Best Phoenix Concerts This Weekend: Lil Durk, Rob Zombie, Country Thunder

The Valley’s spring concert season is in full swing, and things couldn’t be busier. And the stretch from Friday, April 8, to Sunday, April 10, will be especially stacked with noteworthy shows.

In addition to all the big performances happening at Arizona Bike Week up in north Scottsdale and at Country Thunder Arizona down in Florence, this weekend’s concert calendar will feature plenty of great gigs.

Popular rappers Lil Durk and Baby Keem will both be in town on Friday night. Meanwhile, electro-funk duo Chromeo will perform a DJ set over at Walter Where?House. This weekend will also see local punkgrass band The Haymarket Squares reunite their original lineup, a free outdoor show by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and EDM artists like Krewella and JAUZ in the mix.

Details about each of these shows and events can be found below. And for even more live music happening around the Valley, visit Phoenix New Times’ online concert listings.

Country Thunder Arizona 2022 at Canyon Moon Ranch

After two years of pandemic-related delays and postponements, followed by a rare fall edition last October, Country Thunder is back to its original spot as a springtime event. The 2022 edition of the annual multiday country music festival, which draws thousands to the grounds of Canyon Moon Ranch, 20585 East Water Way in Florence, will feature such superstars as Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line, Chase Rice, Tracy Lawrence, and controversial artist Morgan Wallen. Others scheduled to perform at the festival from Friday, April 8, to Sunday, April 10, include Gabby Barrett, Sawyer Brown, Randy Houser, Lindsay Ell, Michael Ray, Jameson Rogers, Hardy, MacKenzie Porter, and Blanco Brown. General admission is $150 to $175 each day or $245 for the entire weekend. Benjamin Leatherman

Chromeo (DJ Set) at Walter Where?House

If you want to know what a Chromeo DJ set is like, there are a couple of routes you can take. You can live vicariously through others who have seen these makers of electro-funk and synth-y dance music rock a venue as turntable masters. Or, you just go have a damn real-life experience and check them out for yourself on Friday, April 8, at Walter Where?House, 702 North 21st Avenue. Chromeo is David Macklovitch and Patrick Gemayel, known respectively as Dave 1 and P-Thugg, who met while attending the same college in the '90s. In 2002, the friends began making music together and have since been layering amped-up beats with funk, rock, and soul sounds geared to inspire long, sweaty nights of dancing. Expect things to get funky — it’s a part of what this twosome does — and let these freaky, nu-disco dudes provide your Friday night soundtrack. The music starts at 9 p.m. and Jake Stellarwell of Recordbar Radio opens. Tickets are $10 to $30. Amy Young

Baby Keem at Marquee Theatre

After releasing his mixtape, The Sound of Bad Habit, in 2018, rapper Baby Keem's profile has only continued to grow, including landing on XXL's Freshman Class in 2020. He's collaborated with the likes of Kanye West, Travis Scott, and his cousin Kendrick Lamar. He's currently on tour in support of his debut studio album, The Melodic Blue, which brings him to Tempe’s Marquee Theatre, 730 North Mill Avenue, on Friday, April 8. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are only available through resellers. Ashley-Anna Aborenden

Rob Zombie at Arizona Bike Week

It seemed for a while like Rob Zombie was taking his film career more seriously than his music. However, his career as a gruesome horror amateur hasn't exactly elevated him to the level of George A. Romero or John Carpenter. Still, his yen for gory (albeit campy) schlock has helped made him a metal and hard rock icon over the past three decades and his influence has crossed over into other genres, inspiring up-and-coming rappers like Lil Uzi Vert and Rico Nasty. Zombie’s most recent album, 2021’s The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy, even topped Billboard's Top Rock Albums and Hard Rock Albums charts shortly after its release. He’s set to perform at WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 North Pima Road, at 9 p.m. on Friday, April 8, during a headlining concert at the annual Arizona Bike Week. Tickets are $56. Matthew Keever

Lil Durk at Arizona Federal Theatre

Rapper Lil Durk has been the longest-lasting champion of the drill scene that came out of Chicago. His latest album, 7220, released in March, gives us a new chapter in the legacy of the Chicago MC. The drill scene was a sound of the youth of Chicago and many of the artists that came out of that scene were very young when they found themselves in the public eye. At 29, Lil Durk has more years in the game than most his age. The 18 songs featured on 7220 offer a slew of first-rate features (like Future, Gunna, and Summer Walker), including a surprising appearance by country music star Morgan Wallen (who was embroiled in controversy after being caught on video using the N-word) on the track “Broadway Girls.” (The rapper stated on a recent episode of The Full Send Podcast that he doesn’t believe Wallen is racist.) It’s just one of the ways Durk continues flexing on the world. His tour in support of 7220 will hit Arizona Federal Theatre, 400 West Washington Street, on Friday, April 8. The gig starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $39.50 to $79.50. Jeff Kinni

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus at Tempe Marketplace

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’ debut album Don’t You Fake It reached platinum status in 2016, a decade after its release. Supported by the singles “Face Down,” “False Pretense” and “Your Guardian Angel,” the Florida rockers rose to stardom. Since then, TRJA has released a total of five albums, most recently 2018’s The Awakening. Fans of emotive rock can see the band in-person during a free show at Tempe Marketplace, 2000 East Rio Salado Parkway, on Saturday, April 9. Outsiders and This Modern open the 7 p.m. show, which will take place at the outdoor mall’s District Stage. Matthew Keever

Los Tigres del Norte at Arizona Federal Theatre

This San Jose-based group of brothers are one of the largest and most beloved musical ensembles to come out of the Mexican norteño genre. Over the last four decades, Los Tigres Del Norte has released more than 50 albums, selling over 30 million copies, and have contributed greatly to the modernization of corridos, the classic Mexican ballad. Whether they sing songs of lovers torn apart by family quarrels, songs of heartbreak, or the ballads of those caught up in the illegal drug trade, everyone inside Arizona Federal Theatre, 400 West Washington Street, will be singing along to Los Tigres during their concert on Saturday, April 9. Tickets for the 8 p.m. concert are $82.50 and up. Julian Hernandez

Journey at Gila River Arena

Now fronted by Filipino singer Arnel Pineda, classic rock band Journey will headline a night of soft rock on Saturday, April 9, at Gila River Arena, 9400 West Maryland Avenue, with a little help from TOTO. Founded in 1973 by former members of Santana's and Steve Miller's backing bands, Journey saw its biggest commercial success with singer Steve Perry between 1978 and 1987. During that time, Journey had 19 songs in the top 40 — the biggest being the inescapable "Don't Stop Believin'." Original guitarist Neal Schon and longtime multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Cain remain at the band's helm, while their 21st-century members have taken over the rhythm section. Pineda has been the band's lead singer since 2007 and has been praised for his vocal range, which has been likened to Perry's. The band's setlist will include classic Journey songs in addition to cuts from the band's 2022 release Freedom. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. concert are $55 to $780. David Fletcher

Ed Schrader's Music Beat at Yucca Tap Room

This minimalist, post-punk/art-rock duo from Baltimore careens wildly between styles. Most listeners probably discover Ed Schrader's Music Beat from its song "Sermon," which appears on a terrifying episode of Adult Swim's Infomercials show called "Unedited Footage of a Bear," on which a woman takes an allergy pill and reality as she knows it ceases to exist. Get ready to declare your disinterest in the better interest and attend their gig on Saturday, April 9, at Tempe’s Yucca Tap Room, 29 West Southern Avenue. Locals Dadadoh and Daphne and the Glitches open the 7:30 p.m. gig. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. John Bear

Krewella at Sunbar Tempe

Krewella is a sister duo that hails from Houston whose with far-reaching multicultural backgrounds find their way into its sound. The pair's electro-pop music swept onto the scene in 2012; this year saw the release of a third studio album, The Body Never Lies. The duo also emphasizes philanthropy and sustainable fashion, exclusively donning thrifted clothes or pieces made from recycled materials. They’re scheduled to take over the sound system at Tempe’s nightclub Sunbar, 24 West Fifth Street, on Saturday, April 9. Madgrrl, Fairydvst, and Zule will open the evening at 9 p.m. Tickets are $23. Mary Gibson

Lynyrd Skynyrd at Arizona Bike Week

Technically, Lynyrd Skynyrd hasn't existed since 1977, when Ronnie Van Zant and several other band members died tragically in a plane crash. Nevertheless, Ronnie's younger brother Johnny Van Zant has insisted on keeping the band touring pretty consistently since 1987. Only one of the founding members, guitarist Gary Rossington, is still with the band, and nothing the second-generation version has done could even approach the band's original work, like "Simple Man," "Gimme Three Steps" or "Sweet Home Alabama." As such, there is really no reason to see Lynyrd Skynyrd live for the music — your records at home will sound much better — but there's no better people-watching than at a show like their performance on Saturday, April 9, during Arizona Bike Week at WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 North Pima Road. Lynyrd Skynyrd appeals to a certain rowdy type of crowd, so you'd better be ready to duck some elbows, drink some beer, and witness other wild antics during what’s likely to be a memorable performance. The Christopher Shayne Band opens at 6:30 p.m. and Lynyrd Skynyrd will take the stage at 9 p.m. Tickets are $57. Amy McCarthy

The Haymarket Squares at Last Exit Live

To paraphrase the legendary Mark Twain, rumors of the Haymarket Squares’ demise have been greatly exaggerated. While it's been a couple of years since the local "punkgrass" band last performed, owing to the pandemic and factors, they aren't ready to hang up their instruments just yet. This weekend, the Haymarket Squares will bring together its original lineup of guitarist/banjo player John Luther Norris, mandolin player Mark Sunman, bassist Marc Oxborrow, and slide guitarist Mark Allred for a show on Sunday, April 10, at Last Exit Live, 717 South Central Avenue. Expect the Squares to provide their usual high-energy set, which will mix punk attitude, sociopolitical righteousness, four-part harmonies, and bluegrass stylings. The end results? A "moshpit hoedown” and one of this weekend's "can't miss" concerts. Doors open at 7 p.m. and The Blood Feud Family Singers and The Pubes provide opening sets. Admission is $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Benjamin Leatherman

Big D and the Kids Table at Yucca Tap Room

Big D and the Kids Table has been at the skanking game for more than two decades. Formed in 1995 at the height of the Third Wave ska revival, the Boston group wound up, ironically enough, finding its biggest success long after ska became little more than a punchline to most listeners. The joke, though, is on the haters: Packed with elastic horn riffs, lung-popping sing-alongs, and a high ratio of bounce per ounce, Big D's anthems are a welcome blast of pure fun in an age of crappy dance-punk and self-important indie rock. The nine-member ensemble is touring behind their latest full-length, Do Your Art, which was released last year on SideOneDummy Records, and are due at Yucca Tap Room, 29 West Southern Avenue in Tempe, on Sunday, April 10. The Maxies and Left Alone open the 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets are $18 in advance, $22 at the door. Jason Heller

Trace Bundy at Musical Instrument Museum

Trace Bundy has quietly been going about his business as a musician for more than two decades. But, really, calling him a musician doesn't quite do justice to what the guy does with a guitar. With a pioneering finger-style technique that incorporates up to five capos across various strings of his guitar at once, Bundy displays a mastery of the instrument that's second to none. Great music gets discovered regardless of where in the world it originates. Such is the case with Bundy, who's quickly being welcomed into the pantheon of guitar greats through his amazing YouTube clips in which he applies his signature style to songs ranging from his own highly technical and gorgeous original compositions to cover songs from the likes of Eminem and Guns N' Roses to new and inventive versions of baroque classical music standards. Bundy will show off his guitar mastery on Sunday, April 10, at the Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 East Mayo Boulevard. His performance starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $35.50 to $41.50. Dutch Seyfarth

Wallows at The Van Buren

Since 2017, the Los Angeles-based band Wallows has won over many a teenaged fan with its brand of surf rock-inspired tunes. Although it’s been a few years, the trio of Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters, and Cole Preston will return to the Valley for a gig on Sunday, April 10, at The Van Buren, 401 West Van Buren Street. Wallows has been touring consistently since the release of its debut LP, Nothing Happens, in March 2019. With two more albums (2020’s Remote and this year’s Tell Me That It's Over) under their belts, the band now has an assortment of original songs to choose from while curating set lists. Their show at the Van Buren starts at 8 p.m. and Spill Tab and Jordana will open. Tickets are $35 to $125. Katherine Wong

JAUZ at Maya Dayclub

DJ and producer Sam Vogel, better known as JAUZ, creates a genre-bending blend of trap, bass house, and dubstep has since launched him into the EDM stratosphere. He founded his own label-slash-collective, Bite This, in November 2017, releasing singles from rising British bassline producers Holy Goof and ATRIP, future house duo Loge21, and “digital renegade” duo Pixel Terror. He releases his own music on Bite This Too, including debut studio album The Wise and the Wicked. This weekend, local EDM events promoter Relentless Beats will be bringing him to Maya Dayclub, 7333 East Indian Plaza in Scottsdale, for an afternoon pool party. Gates open at noon and tickets are $45. Elle Carroll