Noteworthy acts like the sisters of pop-rock band Haim, punk group The Menzingers, rapper Dizzy Wright, and post-punk revivalists Interpol all have gigs scheduled in the Valley during the four-night stretch from Monday, April 25, to Thursday, April 28. Others due in town this week include indie favorites like Spaceface and Hot Flash Heat Wave, rock icon Ace Frehley, blues and roots legend Keb’ Mo’, and country superstar Cody Johnson.
Buckle up, y’all. It’s going to be a busy week.
Details about each of these shows can be found below. And for more live music happening in the Valley, check out Phoenix New Times’ online concert listings.
Hot Flash Heat Wave
Monday, April 25The Rebel Lounge, 2303 East Indian School RoadUnlike an actual heatwave, this San Francisco quartet are actually a pleasant and refreshing take on the dreamlike indie rock of today. Hot Flash Heat Wave are touring for their latest album, Sportswear, bringing along NoCal indie band Small Crush and Portland lo-fi pop duo Reptaliens. At times feeling like music to a trippy late '90s internet instructional video, Hot Flash Heat Wave bring out their inner R&B grooves on their songs. Their show at the Rebel Lounge is definitely the perfect place to spend a school night. Doors are at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15. Julian Hernandez
The Menzingers
Monday, April 25Crescent Ballroom, 308 North Second AvenueFormed in 2006, The Menzingers consist of Tom May and Greg Barnett (both sharing guitar/vocal duties), Joe Godino (drums), and Eric Keen (bass). Not a lot of bands can pull off having two frontmen without it turning into some nasty power struggle (case in point: Husker Du), but The Menzingers pull it off gracefully. And few bands benefit from having two songwriters working at the peak of their craft. They’ve released seven albums so far, including 2019’s Hello Exile and its 2020 follow-up, From Exile. The Menzingers are due at Crescent Ballroom on, Monday, April 25, with support from Oso Oso and Sincere Engineer. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are only available on the secondary market. Ashley Naftule
Haim
Monday, April 25Arizona Federal Theatre, 400 West Washington StreetPerhaps best known for their retro sound, Haim boasts an aptitude for quite a few other genres as well. Sisters Este, Danielle, and Alana incorporate elements of rock and roll, R&B, and even synth-pop into their beguiling tunes, which have drawn favorable comparisons to the likes of Fleetwood Mac. And, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past six months, you’re no doubt aware that Alana played a prominent role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Oscar-nominated flick Licorice Pizza, which is set in the early ‘70s and fed into the same sort retro vibe in Haim’s music. It’s not the only positive experience the Haim sisters had last year, as their most recent album, 2020’s Women In Music Part III, was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards. In other words, it’s a good time to be a Haim. The sisters will perform at Arizona Federal Theatre this week with singer-songwriter Buzzy Lee (a.k.a. Sasha Spielberg), who opens the 8 p.m. concert. Tickets are $39.50 to $65. Matthew Keever and Benjamin Leatherman
Ace Frehley
Tuesday, April 26Marquee Theatre, 730 North Mill Avenue, TempeAre you tired of Gene Simmons grabbing all the glory when it comes to capitalizing on the insane success of KISS? What about the other members of the band? They deserve more, if not most, of the credit for taking the band of makeup-wearing musicians to such lofty heights. Guitarist Ace Frehley not only helped shape the sound that made KISS a juggernaut of rock 'n' roll starting in the mid-1970s, he’s also carved out his own solo career starting in 1987 with his first post-KISS project, Frehley’s Comet, followed by three solo albums in between KISS reunions. Frehley’s latest solo album, Origins Vol. 2, is the focus of his current tour, which includes a stop at the Marquee on Tuesday. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets start at $32.50. Danny Gallagher
Brujeria
Tuesday, April 26The Nile Theater, 105 West Main Street, MesaThis Los Angeles band of bandanna-masked musicians have spent 32 years spinning twisted death-metal tales of drug-fueled chaos and violence, dating back to their early days featuring members of Fear Factory, Faith No More, and Napalm Death. Vocalist/lyricist Juan Brujo and bassist Pat Hoed have remained constant links between Brujeria’s formation and their current incarnation. The band’s all-Spanish concoctions still rely on a balance of musical heaviness and lyrical irreverence, but the urgency of Brujeria’s insanity has been re-energized by the current political landscape. Their show at the Nile on Tuesday night starts at 6 p.m. with opening sets by Goatwhore, Unidad Trauma, and Six Million Dead. Admission is $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Jason Roche
The Offspring
Wednesday, April 27Arizona Federal Theatre, 400 West Washington StreetIt's been nearly 25 years since the Offspring first kicked sand in the face of pop music. Some folks called the SoCal kids punks; others said they weren't hard enough. But no one disputed the fact that what the band brought to the mosh pit bloodied many a nose. Most folks remember the Offspring's Smash, the 1995 album that produced the hits "Come out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated)" and "Self-Esteem." Those two singles helped make Smash the biggest-selling independent LP of all time. Still, though, that was hardly the peak of the Offspring's career. Even more fans came onboard in 1998 for Americana, which produced a trilogy of neo-punk pop classics: "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)," "The Kids Aren't Alright," and "Why Don't You Get a Job?" Fast-forward to today and the Offspring are touring behind Let the Bad Times Roll, their 10th studio album, with support from Radkey. They're due at Arizona Federal Theatre on Wednesday. Tickets for the 8 p.m. concert are $49.50 to $169.50. John Hood
Spaceface
Wednesday, April 27Last Exit Live, 717 South Central AvenueMemphis-born band Spaceface have been around since 2011, playing infectiously catchy tunes in the self-described genre of “retro-futurist dream rock.” They’ve got a few ties to The Flaming Lips: bassist Matthew Strong is one of their guitar techs, guitarist Jake Ingalls was a member up until last year, and they recorded Spaceface’s 2014 self-titled LP at Wayne Coyne’s Pink Floor studio. Strong and Ingalls also takes a page or two from the Flaming Lips’ over-the-top performance aesthetic, as Spaceface shows have included pillow fights, lasers shooting from guitars, and hundreds of LED lights. You can experience the spectacle for yourself when Spaceface comes to Last Exit Live for a midweek show in support of their recently released second album, Anemoia. Doors are at 7 p.m. and Anchorbaby and Weekend Lovers will also perform. Tickets are $13 to $15. Benjamin Leatherman
Keb’ Mo’
Thursday, April 28Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 East Second Street, ScottsdaleAlthough he is often described as a blues musician, Kevin Moore – better known as Keb' Mo' – is far from a purist in the tradition of Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and Howlin' Wolf. Such a distinction is a good thing, as Mo' has served as a link between those legendary figures and a more contemporary, soul-influenced style of blues. Songs like "The Worst is Yet to Come" and "Do it Right" are well-played, slickly produced, and easily digestible mixtures of pop, rock, and blues that go well with sitting on the couch and throwing back some cold ones. His show at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $55 to $85. Darryl Smyers
DakhaBrakha
Thursday, April 28Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 East Mayo BoulevardUkrainian band DakhaBrakha offers a high level of musical and visual stimulation, turning a world-based palette of regional folk music into hypnotic, trance-inducing mystic revelations. The percussion-heavy quartet formed in 2004 at the Kyiv Center of Contemporary Art through avant-garde theater director Vladyslav Troitskiy, leading to ornate costumes featuring tall hats, long braids, and bangles extending to the colorfully patterned drums and instruments. Intoxicating, yes, but it's the music — the triple harmonies and cross-cut vocals of Iryna Kovalenko, Olena Tsibulska, and Nina Garenetska, bolstered by Marko Halanevych's impassioned singing with darbuka, tabla, didjeridoo, accordion, and trombone accompaniment — that truly captivates. In light of Russia’s current invasion of Ukraine, DakhaBrakha’s music has never been more relevant. Performances on their current tour have included projected video backdrops featuring scenes of a war-ravaged Ukraine while members comment between songs about what their homeland is enduring. And there will be collections taken during their show this week at the MIM to benefit charities aiding Ukraine. The show is at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $44.50 to $54.50. Glenn BurnSilver and Benjamin Leatherman
Dizzy Wright
Thursday, April 28The Rebel Lounge, 2303 East Indian School RoadDizzy Wright is touring behind his latest release, Dizzyland, and no one should miss his stop at the Rebel Lounge on Thursday. He’s been putting out records since 2012, when he dropped his mixtape Smokeout Conversations. Wright collaborated with DJ Hoppa on Dizzyland and songs like "Promoter" show off the rapper’s playful nature and well-developed lyrical dexterity. It’s artists like Dizzy Wright who prove hip-hop today is as powerful and vibrant as ever. Doors are at 7:30 p.m. and Izzo and J Forte share the bill. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Jeff Kinni
Interpol
Thursday, April 28Marquee Theatre, 730 North Mill Avenue, TempeFor their upcoming album, The Other Side of Make-Believe, post-punk revival band Interpol wanted to show themselves in a new light, turning to producers Flood and Alan Moulder, who have collectively worked on releases by U2, The Smashing Pumpkins, PJ Harvey, Nine Inch Nails, The Killers, and others. The band spent the first year of the pandemic collaborating remotely from three countries: drummer Sam Fogarino was in Athens, Georgia; singer/guitarist Paul Banks in Scotland and guitarist Daniel Kessler in Spain. After communicating by email to send files and ideas to each another, the band was finally able to get together in a secluded Catskills studio more than a year after the pandemic’s onset. Touring in support of the album, Interpol comes to the Marquee on Monday. Producers TYCHO and Matthew Dear open the 8 p.m. show. Tickets are $50. David Fletcher
Cody Johnson
Thursday, April 28Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 North Center Street, MesaEast Texas native. Amateur bull rider. The Next George Strait. That last one may be hyperbole, but plenty of folks have made the claim. George or no, Cody Johnson's eight studio albums have garnered him quite the reputation in the country music scene. In 2019, he signed with Warner Music Nashville, which has released his last two albums, including last year’s Human: The Double Album. Fans with a hankerin' for some heartfelt country can catch Johnson's outdoor concert on Thursday at Mesa Amp. Elvie Shance and Kylie Frey will open. Gates are at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are $45 to $75. Matthew Keever
