THE SCORE
Matthews, Michael, McGraw due in Phoenix
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 03.27.2008
On-sale dates have been set for the following shows:
Tickets for Tim McGraw's June 20 show at Cricket Wireless Pavilion in Phoenix go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.
The country cutie, fresh from a national tour with wife Faith Hill, goes out solo this time, with openers Halfway to Hazard and Jason Aldean. Tickets are $33.75 for lawn, $63.75 for reserved seats through Ticketmaster, 321-1000, or www.livenation.com.
Tickets for Dave Matthews Band's Aug. 23 show at Cricket go on sale 10 a.m. Saturday ($40 and $70 through Ticketmaster, 321-1000, or www.livenation.com).
Tickets for the Phoenix stop on George Michael's first North American tour in 17 years will go on sale at 10 a.m. April 7.
The British pop singer will play US Airways Center on June 22, with ticket prices ranging from $50 to $125 through ticketmaster.com.
— Cathalena E. Burch
Les Claypool hits Rialto on Tuesday night
In the world of bassists, Les Claypool is a legend.
In the world of filmmaking, the jury is still out.
Claypool recently wrote and directed the 2006 mockumentary, "National Lampoon Presents Electric Apricot: Quest for Festeroo." The story follows a fake jam band in its quest to play a music festival, the very Bonnaroo-sounding "Festeroo."
The movie is getting a DVD release in May, but you'll be able to buy it at Claypool's Tuesday gig at the Rialto Theatre.
And what better host for April Fool's Day than perennial joker and general weirdo Claypool, better known as the frontman for alt-alt '90s rock act Primus?
Claypool is a bassist's bassist and sings with a distinctive nasal twang. His Web site says he'll be playing as part of a quartet on this tour, and "dipping into the archives and also playing some new material."
Opening is Tim Fite at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $27 day of show.
— Kevin W. Smith
Three 6 Mafia at DV8
Strange as this seems, Oscar-winning rap group and MTV reality TV stars Three 6 Mafia are playing Saturday night at DV8 nightclub, 5851 E. Speedway.
In 2006, the group won the Oscar for best original song for "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp," from the movie "Hustle & Flow."
Now the two-man group is prepping a new album, "Last 2 Walk," for a June release.
Also joining the bill are Project Pat and Chris Young.
The show starts at 8:30, and admission is $35 from ticketmaster.com.
— Kevin W. Smith
Jonas Brothers playing at the Cricket Pavilion
For all those moms and dads who splurged and bought scalper tickets to the Jonas Brothers Tucson show in January, the following will not come as good news:
The Jonas Brothers are coming back to Arizona. This time, they'll play the 20,000-capacity Cricket Wireless Pavilion in Phoenix.
Here's what this means: 10 times the available tickets. Ten times the chance that you can snag a ticket without the hassle of a scalper.
The pop-punker brothers bring their "The Burning Up Tour" to Cricket on July 11. Tickets ($25 for lawn seats, reserved seats $49.50-$75) go on sale at noon Saturday through www.livenation.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
— Cathalena E. Burch
RBD at AVA on Friday
RBD, that top pop ensemble from Mexico, will no doubt play to droves of screaming fans at Casino del Sol's AVA Friday night.
The sextet, born from the Mexican telenovela "Rebelde," is making up for the group's last canceled engagement at the casino.
As actors turned singers, RBD members don't play instruments or write their own music, but they have enjoyed incredible success thanks to the popularity of "Rebelde." The group's first U.S. show at the Los Angeles Coliseum in 2006 brought in more than 65,000 people.
RBD should have no problem selling out the 5,000 seat AVA. It will be joined by another television-born ensemble, La Nueva Banda Timbiriche.
The evening begins at 8 p.m., and tickets are $50-$125 through casinodelsol.ticketforce.com.
— Gerald M. Gay
Los Tigres del Norte will play at AVA Saturday
Casino del Sol's AVA will follow up RBD's Latin pop stylings with traditional corridos from Los Tigres del Norte Saturday night.
There isn't a norteño band out there today with the same clout and following as Los Tigres, a band of brothers led by Jorge Hernández and based out of San Jose, Calif.
The group has sold more than 34 million records worldwide and recently took home a Grammy for the album "Detalles y Emociones."
Los Tigres will be joined by accordion dynamo Ramón Ayala and Los Invasores de Nuevo Leon.
The show starts at 7 p.m., and tickets are $35-$60 through casinodelsol.ticketforce.com.
— Gerald M. Gay
Rhythm & Roots series continues with Cleaves
Slaid Cleaves returns to Old Town Artisans, 201 N. Court Ave., next Thursday as part of the 11th annual Rhythm & Roots concert series.
Cleaves is touring to promote "Unsung," the same album he brought with him to Tucson in 2006. But he should have some new material in tow. According to his Web site (www.slaid.com), the Austin singer/songwriter has a batch of new songs that he will soon record with longtime associate and producer Gurf Morlix.
Cleaves takes the stage at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $17 in advance through Antigone Books, Plaza Liquors and Enchanted Earthworks; $20 at the door. 440-4455.
— Gerald M. Gay
Reformed punkers bring 'grungegrass' to town
The Avett Brothers return to Tucson with their original brand of "grungegrass" Friday night. The North Carolina-born siblings, Scott and Seth Avett, are reformed punk musicians who traded in their electric guitars for banjos and High Lonesome harmonies. The band came through Tucson last August. It since has received duo/group of the year and "new/emerging artist of the year" honors from the American Music Association. Fellow roots artist Jessica Lea Mayfield opens the 8 p.m. show. Tickets are $18 through the Rialto, 740-1000.
— Gerald M. Gay
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