6 Best Concerts in Phoenix This Weekend

Here are our picks for the best concerts in Phoenix this weekend. For more options, visit our comprehensive concert calendar.

See also: 8 Best Karaoke Bars in Phoenix

BoDeans - Saturday, March 7 - at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale

Rural folk rock bands like Goose Creek Symphony and Heartsfield helped set the stage for what later came to be known as "Heartland" rock, a distinctly Midwestern sound with just enough twang to put down roots, but enough grit to showcase the difficulties and complexities of farm belt, blue collar life. When Wisconsinites Kurt Neumann and Sam Llanas started the Bodeans this sound resonated with them. Yet, the Bodeans bent with the prevailing musical whims, keeping the core roots sound, but also dabbling in 1980s synthesizers and electronic drums, 1990s alternative, and 2000s heavy melodic rock. Again, the band--principal songwriter Neumann is the solo original member--never let go of the string that led them back home, as the previous and forthcoming albums prove. American Made (2011), the first without guitarist and vocalist Llanas, goes deep into the heartland, back to the earliest days of the band. I Can't Stop, arriving this April, is rootsy, folky, bluesy, and with just enough twang to still rock hard. It's a comfortable to musical armchair for Neumann. "I've always had an affinity for that guitar driven American sound," he says. GLENN BURNSILVER

Coal Chamber, Filter, Combichrist - Friday, March 6

Yup, all three of these bands are still around making music, despite the fact you might not have heard much from them since their turn-of-the-century heyday. Coal Chamber just released a new song, Filter began working on an album in late 2014, and Combichrist's latest release is less than a year old. Industrial/aggrotech fans are in for a treat.

The Sugar Thieves - Crescent Ballroom - Friday, March 7

The much-beloved blues band is releasing a live DVD, Sugar Thieves in the Raw, and this here's the celebration party. Get your blues dance moves in order. Joining the Thieves will be Japhy's Descent and Gunzawless.

Blues Blast - Saturday, March 8 - Margaret T. Hance Park

If you're a fan of blues music, particularly the kind proffered by local bands and artists, plan to spend part of this weekend soaking up some 12-bar down-home sounds in the great outdoors. The latest Blues Blast, the Valley's premier festival celebrating the genre, will be held on Saturday at Margaret T. Hance Park in downtown Phoenix and features a star studded lineup of locals and touring blues artists. This year's lineup includes local harmonica player Rick Estrin and his backing band the Nightcats, as well as The Plateros, The BluesHounds, R.D. Olson Blues Band, and artist Steve Rush. STAN BINDELL

Paint PHX Block Party - Saturday, March 7 - Roosevelt Street

The first Paint Phoenix In 2014 was a pretty killer event where artists gathered in downtown for three days to quite literally paint the town. But in their second go round they have decided to add in a day long block party, so artists and appreciators alike can congregate to paint the town red.

The musical lineup is a who's who of local headliners, featuring Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra, Drunken Immortals, Wooden Indian, and Pro Teens as well as Flagstaff-based Dragons. There will also be DJ performances by Just Chris, El Goonie, and Mic Cause of Drunken Immortals. JEFF MOSES

Whitechapel - Sunday, March 8 - Nile Theater

Six-piece deathcore act Whitechapel is seen as one of the pioneering forces in modern metal, offering up in-your-face aggression, dynamic, atmospheric melodies, and ever-evolving style on each record. Since 2006 the band has released only five records (the most recent was 2014's Our Endless War -- but their constant touring has ensured a fiercely loyal underground fan base, respect and recognition. According to vocalist Phil Bozeman, this last record truly opened the doors for the band to take their music to the next level. LAUREN WISE

Find any show in Metro Phoenix via our extensive online concert calendar.

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