Nickelback, Tori Amos and the best concerts in Phoenix this July

Let's face it, July is a miserable time to be in Phoenix. It's arguably the hottest stretch of the summer, with temperatures topping out at 110 or higher. So we don't blame you for wanting to spend the next few weeks holed away in some air-conditioned structure.

That said, if you do decide to become a hermit, you're going to miss out on some great concerts. Top-tier artists and acts are all coming to the valley over the next several weeks, including such names as Nickelback, Tori Amos, Bryan Adams, Morgan Wallen, Peso Pluma, Louis Tomlinson and Don Toliver.

The choice is up to you: Spend your summer strapped to an AC or withstand a sweaty evening attending a memorable concert. If you're up for the latter option, check out the following list of concert picks for July. (You can also hit up Phoenix New Times’ concert calendar for even more live music happening around the Valley.)

Jimmy Webb

Thursday, July 6 and Friday, July 7
Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd.

A consummate songwriter of such iconic hits as "MacArthur Park," Up, Up and Away," "Galveston," Wichita Lineman" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," Jimmy Webb is set to bring his intimate solo show to the Musical Instrument Museum in July. He’s admitted there’s always some added expectation and anticipation whenever he performs in the Valley as popular Phoenix resident Glen Campbell scored some of his biggest hits with Webb-composed compositions. That said, while the material Webb plays will be familiar, it won't be the typical version the audience hears. Instead, he tends to perform the songs alone at the piano as he initially intended them to be played — before musicians and producers rearranged them. Take for example, "Galveston," a song about a disenfranchised Vietnam vet. Webb wrote the song to be slow, aching and painful. Campbell scored a huge hit by speeding up the song. Suffice it to say, the show will be memorable. 7:30 p.m., $49.50-$64.50 via mim.org. Glenn BurnSilver

Hot Summer Nights feat. TLC, Shaggy, En Vogue & Sean Kingston

Friday, July 7
Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave.

If there’s one constant to the summer concert season, it's nostalgia-filled package tours like Hot Summer Nights, which features hip-hop and R&B artists who experienced their biggest success back in the ‘90s and 2000s. Led by TLC, the ensemble that’s consisted of Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas since Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes’ untimely death in 2002, the tour also includes R&B/soul girl group En Vogue and Jamaican rappers Shaggy and Sean Kingston. Together, the lineup produced more than a dozen hit singles during their respective heydays, which means the crowd at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre will have plenty of songs to sing along with on a hot summer night in early July. 7 p.m., $25-$125 via livenation.com. Benjamin Leatherman

Aurelio Voltaire

Saturday, July 8
The Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road

Few things sum up the Aurelio Voltaire experience quite like the title to his 2011 album "Riding a Black Unicorn Down the Side of an Erupting Volcano While Drinking from a Chalice Filled with the Laughter of Small Children." It's morbid, nerdy, verbose and almost theatrically pretentious: all qualities that the singer-songwriter gleefully embraces. Along with the defunct Dresden Dolls, Voltaire is the poster boy for the subgenre of dark cabaret (which is a sexier way of saying "goth theater kids"). Using a musical style that draws as much from classic European folk as it does from goth (imagine Django Reinhardt, Kurt Weill and the Sisters of Mercy forced to work together at gunpoint), Voltaire pens songs about monsters and love and other spooky things. Voltaire’s geeky obsessions can be traced back to his early years, when his love for Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion epics inspired him to make animated films. He later traded in Jason and the Argonauts for Duran Duran, kindling a passion for New Wave and goth that led him to becoming a musician. His latest album, 2022’s “The Black Labyrinth/A Requiem For the Goblin King,” dovetails both interests, paying tribute to David Bowie’s music and the movie that was his defining film role. With She Lost Control and Neuron Spectre; 8 p.m., $16/$20 via seetickets.us. Ashley Naftule

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Tuesday, July 11
Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe

God does not apportion his gifts equally. Consider the case of Jason Isbell. Not only is he one of his generation’s greatest songwriters, 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

Nickelback

Wednesday, July 12
Footprint 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 12
Crescent 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 or 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 cia ticketweb.com. Ashley Naftule

The Aquabats

Thursday, July 13
Marquee 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

Don Toliver

Thursday, July 13
Arizona 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

Happy Together Tour

Friday, July 14
Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale

Synchronize your watches for the “Summer of Love" and head for Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale when this annual touring showcase of '60s throwback acts rolls into the Valley for a groovy evening of timeless tunes. This year’s lineup features such Woodstock-era bands as Flo and Eddie (a.k.a. Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan) of The Turtles, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, Little Anthony, The Vogues, The Classics IV and The Cowsills. The air inside Talking Stick’s Salt River Grand Ballroom will be thick as rock and pop fans of, um, a certain age gather for a trip down memory lane. Stick around until the end, when the members of each band will gather onstage for a final medley of songs, including The Turtles’ signature hit (and the tour’s namesake song) “Happy Together.” 8 p.m., $30-$65 via ticketmaster.com. Benjamin Leatherman

Goth Babe

Friday, July 14
The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St.

Don’t let the name fool you: there are neither goths nor ladies in Griff Washburn’s electronic dream pop project. A singer-songwriter based in the mountains of Washington, Washburn makes DIY home recordings in his studio/camper. While he shares the same “turn your home into a studio” philosophy that drove the likes of Martin Newell of Cleaners from Venus, Washburn’s sound is decidedly more modern. Playing plaintive indie rock guitar riffs over Ableton loops, he’s developed an earthy, sun-kissed sound that couldn’t be further away from goth. The music of Goth Babe is about hiking and surfing and being physically present in the world. The vibes are mellow and the music pillowy, inviting you to sink into it. One can hear the influence of Youth Lagoon (one of Goth Babe’s biggest inspirations) in the way that the music has an immersive feeling. At times, it feels less like a tune and more like something you can float along on top of for a while. With Husbands; 8 p.m. tickets are available on the secondary market. Ashley Naftule

Stephen Marley

Friday, July 14
Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe

Many musical offspring have faltered under the pressure of trying to live up to the level of greatness once bestowed on their popular progeny. Stephen Marley has refreshingly bucked those odds, and has, in fact, become a modern-day legend of reggae music in his own right, and has done so for almost four decades. The eight-time Grammy Award winner is the son of the legendary Bob Marley and is currently on his Babylon by Bus Tour, which is inspired by one of his father’s most celebrated live albums. Stephen will perform songs from his dad’s lengthy discography and his own hits when the tour stops at Tempe’s Marquee Theatre in mid-July. With Hirie, Arise Roots and The Irie; 7 p.m., $36-$66 via seetickets.us. Mark C. Horn

Brit Floyd

Saturday, July 15
Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St.

With a syncopated psychedelic light show complete with video and laser projection, a full band including a horn section and background vocals, and the ability to pull anything from Floyd's diverse catalog, Brit Floyd is the ultimate Pink Floyd experience. British-born guitarist Damian Darlington formed the touring tribute in 2011 after spending a 17-year stint with Australian Pink Floyd Show, which, as you can guess, is an Aussie Pink Floyd cover group. His reasoning? Simply because he felt he could do it better. "There is much more attention to details in every aspect of the show, from the music to the visuals to the lighting," Darlington told Phoenix New Times in 2014. "Everything is that much more perfected and there's a passion coming off that stage.” Described as a “coherent, emotional journey through Pink Floyd's catalog,” Brit Floyd’s latest tour will celebrate the 50th anniversary of “The Dark Side of the Moon” with most of the songs from the legendary album being performed along with such favorites as “Wish You Were Here,” “ Comfortably Numb” and “One of These Days.” Shine on you crazy diamonds. 8 p.m., $38.50-$149 via livenation.com. Glenn BurnSilver

Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade

Saturday, July 15
The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St.

If you’ve heard one Primus song in your entire life, you know what to expect from Les Claypool. The eccentric singer/bassist has been sailing on his sea of cheese for decades, building a rabid following around his unique style of jam band music. Propelled by his manic, muscular, finger-popping bass playing, Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade continues the man’s mission of creating some of the oddest yet rhythmically compelling music imaginable. Forming the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade after Primus went on hiatus, the project became an outlet for Claypool to go deeper into his obsession with jam band and prog music. Self-described as “kind of a King Crimson meets Pink Floyd meets Frank Zappa type thing,” the music lives up to that summation by being extremely complex, mind-expanding, and obnoxious. Claypool’s childish sense of humor remains intact on Brigade songs as he barks out ridiculous lyrics with his nasally vocals while the band flexes their musical muscles around him. It is, to say the least, an acquired taste but one that will sate your appetite for all things weird and wild if you’re looking to get your jam on. With Moon Duo; 8 p.m., $56.35-$201 via livenation.com. Ashley Naftule

The Original Misfits

Saturday, July 15
Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Ave.

Fiends of Phoenix, prepare yourself: The Misfits are about to walk among us once again. The influential horror punk band are touring this summer with their original vocalist Glenn Danzig and original bassist Jerry Only and will invade Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in mid-July. The gig will be the first time this version of the band, which is being marketed as the “Original Misfits” and also includes longtime guitarist Doyle von Frankenstein, have played Arizona. As longtime Misfits fans (a.k.a. “Fiends”) already know, Danzig and Only were founding members of the band back in 1977. The vocalist parted ways with the Misfits six years later, forming experimental metal act Samhain and later embarking on a solo career. Danzig and the Misfits linked back up in 2016 and have staged a series of reunion shows and performances over the past seven years. With Fear and AFI; 7:30 p.m., $49.50-$79.50 via livenation.com. Benjamin Leatherman

The Drums

Sunday, July 16
The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St.

Founding member Jacob Graham once summed up The Drums’ sound by saying “if reverb didn’t exist we wouldn’t have bothered trying to start a band.” Echo and reverberation are a key part of what makes The Drums work so well. Even in their simplest songs there’s a sense of empty space, a ghostly absence underpinning everything that gives their songs an added emotional resonance. Frontman Jonny Pierce often sounds like he’s singing at the bottom of a chasm, his voice playing call-and-response with itself. Heavily influenced by classic New Wave and goth acts like Joy Division and The Smiths, The Drums also draw influence from ’60s pop- specifically the booming girl-group “Wall of Sound” style pioneered by musical genius (and convicted murderer) Phil Spector. That combination of influences lends a timeless aura to Pierce’s songs. Albums like “Brutalism” and “The Drums” sound simultaneously of their moment and eternal, each song a deftly constructed piece of morose yet catchy alt-rock. With a new album in the works and a trio of compelling singles out (“I Want It All,” “Plastic Envelope,” and “Protect Him Always”), The Drums are gearing up to tour to the beat of a different drum. With Cold Hart; 8 p.m., $26 via livenation.com. Ashley Naftule

Binki

Monday, July 17
Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave.

Take a look at Barak Andrew Ongeri’s influences and then listen to his music and you’ll experience an intense whiplash. Ongeri, better known by his stage name Binki, has claimed Tyler, The Creator, Childish Gambino and Jamie Foxx as influences, but the music he makes draws its sounds and energy from UK punk, electroclash, and early 21st-century New York revival rock. Binki is perhaps one of the few singer-songwriters working in rap-adjacent/R&B circles who probably owns a few Libertines records. “Motor Function,” Binki’s 2021 debut EP, is a fascinating styles clash. Stark post-punk beats mash up against busy bass lines, sunny blots of melody, and Binki’s charismatic yet low-key vocals. At times he sounds like Yves Tumor’s more well-adjusted little brother. "I've grown accustomed to a sad scene," Binki sings on "Clay Pigeon.” It’s hard to imagine any scene staying sad if someone’s got Binki on their Bluetooth. 8 p.m., $16/$18 via ticketweb.com. Ashley Naftule

Beth Nielsen Chapman

Wednesday, July 19
Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd.

Beth Nielsen Chapman’s esteemed career as a singer-songwriter spans more than four decades and includes penning voluminous hits for the likes of Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Willie Nelson and Tanya Tucker. Since the 1980s, Chapman’s pursued her own career as a performer and recording artist, garnering critical acclaim for her introspective and emotionally resonant songs. Throughout her career, Chapman released numerous albums, showcasing her versatility as an artist and her ability to navigate various genres, including folk, pop and country. Her songwriting prowess has also earned her Grammy nominations and landed her music on the soundtracks of various films and television shows. She’s currently touring in support of her most recent album, 2022’s "CrazyTown." 7 p.m., $38.50-$44.50 via mim.org. Benjamin Leatherman

Tori Amos

Wednesday, July 19
Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa

When will Tori Amos have her moment in the zeitgeist? Thanks to streaming shows like “Stranger Things” and viral TikToks, older artists like Kate Bush, Fleetwood Mac and even Pavement have made comebacks in the popular consciousness off the strength of a well-placed needle drop or deftly edited video. Amos, one of the most prolific and acclaimed songwriters of the ’90s and early 2000s, seems primed to make that kind of Gandalf the White-style return to relevancy. All we need is someone to do a TikTok set to “Cornflake Girl” or a “Boys for Pele” deep cut and it’ll be Tori Time. Like Bush (an artist she’s often been compared to), Amos’s music has aged like fine wine. That’s partially attributable to the unique qualities of her swooning, dynamic voice. She sings with a sense of unpredictability, shifting effortlessly from purrs and slinky whispers to operatic whoops. Her songwriting is raw and confessional, taking to task the patriarchy, human civilization, and even the Almighty. She even has a bit of a witchy aura, which is only appropriate for the godmother of Neil Gaiman’s children. Her most recent album, 2021’s “Ocean to Ocean,” retains the piano-driven ethos of her best work as she dives deep into loss, venting her grief over the loss of her mother and the struggles of dealing with COVID. With Tow'rs; 7:30 p.m., $48-$102 via mesaartscenter.com. Ashley Naftule

Morgan Wallen

Wednesday, July 19, and Thursday, July 20
Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson St.

Morgan Wallen has had a rough start to his 2023 tour; a doctor’s orders for strict vocal rest has led him to cancel and reschedule six weeks of shows. Fortunately, that doesn’t affect his two-night stint at Chase Field, both shows of which are virtually sold out. Still, not all is ill in the world of Wallen; his latest album, “One Thing at a Time,” has been at the top of the Billboard charts since its March debut. With HARDY, Ernest and Bailey Zimmerman; tickets are available on the secondary market. Jennifer Goldberg

Old Crow Medicine Show

Saturday, July 22
Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler

The buskers of today could be the stars of tomorrow. That held true for the freewheeling Tennessee string band Old Crow Medicine Show, who were discovered while sawing and twanging on the streets of North Carolina. A collective of folk-country musicians who share a desire to infuse old sounds “with the energy of Nirvana” (as the band puts it), Old Crow Medicine Show ladle out a hearty stew of Americana, Memphis blues and southern Appalachian string music. What makes these dusty old sounds fresh and revitalizing is the band’s energetic approach, attacking their instruments with punkish vigor. Bringing their music to life through guitars, mandolin, banjo, dobro, harmonica, fiddle, keyboards, guitjo and cigar box guitar, Old Crow Medicine Show pick and pound their way through a combination of original songs and covers of pre-World War II blues and folk songs. One of their most well-known numbers, “Wagon Wheel,” started as a rewrite/riff on a Bob Dylan bootleg and grew to become the band’s signature song. With Pillbox Patti; 7:30 p.m., $49-$79 via ticketmaster.com. Ashley Naftule

Sister Sledge

Saturday, July 22
The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St.

Philadelphia-born R&B legends Sister Sledge will forever be known for their popular disco-era single “We Are Family,” which went gold and rocketed up the American charts back in 1979. The song has become a way of life for the group, which originally consisted of sisters Kathy, Debbie, Kim and the late Jodi Sledge. Their grandmother, Viola Beatrix Hairston Williams, was an esteemed and accomplished vocalist who helped train them. These days, Sister Sledge’s ranks have grown to include members of the family’s younger generation. Debbie’s children Camille Sledge, the lead vocalist of esteemed Valley ensemble Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra, and David Sledge both perform with the group during their various concerts, as does Joni’s son Thaddeus Sledge. Expect to see the entire brood onstage at The Van Buren when Sister Sledge brings their aptly named We Are Family tour to the venue in late July. 8 p.m., $35 via livenation.com. Benjamin Leatherman

Peso Pluma

Saturday, July 22
Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St.
Sunday, July 23
Desert Diamond Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale

You may not have heard of Peso Pluma but across the border he’s practically a household name. Born Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija, the rapper/singer-songwriter is considered to be the most streamed artist in Mexico. Pluma made his fame by combining reggaeton and trap music with corridos tumbados. Taking the outlaw and drug narratives of corridos and mixing in hard beats and rap braggadocio, Pluma created a potent and irresistible combination — the musical equivalent of Walter White’s blue meth. Pluma’s subject matter has gotten into hot water with the authorities on a few occasions, but that has done nothing to diminish his folk hero-like status among fans. Before immersing himself in corridos tumbados, Pluma got his start in music by learning to play the guitar. He grew up practicing the instrument, cutting his teeth on learning classic regional Mexican music and writing his own songs in that style. But it wasn’t until he started experimenting with rap that Pluma’s popularity skyrocketed, bolstered in part by several of his songs going viral on TikTok. Pluma’s success is so pronounced that he’s currently the Mexican act with the most Spanish-language entries on the Billboard Hot 100 list. 8 and 7 p.m., tickets are available on the secondary market. Ashley Naftule

Diana Krall

Sunday, July 23
Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa

Outside of jazz circles — and people who actually pay attention to the Grammys, where she's been a nominee and/or winner at various points over the decades — Canadian-born singer/pianist Diana Krall's name usually rings a bell because she's the wife of Elvis Costello. Krall also deserves to be known above all for her tremendously expressive, sensual contralto, her smartly nuanced phrasing, and her uncanny knack for homing in on emotions and imagery occasionally overlooked in the performance of jazz standards, drawing them out, and breathing new life into them. To that end, Krall's dipped into the songbooks of Nat King Cole, Bob Dylan, Irving Berlin, Burt Bacharach and numerous other icons in many of her albums, including 2020's “This Dream of You.” She’s also tried her hand at songwriting and has done so successfully, including penning several songs with Costello for 2004's well-received “The Girl in the Other Room.” A Krall concert is an opportunity to hear a little bit of everything, and, if you're not already in the know, a chance to discover her singular voice and exceptional talent. 7:30 p.m., $48-$163 via mesaartscenter.com. Phoenix New Times

Jason Mraz

Sunday, July 23
Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St.

Let’s face it, the hipper segment of music fandom may never embrace Jason Mraz, the folk and pop singer-songwriter who’s been the butt of numerous jokes from his mid-2000s heyday onward. He’s been skewered for his gentle vocal style, the touchy-feely nature of his songs, and even his penchant for quaint hats. One thing Mraz’s haters can’t argue is success as a songwriter, as he’s scored enormous hits like 2008's "I'm Yours" and 2012's "I Won't Give Up," notched multiple gold and platinum albums, and won multiple Grammy Awards. He’s currently touring behind this year’s "Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride,” which is self-described as a “return to pop.” The wiseacres out there will likely continue to crack jokes while devoted Mraz fans will likely turn out in droves to his shows, including his upcoming gig at Arizona Financial Theatre. With Celisse; 7:30 p.m., $38-$126 via livenation.com. Benjamin Leatherman

Bryan Adams

Tuesday, July 25
Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St.

Rock guitarist (and proud Canadian) Bryan Adams has a voice that can make even the toughest of lumberjacks shed a tear. From his early days singing about summer romances to belting out power ballads, Adams has conquered the hearts of fans worldwide. Over the decades, he’s sold millions of records, notched more than a dozen hits (including "Can't Stop This Thing We Started," "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" and "Here I Am") and gave early '90s dudebros an anthem to woo women with when he unleashed the Robin Hood-themed “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” on the world. He's out on the road in support of his 15th (and most recent) studio album, last year's "So Happy It Hurts." Adams already has more than enough material to fill a lengthy concert and get arenas filled with fans singing along. Long live the king of Canadian charm and catchy hooks. With Joan Jett and the Blackhearts; 7:30 p.m., $54.50-$144.50 via ticketmaster.com. Benjamin Leatherman

Dream Theater, Devin Townsend and Animals As Leaders

Wednesday, July 26
Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St.

Guitar Center employees of the world rejoice. The inaugural Dreamsonic traveling festival is coming to a city near you. A tour that could’ve been called The Monsters of Prog Rock, the tour is the brainchild of Dream Theater. The prog-metal mainstays have been wowing the proud owners of blacklight posters for decades with their labyrinthian concept albums, intricate song structures, and the occasional gnarly riff. This progressive smorgasbord also includes Devin Townsend and Animals As Leaders. The former is the one-time frontman of Strapping Young Lad, who has made a name for himself with a series of albums that effortlessly weaved together ambient music, progressive rock, glam rock and heavy metal. It's heady, expansive stuff. Animals As Leaders rounds out the night with their take on instrumental progressive metal, mixing in some djent rhythms to give their epic songs an off-kilter feel. If you’re looking to blast off into inner space and bang your head for a spell, you won’t find a better place to be than the Dreamsonic tour when it rolls into town. 7 p.m., $49.50-$69.50 via livenation.com. Ashley Naftule

Yellowcard

Saturday, July 29
Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St.

When you think of pop-punk, the humble violin probably doesn’t come to mind. It’s not an instrument with a deep connection to punk music but it’s the secret sauce that makes Yellowcard’s songs a cut above their contemporaries. Hailing from Jacksonville, Fla., Yellowcard have secured their place in the pop-punk pantheon with their unusual sound and impassioned songs like “Ocean Avenue” and “Lights and Sounds.” While they haven’t released a new album since 2016’s self-titled album, they still play with the intensity of a band with something to prove. The band made headlines back in 2019 when some of their members came together to sue the late rapper Juice WRLD, claiming that the SoundCloud rapper had plagiarized their song “Holly Wood Died.” One has to appreciate the subtle irony in a band named after pulling a card for committing offenses in sports making the choice to pull a flag on someone else’s play. When they aren’t busy playing referee on their back catalog, they’re staying true to their hardcore roots by playing energetic and raw live shows, including during their current tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of “Ocean Avenue.” With Mayday, Anberlin, This Wild Life and Emo Night Brooklyn; 7 p.m., $59-$148 via livenation.com. Ashley Naftule

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

Friday, July 28
Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe

“I'll write the words if you sing along,” Andrew McMahon sings on “Smoke and Ribbons,” one of the uplifting singles off his latest album “Tilt at the Wind No More.” A true piano man, the singer-songwriter has spent years crafting compelling songs and pounding the keys live in concert like someone trying to shake bugs off of their fingers. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness is the latest iteration in a series of solo projects the singer-songwriter has undertaken away from his old pop-punk band Something Corporate. Less chaotic than his previous outing as Jack’s Mannequin and more assured than the albums he cut just under his own name, In The Wilderness marks a more ornate and composed stage in McMahon’s songwriting. “Tilt At The Wind No More” finds McMahon pushing his sound into more synthetic textures. Incorporating buzzing synths and a glossier production style, the songs nevertheless are as sincere and introspective as ever. Take “Lying On The Hood Of Your Car,” which wraps a paeon to lost youth around an excited, heart-thumping beat and keyboard flourishes. McMahon’s tenor sounds invigorated on these songs, singing with the confidence of a man who’s found his most comfortable groove. With Michigander; 8 p.m., $37.50-$70 via seetickets.us. Ashley Naftule

Santa Fe Klan

Friday, July 28
Desert Diamond Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale

Santa Fe Klan is the nome de plume of Angel Quezada, the Mexico-born rapper who's a rising star in Latin music. The boisterous and intense artist got his start in music at an early age: he started pursuing music at 12 and by his mid-teens scored millions of views of his music online via YouTube and SoundCloud. He also shot his own music videos, recorded his own tracks, and even handled the marketing. Such self-reliant hustling served Quezada well, especially when his first full-length album, 2017’s “El Inicio, Vol. 3” blew up. The speed of Klan's flow is striking — you can hear how relentlessly he can spit on “Asi Soy,” which almost approaches auctioneer levels of rapid-fire vocal delivery. The beats he raps over are warm and crisp, contrasting against the icy bluntness of his rapping. There’s an openness and emotional vulnerability to his lyrics, though, that can catch you off guard. Santa Fe Klan may have a hard exterior but he’s not afraid to let you know that he’s a big ol’ softie on the inside. With Snow Tha Product and Tornillo; 7:30 p.m., $75.50-$150.50 via axs.com. Ashley Naftule