Comedy metal act Mac Sabbath will be in town on Friday to serve up their jokey blend of costumes and music at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe. They’ll share a bill with the Valley’s Ned Flanders-themed metalcore band Okilly Dokilly and the weirdos of Playboy Manbaby. Meanwhile, A Claire Slattery will be spinning up Tay Tay’s biggest hits at The Van Buren that same night.
Other highlights of this weekend’s concert calendar include a free show from Circa Survive, a DJ session by Exos, a gig by hip-hop star YBN Cordae, and this year’s Disrupt Festival rolling through town.
Details about each of these shows and music events can be found below. And for even more live music happening around the Valley, hit up Phoenix New Times' online concert calendar.
Inna Vision
Friday, July 26Last Exit Live
It's not too often that a band from Hawaii make a national impression as big as Inna Vision have over the past decade or so. The state's geographical isolation makes touring and promotion all the more difficult. However, this hasn't stopped the reggae maestros from striking gold. On their perpetual quest to spread positive aloha vibes to the mainland, the group have played in over 100 cities, recorded four full-length albums and five EPs, and has consistently cracked the iTunes Top 10 charts. They're back out on the road in support of their latest release, Link Up, a collection of reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop that should leave those in attendance at Inna Vision's Friday night show at Last Exit bopping along with joy. The show starts at 9 p.m. Tickets are $12 to $15. Jeff Strowe
Exos
Friday, July 26One One Bar in Tempe
Iceland has exported more than its fair share of great musicians over the years, including such immense talents as Sigur Ros, Of Monsters and Men, and Ólafur Arnalds. Legendary DJ/producer Exos also deserves inclusion on that list, since he’s been creating innovative techno artistry for decades. For those who aren’t familiar with his lengthy career, Exos has been in the mix since the mid-’90s when he got into the beat business in his home country in his teens, releasing his first EP on Thule Records at the age of 17.
Over the course of 20 vinyl releases, three albums, and numerous singles and releases, Exos specializes in crafting a deep, minimal, and almost elemental style of techno filled with eccentric thrums and beats. Or, as one fan on YouTube described, it’s something you’d want to listen to “in a cave on an alien planet.” Thankfully, you’ll only have to journey to Tempe to hear an Exos set (instead of across the cosmos) as he’s scheduled to perform on Friday night at Mill Avenue nightclub One One Bar. Local DJs Aztech, D-fault, and JT4 will open the evening, which starts at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 online in advance or $15 at the door. Benjamin Leatherman
Taylor Swift Night
Friday, July 26The Van Buren
You may have heard that T Swizzle’s new album, Lover, isn’t coming out until August. If the anticipation is killing you, dance it all away at Taylor Swift Night on Friday at The Van Buren. DJ A Claire Slattery will be spinning everything from “You Belong With Me” to the anthemic “We Are Never Getting Back Together.” To paraphrase the song “22,” this sounds like the perfect night to dress up like hipsters, make fun of your exes, and hit the dance floor. Shake it off starting at 10 p.m. Admission for this 18-and-over event is $8 to $12. Jason Keil
Gipsy Kings
Friday, July 26Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino in Chandler
If nothing else, the Gipsy Kings hold the distinction of being the soundtrack to one of the great moments in comedic history. If you've never seen The Big Lebowski, you should stop what you're doing right now and change that. But those sane souls who have seen the Coen Brothers classic will remember the scene we're talking about. The immortal Jesus Quintana pulls up his purple socks, grabs a bowling ball, sensually teasing it with his reptilian tongue, then rolls a sultry strike — all in glorious slow motion. "Fuckin' Quintana," The Dude says. "That creep can roll, man."
The scene is perfect and hilarious in every way, but the glue holding the whole thing together is the Gipsy Kings' flamenco rendition of "Hotel California." Formed in the south of France in 1978, Gipsy Kings come from a Spanish Romani heritage. With 13 studio albums and a pair of live records to their name, the Gipsy Kings seek to use new technologies to distribute their old-world sounds. They’ll be in concert at 8 p.m. on Friday night at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler. Tickets are $57.50 to $107.50. David Rolland
Mac Sabbath, Okilly Dokilly, and Playboy Manbaby
Friday, July 26Marquee Theatre in Tempe
Get a load of these clowns — and in this case, we mean that as a term of endearment. Led by none other than clown prince of metal Ronald Osbourne, this deep-fried take on Black Sabbath have been serving up artfully done parodies of the original heavy metal act since 2014. They'll be kicking off their latest tour in Tempe with the help of two equally goofy Phoenix-area favorites. First off, Head Ned and the rest of the gang from Okilly Dokilly, the Simpsons-themed metalcore band who recently made it onto the show itself, will add another parody band to the bill. Next up, the absolute weirdos in Playboy Manbaby will be the second group at the show to rep the Valley. This show, which starts at 6:30 p.m., is going to be a perfect storm of hardcore music, absurd antics, and local love. Tickets are $15 to $35. Douglas Markowitz
