Max Capacity: The Biggest and Best Concerts in Phoenix this August
The Van Buren.
Summer’s one of the busiest seasons for touring, it seems like every night of the week there’s another great band coming through town. We’ve combed through next month’s concert listings and picked out five can’t-miss gigs in the Phoenix area, featuring legendary hitmakers and newer performers alike.
Third Eye Blind and Taking Back Sunday, Thursday August 4th at Arizona Financial Theatre
1990s alt rock superheroes Third Eye Blind comes through town with their Summer Gods 2022 tour, joined by special guests Taking Back Sunday. Third Eye Blind draws from their deep catalog of nostalgia-baiting hits for a thrilling live show punctuated by music nerd-friendly covers (recent set lists feature versions of songs by Joy Division and Califone), for an evening of anthemic choruses and crunchy guitar breakdowns.
Teyana Taylor, Monday August 8th at The Van Buren
Following the release of her long-awaited sophomore album, the Kanye West-produced “K.T.S.E.” in 2018, Teyana Taylor vowed to have more creative control over future recording projects, a promise was delivered upon with “The Album,” which came out in 2020 to massive critical acclaim. Despite the positive accolades, Taylor has decided to move on from music, and announced earlier this year that her Summer 2022 tour would be her last. Be sure to catch the Phoenix stop on The Last Rose Petal 2: Farewell Tour, it’s probably your last chance to see your favorite Teyana tracks live.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Monday August 8th and Tuesday August 9th at the Musical Instrument Museum
Though the prolific South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo rose to global superstardom thanks to their collaborations with Paul Simon on his titanic 1986 album “Graceland,” they’ve actually been performing since 1960. This rotating lineup of talented vocalists, directed by founder Joseph Shabalala until his retirement in 2008, has released dozens of studio albums and has toured the world countless times. Their live performances are one-of-a-kind experiences that are a must-see for music lovers of all ages.
The One Nation Under A Groove Tour is an intergenerational celebration of all things funky, headlined by godfather of funk, George Clinton. Leader of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective, this elder god of psychedelia has cobbled together a diverse lineup of musicians who owe Clinton a musical debt of gratitude. Special guests include R&B brass throwback artists The Motet, cult ska/punk band Fishbone, jam fusion artists Dopapod, and soul music revivalists the Pimps of Joytime, making for a jam-packed evening of good vibes.
Rick Spingfield, Men At Work, and John Waite on Monday August 29th at the Celebrity Theatre
Enjoy a late-summer trip back to the 1980s with an in-the-round performance from trio of hitmakers at the unique Celebrity Theatre. Headlined by “Jesse’s Girl” singer Rick Springfield, the show also features Men At Work, whose hits include “Down Under” and “Who Can It Be Now?,” and John Waite, perhaps best known for his 1984 blockbuster single “Missing You.”