You can also feel a sense of awe when witnessing the talent and artistry of soul band Durand Jones and the Indications or singer-songwriter Raveen take the stage at local music venues.
Read on for details about each of these shows and others happening from Monday, May 23, to Thursday, May 26, or click over to Phoenix New Times’ online concert calendar for more live music in the Valley this week.
Slaughter Beach, Dog
Monday, May 23Valley Bar, 130 North Central AvenueWhat initially started out as Jake Ewald's attempt to break through his writer’s block has now blossomed into Slaughter Beach, Dog, his emo-tinged indie-rock band built on more mature songwriting and healthier living. After his other rock project Modern Baseball went on an undefined hiatus, Ewald turned his focus toward the solo project titled Slaughter Beach in 2015, which eventually became Slaughter Beach, Dog. By learning to feel comfortable drawing inspiration from the real world and his imagination alike, Ewald solved his writer’s block and took an important step along his songwriting journey. With four studio albums, a pair of EPs, and new music on the way, things seem to be going just fine for Ewald. The band is due at Valley Bar on Monday with support from Trace Mountains and Anika Pyle. The show is at 8 p.m. and tickets are $17. Ben Wiese
Levi Platero
Monday, May 23Rhythm Room, 1019 East Indian School RoadBlues guitarist and vocalist Levi Platero spent a decade playing in his family’s namesake band, The Plateros. After that, the Navajo Nation-born musician did a one-year stint with the Indigenous Blues Band. Since those days, he’s launched his solo career, showing off his guitar mastery and bringing classic and modern blues styles to life with laidback ease. Catch him in concert on Monday night at 8 p.m. at the Rhythm Room. Admission to the 21-and-over show is $20 at the door. Amy Young
Raveena
Tuesday, May 24Crescent Ballroom, 308 North Second AvenueRaveena Aurora, best known by the mononym Raveena, plays R&B tinged with jazz, soul, and both South Asian and Indian influences. The subject matter of her first two albums focused on subjects that deeply personal to the singer-songwriter. On 2017’s Shanti EP, she focused on the idea of self-love from the perspective of being a woman of color. Her 2019 debut album Lucid touched upon spirituality, relationships, and dealing with trauma. Aurora’s newly released sophomore album, Asha’s Awakening, veers in a completely different direction altogether and heads into the cosmos. The 15-track project is a fantastical affair that infuses Bollywood elements and is told from the perspective of a Punjabi space princess traveling through various periods in time. Experience it for yourself when Aurora brings her tour in support of the album to Crescent Ballroom on Tuesday. Fana Hues opens the 8 p.m. show. Tickets start at $25. Benjamin Leatherman
Yngwie Malmsteen
Tuesday, May 24Marquee Theatre, 730 North Mill Avenue, TempeSince Yngwie Malmsteen burst onto the scene in 1984 with his Grammy-nominated debut album, Rising Force, critics have struggled to define his unique brand of rock. The Swedish-born guitarist's music is predominantly instrumental. His searing, lightning-fast guitar licks, dubbed “shredding,” would generally be labeled heavy metal. But what makes it distinctive is the classical composition. Many guitarists have attempted to mirror Malmsteen’s inimitable technique, and countless websites are dedicated to breaking it down. His arrangements are more complex than those created on the typical pentatonic scale that forms the basis of much rock music. Despite ranking on Time’s "10 Greatest Electric-Guitar Players," selling more than 25 million albums, and having a signature Fender Stratocaster guitar named after him, Malmsteen never joined a big-name band. He continues to tour solo and comes to the Valley this week. Tickets for his upcoming gig at Tempe’s Marquee Theatre, which starts at 8 p.m. are $28. Wendy Rhodes
MewithoutYou
Tuesday, May 24The Van Buren, 401 West Van Buren StreetMewithoutYou, the Philadelphia post-hardcore band has channeled Cursive-style riffs dominated by singer Aaron Weiss' deeply introspective lyrics for more than two decades. His lyrics, sung in a warbling vocal style and punctuated by labyrinthine fables, are rife with religious and literary references, drawn from everything from the Bhagavad Gita to Kurt Vonnegut. The group's sophomore release, 2004's Catch for Us the Foxes, climbed to number 20 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and amassed a considerably cultish fanbase. The band has toured with Tegan and Sara, New Found Glory, and Brand New and collaborated with Forgive Durden, Norma Jean, Hayley Williams of Paramore, and Jeremy Enigk of Sunny Day Real Estate. This week, they’ll make their final visit to the Valley when their farewell tour comes to The Van Buren on Tuesday night. Doors open at 7 p.m. and Tigers Jaw opens. Tickets are $30 to $35. Troy Farah
New Kids On the Block
Wednesday, May 25Footprint Center, 201 East Jefferson StreetOfficially, NKOTB’s latest cross-country jaunt is known as The Mixtape Tour, but you might as well call it The Guilty Pleasures Tour, given it also features English singer-songwriter Rick Astley, the inspiration for millions of Rickrolls over the past 16 years. Female rap duo Salt-N-Pepa and R&B/pop vocal group En Vogue round out the bill. Tickets are $24.95 to $154.95. Benjamin Leatherman
Durand Jones and the Indications
Thursday, May 26 The Van Buren, 401 West Van Buren StreetSaxophonist and vocalist Durand Jones and the members of the Indications have been serving up a new take on old-school soul since 2012. The five-piece ensemble, which features brass, synthesizer, piano, and organ, backs up Jones’ smooth crooning with funky grooves and a lush sound. NME calls it "perfectly polished, escapist soul,” while Pitchfork lauded Jones and company for their ability to “translate classic soul for this moment.” However you describe it, their tunes are likely to get you dancing the band brings its Cruisin’ the Park Tour with La Doña and are due at the Van Buren on May 26. Doors are at 6 p.m. and tickets are sold out, which means you’ll have to hit up the secondary market. Benjamin Leatherman
