As music editor Martin Cizmar mentioned in his post earlier today, the slate of concerts scheduled to go down from tonight until Sunday kinda pales in comparison to the overwhelming assortment of superstars who'll be in town next weekend.
But while this weekend's line-up of major music and comedy events doesn't have any major music festivals, it does boast a few big names (such as the piano-pop pairing of Billy Joel and Sir Elton John, who are performing tonight at US Airways Center), as well as slew of indie rock and folk acts both local and national (including The Dangerous Summer, Brett Dennen, and I Set My Friends on Fire).
Other highlights include tomorrow night's performance by the skate-punk pioneers of J.F.A. (a.k.a. Jodie Foster's Army), who got their start in the Valley back in the early '80s, as well as Phoenix hip-hop station Mega 104.3 FM presenting their annual old-school/R&B Spring Jam on Saturday at Celebrity Theatre.
Hit the link for the complete rundown of what else is happening this weekend:
THURSDAY, MARCH 26:
Alesana
With Drop Dead Gorgeous, Fear Before, I Set My Friends on Fire, & Fall From Grace
[rock/post-hardcore/indie]
7 p.m., $12-$14 (visit www.luckymanonline.com)
Clubhouse Music Venue, 1320 E. Broadway Rd., Tempe, 480-968-3238.
Billy Joel, & Elton John
[pop/rock]
7:30 p.m., $51.50-$177 (visit www.livenation.com)
US Airways Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix, 602-379-2000.
The Lives of Famous Men
With Lauren Louvre, Western Medicine, Ronald and Carson, & Ghost Pal
[indie/rock/pop]
7:30 p.m., $10 (visit www.statesidepresents.com)
Chyro Arts Venue, 1330 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, 480-258-2329.
Norm MacDonald
[comedy]
8 p.m., $25 (visit www.tempeimprov.com)
Tempe Improv Comedy Club, 930 E. University Dr., Tempe, 480-921-9877.
Kathy Mattea
[country/bluegrass]
7:30 p.m., $5-$38 (visit www.delewebbcenter.org)
Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts, 1090 S. Vulture Mine Rd., Wickenburg, 928-684-6624.
Sonorous
With Burn Down Tempo
[jazz/experimental]
8 p.m., $8 (visit www.rhythmroom.com)
Rhythm Room, 1019 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, 602-265-4842.
--
FRIDAY, MARCH 27:
Arizona MetalFest
With Carcass, Suffocation, Suicide Silence, The Faceless, Samael, Whitechapel, Arsis, Veil of Maya, Decrepit Birth, & Psycroptic
[hard rock/metal]
3 p.m., $32-$37 (visit www.luckymanonline.com)
Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe, 480-829-0607.
Brian Bromberg
[jazz]
8 p.m., $25-$40 (visit tca.ticketforce.com)
Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe, 480-350-2822.
Chester's Harley Davidson Backstage Biker Bash III
With The Charlie Daniels Band, & Mogollon
[country]
2 p.m., $20 (visit www.azbikeweek.com)
Chester's Harley Davidson, 922 S. Country Club Dr., Mesa, 480-894-0404.
The Dangerous Summer
With Sparks The Rescue, Racing Kites, Sound the City, & more
[rock/pop/indie]
6 p.m., $10 (visit www.ticketweb.com)
Chyro Arts Venue, 1330 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, 480-258-2329.
Flotsam and Jetsam
With St. Madness, Ethnic de Generation, TI22, Beyond Our Recognition of God, Impulsive Aggression, & Parallel Destination
[hard rock/metal]
5 p.m., $18-$20 (visit www.myspace.com/moshpitsoldiers)
Venue of Scottsdale, 7117 E. 3rd Ave., Scottsdale, 480-945-5150.
John Heffron
With Todd Glass
[comedy]
8 p.m., $10-$25 (visit www.ticketmaster.com)
Gila River Casino - Wild Horse Pass, 5550 W. Wild Horse Pass Rd., Chandler, 1-800-946-4452.
J.F.A.
With Dephinger, Sigma, Ethan 103, The Tics, & more
[punk/hardcore]
7 p.m., $10 (visit www.thesets.com)
The Sets, 93 E. Southern Ave., Tempe, 480-829-1822.
Katastro
With Valley Love, R.A.C.., Captain Squeegee and the Soap Suds, Longshots, The Hounds, & more
[rock/pop/indie]
7 p.m., $10 (visit www.clubhousegigs.com)
The Clubhouse Music Venue, 1320 E. Broadway Rd., Tempe, 480-968-3238.
Angélique Kidjo
[African/world]
8 p.m., $37 (visit www.mesaartscenter.com)
Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa, 480-644-6500.
Killing Spree
With Deceptor, Dehumanizer, & B4theH8
[hard rock/metal]
7:30 p.m., $10 (visit www.ticketweb.com)
Chasers Bar & Night Club, 8005 E. Roosevelt St., Scottsdale, 480-945-4985.
Norm MacDonald
[comedy]
8 & 10 p.m., $25-$27 (visit www.tempeimprov.com)
Tempe Improv Comedy Club, 930 E. University Dr., Tempe, 480-921-9877.
Phoenix Boys Choir's "2009 Rising Stars Showcase Concert"
[classical]
7:30 p.m., $10 (visit www.boyschoir.org)
Chaparral Christian Church, 6451 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, 480-991-9878.
Rock and Worship Roadshow
With MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, Hawk Nelson, Tenth Avenue North, & Addison Road
[Christian rock]
7:30 p.m., $10 (visit www.usairwayscenter.com)
US Airways Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix, 602-379-2000.
Mega 104.3's Spring Jam
With Montell Jordon, Kurupt, Jon B., Al B. Sure, & more
[old-school, hip-hop, R&B]
8:30 p.m., $30-$45 (visit www.celebritytheatre.com)
Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix, 602-267-1600.
Brett Walkow
[comedy]
8 & 10 p.m., $10-$12 (visit www.thecomedyspot.net)
The Comedy Spot, 7117 E. Third Ave., Scottsdale, 480-945-4422.
--
SATURDAY, MARCH 28:
ASU Chamber Singers
[classical/chamber music]
7:30 p.m., free (visit music.asu.edu)
Katzin Concert Hall, 40 E. Gammage Pkwy., Tempe, 480-965-3371.
Brett Dennen
With Angus & Julia Stone
[folk rock/pop/indie]
8 p.m., $16-$17 (visit www.statesidepresents.com)
Clubhouse Music Venue, 1320 E. Broadway Rd., Tempe, 480-968-3238.
Norm MacDonald
[comedy]
8 & 10 p.m., $25-$27 (visit www.tempeimprov.com)
Tempe Improv Comedy Club, 930 E. University Dr., Tempe, 480-921-9877.
Glenn Miller Orchestra
[swing/jazz]
8 p.m., $28-$38 (visit www.chandlercenter.org)
Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, 480-782-2680.
Music as a Weapon Tour IV
With Disturbed, Killswitch Engage, Lacuna Coil, & Chimaira
[hard rock/metal]
5:30 p.m., $41.20-$47 (visit www.luckymanonline.com)
Jobing.com Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale, 623-772-3200.
Pokafase
With Life, The Formula, Floss Genius, & Hannibal Leq
[hip-hop]
6 p.m., $10 (visit www.luckymanonline.com)
Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe, 480-829-0607.
Willy Porter
[acoustic/folk/experimental]
6:30 p.m., $22-$25 (visit www.cavecreekcoffee.com)
Cave Creek Coffee Co., 6033 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, 480-488-0603.
SadisClones* Prosthetic Army
With Oneiroid Psychosis, Squalor, $&M, 5arah, Blonde NOize, ///she///, & more
[EBM/industrial/darkwave]
8 p.m., $8 (visit www.myspace.com/sadistic_disco)
Homme, 138 W. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, 602-234-3023.
Sing it Loud
With The Morning Light, The Friday Night Boys, Artist vs. Poet, & The Summer Set
[rock/indie]
6:30 p.m., $12 (visit www.ticketweb.com)
Chyro Arts Venue, 1330 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, 480-258-2329.
Brett Walkow
[comedy]
8 & 10 p.m., $10-$12 (visit www.thecomedyspot.net)
The Comedy Spot, 7117 E. Third Ave., Scottsdale, 480-945-4422.
The Ying String Quartet
[classical]
8 p.m., $30 (visit www.phoenixchambermusicsociety.org)
Camelback Bible Church, 3900 E. Stanford Dr., Paradise Valley, 602-955-6370.
--
SUNDAY, MARCH 30:
Big John Bates and the Voodoo Dollz
With Dexter Romweber Duo, & The Green Lady Killers
[rockabilly/swing]
7 p.m., $9 (visit www.rhythmroom.com)
Rhythm Room, 1019 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, 602-265-4842.
Chandler Symphony Orchestra
[classical]
3 p.m., donations suggested (visit www.chandlersymphony.org)
Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, 480-782-2680.
Emery
With Run Kid Run, Wavorly, Ruth, & A Current Affair
[Christian rock]
7 p.m., $15-$18 (visit www.ticketforce.com)
Southwestern College, 2625 E. Cactus Rd., Phoenix, 602-489-5300.
The Four Seasons Orchestra's "A Night in Vienna"
[classical]
3 p.m., $15-$19 (visit www.fourseasonsorchestra.org)
ASU Kerr Cultural Center, 6110 N. Scottsdale Rd., Paradise Valley, 480-596-2660.
Ken Medema
[classical]
4 p.m., $5-$35 (visit www.ticketforce.com)
Pinnacle Presbyterian Church, 25150 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale, 480-585-9448.
Phoenix Symphony Brass & Percussion Ensemble
[classical]
2 & 3 p.m., free (visit www.phoenixsymphony.org)
Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale, 480-312-7323.
Run with the Hunted
With Andrew Jackson Jihad, Deadair, Withdrawn, & Ready Resist
[rock/indie/folk]
7 p.m., $8 (visit www.ticketweb.com)
Modified Arts: 407 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, 602-462-5516.
White Denim
With What Laura Says
[rock/indie]
8:30 p.m., $8-$10 (visit www.luckymanonline.com)
Modified Arts, 407 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, 602-462-5516.
