This is the most glorious time of the year. Unless, of course, you need to watch concerts, in which case the holiday season may seem a bit slow.
Some of the highlights of this month are, in fact, related to Christmas or we have even fewer opportunities to see live music.
That said, December is off to a wonderful start with an action-packed weekend with highlights ranging from ZZ Top to a cool new festival in downtown Phoenix crowned by Beach House, Portugal. The type and the stands.
And it ends strongly with a two-day eruption for the EDM crowd at the valley’s New Year’s party, Decadence Arizona.
Here’s a look at those concerts and the highlights of December 2022 on the Phoenix subway.
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If you like punk rock on the silly side, this is the supergroup for you. They put a fun punk twist on unlikely covers, from John Denver songs about singles who took them to an unsuspecting world in 1995 to “Are We Not Men. “? We Are Diva!”, an album of songs through the divas, from Celine Dion to Cher. They play Tempe on their I’ll Be Home For Christmas tour. . . Maybe with El Vez, the Mexican Elvis (who is not a very serious interpreter either).
Details: 8pm Thursday, December 1. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave. , Tempe. $23. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline. com.
Shortly after returning from an unplanned 16-month hiatus due to COVID-19 protocols, ZZ Top suffered a far more devastating loss: the death of founding bassist Dusty Hill. But they returned to normal with a replacement two days later. in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Details: 20:00 h. Friday, December 2. The pool at Talking Stick Resort, Loop and Pima Road, Salt River Reservation. $35 and up. 480-850-7734, Speakingstickresort. com.
Playlist: Top 15 ZZ Top Songs, From “La Grange” to “Breakaway”
When Phantom Planet resurfaced with their first new music in over a decade, “Devastator” in 2020, it was amazing how little their sound had replaced the bittersweet ’70s pop sensibility that debuted in 1998, “Phantom Planet Is Missing,” as a captivating intro. This is not a search. Few bands have done a more compelling task of channeling the golden age of pop strength into recent memory. This is a Zona Nights occasion similar to the new Zona Music Festival.
Details: 7:30 pm Friday, December 2. Valley Bar, N. Central Ave. , Phoenix. $20. valleybarphx. com.
Sean Bonnette couldn’t help but think about life in our troubled political climate when the singer and guitarist began work on the latest album by Phoenix folk-punk legends, “Good Luck Everybody. “So he kept going. In Dylan’s “Normalization Blues,” he sings about an audience divided through an Orwellian plot opposed to the truth. It may darken a bit, but that darkness seeps through a dark, comical sense of absurdity, occasional glows of almost anything. hopeful. This is a Zona Nights event with the opening of Veronica Everheart.
Details: 8pm Friday, December 2nd. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave. , Phoenix. $23. 602-716-2222, crescentphx. com.
Mike Ness shaped and directed the first edition of Social Distortion in 1978, keeping the call at least alive through changes in songwriting, breakups, and the death of former member Dennis Danell at the turn of the century. But as they conclusively demonstrated on “Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes,” their first album since 2004, they still sound like Social D, filtering Californian punk through old-school rock’n’roll, the New York Dolls and Johnny Cash.
Details: 20h Friday and Saturday 2 and December. Marquee Theatre, 70 N. Mill Ave. , Tempe. Sold out. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline. com.
Interview: Mike Ness reflects on Social Distortion’s breakthrough on a major label
Yung Gravy went viral thanks to “Continental Breakfast,” which generated over a million streams on Soundcloud, followed by his first platinum single, “Mr. Clean. This year he took it to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time. “Betty (Get Money). ” He joins this excursion through their common collaborator bbno$.
Details: 8pm Saturday, December 3. Arizona Financial Theatre, W. Washington St. , Phoenix. $29. 50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster. com.
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Alice Cooper will join Sammy Hagar, Rob Zombie, Gin Blossoms, SIXWIRE, Wally Palmar of The Romantics and comedian Jim Breuer in her twentieth annual Christmas pudding fundraiser. to 20-year-olds at Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers.
Details: 7pm Saturday, December 3. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St. , Phoenix. Sold out. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre. com.
More: What does Alice Cooper like in high school?Friends and bandmates share their stories
The indie-rock legends arrive for an excursion celebrating the 25th anniversary of “The Lonesome Crowded West,” a groundbreaking album produced by Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening that finished 29th on Pitchfork’s list of the hundred greatest albums of the ’90s. He made the initial release, as a quartet with original members Isaac Brock and Jeremiah Green who joined through Russell Higbee and Simon O’Connor.
Details: 8pm Saturday, December 3. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St. , Phoenix. Verified resale price ticket costs vary. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx. com.
As a teenager in 1969, this soul singer began his recording career with a single called “Bewildered”. It is produced by Daptone founder Bosco Mann with an unwavering ability to channel the essence of the golden age of the soul.
Details: 8pm Saturday, December 3. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave. , Phoenix. $28. 602-716-2222, crescentphx. com.
The opening occasion is the closest thing to the magic of the last Viva PHX music festival. There are headlining sets of Beach House, Portugal. The Man, Bleachers, Tegan and Sara and Japanese Breakfast, with the exceptionality of Bartees Strange, Chicano Batman. , Waxahatchee, Playboy Manbaby, Upsahl and many more.
Details: 12:30 Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4. Margaret T. Hance Park, 1218 N. Second St. , Phoenix. $89 depending on the day; $175 for an end-of-semana. zonamusicfest. com pass.
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Under the Mistletoe has been a staple of Power 98. 3 and 96. 1 parties for several years, bringing some of the names of the R.
Details: 7pm Sunday, December 4. Desert Diamond Arena (formerly Gila River Arena), 9400 W. Maryland Ave. , Glendale. $124 and more. 623-772-3800, ticketmaster. com.
After their first off-road year in over 20 years, these seasonal progressive rockers made a triumphant comeback in 2021 with a Christmas Eve 25th anniversary birthday party and other stories. For 2022, they update “Ghosts of Christmas”. Eve. “
Details: p. m. and 19:00 Sunday, December 4. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St. , Phoenix. $59. 50 and up. 602-79-7800, ticketmaster. com.
More: Best Holiday Shows of 2022: Black Nativity, Christmas Pudding, Mariachi and More
He stood out in the early 60s as a singer at the helm of the Four Seasons. But Valli is sexier than she’s been in decades thanks to the good fortune of “Jersey Boys,” the Tony-winning musical that chronicles life and times. of Valli and his band. Her hits include “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You. “
Details: 7:30 p. m. , Sunday, December 4. ASU Gammage, Mill Avenue and Apache Boulevard, Tempe. $49 to $179. Resale ticket costs vary. 480-965-3434, asugammage. com.
More: Frankie Valli: “How did you beat Cole Porter and Irving Berlin?”
These Swedish steel veterans started in the early 90s on an adventure more focused on the steel of death, their debut adding heartbreaking highlights like “Tomb of Insomnia” and “Gateways of Bereavement. “But his sonic attack has evolved into something much more nuanced, even atmospheric, over the years, as magnificently captured on his latest album, 2020’s “City Burials. “
Details: 18:30 Sunday, December 4. The Nile, W. Main St. , Mesa. $30. 480-559-5859, eventbrite. com.
These Pittsburgh punks have been sweeping the state with songs for more than two decades, rallying like-minded punks on the strength of their debut releases like “Die for Your Government” and “A New Kind of Army. “catalog on “A Document of Dissent: 1993-2013”, a harsh analysis that hit the streets in mid-2014. Donald Trump encouraging violence against protesters as an advent of “Hate Conquers All. “
Details: 7pm Sunday, December 4. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave. , Phoenix. $22. 602-716-2222, crescentphx. com.
The Contemporary Christian Music Network has brought together several of the biggest stars for this year’s holiday tour, which includes performances by Matt Maher, Jordan St. Cyr, Katy Nichole, Mac Powell, Josh and Blanca.
Details: 7:30 pm Tuesday, December 6. Arizona Financial Theatre, W. Washington St. , Phoenix. $34. 25 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster. com.
Jakob Dylan is traveling the United States to help “Exit Wounds,” Wallflowers’ first album in nearly a decade. You can just call it a return to form (because it is), but Mojo went a step further and proclaimed it. “The singer’s most productive original paintings just a few meters away. “One thing is for sure, there’s no explanation as to why he’s making a song for himself when he opens the album with a roots ballad called “Maybe Your Heart’s Not in it Anymore. “. “
Details: 7:30 pm Tuesday, December 6. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave. , Tempe. $67. 50. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline. com.
These Toronto punks bring the noise with an exciting post-punk intensity that is still cathartic on “Atlas Vending,” their electrifying fourth album. But they have also expanded the diversity of their sound, from the tension they create in their journey to the inevitable explosion of “Pulse” to the haunting harmonies that offset the momentum of “Blind Youth Industrial Park. “They are hiking to celebrate their tenth anniversary.
Details: 20:00 Wednesday, December 7. Valley Bar, N. Central Ave. , Phoenix. $12. 50. valleybarphx. com.
Tate has been noted as the head of progressive steel legends Queensryche, whose former concept album “Operation: Mindcrime” went platinum in 1991. By then, they had conquered the general public with a tough Top 10 ballad called “Silent Lucidity. “album that remains its biggest seller, “Empire” from the 1990s.
Details: Friday, Dec. 9 at 8 p. m. , Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St. , Phoenix. $25 to $65,602-267-1600, celebritytheatre. com.
The Mavericks’ Very Merry Christmas tour with special guest J. D. McPherson will include selections from either artist’s holiday albums. “Hey, Merry Christmas!” of the Mavericks is a brilliant combination of 8 originals in the unique taste of its organization and two Christmas banners; “Happy holidays” and a very emotional “Christmas (baby, please come home)”.
Details: Friday, December 9 at 8:00 p. m. Talking Stick Resort, Loop and Pima Road, Salt River Reserve. $30,480-850-7734, Speakingstickresort. com.
After a three-year hiatus, the former local Latin pop sensation brings her highly anticipated Pa Then It’s Late excursion to the city to a very private new assignment that reconnects her with her norteño roots, produced by the acclaimed regional Mexican singer-songwriter. and manufacturer Eden Muñoz.
Details: Saturday, December 10 at 8:00 p. m. Arizona Financial Theatre, W. Washington St. , Phoenix. $49 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster. com.
These elite steel veterans are hiking in “Heavy Pendulum,” a show of force with an apt name that lives up to their legacy, blurring the lines between stoner-rock, area-rock, thrash and doom along the way. This is his first full-length studio recording in more than a decade, following “Final Transmission,” an album of education area demonstrations recorded with bassist Caleb Scofield, who died in a twist of automotive fate in 2018. They joined on bass through Nate Newton of Converge.
Details: 19:00 h. Saturday, December 10. The Nile Theatre, W. Main St. , Mesa. $22. 480-559-5859, theniletheater. com/shows.
There’s a sense of grandeur on the big screen in the indie rock logo Wild Pink that indulges in their latest endeavor, “ILYSM,” which is sure to speak directly to the hearts of those who have once raised their hands in the war on drugs. It turns out how music is meant to overwhelm the senses while resonating on a very human scale. And yet, it represents a relief from the sound they controlled on “A Billion Little Lights,” the equally absorbing precursor to this album.
Details: 7:30 pm Monday, December 12. Valley Bar, N. Central Ave. , Phoenix. $16. valleybarphx. com.
The rapper whose biggest success remains his triple-platinum trailer “Heart on Ice,” which went viral on YouTube and TikTok, travels with “Beautiful Mind,” his momentary two-year album on the most sensible of the Billboard charts. he joined through Toosii and Mariah the Scientist.
Details: Tuesday, December 13 at 8:00 p. m. Desert Diamond Arena (formerly Gila River Arena), 9400 W. Maryland Ave. , Glendale. $30 and up. 623-772-3800, ticketmaster. com.
These dream-pop revivalists dominated the music charts in 2009 with “Panic Room,” whose brilliant fuzz guitar versions didn’t do much to restrict the constant use of Smashing Pumpkins as a frame of reference. They are traveling the United States to help an album called “Physical Thrills” and place them working, once again, with the wonderful Butch Vig, “Nevermind” from manufacturer Nirvana and “Gish” and “Siamese Dream” from Smashing Pumpkins.
Details: Tuesday, December 13 at 8:00 p. m. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave. , Tempe. $34 to $54,480-829-0607, luckymanonline. com.
Sophie Allison arrives in downtown Phoenix with another introspective masterstroke, “Sometimes, Forever,” cementing her prestige as one of the most compelling voices of the decade. As in the impressive “Theory of Color” of 2020, there are moments when what he does here recalls the maximum production of the alternative pop legend of the 90s, Juliana Hatfield, highlighting the emotion of his voice for example with a fascinating fuzz guitar mist worthy of My Sacré Valentin.
Details: 20:00 Wednesday, December 14. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St. , Phoenix. $25. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx. com.
These emo veterans of Jersey are traveling the U. S. He is in the U. S. on “Hell Is in Your Head,” an album that bears his name effortlessly as singer Buddy Nielsen struggles with his existential demons in the larger context of those difficult times. After setting the tone with the anthem “The Burial of the Dead,” whose chorus begins with a melancholy reminder that “we don’t have much time left,” it continues with an explosive name set at the end of the world.
Details: 6:30 pm Thursday, December 15. The Nile, W. Main St. , Mesa. $30. 480-559-5859, eventbrite. com.
In 1996, Gladys Knight and the Pips were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2011, he won a Legend Award at the Soul Train Awards. One Us (wants to be the first to say goodbye)” and “Midnight Train to Georgia. “
Details: Friday, Dec. 16 at 8 p. m. , Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St. , Phoenix. From $45 to $125,602-267-1600, celebritytheatre. com.
The Out of Order tour is something of a victory circular to celebrate an unprecedented year for Fike, who made his acting debut with a recurring role as Elliott on HBO’s season 2 of “Euphoria,” for which he made a successful duet with co-star Zendaya called “The Elliott Song” and starred in major advertising campaigns for Calvin Klein and Saint Laurent. He also played festivals this summer. The New Yorker states, “His rise to stardom felt inevitable. “
Details: Friday, Dec. 16 at 8 p. m. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave. , Tempe. $80,480-829-0607, luckymanonline. com.
Their appearance in Penelope Spheeris’ iconic documentary about the Los Angeles punk scene, “The Decline of Western Civilization,” made John Belushi an instant fan, who pushed for them on “Saturday Night Live. “The exhibition imported punks from DC, Ian MacKaye from Minor Threat, for slam dance, and Central America took a crash course in the hardcore punk scene. Years later, Kurt Cobain ranked “The Record” among the 50 greatest albums of all time.
Details: Friday, Dec. 16 at 7 p. m. The Nile, W. Main St. , Mesa. $30,480-559-5859, eventbrite. com.
These Tijuana-based regional Mexican music providers won Best Band Album at last year’s Latin Grammys. Now they travel the United States with folkloric dancers to accompany their combination of banda, norteño and mariachi music, promising “a Mexican in the United States. “
Details: Saturday, December 17 at 8:00 p. m. Desert Diamond Arena (formerly Gila River Arena), 9400 W. Maryland Ave. , Glendale. Verified resale price ticket costs vary. 623-772-3800, price ticketmaster. com.
The violinist has released a Christmas album of moments, “Snow Waltz,” since the last time an excursion took her home for the holidays. “, “Joy for the world” and “Sleigh ride”.
Details: Thursday, December 22 at 7:30 p. m. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. $65 – $125. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter. com.
Also: Lindsey Stirling regrets starting early at Christmas this year
The eighth edition of Decadence Arizona comes to Phoenix Raceway for a two-day EDM grand show filled with celebrity talent, from Subtronics to Louis the Child, Duke Dumont, Fisher, Porter Robinson, Zeds Dead, Flume, Malaa and more. Subtitled Ancient Future, this is Arizona’s largest New Year’s Eve birthday party, presented through Relentless Beats and Global Dance.
Details: Friday at 6:00 p. m. and Saturday, December 30 and 31 Phoenix Raceway, 7602 Jimmie Johnson Drive, Avondale. $99 depending on the day; Weekend at $149. 25. tixr. com.
Contact the reporter at ed. masley@arizonarepublic. com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.
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