There are other shows happening this week, of course, including gigs by female rapper Snow Tha Product, esteemed singer-songwriter Citizen Cope, horror punk/metal artist Wednesday 13, lo-fi indie-folk band The Mountain Goats, and synth-pop duo Adult.
Read on for more details about each of these performances. And for more concerts happening around the Valley from Monday, May 2, to Thursday, May 5, check out Phoenix New Times’ live music listings.
Citizen Cope
Monday, May 2Marquee Theatre, 730 North Mill Avenue, TempeClarence Greenwood (a.k.a. Citizen Cope) is a bit of a musical chameleon. Born in Memphis, raised in Washington, D.C., and now based in Los Angeles after a lengthy residence in Brooklyn, Cope's a one-man band trafficking in all sorts of rhythmic mayhem. His ballads have heightened scenes of hit CW dramas and romantic comedies, while his more upbeat grooves have helped sell Pontiacs and Acuras. Cope's music resides in that outdoor-festival circuit of musicians, alongside acts like Jack Johnson, Dispatch, and Jason Mraz. He takes elements of his geographic background — Memphis soul, DC hardcore, and So-Cal beats — and filters them through a jammy acoustic angle. He's toured alongside the likes of Dave Matthews and Santana, and if you went to college in the late '90s or early '00s it's likely you jammed out to several of his songs in your dorm room or friend's Honda Civic. He's been on the road in support of his latest album, 2021’s The Pull of Niagara Falls, and will be at the Marquee on Tuesday. Doors are at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $29.50 to $51. Jeff Strowe
The Mountain Goats
Tuesday, May 3Crescent Ballroom, 308 North Second AvenueJohn Darnielle, the frontman of The Mountain Goats, has long been considered one of the best storytellers in modern rock. His voice and lyrics have helped to garner the band a devoted fanbase as well as 20 studio albums and close to 30 EPs. He's confronted such topics as drug addiction on “Dilaudid” to his own temperamental upbringing on “This Year,” and The Mountain Goats even put out a full album concerning professional wrestling of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Their eclectic themes all come from the through-line that is Darnielle. Their latest release is last year’s Dark in Here, which earned praise from Pitchfork (who described it as “patient, tense, and full of empathy”) and made Paste’s list of 2021’s best albums. It more than lives up to the Mountain Goats' illustrious reputation. Catch them if you can at Crescent Ballroom on Tuesday evening. Cardioid opens the 8 p.m. show. Tickets are $40 to $50. Nicholas Bostick
Wednesday 13
Tuesday, May 3Pub Rock Live, 8005 East Roosevelt Street, ScottsdaleWednesday 13 is known as a force to be reckoned with in the world of goth/horror punk/metal. A strong songwriter and musician, he was the frontman of MurderDolls (founded with Slipknot’s Joey Jordison) and has been touring solo for some time. His eighth studio album under his own name, Necrophaze, came out in 2019, followed two years later by a companion EP, Necrophaze – Antidote. Both releases are the first albums he’s recorded sober after years of dealing with substance abuse. Both albums feature horror-fueled anthems that are, as Metal Hammer describes, a “monster mash of b-movies, real terrors and gorefests.” This week, Wednesday 13 will bring his spooky songs to Pub Rock Live in Scottsdale. Local metal/hard rock acts Sons of Providence and PyG share the bill. The show is at 7 p.m. and admission starts at $20. Lauren Wise and Benjamin Leatherman
Adult.
Tuesday, May 3The Rebel Lounge, 2303 East Indian School RoadLike every other band during the pandemic, Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller found themselves unable to tour. As the electronic act Adult., the duo had just released its eighth album, Perception is/as/of Deception, only to find themselves unable to tour. Then Kuperus' father fell ill, and the couple had to provide hospice care. Kuperus' father died at the height of the pandemic when isolation was at its peak. With so much grief and doom surrounding them, you'd think the last thing Kuperus and Miller could think about was making music. But toward the end of 2020, they set to work on what would become their ninth studio album. The aptly titled Becoming Undone delivers everything fans of Adult. have come to expect: aggressive, knob-twiddling pop. Knowing the circumstances that preceded Becoming Undone's recording, it's impossible not to see the work through a lens of grief. This introspection is set against electro-tinged beats that range from industrial to EBM. The melody often stutters and clangs, adding to the quasi-nihilistic mood of their music. Their current tour, which comes to the Rebel Lounge this week, celebrates both of their recent albums. Kontravoid, Spike Hellis, and DJ Gila Man open the 8 p.m. show. Tickets are $15. Jose D. Duran
EarthGang
Wednesday, May 4The Van Buren, 401 West Van Buren StreetIs this Atlanta hip-hop duo the second coming of Outkast? Some observers say comparing the team of Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot to Big Boi and André 3000 is unfair, but it's not an unflattering comparison. Both rappers clearly derive inspiration from the lightning-fast flow and witty wordplay of Sir Lucious Left Foot and Three Stacks, and their production frequently feels very Southern-fried. They're also part of the Spillage Village collective with R&B crooner 6lack, fellow tongue-twisting rapper and J. Cole's Dreamville Records labelmate JID, and others. They’re scheduled to perform at the Van Buren on May 4 with support from Pigeons & Planes, Mike Dimes, Corduroy, and Pariah Pete and the Mercuries. Doors are at 7 p.m. and tickets are $37.50 to $99. Douglas Markowitz
Celtic Woman
Wednesday, May 4Orpheum Theatre, 203 West Adams StreetCeltic Woman is an international sensation and is also the most successful all-female Irish group in history. Their remarkable success — 10 million-plus in album and DVD sales, a six-time Billboard No.1 World Music Artist of the Year and a string of acclaimed television specials — suggests the world was eager for the sounds of Celtic Woman, which is a fusion of traditional Irish music and contemporary songs. Celtic Woman puts its own spin on those songs, most recently on Postcards From Ireland. The album was released in late 2021 and is featured on the group’s current 83-city North American tour. The group returns to the Valley with a performance at the Orpheum Theatre on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 to $150. Jesse Sendejas Jr.
Magic Sword and Dance With the Dead
Wednesday, May 4The Rebel Lounge, 2303 East Indian School RoadRetrowave, synthwave, darkwave — whatever hot subgenre title you want to assign to the new movement of synthesizer-driven instrumental bands that are cranking out music inspired by the Giorgio Moroder-inspired movie soundtracks of the 1980s, these two acts are in the upper tier. L.A.’s Dance With the Dead is comprised of musicians Justin Pointer and Tony Kim, who create synth-laden sounds, albeit with a more ominous John Carpenter/Goblin-inspired horror-movie spin to their scores. Magic Sword is a synth-rock band from Boise, Idaho, whose members dress as space knights from a galaxy far, far away. They play high-fidelity synth-rock that embodies everything glorious about epic sci-fi movies of the Reagan era. Sound-wise, think Wendy Carlos’s work for Tron, Tangerine Dream’s soundscapes for The Keep, and Mike Moran’s score to Time Bandits. Both bands will visit the Rebel Lounge on Wednesday with support from local synthwave artist Tarot Blood. The show is at 7 p.m. and tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Tom Murphy
Snow Tha Product
Thursday, May 5The Van Buren, 401 West Van Buren StreetClaudia Alexandra Feliciano, better known by her stage name Snow Tha Product, moved from California to Texas in 2010. She already had five mixtapes under her belt, but a few performances at South By Southwest festival finally garnered her some much-deserved attention. Since then, she has released a steady stream of mixtapes and a handful of albums. In the era of Instagram and TikTok, it sometimes feels as if social media matters more than the music itself. Fortunately, this isn't the case with Snow, whose bilingual flow might be the best in the game. She’s coming to the Van Buren this week on her current tour. Tickets for the 8 p.m. concert are only available on the secondary market. Matthew Keever
Mariachi Sol De México
Thursday, May 5Madison Center for the Arts, 5601 North 16th StreetMariachi music is something more people in the Valley need to embrace. It’s a whole culture of talented individuals and groups who bring ridiculously complex instrumentation and vocal harmonies to the mix. Mariachi Sol de Mexico, led by José Hernández, is one of the more esteemed ensembles in the genre that are performing today. Hernandez is one of the most prolific mariachi artists of all time and has been formative in fueling the fire of the mariachi scene both here in the United States and internationally. (His music has also been featured in several films, including Rango.) Hernández — a musician, composer, and vocalist — put Mariachi del Sol de Mexico together in 1981 and since then has amassed a worldwide following, even if many Phoenix residents have no idea how blessed we are to have him grace us with his beautiful music from time to time. His latest performance locally takes place this week, fittingly enough on Cinco de Mayo, at Madison Center for the Arts. The concert is at 7 p.m. and tickets are $35 to $65. Tom Reardon
PowerGlove
Thursday, May 5Pub Rock Live, 8005 East Roosevelt Street, Scottsdale For those looking to have their faces melted with a mix of Nintendo Power and metal, Powerglove will be on stage at Scottsdale’s Pub Rock Live on Thursday night happy to do the honor. An instrumental power metal cover band, Powerglove takes classic video game themes, Saturday morning cartoon themes, and movie themes to update with a metal twist. Powerglove’s latest album, the recently released EP Flawless Victory, includes tracks inspired by such games as F-Zero and Sonic the Hedgehog, as well as animated films like Anastasia and FernGully. No matter how many times you grew up hearing these themes come out of your TV, you’ve never heard them like this. The gig begins at 7:30 p.m. with opening sets by Immortal Guardian and Thrashcan. Admission is $15. Brad LaCour
Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers
Thursday, May 5Rockbar Inc., 4245 North Craftsman Court, Scottsdale A typical show by Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers is as much a party as it is a concert. The vibe is raucous, there are always ample libations (with tequila being a particular favorite), and the band’s brand of amiable alt-rock/jangle-pop is conducive to good times. RCPM’s latest show in the Valley takes place this week at Scottsdale’s Rockbar as a part of the establishment’s Cinco de Mayo festivities. Given the bar’s relatively intimate size and the fact local Peaceheads turn out by the hundreds for every show, there’s a good chance the gig will be sold out by the time Thursday rolls around. In other words, don’t dawdle on getting tickets if you’re planning to attend, gringo. The party starts at 6 p.m. and The Jons will also perform. Admission is $35. Benjamin Leatherman
