona Libre plays the Agave Heritage Festival wrap party at 7; $10, $20 reserved seats.
At Club Congress:
Electronica singer-songwriter George Clanton specializes in so-called vaporwave and internet EDM. He plays a 16-and-older show beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday; $26.27.
On the Hotel Congress Plaza:
Latin hip-hop cousins Raka Rich and Raka Dun have created a new Latin urban hip-hop sound that borrows from their native Panama fused with their adopted Cali Bay Area. They play a free show beginning at 8:30 p.m. Friday.
Electronica singer-songwriter George Clanton is playing Club Congress.
Time to get your hee-haw on with the Tucson Opry Agave Edition featuring Ted Ramirez, Chris Brashear and Peter McLaughlin and the Ronstadt Trio (Johnny, Jeanne and Bill) beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sunday; $15 in advance, $20 day of.
Pima County Fair
Pima County Fairgrounds
at 11300 S. Houghton Road,
pimacountyfair.com; 520-762-9100.
Admission is free with fair admission: $11, $6 for kids ages 6-10 and seniors; free for children 5 and younger.
Rapper 24kGOLDN (“Valentino,” “Sunroof”) is on the Budweiser stage at 8 pm. Thursday.
California reggae rockers Dirty Heads (“Spread Too Thin,” “Check the Level”) headline at 8 p.m. Friday.
Rising country hitmaker Jordan Davis (“Buy Dirt,” “Singles You Up”) will perform his latest single “Tucson Too Late” on Saturday; show starts at 8.
Regional Mexican band Labertino plays corridos, rancheras, boleros and dance music that will remind you of the merengue. They go on stage at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
AVA at Casino del Sol
5655 W. Valencia Road,
casinodelsol.com; 855-765-7829
Chart-topping country band Old Dominion had to hit pause on its “No Bad Vibes” tour after frontman Matthew Ramsey’s ATV accident in March. We’re the band’s first show back from that interruption. Their show at 8 p.m. Friday is their Tucson debut, although plenty of Tucson fans have seen the band in its appearances at Country Thunder in Florence over the past few years.
