Best Phoenix Concerts This Week: Jim Brickman, Decadence Arizona, Sublime with Rome

Up for seeing a show this week? Even though the holiday hangover will cause a bit of a slowdown in the concert scene, there will be “can’t miss” gigs by Sublime With Rome and Jim Brickman happening from now until New Year’s Eve, not to mention the first night of electronic dance music festival Decadence Arizona.

Read on for more details about each of these gigs or check out Phoenix New Times' online concert listings for more music events. It’s worth noting that COVID-19 cases are surging again because of the ultra-contagious Omicron variant. If you’re considering going to a concert, keep in mind that multiple local venues require proof of vaccinations or a recent negative test result to attend shows. More info can be found on the ticketing sites for each concert.

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas at Gammage Auditorium

Like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Mannheim Steamroller are best known for concert spectacles in which classical music and standards are rockified for the holiday season. Originally concocted as an alias for record producer/composer Chip Davis, the band are now a 24-member group supplemented by a full live orchestra. They’re wrapping up this year’s holiday tour and will roll into ASU’s Gammage Auditorium, 1200 South Forest Avenue in Tempe, on Tuesday, December 28. You’ll hear an array of holiday hits from the Christmas album, first released by Davis in 1984, which will be accentuated by multimedia effects. Think of it as a way to keep the Christmas festivities going a little longer. The performance is at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $40.50 to $125.50. Eric W. Saeger

Jim Brickman at Musical Instrument Museum

If you didn’t get your fill of holiday revelry and merriment during the past few weeks, adult contemporary singer-songwriter and pianist Jim Brickman will bring his Grammy-nominated talents and Yuletide showcase (a.k.a “The Gift of Christmas”) to the Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 East Mayo Boulevard, for a multiple-night stint this week. Expect to hear plenty of seasonal standards and several tunes of his own (including “The Gift,” “Sending You A Little Christmas,” “Angel Eyes” and “If You Believe”). Performances are at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 29, and at 6 and 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 30. Tickets are $49.50 to $69.50. Benjamin Leatherman

Decadence Arizona 2021 (Night One) at Rawhide Event Center

One of the biggest New Year’s Eve events in the Valley, especially with the electronic dance music crowd, isn't necessarily found in any club or local nightspot. Instead, it's out at Rawhide Event Center, 5700 West North Loop Road in Chandler, during the annual Decadence Arizona festival, which boasts an enormous selection of superstar DJs, producers, and EDM artists performing for crowds of thousands across two nights. After taking a pandemic-related pause last year, the event returns for its 2021 edition this week. The first night on Thursday, December 30, kicks off at 6 p.m. and will include sets by Alesso, Seven Lions, Alison Wonderland, DJ Snake, Chris Lake, Kaskade, Madeon, Nora En Pure, Purple Disco Machin, and others. General admission is $109 to $199 and VIP tickets are $249 to $999. Benjamin Leatherman

Sublime with Rome at Marquee Theatre

If you’re unsure about attending either of Sublime with Rome’s shows on Thursday, December 31, or Friday, December 31, at Marquee Theatre, 730 North Mill Avenue, ask yourself, “WWBND?” (What would Bradley Nowell do?) Nowell, along with bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh founded Sublime back in the late 1980s in Long Beach, California, where the trio developed a unique sound that we now know and love, a masterful blending of ska and punk. Sadly, Nowell struggled with addiction and died from a heroin overdose in 1996, resulting in the group’s disbanding after releasing just three studio albums. Their final, self-titled album cemented Sublime’s place in music history with massive hits such as “What I Got,” “Santeria” and “Wrong Way,” which still fill radio waves today. Over three decades and one lawsuit later, Sublime lives on under the moniker Sublime With Rome, fronted by the eponymous Rome Ramirez on vocals and guitar, Carlos Verdugo on drums, and original Sublime member Wilson. Tickets for the 8:30 p.m. shows start at $50.50 to $175. Local bands Katastro, The Irie, and Jahlos and the Rebels open the evening. Chelsey Norris