September concerts in Phoenix: Drake, Black Sabbath, 5 Seconds of Summer, Luke Bryan, Blink-182, Demi Lovato

Drake brings his tour in support of "Views" to Phoenix in a month that also features Black Sabbath's farewell tour, 5 Seconds of Summer, Luke Bryan and Blink-182's first tour since parting ways with Tom DeLonge. Here's a look at those and other highlights of the month in Valley concerts.

9/1: Mild High Club

That is such a perfect band name for the mellow brand of psychedelic soft-rock Mac DeMarco tourmate Alex Brettin has crafted on this project's first two efforts, last year's "Timeline" and this year's even better "Skiptracing." The new one almost drifts off into smooth jazz on occasion, but he keeps the production just trippy enough to steer clear of the easy listening label. Pitchfork raved that Brettin "does an interesting job crafting elaborately layered songs that still have a sort of four-track sound. When Brettin reaches in this way, his tunes leave DeMarco at the door and instead seek the territory explored by bands like under-appreciated ’90s Brian Wilson worshippers the High Llamas."

Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $12; $10 in advance. valleybarphx.com.

9/2: Tedeschi Trucks Band Tour 

Susan Tedeschi had already earned five Grammy nominations by the time she and her husband, slide guitarist Derek Trucks, joined forces, bringing home a best-blues-album Grammy for their first joint effort, "Revelator," which felt a bit like Derek and the Dominoes as fronted by a woman, blending blues and soul with occasional hints of a '70s soft-rock vibe. And they're still going strong two albums later, touring on "Let Me Get By," which inspired a PopMatters writer to rave that it's "finally the record that capitalizes on the promise this collective has had from the start."

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2. The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale. $25-$100. 480- 850-7734, talkingstickresort.com.

9/2: Sierra Hull

Bela Fleck has said this 20-something virtuoso “plays the mandolin with a degree of refined elegance and freedom that few have achieved.” And she's been working on that reputation since she was 11, astonishing audiences and fellow musicians alike. She's playing Phoenix in support of "Weighted Mind," her most inspired, accomplished and mature recorded work to date, produced by Fleck with special guest vocals by Alison Krauss, Abigail Washburn and Rhiannon Giddens.

Details: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2. MIM Music Theater, Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $33.50-$38.50. 480-478-6000, mim.org.

9/3: Asleep at the Wheel

These Western Swing revivalists have taken home nine Grammys since releasing their first album in the early ’70s. And I'm kinda shocked they didn't add another Grammy to the pile with last year's “Still the King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.” It’s their third such tribute to the king, this one boasting guest appearances by Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, the Avett Brothers, Amos Lee, Lyle Lovett and Old Crow Medicine Show.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3. Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino, 15406 N. Maricopa Road, Maricopa. 480-802-5000, harrahsakchin.com.

9/3: Shawn Colvin and Steve Earle

This isn't the first time these Triple-A radio icons have hit the road together. But unlike those previous tour dates, where they accompanied each other and sang harmonies on each other's song, on this tour, they're a proper duo, having recorded an album of folk songs together called "Colvin & Earle."  In the process, as NPR says, the duo have "elevated their collaboration to the level of top-flight album-making, bringing seemingly opposing impulses to the process,”

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St. $35-$85. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.com.

9/4: MSTRKRFT

Jesse F. Keeler of Death From Above 1979 and Al-P (who produced "You're A Woman, I'm a Machine" for DFA 1979), have been working together as MSTRKRFT since 2005. The Toronto-based EDM duo are touring on an album titled "Operator," which Sputnikmusic declared both an "inexorable 808 death march through a digital hell" and "MSTRKRFT’s best album yet," while Clash Music proclaimed it "the turbo-aggressive noise record they’ve always threatened to make."

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4. Livewire, 7320 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale. $10. 480-361-9783, livewireaz.com.

9/5: Russian Circles

This trio plays an instrumental blend of post-rock and headbanging metal — or post-metal. “Memorial,” their fifth full-length release, brought home a perfect score from the reviewer at PopMatters, who declared it “the first landmark post-metal release since Isis’ ‘Panopticon,’ Russian Circles’ greatest achievement, and unquestioningly one of 2013’s true artistic masterpieces.” And the followup arrives before they get to Phoenix.

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $20; $18 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

9/6: Drake

Since topping the rap charts with his triple-platinum breakthrough, "Best I Ever Had," this Canadian rapper has sent six titles to the top of Billboard's album chart — including the quadruple-platinum "Take Care" and this year's triple-platinum "Views." That he's done it with some of the more intriguing mainstream rap songs of the new millennium only makes it that much better. Hits include "Forever," "Find Your Love," "Make Me Proud," "Take Care," "Started From the Bottom," "Hold On, We're Going Home" and last year's five-times-platinum "Hotline Bling," the song that launched a million remixes. He's joined by Future.

Details: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6. Talking Stick Resort Arena, Second and Jefferson streets, Phoenix. $44.75-$144.75. ticketmaster.com.

9/6: The Game

Last year marked the 10th anniversary of "The Documentary," the double-platinum debut that topped the album charts and spawned the 50 Cent-assisted breakthrough singles "How We Do" and "Hate It or Love It," which remain his biggest hits. And he honored the occasion by dropping two sequels, "The Documentary 2" and "The Documentary 2.5," with guest appearances by Busta Rhymes, E-40, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Nas, Scarface, Schoolboy Q, Skrillex, Ty Dolla $ign, will.i.am, YG and Drake, the featured guest on the rapper's biggest hit since "Celebration," the haunting soulful "100." RapReviews responded with a rave that said these albums "prove that he is back, and yes, better than ever. This isn't based on a cursory listen: The evidence is all there. His lyrics are more considered; his flow is varied and on point pretty much throughout; the choice in music is superb; there are concepts that deserve your attention."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6. Pressroom, 441 W. Madison St., Phoenix. $29-$500. 602-396-7136, thepressroomaz.com.

9/6: Floating Points

Floating Points is Sam Shepherd, a U.K.-based electronic musician and neuroscientist whose latest effort is a two-song EP titled "Kuiper." The Line of Best Fit praised the EP as "experimental music at its very finest, and rarest: unashamedly cerebral, but also unrelenting in its dedication to powerful dynamics and -- crucial point, this -- melodic hooks." PopMatters was also smitten with the EP's "potent melodies, expert performances, and a boundary-pushing experimental nature that is both an enjoyable listen and an even deeper dive into uncharted musical waters."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $20; $17 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

9/7: Juliette Lewis

She brought in Best Supporting Actress nominations from the Oscars and the Golden Globe Awards for her role in the 1991 Martin Scorsese remake of "Cape Fear" and launched her recording career in 2004 with a project called Juliette and the Licks. She hasn't made an album since 2009, when "Terra Incognita," a solo effort recorded with Omar Rodríguez-López of the Mars Volta, was met with mixed reviews, Rolling Stone in particular taking exception to the conceptual nature of the project despite some powerful vocal performances from Lewis.

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7. Livewire, 7320 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale. $15. 480-361-9783, livewireaz.com.

9/7: The Album Leaf

These San Diego post-rock veterans have been holding out on us. It's been six years since their latest release, "A Chorus of Storytellers," which BBC Music praised as "desolate yet comforting," "glacial yet warm" and " remote yet intimate." That album was recorded in Seattle but remixed in Iceland by Jón Birgisson of Sigur Rós, who's something of a kindred spirit.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $18; $16 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

9/8: Fifth Harmony 

Fifth Harmony, a female pop/rock quintet, reached back to their "X-Factor" roots for the title of their sophomore full-length album, "7/27." The name and subsequent supporting tour symbolizes the date Simon Cowell infamously grouped together vocalists Ally Brooke, Normani Kordei, Lauren Jauregui, Camilia Cabello and Dinah Jane on Fox's reality-TV music competition. The new album features more slick R&B stylings and appearances by Ty Dolla $ign and Missy Elliott.

Details: 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept 8. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.95-$79.95. 602-254-7200, concerts.livenation.com.

9/10: 5 Seconds of Summer

The hottest teen sensations since One Direction, for whom they opened a 2014 tour, the Australian heartthrobs topped the U.S. charts with a self-titled album of spirited pop-punk songs that same year. Their hits include "She Looks So Perfect," "Amnesia," "Kiss Me Kiss Me," "Everything I Didn't Say," "Good Girls" and "She's Kinda Hot." In their second cover story on the boys, Billboard noted, “5SOS is an anomaly in 2015: a Generation Z guitar band that sells records." Alternative Press and Kerrang! both raved about their latest album, which doesn't happen often to artists featured as often in Tiger Beat and Bop as they've been.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10.  Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $25-$79.95. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

9/10: Mana

The rock en español legends have been among the more relevant names in Latin music since their formation in the '80s, serving as both cultural ambassadors and social advocates. One stated goal of the Latino Power Tour is uniting and inspiring Latino communities to make their voices heard this fall. “With the strength of their collective vote this year, U.S. Latinos can further empower our community, demanding more respect and affecting real change in the living conditions and opportunities for our people,” said Fher Olvera.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. Talking Stick Resort Arena, Second and Jefferson streets, Phoenix. $25.20-$85.20. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

9/10: Bayside

These Warped Tour veterans are about to drop the long-awaited followup to "Cult," their second release in a row to go Top 40 on the Billboard album charts. Alternative Press said "'Cult' unleashes some of the band's tastiest riffs and strongest songs yet while broadening Bayside's musical palate."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. Pressroom, 441 W. Madison St., Phoenix. $19-$22. 602-396-7136, thepressroomaz.com.

9/10: Beth Hart

This blues belter has released three albums with Joe Bonamassa, two of which, "Seesaw" and "Live In Amsterdam," topped the Billboard blues chart. She arrives in support of a soulful new album called "Better Than Home,"  an effort PopMatters declared "the kind of album that defines a career, and simply put, that’s better than most.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. Livewire, 7320 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale. $31.75. 480-361-9783, livewireaz.com.

9/11: Zombies

Their finest hour, “Odessey and Oracle,” is often cited in the same breath as the Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” and the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” But by the time it hit the streets in 1968, the Zombies had already broken up. Their masterpiece’s reputation just kept growing, though. And they eventually got back together, entertaining several generations worth of fans with some of rock and roll’s most timeless songs. Their newest release, the aptly titled "Still Got That Hunger," is the fourth album of new material since keyboardist Rod Argent and singer Colin Blunstone reunited in 2001. They're joined by Felix Cavaliere's Rascals.

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11. Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale. $40-$60. 480- 850-7734, talkingstickresort.com.

9/13: Brian Fallon

He rose to fame as the Springsteenesque voices at the helm of New Jersey punks the Gaslight Anthem. This year, he went solo with "Painkillers," an album that effortlessly lives up to the promise of the Gaslight Anthem's most inspired work. The A.V. Club responded with "The secret to 'Painkillers' is that Fallon doesn’t overcomplicate things or second-guess himself, which must be liberating considering the daunting amount of pressure he’s under with Gaslight." This is a co-headlining tour with Ryan Bingham.

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $25. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/13: Counting Crows and Rob Thomas

Hailed by NPR as “one of the most popular and easily identifiable rock groups in America,” Counting Crows went multi-platinum with "August and Everything After," the debut that sent their biggest single, "Mr. Jones," to No. 5 on Billboard's Hot 100. Other hits include "A Long December" and ""Round Here." Thomas launched his career as the voice of Matchbox Twenty, whose hits include "Push," "3AM," "If You're Gone," "Bent" and "How Far We've Come." He also collaborated with Santana on the triple-platinum, Grammy-winning "Smooth," which topped the Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks and spent 58 weeks on the chart.

Details: 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $26-$80.50. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com

9/13: Porches

Pitchfork responded to their latest effort with "On 'Pool,' Aaron Maine has shed the murky folk of previous recordings for a homespun electronic sound that consciously pulls away from the 'rock' elements. ... You can imagine the shy kids dance parties the album will soundtrack, but Pool is also an introspective record, tailormade for lonesome nights." Spin also liked it, writing, "There is almost always an underlying inorganic sound that’s either ominous, nauseous or both, and it’s the only thing that guarantees that none of the slower tracks will unknowingly be embraced in dentists’ waiting rooms next to classic soft rock."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $15; $13 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

9/14: Daryl Hall & John Oates

Hall & Oates were blue-eyed soul's dynamic duo, breaking through with the back-to-back hits "Sara Smile" and "She's Gone" in 1976. They made their first appearance at the top of Billboard's Hot 100 the following year with "Rich Girl" and rule the early '80s pop scene with a string of massive hit singles, including the chart-topping "Kiss on My List," "Private Eyes," "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)," "Maneater" and "Out of Touch." They're joined by truly special guests Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue.

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $25-$125. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

9/14: Ray LaMontagne

The soulful singer won a best-folk-album Grammy for 2010's "God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise," which sent a single, "Beg, Borrow or Steal" to the top of the Billboard adult alternative charts. Although it never charted in the States, he may be best known for the title track to his first album "Trouble," as heard on various TV singing competitions, "The Office," "True Blood," "Rescue Me" and a Travelers Insurance commercial. This tour is in support of “Ouroboros,” an album co-produced by LaMontagne and Jim James of My Morning Jacket.

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $38.50-$50. 602-379-2888, concerts.livenation.com.

9/14: Local Natives

These L.A. rockers pulled in raves for their 2009 debut, “Gorilla Manor,” hailed as “a stunning debut, feeling simultaneously familiar and challenging” by MusicOMH.com. For the followup, 2013's “Hummingbird,” they brought in Aaron Dessner of the National to handle the production, which supports the aching majesty of Kelcey Ayers’ vocals with an atmospheric Wall of Sound. In April, they released a single, "Past Lives," from a new release that could be out before they get to Tempe.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $30. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/14: Avi Buffalo

I'm told these California rockers have been working on the long-awaited folllowup to "At Best Cuckold," which NME declared "an album that skirts close to perfection in its 35 minutes of glorious madness and transcendent, George Harrison-like guitar solos," while MOJO proclaimed it "an even more pop-centric prism of West Coast folky radiance."

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $15; $13 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

9/14: Goblin Cock

In which Rob Crow of Pinback adopts the endearingly ludicrous stage name Lord Phallus, the better with which to lead his bandmates through a set of sludgy stoner-rock. This tour is in support of "Necronomidonkeykongimicon," their long-awaited followup to 2009's riff-tastic "Come With Me If You Want to Live." I haven't heard the new one yet but Lord Phallus has promised a "crushingly brutal Dear John letter to society," which certainly sounds like a good time to me.

Details: 8 p.m. Wenesday, Sept. 14. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $12; $10 in advance. valleybarphx.com.

9/15: Kraftwerk

These German electronic-music legends are bringing their multimedia 3D Concerts Tour to the Orpheum. The Edmonton Journal responded to the tour with "Not so much a concert as the best art show to ever come through the Jubilee Auditorium, Kraftwerk's two-hour concert was political, beautiful and ultimately philosophical. ... Overall, an incredible spectacle."

Details: 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15. Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix. $49.50-$69.50. phoenix.ticketforce.com.

9/15: The Monkees

It's the 50th anniversary of the the TV show for which the Monkees – Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and the late Davy Jones – were brought together. And to celebrate, the three surviving members hit the studio with Adam Schlesinger and came out with their strongest, most consistently engaging album since the '60s. “Good Times!" features music written for the Monkees by the likes of Rivers Cuomo (Weezer), Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) and Andy Partridge (XTC) in addition to an old Neil Diamond song with lead vocals from Jones. Released in May, the album hit the charts at No. 14, their best showing since the 1968 release of the "The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees. Now, Dolenz and Tork are comin' to your town with a multi-media production, screening vintage footage from their Emmy-winning series.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. $37-$100. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.

9/15: The SteelDrivers

Bluegrass Today says SteelDrivers are “impeccable instrumental work, powerful vocals and songwriting that demonstrates that simply told stories can be powerful.” And the Best Bluegrass Album Grammy they earned earlier this year would seem to go a long way toward confirming that assessment. The award was for "The Muscle Shoals Recordings," which inspired PopMatters to rave that "Everything that makes the SteelDrivers, fundamentally, the SteelDrivers, is present and laid out on the table totally disrobed, with no frilly affectations or studio voodoo accentuating their raw mix." Or maybe you'd be swayed more by Adele, who says, “They’re a blues, country, bluegrass, swagger band, and they are brilliant.”

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15. MIM Music Theater, Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $40.50-$48.50. 480-478-6000, mim.org.

9/15: St. Paul & the Broken Bones

Fans of Alabama Shakes' debut would love this six-piece soul-revival band from Birmingham, Ala., whose own debut, "Half the City," was produced by Ben Tanner, the Shakes' touring keyboardist. PopMatters called it "a captivating, exceptional soul album," while the Austin Chronicle raved, "There's a sense that the band lives to let it all hang out -- beg, scream, and shout."

Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $15; $13 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

9/16: Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas

Lovato, the “X Factor” judge who hit the mainstream as the female lead in Disney’s Jonas Brothers movie “Camp Rock,” is bringing a string of giant pop hits to the table, including nine platinum singles, two of which went triple-platinum (“Give Your Heart a Break” and “Heart Attack”). Nick has been the Jonas most likely to succeed from the day he and his brothers signed a major-label deal (although Joe may have been the most crush-worthy to younger Jonas Brothers fans). The point is Nick is solo now, touring an album called “Nick Jonas,” which has spawned two major pop hits.

Details: Friday, Sept. 16. Talking Stick Resort Arena, Second and Jefferson streets, Phoenix. $25.20-$85.20. ticketmaster.com.

9/16: Crystal Castles

Last seen rocking Viva PHX, Crystal Castles will return for a concert at the Pressroom. This is what we had to say about their set at Viva PHX: Crystal Castles had a huge crowd dancing to their throbbing beats while bearing witness to one of their first live performances since Alice Glass left the group in 2014. New singer Edith Frances proved an energetic onstage presence, flailing her hair as she hopped up and down on a stage bathed in smoke. And her heavily processed vocals sounded great in a set whose highlights included “Baptism,” “Untrust Us” and “Not In Love,” while Ethan Kath supplied those memorable synth hooks with a touring drummer rounding out the lineup.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16. The Pressroom, 441 W. Madison St., Phoenix.  $25; $20 in advance. 602-396-7136, ticketfly.com.

9/16: Swans

In 2014, these avant-garde legends reissued "Filth," an abrasive, experimental first release once memorably sized up as "the ideal soundtrack for mass suicides or nuclear holocausts." Now, they're headed to Phoenix in support of "The Glowing Man," the fourth studio album they're managed since returning from a 14-year hiatus in 2010 with "My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky." And there's nothing on those albums to suggest they've gotten soft with age. Another reason you should go? This is the final tour and album with this lineup, after which Michael Gira has said, "I'll continue to make music under the name Swans, with a revolving cast of collaborators ... touring will definitely be less extensive."

Details: 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $25-30. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

— Ed Masley

MORE: Get the Things to Do app | Latest concert announcements | Top concerts this week

9/16: Pat Metheny

Recently inducted to the Downbeat Hall of Fame as its youngest member and only the fourth guitarist, the 20-time Grammy winning jazz guitarist Pat Metheny will present a range of music from throughout his career. After the massive worldwide successes of his Unity Band and Unity Group records and the extensive touring that followed, Metheny took a bit of a break in 2015. Joining Metheny this year will be Malaysian-Australian bassist Linda Oh, British pianist Gwilym Simcock, and his long time drummer Antonio Sanchez, his most consistent associate in a huge variety of settings since 2000.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St. $35-$85. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.com.

9/16-17: Mad Decent Block Party

The Mad Decent Block Party is coming back to Arizona, and this time, it's for two days. The EDM festival was created by Grammy Award-winning producer Diplo, and takes place Sept. 16-17 at Rawhide in Chandler. The event is limited to attendees who are 18 years and older. While the line-up hasn't been announced, attendees can expect acts from Diplo's record label, Mad Decent.

Details: Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16-17. Rawhide Western Town, 5700 W. North Loop, Chandler. General admission is $53 for single day, $99 for two-day. VIP is $93 for single day, $199 for two-day. maddecentaz.com, maddecentblockparty.com.

— Kellie Hwang

9/17: Prophets of Rage

Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine join Public Enemy's Chuck D and DJ Lord and Cypress Hill's B-Real in what Morello has called an “elite task force of revolutionary musicians determined to confront this mountain of election-year bulls--t'.” Their rallying cry is “dangerous times demand dangerous songs." The Los Angeles Times responded to one of their earliest performances with: “These guys sounded like a revolution in the making." A portion of the proceeds from each show will benefit a local homeless charity.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $20-$89.50. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com

9/17: 'El Grito'

It’s a regional-Mexican blowout, featuring El Dasa, Adriel Favela, Codigo FN and more. El Komander headlines; the controversial singer (real name: Alfredo Rios) is known for narcocorridos, or gangster melodramas that glamorize the thug life. In 2013, he earned a concert promoter an $800 fine for performing tunes like “Cuernito Armani” at a show in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $25-$103. livenation.com, 602-379-7800.

— Randy Cordova

9/17: Cass McCombs

McCombs has been hailed in Uncut as "one of America's most unique and affecting songwriters." And this year's "Mangy Love" may be his strongest effort yet. The reviewer at Mojo hailed it as “his most succinct and affecting work since the near-perfect 'Wit’s End,' the album that 'Mangy Love' now replaces as his finest.” I featured a track from the album, "Medusa's Outhouse," on a recent playlist of 12 songs you need to hear right now, where I wrote: "He puts his upper register to brilliant use on this atmospheric ballad, investing the lyrics with vulnerability and soul from the opening line.”

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $15: $13 in advance. valleybarphx.com.

9/18: This Wild Life

This Southern California duo – Kevin Jordan and Anthony Del Grosso – brought home raves for 2014's "Clouded," their full-length debut. As Alternative Press wrote, "The vocals are one of the duo's strongest points, but the entertaining and skillful guitar work is right up there, as is the songwriting dynamics and arrangement prowess. In other words, everything about this one is a winner." By the time they get to Phoenix, they'll have dropped the much-anticipated followup, "Low Tides."

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18. Pub Rock, 8005 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix. $18; $15 in advance. 480-945-4985, pubrocklive.com.

9/19: Dinosaur Jr.

J. Mascis made the Alternative Nation safe for speaker-shredding, fuzz-drenched Neil Young-style guitar heroics on Dinosaur Jr. albums as essential as "You're Living All Over Me," "Bug" and "Green Mind." And he's definitely tapped into the essence of those classics in the bittersweet guitar jams that constitute the bulk of this year's stunning "Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not," on which he offers more than just a glimpse of what he's kinda always been. Of course, it helps that it's the fourth consecutive release to boast the classic lineup – Lou Barlow on bass and Murph on drums – since they got back together and blessed us with "Beyond" in 2007.

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $35.50; $30.50 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

9/20: Def Leppard

These guys ruled the rock-radio landscape in their '80s prime with such headbanging pop-metal hook-fests as "Photograph," "Rock of Ages," "Pour Some Sugar on Me," "Armageddon It" and the power ballad that landed them at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100, "Love Bites." Two Def Leppard albums — "Pyromania" and "Hysteria" — have sold more than 10 million copies in the States. They're joined by REO Speedwagon, who topped the album charts in 1980 with the nine-times-platinum "Hi Infidelity," which spawned the platinum chart-topper "Keep On Loving You" and the Top 5 "Take It On the Run."

Detail: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $25-$125. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

9/20: Leon Bridges

A quick glance at the retro-tastic cover of this 26-year-old's astonishingly soulful debut, "Coming Home," should tell you everything you need to know about what kind of record Bridges has set out to make. And he delivers on that promise in track after track after setting the tone with the wistful, Otis Redding-worthy ballad from the album takes its name. "I'm not saying I can hold a candle to any soul musician from the '50s and '60s," Bridges says, "but I want to carry the torch." Consider it carried.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. $37-$45. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.

9/20: Still Corners

Tessa Murray has the perfect whisper of a voice to put across the haunted synth-pop mood pieces producer Greg Hughes wrote for 2013's ethereal daydream of an album, "Strange Pleasures." Mojo found it "a lush, intoxicating place to drift away in" while Under the Radar declared it "a testament to the full-range of synths, turning what could easily become an exercise in sterility into a multi-faceted pop gem."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $15: $13 in advance. valleybarphx.com.

9/21: Black Sabbath

Inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, Black Sabbath are often credited with giving birth to heavy metal with their classic 1970 debut and the quadruple-platinum followup, “Paranoid.” MTV once declared them the greatest metal band of all time, which seems about right (unless you call Led Zeppelin metal). Founding drummer Bill Ward left the fold in 2012, saying he wouldn’t return until he was given a “signable contract.” But Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler carried on, releasing “13” in 2013, and embarking on a world tour, which was pretty amazing. The End is their farewell tour. And an aptly titled one at that.

Detail: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $30-$150. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

9/21: Squeeze

Washing up on U.S. shores at roughly the same time as fellow pop classicists Elvis Costello and XTC, Squeeze never enjoyed the commercial success that had greeted the previous generation of British Invaders. But back in the day, Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook were frequently looked upon as the Lennon-McCartney of their day, packing albums with literate pop gems as timeless as “Take Me I’m Yours,” “Goodbye Girl,” “Cool for Cats” and their eventual U.S. breakthrough, “Tempted.” They're touring in support of "Cradle to the Grave," their first album of new material in 17 years, on which effortlessly channel the spirit of their most enduring work for nostalgic effect.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St. $40-$80. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.com.

9/21: Foy Vance

The Irish singer-songwriter is set to launch his U.S. tour – yes, launch his U.S. tour – at Valley Bar. The tour is in support of Vance's third full-length release, "The Wild Swan," which has the unlikely distinction of having been executive-produced by Elton John. Q Magazine responded to the album with "While Vance's pipes are impressive – a mix of Van Morrison and John Fogerty – it's his lyrical googlies that hook you in." And really, it's not every day an artist comes along who can inspire members of the British rock press to sing the praises of their googlies.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $15: $12 in advance. valleybarphx.com.

9/22: Luke Bryan

The country superstar is touring in support of "Kill the Lights," which hit the country charts at No. 1, his third consecutive release to do so. His hits include country chart-toppers "Rain is a Good Thing," "Someone Else Calling You Baby," "I Don't Want This Night to End," "Drunk on You," "That's My Kind of Night," "Drink a Beer," "Play It Again," "I See You,” “Kick the Dust Up” and “Strip it Down.” Little Big Town and Dustin Lynch will open the show.

Details: 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22.  Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $32.75-$81.50. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

9/22: Twin Peaks

Not to be confused with David Lynch's legendary television series of the same name, these Twin Peaks are touring in support of "Down in Heaven," a great new album they say was inspired by the albums that came out in 1968. And they apparently dined heavily on "Beggars Banquet," given the Jaggeresque vocals. But like Royal Trux before them, Twin Peaks take the Stones' unpolished essence as a starting point, arriving at a sound that's even more unpolished. In a good way. It's a low-key brand of rock and roll, the kind that sounds like it was captured as the sun was coming up after a long night of living the rock-and-roll lifestyle. The next time a self-loathing Boomer wants to tell you rock-and-roll is dying, throw this on and leave the room so they come to terms with the fact that it's not rock and roll that's dying.

Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $15; $13 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

9/23: Casting Crowns

These Contemporary Christian rockers earned a Grammy for 2006's "Lifesong," picked up Artist of the Year in 2010 at the Dove Awards and won an American Music Award for best contemporary inspirational artist on the strength of last year's "Casting Crowns: A Live Worship Experience." They're joined by five-time Grammy nominee Matt Maher and Hannah Kerr, whose first single “I Stand Here” was released last year.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23. Grand Canyon University Arena, 3300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix. $17.50-$75. 602-639-8979, gcuarena.com.

9/23: Gloria Trevi

Also known as the "Mexican Madonna," Latin pop/rock superstar Gloria Trevi first showed off her signature raspy vocals in her 1989 debut, "Qué Hago Aqui?" Renowned for her over-the-top and often controversial antics on and off the stage, Trevi shocked conservative pundits throughout the 90's, promoting sexual freedom and taking on sociopolitical topics like drugs, out-of-wedlock pregnancies and abortion. She's still topping Latin album charts today, with her latest release, "Amor."

Details: 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $45-$120. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.ticketforce.com.

9/23: Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas

Like Karen O or Bob Dylan before her, Hernandez has one of those voices that's distinct enough to guarantee that your enjoyment of the Deltas' debut, "Secret Evil," will probably come down to whether you're charmed by the idiosyncrasies of her larger-than-life approach or not. I'm on board with her singing. And so was the PopMatters critic who wrote: "Queasy carnival music, hoodoo blues stomps, country waltz ballads, primitive rock and jazzy inflections coalesce and flow around the anchor of Hernandez's rich voice, a contralto rife with character and heartrending soul."

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $12; $10 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

9/24: Blink-182

The pop-punk icons bring their first tour since parting ways with Tom DeLonge to Phoenix in support of seventh album “California,” their first effort with DeLonge’s replacement, Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio, on guitar and vocals. Skiba’s first onstage appearance with the band was hailed in OC Weekly as “the best they’ve sounded in over a decade.” So there's that. They've topped the Modern Rock charts three times, with "All the Small Things," "I Miss You" and this year's "Bored to Death," their first release with Skiba. They're joined on this tour by A Day to Remember and All Time Low.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $35-$80. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

9/24: One Love Festival

The bill for this R&B festival is topped by Tony! Toni! Tone!, best remembered for a string of early hits that topped the R&B charts, including the crossover smash "Feels Good," "It Never Rains (In Southern California)" and "The Blues." They're joined by Ginuwine, who topped the R&B charts twice, with 1996's "Pony" and 2001's "Differences," while going double-platinum with his first two albums. Rounding out the bill are Purple Reign, a tribute to the legendary genius that was Prince, and Shining Star.

Details: 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Rawhide Western Town, 5700 W. North Loop, Chandler. $35-$110. ticketfly.com.

9/24: Flans

Ivonne, Ilse and Mimí of Flans were initially in a mid-'80s Mexican TV show called Fans. But the show never aired and the girl were renamed Flans by the time their self-titled debut arrived in 1985, a collection of pop songs and ballads. After releasing an album a year through 1990's "Adios," which as the title would suggest was meant to be a breakup album, but they've reunited several times since then.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $49.50-$99.50. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

9/24: Trivium

Their first album, "Ember to Inferno," hit the streets in 2003. But Trivium's ascendancy began in earnest in 2005 with the aptly titled "Ascendancy," their first release on Roadrunner. And they're still going strong with a great new album "Silence in the Snow." It's their seventh release and as the review in Alternative Press was right to note, "the Florida foursome still manage to top themselves with each outing." The twin-guitar solos alone would make this album — and this concert — worth your while.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $24. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/24: Sara Evans

Evans has had an interesting career. She began singing traditional country fare and was adored by critics, but her debut album (1997's "No Place That Far") didn't sell. The vocalist updated her image, commercialized her sound and wound up with such major hits as "Suds in the Bucket" and a cover of Edwin McCain's "I Could Not Ask For More." Along the way, there was a stint on "Dancing with the Stars."

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Gila River Reservation. $48-$99. 800-946-4452, wingilariver.com.

— Randy Cordova

9/24: Tegan and Sara

A Canadian indie-pop duo made up of identical twins, Tegan and Sara have been making music since the '90s. But they broke through in a big way in 2013 when a synth-pop song called "Closer" topped the U.S. dance charts, giving them their first Top 40 entry on the Hot 100 in the process. The synth-driven pop sensibilities driving "Closer" up the chart are also very much on display on their new album, "Love You to Death," from the candy-coated New Wave soul of "Boyfriend" to the album-closing "Hang On to the Night," a dreamy synth-pop ballad that could be their most contagious track yet.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Livewire, 7320 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale. $34. 480-361-9783, livewireaz.com.

9/24: Whitechapel

Formed in Knoxville, Tenn., these deathcore veterans looked to London for their name, a reference to the district in East London in which Jack the Ripper found his victims. They're here in support of a new album, "Mark of the Blade," their first to feature clean vocals from singer Phil Bozeman. Alternative Press raved: "There is so much more offered in this collection of 11 songs than we’ve seen of Whitechapel previously, making 'Mark Of The Blade' an exciting milestone."

Details: 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Club Red, 1306 W. University Drive, Mesa. $25; $20 in advance. 480-258-2733, clubredrocks.com.

9/24: The Heavy

These British soul revivalists may go a little heavy on the shtick at times, enough that I would have to think Paul Shaffer would insist they've nailed it. But that also means it's wildly entertaining, like the Blues Brothers playing the soundtrack to "The Little Shop of Horrors," as Mark Ronson would produce it. Kelvin Swaby definitely has the vocal grit to tap into that classic Memphis soul vibe. And they clearly know their way around a memorable hook.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $23; $22.50 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

9/26: Atmosphere

These alternative hip-hop veterans have never really bothered with the mainstream side of modern rap, but that didn't stop them from crashing the album charts at No. 5 with 2008's classic "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That S--t Gold." Their latest album, "Fishing Blues," debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's R&B charts earlier this summer, making it their highest entry on that chart to date. The A.V. Club responded to the new release with: "Overall, this is undeniable rap therapy. Like the rest of us, Slug and Ant are just trying to get by, and for the most part, they’re succeeding."

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $24. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/26-27: Donovan

He's playing two shows at the MIM in late September, but it's Donovan. Of course they both sold out before we even made it to September. These shows are part of the "Sunshine Superman" 50th anniversary, but whether that means he'll be playing the entire album is a bit unclear. The psychedelic icon says, “I am delighted to be going on tour throughout North America, to thank all who have followed my work from the beginning -- and all who have just discovered me now. I celebrate my 50th year in music to re-affirm my poet’s role to unite us with our deeper conscious Self. My ‘Sunshine Superman’ album led the way to establish the need for the journey within and T.M Meditation the way to go. My world-wide tour continues this work.”

Details: 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26 and Tuesday, Sept. 27. MIM Music Theater, Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. SOLD OUT. 480-478-6000, mim.org.

9/27: Flume

The acclaimed Australian electronica producer, who closed Coachella's outdoor stage both weekends, arrives in support of "Skin." Pitchfork summed the album up as music “custom made for dark, secluded warehouse raves” while Nylon called it “powerful and utterly unique.”

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $27. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

9/27: Cold War Kids

These California indie-rockers have been working on building a buzz since "Hang Me Up to Dry" became their first Top 40 entry on Billboard's alternative-songs chart in 2007. Subsequent modern-rock-radio hits include "Something Is Not Right With Me," "Audience," "Louder Than Ever," "Miracle Mile" and last year's "All This Could Be Yours." Paste Magazine says "Hold My Home," their latest, is "arguably the strongest record – with the most consistent highlights – that the band has yet to deliver, and it bodes well for their future.

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $25-$35. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/27: Cymbals Eat Guitars

The songs I've heard so far from "Pretty Years" have me anxious to hear what the rest of the album sounds like. "4th of July, Philadelpha (Sandy) made my list of best June singles, and "Have a Heart" was on my August list, both for obvious reasons. Bassist Matthew Whipple says of the album, “We wanted to make a more energetic record. I personally looked to artists like Springsteen, '70s Bowie, the Smiths, the Cure, Neil Young as inspiration for — not really for sound as much as for that dichotomy of bands who were entertainers still making, at times, weird dark music and writing songs that seem totally over-the-top by today's rock band standards.”

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $12. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

9/28: Skylar Grey

This soulful singer-songwriter co-wrote "Love the Way You Lie," an 11-times-platinum smash for Eminem and Rihanna that topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won a handful of awards, from Soul Train to Billboard. Eminem returned the favor with a guest rap on "C'mon Let Me Ride," the lead single from 2013's "Don't Look Down," which showed a lot of promise but failed to set the charts on fire. She plays Phoenix a week after hitting the streets with "Natural Causes," her first album since 2013.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $20-$99. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

9/28: Rocky Votolato

It's the 10th anniversary of "Makers," an occasion Votolato's label, Barsuk Records, has honored by reissuing the understated landmark while the singer-songwriter has taken to the road to celebrate the anniversary by playing the entire album. At the time of the album's release, Alternative Press responded by declaring it "the disc Ryan Adams keeps threatening to make but never quite delivers," while Mojo championed his understated brand of "simply played, gently sung, graceful, literate, folk rock."

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28: Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $16; $15 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

9/28: Caveman

Under the Radar called "Otero War," their latest album, "a sweeping, windows-down, 75-on-the-highway summertime record, and Caveman's strongest yet." On the opening track, they manage to filter the fist-pumping forward momentum of Bruce Springsteen rocking the back rows of some early '80s stadium through the synth-pop sheen of that same era and the distortion of shoegaze. There's a hint of "Thriller"-era Michael Jackson to the synth hook of the second song but most tracks work their way back around to that glorious racket Matthew Iwanusa likes to stir up on guitar.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $15: $12 in advance. valleybarphx.com.

9/29: Dropkick Murphys

On 2011’s “Going Out in Style,” they were joined on a rollicking reinvention of “Peg O’ My Heart” by Bruce Springsteen, who’d gone backstage to introduce himself after seeing the Murphys tear it up a few years back in New York City. And although there’s no reprise of that collaboration on 2013's "Signed and Sealed in Blood," there are plenty of songs that leave no doubt as to exactly what it is about these Boston punks that made a guy like Springsteen want to meet them in the first place.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $30-$45. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/29: August Burns Red

These metalcore veterans have sent four albums to the top of Billboard's Christian album chart, including last year's acclaimed "Found in Far Away Places," which also topped the hard-rock, rock and indie charts. Alternative Press responded with a rave that noted: "Building on the intelligent, melodically inventive sounds showcased on 2013's 'Rescue & Restore,' the quintet further distinguish themselves from the metalcore pack in a manner that seems effortless."

Details: 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29. Nile Theater, 105 W. Main St., Mesa. $17. 480-559-5859, niletheater.com.

9/30: Chris Young

It's been a decade now since Young became a Nashville Star by winning "Nashville Star." Since then, he's sent five singles to the top of Billboard's country chart — "Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)," "The Man I Want to Be," "Voices," "Tomorrow" and "You." His latest single, "Think of You," is a duet with Cassadee Pope, the "Voice" contestant who went country after launching her career on the pop-punk circuit as the singer for Hey Monday.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. Grand Canyon University Arena, 3300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix. $39.50-$55. 602-639-8979, gcuarena.com.

9/30: Alice in Chains

In their mid-’90s prime, these Seattle alternative-metal icons rode the grunge wave to the top of Billboard’s album chart with a triple-platinum 1994 EP called “Jar of Flies” (which spawned their first chart-topping mainstream-rock hit, “No Excuses”) and a self-titled album the following year that sent three singles to the mainstream-rock Top 10. But after hitting No. 3 with 1996’s “MTV Unplugged,” they fell on hard times as Layne Staley struggled with the drug addiction that would claim his life in 2002. Primary songwriter Jerry Cantrell, founding drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Inez, who joined in 1993, got back together three years after Staley’s death with a new singer, William DuVall. Since then, they’ve sent four singles to the top of Billboard’s mainstream-rock chart — “Check My Brain,” “Your Decision,” “Hollow” and “Stone.” Their latest album, “The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here,” debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s album chart while earning a rave from No Ripcord, whose writer weighed in with “ ‘The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here’ is up there with the best Alice in Chains albums, with each track a conquest of structure and composition.”

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale. $25-$90. 480- 850-7734, talkingstickresort.com.

9/30: Musiq Soulchild

The neo-soul sensation co-headlines this Grown & Sexy 16 concert with Avant. Souchild has topped the U.S. R&B charts with three albums, 2002's platinum "Juslisen," 2007's "Luvanmusiq" and 2008's "OnMyRadio." His best-known songs include the Top 5 R&B hits "Love," "Halfcrazy," "Dontchange," "B.U.D.D.Y." and "Teachme." His latest album, "Life on Earth," arrived in April, spinning off his biggest R&B hit since 2009's "SoBeautiful," "I Do."

Details: 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $20-$55. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.ticketforce.com.

9/30: Phantogram

With Sarah Barthel's ethereal vocals washing over languid electronic beats and film-noir ambience, this New York duo's debut, "Eyelid Movies," found them swimming in comparisons to Portishead, Barthel explaining: "We wanted to incorporate all our own influences and created our own sound that's a combination of Serge Gainsbourg, sampling and Detroit hip-hop." Their second album, "Voices," found them rocking more without abandoning the atmospheric charms of that debut. And they conquered alternative radio with "Fall In Love," which filters the best parts of disco and bachelor-pad music through a more contemporary sensibility with the added value of a timeless melody and the sense that there's something emotional at stake on the lyrical front. And there's a new one due just after their appearance here.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $27.50-$42.50. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/30: Okkervil River

They rolled out of Austin in 2002 with a bummed-out alternative-country debut, “Don’t Fall in Love With Everyone You See,” but really hit their stride in 2005 with “Black Sheep Boy,” by which point Will Sheff had come into his own as one of alternative-country’s most intriguing lyricists. Of course, by this point, they’ve left the alternative-country and indie-folk labels by the wayside. They’re just what they are. And by the time this concert rolls around, they'll have released "Away," their first album in three years, which we're told is a "radically different" affair. Sheff recorded the album with an almost entirely new cast of musicians, most coming from the jazz and avant-garde worlds, and the result is a stripped-down embodiment of Sheff's revival through music after a period of significant loss and change.

Details: 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $22; $20 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

MORE AZCENTRAL ON SOCIAL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest