Summer is upon us – and since you had your music-loving little ass kicked by finals – why not recover by kicking off this first week of summer the right way by checking out our list of top summer concerts that you definitely don’t want to miss. Some acts will be taking the stage this week, while you’ll want a heads-up on others that will be rocking out later in the summer.
May
Radiohead is here with rum Fresh off their first DIY release sans a major label, the boys from Radiohead roll into West Palm Beach’s Cruzan Rum Amphitheatre on May 5 to promote their latest album, In Rainbows. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and you can get your tickets – affordably priced from $32.50 to $55 – unless of course you’re feeling the DIY spirit, then you can just forge a few. Visit ticketmaster.com
Kid Rock rocks it outAlt-rock rapper Kid Rock shows us that rock isn’t dead on his Rock ‘N Roll Revival tour with Reverend Run (of Run-DMC and that vapid MTV reality show about his family). Kid and the Rev “rev” up the Hard Rock Live venue in Hollywood on May 7 at 7:30 p.m., and general admission tickets are $57. Visit ticketmaster.com
Raffa + Rainer = Good showThose local acoustic indie darlings, Raffa + Rainer, bring their soft rocking lullabies (or songs that sound like lullabies) to the famous Churchill’s Pub in Miami every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. They also host the weekly open mic night during their time on stage, so grabbing a Pabst Blue Ribbon while taking in your fellow South Florida singer-songwriters sounds appealing to us… especially when entry is free. Visit churchillspub.com
Kanye West glows in the darkPreppy-dressed hip-hop artist and producer extraordinaire, Kanye West, brings the magic of his Glow In The Dark tour to The Magic City at Miami’s American Airlines Arena on May 6. His tickets range from $46 to $81, and we’re told his opening act takes the stage at 7 p.m. By the way, you may have heard of the opener: She’s a sexy little chanteuse named Rihanna. Visit ticketmaster.com
June
Just go, go see this showThe Cure. June 13 at 7 p.m. BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise. $47.25 to $67.25. End of story. Visit thecure.com
Stretch your Vampire Weekend to MondayWhile music magazines like Rolling Stone and SPIN debate the merit of Vampire Weekend’s recent charting successes, now’s the time when you can check out the band in an intimate setting for a lot less, when they play The Fillmore in Miami Beach on June 9. The boys begin at 8:30 p.m., and at $18, don’t make the same mistake we did when we missed The Killers play the Culture Room a few years back. These guys are definitely going places. Visit livenation.com
Rock till dawn with Dawn Of Ashes Goth rockers Dawn Of Ashes, take the stage at West Palm Beach’s infamous Respectable Street nightclub on June 21 for a $10 show starting at 8 p.m. Get there on time to catch fellow acts as Vicious Alliance and Cyanide Regime work the crowd into a frenzy. Visit respectablestreet.com
Random Concert of the Summer…
Make music… with Elmo?Sesame Street meets Biscayne Boulevard on June 7 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami. Elmo and his band of Muppets will take over the stage at 10:30 a.m. for the Elmo Makes Music tour. Tickets will run you $12 to $35, and we’re told that any children that haven’t yet reached their first birthday can get in free. Visit sesamestreetlive.com
