Best Venue For National Acts

The famed rotating stage at Phoenix's Celebrity Theatre is a simply grand venue that's your best dollar-to-value bet for big-name live acts in the Valley. Nestled snugly in a part of town that is "rich in character" (i.e., near the women's prison), the Celebrity continues to expand its stylistic mandate, booking top-rank performers of all stripes -- gospel, country, neo-metal, Henry Rollins to Kids in the Hall -- into its copious space. The featured performer's long walk from the dressing rooms through the crowd, followed by the ascension to the slowly revolving stage, ranks as one of the best momentum-building tactics we've ever seen at a live gig. Row upon row of cushy, unimpeded seats will make you wonder why you ever stood up through a show without grumbling about it.