The good news? It won’t last forever, so it’s best to find things to help pass the time while you wait out the heat. For instance, you could attend one of the many great concerts happening this week, like gigs by rapper Don Toliver, ska/pop band The Aquabats, and the oft-mocked rock act Nickelback. Other notable bands due in the Valley over the next few nights include hometown folk-punk heroes of AJJ, indie rock band Remember Sports and Ozzy Osbourne tribute act Mr. Crowley.
Read on for more details about each of these shows or check out Phoenix New Times' concert calendar for more live music happening from Monday, July 10, to Thursday, July 13.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Tuesday, July 11Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., TempeGod does not apportion his gifts equally. Consider the case of Jason Isbell. Not only is he one of his generation’s greatest songwriters, but he also has a talent for crafting pithy and memorable Tweets. Even if you’re not a fan of his Southern-fried song stylings, if you’ve spent any time on Twitter you’ve probably come across one of his clever riffs or ripostes online. The former Drive-By Trucker just can’t help cranking out adroit turns of phrases, even when there’s no music backing them up. Hailing from Alabama, Isbell draws inspiration from the vintage country music and soul that put his home on the map. He also often cites Neil Young as a musical hero, and you can hear a similar ragged sincerity to Isbell’s music. His latest album, 2023’s “Weathervanes,” finds him working more closely than ever with his backing band the 400 Unit. It almost feels like a group album at times, with Isbell generously ceding the spotlight to let the instrumental prowess of his collaborators take precedence over his lyrics (which remain as sharp and thoughtful as ever). With Deer Tick; 8 p.m., $80 via seetickets.us. Ashley Naftule
Remember Sports
Wednesday, July 12The Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School RoadDon’t let the name of this Philadelphia-based indie act throw you: Remember Sports has about as much to do with athletic competitions as emo band Modern Baseball has to do with America's pastime (that is to say, not much). Instead, Remember Sports delivers a refreshing and invigorating take on indie rock with tunes filled with raw energy and infectious hooks that are a spirited blend of punk, pop and lo-fi elements. Led by frontwoman and guitarist Carmen Perry (whose vocals recall Anna Waronker of That Dog or Louise Post of Veruca Salt), Remember Sports crafts indie anthems that resonate with the complexities of youth, relationships, and self-discovery. Their lyrics dive deep into introspection, vulnerability, and the pursuit of personal growth, while the band's tight musicianship and driving rhythms provide a captivating backdrop. With albums like "Sunchokes," "Slow Buzz" and 2021's "Like A Stone," Remember Sports showcases their knack for crafting irresistible melodies that linger long after the music fades. With Goon and Diners; 8 p.m., $17/$20 via seetickets.us. Benjamin Leatherman
Nickelback
Wednesday, July 12Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St.It’s officially not cool to hate Nickelback anymore. Even lead singer Chad Kroger has noticed; in a recent interview with Robin Nash of Tucson’s KFMA, he said, “I'm not sure if it's because we receive a ton of love on TikTok or whatever the hell it is, but for whatever reason the teeth have kind of been removed. … It's really nice to not be Public Enemy Number One.” So you can give in to your affinity for the Canadian rockers’ heartfelt tunes and buy a ticket to their July show at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix with no shame. With Brantley Gilbert and Josh Ross; $31-$258 via livenation.com. Jennifer Goldberg
AJJ
Wednesday, July 12Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. 2nd Ave.There are a small handful of acts that are definitively Arizona bands. Ask anyone across the country to name a group from the Valley of the Sun and you're most likely to hear Gin Blossoms, Meat Puppets, maybe Stevie Nicks. Folk-punk heroes AJJ also deserve to be on that shortlist. Just as people point to the Gin Blossoms as a symbol for the old days of Mill Avenue before it got gentrified into a belt of chain stores, AJJ will forever be the sound of downtown Phoenix before ASU and condo developers ruined everything. The original duo of singer/guitarist Sean Bonnette and bassist Ben Gallaty may no longer be full-time Arizona residents, but they still swing by almost every year to howl, strum and kick against the pricks some more. While the band's sound has deepened and gotten more complex over the years with the addition of Kevin Higuchi (drums), fellow Arizona expatriates Preston Bryant (keyboards/electric guitar) and Mark Glick (cello/baritone guitar) — particularly on their newly released album “Disposable Everything” — AJJ still play with the same scrappy tenacity that powered them from countless shows at The Trunk Space way back when. With Open Mike Eagle and Dogbreth; 8 p.m., $25/$30 via ticketweb.com. Ashley Naftule
The Aquabats
Thursday, July 13Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe With their golden-age comic book costumes, silly supervillains, and absurd song titles, The Aquabats are punk rawk's answer to GWAR. Only instead of promising the destruction of the known universe, the 'Bats are out to protect it. The superhero rock brigade got its start in 1994 in Huntington Beach, Calif., as a part of the resurgent ska wave that saw bands like Real Big Fish and Mighty Mighty Bosstones hit big. Beyond the trumpets and the 'tude, The Aquabats differentiated themselves from the ska pack with ridiculous-but-inspired lyrics about Martians, killer snakes and men born of powdered milk. Who doesn't love that? Over the years, though, the Bats have endured countless lineup changes (even Blink 182's Travis Barker picked up the sticks at one point), as well as enduring a dramatic shifting of the musical landscape. As a result, The Aquabats all but dropped the ska element from their music, replacing noisy brass and staccato rhythms with nerd-rock synthesizers and heavier guitar work. And oddly, the change seems to fit their personas as geeky defenders of the free world even better. With The Aggrolites and Left Alone; 7 p.m., $27.50-$60 via seeticketsus.com. Phoenix New Times
Micah Bentley
Thursday, July 13Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave. Micah Bentley never hides his spirituality. As the singer for the indie worship band Wild Earth and the worship arts pastor at Peoria's Axiom Church, he lets his beliefs take center stage. But he was also a young punk kid once, and those same undertones remain essential to his solo work. That includes albums like 2020’s “No Rivalry” LP, which offers a cutting indictment of our "toxic," self-absorbed culture. In "Scarcity," the album's big single, Bentley unites his worlds into a hazy, slow-burning folk tune that's rooted in a deep spiritual tradition while lambasting society's boundless greed. Amen to that, brother. Bentley’s latest hometown performance happens this week at Valley Bar. Locals Emby Alexander and Badlands open the evening. 7:30 p.m., $12/$15 via ticketweb.com. Chris Coplan
Mr. Crowley: The Ozzy Experience
Thursday, July 13Rhythm Room, 1019 E. Indian School RoadFans of Ozzy Osbourne were dealt a blow earlier this year when the godfather of metal announced he’d never tour again due to ongoing health issues. And while the members of tribute act Mr. Crowley can’t truly replicate the Ozzy experience live, they’ll do their damnedest to try. The California-based band, which draws its name from Osbourne’s 1981 song of the same name, offers a fantastic facsimile of Ozzy. Vocalist Dave Diaz mimics the music legend’s look and high-pitched singing voice perfectly while the rest of the band — including guitarist Mark Knapp, bassist Orion Lindemann, keyboard player Chris Turbis and drummer Mike Cancino — perform spot-on versions of such Ozzy and Black Sabbath tunes as “Crazy Train,” “Bark at the Moon,” and “War Pigs.” Just don’t expect Diaz to bite the heads off any doves during their show at the Rhythm Room this week. 8 p.m., $20/$25 via eventbrite.com. Benjamin Leatherman
Don Toliver
Thursday, July 13Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St.“We on a long road to self-destruction,” Don Toliver raps on “No Idea.” Buoyed by flutes, vibes and Caribbean-flavored beats, Toliver raps about a night of uninhibited hedonism with a blissed-out drawl. “No Idea” spotlights Toliver’s supple vocal dexterity: the Houston-based singer/rapper can shift on a dime from a Curtis Mayfield-esque falsetto to a more full-throated trap growl. The rapper came into prominence thanks to Travis Scott, who featured Toliver on his “Astroworld.” Following high-profile collaborations with Eminem and Wiz Khalifa, Toliver has released a few solo albums of his own, each of them marked by his eccentric singing style and sharp ear for interesting beats. Social media has been a particular boon for the rapper, whose profile was raised significantly by “No Idea” going viral on TikTok. Releasing his third album this year, "Love Sick" finds Toliver working with artists as varied as GloRilla, Kali Uchi, Justin Bieber and chillwave alumnus Toro y Moi. The album blurs the line between rap and R&B with Toliver playing the part of both smooth loverman and bragging roughneck, sometimes inhabiting both modes on the same song. With Pi'erre Bourne; 8 p.m., $75-$350 via livenation.com. Ashley Naftule
