Top concerts playing Phoenix in July: Daddy Yankee, Lumineers, Wiz Khalifa, Logic

Machine Gun Kelly brings his Mainstream Sellout tour to Phoenix in a month that also features big arena shows by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Taylor, the Lumineers, Fuerza Regida and Daddy Yankee. 

Ak-Chin Pavilion has co-headlining tours by REO Speedwagon with Styx, Wiz Khalifa with Logic and Maverick City Music with Kirk Franklin as well a headlining tour for Train. 

But enough about the biggest shows in town. Our monthly guide to Valley concerts also features many smaller shows worth checking out, from Cowboy Junkies at the MIM to Darkest Hour at the Nile and Heartless Bastards playing Crescent Ballroom. 

Plus, the Shins are dusting off an album we have heard could change your life at Tempe's Marquee Theatre. 

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Denzel Curry

The Soundcloud-spawned rapper arrives in support of "Melt My Eyez See Your Future," an introspective masterstroke of deeply soulful hip-hop narratives positioning Curry as one modern music's most inspired lyricists. NME responded with a five-star rave, praising the album for evoking hip-hop golden era before concluding "It’s hard to revamp your sound with every project, but Denzel Curry is fast becoming the Renaissance man of Southern hip-hop, always 10 steps ahead of the game."

Details: 9 p.m. Friday, July 1. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35-$55. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Darkest Hour

These D.C.-based metalcore veterans earned raves in 2017 for the brutal aggression of "Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora." Revolver said the album was "as driven and vicious as anything the band has released with disembowlers like 'This Is the Truth' and 'Those Who Survived.'" They're playing 2007's "Deliver Us" in its entirety to celebrate that album's 15th anniversary. 

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, July 2. The Nile, 105 W. Main St., Mesa. $25. 480-559-5859, eventbrite.com.

Heartless Bastards

Led by guitar-playing vocalist Erika Wesserstrom, these Ohio rockers were brought to the attention of Fat Possum, their first label, by the Black Keys’ Patrick Carney. And they haven't exactly abandoned the gritty garage-rock-revival approach of their earliest work all together on last year's "A Beautiful Life," their first album back from a five-year hiatus. But they've grown and expanded the scope of their sound, from the psychedelic splendor of an epic opener called "Revolution" to the chamber-pop strings and piano of "When I Was Younger."

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 2. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $25-$35. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

Fleet Foxes

The Seattle-based indie-folk heroes most like to make a person think of Crosby, Stills & Nash are touring the States in delayed support of 2020's "Shore," an understated gem that made the rounds of year-end critics lists, cracking the Top 5 at Uncut, 6Music, Mojo and Uproxx. Uncut praised lead singer Robin Pecknold's "ruminations on ageing and loss" as "a soothing balm in uncertain times" while musicOMH said "It has ‘future classic’ written all over it."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 5. Arizona Federal Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $45 and up. 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com. 

Motion City Soundtrack

These Warped Tour veterans haven't hit us with new music since 2015's “Panic Stations,” a third consecutive release that rocked the effervescent pop hooks in a way that left me wondering why people tend to think of them as pop-punk when their more infectious moments feel more like a throwback to the golden age of power-pop. Or power-pop as Smoking Popes and Weezer did their best to redefine it in the '90s. They're joined by All Get Out and Neil Rubenstein.

Details: 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 5. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35-$38. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

In their ’90s prime, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony topped the Hot 100 with “Tha Crossroads,” a Grammy-winning tribute to the legendary Eazy-E from the Cleveland rappers' quadruple-platinum breakthrough “E. 1999 Eternal.” Other hits include the Top 10 smashes “Look Into My Eyes” and “I Tried.” They're joined at the Marquee by Maniacal Militants and more.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 8. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $42.90-$70. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

Intocable

Led by vocalist Ricky Muñoz and percussionist René Martinez, these Texas norteño sensations are touring in support of 2020's "Texican." They're had more than 1 billion YouTube views, won two Grammys and took home a lifetime achievement award in 2012 from the Billboard Latin Music Awards.

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, July 10. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $52.50-$108. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

Corinne Bailey Rae 

She topped the U.K. charts in 2006 with a stylishly soulful self-titled debut, a breakthrough fueled in large part by the single "Put Your Records On." Her latest album, 2016's "The Heart Speaks in Whispers," was her first release in six years, following "The Sea," a cathartic affair whose mood was shaped by the loss of her husband to an overdose. MusicOMH responded, "There’s a new sense of optimism shining through the songs, especially on tracks like 'Hey I Won’t Break Your Heart' and 'Tell Me,' but it’s always tempered by a wistfulness that only experience can bring."

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, July 10. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave. $38-$58. 480-782-2680, chandlercenter.org.

The Summer Set

Their final show before they went their separate ways in 2017 was at the Maine's inaugural 8123 Fest in the parking lot of Crescent Ballroom. When the Maine heard they were getting back together, that made them an obvious choice for this year's festival. Now they're heading out on the Sad Summer Festival Tour with Waterparks, Neck Deep, Mayday Parade, State Champs and more. But first? A hometown show to send them on their way. 

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, July 10. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $29. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

Machine Gun Kelly

The Cleveland rapper brings his Mainstream Sellout Tour to Footprint Center with Avril Lavigne and WILLOW (as in Willow Smith). The genre-defiant performer has amassed more than 15.5 billion streams online and sold more than 10 million album units. "Mainstream Sellout" is his second album to debut at No. 1 in Billboard. His biggest hits include the breakthrough single "Wild Boy," "Bad Things" and "My Ex's Best Friend."

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, July 11. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $24.50 and up. 602-379-7800, livenation.com.

COIN

These Nashville indie-pop sensations are launching a tour in support of a concept album called "Uncanny Valley" that, according to their press release, was borne of "intense fascination with what it means to be human in an increasingly digital world." And speaking of digital worlds, they've earned more than 1 billion streams since launching their career in 2012 with an EP titled "Saturdays."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 12. Arizona Federal Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com. 

Dispatch and O.A.R.

This is the first time these hard-touring jam-rock veterans have hit the road together. “Dispatch has always been a name on our white-board wish-list for bands we wanted to tour with,” O.A.R. sax player Jerry DePizzo said in a press release. “It’s almost as if we’ve existed in parallel universes. We both came up through the ranks and cut our teeth playing colleges and small clubs throughout the northeast and Midwest.” Don't be late or you'll miss G. Love opening the show.

Details: 6 p.m. Friday, July 15. Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St. $53.75; $48.75 in advance. 480-644-2560, mesaamp.com. 

Stephen Marley

The eight-time Grammy winner is swinging through the Valley on his Babylon By Bus Tour, named in honor of a legendary live release recorded by his dad, Bob Marley, in the '70s. Marley promises a mixture of his own hits spanning a career of more than 40 years and selections from his father's catalog. A dollar from each ticket will be donated to the Ghetto Youths Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Stephen, Damian and Julian Marley to provide resources and opportunity to communities in need.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 15. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $33. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com. 

Polica

Led by the intoxicating vocals of Channy Leaneagh, these Minneapolis synth-pop revivalists are touring on "Madness," a companion piece to 2020's "When We Stay Alive" that definitely makes the most of those breathtaking vocals. It's a haunted affair with real tension and teeth or, as Uncut described it, "a deeply textural listen, led by Leaneagh’s impressive voice."

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, July 15. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $25-$35. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

Brea Burns & the Boleros

Phoenix singer Brea Burns and her bandmates have mastered the sound of classic honky tonk, as captured on "Heartbreak & Drinkin' Songs," an album that opens with a twangy instrumental that sounds like Duane Eddy scoring a Spaghetti Western before Burn grabs the mic and the spotlight on "One Drunken Night." She's got the perfect voice (and attitude) to put this kind of stuff across and she does it with style and conviction.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 15. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave. Free. 480-782-2680, chandlercenter.org.

Slightly Stoopid

Signed by Bradley Nowell of Sublime while still in high school, these San Diego jam-rock veterans of 25 years have summed up what they do as a fusion of folk, rock, reggae and blues with hip-hop, funk, metal and punk. They bring three modern-rock hits to the table —  million-selling "2 A.M.," "Top of the World" and "The Prophet." They're joined on their Summer Traditions Tour by kindred spirits Pepper, Common Kings and Fortunate Youth.

Details: 4:30 p.m. Saturday, July 16. Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St. $52; $47 in advance. 480-644-2560, mesaamp.com. 

Happy Together Tour

The Happy Together Tour returns to Arizona in its 13th year. In addition to performing such classics as "Happy Together" and "She'd Rather Be With Me," the Turtles will once again host with Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, the Association, the Buckinghams, the Vogues, and the Cowsills. Together, those artists have 61 Top 40 entries on the Billboard Hot 100.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 16. Talking Stick Resort, Loop 101 and Pima Road, Salt River Reservation. $30 and up. 480-850-7734, talkingstickresort.com.

Aluna

Aluna Francis of U.K. electro-soul duo AlunaGeorge will be at Maya Night Swim. PopMatters praised their first album, 2013's aptly titled "Body Music," as "an intelligent hot pot of sounds all meshed together flawlessly and intelligently; a breath of fresh air." They may be best known in the U.S. for their remix of "You Know You Like It," a hit collab with DJ Snake from the soundtrack to "The Amazing Spider-Man 2."

Details: 9 p.m. Monday, July 18. Maya Day & Nightclub, 7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale. $20. 480-625-0528, mayaclubaz.com.

Cowboy Junkies

Recorded in a single day around a single microphone inside a church, their breakthrough album, "The Trinity Session," was the kind of record friends told friends they had to hear because you'd hate to think a friend was missing out on such a disarmingly intimate spin on classic country music. A haunting sleepwalk through the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" was the standout most likely to make that friend say, "I need to own this record now or preferably sooner." And their talent for making a classic their own is on brilliant display on this year's "Songs of the Recollection," with songs by Neil Young, David Bowie, the Cure and more. 

Details: 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, July 19-20. MIM Music Theater, Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. Sold out. 480-478-6000, mim.org.

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REO Speedwagon and Styx

It’s been four years since these Illinois rockers last joined forces on a co-headlining tour. And this time, they've got Loverboy on board. REO Speedwagon spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's album chart with 1980's 10-times-platinum "Hi Infidelity," which spawned the platinum chart-topper "Keep on Loving You" and the Top 5 "Take It on the Run." Styx fans can expect to hear familiar favorites from "Lady" to "Mr. Roboto" as well as a handful of highlights from "Crash of the Crown," their 17th studio album. 

Details: 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 20. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

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Purity Ring

The Canadian synth-pop duo are touring the States in support of a dreamy new EP called "Graves." It's the first release on their own label, the Fellowship. But, as AllMusic noted, "Instead of using that freedom to make something challenging or dense, they do the opposite," lifting "the foggy textures that dominated" their previous effort, "Womb," in favor of "spacious, crystalline productions and an overall feeling of lightness."

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 20. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $26; $23 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Show Me the Body

They've been at the forefront of the New York City hardcore scene since the release of "Yellow Kidney" in 2014. The 405 responded to their latest full-length effort, "Dog Whistle," with "It's easy to stand in awe at the masterful abrasiveness and thrashing communication of anger and unease on 'Dog Whistle', but its pacing is an equal wonder to behold and a perfect reason to deem Show Me the Body as ambassadors of hardcore’s future."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 20. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $17. 602-368-3121, valleybarphx.com.

Darius Rucker

He rose to fame as the voice of Hootie & the Blowfish before going country, a second act that brings the star to Phoenix on a tour with Caylee Hammack. In reviewing a recent performance in St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch praised Rucker and his six-piece band for "a simple, straightforward, delightful 90 minutes of country and pop, with songs from his solo repertoire and from Hootie & the Blowfish."

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, July 22. Arizona Federal Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $39.75 and up. 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com. 

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Dirty Heads

Hailing from Huntingdon Beach, Dirty Heads bring their signature blend of reggae, hip-hop, ska and punk to Mesa Amphitheatre with SOJA, Tribal Seeds and Elovators. They're currently putting the finishing touches on a new studio album. Their most successful song to date is "Lay Me Down", featuring guest vocals by Rome Ramirez of Sublime With Rome.

Details: 5 p.m. Friday, July 22. Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St. $55; $50 in advance. 480-644-2560, mesaamp.com. 

Train

The San Francisco rockers whose hits include "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" and the 10-times-platinum "Hey Soul Sister" are touring with Jewel in support of this year's "AM Gold." And she's been joining them onstage to revisit the vocals she added to one of the album's most contagious cuts, "Turn the Radio Up," as well as a crowd-pleasing medley of ABBA's "Dancing Queen" and the Doobie Brothers' "Listen to the Music."

Details: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 24. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $30.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

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The Shins

The Shins will bring their classic debut album "Oh, Inverted World" to life in its entirety on a 21st Birthday Tour. In addition to putting the Shins on the map while making critics swoon, it's the album — or "low-key masterpiece," as the New York Times accurately summed it up — that gave the world "New Slang," the song Natalie Portman's character in “Garden State" famously says will "change your life." 

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, July 24. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $49.50-$69.50. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com. 

Tiny Moving Parts

These Minnesota punks are either on the emo side of math-rock or the math-rock side of emo, maybe both. On 2019's "Breathe," the music bristled with the sort of urgency filtered through throat-shredding vocals that makes a person think they maybe need to heed the advice of the title. For the listener, though? It's better that they didn't. Kerrang! praised the "truthfulness and honesty inherent throughout this fantastic record."

Details: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 24. The Nile, 105 W. Main St., Mesa. $20. 480-559-5859, eventbrite.com.

James Taylor & His All-Star Band

Inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the world-renowned entertainer has sold more than 100 million albums since he was first signed by the Beatles to their label, Apple Records. He's won multiple Grammy Awards and earned many gold, platinum and multiplatinum awards. His "Greatest Hits" album alone sold more than 10 million copies. 

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 26. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $59.50 and up. 602-379-7800, livenation.com.

The Lumineers

The Lumineers will bring their Brightside World Tour to the Valley with special guests Gregory Alan Isakov and Daniel Rodriguez. They launched their career in 2012 with a spirited gem of acoustic-guitar-driven Mumford-compatible folk-rock titled “Ho Hey,” a Top 5 smash whose saturation of the culture may have been complete when Taylor Swift took to covering it on tour. They arrive in support of "Brightside," an album the Telegraph hailed as “a sweet slice of Americana that will get right under your skin."

Details: 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 26. Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. $34 and up. 623-772-3800, ticketmaster.com. 

Anthrax and Black Label Society

Black Label Society and Anthrax have shared festival stages and one-off shows, but this is their first tour together. Anthrax were part of the thrash-metal Big Four, alongside Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth. Spin says of the four, "Anthrax have always been the most explicit in their love of hardcore, both its mosh-pit aggression and cartoonish political satire." Zakk Wylde rose to fame as lead guitarist Jake E. Lee's replacement in the Ozzy Osbourne band. He's been fronting Black Label Society since 1998.

Details: 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 26. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $55-$60. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

The Kingdom Tour

Maverick City Music won Top Gospel Album at the Billboard Music Awards in 2021 for "Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1." Now they're spending their summer on a co-headlining tour with a contemporary gospel legend, Kirk Franklin. The man has picked up 16 Grammys and been called "the reigning king of urban gospel" in Variety. They're joined by Jonathan McReynolds and Housefires.

Details: 6:45 p.m. Thursday, July 28. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls

The 21st century troubadour most likely to be thought of as his generation's Billy Bragg is on tour in support of the album most likely to change the way we look at Turner moving forward. "FTHC" finds Turner embracing his punk roots on tracks as explosive as "Non Serviam," an opening track that features Turner shouting like a proper hardcore singer. Other tracks are closer to what we may think of as his folk-rock comfort zone, including "Miranda," a heartfelt tribute to his transgender father on which he sets the scene with "My father is called Miranda these days."

Details: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 28. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35-$55. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Fuerza Regida

A leading force in the regional urban music movement, Fuerza Regida have conquered the internet with more than 5.2 million monthly Spotify listeners and countless followers across social media platforms. Their sound blends classic elements of regional Mexican music with urban music and honest lyrics, delivering tales of the streets, love and the experiences young Latinos face in the United States today.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, July 29. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $34.50 and up. 602-379-7800, livenation.com.

Santa Fe Klan

Born and raised in Guanajuato, México, Ángel Quezada was just 12 when he launched his career. Six albums and seven years later, he continues to impress with powerful performances, style and a unique sound. Vice has praised him as "an MC capable of connecting with thousands and millions of people through his reality: that of a young man from Santa Fe (name of the colony where he was born and raised) who explores all the vices and virtues of the Mexican neighborhood."

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, July 29. Arizona Federal Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $35 and up. 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com. 

Wiz Khalifa and Logic

Wiz Khalifa and Logic bring their co-headlining tour to town with guests 24kGoldn, DJ DRAMA, C Dot Castro and Fedd the God. Khalifa's breakthrough single, "Black and Yellow," topped the Hot 100 in 2010 on the way to going six-times-platinum. His biggest hit came five years later with the 11-times-platinum chart-topper “See You Again." Logic's hits include "Sucker for Pain" and the eight-times-platinum "1-800-273-8255."

Details: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 30. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

Daddy Yankee

In 2006, the New York Times proclaimed this Puerto Rican superstar the King of Reggaeton, having taken his place at the forefront of the genre largely on the strength of “Gasolina." He's gone on to sell approximately 30 million records, placing him among the biggest-selling Latin music artists in the world. He and Latin pop star Luis Fonsi topped the Hot 100 in 2017 with "Despacito," the first chart-topping U.S. single sung primarily in Spanish since Los del Río's "Macarena" did the trick in 1996.

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, July 31. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $310 and up. 602-379-7800, livenation.com.

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

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